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Nov 2019
4:34pm, 18 Nov 2019
764 posts
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Roberto
I've done 142 parkruns and volunteered about 12 times (only 8 have been recorded though) so I'm not too far off the one in 10. I dont mind volunteering but I am less inclined to do it as the events become slower and it moves away from the whole "run" aspect of it. If other people are happy to then fair play to them.
I dont think people should be forced, and core teams should know what they are getting into when setting up so know it will take up every sat morning (and longer), it's why I've never become involved despite having a few opportunities to do so.
I've not seen any parkrun I'm a regular at not get enough volunteers. I have also jumped onto tokens when I've finished before as well to help out if they have had someone drop out etc but usually, when they ask on a friday if still short, someone will offer.
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Nov 2019
4:40pm, 18 Nov 2019
1,387 posts
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um
Larkim - assuming you have 250 runners and 15 volunteers, the numbers you give mean just over 7% volunteering ratio, so 14 runs to each volunteer, or for your '5 times a year runner', once every 3 years.
I assume some roles may need to be done more frequently than that to retain ability/expertise/confidence, and the number of 'walk up' roles (without training) may affect that a bit - unless your '15 volunteers' excluded the 'specialist' roles.
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Nov 2019
4:41pm, 18 Nov 2019
68,079 posts
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Gobi
hahahahaha Nessie
We actually had a few volunteer only people through the years.
2 stand out for me, we persuaded 1 to start running and I believe they still do, the other spent some time volunteering and in time just like they appeared they disappeared. I think they just liked the social banter and the coffee afterwards and I would guess moved on to giving back somewhere else in time.
Comes back to the point that volunteering is exactly that and there is no rule on who does or doesn't do it.
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Nov 2019
4:46pm, 18 Nov 2019
1,398 posts
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BrianJ
Gobi, the first parkrun I ever did in Dec 2009 was one of yours at Basingstoke when there was snow on the ground and you converted the course five laps round the field. I enjoyed it and it got me back into XC running. If that happened now it would be a cancellation..
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Nov 2019
4:48pm, 18 Nov 2019
68,082 posts
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Gobi
ah yes my wonderful course than ran you up and down banking just because I'm sadistic :¬)
It does however prove the point that back in those days the goal was make it happen no matter what.
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Nov 2019
4:57pm, 18 Nov 2019
9,504 posts
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larkim
Is it that simple Um? Perhaps we need a separate maths thread for it!!
I was definitely ignore the complicated bits that involve the "real world" too!
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Nov 2019
5:02pm, 18 Nov 2019
31,000 posts
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LindsD
Can someone please answer DeeGee?
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Nov 2019
5:07pm, 18 Nov 2019
31,001 posts
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LindsD
I'm a bit grumpy today so might be being over sensitive but I don't really like this:
"core teams should know what they are getting into when setting up so know it will take up every sat morning"
Yes, that's true, although it shouldn't really be every sat, but what bothers me is that (some) people will happily run without any consideration that without volunteers there is no parkrun. I don't find 'you knew what you were getting into' very supportive.
I do it because I love our parkrun and want to contribute to its continued existence. Doesn't mean I wouldn't rather be running.
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Nov 2019
5:09pm, 18 Nov 2019
31,002 posts
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LindsD
Not saying I think people should be forced but I'd prefer thank you to 'you made your bed'
HQ are sending us a stopwatch, btw, so I take back my moans about that..
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Nov 2019
5:11pm, 18 Nov 2019
6,873 posts
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chunkywizard
What's really nice is when someone rocks up nice and early and says, do you want a hand setting up - love it when that happens. We had a tourist on Saturday from Osterley constructing the funnel and on Sunday a mum of a DoEer doing the same. On Saturdays we do have people setting up the course, but an extra pair of unexpected hands is nice 
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