A windy Friday evening hinted at possible blustery conditions for Parkrun, but once it got past 8AM on Saturday morning the weather was perking up, making it almost ideal running conditions. Race director Ben was already busy with setting everything up when the volunteers started arriving, the changed course requiring a few more marshals & directional signs. Soon enough it was approaching 9 and time to set the group of eager runners on their way, with Joel, Amy, Tom & Simon representing Goodgym, Joel was even wearing his red shirt rather than the usual go-faster running vest!

As always, a wide variety of runners all found their way around the course safely, each at their own pace, with a smile from most. Congratulations to Simon for a new Hackney Marshes PB – well done for a quick pit-stop on the way to work and Tom for his first Hackney Marshes experience!

A few points made by the race director & others:

•If you volunteer at the Hackney Half marathon with parkrun, you get a free race entry to any Virgin race you want. •If you forget your parkrun barcode, you wont get a time. Where in the past one could contact the team later in the day with the right membership details, now it is barcode at the finish or no time at all, as GoodGym Hackney regular Amy found out. P.S... blank ones are still in the results, so if you remember your place number you can still look up your time! •With the building works ongoing at the cricket pavilion, Hackney Marshes Parkrun does need some additional volunteers each week to help with marshalling, so if anyone has some time the next few weeks, any help is appreciated – see the volunteer roster

A brave photographer shot loads of images, even running the whole course with his camera and stand. Pictures should be up on the Hackney Marshes Parkrun facebook page soon I hope. Heads up warning, Bruce made us volunteers do some weird poses beforehand, including a mannequin challenge of some sorts!