Tailwalker 😁

[SueAppleRun]

I was told a while ago at my local parkrun that tailwalker is really popular and you need to put your name down several weeks before. So imagine my surprise when the 'we need more volunteers' email came through this morning that tailwalker was on there, so I offered and that's what I'll be doing Saturday 😁 I've been a Marshall a couple of times so it'll be great to do something different.

[Shake-and-run Graduate10]

I love Tailwalking. I use to worry that only elite runners would turn up and I would struggle to keep up. It’s never happened yet 😂😂.

[SueAppleRun Graduate10 60minGraduate in reply to Shake-and-run]

There's usually about 8 people behind me so with a brisk walking pace I should be able to keep up, and if I can't maybe a little trot won't hurt 😁

[ArthurJG Graduate10 in reply to Shake-and-run]

Don’t worry, there’s actually no requirement for the tail walker to ‘keep up’. That’s an absolute myth.

[Jools2020 Graduate10]

I was tailwalker a few weeks ago. It was too fast a walking pace for me! Actually had to slow jog and ended up hurting my knee.

[SueAppleRun Graduate10 60minGraduate in reply to Jools2020]

Oh nooo, well I can walk 5k a little faster than the last few looking at past results, last time I ran lancing it was wet and there were only 83 of us

[ArthurJG Graduate10 in reply to Jools2020]

Don’t worry, don’t need to keep up when you are tailwalker. The second last runner doesn’t need a babysitter. ‘No time limit at parkrun’ applies to all participants including the tail walker.

[Jools2020 Graduate10 in reply to ArthurJG]

True! There were two of us tailwalking. My struggle was keeping up with the other tailwalker 🤣

[ArthurJG Graduate10 in reply to Jools2020]

The other tailwalker was at fault then because they are supposed to go no faster than the slowest parkrunner and that includes other tailwalkers.

[BahamaMama1]

Good for you! Do you have a funky tail? 😁

[SueAppleRun Graduate10 60minGraduate in reply to BahamaMama1]

Definitely not 😂

[Dexy5 Graduate10 in reply to SueAppleRun]

At some parkruns they have a cat or fox tail 😂

[SueAppleRun Graduate10 60minGraduate in reply to Dexy5]

Oh nooo, ah well, I'll find one if I can but I've never seen a tail

[Dexy5 Graduate10 in reply to SueAppleRun]

You might be let off then Sue. We don’t have one at Southsea either. It would probably have to be a fish tail!

[BahamaMama1 in reply to Dexy5]

Ours had a dinosaur tail 😁

[Dexy5 Graduate10 in reply to BahamaMama1]

Love it

[Doris8 Graduate10]

Well done . The volunteers do a great job plus you’ll get a 5 km as well . .

[SueAppleRun Graduate10 60minGraduate in reply to Doris8]

Yes, I'm looking forward to it

[Oldlady64 60minGraduate]

Great idea. I see several of the tail walkers also walking their dog too and it does look like an enjoyable role!

[SueAppleRun Graduate10 60minGraduate in reply to Oldlady64]

I like to volunteer then I can do my long run Sunday

[MutleyShuffle Graduate10 in reply to Oldlady64]

I like to tailwalk so I can bring my doggy - she gets bored running that far but is happy to walk and sniff

[SueAppleRun Graduate10 60minGraduate in reply to MutleyShuffle]

I need another dog 🐕

[AlMorr Ambassador Graduate10]

You are correct Sue on saying that to be a tailwalker at parkrun you have to book several weeks ahead, well done on being tailwalker at your local parkrun this Saturday, I now have been tailwalker 6 times, there was one week, like you I asked to be tailwalker, not 5 weeks in advance but only 5 days on the Tuesday, I said I could do it and was tailwalker the following Saturday, you don't need to run, take your phone with you, get to the parkrun a bit earlier than if you were running, enjoy, by the way I am also the tailwalker this Saturday. 😊

[SueAppleRun Graduate10 60minGraduate in reply to AlMorr]

Thanks Al, I'm looking forward to it and will smile knowing you are doing the same elsewhere 😊

[Dexy5 Graduate10]

Well done for volunteering SueAppleRun . We’ve got 21 volunteer vacancies for this weekend, so once again an appeal has gone out.

