There’s nothing we love more than giving back to the local and legendary running community!
That’s why we regularly ‘takeover’ Centennial parkrun to lead the charge and crew the entire operation. From run director to time keepers, barcode scanners to marshals. We fill the roles, run the show and give the hardworking regular vollies a break.
ROLE DESCRIPTIONS
🕒 TIMEKEEPER
The stopwatch heroes! You’ll be tapping the parkrun Volunteer app to record everyone’s finish times.
🎟 FINISH TOKENS
Hand out finish position tokens in order to every runner that crosses the line, working with the Timekeepers to ensure numbers sync up.
🤝 FINISH TOKENS SUPPORT
Think of this as the “pit crew” for the Finish Tokens. You pre-load mini stacks of tokens so the Finish Tokens volunteer can keep the flow going.
🧩 FINISH TOKENS SORTER
It’s a bit like doing a puzzle! After the run, put all the finish tokens back in order so they’re ready for next week.
🏁 FUNNEL MANAGER
The traffic controller of the end zone. Keep runners moving through the funnel in the order they crossed the finish line in because if one person ducks out or swaps spots, the results will be muddled!
📲 BARCODE SCANNERS
Scan a runner’s barcode using the parkrun Volunteer app and then the finish token so every legend’s time is clocked!
📣 MARSHALS
The parkrun hype squad and guidance crew. You’ll point people in the right direction or away from any hazards, notify the Run Director of any incidents, and cheer like you’re at the TCS Sydney Marathon! You can find the marshal spots on the course map below, and you’ll hang around until the Tail Walker passes you.
🚶♀️ TAIL WALKERS
It’s your job to come last so no one gets left behind and to encourage all runners across the line! You’ll also carry the first aid kit and be the signal to the Run Director that all parkrun participants have finished. Bonus points: you get two credits (a volunteer and an event credit).
📸 PHOTOGRAPHER
Capture the stampeding start, 3K-are-we-nearly-done faces, finish line feels and sweaty group shots! While we want our crew featured, we’re here for the whole parkrun community.
⏱ PACERS
Our moving metronomes! You don’t just set the pace — you lift spirits, spread energy and encourage those around you to hit their parkrun goals! This isn’t just another volunteer role. It’s a chance to be the heartbeat of the course and inspire the community across the finish line.
PACER TIMES & COURSE MAP
| Pacer Time | Avg Pace (per km) |
|---|---|
| 18:00 | 3:36/km |
| 19:00 | 3:48/km |
| 20:00 | 4:00/km |
| 21:00 | 4:12/km |
| 22:00 | 4:24/km |
| 23:00 | 4:36/km |
| 24:00 | 4:48/km |
| 25:00 | 5:00/km |
| 26:00 | 5:12/km |
| 27:00 | 5:24/km |
| 28:00 | 5:36/km |
| 29:00 | 5:48/km |
| 30:00 | 6:00/km |
| 31:00 | 6:12/km |
| 32:00 | 6:24/km |
| 33:00 | 6:36/km |
| 34:00 | 6:48/km |
| 35:00 | 7:00/km |
COURSE MAP
So join the team and say a HUGE THANK YOU to this incredible, completely free and volunteer-led worldwide initiative!