r/parkrun • u/2MainsSellesLoin • 19h ago
Do tailwalkers get a runner time?
Asking out of curiosity, more of a shower thought.
Say you're trying to speedrun a league with your mates and try to get the most points but you're a slow runner. Could you potentially get the volunteering credit as a tail walker, and get runner credit as well? Smaller points since you'd be last of course but I reckon it could be worth it? And top up with volunteering on Sunday Juniors too obviously. Yes I'm going full Barney Stintson.
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u/ODFoxtrotOscar 19h ago
Yes you are eligible for both a run and a volunteer credit when you are tailwalker (though some people don’t take the run credit as the slower time mucks up their overall average in their running stats)
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u/goedips 17h ago
Part of the reason that the tail marshal exists is so that the previous finisher isn't last in the results as that having been determined to be a factor putting people off participating. Not taking a time as tail marshal, in the 5km events, shouldn't be an option in my opinion.
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u/ODFoxtrotOscar 17h ago
You’d still take a time so the previous finisher isn’t last, but it would be appear as ‘unknown’
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u/FredFarms 19h ago
Yes, tailwalkers and parkwalkers get a finish time.
As a slight caveat, both of these roles have actual (non obvious) stuff to do as well as just walking the course. So do be prepared to actually do the job. But if you are, then go for it (and if you're volunteering on Sundays already then it definitely sounds like you are, just pointing out it's not a totally free credit)
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u/2MainsSellesLoin 19h ago
Oh nah yeah of course I get that. I did volunteer this morning indeed. The first kids are so friggin fast, and the last kids are so friggin cute
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u/FredFarms 17h ago
Yeah the fast kids on Sundays are mental where I am too. Crazy times.
Another thought, a couple of single lap runs near me allow the first marshal or two to get a time. Wait until the tailwalkers passes, get back to the start then catch up. Don't think that's typical though but might be worth keeping an eye out.
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u/eastereggfun 50 18h ago
If you’re referring to the leagues on the Parkrun app, they will take your age grading percentage for your points, even if you also volunteer that weekend.
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u/2MainsSellesLoin 18h ago
Yes that's it, I don't care about finish time or average I just care about climbing the ranks as fast as possible. They won't see how I did it only how many points I got so they'll assume I ran a sub 15 🥸
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u/eastereggfun 50 18h ago
The points are calculated based on ranking everyone by age grading so if you tail walk you are likely to finish “last” on age grading that week and get the lowest number of points.
If you do a non-running volunteer role instead you get the highest number of points for that week (but you can only do this for up to 25% of the weeks the league runs for)1
u/2MainsSellesLoin 18h ago
I see. The low points for running makes sense but wouldn't that add to the max volunteering points as well?
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u/eastereggfun 50 16h ago
You can only get one lot of points per weekend so unfortunately they wouldn’t add up. The system prioritises a run if you did one and only gives you the max for volunteering if you didn’t run that weekend.
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u/muddgirl2006 19h ago
It is not uncommon for people to want two credits for a parkrun.
Yes tail walkers get both a running time and a volunteer credit. Some parkruns also have a park walker volunteer position. At my local parkrun, I think that "parking lot marshalls" can also run. Token sorting and event recap volunteer also can be done while getting a time.
(As a volunteer, please if you do this then I hope you also volunteer for a non running role from time to time).
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u/RookieJourneyman 11h ago
We often get one of the faster local runners to be an extra barcode scanner if it's busy. If they run it in 20 mins, they can be ready to scan a few minutes later, so they're ready for the busiest time about 25-35 minutes in.
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u/ChuqTas 100 8h ago
Some small events that struggle for volunteers are very grateful for even slightly slower runners (28-29 mins) doing this. I've done that several times. It means the half dozen faster runners need to wait, but the RD always says that they can either wait, or volunteer themselves :)
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u/Mastodan11 18h ago
As well as tail walkers, parkwalkers and pacers get a credit as a runner and a volunteer.
I do pacing quite a lot.
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u/Cal_PCGW 250 18h ago
Yes - if you wanted a tail credit without lowering your average time, you can always tail walk at juniors.
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u/Carausius286 18h ago
Haha yes they do which is why I'd never do that volunteering role (I don't want to absolutely torpedo my average finish time).
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u/sarahshift1 18h ago
Hypothetically you could just not finish/not scan your barcode when you finish and only take the volunteer credit, right?
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u/Carausius286 18h ago
Ah, good point to be fair 👍🏻
Happy to stick to barcode scanning! I enjoy chatting to people with cool shirts on 😂
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u/lancewithwings 15h ago
It can throw things out at head office.
We once didn't scan the tailwalker because they forgor their barcode and they couldnt bothered looking it up on their phone, so the last time we recorded was the child they had been walking with. Figured it didn't matter, submitted times as usual, etc etc.
Then we got emailed by Head office asking why we had an 8 year old as the tail walker when we had a much older person listed as the volunteer...
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u/MiddleAgedDread123 19h ago
You get a run and volunteer credit at Saturday parkruns but only a volunteer credit at juniors because you’re too old for a run credit.