parkrun 2020 - all welcome !

Running a new one tomorrow, which is supposed to be flat and fast, so hoping for a decent time.

Tailwalking, at an event where that’s usually under 40 minutes!

I won’t thank you :)

I am running tomorrow, but the RD has already warned us of really strong winds, we’re running through a park with really old trees, if it’s bad, it’ll get cancelled :(

Radio! Gosh. We don't have that. Marshals are asked to get there about 8.40/45, I think. We're asked to bring a mobile with us if we have one, but you could yell and wave to attract the run director's attention from most points of our course (three laps).

Brilliant, thank you 👍

How early marshalls need to be there really does depend on the course (for a single lap may mean to have to walk further to get into position than you would for a three lapper)

We get an email a day or so before the event thanking us for volunteering (ie reminding us that we have!) and that includes the time the run director wants volunteers to arrive. Ours is 8:30 for those involved in pre-event set up, and 8:45 for others.

I’d say much earlier than 8.50, you will need a briefing and get your hi-vis, radio before walking to your point. We usually say 8.20 but obviously it varies. Emails to volunteers are sent out towards the end of the week and may have timings, otherwise drop the RD a message to check. Enjoy!

Well I'm officially going to be a marshall at my 1st ever park run this Saturday! Quick q - do I need to arrive about ten mins before 9 or even earlier?

I did all available parkruns over the Christmas period, so all Saturdays, Xmas day, NYD double then the Saturday following, so did 6 parkruns in 2 weeks!
Apart from the Xmas one which I did in fancy dress, I pushed fairly hard on all of them.

Got to do 4 new locations aswell.

pushed too hard last week as did one at New Year and then one on the first Sat

Totally depends what mileage you're doing, and what "push yourself" means in terms of effort.
Two full 5k race efforts in a week would be too much for anyone, but two hard 5k tempo runs - presuming these are just part of a wider training schedule- is fine.
Me, and most of my clubmates ran 2 or 3 parkruns last week (New Year double and Saturday) and took them comfortably hard.
For me, this meant one parkrun 10 secs behind PB pace, one run 30 secs behind PB pace, and one two mins slower than PB pace as it was part of a long run. Hope that makes sense?

Nice one thebeat - the first Parkrun I did was by the sea and was fab!

Thanks all, that’s interesting to hear. I find it hard not to push myself but I think pushed too hard last week as did one at New Year and then one on the first Sat.

Cyllie33

I mostly run hard at a PR as part of my training plan I'm following and only doing them once every few months, but I'm now going to incorporate more of them into my long runs too so those ones are at very easy pace . I did my first one like at the weekend and I was 9 minutes slower than normal on that course.

Well done thebeat, I do love a seaside one!

Cyllie it really depends. If I'm training for a longer race, I'll be working on my pace. If I'm just havng a relaxed (honest!) morning I'll take it easier. As a serial tourist, who likes to visit different courses, my advice is always not to knock yourself out on your first visit anywhere - make it easy to go back and get a PB next time!

I've done it - I've registered. I'll definitely be walking at first but even that's better than sitting on the sofa drinking coffee right? Looking forward to it now, especially as my home parkrun is flat and is along the seafront so a great view to boot!

Cyllie33 when not tail walking, or going with a friend at their pace, I would run comfortably hard. Not all out, and not deliberately as a tempo run because it's meant to be fun. And I like to keep enough in the tank for a sprint finish.

I'm really quite slow on mud (encountered a couple of times during December gone-to-visit-the-family tourism)

Cyllie the majority of time I end up pushing it at parkrun. Not always to the point of potential Pb but more than I do on any other training run. Just can’t help myself!

@RainbowCookie that sounds amazing. I haven't done an overseas parkrun yet, but friends who have say its just as welcoming and friendly as it is here.

Amyspickledlime, that's a good plan. I love volunteering at both parkrun and Junior parkrun.

@Cyllie33 totally depends. If it's part of my long run, I take it a bit steadier. Usually I do parkrun at tempo pace. But if it's a race-off for first lady I'll go all out!

I've just registered and sent an email saying I can volunteer this Saturday.
I don't feel fit enough to run it yet but did 25 mins by myself yesterday. Ache like mad today though.
I just thought if I volunteer until I feel ready to run I will know what to expect.

It depends.
If I haven’t ran lat all the whole week I don’t push it, that’s how I get injuries. So I just plod.
If I ran my normal Mondays and Wednesdays, I choose segments I know I normally struggle (ie the bit up the hill) and try and get a better time there.
Sometimes it’s really muddy or wet, we run on grass, so I am sensible, not going to push then.

@Cyllie33 unless I have a big race on Sunday, I push myself quite hard at pr.
I don't always aim for a PB, but I always try and finish it as quick as I can.

Love parkrun! I started back in November 2017 and I'm at just over 100 runs now, plus almost 20 volunteers across different roles. Got my sister and brother in law into it too now.

I was volunteering last Saturday and we had our second highest attendance, only beaten by a previous bonkers NYD second event turnout. I decided in early January marshalling would be a more chill role than my usually favourite finish tokens - the volunteers back at the finish were looking rather frazzled once we were packing up! Plenty of folk were walking - whether of the powerwalking or fairly gentle speed variety. The tailwaker and a handful of others were over an hour.

@Cyllie33 - personally I like to treat parkrun as a bit of a "tempo" kind of session and will usually run it fairly fast, for me. I don't try for a PB every time but unless I'm touring to a muddy technical kind of course I'm usually running "comfortably hard". Being around other runners makes me feel competitive somehow!