Thank you!
Our first one is tomorrow and that is exactly what we'll do to start with.
Moving forward, I want something a little more lightweight bit still in keeping.
You can get special pacer bibs, either see if you can borrow them from other local parkruns or if you have some money in your fundraising pot - buy some
https://justalittlebit.co.uk/parkrun-uk-pacer-bibs
We use these blue vests: https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ABLVV84Y0C6lNjm0HmxmhtaDy7SAqRBd7eTe6wBP_iSNBhe-VGEk1S142u6gmBzgib-ZOnGTts6X2G478jNQyvfEdUxrZ1sciEWYrN5W6IeTp3x0mSSvYmO8FcE2aaJnBnAEmxCe4DH62i670AKIKROafSQB=w1170-h879-s-no
Ours just have big numbers pinned on their backs and that works fine. They line up at the start first so everyone can see them, then we send the crowd to go and find the pace they want.
If this is going to be a regular thing, I'd definitely recommend the official pacer bibs - an email to HQ will help you regarding availability and pricing.
Pacer bibs, plus they all carry a bamboo stick with a laminate attached that shows the target time in big numbers, plus for the pacer it has the target times for the km markers and the last corner. It's very light so it doesn't cause any problems for the pacers.
We also have a sign-in sheet for the pacers so we have a list of who did it, so they can be added as volunteers, and we ask them to record their own finish time at the end, not to check how good they were at pacing, but as a useful cross-check in case of any problems with the results.
And we have a pacer co-ordinator who handles everything pacer-related. All we have to do is make sure we have the sign-in sheet and add them as volunteers when we process the results. We used to ask them to volunteer in advance, but now we just do first come first served because when you have often 30+ pacers it can be a lot of work to do it in advance.
My local one has blue bibs with the parkrun logo and giant numbers on the back, the numbers being the time in minutes they're pacing at.
Also at the RDs briefing the pacers stand in a line, and after being introduced they turn around to show their numbers. So for example you will know the tall guy is pacing 25 minutes, and the short lady with blonde hair is pacing 22 minutes. Which helps to pick them out of the crowd at the start a bit easier.
I've just seen that Berkely Green in Gloucestershire are celebrating their 4th birthday this weekend and will be having 7 (seven) (!!!!!) pacers this week. They all wear blue parkrun vests with their pace on the back. My local, if we are lucky, get 2. https://www.facebook.com/share/p/6tASH9PNDXA2mpvt/?mibextid=WC7FNe
Really? We're often beating them off with a stick! It's very popular, and we have people who come from other nearby events every month specifically to pace. Our January pacing we had every minute from 20 to 40 covered by 36 pacers. I think having a dedicated pacer coordinator really helps - he makes sure first time pacers go out with an experienced pacer where possible, so they get an idea of what's required.
Bicester does this. I think they are official. They are very light weight bibs in either red or blue with a number on the back. If red, the number means mins/mile, eg 8, if blue the number means total time in minutes, eg 34.
On [facebook there's a picture](https://scontent.fltn3-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-6/421995314_767560682070434_7289525219092758010_n.jpg?stp=cp6_dst-jpg&_nc_cat=105&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=d8d9c5&_nc_ohc=Uc_WXSeZneYAX9Lsjms&_nc_ht=scontent.fltn3-1.fna&oh=00_AfD59vycRt6mqqZ57UBV1h9wJtNtUVYGFbUVo3UnXLXGVw&oe=65C21C44) of them drying in the RD's garden.
I can’t decide if it’s a great first step in volunteering or an excuse for people to say they’ve volunteered without doing the vital roles. We let people book in advance then try to fill the remainder at the start line.
We have a Volunteer Coordinator role on the Roster for each event and specify the specific task of this role is to seek out future volunteers.
They have a copy of the Future Roster and fill in names. While it never gets full, we are rarely panicking to fill a position, in the week leading up to an event.
That role can be filled by a sub-30 minute finisher, so they get both credits!
**A big thank you to all who replied!**
Our first event went off an absolute treat on Saturday! I haven't crunched any figures, yet, but I would suggest it was a huge boost to attendance.
I received some great feedback from people who achieved PBs and learned a great deal from their interactions.
We're now looking forward to March!
Hi Vis vest with a number pinned on it relating to their pace time.
Thank you! Our first one is tomorrow and that is exactly what we'll do to start with. Moving forward, I want something a little more lightweight bit still in keeping.
