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What really grinds your gears?

183 watchers

Metro_Nome Oct 2024 1:29pm, 11 Oct 2024 7,697 posts	0 Metro_Nome Ah- I get you! I do have to say I see some value in it. I did a new parkrun the other week and was quite nervous about walking as I wasn’t sure how welcome they’d be. Seeing a parkwalk vest made me feel at ease. She did then walk on super fast, and not take anybody on, but.. it still helped a little. But when teams are struggling to fill rotas with required roles, it’s particularly frustrating.
Eynsham Red Oct 2024 2:28pm, 11 Oct 2024 11,433 posts	0 Eynsham Red Agree on the parkwalk role. I can’t recall seeing a parkwalker accompanying other walkers. If I’m visiting a new parkrun as a walker I normally look at past results for that event to check that my anticipated time be within the last finisher time.
Velociraptor Oct 2024 2:35pm, 11 Oct 2024 71,368 posts	0 Velociraptor The parkwalkers at my home parkrun will happily talk anyone to death. They take their support role very seriously.
Metro_Nome Oct 2024 3:32pm, 11 Oct 2024 7,698 posts	0 Metro_Nome Eynsham Red wrote:Agree on the parkwalk role. I can’t recall seeing a parkwalker accompanying other walkers. If I’m visiting a new parkrun as a walker I normally look at past results for that event to check that my anticipated time be within the last finisher time. I had done that and was a little nervous as there were quite a few fast last finishes in previous weeks, so for me it was nice to see the vest, but didn’t make a huge difference. And I’d obviously rather have marshals, timers, scanners etc!
LindsD Oct 2024 3:58pm, 11 Oct 2024 70,295 posts	0 LindsD
Eynsham Red Oct 2024 4:47pm, 11 Oct 2024 11,436 posts	0 Eynsham Red Velociraptor wrote:The parkwalkers at my home parkrun will happily talk anyone to death. They take their support role very seriously. A regular parkwalker here is a bit of speed walker with the sort of face and glare that doesn’t welcome any conversation!
LindsD Oct 2024 5:03pm, 11 Oct 2024 70,297 posts	0 LindsD I was just thinking again and I shouldn't be angry at the tourists who volunteer. It's not their fault that parkrun created the role.
Velociraptor Oct 2024 5:19pm, 11 Oct 2024 71,374 posts	0 Velociraptor Eynsham Red wrote:A regular parkwalker here is a bit of speed walker with the sort of face and glare that doesn’t welcome any conversation! That sounds a bit contrary to the spirit As I understand it, tail walkers can be grim-faced and amble in half an hour behind the last participant and still fulfil the job requirements, but park walkers are there to provide conversation. The downside of our excellent park walking crew is that the event lost its regular tail walker because the person who did the role, and who often tail runs officially at local races, felt it had become redundant. She's a decent runner and switched to run-marshalling.
Ally-C Oct 2024 5:29pm, 11 Oct 2024 6,536 posts	0 Ally-C I marshalled last week and walked back with the park walker. The person they were walking behind didn’t engage with them at all despite them trying to early doors.
Corrah Oct 2024 8:08am, 12 Oct 2024 8,660 posts	0 Corrah I live a good chat. Only time I ever did a park walker role it was after a long run and only people to speak to was a friend also doing and the tail walker. I need to learn to walk faster!