Bit upset about Parkrun experience today

Me too.i.had been dithering over wether to try it but I'm probably won't then . I'm.not a fast runner I thought a lot of people walked it but obviously I completely got the wrong end of the stick I thought it was all inclusive everyone's welcome .maybe I should volunteer to be a tailrunner instead .It honestly wouldn't bother me if some people were slow

No it isn't. The tail walkers should expect to finish when the last walker finishes,whenever that might be

So what if someone has an accident or suddenly collapses? Why bother volunteering if you don’t want to be inconvenienced by a few people who can’t go as fast? It’s not a race it’s for all ages and abilities.

I am a slow parkrunner. Last week one of the volunteers told me to enjoy my walk - readers I was running at the time! So yes I am slow, my fastest was around 35 minutes when I was 20 years younger, but I still enjoy it and it’s amazing cardio plus a wonderful atmosphere.

I had a similar experience to you OP a few weeks ago. I can’t recall which parkrun it was but the tail walkers were a male and female who kept bustling past me - we weren’t even the last 3 so I am not sure what they thought they were doing. I mean there’s a bit of a clue in the job description!

I run it in about 42 and am by no means the last, and all the volunteers are lovely. I’d say something, OP.

Today's Cannon Hill (Birmingham) parkun has about 35 finishers in times between 45 and 60 minutes (see www.parkrun.org.uk/cannonhill/results/2026-09-05/ ). Maybe a different parkrun might have better vibes -- though all should be fine with a 45 minute finish.

@LividRoastingthis is exactly why I’m scared to go too

We live pretty near a route and my husband is a regular. The ethos has really changed, with lots of entitlement, people shouting at folk using the path and demanding slower runners get out of the way. I can here a lot of argy bargy just from our home.

I'd email politely if people volunteer, they should have the patience.

That’s a really poor response. For some people it may be their only chance each week to be with other people, part of a community, aiming for the same thing. My mum (in her 80s and widowed) gets huge pleasure out of it, she volunteers to Marshall and sometimes walks (slowly!). So in your view she’d be a waste of time and should walk alone ‘somewhere else’ with no other humans as she’s slow?

What a horrible attitude - you should leave if you cant bear to stay an extra 15 minutes or so. Do everyone else a favour.

No It’s not at all when there’s people of all ages and abilities taking part. Most of our local big park is on a hill. It’s not a race it’s about taking part keeping fit and socialising.

Maybe you should review whether volunteering is for you then?

I’m very glad you obviously don’t volunteer at our parkrun.

Ours is a very scenic trail type parkrun in woods hugging the coastline so we get lots of extra walkers in the summer months ambling along and taking photos en route.

Some people with buggies can struggle with the steps and inclines but everyone is made very welcome and tea/coffee is provided at the end by a small team of happy volunteers.

I'll add here that I'm trying to get my time down to 50 minutes, so the negative comments about people coming in at more than 45 minutes is a bit dismaying.

My mum in her 80s marshals and walks round sometimes (about every three months) and she’s far slower than you! She’s only ever received huge encouragement so it’s not on they should have pressured you. As you say 45 mins is still a good time (someone jogging/walking for the first time could come in around then). Def email the lead team

All I can say is that the volunteers were absolutely lovely when I staggered in at the end on both my runs. (I was the last woman. My coach - God bless him - let me go through the funnel ahead of him. I don't have a personal coach - he coaches complete beginners at the local gym.)

How extraordinarily rude! Parkrun is for everyone, and can be a vital social component of people’s lives, especially if they live alone.

I walk. A lot. At late 70’s I am not up to running, as it would be bad for my joints. So you think I should go elsewhere, so I am not ‘in your way’?

Yes. I'm finding the 'under 45 minutes' comments on here quite surprising. I'm in my late 60s. There are regular older runners who got in just in front of me (I was passed by a woman in the 75+ category as we approached the funnel on my second run) and no one at our local Parkrun was complaining about the time that we took.

In fact, the woman who was one place ahead of me on my first Parkrun was a woman in her 30s who was on her 6th run.

The runners and volunteers were all ages, shapes and sizes.

I’ve never tail walked in less than an hour, and I would be mortified if anyone felt hurried or like an inconvenience.

Def email and let them know, they do regular park walk pushes so the race directors will definitely have guidance around this stuff.

It really isn’t. I volunteer at PR including tail walking, I’d say around an hour is average for the last finisher and it’s not unusual for the last time to be around 1hr10. I really don’t think it’s unfair on me or others. Some people are getting into fitness, some people are recovering from injuries.

Wow 45 minutes is fast for the final participant! An hour or more is the norm at my local one.

definitely worth mentioning.

And definitely email. Once in a blue moon we get a twatty volunteer that gets me eye-rolling.

So it's not actually inclusive?

Luckily for me, I did my two runs with my coach by my side. He was very reassuring and told me not to worry when I fretted about holding people up. (My second time was even slower than the first - was recovering from dental surgery and not feeling quite up to it.)

It turned out that my coach was well known at Parkrun and everyone was very encouraging.

You are wrong. I couldn't care less if someone is a slow walker or recovering from injury. I block out until 11am when I'm volunteering. Although we are always packed up by 10:45 at the latest anyway.

My personal slowest is 1hr 10.