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Marshalling
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yeah my OH got on telly and in the paper several times for marshalling on IMUK !
I always turn out to marshal on our clubs women only sprint tri.. perfect excuse to ogle neoprene and lycra clad ladies on a Sunday morning !
I marshalled a 50mile TT, I wasn't riding, and I had the free time, so i did it.
A few do marshall, loads don't, aslong as there are enough marshalls to allow the event to go ahead, then no problem as far as I am concerned.
I really don't subscribe to the "If you race, then you should also marshall" train of thought though.
As for the above "car stopper" thing, as far as I know, its actually illegal to stop, or even direct, traffic during an event......
I do.
I have never marshalled, but then again I don't do many races either.
I play lots of football, and have refereed some park football before when I don't have a game and they are stuck.
Do I win 5 pounds?
Dammit! fb's marshalled a race I've been in, and I missed him!
I've marshalled our club's 10 mile race for the past three years. it should've been one year followed by a free entry for the following year but I keep getting bloody injured!
I used to marshall the Marlow half every year when I was a member of the organising club. I still have fond memories of watching the runners struggling up the first hill in the pouring rain with a small river flowing down the road
If no-one volunteered to marshall they'd have to pay people to do it and it would cost a lot more to organise races. That would mean races would be more expensive to enter so anyone who doesn't do it, please consider volunteering for at least one race a year.
I think people should contribute if they race - entering races and paying the entry isn't really contributing either - I mean marshall, organise, do the tea and coffee after etc. Most events are run on volunteer labour - so even if it is making a profit for the club it only does so because dozens of people are giving up their time.
In cycling my gripe is small sponsored teams that cream off good riders from traditional clubs by offering them free kit and race entry but never put on events themselves. Probably doesn't happen in running, not sure if you get that in triathlon ?
At the beginning of this year there were about a dozen runners I know doing BH - I think one by one we've all pulled out due to injury.
I get my other half to do the marshalling bit while I run. At the xc he usually winds up being the childminder.
Got a cold from marshalling - does that count?
I would love to be a marshall, but as I'm not a member of a club nobody wants my help!! However, I do go out for local races and cheer everyone on if I'm not taking part.
for instance, Beachy Head marathon is organised by the local council so they will get volunteers from wherever they can - locals, clubs, round table etc.
and I've just had a Facebook message from Brighton Marathon who are just launching their Volunteer programme for the 2011 race - click here if you're interested.
We don't stop traffic... we warn traffic
Which sometimes involves standing in front of them
I know it happens, just pointing out it shouldn't (in an ideal world).
These are the sort of things that leads to the police, and public, getting angsty about races being run on non-closed courses.
Ah, not this year fb. I did this year's silly off-road event a couple of weeks ago in Canada. 27k, comprising 5k undulating tree-lined mountain trails at ~4,000ft, then 12k straight uphill to a mountain peak at 8,000ft, then 10k all the way down again. I'll never learn - I did it in the same road shoes I used for Beachy last year!
Best of luck at Beachy.
Begs the question...... should there be a regional registration of marshals that can be asked when an event is due in that part of the country ??????
When I am working at events I ALWAYS make sure the marshalls and helpers are thanked over the PA. Where would we be without them.....
FB - i didn't realise that, I'll definitely do that in future. Can't do Brighton next year though - I'll be too busy running it!!
I marshall at events whenever I'm not racing.
It's a nightmare trying to organise marshals for events. We often fall short and have to beg steal and borrow friends, neighbours and loved ones.
We do pay our marshals in expenses (or free race entries) and food. We can never really have enough though.
I do marshal at several events during the year. Always felt that I needed to give something back to the sport that has given me so much.
I haven't marshalled at races YET but I have marshalled at my local Parkrun a couple of times... Now that does p*ss me off when you see in the newsletter... Such and such has run Parkrun 150 times and volunteered 0 times... give something back mate... it's a free event run by voluteers...
Marshalling conversation :
linky thing
Which begs the question, why did you not stop the runners and let him get out?
As marshall you have a responsibility to inform and advise the competitor of a hazard, if that involves telling them to wait then so be it.
Only three groups of people have legal rights to stop traffic.
Coppers, lollipop ladies and blokes with a STOP/GO sign.
Even teachers who stand in the middle of a road to let 30 5 year olds cross safely are breaking the law.
Not that I'm going to run them over - I'm trying too hard to get jaywalking teenagers to be bothered with little ones...
I AM A MARSHAL
Ooops didn't mean to shout
I have marshalled all over the country I think over the last 15yrs, If I can't run then I ask to marshal. London every year, BH this year, Outlaw Tri, blah blah blah !
Can't say I've seen Smiffy on my travels though