Parkrun - Tail Walker

[Dreamer1989]

I have agreed to be the tail walker for a Parkrun I havent done before - I am now panicking that I need to be fast (I am 44 mins) and that I will be crap! Are there any experienced TW's that can reassure me? thanks x

The slowest park runners (actually, walkers; older people and people with reduced mobility) near us take more than an hour. You’ll be fine. You’ll be as slow as the slowest person.

Look up last week and see what the last time was. My local one is a fairly fast course so usually come in round the 50-55 mark. It’s a brisk walk.

Tail walking is my favourite because you get both a volunteer and running credit and you also get to chat to all the lovely people at the back.

If you're the slowest at 44 mins I'd consider that a very very fast parkrun. I've volunteered loads and most of the time our parkrun tail walker comes in at least 50 mins if not normally at 60 mins. Have you run parkrun 44 mins before? There were people behind you, right?

yes I have never been absolute last - my best time is 44 mins, slowest was 49.

I like be tail,walks no - it's my favourite volunteer role by far.

I'm usually round in 55-65 mins at the back.

The fasted ever was around 40, but that was on a very wet day when only fairly hard core runners turned up.

Your time sounds fine - you'll probably have to slow down. But even if you don't, you're meant to be at the back and you don't need to keep up.

Have fun!!

All the volunteers are prepared for the tail walker to take around an hour, really don't worry about it and just enjoy having no pressure to get a pb!

I've just done this mornings at a steady 45 min walk and there were plenty of people behind me. It's very unlikely that the tail walker would need to come in at that time, more likely 55 mins, possibly over an hour. Parkruns vary in terrain and clientelle but you can usually get the idea from their results.

Some people will drop off at natural escape points such as lap points or dog legs if they concede that it's not their day (done that with DS a few times)

How did it go?

How did it go last week? Hope it was good and you have been out this morning

Thank you all - its actually tomorrow I am doing it! There is another newbiw tailwalker with me too! xx

Hope you enjoy it! Parkrun volunteers are fantastic - thank you for giving up your time on a Saturday morning!