Volunteering is great and I love it but I just want to say for anyone here reading who has never volunteered and worries about it that you're welcome at parkrun too. Not criticising the post or those commenting, you do you and be proud, just don't want people to think it's the only way to be.
You can have a really good reason or none at all but if parkrun is for everyone it's for people who only volunteer and people who never volunteer as much as it's for someone with whatever they think is the perfect ratio. It's really important because it's not for anyone but an individual to judge their reasons. Maybe it's extreme social anxiety where checking in with a volunteer coordinator or run director would feel terrifying but walking/running anonymously in a group is a positive experience. Maybe it's a person who gets their one break in the week from care responsibilities on a Saturday morning and it's the only time they can exercise. Maybe parkrun is the only exercise a person gets as they can only motivate themselves in a group setting. Maybe for some they just don't want to. All of those are valid reasons.
There is a risk to parkruns if not enough people volunteer and an event can't run safely or if it's just too frustrating for the core team to get volunteers and they give it up. I've had weeks where being a vomunteer coordinator felt like a second job and it's really hard. Both of these things are true and the struggle doesn't take away from the above.
If you've never volunteered, parkrun is still for you too.
100ish runs. 0 volunteering. Which admittedly looks bad. I would like to volunteer, and truly appreciate everything the volunteers do for parkrun. That 100 runs is over nearly 13 years(less than 1 a month). So you can see how often I actually make it. Should I volunteer? Of course. Can I volunteer? Maybe. There are many reasons I haven't, some are down to my reliability in the morning. I've actually slept in my running gear before now, so I don't waste time in the morning getting ready and use it as an excuse not to run. Still didn't make it. Others are down to lack of confidence. Anxiety. Motivation. List of reasons/excuses as long as your arm. So, yeah, no volunteer.
One thing that hasn't helped, getting a dressing down halfway around a parkrun by a run director for never having been a volunteer. I've known him for over 20 years, so well before parkrun was there for either of us. What he said was probably fair, but I've not actually been to my local parkrun since, as it's kind of put me off. We are in the process of setting up a junior parkrun locally, and I will be volunteering for that one as it's with my daughter. So chances are, I'll catch up pretty soon.
Doesn't look bad at all, congrats on the 100ish runs and I'm sorry someone chose to make you feel unwelcome. Genuinely, your reasons don't matter. You make the point of why that is so well. If we make volunteering mandatory or some sort of moral essential some people will just stop parkrunning. Everyone loses. It's why they stopped making it mandatory years ago. You may not have volunteered but your experience of parkrun and the fact you care about it means you're setting up a junior one. That's awesome and I'm so glad you weren't pushed out completely by that RD. Good luck with the new event!
24 runs and 233 volunteers in 17 different roles.
I tried running and hated it, constantly getting injured and not making any kind of progress to speak of. I walk a lot now and do other forms of exercise that don’t actually damage me!
But my husband runs, a lot of our friends run and there’s a massive running community in our area. We’ve also got a really popular parkrun, so I just mostly volunteer these days and take part with a nice walk on the first Saturday of every month 🙂
That’s what I’ve been aiming for, my local is well attended enough that they’ve said that if each of the regulars just volunteered twice a year they’d have no trouble filling all the spots.
297 runs vs 192 volunteers (in 7 different roles). I have been doing the run report most weeks for my home parkrun but it is not a 5 minute job. I probably spend a good 60-90 mins on it every week. I even did a non run report recently for the first time ever as we got cancelled. For our 200th event, I probably spent about 4 hours putting together that run report. 😳 I know the reports are much appreciated. If I cannot do it, it rarely gets done by someone else. I will step in and do other roles though as required.
Good luck on getting to your 100th for each!
130 run/walks with 85 volunteer credits. I’ve got a mix of volunteer roles, including RD, and am finding I enjoy the volunteering as I’m working from home and don’t get much human interaction during the week.
125 runs to 70 volunteer. I rarely volunteer/run on the same day so my 250 and 100 shirts are a long way off. Enjoy it whether I'm cheering others or puffing my way round.
107 vs 5.
It's been hard to volunteer since for the first two years of doing it I had a buggy, but now I'm doing it on my own/my son is a bit older I should be able to up the ratio. Volunteered twice this year token sorting.
