… and the sky is blue!

Hardly a grey cloud in sight at this morning’s London Fields junior parkrun.

Sooz, Rue and Sarah took to their regular posts supporting Jonny as today’s Run Director.

London Fields in its autumn glory provided the beautiful red and orange backdrop for a sunny November Sunday.

Jonny set up the event, briefed the runners and got them raring to go with a strong warm up.

Sooz then started the timing and they were off! Rue on turning point position meant plenty of encouragement as the kids steamed up the first 100m, and hurtled round the first corner; and then again as they came flying down the home straight.

Sarah on her favourite tree got the runners through the hardest part of the course, and before long everyone was gunning back towards Sooz at the finish.

With a broad team of volunteers, they helped 60 youngsters to achieve their Sunday Runday goals, and an incredible 14 personal best times!

Impressive stuff for a leafy day underfoot.

A spooktacular end to half term, with a team of 26 runners today - supported as ever by a small crowd of fabulous volunteers, steered by GoodGym!

Sooz took Run Director duties and Sarah headed to her usual tree 🌳

There were 2 milestones to celebrate - Ada with her ultra marathon (100km!) and Bobby with his first half marathon (22km). Fantastic achievements.

All 26 runners got round without a hitch and it was great to see some new volunteers stepping in to help.

Join us every Sunday for more GoodGym energy to help the young people of Hackney get their weekend exercise !

Crisp conditions met our 54 intrepid junior runners this morning at the Fields, of which 10 were first timers to the course - perfect weather for the weekly 2km gallop, and seemingly no-one was caught out by the clock change either.

Helped by several "parent" volunteers willingly stepping up to don the hi-viz, and joined for the first time today by Hilary of GG Newham, alongside GG regulars Sooz (RD), Sarah (Tree Marshall) and Nick (Tail Walker), we were soon in good shape for the off. Timekeeper Jonathan had barely reached "1" before the eager pack were attempting to run him over, and soon spread around the edges of the course.

It was clear that a few had certainly had their Weetabix (other brands of biscuit shaped cereal are available) or just benefitted from the extra hour in bed, as the front runners had soon overtaken the tail walker, and were seen heading down the home straight not long after, with the first four all registering sub 9 minute times...7 PBs today amongst the participants was a great achievement, and even those towards the back of the field seemed to be (mostly) enjoying themselves under the blue skies and autumn sunshine.

Same again next week under the big tree - come along for inspiration, perspiration, motivation and the chance to wear some fetching hi-viz.

This weekend brought another fantastic event at London Fields, full of community spirit and great energy from start to finish.

We had a turnout of 58 runners, including at least seven first-timers — always a joy to welcome new faces to the parkrun family. We also had the added delight of a birthday celebration, which brought an extra energy to the morning.

Conditions were ideal — bright, dry and perfectly set for a strong run. The atmosphere was lifted even further by another enthusiastic round of the Hackney Haka, which is fast becoming a much-loved part of our warm-up ritual.

One of the highlights this week was the debut of our brand-new bunting, made entirely from recycled materials. Huge thanks to @ecobunting for turning it around so quickly and getting it to us in time — it added a lovely splash of colour and made the setup feel even more festive.

We were very fortunate once again to have the brilliant support of GoodGym volunteers Lucinda, Kareem, Rue, and Sarah. Their presence made a real difference — whether helping with setup, cheering runners on, or keeping the timing, tokens, and scanning smoothly. The encouragement and reliability of GoodGym volunteers continue to add something special to our parkrun community, and we are grateful for the time and energy you bring.

As John Muir once said, “When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the universe.” That feels true here — each person’s contribution, however small it may seem, helps create the whole experience.

All in all, it was a morning full of connection, celebration and momentum — exactly what parkrun is all about. We are already looking forward to next week and to welcoming back familiar faces as well as new ones.

Thank you again to everyone who helped make it such a success — runners, volunteers and supporters alike.

The morning air was crisp and carried a buzz of anticipation, the kind that hints at something special about to happen. For the second month in a row, the tally confirmed it: seventy-two young runners, a sea of bright faces and restless energy, had gathered, continuing our record-breaking streak and solidifying a new era of enthusiasm for our junior parkrun. At the heart of this weekly miracle was a mission perfectly aligned with our own: to galvanise a community, to turn fitness into fun, and to ensure every child felt seen and cheered.

The starter’s signal sent the flock on their way, a vibrant blur of determination. Leading the charge was our elite runner, JP, who powered through the course with a fierce grace, flying across the finish line just a heartbeat shy of her personal best—a sure sign of even greater triumphs to come. But the true victory was in the beautiful diversity of the field. For at least ten children, it was their very first time, their faces a mix of nerves and excitement that melted into pure, triumphant joy as they completed their 2k journey. For many more, it was a return to the fun, a testament to the joyful habit we are building together, proving that parkrun is, and always will be, for everyone.

None of this magic unfolds on its own. It is meticulously crafted by a team of hi-vis heroes, and this week, the Good Gym crew was the steady heartbeat of the event. Expertly leading the charge was Good Gymer Sooz, whose calm coordination and infectious enthusiasm set the tone for the morning. She led a dedicated team of Good Gym regulars—Hayder, Louise ****, Rue, and Sarah—whose presence formed the operational backbone of the run. They were more than just volunteers; they were the embodiment of our mission, combining their fitness with tangible community service. Their cheers at marshalling points became the soundtrack of encouragement, their diligent timekeeping ensured every effort was recognised, and their watchful eyes guaranteed a safe environment for all.

Their collective spirit was so powerful it created a ripple effect of community engagement, encouraging several parents to jump in and lend a hand, seamlessly joining the crew. The morning was so wonderfully busy, in fact, that we didn't have a spare moment to snap a single action shot—the ultimate sign of a fully engaged team! So, here is a picture of three of us squinting into the bright autumn sun after successfully sorting out all the finish tokens, a small, quiet moment after the glorious chaos.

In the end, we didn’t just manage a run; we fostered a space where personal achievement and community support intertwine, where every child’s run was celebrated, and where the simple act of showing up creates a healthier, happier neighbourhood for all.

A record turnout this morning at the Field's as we welcomed 84 runners (plus a lot of coaches and encouragers, and a small table laden with cakes and drinks, and a TV celeb doctor...), as this week we were joined under the big tree by children from Year 4 of Hackney New Primary School who were attending as part of a fundraiser (for Macmillan Cancer Support) for one of their teachers.

Run Director Jonathan certainly had his hands full making sure everything ran smoothly, and between him and timekeeper Rue they did another excellent job in persuading a number of parents to don the hi-viz and act as Marshalls/TailWalker, and with all the posts filled we were good to go. With so many first timers (26) there was a lot of nervous anticipation on the start line...

It's fair to say that not everyone followed the strict boundaries of the course all the way around, but the fastest finishers put on another show, with the top 3 all coming home in under 9 minutes, and everyone else seemed to be enjoying their run/jog/walk around the park - with 20 PBs it was another successful morning for lots of them.

If this is the new normal in terms of attendees at the Fields, we're definitely going to need some more regular GoodGym volunteers on Sunday mornings to support the core team, so please do come along if you can - absolutely no prior experience is required!