I’ve volunteered a few times at mine but I absolutely lost my tit as a tail walker once when there were a couple in their 50s I’d guess, decided mid way through the walk of 3 laps to go into the cafe that had opened at 9:30 and grab some breakfast and a hot drink. The we’re not fluent in English and I was trying to speak to them about it and told them that they’ve kind of counted themselves out of the event now and I continued. When we’d finished and packed the course up we always go into the cafe for breakfast and a cuppa but later on this couple came steaming in asking why we’d packed up and they actually reported up and we had to have a full investigation on us and our behaviour which was appalling from HQ! We were cleared and the situation was explained to them but these people or those who take 1hr 15 to walk it are reasons why volunteering sometimes declines as people have lives outside of Parkrun and it turns into a 2.5hr shift
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They stopped to go into the cafe?
Wow. Guess they weren’t there to get a time!Yep! Said they were thirsty and when they looked on the website there was no finish time for the eventThey stopped to go into the cafe?
What a weird thing to do
I think it depends, that situation sounds ridiculous and your event clearly wasn’t to blame. In contrast, I was at an event a couple of years ago when a kid with quite a few disabilities walked the course on crutches with his very overweight and unfit mother. They were both really pushing hard but still took about an hour and a quarter. Loads of other participants went back to walk in with them and I’ve never heard cheers like it. Fully appreciate it made a longer shift for the volunteers but it was truly inspiring to be part of and not entitled like your example.
You see that is an example of something unique and always happy to stay and cheer as a runner or stay longer as a volunteer, but those who take the piss are just arrogant, like these two I mentioned
Argh, we've had a few occasions where people drop out after lap 1 then the tail walker has to leg it up to the next set of finishers. We also had an odd situation where someone dropped out mid way through and we managed to lose a tail walker, so it took about 1 hr 45 to wrap the event up.
I'm sure the website used to say something like 'you must make sure you're fit enough to walk or run 5k' but it doesn't say that now. You'd think not taking a break to stuff your face would be a given, but there we are...
Was barcode scanning this morning, no one threw up in the finish funnel, which is a nice change
I've often been tail walker as we get a lot of tourists to ours and it's interesting to chat. But sometimes kids are being forced round and they stop to pick flowers or often have a tantrum and parents insist they carry on. Makes for over the hour and volunteers hanging around at the finish.
Oh yes, defo sounds like they were entitled pricks unfortunately and have have struggled to to let loose with them. Sadly twats like that can sometimes make people less sympathetic to people that genuinely would massively benefit from giving parkrun a go but then feel they’re a nuisance (when the ones that actually are the nuisance wouldn’t even consider it as they’re too self centered)
My whinge about parkrun is that the ones in my town start at 7am. I’m a jogger/walker pushing a pram with two little kids in it, and that’s really early to be organised and out the house.
Am assuming you live in a hotter country (otherwise wtf?), thankfully all 9am in England
The top part of Australia. I agree though, wtf
It does but the trouble is, is that’s a very loose request. My 92 gran could say she is fit enough to do a 5k in 4 hours haha. There should be say 75-90mins cut off as I appreciate some are hilly and hard so may require longer to remain inclusive and fair if a cut off time was introduced
I must be lucky. My parkrun is well run and pleasant. Volunteers don't have to do the whole shift.
Usually done in about an hour as we have 1 regular who has physical difficulties. Then off to cafe for a coffee. Some kind of cake about once a month as there are some keen bakers that must be bored Friday nights
Usually around 130 take part so not too busy.
My pet peeve though is people sprinting past in the last 50m when their time is still only going to be 35mins On a good day
Usually done in about an hour as we have 1 regular who has physical difficulties. Then off to cafe for a coffee. Some kind of cake about once a month as there are some keen bakers that must be bored Friday nights
Usually around 130 take part so not too busy.
My pet peeve though is people sprinting past in the last 50m when their time is still only going to be 35mins On a good day
I didn't realise that the lot who went to Inis Meáin had actually chartered their own ferry. Flaming hell.
Sorry. Whaaaaaat?!
Someone from my local parkrun is one of those muppets
Our parkrun had someone take 1 hour 30 the other week as they had needed to rest. Everyone was very pleasant and congratulatory but I think if you can't manage a steady walk then you probably shouldn't be there.
Apparently Strava calculated that Brisbane has the earliest runners/cyclists in the world. Having grown up there I’d definitely believe it. My triathlon club used to meet at 5/5.30am and everyone thought that was perfectly normal.