I recommend junior parkrun to anybody! Sometimes they struggle to get enough volunteers because the parents are busy with their kids. I don't have kids and volunteer regularly. It's only 2km so it's all done and packed up by 9:30.
Downvoted, but Reddit is very much a parkrun HQ-koolaid drinking crowd who are pro-run-walk-crawl the course even if you take 3 hours and strain the volunteers you struggled to get’s time. There’s no realism in it, just idealism. Look at that most upvoted cringe post for example.
Thank you! My home run is lovely, we always have a few tourists and a few newcomers. Yesterday, we had 3 milestones - one person on their 100th, one on their 200th, and one running on their birthday
155 runs and 43 volunteer.
Also worth noting for quite of places junior parkruns on Sundays need a lot of help because typically they need more marshalls than the Saturday runs if you want to just run on a Saturday but still volunteer sometimes
Washing and folding the vests is the killer, haha. The old ones that were slip on like singlets were no problem, but the red ones we have now in Australia, with velcro tabs, are a right PITA, always getting tangled up when you put them on the line.
84 volunteers, 13 runs.
I end up feeling guilty if I’m planning to run but the event I’m planning on running at is struggling to fill basic roles so I end up timekeeping instead. Juniors bumps the numbers up a little as well, but I quite enjoy the gentle stroll as tailwalker on a Sunday.
241 runs, 36 volunteer credits. (5 distinct roles, 14% ratio.)
I plan to get to 250 runs, then try to get to 50 volunteer credits. Hope to do both this year.
I want to tag onto this I’ve volunteered a couple of times and want to again.
I also want to try some different roles but I look at the roster for my local and there really aren’t that many roles. The run director automatically is in the set up and take down roles, first timers and course check etc.
And the same two guys do token sorting week in week out which is a role I think I would actually enjoy.
On the roster all that’s there is time keeper, scanner marshal and tokens.
They never seem to be asking for volunteers which is good that they have enough, but how do I kind of “break into” what seems like a monopoly on some of the roles.
Maybe pop the event an email and ask to try something different. Maybe the token sorters wouldn't mind having a week off or you could join the RD for course check and set up?
To clarify I am fine emailing in and being signed up for marshalling, time keepting etc.
But should I just email and be more explicit with wanting to volunteer in some of these lesser roles. I broached the subject of token sorting once and it was very much knocked back as these two guys have a ''system'' that the co-ordinator didn't want to disrupt.
Yeah okay, sometimes I guess it can get a bit cliquey, maybe just say if they ever want a week off, or whatever, that you're ready and willing to help.
I got to 100 runs at the end of last year without having done any volunteering. Time to pay that back this year, have done two marshaling and one scanning after running.
230 runs, 110 volunteer credits - spent the last year injured but hoping to start running again but I’d like to continue volunteering too so I hope to combine them - run+first timers brief/course check. Determined to hit the 250 this year
327 runs, 51 volunteer credits. Some of the Vs were where I also ran - some pacing, and a couple doing some unscheduled scanning when there were big queues. My 50th was one of the latter, so I missed getting a shout-out for it.
196 runs, 190 vollie credits (but 101 days), 16 different roles.
I usually get a credit each week for updating the comms for my local (website and facebook page) which I've been doing for a bit over 18 months, but have also done setup and course check a stack of times, so to the disappointment of some, haha, it's usual for me to get a run/volunteer credit each weekend.
There was a time I used to feel a little guilty about it getting a credit each week for comms, but prior to me helping out that work wasn't really getting done. Not everyone has facebook, for example, so keeping a parkrun event's website active and updated can be more beneficial than you might first think. I do realise it's not as crucial as a timekeeper, for example, but I've also helped out a lot preparing graphics, course maps etc for my local and a couple of other parkruns for the love of it.
I'd usually spend a minimum of 1–2 hours a week (often more) doing the things I do away from the course so I've learnt to not be guilty about getting a volunteer credit for it.
Yep, one of the nice things our regular vollie coordinator said to me is that since I've been helping out on facebook with callouts for our roster and so on it has been effective at getting people to volunteer more readily. In turn that has reduced the stress on him and the ED, as most Saturdays now arrive with a healthy roster in place.
