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Sep 2019
3:31pm, 2 Sep 2019
6,689 posts
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chunkywizard
We have 3 marshals, but 50 cones and 15 signs on our (2, mostly different, laps course). Set up takes longer (30 mins for 2 people on foot), but less marshals. Linds, if you want to explore less marshals I can share our course set up documents so you see what works for us.
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Sep 2019
3:48pm, 2 Sep 2019
9,971 posts
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mrs shanksi
No offence LG, I know our course is a toughie! Glad to have you for the social x
We have one marshal at the top of our hill but the last time I was RD I didn't have enough volunteers so my Dad stood there for the first lap then the participants only had an arrow for the next two laps. Worked fine.
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Sep 2019
3:51pm, 2 Sep 2019
15,140 posts
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Bazoaxe
If the tail walker job is to close the course down why do they need to do all the laps and not just the final one?
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Sep 2019
3:55pm, 2 Sep 2019
4,053 posts
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KimCanRun
Finally hoping to do your course this Saturday Mrs S. Though devastated to find out no strawberry tarts! 
80 parkrun’s and I’ve done 65 at HH & 15 at Beach. I don’t get around much!
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Sep 2019
4:08pm, 2 Sep 2019
8,488 posts
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larkim
I don't know, Baz, but this is what the wiki says:-
Description of role
The primary role of the Tail Walker(s) is to ensure that no parkrunners are left out on the course before the timing systems are shut down.
The secondary role of Tail Walker(s) is to inform marshals and other volunteers on the course when the last parkrunner has passed and that they can stand down (or move on to other positions if relevant).
It also means that no-one is last bar the person or people who are supposed to be.
A Tail Walker is entitled to receive both a volunteer credit and a run credit (providing they brought their barcode along to be scanned) when carrying out this role.
I guess the run credit makes completing 5k compulsory, but I doubt there'd be any good reason why on a simple laps course they couldn't just sweep the course on the final lap only without accompanying the final participant throughout the whole run.
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Sep 2019
4:08pm, 2 Sep 2019
8,489 posts
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larkim
(oops, forgot my closing markup codes!)
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Sep 2019
4:11pm, 2 Sep 2019
10,494 posts
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MazH
Maybe if they want a run credit Baz?
There's deffo a H&S element to it for people's safety in our parkrun.... the tail will always come across someone in need if every single runner "ran on by"not that runners would pass someone in need, but I betcha some would. You can't count on a runner being someone who knows what to do in the event of an incident. That's not to say someone who is tailwalker does either, but they do have the RD phone numbers which is the critical thing.
Our RD's are able enough runners that any would down tools and respond up the course, at varying degrees of pace mind you.
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Sep 2019
4:12pm, 2 Sep 2019
10,495 posts
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MazH
some tails carry the defib too! that's a helluva lot more than Wiki is stating
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Sep 2019
4:15pm, 2 Sep 2019
420 posts
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BexleyKev
Baz- At some events it would be difficult to work out if someone was taking part, who was the last person or if the person you saw leaving last and were waiting for to then join at lap 2 if the tail walker didn’t set off behind them at the start.
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Sep 2019
4:32pm, 2 Sep 2019
8,491 posts
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larkim
Maz - I think it's the other way round. Event teams are loading the tailwalker with roles that are over and above what the official nature of the role should be. All well meaning, good stuff, but if volunteer numbers are a struggle then perhaps some of that role creep is partly responsible?
My particular cynicism about the tailwalker & their safety role is that on a single lap course as we have locally, it could be 25+ minutes before the the TW came across a parkrunner that had been passed by by all of the runners. So they are neither use nor ornament to that particular runner.
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