Not running for a couple of weeks (sigh) so I volunteered at my local parkrun. The rain held off, and I didn't have to run up the big hill twice 😁
Very friendly people both runners and volunteers, and I recommend it to anyone. Several volunteers were first timers doing their bit while injured. Oh, and I took the photo before the run started, it livened up later 😊🏃♀🚶♀🐕🤰Oorgh it's infuriating that there isn't a female runner emoji! Aaargghhhh!! (Ok, feel better now 😳)
Well Done grumpyoldgirl, it’s great to volunteer and give something back to parkrun when you cannot run. Which task did you do?
I ran on Saturday and then helped to sort the finishing tokens with Oldgirlruns so I received a running and a volunteer tick in the box. It’s not a popular task but does need to be done and we’re getting quite quick at it now.
I marshalled. Really interesting to see the run like that, the first guys through are unbelievably quick! I helped to sort tokens a few weeks ago, it's a strangely soothing task.
Yes I like marshalling and cheering everyone on, especially at the turning cone.
Marshalling is great GOG! I always have the London Marathon theme music running through my head as I watch the line of runners coming round towards me, it’s quite a thing isn’t it?!
Certainly is!
Oh Dexy & GOG, that’s brave! Token sorting is one of the hardest jobs I think. I’ve done it three times and each time I try to think of some way of making it easier. I have made a pole to hang the tokens off in 10s after they’ve been sorted into 100s, then they go on the wires. I like the methodical nature of it but it takes so much time and I can’t think of anything else to speed it up. Have you got any ideas??? And added to that I always forget my glasses so I’m squinting at them half the time 🤓😂
We’ve now got a plastic box with square holes marked out for batches of 20. So first put tokens in the right section then sort each section into order. It did help that Oldgirlruns started as soon as runners came in , so she had filled lots of sections before I got there. Once sorted they go onto a lace. I do check the order before parkrun, if I’m handing out tokens though, just in case ....
Only 3 went missing last week ! I think people keep them as souvenirs.
Parkrunners, please don’t keep the tokens. It does create work and expense.
Your box sounds a bit like my pole.
A few weeks ago they did try dividing the collection boxes into sections for the bar code scanner volunteers but I don’t think it worked very well as the volunteers felt too pressured to concentrate on that at the same time, which I can understand.
We always lose some tokens, some weeks they get sneaked back in again.
Hmm, I think you must have a lot bigger turnout at your parkrun. Couchpotato2 and I did it between us, so maybe you can rope someone in to help?
We have between 400 & 600 most weeks. Even with help it takes ages 😫
Eek! (Backs away quietly)
...yeah...something like that 😆
Well done volunteering - and there is said emoji! 🏃🏼♀️🏃🏼♀️🏃🏼♀️
Yes it’s on iPhone but not on our PC.
Not on my android either 🙁
🏃♀️ 🏃♂️
Well done... parkrun can’t happen without injured runners and other nutters prepared to be battered by horizontal rain on a Saturday morning! Seems you go better weather though!
I was prepared for rain, so I ended up overdressed 😁
Well done. I volunteered for set up, number checker and took photos 😊
Set up is my favourite as you can run afterwards. Youngest kitten likes doing the photos 😀
You had a busy morning!
🏃♀️🏃♀️🏃♀️I found her! ☺️
Thanks Helen, but all I see is a little rectangle. My phone doesn't support it, I have a sexist phone 😡
Well done grumps!! I must admit that I don't fancy the handing out of tokens bit ....I can imagine queues of people with running watches and phones contesting their times!! Big day today. Attempt at 11k. Not feeling particularly confident in this holiday territory, but will give it a go! Have a whole field of female runners to make up for shortcomings of other platforms 🏃♀️🏃♀️🏃♀️🏃♀️🏃♀️🏃♀️🏃♀️🏃♀️🏃♀️😊
Aw thanks, I'm sure they're lovely- if only I could see them 👁️🙈📱🚫♀👩
Oops, and forgot to say good luck with the run! (I'll be having nightmares of hosts of irate runners angrily waving their watches and phones at me!)😲😮😁
Well done on volunteering 🏃🏻♀️🏃♀️🏃🏼♀️🏃🏽♀️🏃🏾♀️🏃🏿♀️I seem to have 6 ladies!
I just have little rectangles on my phone. Maybe the ladies are hiding behind them?
Do you mean that the ladies that I have sent you are have arrived as rectangles, not ladies? I sometimes receive little rectangles instead of the lovely emojis various folk send me, particularly on my phone. Sometimes I ask what the rectangle was meant to be I suppose we could just use our imagination! Yes indeed the ladies must be shy and hiding behind the rectangles! The difference in the six I sent is the hair and skin colour.
30 minute puffer
Park Runners - where do you run, what do you like about your run and have you done any really special ‘tourist’ runs. 
