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Jul 2018
10:24am, 17 Jul 2018
24,086 posts
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HellsBells
Our scanners are about 500m from the finish - back by the cafe where everyone leaves their stuff
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Jul 2018
10:25am, 17 Jul 2018
64,308 posts
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Gobi
Trying to force people to the scanners does not work. Not everyone runs with a barcode.
We always used to put the scanners in the same place and then tell everyone exactly where they are.
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Jul 2018
10:40am, 17 Jul 2018
3,743 posts
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Curly45
I dont run with my barcode as the oyster wallet we keep them in doesnt fit in my shorts pocket. Usually leave a bag somewhere or in a jacket pocket.
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Jul 2018
11:18am, 17 Jul 2018
219 posts
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iRicey
At Exeter the scanners are c. 500m around a corner, in a climbing centre, upstairs and beyond a cafe. There's generally a stream of people to follow, but I had to follow my nose - maybe I went the wrong way, but could easily have missed it.
I often forget to put my barcode in my pocket and have to run back to the car to get it before scanning.
Not all parkruns are the same.
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Jul 2018
11:26am, 17 Jul 2018
218 posts
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BexleyKev
Vive la difference, as they say. Bonnet de douche, iRicey.
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Jul 2018
11:28am, 17 Jul 2018
9,066 posts
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mrs shanksi
I think it's a good idea to have the scanners further away as Fleecy says, Even at our parkrun it has sometimes caused issues if the scanners are too near the finish token person etc and the funnel backs up. The thing is the volunteers like to talk to each other and I think that happens more at the quiet parkruns.
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Jul 2018
11:31am, 17 Jul 2018
220 posts
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iRicey
Mange tout BK
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Jul 2018
11:53am, 17 Jul 2018
16,349 posts
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Dvorak
500m? Not 50m? That seems a pretty ridiculous distance to have the scanners away, unless there is no way out without going past them (and even then …).
I've been to the odd event where I've had difficulty locating the scanners even though they have been 20m from the finish. Maybe there could be a "scanner flag" to put up, or s distinctive hi-vis for the scanners (I know, more kit, more problems ;-)).
Falkirk 7th (7th!) birthday this coming weekend, they are aiming to have pacers for every minute from 20-39. Think I will put myself down for something at the lower end. I can run in my V25 shirt then :-).
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Jul 2018
11:56am, 17 Jul 2018
5,264 posts
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larkim
Ref forcing people to run with barcodes - I'd say that it is the norm at my home parkrun for people to run with them, whether they are pinned to shorts, wristbands, shoe tags etc. Surely 95% of people actually do have them on them, so the process should be designed around making those 95% get dealt with efficiently and effectively. By forcing people past the scanners as part of the funnel, inevitably some people need to duck out at the end saying I've left it in the car, and that gets dealt with. But some roving free-for-all at the end surely is more confusing?
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Jul 2018
12:03pm, 17 Jul 2018
1,302 posts
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CumbriAndy
We seem to have a similar 'problem' to many - need the scanners sufficiently far from the funnel to avoid the queue causing an issue but close enough that people milling about don't hide them from view. Fortunately, our finish area rises up away from the lake so putting them a little way up the slope, in the natural funnel back to the car park, seems to work most of the time.
We've also used the general issue, parkrun branded 'flying banner' to help locate them - possibly harder to do if there isn't somewhere convenient to put it.
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parkrun Café
Feb 2025