Participant Code of Conduct
We expect everyone to abide by the relevant codes. In some circumstances it may be necessary to review an individual's participation through Sanction Panel. For full information please see the Sanctions Process.
5k events
- Pay attention to the pre-parkrun briefing
- Respect everyone’s right to participate in their own way
- Under 11s always within arm’s reach of a parent or guardian
- One dog (on a short lead) per person (see dogs principle)
- Be mindful of your local environment and other people
- No scannable barcode, no time, no exception
- Have fun, it’s only a walk, jog or run
- Thank the amazing volunteers
junior 2k events
- A parent or guardian accompanies under 11s to and from the event
- For children aged 4 to 14
- Parents or guardians can take part too
- Pay attention to the pre-parkrun briefing
- Respect your local environment and other people
- Let children walk, jog, hop, skip and run for fun!
- No dogs allowed apart from assistance dogs
- Only children to enter the finish funnel
- No scannable barcode, no time, no exception
- Thank the amazing volunteers
1.5.1 Responsible parkrunning
Please remember that parkrun events are all delivered every week by volunteers, giving their time to provide a safe and sustainable event for everyone to enjoy.
The safe and sustainable delivery of parkrun events will always be their number one priority, and, as a parkrunner, there are some ways that you can support local volunteer teams, especially if you’re chasing a certain challenge, or visiting a different event for the first time.
Here’s some useful to know information:
parkrun events do need key operational volunteer roles filled to go ahead
parkrun events do need a certain number of volunteers, and a certain number of key operational roles covered, to go ahead safely every week. This is so the course is signed off as safe, you don’t get lost on the route, nobody finishes last, you get your time and barcode scanned, and ultimately get to experience the parkrun magic you know and love. We will try to accommodate all volunteer requests however sometimes we may ask you to do a different role or turn down specific individual requests. At times there are some very important safety and operational reasons for this, particularly if you haven't attended the event before - we might need a pre-event course check undertaken by someone who knows the park well, or a tail walker who is familiar with the course, or a first timer’s welcome delivered by someone who speaks the local language. Please always respect the volunteer team’s decision.
We are delighted that you’re coming along, and will always try to find a volunteer position you are comfortable with, while also making sure everyone is safe.
All the information you need about an event is on the course page
The role of parkrun volunteers is to put on a safe and sustainable event. If you have questions on getting to parkrun, public transport, location of the start, etc please find this information on the course page of every event. You can also use online translation tools and maps to help you navigate to the start. Volunteers may not always be able to provide you a personal response or recommendation in advance, nor is there any expectation for them to do this.
Challenges beyond the app
There are lots of challenges, both official and unofficial, in the parkrun community. Volunteer event teams might not be able to include every challenge or specific shoutout in the event brief, especially as we love to celebrate milestones too. Volunteer teams may not be able to make any special accommodations for unofficial challenges, and that should be respected. The safe, simple and sustainable delivery of parkrun on the day will always be their number one priority.
1.5.2 Complaints Procedure
However, sometimes things can and do go wrong and we believe it’s important to have a defined complaints procedure to follow when that happens. Our aim is to deal with complaints in a manner which is consistent, constructive, fair and timely.
Our complaints procedure can be found here.
Guidance on the stages and actions for complaints and disputes can be found here.
Guidance on how to deal with complaints and disputes can be found here.
Information on relinquishing the volunteer relationship can be found here.