Discussion
john2443 said:
It's the core team's job to cover Run Director and Volunteer Coordinator, maybe timer at a big event, but really most of the team should be running most weeks with volunteers (ie the runners) filling the rest. We have 15 core team members, 9 Run directors, 6 VolCos who are rostered so RDs don't run 1 week in 9, VCs have done their job by 9 so can run. In general the core team are also runners so don't want to volunteer every week.
That's a nicely sized core team, John. We have just 4 directors, 2 directors-in-training and 5 regular core team members.
Cybertronian said:
john2443 said:
It's the core team's job to cover Run Director and Volunteer Coordinator, maybe timer at a big event, but really most of the team should be running most weeks with volunteers (ie the runners) filling the rest. We have 15 core team members, 9 Run directors, 6 VolCos who are rostered so RDs don't run 1 week in 9, VCs have done their job by 9 so can run. In general the core team are also runners so don't want to volunteer every week.
That's a nicely sized core team, John. We have just 4 directors, 2 directors-in-training and 5 regular core team members.We've worked fairly hard over 3 years to build up a team and encourage volunteering, it does make it very easy to run the event, we leave the RD to take charge on their rostered week and don't interfere, but all the team jumps in to help if needed.
Having 3-400 runners to draw on is an advantage, if you have a small event it must be more difficult.
john2443 said:
Having 3-400 runners to draw on is an advantage, if you have a small event it must be more difficult.
...We had a new attendance record of 800+ last week, so no shortage of runners. Just plenty that stick their head in the sand when it comes to helping out every once in a while.I am volunteer coordinator for our event and it's interesting to see the stats on the facebook page. When a 'well done' everyone post goes up there are hundreds of people reached. When a we need volunteers post goes up you are lucky to get low double figures.
I know they are out there but they have selective vision
Luckily we have a core team who do some roles every week but it's still sometimes a struggle to fill the gaps unless there is an event on the Sunday.
Many people also have an aversion to timekeeping as well.
I know they are out there but they have selective vision
Luckily we have a core team who do some roles every week but it's still sometimes a struggle to fill the gaps unless there is an event on the Sunday.
Many people also have an aversion to timekeeping as well.
Do any of you park run regulars notice people at your events who never volunteer? I can't run/vulunteer that often on a sat morning due to work but i think I have volunteered about 10 times and ran 56 in total at various locations.
I do notice though a certain element who have ran 100 plus times and not volunteered once. I think this is out of order to be honest.
I do notice though a certain element who have ran 100 plus times and not volunteered once. I think this is out of order to be honest.
ED209 said:
Do any of you park run regulars notice people at your events who never volunteer? I can't run/vulunteer that often on a sat morning due to work but i think I have volunteered about 10 times and ran 56 in total at various locations.
I do notice though a certain element who have ran 100 plus times and not volunteered once. I think this is out of order to be honest.
Oh yes! Some people just don't think they should have to. In the early days after we set up our event we used to worry about it, but we've gradually become more chilled out it and taken the view that as long as we get enough vols there's no point worrying about those who never vol.I do notice though a certain element who have ran 100 plus times and not volunteered once. I think this is out of order to be honest.
In the end they lose out IMO, the regular vols have become part of an unofficial sort of inner circle who car share, invite each other to races, training sessions, parties, pub meetings, gym, cycling, pace each other, hang around for coffee on a Saturday, go for lunch after races and lots of other things. Those who just turn up and run never get to know anyone, but maybe they're happy like that.
john2443 said:
Oh yes! Some people just don't think they should have to. In the early days after we set up our event we used to worry about it, but we've gradually become more chilled out it and taken the view that as long as we get enough vols there's no point worrying about those who never vol.
In the end they lose out IMO, the regular vols have become part of an unofficial sort of inner circle who car share, invite each other to races, training sessions, parties, pub meetings, gym, cycling, pace each other, hang around for coffee on a Saturday, go for lunch after races and lots of other things. Those who just turn up and run never get to know anyone, but maybe they're happy like that.
