A windy morning meant a series of parkruns were cancelled, but the course at Valentines Park stood up to the weather - it was on!

I think it doesn't need mentioning what task Ed got assigned - Marshalling the car park entrance for the 202nd time?

Linda was initially busy sorting out unlocking the toilet block before reverting back to usual patient saint and walk with R.

After helping setting up the funnel and being told i'd scan, then Marshall, then scan, then tokens, I ended up having to dash to get to my marshalling location. Some of the geese were clearly not fussed about people, not giving an inch while strolling about, but no incidents nor upset birdsong!

• same location - Valentines Park
• same 3 people available - Ed, Linda & Peter
• unfortunately not quite the same 3 tasks - Linda & Ed did, but after 2x tokens it was marshaling at the boat house instead for Peter the week

almost like a carbon copy of last week:

• Ed marshaling the main carpark for the 201st time
• Linda doing unofficial assisted/VI guiding (think she lost count how often)
• Peter doing tokens for 2nd week in a row

Will there be a hatrick next week?

Time will tell.

P.S. cudos to James C for helping to pack up after - better luck next time in the 'who rolls up the funnel tape fastest' contest

P.P.S. anyone know what the record is for volunteering at the same parkrun doing the same task?

Using one of Ed's legendary Marshalling phrases for the report title to celebrate his 200th parkrun volunteer session. 🥳

Originally reluctantly dragged to his first parkrun in July 2019 (by Linda in the hope he might take up running) Ed opted to volunteer and was immediately hooked. Soon his enthusiasm and witty encouraging phrases became legendary among not only the parkrun community but spread to other local running groups.

With Ed proudly taking up his usual post as car park marshal the rest of us were scattered around the course taking on a variety of jobs, marshaling, VI walker, timekeeping, token giver and bar-code scanning. The Run Director bigged up Eds achievement during the briefing instructing runners to cheer him back as he cheered them on the way round- which I am reliably informed they did.

We came together at the end, with some of us assisting with the close down before settling in a corner of the children's playground for a cup of something and a bite to eat. Sadly Colin couldn't make it this week but sent his stand in Wiggles instead 🐛

It was Valentines ParkRun's 666th event this week. They were expecting extra tourists as one of the challenges they like to do is run where the event number is triple digits. James, Eddie and Linda answered the call for extra volunteers and arrived to find the beautiful Valentines bathed in sunshine and starting to show signs that spring is in the air 🌷

After a little catch up with other runners we took to our posts, cheering on and directing cheering nearly 400 runners round the course. Among our 300 or so regular runners some of the tourists were marking the 666 number of the beast session by sporting horns and devil tails 👹, all in good fun.

Most of us met early to be assigned our roles although one turned up in the Saint Nick of time. 🎅😂

Once we were in post some of us took "Elfies" 🧝 for the report.

Not sure if Santa's Reindeer got caught short but there was some 💩 on the course which required extra vigilant marshaling to help runners avoid messy accidents. Apart from that the track was relatively hazard free and we got 240 runners safely round.

We then made our way to the cafe for a little natter and a snack including a slice of Colin the Red Nosed Caterpillar cake.

Merry Christmas GGR 🌲🥳