Cyclo-cross could be cycling’s Parkrun – or at least its best chance of getting people racing bikes

I always enjoy the walk or jog to Parkrun. As you near the arena, such as it is, whether it is an actual park, or a seafront, or beside a motorway, over a bridge, as I did once. Once you’ve done the hard work of getting out of bed and making it to the designated place, you get to enjoy the anticipation in the air. People of all ages and abilities, semi-professional runners and people attempting their first ever 5km, all converge on the same spot, ready for the 9am start. It’s hugely successful, because the barriers to entry are so low: you need a pair of trainers, to be registered – which is free – and to complete a 5km at your speed. There is little danger, little cost, and few causes for apprehension. It’s little wonder that around 400,000 people take part each week.

Even then, it took me five years between signing up to Parkrun and actually embarking on one. I’ve now done 36, which is more reflective of my priorities on a Saturday morning than anything else, but it took me a while to not be intimidated by the event with little to no barriers. It took moving city, joining a run club and meeting like-minded people to encourage me to actually take part.

Adam Becket

News editor at Cycling Weekly, Adam brings his weekly opinion on the goings on at the upper echelons of our sport. This piece is part of The Leadout, a newsletter series from Cycling Weekly and Cyclingnews. To get this in your inbox, subscribe here. As ever, email adam.becket@futurenet.com - should you wish to add anything, or suggest a topic.

I was reflecting on all this when I went to watch my first ever cyclo-cross race in person last weekend. It was a local event, Round One of the Western Cyclo-Cross League in Cheltenham, England. Not to take part, no I’m not ready to do that, but to support my friend Rosalie in her first-ever race. There was the familiar trudge to a park, sadly with fewer people, but still a bit of a buzz. I can’t believe it took me this long to go to a race. The atmosphere was friendly, and reassuringly unintimidating, and it was great to see a range of ages and abilities race, from the semi-elite group at the front , to the much bigger group in the middle, having fun and taking part in their own battles. Just like Parkrun, there were those aiming for the win, or at least challenging for it, and then those using it as type two fun.

Cheering on the race, with the help of a continental lager – it is a CX race after all – I was taken by just how fun and friendly it looked, with a few of the competitors even thanking us for the support as they went round. It was far from the intimidating event that it could have been, that the world of road racing certainly seems to me, hill-climbing is similarly open. People just turn up with a bike they are prepared to ride off-road on, pay the fee (which in this case was £25), learn the course, and race for under an hour. The risks are low, especially the muddier it is. There are no open roads, no cars, it’s fun, and unless you’re battling at the front, it’s unlikely to be overly competitive. At least that’s how it seemed to me. There are technical bits, but nothing insurmountable, especially at the beginning of the season; then the worse the weather gets, the more the chaos mounts too.

The differences between Parkrun and a CX race are stark, of course. At the latter you do need a bike, you have to pay, and it feels a lot more hidden away; something you would only take part in if you met the right person, or were encouraged by a club. The equipment, especially, is a huge barrier to entry – I don’t have a gravel bike, so I’m out immediately. However, as we are several years into the gravel boom right now, you might have one, and I would encourage you to at least look into taking part in your local race. It’s easier said than done, obviously, but what’s the worst that could happen?

Organisers, locally and nationally, with the help of British Cycling, could do with a bit of a marketing revolution, to show that anyone can do it. I didn’t realise you could just turn up on the day and take part, so some clarity on the rules would certainly help, especially if you’re not part of a traditional cycling club that might push out info on this sort of thing. My friend Rosalie was hooked; she’s already done her second event. If we could harness this across the country, then maybe we could get loads more people hooked on racing. All I need now is a bike.

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If you want to get in touch with Adam, email adam.becket@futurenet.com.