For our running community, weekends still need a bit of park(run) life! So the Virtual Swindon parkrun was born. A socially distanced, open to all 5k run, anytime between Friday and Sunday evening. So unlike real parkrun, we can now get up when we want, no getting rudely awaken by the parkrun alarm clock. Each week we put our jogging trousers on, have a cup of tea and think about leaving the house. A 5k is a preference for the habitual runner. And morning mopes can be avoided if you take a route straight through what is known as virtual park(run) life!

This week we were lucky enough to be asked back to host another takeover - hurrah! This parkrun exists in the virtual world thanks to a Facebook page and a new temporary leaderboard! This means that we can actively support the event by running, jogging or tail walking and recording a result, then seeing the GoodGym logo magically appear next to our names. Or we help by 'marshalling' and posting something supportive on Facebook, or liking and commenting on other people's posts once they've done their run. We love seeing what everyone is up to!

This was event eleven and 191 runners took part, as well as a whole posse of cheerers-on. All the people, so many people. They all go hand in hand, hand in hand though their park(run)life! 21 GoodGym members signed up to pace, tail walk or marshal. Some keen bees got out on for a run on Friday night, others wrestled with the heat on Saturday or Sunday, as well as battling injury, hills, thistles, and of course Strava palaver! Some extra kudos to all our amazing pacers who had a particularly tough job this week in the sun and without the familiar route and usual crowds to cheer them on.

This week we also had a go at naming our own "home" parkruns. Teresa's is called the 'Primrose Loop', Tracey's would probably be called 'Pass the Water Voles, or Are They Rats!?' and Jo's would be 'That Bl**dy Hill' 😂

Richard our running Rector completed his 50th good deed this weekend. Congratulations Richard! A fabulous achievement. Also, a huge well done to Jo and Teresa whose runs were also part of the brilliant Miles for Mind, which they finished on Sunday.

Some might say it's not all about us joggers, who go round and round and round. But we disagree. We know from the comments on Facebook that this event really helps to get people up and out for a run on the weekend. It gives us an enormous sense of wellbeing, and then we're happy for the rest of the day, safe in the knowledge there will always be a bit of our hearts devoted to it.

(Credit to the lyrics of Blur, Parklife 😂)