What does Australia's largest parkrun know about building community that the rest of us don't?

When Joanne Watkins first arrived at Albert Melbourne parkrun in January-2012, around 30 to 50 people would turn up each Saturday. The first time attendance reached 100, they celebrated because they genuinely thought the event had peaked.

Nearly 15 years later, Albert Melbourne parkrun can attract more than 1,000 runners, walkers and volunteers. But the remarkable part isn't simply its size... it's how Joanne and her team have tried to grow something enormous without losing the connection that made those early Saturday mornings special.

That means two timekeepers, dozens of volunteers, an extraordinary double finish funnel. But it also means noticing the newcomer sitting alone, remembering people's names, shared ownership... and extraordinarily... Joanne “firing” her entire run-director team every year.

In this conversation, Joanne shares what nearly 15 years at Albert Melbourne has taught her about running, volunteering, leadership and human connection; and why people might come to parkrun for five kilometres, but stay because they've found somewhere they're seen, known and connected.

If you've ever wondered why running communities can become such an important part of our lives, this episode is for you..

In this episode:

• What Albert Melbourne parkrun looked like with just 30–50 participants.
• Why Joanne believes people don't really come to parkrun just for the 5K.
• Building systems designed around simplicity, redundancy and collective ownership.
• How Albert Melbourne grew dramatically following Melbourne's COVID lockdowns.
• Deliberately making newcomers feel noticed, welcomed and connected.
• How the famous double funnel handles enormous numbers of finishers.
• The catastrophic accident that left Joanne needing to learn to walk again.
• How the parkrun community supported Joanne throughout her recovery.

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About Runbelievable

Runbelievable is the podcast for every runner. From your first parkrun to your 100th marathon, from walk-run intervals to dabbling in trail running, every runner has a story worth telling. Through honest conversations with runners from all walks of life, Runbelievable explores the challenges, achievements, setbacks, and experiences that connect us through running and shape who we become.