I'd have to agree. Some people get very bothered by it but I can't say I am. It's very rare I do a non-running volunteer role on a Saturday but I am a run director for our junior parkrun. Getting volunteers there is a proper struggle.In the end they lose out IMO, the regular vols have become part of an unofficial sort of inner circle who car share, invite each other to races, training sessions, parties, pub meetings, gym, cycling, pace each other, hang around for coffee on a Saturday, go for lunch after races and lots of other things. Those who just turn up and run never get to know anyone, but maybe they're happy like that.
john2443 said:
In the end they lose out IMO, the regular vols have become part of an unofficial sort of inner circle who car share, invite each other to races, training sessions, parties, pub meetings, gym, cycling, pace each other, hang around for coffee on a Saturday, go for lunch after races, wife-swap and lots of other things. Those who just turn up and run never get to know anyone, but maybe they're happy like that.
sweet!I will send out the 'SOS' email on a Thursday morning and update the facebook page with volunteers that are needed.
If its still looking a bit empty on Friday afternoon I put out another update pointing out that runners will have to time themselves, collect their own finish token, scan themselves, etc. unless the volunteer numbers improve which generally gets a response.
You always get a few walk ups on the day but I am not going to spend all of my time twisting peoples arms when they know full well how parkrun works.
The event has always run every week but sometimes when we sail a bit close to the wind. This is generally followed by a moan from the run director about the lack of volunteers at the briefing which results in the numbers picking up for a few weeks afterwards.
If its still looking a bit empty on Friday afternoon I put out another update pointing out that runners will have to time themselves, collect their own finish token, scan themselves, etc. unless the volunteer numbers improve which generally gets a response.
You always get a few walk ups on the day but I am not going to spend all of my time twisting peoples arms when they know full well how parkrun works.
The event has always run every week but sometimes when we sail a bit close to the wind. This is generally followed by a moan from the run director about the lack of volunteers at the briefing which results in the numbers picking up for a few weeks afterwards.
Halb said:
KTF said:
...a moan from the run director about the lack of volunteers at the briefing which results in the numbers picking up for a few weeks afterwards.
And this the circle of life continues. 
I might try the trick of taking a big whiteboard along one day with all the roles and gaps as that may be a bit harder to ignore than an email...
Halb said:
john2443 said:
In the end they lose out IMO, the regular vols have become part of an unofficial sort of inner circle who car share, invite each other to races, training sessions, parties, pub meetings, gym, cycling, pace each other, hang around for coffee on a Saturday, go for lunch after races, wife-swap and lots of other things. Those who just turn up and run never get to know anyone, but maybe they're happy like that.
sweet!I can now add to this list Karaoke. I have to say I'm not sure about joining in with that, but might go along!
Most of the core team of my usual one are members of a couple of local running clubs, so those two clubs tend to provide more volunteers than average. We're also lucky to have quite a few non running volunteers, one of who'd did his 250th timing volunteer recently.
Think I'm on about 12 or 13 volunteers out of 128 runs, which doesn't seem a lot to me but must we way above average. I think the 25 volunteer t-shirts have probably helped, but I'd have no problem with them linking the standard milestone shirts to volunteering too, eg 50 runs and 2 volunteers to get the 50 shirt.
Think I'm on about 12 or 13 volunteers out of 128 runs, which doesn't seem a lot to me but must we way above average. I think the 25 volunteer t-shirts have probably helped, but I'd have no problem with them linking the standard milestone shirts to volunteering too, eg 50 runs and 2 volunteers to get the 50 shirt.
RizzoTheRat said:
I think the 25 volunteer t-shirts have probably helped, but I'd have no problem with them linking the standard milestone shirts to volunteering too, eg 50 runs and 2 volunteers to get the 50 shirt.
I really like that idea. Would help to spread the dispersal of volunteers coming forward each week, where there's always an excess the day before a race and a drought at most other times.Cannon Hill's 804 attendance record may fall tomorrow... It's the second anniversary of a regular's death and to mark the occasion, two of the area's largest clubs with a friendly rivalry with each other will be having a mob match with points for finish positions and numbers. Will be interesting because one club has some very fast runners, but smaller membership, whilst the other has very few fast runners but a larger membership.
k, getting closer to 26, I just don't see how I was running 23ish last year. It feels impossible right now.
Gassing Station | Sports | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff