St Anne's parkrun

Killerz

Amigaman wrote: »

65 new registrations for St. Annes this week - well done ...so it will be a busy day...Malahide has 6 more then that ...but Marley takes the biscuit - 167 new registrations this week - most of any of the 320 odd parkruns in the world

Crazy stuff alright. I suppose at St Annes, we are lucky to have Malahide and Ardgillan close enough so as to allow a bit more of a spread of numbers.

Killerz

npresto wrote: »

A big group following a 30 min pacer could be a nightmare for the volunteer with the stopwatch and the volunteer handing out the finish tokens. I can see the finishing chute getting clogged up. Be a good idea to move the guys/gals with the scanners well away from the finish chute.

Ferris B wrote: »

I'm actually on token duty tomorrow. I doubt we'll get a huge 30min group. Just in case though, I'll get a bit of practice in tonight with a few packs of cards:)

Great job on tokens today, Ferris B., obviously that extensive practice paid dividends in the end!

Pawwed Rig

How come there are no events listed for April 5th an 19th? Are the volunteers going on a well earned holiday?

Killerz

Pawwed Rig wrote: »

How come there are no events listed for April 5th an 19th? Are the volunteers going on a well earned holiday?

Other events taking place in the park that day (BHAA event on 5th and Battle of Clontarf commemoration festivities on the 19th) so we have to defer to those events. Reminds me actually that I must announce this on Facebook.

Pawwed Rig

Cool. I might try the new Naas parkrun one of those days then.

Killerz

Pawwed Rig wrote: »

Cool. I might try the new Naas parkrun one of those days then.

Hoping to get out to Naas and Ardgillan in late spring/ early summer myself - great to have so much choice in and around Dublin.

yaboya1

whodafunk wrote: »

Hi - is St Annes Parkrun on next Saturday 19th April given that the Battle of Clontarf festival is on in the park?

Cheers

No, not on next week. Back to normal on the 26th.

npresto

Killerz wrote: »

Hoping to get out to Naas and Ardgillan in late spring/ early summer myself - great to have so much choice in and around Dublin.

I'd say Ardgillan is the toughest Parkrun in Ireland

slingerz

npresto wrote: »

I'd say Ardgillan is the toughest Parkrun in Ireland

You should try the Castle Demense in Macroom, some testing hills in that!

Pawwed Rig

Seems to be getting harder to get volunteers. Will that be what ultimately stops parkrun? By the average attendance (in St Annes) each person would only need to volunteer 2 or 3 times a year but it seems to be becoming a weekly struggle.

slingerz

Pawwed Rig wrote: »

Seems to be getting harder to get volunteers. Will that be what ultimately stops parkrun? By the average attendance (in St Annes) each person would only need to volunteer 2 or 3 times a year but it seems to be becoming a weekly struggle.

Thats probably the case everywhere. Is there an insurance requirement on the number of volunteers? Surely decent signage would alleviate the need for the numbers of volunteers?

James Howlett

I run Malahide Parkrun quite regularly and it was recently referenced that 64% of all runners who ran 10+ Parkruns since November 2013 have not once volunteered.

I don’t get how people can turn up each week, shrug their shoulders and say “ah sure someone else will do it.” A fair amount of roles can facilitate running the event as well so if people are going to turn up anyway I don’t see why they can’t be bothered to put a little bit of extra effort into helping an event that they clearly enjoy attending themselves.

cloneslad

I can volunteer for either Malahide or St Annes, as I'm close by to both.

My only problem is that I'm on crutches since I tore ligaments in my knee a few weeks ago. If either of the organisers need a banged up volunteer just let me know.

Pawwed Rig

James Howlett wrote: »

I run Malahide Parkrun quite regularly and it was recently referenced that 64% of all runners who ran 10+ Parkruns since November 2013 have not once volunteered.

That is a huge number. I was thinking that it was more likely that people come for a few runs and then disappear meaning that the majority who run are newbies. Your statistic puts that theory to bed.

I wonder should we print it on a big sign at the start and finish line

It is embarrassing to see guys who put their own time into organising a community event have to spend extra time during the week trying to drum up volunteers.

donal7

I just updated the volunteering options on my profile page and plan to volunteer for the next park run or if I'm not needed the one after.

What time typically are you required to be down to the Park at for volunteering duties?

Cheers

James Howlett

Timing all depneds on the task you volunteer for.
If it's pre-event you're usually asked to turn up at 8:30/8:40, 9:10ish if you're a marshall etc and then post event is usually sorted after the race.

HelenAnne

Pawwed Rig wrote: »

That is a huge number. I was thinking that it was more likely that people come for a few runs and then disappear meaning that the majority who run are newbies. Your statistic puts that theory to bed.

I wonder should we print it on a big sign at the start and finish line

It is embarrassing to see guys who put their own time into organising a community event have to spend extra time during the week trying to drum up volunteers.

Yes, there are 77 people who have run 10 or more times and never volunteered.

I think the trying to drum up support is worth it though -- sometimes people might be open to volunteering, but might be shy about it, or worried that they'd have to do something complicated, or just mightn't think about it and would need a nudge to help out.

As someone said above, you can volunteer and run. I often come early and do the finish-chute set up and then run, or if you're fast you can run and then do barcode scanning, or you can sort barcodes at the end. Or come out and volunteer if you have a race on a Sunday and want to take a break on the Saturday. You can still use your parkrun discount in the café even if you've been volunteering and not running!

Pawwed Rig

There is a parkrun discount?

eoinín

cloneslad wrote: »

I can volunteer for either Malahide or St Annes, as I'm close by to both.

My only problem is that I'm on crutches since I tore ligaments in my knee a few weeks ago. If either of the organisers need a banged up volunteer just let me know.

Thanks for offering - in theory you could do token sorting after the run, as you can sit down for that, but really its a lot of effort to go to to sort the tokens! Maybe volunteer when you're back to full health!

eoinín

Pawwed Rig wrote: »

There is a parkrun discount?

There's a coffee and scone deal in the Avoca cafe in Malahide (not sure of the exact price), and there's 10% off everything in the Avoca shop - so food, clothes, books, homewares, etc. Just show your Parkrun barcode at the till.

Pawwed Rig

Ah right I thought you meant St Annes. Was out in Malahide the day Sonia was there. Great crowd and atmosphere:)

slingerz

would additional signage not make up for some volunteers out along the course route? We have a relatively small number of parkrunners each week (~50) and its a course that almost laps itself so hard to go wrong really. any course cutting and the individual is only fooling themselves really so thats not a problem. Is the need for volunteers more of an insurance thing

James Howlett

slingerz wrote: »

would additional signage not make up for some volunteers out along the course route? We have a relatively small number of parkrunners each week (~50) and its a course that almost laps itself so hard to go wrong really. any course cutting and the individual is only fooling themselves really so thats not a problem. Is the need for volunteers more of an insurance thing

Don't get me started...

slingerz

James Howlett wrote: »

Don't get me started...

This sounds too good not to!

Pawwed Rig

Generally I have no problem with course cutters as I am not challenging for the lead so am racing against the watch on my wrist rather than any of the people around me but one guy in Malahide (as this sort of behaviour would never happen in St Annes:D) cut every corner but would then stop and walk for a while. For some reason he always stopped in front of me after over taking me on a corner. I passed the guy more than 4 times during the race and had to avoid him each time as he stopped to walk as soon as he passed me out.:mad:

James Howlett

slingerz wrote: »

This sounds too good not to!

ah it's not exciting; The Malahide course peaks at the top of a hill before a nice downhill finish. I usually watch other runners coming in after I've finished and it just annoys me when I see people (and probably the same chap Pawwed Rig mentioned) cutting across the near the top of the hill bit and usually passing out 5 - 7 people while doing so.

I feel like saying something but it's not like these are strict races... but still... it's a little mean.

Killerz

First birthday coming up for St. Anne's parkrun on the 27th September - put the date in your diary! We are hoping to have a special guest attend and a bit of a post-run celebration.

We'd love loads of boardsies come along and it would also be great to get a few fast guys and girls out to challenge for the course records on the day (15:03 male - 1 second outside the Irish parkrun record; and 16:51 female - the Irish parkrun record).

Usual shout out for volunteers, photographers etc.... Be great to see you!

JK

Johnnio13

I run the Malahide regularly and for the most part it is really good. Haven't seen any course cutters but again they are only fooling themselves.

Pawwed Rig what kind of position are you usually racing for?

Pawwed Rig

Johnnio13 wrote: »

Pawwed Rig what kind of position are you usually racing for?

Racing is probably an optimistic description of what I do. I'm just chasing my own time which is a pedestrian 26 minutes at the moment.

edisonolmy

Killerz wrote: »

First birthday coming up for St. Anne's parkrun on the 27th September - put the date in your diary! We are hoping to have a special guest attend and a bit of a post-run celebration.

We'd love loads of boardsies come along and it would also be great to get a few fast guys and girls out to challenge for the course records on the day (15:03 male - 1 second outside the Irish parkrun record; and 16:51 female - the Irish parkrun record).

Usual shout out for volunteers, photographers etc.... Be great to see you!

JK

I'm in Dublin that morning and was planning to do St Anne's. Looks like a good day to run it for the first time.