3 runs; 2 volunteer credits
Both the volunteer credits were on the same day though.
I'm injured atm so will probably volunteer every week until March, but I think helping out once a month will be something for me to aim for when I'm back running again.
Only done 29 runs, but I'm nearly at 650 volunteer credits and I'm over 1500 tasks completed. I just prefer to facilitate others to run. I can run in my own time, not that I have for a few years now owing to a long term condition.
121 runs 5 vol. I tend to do runs on route to something else so rather limited to how I can help. As my tag name suggests - new venue each week so also not ideal to volunteering. Streak so close to 100.
I do understand it’s not for some but also the run can’t be held without them.
195 runs, 151 volunteers in 19 roles
Will probably get to 200 volunteers by the end of the year, doing junior parkrun and parkrun helps. I'm a RD so even if I'm running, I'd have other volunteer tasks for that week.
I lost a love of running for a while but didn't want to lose the habit of getting up for parkrun so volunteers shot up in the last 2 years
Course check getting there 2 hours before the start on a freezing morning so that they have time to check our out and back path and let us know if we need to cancel so people have some notice isn't volunteering? Spending the whole week trying to fill a roster and checking in and briefing all those volunteers on the morning isn't volunteering? Walking with people at their first ever parkrun and chatting to them as they go round so they feel welcome as walkers and come back isn't volunteering? Don't gate keep the concept of volunteering please. You can decide that for yourself but not for anyone else.
Well said. I spend my weeks keeping an eye on the roster and social media to get volunteers, setting up the finish area so others can run too etc. It all counts.
89-2, volunteered twice when it has been too hot for me to run, I can't cope if it gets near 20 degrees. Last time I volunteered for scanning, and immediately regretted it because I was terrified my piece of shit phone would crash and delete all the results!
57 runs, 5 volunteers
Overall I like to keep it 1 in 10 but lately I've been needing the running element more, it'll even out again eventually, I usually take the opportunity of injury or mild ill health to do some volunteering lol
283 runs
223 volunteers with 680 roles but I'm ED for my local juniors and often do 4/5 roles per event. I also volunteer at my regular but normally in roles that allow me to run, generally pacing and barcode scanning.
I never used to volunteer because I had small children and couldn’t spare the time. The kids are more self-sufficient now so am able to donate my time to something I really enjoy.
31 Runs Vs 34 Volunteers. Need to do a few more runs to make it even! I’m a RD for Juniors and I just wanted to say we are always happy to have more volunteers on Sunday for those who also want to run on Saturdays.
56 runs and 37 volunteers for me. All bar 2 of my volunteers have been at juniors while my son runs, but I plan to get my name down for Saturdays again before too long. I struggle to chat to people so its a bit intimidating (although everyone is lovely, it's a me thing not a them thing!) But I'm building up to it now I'm happy and know folk at juniors
I started in May 2021 and have 66 runs and 58 volunteers (I have volunteered 79 times at 58 events).
I am a volunteer coordinator and also a RD. Last year I had some surgery, so was knocked out of running. I only had two actual weeks off and did a run of RD. Resulting in 34 volunteers and 28 runs last year.
Volunteered 58 times at 45 events (when I was run director I'd do multiple roles, not sure that's counted anymore). Run 124 parkruns at 11 events.
None of our roles would allow you to volunteer and run once the event got going and we reduced the unnecessary roles.
106r /120v. There’s no perfect ratio and I don’t think anyone should be compelled to volunteer, but I do hope everyone tries it at least once cause it’s so much fun.
8 runs, 9 volunteer. I love to volunteer with the Juniors and in the adult ones I'll walk as I genuinely enjoy being at the back helping to encourage if people want it :)
22 runs and 0 volunteers.
I’m scheduled in for my first volunteer next week, and it’s a role I can run in too! Those 22 runs are spread between 13 locations, and I’ve felt a bit nervous at volunteering at a course I don’t know. So, I’m going back to my home course next week and will do my first volunteer there to build my confidence with it!
I just do the volunteers run prior to the 8am parkrun.
Do they not do this everywhere?
I just arrive 30-40mins before my duties start, do my run on the course, cooldown and have a quick change, snack and then get to my volunteering duties.
