parkrun, lap two

Well done you!!

I was something similar 37 parkruns before I volunteered, I’m now at 267 parkruns with 138 volunteer credits.

You know you can volunteer and run/participate as well, as some volunteer roles allow that, such as, Pre-Event Setup, Post Event Close Down, First Timers Welcome, Event Day Course Check, parkwalker, Tail Walker and if your local event have pacers you can do that too.

Volunteering is so rewarding, now you’ve done it once, you’ll be hooked.

Don't be hard on yourself. There will be plenty of opportunities in the future. Particularly if you can get the kid involved in the junior parkrun. You can get a lot of volunteer credits volunteering at juniors

They posted this morning that they got volunteers so it'll go ahead as normal

Yeah, as far as I know that's the directive now. You can go ahead without marshals, but not timekeepers

I don't think you can go ahead without marshells, at least none as I understand it.

My local St Annes off the top of my head has 11 marshelling spots (I should know this - 50 of my 66 parkruns are at St Annes😬). On some weeks where there is a lack of volunteers they are posted at the key spots which are required but not all 11 are. They have said before that they cannot go ahead without marshels.

I know Inch beach is an out n back 1 marshell course but thats an exception. Didn't know it can go ahead without marshel though. As far as I was concerned each course had a few spots that were required and the others were good to have but not necessary to go ahead.

Issue is marshelling takes so long as does tailwaker. At least with some roles like event course check, pre event set up and pacing you can be out of there once you scan in.

Was pacing 21 minutes at St Annes yesterday and did my usual 2 mile warmup (plus drills,activation, stretching and strides) and 1½mile cooldown. Was at the post run coffee place just as tailwalker was only finishing.

A lot of small rural parkruns like Mountbellew Forest and Portumna tend to just have RD, timekeepers X2, a token distributor, a barcode scanner and a tail walker. Courses are marked by arrows.

I couldn't care less about the volunteer credit - just like helping people get a PB since its only every few months/training block or so that I get one.

"It does get noticed"?, pacing is still a nice thing to do. I'm sure RD's would rather people pace once every 4 weeks then not volunteer at all. Not like they would say no to volunteers - regardless of role.

People go to parkrun for different things - community, fitness, time trialing, etc. I go mainly just to test what shape I am in. I suppose it doesn't bother me if its not on - plenty of races or graded meetings I can enter but I understand that for some its their only 'official' timed race and that its very important that its on.

Parkwalk is more of a useless role then pacing. Tailwaker exists so if anything a parkwalk credit is a lot more disingenuous then pacing if you care about the volunteer credits.

Parkrun is not a race. It's never a race. Time trial at most but nobody wins or loses against other participants.

Yep. You can use your barcode anywhere. It's not limited to a specific country ☺️

For example, I did a parkrun in Wales with my "Irish parkrun barcode" last year.

Race/run/PB attempt - all the same really when it comes to parkrun - A chance to get a PB. Its obviously not a race however what I was trying to say is its most peoples only officially timed run/event. For some however it can be a little mini race between friends.

Parkrun barcode is universal.

https://www.msn.com/en-ie/sports/general/parkrun-event-extended-for-one-month-at-let-s-go-hydro-aquapark/ar-AA1EPZNF

Seems hydro park parkrun is on for just a tad longer.

It's supposed to be a fun jog around your local neighbourhood, not training for a place on Team Ireland's plane to LA 2028.

I've done a lot of parkruns. And it's this kind of judgy gatekeeping petty boll0x that pisses people off. Get away with that sh1te. I'll run parkrun any way I like and you can go fart.