Woke this morning on my rest day and thought I'd give Parkrun a go, Ive been plucking up the courage to do it for ages and today I thought was the day. Went on site to get details to be told that I had to have a printed out barcode because they won't scan smartphones 😂😂🤦🏼♂️
1. Smartphone screens scan perfectly well, everywhere does this.
2. Who the hell has a home printer anymore? 🤣
3. I realise they want money and I have ordered a wrist band but I don't think people should be pushed into this and should be able to just turn up and have there phone scanned if they want to run.
Have people found that this rule is enforced when they go to Parkrun or could I have just turned up and some helpful soul would have scanned my smart phone and sent me on my way?
Too late for me now this week but worth knowing for future or others reference.
Have a great run all those taking part 👍🏻
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Jericho2332
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The scanners may work on a phone but if not, parkrun is a free event and for them to update equipment across over 1400 events worldwide, would be a major expense.
While technologies have advanced massively since the inception of parkrun, many people do still have home printers. Ask around.
I bought parkrun keytags with my barcode eight years ago and still have all three. It is a very minor contribution to a life changing experience.
Ordered a wrist band this morning, I have no issue contributing and would have got one anyway but it seemed limiting when it said phones wouldn't be scanned and a print out was necessary. It seems the website was probably badly worded as it sounds like they would have at least tried to scan a smart phone 👍🏻
You really needed to chat to the volunteers running your local parkrun. They'll know how their scanners cope and they're not all the same. Anyway you can certainly run with no barcode, you just don't get an "official time with your name on the result sheet.
New wrist band be delivered in few days, hopefully il still feel up to it next time 🤞🏻
When it got to the stage when a new printer was cheaper than new ink we gave up on them 🤣. In the 00's everybody had a home printer, now I'd say there pretty rare.
As I understand it, a barcode isn’t a requirement to join in a parkrun. It’s only if you want your time and name recorded together and put in the results. If you haven’t a barcode, you’ll be entered as “unknown” but you’ll know who you are and what your time is. 🙂
1/ usually they do, sometimes not... I have done scanning a few times and have tried to be the helpful soul by scanning whatever I am presented with... not sure I should have.
2/ I have 2 of them... judging by the fact the supermarkets sell cartridges, I am not alone.
3/ parkrun do not want your money... if you choose to give them some then it helps set up more parkruns, and that means more people off the couch and walking/running 5k. parkrun is an entry to running for many people... they come and walk, then do c25k runs there and finally run the whole thing... it’s a wonderful thing to witness.
All events have their Ts&Cs... all but one other national one has made handing over cash part of them... the other free one is no more.
I have given up even attempting to scan phones and watches when volunteering as it is unfair on the people being rejected elsewhere or by other scanners on the day. parkrun ask us to do one thing... Find me better terms for a weekly 5k timed run and I’ll see you on that start line.
Hopefully I can attend next week, of I'd known I could have went and still been timed as an unknown that would have been ok for me.
Parkrun website was a little unclear and as you say each run and each volunteer could be different.
My nice new band should arrive today/tomorrow and hopefully my confidence is high enough Saturday morning to get me over the park to take part for the first time 🤞🏻
The official line from HQ is that you have to have a printed barcode, whether that be on paper or a tag/wristband etc. The 'no scanning from phones' rule is definitely enforced at some events, my home run included.
The official reason (and this was on the podcast recently, I didn't know why either) is that your barcode has your name and ICE details on it so if there's an emergency they can identify you quickly whereas most people's phones are locked, so it's not so easily accessible. I think that's fine if you've got a wristband or your tag is attached to your shoelace, but I'm not sure how many volunteers would feel comfortable searching through pockets etc looking for a barcode!
You'll never look back! If you're on Android download the extension 'Running Challenges'. That links to your own parkrun results page and you can earn virtual badges by completing certain challenges. For example there is 'Alphabeteer' where you do a parkrun starting with every letter of the alphabet (not including X, as there aren't any in the world yet. You need to go overseas to get a Z ) Or Stopwatch Bingo where you tick off each second, ie 30.00 mins you get 0, 30.01 you get 1 etc. The average number of runs to get all 60 is 281! There's a load of them and it just adds a bit of extra interest. If you live in an area where you've a few to choose from you'll really appreciate the variety of different events as well. If you can't tell, I absolutely love parkrun lol
I’m both a volunteer and a part time runner (geriatric jogger). The current Parkrun rule is clear: barcodes on smartphones/smartwatch etc. will not be scanned. The barcodes allowed must be printed and legible (crumpled, soggy paper ones do not scan well!!). Purchasing a printed wrist band/label etc. from Parkrun supports a really worthwhile weekly event at a relatively low one off cost. But, as has been said, you don’t need a barcode if you’re not bothered about having a recorded time. You can just join in and enjoy the experience. After that, you most likely will want to start recording your times anyway! 😀
I also have yet to run my first Parkrun, and has an ultra-slow C25k-lockdown runner, I am not sure I can cope with what it takes to bring my tortoise speed out into the public.
But I am in such awe of what parkrun has achieved and am so thankful it exists.
The printing is part of their vision/values to make sure it is as accessible as possible and as free as possible to anyone coming to a parkrun, anywhere in the world. So I can understand their choices.
And yes, I have already gotten the tags and wristbands ready for the day I go to my first parkrun!
Go for it CBDB. We've been doing it for three years, mostly in the olden days before Covid and I'm always at the back of the pack. I do love it though and Parkrun tourism is great fun. We've done a couple in Canada and one in Stockholm (Haga!).Remember traveling?
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) Or Stopwatch Bingo where you tick off each second, ie 30.00 mins you get 0, 30.01 you get 1 etc. The average number of runs to get all 60 is 281! There's a load of them and it just adds a bit of extra interest. If you live in an area where you've a few to choose from you'll really appreciate the variety of different events as well. If you can't tell, I absolutely love parkrun lol 
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