How to use the online alarm clock
As you hand the finish-token set-up over to another parkrun volunteer, an 8:50 am alarm can mark the moment to explain what is still waiting in the kit. That leaves a clear final stretch before 9:00 am for them to lay out the tokens in sequence, check the first and last numbers, and place the collection container where finishers will see it.
The handover depends on the alert sounding while the new volunteer is still beside you, so the screen running the alarm needs to remain awake. This browser alarm cannot alert you after its page has been dismissed or the phone has fallen asleep, which could leave the finish tokens without a clear owner. Keeping the alarm visible and the phone connected to power reduces the chance of that practical cue disappearing before 8:50 am.
A Saturday departure around this hour may overlap with breakfast, children getting ready, or someone enjoying a slower morning at home. A moderate alarm volume and a short, recognisable tone can reach the person handling the parkrun handover without carrying through every room. Keeping the phone nearby, rather than across the house, also makes the alert easier to stop promptly once the tokens have changed hands.
Common questions
Will it still be right when the clocks change?
Yes. It reads your device's local clock, so the move between GMT and BST at the end of March and October is picked up automatically, as long as the computer's date, time and time zone are set correctly.
Can I use this on a phone?
It works in a mobile browser, but phones lock the screen and suspend background tabs far more readily than a laptop does, which can stop the alarm sounding. For anything important, a desktop or a plugged-in laptop is the steadier option.
Does the alarm still work if I close the tab?
No. Everything runs inside this page, so closing the tab — or quitting the browser altogether — ends the countdown there and then. Leaving it open in the background is all it asks, and switching to another tab makes no difference.
What happens if my laptop goes to sleep before 8:50 am?
The tab sleeps along with it and the alarm will not sound on time, if at all. If you are relying on it, change the power settings so the machine stays awake, or keep a phone alarm running as well.
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