Don’t forget your dodgy barcode

I have often been a bit weary of volunteering for new roles at Parkrun; but when fellow GoodGymer and Norwich Parkrun Volunteer Co-ordinator Hayley offered me the job of recording unreadable (or dodgy) barcodes in the promised warmth and dryness of the rotunda, it seemed like a good deal.

As it happened, Saturday was a bright and sunny morning, perfect conditions for both volunteering and running. Whilst several GoodGym friends were at Catton Park and Colney Lane, as well as further afield including Milton Keynes, Bakewell, Peterborough and Ashton Court (Bristol), Richard was the only GoodGym representative at Eaton Park. He was looking for a new PB and a sub-22 minute run.

After a briefing our first job was to form a high-viz human barrier preventing runners from cutting at the first corner. This seemed to go well and it was great to see hundreds of people begin their weekend with such oomph and enthusiasm. We then went to watch the runners complete their first lap across the bridge before taking to our positions ready for the first runners to come in.

My job was to record the details of runners whose barcodes would not scan. In the majority of cases this seemed to be due poorly printed barcodes as well as the inevitable sweat-smeared and crumpled barcodes that had seen better days. The task was made a little more challenging as I had my mini-Goodgymer Jasper in the baby carrier; he enjoyed smiling at the runners and flapping his arms and legs about when I was trying to maintain a steady hand to record the athletes’ details.

Richard had a brilliant run, beating his target and completing the 5k course in 21:47, also ranking in the top 50 of over 400 finishers. Well done Richard!

Once all the runners were in I popped over to the café and wondered why I had been so hesitant to try out different volunteering roles for so long.