Drive A Short Distance So You Can Run A Short Distance...

Every week (OK missed a few) over the past month and a bit, I've been running a 5km timed run, run (no pun intended) by Parkrun. Did one today.

The events take part in pleasant woodlands every Saturday across the UK. It's free, your timings are recorded and personal bests shown. When you've run 50 of them (12 months if you run every week), you get a t-shirt with "50" printed on the back and another when you've run 100, with "100" printed on the back of it.

I came across it one Saturday by accident when out on a morning ride to the War Memorial park. Nice little find. You feel you've done something constructive on a Saturday morning and it's good to be around the health and fitness oriented. All in, it takes less than 2 hours to get there, run, queue for your timings and get back.

So, what has this to do with cycling? Well, I've noticed how the number of people who drive to get there heavily outnumber the cyclists who cycle to get there, who can be counted on two hands at most out of over 300 runners...

The nearest car park is too small for all the cars and excess vehicles have to park on the grass. Today, there were no grass parkers because the organisers had asked people not to park on the grass as, there's been lots of rain and the grass would become a quagmire if everybody parked on it.

Something wrong there? Well, not necessarily; I mean, for all I know, the car drivers may have driven over 10 miles or so, therefore using the car is justified in my book, it's not a triathlon or iron man afterall. Then again, there might be nearer events to them as there are at least 6 of the same about 20 miles away. I just suspect that most of them will have driven in from around 5 miles away because most of the residential areas in my town are that distance at most away from where this event is held.

So, drive 7km or whatever 5 miles is, so that you can run 5 km...It has been fair weather, so even less of an excuse. All the drivers drove there probably out of habit...

Well, in fairness, over ten years ago, I might have been one of them. Of course, I only rediscovered cycling in 2008. Moreover, many are completely unaware of how cheap, fast, efficient and enjoyable cycling is for short distances in good weather. Just like I was. But the cycling lobby only seems to promote the benefits of cycling with regard to environmentalism and fitness. Which are perfectly valid, but don't seem to be winning over the public. The pushbike's forte of fast, efficient, cheap transport over short distances all too often seems to be overlooked or ignored...

If we want to reduce dependency on the car, this type of journey might be a good place to start - use the bike for distances and in weather conditions where the car offers no advantage.

Perhaps we could try more to promote it thus. I'm attempting to here. Also everyone I meet - hope I'm not becoming too dull/irritating/bee in my bonnet in the process...

Also save money and wear and tear on the car...;-)

The right hand side of the car park...full up...

The left hand side of the car park...full up...

Recognise that silver bike there? That's what they should all ride - not the same bike, but the same model ;-)