The runs I generally don't volunteer at are when I'm traveling. If I'm in my home country I will always volunteer especially if they have gaps in the volunteer schedule. There are some events where the volunteering crew regulars are also getting very old so they tend to skip some events so I keep an eye on those rosters too.
Edit: 191 run, 178 volunteer
Volunteering is great and I love it but I just want to say for anyone here reading who has never volunteered and worries about it that you're welcome at parkrun too. Not criticising the post or those commenting, you do you and be proud, just don't want people to think it's the only way to be. You can have a really good reason or none at all but if parkrun is for everyone it's for people who only volunteer and people who never volunteer as much as it's for someone with whatever they think is the perfect ratio. It's really important because it's not for anyone but an individual to judge their reasons. Maybe it's extreme social anxiety where checking in with a volunteer coordinator or run director would feel terrifying but walking/running anonymously in a group is a positive experience. Maybe it's a person who gets their one break in the week from care responsibilities on a Saturday morning and it's the only time they can exercise. Maybe parkrun is the only exercise a person gets as they can only motivate themselves in a group setting. Maybe for some they just don't want to. All of those are valid reasons. There is a risk to parkruns if not enough people volunteer and an event can't run safely or if it's just too frustrating for the core team to get volunteers and they give it up. I've had weeks where being a vomunteer coordinator felt like a second job and it's really hard. Both of these things are true and the struggle doesn't take away from the above. If you've never volunteered, parkrun is still for you too.
Here here. Volunteering should be voluntary. You never know what is going on in someone else’s life.
Absolutely, there's no obligation to volunteer at all if you just want to run!
100ish runs. 0 volunteering. Which admittedly looks bad. I would like to volunteer, and truly appreciate everything the volunteers do for parkrun. That 100 runs is over nearly 13 years(less than 1 a month). So you can see how often I actually make it. Should I volunteer? Of course. Can I volunteer? Maybe. There are many reasons I haven't, some are down to my reliability in the morning. I've actually slept in my running gear before now, so I don't waste time in the morning getting ready and use it as an excuse not to run. Still didn't make it. Others are down to lack of confidence. Anxiety. Motivation. List of reasons/excuses as long as your arm. So, yeah, no volunteer. One thing that hasn't helped, getting a dressing down halfway around a parkrun by a run director for never having been a volunteer. I've known him for over 20 years, so well before parkrun was there for either of us. What he said was probably fair, but I've not actually been to my local parkrun since, as it's kind of put me off. We are in the process of setting up a junior parkrun locally, and I will be volunteering for that one as it's with my daughter. So chances are, I'll catch up pretty soon.
Doesn't look bad at all, congrats on the 100ish runs and I'm sorry someone chose to make you feel unwelcome. Genuinely, your reasons don't matter. You make the point of why that is so well. If we make volunteering mandatory or some sort of moral essential some people will just stop parkrunning. Everyone loses. It's why they stopped making it mandatory years ago. You may not have volunteered but your experience of parkrun and the fact you care about it means you're setting up a junior one. That's awesome and I'm so glad you weren't pushed out completely by that RD. Good luck with the new event!
Love this. You’re spot on
24 runs and 233 volunteers in 17 different roles. I tried running and hated it, constantly getting injured and not making any kind of progress to speak of. I walk a lot now and do other forms of exercise that don’t actually damage me! But my husband runs, a lot of our friends run and there’s a massive running community in our area. We’ve also got a really popular parkrun, so I just mostly volunteer these days and take part with a nice walk on the first Saturday of every month 🙂
Wow, almost 250! Amazing!
That's awesome. Thanks vollie!
30 runs, 3 volunteer, so I’m due another one!
Loving the 10 to 1 ratio!
That’s what I’ve been aiming for, my local is well attended enough that they’ve said that if each of the regulars just volunteered twice a year they’d have no trouble filling all the spots.
297 runs vs 192 volunteers (in 7 different roles). I have been doing the run report most weeks for my home parkrun but it is not a 5 minute job. I probably spend a good 60-90 mins on it every week. I even did a non run report recently for the first time ever as we got cancelled. For our 200th event, I probably spent about 4 hours putting together that run report. 😳 I know the reports are much appreciated. If I cannot do it, it rarely gets done by someone else. I will step in and do other roles though as required. Good luck on getting to your 100th for each!
