Parkrun runners take note please

[Oldgirl]

I did a duty at my local Parkrun yesterday we had over 230 runners and a problem. I counted at least 5 runners who crossed the finish line and then took off saying "I forgot my barcode" and at 5'1" tall I'm not big enough to wrestle anyone to the ground It's all very well running but if a runner doesn't go into the funnel and get a number token (I assume all Parkrun's have the same system) then get their barcode scanned it throws the times and numbers into utter chaos and then some poor person has to try and sort it all out. Hence sometimes the delay in getting results out to all the runners. At least if you go to the scanning desk and say "no barcode," they can log it as such.

So please, please, please take your barcode's with you. Parkrun is a wonderful event, run by volunteers who give up their Saturday morning to do duties and also give up the chance of being able to run which is very generous by any runners standards. Don't take it for granted that there are always enough volunteers either, some weeks our venue is still trying to get all stations covered as late as Thursday evening.

Sorry if I sound as though I'm preaching but I promise you will enjoy doing a duty as much as you do running and you will have put something back into what is after all a free event.

Here ends my sermon of the Parkrun volunteer's group and thank you for reading, if you have!!

[crox Graduate]

I usually peel off when running with my son to make sure I don't go near the funnel.

[Oldgirl Graduate in reply to crox]

That's the best solution, so long as a runner doesn't go through the clock all is OK, it's a problem I think that Parkrun need to sort out cos I'm pretty sure it happens to other venues all the time. Wish everyone was as sensible.

[notbad Graduate]

As you say, best solution is to not cross the finish line as crox, 2nd best own up and get logged as unknown. Otherwise everyone afterwards gets a wrong time. It happens at ours too, other than appealing to runners I'm not sure what can be done.

[Oldgirl Graduate in reply to notbad]

Its not good but will help us to understand what can be done to prevent it happening. The poor girl who was dishing out the numbers was really stressed over it yesterday and thats rather got my dander up when its something that could be avoided by just making sure you have your barcodes. Thanks for telling me its not just ours that has this problem.

[notbad Graduate in reply to Oldgirl]

Ours puts DFYBC regularly out on Parkrun eve tweets, if yours doesn't already maybe worth trying? Best of luck to you - huge respect to all you who volunteer at the funnel!