Parkrunners Assemble - the new thread that will remind you to "do not forget barcode" and that "you can walk, jog, run or volunteers"

[standingonlego]

Panic moment, we were running out of room on old thread so started a new one for today's run reports

10 minutes! And I had a lovely chat with the trip walker too.

Hi JustGettingStarted - Eastville is my local but I've done Ashton Court twice.

Ashton Court: long established, it's on the estate of this stately home on the edge of Bristol, most people seem to need to drive and you have to pay to park which is a bit of a faff so get there early as the machines always have queues. The run starts on a proper tarmac path but it becomes a rather pot-holed gravel path for about third/half of the course; I've only done it after not great weather but they form decent sized puddles/lakes you have to navigate! It's an out-then-back race so dodging puddles and oncoming runners is a bit of a challenge. It's very hilly, I think number 14 in the UK parkruns in terms of vertical climb? Basically it's 2.5km uphill then 2.5km downhill so your splits look impressive!

Eastville: newer, only been going since last Autumn. It's in a proper city "park", on a tarmac path. You do a small lap, large lap including the park lake, then small lap and it involves going down a gradual incline then up a reasonable incline - not Ashton Court level hill though! Usually several hundred participants with a wide range from the speedy to the walkers, with dogs and kids and buggies and all sorts in between. There's a small car park with free parking or you can park on neighbouring streets for free if you need to.

Both are good, as I say Eastville is my local so I'd obviously recommend them!

Eastville sounds more appealing!

Oooh oooh parkrun tomorrow

Pb for me, ds and two of the pals I go with - hurray!

Well done on the PB lots

I found it too warm for running on Saturday but I much prefer that to the freezing cold and rain even if it means I tend to go slower. My PB days are over until the Autumn now.

Volunteering the next two weekends so looking forward to that.

What are everyone’s favourite volunteer roles?

It was lovely in Oldham today! Not too warm, but warm enough. I got a PB! Cut 1:28 off my previous time.

My husband is so helpful. He times me and stands near the Lion's Den with a bottle of water for me so I can have a sip the two times I pass him. His time was only off by 1 second, so it's nice to have a preview of my results.

I volunteer as tail regularly - I really like doing that!

Every now and again (maybe three times a year) I volunteer in other roles, and my favourite (so far) is barcode scanning.

Well done just that’s fab. I had an absolute shocker. Earlier on this week I managed my 10K pb and did a speed session so was feeling really really confident. Ran a fast 2k then couldn’t keep going. Was so disappointed that I ended up walking against the flow to find ds and jog with him and also had the massive privilege of pacing someone I know through the final km. my time the worst I have ever recorded (when I was hoping for a pb) but consolation of being a good team player!

Have to miss next week but tourism the following week which will be a treat

Auntie I keep thinking about volunteering as tail, would be good to still get the exercise as well as volunteering

Did my first parkrun in 8 weeks today. It's been a horrible run of illnesses, then snow, then more illness and a nice holiday (leaving on Saturday morning, coming home on Saturday morning so I couldn't even be a tourist)

I haven't kept up with the C25k because of being ill so we mainly walked it. Time of 52.30. At least the weather was lovely!

Good to front up though Norbert nice one :)

Well done on the PB just

auntie Tail is one of my least favourite jobs. I do enjoy barcode scanning, great way to put names to faces.

Somedays it’s frustratingly just like that, but well done on helping your friend to a PB lots

It was our 3rd Birthday yesterday and it was just the most amazing morning, lovely sunny day and the atmosphere was incredible.

I went to my first parkrun yesterday. :) It was gorgeous weather for it, and my time was much faster than I've managed on my own thus far. It's spurred me on to join a running club, actually. My teenaged self would be shocked!

Well done needs
That is a lovely to hear, I love little stories like this.
It’s amazing how much faster you can go surrounded by folk.

Well done!

I'm injured and was volunteering today. I had my first stab at timekeeping (but not in Peterborough, so I wouldn't have done you JustGettingStarted )

Am feeling very humble right now: 8yo DS did his first parkrun today (full 5k, not junior). He ran with DH, and I told him I'd wait for them at the finish and cheer him on. Well, he smashed it in just over 25 mins, two whole minutes faster than me, even with my own PB! It was supposed to be my turn to run with him next week, but I'm not going to be able to keep up. DH is fast enough (for now) but theoretically, what happens when an under-11 is faster than their 'responsible adult(s)'? If they know the course and have someone looking out for them (because of the nature of the course we would pass each other 4 times) are they ever allowed to run alone?

PS well done to all other parkrunners today and thanks to the volunteers! I haven't been brave enough to volunteer for timekeeping yet. Barcode scanning is my favourite job!

I don't think they can run alone until they're 11. He'll just have to be a pace setter for the two of you!

I did a parkrun! Can't believe I said that...
First time ... since october I 've been doing a sort of cto5k in the gym. Never been a runner of any kind. 53. Not slim. I am well chuffed with 43.40 as my now pb.

Might not be up there with the 30 minuters but it s huge for me!

Well done!!

That's really great!

It U11s who need to keep their adult within arm's length.

As you know their likely time, you could ask around for someone else who runs about the same pace to run with them from time to time. Or even see if he can be cheeky enough to just latch on to friendly looking people as a kind of pass-the-parcel.

(TBH, if they're running welll, no one is likely to notice. What mustn't, really mustn't, happen is for a child to be left behind. I've once scooped up a 10yo whose adult had decided she was too slow and gone on ahead. That's just not on. It's bad from a safety POV - it's
not like a junior Parkrun where the course is marshalled - and frankly not much fun for the child either?

I've got a dodgy knee at the mo so did another volunteering stint at my local, barcode scanning this time. There were two of us scanning and just under 400 participants - it did get a bit chocka at the peak time but meant it all seemed to go very quickly! I think the finish-related volunteer tasks seem a bit more fun than marshalling where you're stood off on your own for a fair chunk of the time. Still not sure I quite trust myself to do timekeeping yet...

Top tip: do laminate/sellotape your barcodes if you can. We had two runners with barcodes completely torn in half and they had to be sent off to have their numbers written up by hand. Sweaty scraps of paper aren't very sturdy!