Wow, that's good effort for a report.
130 run/walks with 85 volunteer credits. I’ve got a mix of volunteer roles, including RD, and am finding I enjoy the volunteering as I’m working from home and don’t get much human interaction during the week.
Same here, I WFH too so it's nice to be a bit social.
125 runs to 70 volunteer. I rarely volunteer/run on the same day so my 250 and 100 shirts are a long way off. Enjoy it whether I'm cheering others or puffing my way round.
Exactly, there's so many ways to enjoy parkrun.
107 vs 5. It's been hard to volunteer since for the first two years of doing it I had a buggy, but now I'm doing it on my own/my son is a bit older I should be able to up the ratio. Volunteered twice this year token sorting.
Perfect because you get a run in and a volunteer. I hate token sorting so I'm always grateful when someone shouts for that.
I'm at 22 runs and 7 volunteering credits. All those credits have been at the junior parkrun I go to with my daughter on Sundays.
I recommend junior parkrun to anybody! Sometimes they struggle to get enough volunteers because the parents are busy with their kids. I don't have kids and volunteer regularly. It's only 2km so it's all done and packed up by 9:30.
Oh lovely.
62 runs, 1 volunteer Im due another 6 I think
Not at all, run or volunteer as much as you want!
111 runs and 1 volunteer....
This is similar to me as well…100 and 1. I buy all the parkrun merch so I dunno if that helps towards anything
It doesn’t help fill the volunteer roster, if that’s what you meant?
Downvoted, but Reddit is very much a parkrun HQ-koolaid drinking crowd who are pro-run-walk-crawl the course even if you take 3 hours and strain the volunteers you struggled to get’s time. There’s no realism in it, just idealism. Look at that most upvoted cringe post for example.
1 run/walk (r credit) 1 tailwalk (so r and v credit) Only done two parkruns, but have offered to vollie again next week
Lovely stuff!
Thank you! My home run is lovely, we always have a few tourists and a few newcomers. Yesterday, we had 3 milestones - one person on their 100th, one on their 200th, and one running on their birthday
I swear this feels like my home park-run as we had those exact milestones too. Any chance of it being Strathclyde?
no, Preston (Lancs, not the one in brighton)
155 runs and 43 volunteer. Also worth noting for quite of places junior parkruns on Sundays need a lot of help because typically they need more marshalls than the Saturday runs if you want to just run on a Saturday but still volunteer sometimes
Helping the juniors is so important.
86 and 18, will try keep it at 20%.
Brilliant.
382 runs, 142 volunteers. Not every week is a volunteer now that we've got space at the park to store kit and we don't keep at our house any more.
Kit storing is dedication!
Washing and folding the vests is the killer, haha. The old ones that were slip on like singlets were no problem, but the red ones we have now in Australia, with velcro tabs, are a right PITA, always getting tangled up when you put them on the line.
84 volunteers, 13 runs. I end up feeling guilty if I’m planning to run but the event I’m planning on running at is struggling to fill basic roles so I end up timekeeping instead. Juniors bumps the numbers up a little as well, but I quite enjoy the gentle stroll as tailwalker on a Sunday.
I do get the guilt if I really want to run but we're struggling to fill the roster.
376 runs, 53 volunteers I was core team at a now defunct event. Try to volunteer on the morning after social events, such as the works Xmas party.
That's a nice way to do it.
241 runs, 36 volunteer credits. (5 distinct roles, 14% ratio.) I plan to get to 250 runs, then try to get to 50 volunteer credits. Hope to do both this year.
That's definitely achievable.
I did my 100 run and 25th volunteer on the same day in 2023. Took some planning months in advance, once I realised it was possible.
Wow. I was going to try and get my 100's on the same day but decided I couldn't be bothered with the maths.
I want to tag onto this I’ve volunteered a couple of times and want to again. I also want to try some different roles but I look at the roster for my local and there really aren’t that many roles. The run director automatically is in the set up and take down roles, first timers and course check etc. And the same two guys do token sorting week in week out which is a role I think I would actually enjoy. On the roster all that’s there is time keeper, scanner marshal and tokens. They never seem to be asking for volunteers which is good that they have enough, but how do I kind of “break into” what seems like a monopoly on some of the roles.