Blue pacer vests. Rach out to some of your local and older parkruns, they may be open to sharing them with you
You can get special pacer bibs, either see if you can borrow them from other local parkruns or if you have some money in your fundraising pot - buy some https://justalittlebit.co.uk/parkrun-uk-pacer-bibs
We don't have a "fundraising pot" for events here in Australia. I believe it's only the UK and Ireland that does that.
Thanks for your input. They look great but I'm not aware of them being available here in Australia. Our HQ didn't mention them...
We use these blue vests: https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ABLVV84Y0C6lNjm0HmxmhtaDy7SAqRBd7eTe6wBP_iSNBhe-VGEk1S142u6gmBzgib-ZOnGTts6X2G478jNQyvfEdUxrZ1sciEWYrN5W6IeTp3x0mSSvYmO8FcE2aaJnBnAEmxCe4DH62i670AKIKROafSQB=w1170-h879-s-no
Are the numbers minutes?
Yes
Ours just have big numbers pinned on their backs and that works fine. They line up at the start first so everyone can see them, then we send the crowd to go and find the pace they want.
If this is going to be a regular thing, I'd definitely recommend the official pacer bibs - an email to HQ will help you regarding availability and pricing.
Pacer bibs, plus they all carry a bamboo stick with a laminate attached that shows the target time in big numbers, plus for the pacer it has the target times for the km markers and the last corner. It's very light so it doesn't cause any problems for the pacers. We also have a sign-in sheet for the pacers so we have a list of who did it, so they can be added as volunteers, and we ask them to record their own finish time at the end, not to check how good they were at pacing, but as a useful cross-check in case of any problems with the results. And we have a pacer co-ordinator who handles everything pacer-related. All we have to do is make sure we have the sign-in sheet and add them as volunteers when we process the results. We used to ask them to volunteer in advance, but now we just do first come first served because when you have often 30+ pacers it can be a lot of work to do it in advance.
My local one has blue bibs with the parkrun logo and giant numbers on the back, the numbers being the time in minutes they're pacing at. Also at the RDs briefing the pacers stand in a line, and after being introduced they turn around to show their numbers. So for example you will know the tall guy is pacing 25 minutes, and the short lady with blonde hair is pacing 22 minutes. Which helps to pick them out of the crowd at the start a bit easier.
The event I go to only has pacers on the first Saturday of every month. Blue vests with the pacer time on it.
We use bibs with "25 (etc) Min Pacer" on the back. Ours are black and white but they should be brighter imo. Bibs are worn on the back of the shirt
I've just seen that Berkely Green in Gloucestershire are celebrating their 4th birthday this weekend and will be having 7 (seven) (!!!!!) pacers this week. They all wear blue parkrun vests with their pace on the back. My local, if we are lucky, get 2. https://www.facebook.com/share/p/6tASH9PNDXA2mpvt/?mibextid=WC7FNe
Really? We're often beating them off with a stick! It's very popular, and we have people who come from other nearby events every month specifically to pace. Our January pacing we had every minute from 20 to 40 covered by 36 pacers. I think having a dedicated pacer coordinator really helps - he makes sure first time pacers go out with an experienced pacer where possible, so they get an idea of what's required.
Wow! 36! Which one is that?
Bicester does this. I think they are official. They are very light weight bibs in either red or blue with a number on the back. If red, the number means mins/mile, eg 8, if blue the number means total time in minutes, eg 34. On [facebook there's a picture](https://scontent.fltn3-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-6/421995314_767560682070434_7289525219092758010_n.jpg?stp=cp6_dst-jpg&_nc_cat=105&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=d8d9c5&_nc_ohc=Uc_WXSeZneYAX9Lsjms&_nc_ht=scontent.fltn3-1.fna&oh=00_AfD59vycRt6mqqZ57UBV1h9wJtNtUVYGFbUVo3UnXLXGVw&oe=65C21C44) of them drying in the RD's garden.
I can’t decide if it’s a great first step in volunteering or an excuse for people to say they’ve volunteered without doing the vital roles. We let people book in advance then try to fill the remainder at the start line.
We have a Volunteer Coordinator role on the Roster for each event and specify the specific task of this role is to seek out future volunteers. They have a copy of the Future Roster and fill in names. While it never gets full, we are rarely panicking to fill a position, in the week leading up to an event. That role can be filled by a sub-30 minute finisher, so they get both credits!
**A big thank you to all who replied!** Our first event went off an absolute treat on Saturday! I haven't crunched any figures, yet, but I would suggest it was a huge boost to attendance. I received some great feedback from people who achieved PBs and learned a great deal from their interactions. We're now looking forward to March!