The role used to be called tail runner but then parkrun HQ realised that they should include slower runners and walkers and changed the title accordingly.

[SueAppleRun Graduate10 60minGraduate in reply to Dexy5]

I've marshalled a couple of times, I need to holiday shop with granddaughter later so it's probably good that I'm not going to be going too fast, I was pleased the email wasn't for marshalls only although I like doing that but nice to do something different

[Oldfloss Administrator 60minGraduate]

You are doing wonderfully and having a super time.... and...giving so much back too x

[SueAppleRun Graduate10 60minGraduate in reply to Oldfloss]

I'm just being me Floss xx

[Oldfloss Administrator 60minGraduate in reply to SueAppleRun]

And you're a special person x

[Getfitordietrying Graduate10]

Our local Parkrun is always sending out calls for volunteers. It is a great way to meet people and socialise. Tailwalker is fun as you get to meet new people and have a chat walking round the course, and you get to feel virtuous 😀. Enjoy.

[SueAppleRun Graduate10 60minGraduate in reply to Getfitordietrying]

Ours is too, it just makes a change to running it,

[Curlygurly2 Graduate10]

Have you thought about parkwalker too? It's a new role introduced to encourage more people to walk at parkrun. I normally do it once a month at our 5KYourWay sessions. It's lovely, there are sometimes more than 10 of us walking. A couple of months ago, I got 25 volunteer credits and 50 parkrun credits and got a couple of the new long sleeved milestone t shirts, one red, the other purple.

[SueAppleRun Graduate10 60minGraduate in reply to Curlygurly2]

I've seen the parkwalkers, I don't feel I can commit to regular volunteering but when I saw tailwalker on the email I thought I'd go for it.

[Curlygurly2 Graduate10 in reply to SueAppleRun]

I don't know what you mean about committing to regular volunteering. Every role is open to everyone however often or rarely they wish to volunteer. I've just got my 25 volunteer t shirt, I've been running and going to parkrun for nearly 10 years...

[SueAppleRun Graduate10 60minGraduate in reply to Curlygurly2]

I think I meant where you said you do it once a month, thinking maybe I could do that then thinking I'm not looking too far forward at the moment and not wanting to commit, sorry if I misunderstood

[Curlygurly2 Graduate10 in reply to SueAppleRun]

That's ok, thank you for clarifying. I do it to support a special friend of mine, and others, who always show up, and it's nice to chat and go for coffee afterwards. It's not a commitment to parkrun or anything like that.

I hope you enjoy your stint tailwalking xx

[SueAppleRun Graduate10 60minGraduate in reply to Curlygurly2]

Thanks xx

[Koala679]

I volunteer at my local parkrun too. I usually do pre event set up or parkwalker. It's great to help out and you get to meet some lovely people too.

[SueAppleRun Graduate10 60minGraduate in reply to Koala679]

Yes, it's great to feel part of it

[Koala679 in reply to SueAppleRun]

I love parkrun. Being part of it is so special to me. The people are so encouraging and supportive to this koala trying to jog that bit faster and longer every week.

[SueAppleRun Graduate10 60minGraduate in reply to Koala679]

I love parkrun too now although it took me a long time to get round to going to my first one

[EEPaul Graduate10]

When I get the weekly email from my local parkrun, I volunteer to do whatever the coordinator suggests. As a result I've mainly been a marshal or timekeeper, but I did get offered the tailwalker role earlier this year (clearly no waiting list at Charlton). Donning the orange bib, I enjoyed a walk and chat with the slowest participants - first, a man with a dog, then a woman with a child - but they both dropped out before the end. I then accelerated a bit and caught up with one of our regular parkwalkers and finished with her. Thoroughly enjoyed getting both a (slow) parkrun time and a volunteer credit.

[SueAppleRun Graduate10 60minGraduate in reply to EEPaul]

I enjoyed it and was pleased to be able to do it, I'll run the next couple of weeks then am away then volunteer again, I've been Marshall a couple times now and enjoyed that too, it was a surprise as tail walker is usually booked up in advance at my local one