Today, three GoodGymers played crucial roles: Belinda as Run Director, John on set-up and Paul keeping time.

Here in Worthing, we always look forward to our GoodGym parkrun volunteering sessions! We aim to organise one each month to support the parkrun community and proudly promote GoodGym. Given the expected parkrun cancellations in the first half of the year, we are determined to maintain this important GoodGym connection.

They can definitely hear—even if they aren’t all actually listening

With the new (ish) speakers (thank you to our friends at South Downs Leisure), there was no excuse for anyone saying they couldn’t hear the briefing. It wasn’t just Belinda enjoying the sound of her own voice today; everyone could! And that was important. Besides the usual health and safety checks, there was important information to share about the imminent parkrun cancellations due to promenade works.

The applause clause

As well as the safety information being clear, the milestone shout-outs were also heard. We love celebrating individual achievements and milestones at a parkrun. Today, we celebrated our very own superstar Paul as he was cheered on his fiftieth time volunteering. Check out the photos for the unofficial merchandise awarded to mark the occasion.

And they’re off

And don’t forget, so will Worthing parkrun be intermittently over the next few months. Keep an eye on the upcoming volunteer sessions so you can join us in promoting GoodGym while supporting what is surely the biggest, regular, mass participation fitness event on the south coast.

I was issuing finish tokens at today's parkrun and Paul was number checking. It was the first time I had done that role at a 5K and with a double funnel as well. However with three of us it went very smoothly.

On the final day of the January Challenge five Worthing GoodGymers headed for the local parkrun arena.

Mud, not so glorious mud

Gill and John got stuck into helping with setting up the finish area. Literally stuck in as they squelched around in the somewhat well soaked grass. The green finish funnel would be turned brown before long!

On the turn

Meanwhile Belinda strode off towards the turnaround point, cones in hand greeting, and being greeted by parkrunners heading for the start. On reaching the turnaround point and setting up the cones Belinda must have thought a course record would be set (more on that later). Actually, it was a non parkrunning group, using the parkrun course and setting of just before parkrun. If you enjoy a puzzle, try and ponder why they choose there and then to run, when they know they will encounter around 700 runners on their way back. Answers to this puzzle would be most welcome and appreciated. Don’t think too hard though. We don’t want to be responsible for any exploding brains. Messy!

Hearing aid

As part of their set up role John and Gill got the new speakers into position. They worked a treat. When will the runners understand that the purpose of the speakers isn’t so that we can speak over their chatter, but so that everyone can hear the briefing. Another eternal (or infernal) puzzle.

Holding the line

Stéphane and Barbara risked life and limb, taking their place on the flimsy tape that separates our 628 runners and walkers from the general public, ensuring everyone has a safe route through.

And finally

On the final turn today was Barbara. She directed runners towards the finish line, and also, most ably, responded to a member of the public expressing concern about our right to be there. I won’t share Barbara’s answer (both because it’s probably a bit provocative, but also I wasn’t listening carefully enough!), but it did transpire that the individual the member of the public complained about was not doing parkrun. Back again to the puzzle referred to above. Any answers yet?

A checkered experience

Stéphane moved on to the role of Number Checker. A crucial role, the checker sheet being the key data that helps to resolve any timing anomalies. If there are any timing queries this week, they might just get sent Stéphane’s way.

Recorded for posterity

It was great to have GoodGym supporting what turned out to be a record breaking run. First finisher crossed the line in 14 minutes, 13 seconds. Amazing! On the other hand, he can’t really have taken much in of our beautiful coastal scenery. If you do come to take part in Worthing parkrun I recommend taking the time to enjoy……

This morning John and Belinda headed to Splashpoint Leisure Centre where they picked up a PA system that Southdowns Leisure had purchased for Worthing parkrun. SDL have always worked closely with both GoodGym and parkrun, having been instrumental in bringing both to Worthing.

Testing. Testing. One, two three….

The job was to unpack the equipment and set it up, ensuring it works, before getting it in to the new locker that SDL have also provided for parkrun.

Of course we were going to read the manual……

…….except there wasn’t one. Still, a quick look at the rear of the active speaker told us what went where and gave a good idea of the speaker capabilities. A search online, and a stirring into life of the printer ensured a suitable document was available for future reference.

How much?

With the speakers charging we were able to reflect on the potential difference the speakers might make. Regular parkrunners, particularly those that follow a range of parkruns on social media, will know that briefings have been a “hot topic” recently. We can’t hear and we don’t need to hear (heard it all before) are the contrasting cries. "It’s other people making the noise", is the regular defence. No thought that they could actually ask them to be quiet. Recently parkruns have reported issues with unmanaged dogs creating a hazard, and hazards on the course resulting in injury.

Safety first

Worthing is an ever popular parkrun course. Safety of participants and members of the public is paramount. Thanks to these SDL purchased speakers no one will be able to say “I didn’t know”. A difference? A huge difference!

After a challenging morning last week it was great to have GoodGym back out supporting a rather less stressful parkrun.

We covered the event from start to finish, and in between with Belinda as Run Director, John on turnaround, Paul funnel managing, and Gill on finish tokens.

It's a streak!
Keeping Worthing GoodGym's January parkrun streak going saw four Worthing stalwarts heading to beach house grounds to volunteer.

Not streaking! Nothing to see here.
Nerves already on edge because of the potential high numbers and the likelihood of an increasingly slippery finish funnel Belinda went hunting for an essential volunteer. Where was her timekeeper? Paul certainly wasn't streaking along. He casually appeared with his usual broad smile, unaware that he was surrounded not by misty drizzle (or mizzle to the locals) but by the steam that a moment ago had been pouring from Belinda's ears. The RD role was going to be fun today.

It was a set up
John as usual lent a hand with creating the finish funnel. Definitely essential, and due to play a central role as the morning went on. As has become the norm, it was a double. John prefers the simplicity of being single, whilst seeing the value of two, had we created enough extra length? Did we have enough capacity? Is the funnel, heaven forbid, too short? The RD role was going to be fun today.

Hitting the wall? Not on our watch
When Daisy volunteers to marshal she often manages to get a position where she can tuck herself away behind a bin, protected from the elements. Not today though! Today she managed to secure a position with a whole wall to shelter behind if needed. It wasn’t needed. The weather held, and with Daisy directing runners towards the final sprint, no one was hitting that wall today. Daisy clapped over 750 participants on their way. On their way to……….. The RD role was going to be fun today.

The RD role was going to be fun today
In the main the runners cheered by Daisy around that corner found themselves passing Paul, clicking them in as their feet passed the finish. In a week when parkrun had secured some novice volunteers (hooray) inexperience at the double funnel told its own story. A brief period of chaos led to a queue for the finish. It provided a great opportunity for runners to chat with Paul (always a delight!) as they slowly passed by him and his tightly held phone. But as for their times? The RD role was going to be fun today.

Cueing up for a strike
So, who was that RD who got all the fun. None other than the well respected GoodGymer, Belinda. She undid the chaos of the funnel, and unpicked the potential chaos of results processing. Amazing. Potential crisis averted, but cue the emails! Is there a GoodGym badge recognising being calm under pressure? Acknowledging the ability to respond positively to those “I love Worthing parkrun, but….” emails? If there is, it’s most definitely been earned today.

Oh, who is Nel, you may well ask. That’s a story for another time………