Parkrun marshalling - wow! 🏃‍♀️❤️🏃‍♂️

[cheekychipmunks]

Due to my unfortunate and very silly toe injury I missed out on two things - the disco I was supposed to go to last night (couldn’t risk someone stomping on my foot 😩😳), and parkrun this morning.

So I marshalled! Oh wow, what an amazing bunch of people! Immediate new friends made, the feeling of deep pride watching courageous runners of all shapes, sizes and speeds running/walking past and even taking the time to say ‘thanks marshal’. I loved cheering them all on. 😀

My dog joined me and made lots of new friends too. She so should have been Tail Walker! 😅🐕

It was literally as fun as running it last week, so whenever I’m not running, I’ll definitely be marshalling. ❤️ I wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone.

Anyway, parkrun rocks! I will be back running next week with any luck, but it’s an amazing community and a every runner needs to give it a go! 👍👏😀

[Oldlady57]

Speedy recovery CCM. Hope you strapped your toe to a buddy 👍🏻

[cheekychipmunks Graduate in reply to Oldlady57]

I wasn’t running today Oldlady, just marshalling, but I’ve bought some buddying up tape and it’ll be utilised tomorrow on my test jog! 😀🏃‍♀️

[Jaz20 Graduate]

I absolutely agree cheekychipmunks ! I marshalled at our Parkrun this morning and loved cheering everyone on to the finish. I love running at Parkruns but they only happen because of everyone that volunteers so it is really important to give some time 😀 🏃‍♀️

[cheekychipmunks Graduate in reply to Jaz20]

Definitely! I’ll be happy to volunteer again, it was so much fun. 👍

[Hidden]

Sounds like a wonderful experience! ✌

[cheekychipmunks Graduate in reply to Hidden]

It was fabulous and it makes you realise what a lovely community it is! ❤️

[UnfitNoMore Graduate]

It’s my Saturday off from marshalling, and I’m missing it... I’m on duty at juniors tomorrow though. You’re right, it’s an amazing experience, can’t believe how many thank yous there are. Did you get to the finish line in time for the tail coming in? That’s my favourite bit.

[cheekychipmunks Graduate in reply to UnfitNoMore]

Yes, I was able to see the last few coming in, and they all got the biggest cheer! 👏👏👏 Aren’t running folk the friendliest? I never realised until I became one!

Have fun at juniors tomorrow! Bet that’s brilliant too. 👍

[UnfitNoMore Graduate in reply to cheekychipmunks]

I’ve received the last one home cheer once and given it a few times. Once though a lady walking at the back was so fast I couldn’t catch her up.

Juniors is a lot of fun... as long as I’m not tail runner, that turned into a nightmare 😂

Lots of mums and dads run with the little ones so I’m constantly telling them how well they’re doing on lap one... lap 2 I’m reminding them to sprint that finish and not let the oldie beat them.

[cheekychipmunks Graduate in reply to UnfitNoMore]

I might need to experience that at some point! Sounds quite eventful! 😅😅

[UnfitNoMore Graduate in reply to cheekychipmunks]

I love it... and it’s only 20 minutes or so long, so it’s an hour at most of my Sunday... and to be fair it’s an hour I used to miss most weeks 😂

There’s presentations of arm bands before each run, and a warmup session that I try to do, there’s only two marshal posts that need manning before the start at ours, all the others are walkable after the start... well usually, I was on the third post one week and had to run to get there... that day the fastest kid did 2k in about 6:30.

[cheekychipmunks Graduate in reply to UnfitNoMore]

Crikey, that’s speedy! 💪

[UnfitNoMore Graduate in reply to cheekychipmunks]

Yeah, he’s at the older end and also does parkrun 5k. Amazing to watch, perfect form, but the best thing about him is he finishes and then runs to the tail walker and gives support to all the kids at the back for another lap and a half.

[cheekychipmunks Graduate in reply to UnfitNoMore]

Oh I love that lad! What a lovely thing to do! ❤️

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate]

It is a great thing to do.. well done you! Hope your toe is feeling more like it now

I bust my middle toe on the right foot late last night.. it has a buddy toe now Taking a days extra rest though as it is black and painful and a very funny shape

Hope your test run goes well

[cheekychipmunks Graduate in reply to Oldfloss]

Oh no Oldfloss, another toe injury! They should make the little so-and-so’s more durable! Hope yours improves quickly too. I really want to get back out there now! 🏃‍♀️🏃‍♀️🏃‍♀️🏃‍♀️🏃‍♀️🏃‍♀️

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate in reply to cheekychipmunks]

Well it is usually my little left toe.. so it makes a change There is no way this is going to sop me... I shall just take the extra day

[Katnap Graduate]

I'm sure all the goodwill will help speed your own recovery and from your marshalling experience watching all those runners of varying ability will give you confidence when you are ready to run again.

[cheekychipmunks Graduate in reply to Katnap]

Oh yes, that’s so true Katnap. I felt a real kindred spirit with some of the slower ones, knowing it was me last week, and will be me again next week! 😀🏃‍♀️

[Languid_Lil Graduate]

THANK YOU SO MUCH ALL PARKRUN VOLUNTEERS 😘😘😘💐💐💐💕❤️💟♥️💖💐💐💐😍😍😍

[cheekychipmunks Graduate in reply to Languid_Lil]

❤️❤️❤️❤️🏃‍♀️🏃‍♀️🏃‍♂️🏃‍♂️❤️❤️❤️❤️

[David_G]

Well done! I was a marshal for the first time this morning and I thought it was great. 🙂👍

It was good to meet some of our organisers and runners 🏃‍♂️🏃‍♀️👏 and I’m definitely going to do it again 🙂

[cheekychipmunks Graduate in reply to David_G]

Great isn’t it David? I wasn’t sure what to expect, but people couldn’t have been friendlier! 👍😀

[Crawlhome Graduate]

Thank you marshall 😁😁

[cheekychipmunks Graduate in reply to Crawlhome]

I must remember to say it myself next week! I feel guilty for just giving feeble little thumbs ups last week! 🤦‍♀️

[Crawlhome Graduate in reply to cheekychipmunks]

I manage to gasp something on the way past, they do such an amazing job. So sorry you've injured your toe, I hope it heals soon.

[cheekychipmunks Graduate in reply to Crawlhome]

Thanks. It’s on its way to feeling better. No bones broken, I’m sure. 👍 Cross at myself for being such a numpty - I wasn’t aware yoga was such a risky pastime! 🙄😅

[Beanjo Graduate]

What a great option cheeky- sounds like fun. Hope your toe improves quickly 😊🏃‍♀️

[cheekychipmunks Graduate in reply to Beanjo]

Thanks Beanjo. I’m going for a gentle test jog tomorrow morning. 🤞

[telford_mike Graduate]

Tail Walker 😂 Glad you had a good day despite the toe mishap!

[cheekychipmunks Graduate in reply to telford_mike]

Yes it was fab Mike! We were talking about getting my dog a special doggie hi-viz with tail walker on it! 😅🐕

Toe is on the mend. It won’t stop me for long! 💪

[AlMorr Ambassador Graduate]

Nice to get different aspects of a parkrun, on one week you take part in the 5K run, the following week you are a Marshall or officiating, you might consider alternating between the two.

[cheekychipmunks Graduate in reply to AlMorr]

Both options are amazingly good fun, and I’d be happy to do either. 👍