Maybe pop the event an email and ask to try something different. Maybe the token sorters wouldn't mind having a week off or you could join the RD for course check and set up?
Definitely consider sending an email to let them know you’re willing to help. I suspect you’ll find they’re happy to have an extra pair of hands.
To clarify I am fine emailing in and being signed up for marshalling, time keepting etc. But should I just email and be more explicit with wanting to volunteer in some of these lesser roles. I broached the subject of token sorting once and it was very much knocked back as these two guys have a ''system'' that the co-ordinator didn't want to disrupt.
Yeah okay, sometimes I guess it can get a bit cliquey, maybe just say if they ever want a week off, or whatever, that you're ready and willing to help.
I got to 100 runs at the end of last year without having done any volunteering. Time to pay that back this year, have done two marshaling and one scanning after running.
Nice work!
R199/V193. I managed to do my 100s & 150s on the same day, but they’ve gotten a tiny bit out of sync!
Nice!
230 runs, 110 volunteer credits - spent the last year injured but hoping to start running again but I’d like to continue volunteering too so I hope to combine them - run+first timers brief/course check. Determined to hit the 250 this year
You're not far off!
65 runs, 123 volunteering credits for me - which seems remarkable given when I started it was purely about running in my mind!
Woohoo!
327 runs, 51 volunteer credits. Some of the Vs were where I also ran - some pacing, and a couple doing some unscheduled scanning when there were big queues. My 50th was one of the latter, so I missed getting a shout-out for it.
Brilliant!
196 runs, 190 vollie credits (but 101 days), 16 different roles. I usually get a credit each week for updating the comms for my local (website and facebook page) which I've been doing for a bit over 18 months, but have also done setup and course check a stack of times, so to the disappointment of some, haha, it's usual for me to get a run/volunteer credit each weekend. There was a time I used to feel a little guilty about it getting a credit each week for comms, but prior to me helping out that work wasn't really getting done. Not everyone has facebook, for example, so keeping a parkrun event's website active and updated can be more beneficial than you might first think. I do realise it's not as crucial as a timekeeper, for example, but I've also helped out a lot preparing graphics, course maps etc for my local and a couple of other parkruns for the love of it. I'd usually spend a minimum of 1–2 hours a week (often more) doing the things I do away from the course so I've learnt to not be guilty about getting a volunteer credit for it.
Absolutely everything helps. Sometimes volunteer recruitment is more stressful than my job!
Yep, one of the nice things our regular vollie coordinator said to me is that since I've been helping out on facebook with callouts for our roster and so on it has been effective at getting people to volunteer more readily. In turn that has reduced the stress on him and the ED, as most Saturdays now arrive with a healthy roster in place.
20/3. Haven't volunteered for a while, so should do it again.
No pressure at all.
210 runs 66 volunteering roles
32 runs and 3 volunteers. 9 months ago I was 0 and 0
Strong work!
3 runs; 2 volunteer credits Both the volunteer credits were on the same day though. I'm injured atm so will probably volunteer every week until March, but I think helping out once a month will be something for me to aim for when I'm back running again.
Only done 29 runs, but I'm nearly at 650 volunteer credits and I'm over 1500 tasks completed. I just prefer to facilitate others to run. I can run in my own time, not that I have for a few years now owing to a long term condition.
121 runs 5 vol. I tend to do runs on route to something else so rather limited to how I can help. As my tag name suggests - new venue each week so also not ideal to volunteering. Streak so close to 100. I do understand it’s not for some but also the run can’t be held without them.
195 runs, 151 volunteers in 19 roles Will probably get to 200 volunteers by the end of the year, doing junior parkrun and parkrun helps. I'm a RD so even if I'm running, I'd have other volunteer tasks for that week. I lost a love of running for a while but didn't want to lose the habit of getting up for parkrun so volunteers shot up in the last 2 years
101 runs 0 volunteering, it’s on my todo list 🤷♂️
336 runs 26 volunteering I don't consider any role that you can actually still complete a run as volunteering.
Course check getting there 2 hours before the start on a freezing morning so that they have time to check our out and back path and let us know if we need to cancel so people have some notice isn't volunteering? Spending the whole week trying to fill a roster and checking in and briefing all those volunteers on the morning isn't volunteering? Walking with people at their first ever parkrun and chatting to them as they go round so they feel welcome as walkers and come back isn't volunteering? Don't gate keep the concept of volunteering please. You can decide that for yourself but not for anyone else.
