Run Director first timer

This coming Saturday will be my first time as a parkrun Run Director.

I have been running at Coventry parkrun regularly for the last two and a half years. I have volunteered a fair number of times too (roughly 10 or 12 at a guess), having taken on each of the following roles on one or more occasions: Marshal, Numbers, Barcode Operator, Funnel Management and Results Administrator (website results uploads).

This coming weekend I will be taking on the Run Director role at Coventry parkrun for the very first time. I will actually be sharing the role with my brother, but as he has done it before, I will attempt to take on as much as I can. In fact I am also taking on another parkrun volunteer role for the first time this weekend, having never been the Timekeeper before. Good luck everybody!

We have been blessed with an Amazing Event Director (ED) at Coventry parkrun. Jason Douglas has not only been the ED, but also, on almost every single parkrunday since February 2010, he has been the Run Director as well. This is an incredible commitment and I don't think it can be praised highly enough. I believe (but may be wrong) that only 3 others have taken on the Run Director role at Coventry, and certainly less than 10 times in total between them. I am hoping that Jason will take the opportunity to run Coventry parkrun for just the second time. No least because he is in the Sphinx Coombe 8 the next day (like me) and it will make him a little easier to beat with a parkrun in his legs!

I think I know most of what I need to know about what is expected from the Run Director, and I'm sure all the blanks will quickly be filled in once we get started. I'm planning to be ready to start at 8am so that I have a full hour in case any unexpected things crop up. I think it's going to be fun.

As for the Timekeeper role, I'll get Andy to press he start button as I set the runners off on the run. And then, as I understand it, the tricky part comes from 15 minutes later onwards and is making sure that I get the right number of button presses to go with runners crossing the line. It's all in the timing I suppose!

Possibly I could (or should?) be daunted by the prospect of taking on these two roles for the first time, but I am really looking forward to it. I may suffer from a few nerves leading up to it, but I think it is just going to be a buzz knowing that for once I have really given something back to parkrun. After all, parkrun has given me so much over the last couple of years. And with a bit of luck we will allow Jason to have a proper parkrunday off!

I'm really looking forward to it. What could possibly go wrong?!

As long as I don't ruin everything and have to head off into hiding, I will let you know how it goes.