Extra session this month at Pitshanger Juniors Parkrun : 4 Goodgymers went to cheer 89 runners today. Sevan was marshal at position 3, Jacquie and Steph Ducat were marshals at position 1 while Kash was on bar code scanning. Today was a special day for several reasons . To start brand new tokens appeared on the table ready to be given out. to the finishers. Today Kelvin was run director, but it was also his birthday : did we get cake you would ask!No we didn't!!But Kelvin brought jelly babies to be given out to all the junior runners at the finish line. All the finishers enjoyed the jelly babies and they were not the only ones. Did this make some of the runners go quicker to be sure they get a jelly baby. Most volunteers also had jelly babies. Kelvin still had some left and would bring them next week. We had 89 finishers today and the new tokens were handed out. Token number 58 disappeared and went missing - not the first time a token gets lost or taken back home, but its not the first time for the number 58 to disappear. Will it come back next week?

One of the regular marshals Malcolm completed his 99th volunteering session today - next one will be the big 100 !!!

Friday Hub - hot hot hot!!! Jacquie was in the kitchen first thing then helped pack food parcels. Freya was on the tea station. Angela thought she would be short of volunteers but then remembered a group had booked to come today so there were lots of hands - making light work! Freya stayed on to help serve lunch until 3pm. As it was hot today there was a snow cone stand : seems it was appreciated by all including the volunteers - see Jacquie smile while enjoying hers.

Kelvin, today's Run Director, was a bit stressed this morning. There was lots to organise and the person with the key to the equiptment had arrived late 😥. Everything came together in time and the warm up and briefing were given to a big group of parents and children.

The runners set off and a few minutes later, the first runners crossed the line, cheered by Kash and Steph who were marshalling and high fiving. Today's timekeeper took everyone back to the 90's as they shouted

Boomshakalak!

...as the first 2 runners crossed the finish line. They were equally excited by the next 105 too (but no boomshakalak-ing), until Jacquie, who was tailwalking in the traditional orange vest reached the finish line. Jacquie also stood out for other reasons, surprising the other GoodGymers with her presence, in a good way. Sevan was having a rare go at handing out finish tokens and managed to not mess it up.

So 107 finishers wasn't quite a course record. The number of participants at Pitshanger Juniors is consistently high though and they're building a great community which GoodGym is proud to be involved with. If you want to be part of it, sign up here for July.

Friday lunch time service and the weather was very hot today outside reaching 29degres which means it was very hot in the kitchen and in the crypt of the church. Freya was on clothes and Jacquie was on kitchen duties, serving lunch then helping to clear up. Menu today :

• Roast Chicken Dinner
• Veggie Sausages Both serve with honey glazed parsnips, carrots, mashed potato and onion gravy
• Jelly & Ice Cream

Ice cream is the best dessert in hot weather.