parkrun Volunteering made simple...being a Marshall

There are plenty of roles that any of us can take on as volunteers at parkrun. Many of these roles are very simple and anyone should be able to do them.

My aim is to make it as clear as possible as to what is involved with each role in an effort to break down any barriers that may be stopping runners from coming forward to volunteer or to take on certain roles, perhaps perceived as too tricky.

So today, I want to start by explaining what is involved in being a Marshal at a parkrun event.

Being a Marshal is very simple.

To volunteer as a Marshal it is normally advisable to contact your event, either in person a week (or more) in advance, or perhaps via email. If you specifically want to be a Marshall, make sure that you say so.

It is likely that you will be told in advance, or get an email, or even both, telling you what your role will be on the day.

You will probably be asked to turn up a little before the parkrun event start time. Thirty minutes before would normally be plenty, but I am sure that your volunteer co-ordinator will make this clear.

Your first task on the day is to report to the Run Director, or whoever is co-ordinating volunteer roles on the day. You will be told what your role is for the day, if unclear just ask. You will probably be given a parkrun high-viz top so that you stand-out as a volunteer.

Before the run there may be some course set-up to do. Perhaps a quick look around the course to ensure that there are no unexpected problems or obstacles. And of course putting out any directional, distance and start/finish signs. These are all simple tasks that can easily be carried out by marshals and free-up the Run Director for anything else that may crop up.

In general, the responsibilities when being a Marshal will include:

• Being on hand to answer questions before the parkrun.
• Directing runners to the start.
• Ensuring safety on the course:
• standing in a problem area, maybe where runners cross or pass in both directions.
• warning runners about narrow, slippery or other obstacles or less than ideal sections of the course.
• Directing runners at a given point on the course. Typically at turns or intersections of the course with other routes.
• Looking out for any runners who look unwell. And offering help or friendly advice as necessary.
• And of course giving general encouragement to all the runners and cheering them on their way. This has to be the best and simplest task of all for marshals, just cheer and clap as many runners as you can, particularly the kids!

There really is not much to it. Anyone can do it. My kids have even helped me marshal.

Also, not that it bothers many runners, but you do get the full 100 points towards the annual points competition, should that sort of thing float your boat.

And that is pretty much all you need to know to be a marshal at parkrun.

What about a parkrun Volunteering Amnesty?

Why don't we have a parkrun Volunteering Amnesty, where anyone who has not volunteered at parkrun before is invited to come forward and try it out? Let's show the reluctant volunteers just how easy and rewarding it is.

An amnesty can be used to take away any uneasiness or embarrassment at not having volunteered previously. An amnesty may bring reluctant volunteers out of the woodwork.

Perhaps we should have a weekend dedicated to first time parkrun volunteers! Maybe, on that same weekend, we could get the most regular volunteers to volunteer again and shadow the newbies to help give them confidence. I'd happily do that. Or maybe, if first time volunteers don't come forward, parkrun events get cancelled that weekend. Perhaps then some of the most adamant non-volunteers may see what their approach risks them (and all of us) losing. I wonder how many first time volunteers we would get if the alternative was no parkrun that weekend?

Personally, I had no idea that such a small percentage of parkrunners actually volunteer at parkrun. Would you believe that the figure is somewhere in the region of 11.4% (very roughly speaking of course!)?

I would guess that there are a hell of a lot of runners who only run once at parkrun ever, or perhaps so few times a year, that they believe, and I agree, that we should not really expect them to volunteer. But once you get over some figure around 10 runs a year, then I think it is fair to expect those people to volunteer, maybe just once a year. And I suppose that a formula of one volunteering stint for every 10 runs is probably about fair. If everyone took that approach, we would never be short of volunteers.

I think I am saying, that thinking you can ever get up towards 100% is not fair on the vary occasional runners. Perhaps we would be fairer to quote these figures in terms of the number of people who run more than 10 (or some other magic figure) times a year.
The parkrun guideline has always been that if you volunteer 3 times a year you are doing your bit. But clearly the overwhelming majority are not volunteering at all, let alone thrice (I never thought I'd type the word thrice. And now I've done it twice!).

The custodians of parkrun have always said that volunteering is optional and that all help and guidance would be given to anyone who offers to volunteer. The tasks are not difficult and this help means that anyone who has volunteered knows just how easy the tasks are.

I have only volunteered twice this parkrun season, but luckily I am volunteering twice in the next three. So I can (just about) hold my head up high. Though not as high as some of the dedicated core of volunteers who are truly the backbone of each parkrun event. Without them, we really would not have our weekly parkrun.

I think most parkrunners agree that running is more fun than volunteering at parkrun. But once you have volunteered you realise just how good it feels to have enabled so many others to enjoy their weekly parkrun fix. Volunteering really is a very close second best to running at parkrun. You probably won't believe me if you haven't tried it.

So parkrun HQ, what about a parkrun Volunteering Amnesty sometime soon? I for one would be more than happy to shadow someone who has never volunteered before if that is what it takes. Teams of two on every task would aleviate any anxiety and make it a nice social event too.

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Sometimes it's your turn

My morning devoted to parkrun

It was a morning completely devoted to parkrun - perfect!

I was volunteering today so no run for me, but if we all do our bit then that means I can enjoy my weekly parkrun fix for weeks and months to come until its comes round to my turn again.

Our fantastic parkrun event and race director, Jason Douglas, was taking a very well deserved week off this week. As soon as I had heard about this a few weeks ago I was happy to put myself forward to volunteer this week, not as Race Director, but to help this week's Race Director out on Numbers and the Website results upload.

This morning started early compared to my normal parkrun weekend start time, I suppose it does each week for every parkrun Race Director. I was in the park just before 8am ready to help with the course set-up process. Direction and kilometer markers were put out (one of which it turns out I didn't hammer in enough!) and the course was checked to ensure there were no obstacles. Thankfully the course was in tip-top condition, with none of the snow and ice of recent weeks.

There were several tables and some other signs to be put up. But mostly milling around looking for other small jobs and saying hello to people as the runners started to appear ready for their run.

I was lucky enough to meet up with Richard Hill, a Brueton parkrunner and regular contributor to this blog, on a parkrun tourist trip to Coventry. I hope to do the return trip to Bruteon parkrun in the spring or summer if possible. It was really nice to meet you Richard.

The parkrun went off after a 5 minute delay due to toilets not being open, and then I just had to cheer people through for the next 18 minutes waiting to start my next role, handing out the numbered barcodes at the end of the finishing funnel. I am so glad that it was warmer today than recently. The hand that I was giving out the barcodes with was numb with cold by the end. What must this have been like when it was 20 degrees colder last weekend?

Then onto my third role of the day, the website results upload. Three of us have been doing this each week for the last month or so, each time under the watchful eye of the usual Race Director, but this time we were on our own. Thankfully, between myself, the timer and the number checker there hadn't been a single mistake, so the results upload was pretty straightforward. There was the oddity of three people finishing in 4th position, but once we realised that 2 of them were the person scanned in testing prior to the start, this was soon resolved and the results upload was completed. It was still a relief when my brother confirmed that he had received his text and all the information was correct. Fingers crossed that was the same for everyone.

So you would think that this was the end of my parkrun day, but no. After heading home and a very quick change, I couldn't resist popping back out for a parkrun freedom run. And one parkrun freedom run became two, as tends to happen for me and my brother. We ran at a pretty comfortable pace for 2 back-to-back parkrun freedom runs at a little over 24 minutes each, finishing at exactly midday to complete a very satisfying and enjoyable morning devoted to parkrun.