Parkrun, as a walker, with even slower DH

[SpongeBobJudgeyPants]

Just signed up for Parkrun. I would expect to finish in just under an hour, but DH is waiting for a joint OP, which doesn't stop him walking, but will slow him down. I've read tips about being early for the Newbie Briefing. Anything else I should know from regulars please, that maybe you'd have liked to know first? Tips? TIA.

you can look online to see all finish times. How slow were the slowest finishers at the PkRn you go to, see if you can not be hugely more time than usual slowest. The main PkRun DS likes to go to, you're supposed to pay £5 for parking, but it's not enforced before 10am. So that's quite motivating !

Ours regularly has people walking and finishing around 70 minutes. I've done a fair few around the country and most have had walkers. One of our local ones has been having a big push to attract walkers in recent weeks.

They're great events - hope you both enjoy yourselves.

As others have said - check the results for the last few weeks and see what the slowest times are. There are a couple near me - one is a lot less well attended and has some ups and downs and generally slowest times are around 45 minutes, but the other is much more well established and flat so they often have finishers around the 60 minute mark.

I have to say I'm slightly on the fence about slow walkers. I know that parkrun is open to all, but if your DH is going to take significantly longer than an hour then it doesn't feel fair on the volunteers to have to stay so long.

I probably am wrong for feeling this way as I know parkrun is for everyone and goodness knows I'm not a fast runner myself ( usually in last 10% of finishers) .

The only time I've felt slightly impatient as a volunteer was a day it was freezing cold (possibly snowing) and the last people to finish were a family of about 5, walking a dog, which I felt they potentially could have done just as easily without pr.
But that was because it was so freezing, I'm not normally bothered by people walking!!

Tall about off putting for people who probably need it the most! Maybe some of the park runs should change their advertising to, open for all as long as you don't keep us waiting!

I can completely understand people not wanting to be there all day, but this quote is from their website, if it's not true then they shouldn't say it.

parkrun is a positive, welcoming and inclusive experience where there is no time limit and no one finishes last. Everyone is welcome to come along, whether you walk, jog, run, volunteer or spectate.

@Spudlet we are on the flat along the promenade so it needs to be reopened to the public (not that it's shut but the signage needs removing etc before 10am) the field section has kids football matches from 10.30am so they are beginning to set up on the field. An hour is a good guide as a max as 5km is normal walking speed

Just go for a walk then? Why do you need park run?

Running club type here. I often volunteer at our local park runs. I’m delighted to cheer everyone over the line, be it 17 minutes or 70. You are out in the fresh air getting exercise which is what counts.

Some are more accessible to walkers than others. The big one near me has loads of fast runners which puts walkers off. The smaller one is more varied and has lots of people who only run/walk once a week at parkrun, so much slower overall.

It was a lighthearted remark that I find Parkrun a bit early for my taste. Sorry, forgot we're not really allowed to enjoy ourselves around here these days without someone trying to parse ever word in a sentence @AllThatFancyPaintsAsFair

That's lovely whatsthestory and how it should, people are much more likely to stick at it if they aren't shamed by someone clearly annoyed they've taken a while. I've volunteered many times myself like you. But sadly not all are like this and it can feel really cliquey to some especially as some take it way too seriously for a Saturday morning free timed run!

@KweenieBeanz it helps that our running club is lovely, very inclusive and caters for all levels of runners from people who regularly place in top ten at races to the 12 minute milers. They run a couch to 10k every year and lots of the beginners stay on as members.

Our club members often don’t run the local parkrun as they almost always end up filling the volunteer slots. I think the inclusive attitude spills over to the parkrun. I’d like to think we are more a community than a clique!

The longest running/walking/whatever combo time for 'our' course is an hour. So we'll manage that, even if DH just does one lap or whatever. I'm a little dismayed at the responses suggesting we don't do it, or we might inconvenience very busy and important volunteers if we take longer than half an hour. I think it's worth giving it a go, even if it doesn't work out. You never achieve anything with a defeatist attitude! Thanks for all the helpful responses

It's funny really because this is the first ever thread about Parkrun I've seen that's even a tiny bit negative! If you posted this question again you'd probably get a different set of responses from people who totally love it.

I think the problem was I mentioned DH needing to drag his leg behind him slowly... Joking

I'd agree with this.

Check the finish times for the back of the pack at your local parkruns and see what they're like, but unless there are already people finishing in that time I'd just go for a walk separately. You don't need to do a parkrun to walk 5km.

If it helps, I remember seeing something written by the park run founder (I think) who said that the average park run time was getting longer, people were slower, and he was delighted about that as it meant it wasn’t just ‘proper runners’ completing it, but it was also unfit people, walkers, elderly etc, it was becoming more open to ALL people regardless of their fitness levels.

The parkrun I go to is very much 'fast runner' focused, just how they all used to be. I've never seen anyone at any parkrun walk the whole thing. Sometimes I see people doing a mix of walk/run. If you've checked your local times then I'm sure you'll be OK.

My friend does it and she only has one leg! For all those people saying just go and walk 5km somewhere else - parkrun was set up to be a supporting community for people who want to complete 5km in a collective 'event', be that walking or running. It's been quite some time since the terminology was changed for the volunteer who goes at the back to be 'tailwalker' not 'tailrunner', and I think that says something about the parkrun ethos.

Go for it - make yourself known to the RD beforehand (there should be a newbie briefing anyway) and enjoy the experience.

Why volunteer then if they get frustrated at people who turn up to the event?

I'm a regular volunteer and I don't mind hanging on for slower walkers. So long as you're trying.

I was a tail walker once when two women were basically out for a stroll, kept stopping to take photos of wildlife, stopping to get things out of their bag, put things back in their bag, put their jumper on, take it off, get sweets and snacks out their bags, total time wasters. That annoyed me. They should just have gone for a walk on their own and not taken up nearly 90 minutes of people's time on a Saturday morning. I'm sorry if that's not in the spirit of Parkrun volunteering but I don't think they were in the spirit of Parkrun participation either.

I never resent people who are genuinely taking part. Someone who is starting out on their fitness journey or getting back into fitness, or trying to keep mobile despite injury. Weve had a lot of people recently recovering from covid who have taken double their usual time, including me at one point. I'm happy to stay on and cheer you across the finish line no matter how long you take. And so are most of our runners and volunteers.

I hope your local Parkrun welcomes you op, and you have fun. It's a great start to the weekend.

Paul Sinton-Hewitt the founder of parkrun is very clear on this. One of the things he and his team spend a lot of time on is supporting those events to change where they do not fit this ethos.

volunteer.parkrun.com/principles/walkers-welcome

exactly the same with my local one. Not friendly and not slow.

Thanks peeps. I have checked the time, for those suggesting I cancel the cheque. It might not be great, but it also might be, and I won't know unless I go!

Do go along. I am a Run Director and I am more than happy to be out as long as needed. We usually have a few walkers at ours, it's fine. We have some people who do a lap or two and then stop. Also fine, just don't go through the finish funnel if you do that or you'll never get a personal best again!

I've encouraged people to keep going who thought they might stop because they were taking too long. I love the walkers! I'm a walker myself too. Parkruns where people feel unwelcome because of their speed should be reported to HQ as far as I'm concerned so they can get a talking too and told to buck up.

OP - love your attitude! Absolutely, give it a go. That's the only way you'll find out. You'll be lapping everyone on the sofa, however little or slow you go.
I was going to add the comment regarding parkruns getting slower and hour that shows more people are getting involved.

There's nothing to stop you volunteering as tailwalker - once you're not a newbie anymore!!
Good luck!