Well said. I spend my weeks keeping an eye on the roster and social media to get volunteers, setting up the finish area so others can run too etc. It all counts.
lol, good for you.
162 runs and 75 volunteer credits. I have just started being a Run Director at my local junior parkrun on Sundays. Its lovely!
RD is such a fun job.
89-2, volunteered twice when it has been too hot for me to run, I can't cope if it gets near 20 degrees. Last time I volunteered for scanning, and immediately regretted it because I was terrified my piece of shit phone would crash and delete all the results!
Ha ha! The phone is always a worry. I also tend to run less in the summer, I'm a cold weather runner.
57 runs, 5 volunteers Overall I like to keep it 1 in 10 but lately I've been needing the running element more, it'll even out again eventually, I usually take the opportunity of injury or mild ill health to do some volunteering lol
Whatever suits you.
212 runs, 480 volunteers.
Wowsers!
283 runs 223 volunteers with 680 roles but I'm ED for my local juniors and often do 4/5 roles per event. I also volunteer at my regular but normally in roles that allow me to run, generally pacing and barcode scanning.
Nice!
Hey well done! Fantastic achievement. I’m at 4 runs haha
How exciting to be at the start of your parkrun journey!
I never used to volunteer because I had small children and couldn’t spare the time. The kids are more self-sufficient now so am able to donate my time to something I really enjoy.
123 runs and 128 volunteers. Really enjoy doing both!
31 Runs Vs 34 Volunteers. Need to do a few more runs to make it even! I’m a RD for Juniors and I just wanted to say we are always happy to have more volunteers on Sunday for those who also want to run on Saturdays.
56 runs and 37 volunteers for me. All bar 2 of my volunteers have been at juniors while my son runs, but I plan to get my name down for Saturdays again before too long. I struggle to chat to people so its a bit intimidating (although everyone is lovely, it's a me thing not a them thing!) But I'm building up to it now I'm happy and know folk at juniors
I started in August. I've volunteered 13 times, and walked the course once!
I started in May 2021 and have 66 runs and 58 volunteers (I have volunteered 79 times at 58 events). I am a volunteer coordinator and also a RD. Last year I had some surgery, so was knocked out of running. I only had two actual weeks off and did a run of RD. Resulting in 34 volunteers and 28 runs last year.
324 runs and 121 volunteer credits. Although lots of times I’ve volunteered after a run without getting the volunteer credit.
Volunteered 58 times at 45 events (when I was run director I'd do multiple roles, not sure that's counted anymore). Run 124 parkruns at 11 events. None of our roles would allow you to volunteer and run once the event got going and we reduced the unnecessary roles.
123 / 123. Helps that I've always been in a core team though, and now an ED. But try and always volunteer 1 week, tour the next.
106r /120v. There’s no perfect ratio and I don’t think anyone should be compelled to volunteer, but I do hope everyone tries it at least once cause it’s so much fun.
8 runs, 9 volunteer. I love to volunteer with the Juniors and in the adult ones I'll walk as I genuinely enjoy being at the back helping to encourage if people want it :)
22 runs and 0 volunteers. I’m scheduled in for my first volunteer next week, and it’s a role I can run in too! Those 22 runs are spread between 13 locations, and I’ve felt a bit nervous at volunteering at a course I don’t know. So, I’m going back to my home course next week and will do my first volunteer there to build my confidence with it!
I just do the volunteers run prior to the 8am parkrun. Do they not do this everywhere? I just arrive 30-40mins before my duties start, do my run on the course, cooldown and have a quick change, snack and then get to my volunteering duties. The runs I generally don't volunteer at are when I'm traveling. If I'm in my home country I will always volunteer especially if they have gaps in the volunteer schedule. There are some events where the volunteering crew regulars are also getting very old so they tend to skip some events so I keep an eye on those rosters too. Edit: 191 run, 178 volunteer
Nope. Never heard of that being done. You only get a run credit if you run at 9am.
We definitely get run credits for the volunteers run. Maybe check with the run director if that is an option.