The grounds of the Woking Leisure Centre welcomed runners and families this morning with surprisingly warm air and an inviting buzz of excitement. Despite earlier forecasts hinting at unsettled weather, the start of the junior parkrun felt almost balmy. In fact, it was warm enough that Adam had to remove his jacket before taking up his marshal position — a sure sign that the morning held more promise than chill. As the young runners gathered at the start line, there was a vibrant hum of anticipation. The warmth added a gentle comfort to the occasion, allowing everyone to relax into the moment. Laughter floated across the course, trainers shuffled eagerly on the pavement, and the countdown sparked a wave of energy that carried the runners forward in a joyful surge. Adam and Karen stood proudly as marshals, positioned along the route to guide and encourage. With sleeves rolled up and spirits high, they offered enthusiastic cheers and reassuring directions. Their presence was a steady beacon along the course, helping runners navigate each turn with confidence. Every “Well done!” and “Keep going!” seemed to add an extra spring to the young athletes’ steps. At the finish funnel, Ola carried out his barcode scanning role with warmth and efficiency. He greeted each finisher with a bright smile, carefully scanning barcodes and ensuring every achievement was recorded. The finish area buzzed with pride — flushed faces, triumphant grins, and the unmistakable glow of accomplishment. The thrills of the run were evident in the determined sprints, the personal bests, and the powerful final pushes toward the line. Supporters lined the course, clapping rhythmically and celebrating each child’s effort. It was a morning defined by enthusiasm, teamwork, and resilience. Only after the final runner had crossed the finish line did the weather gently shift. A soft drizzle began to fall, almost as if nature had waited respectfully for the race to conclude. The light raindrops added a refreshing close to the event, cooling the warm air and creating a serene atmosphere for the post-run moments. The photo session that followed captured this transition beautifully. Smiling runners and dedicated volunteers posed together as fine droplets shimmered on jackets and hair. The drizzle added character to the photographs — a subtle reminder of the day’s changing skies and the shared experience. Laughter continued despite the rain, and group photos radiated warmth that outshone the grey clouds above. As equipment was packed away and families headed home, there was a collective sense of fulfillment. From the warm, energetic start to the gentle drizzle that closed the morning, the junior parkrun at Woking Leisure Centre was a celebration of community spirit. Thanks to the dedication of volunteers like Adam, Karen, and Ola, it was not just a run — it was a memory made together."

On a lovely Sunday morning, as I turned up to Woking Park, run director and several marshals were already there with a friendly smile. There was a steady in steam of young runners making their way to the bandstand. Anne and Olalekan were there and the welcome briefing was just about to start. Anne was given position 11 to marshal, making sure the enthusiastic parents were aware to keep the pathway clear for the little runners and Olalekan was going to witness the joyful finishers as his position is a scanner, helping the youngsters to register their times. The run director, asked me to fill position 12 on the course, this is where the young runners peel off after completing their two laps, but not before! The run director welcoming the runners and gave the instructions for Junior Parkrun number 337. The warm up crew stepped up and once everyone was warned up, the count down to the start line began. A nice clean start to the run sent the children heading down the path, past all the muddy patches! Everyone joined the path without too much mud and then they can enjoy the solid surface of the path. It wasn't long before the first runner flashed past the finish line in a great time of 7:48. A great time with difficult conditions. And in total, 147 happily cross the finish line to complete a successful JPR. Awesome work from Woking GoodGymers 😁

Woking Junior Park Run

On this this wet morning Woking GG members were out on the 1st day of Feb to carry out various volunteering roles at junior park run 🏃‍♂️.

Karen was there early followed by Wayne who had a good catch up hearing all about Karen 4 weeks traveling around India 🇮🇳

Adam arrived and it was great seeing him and making steady progress returning back to full fitness. Alys arrived shortly after in her full GG outfit 😀 and she was looking forward to getting her new kitchen installed this week. James arrived full of energy and laughs and to assist in anything.

The conditions were not the best with puddles and a muddy field to contend with. In total there were 113 young runners who took part this morning with the fastest time an amazing 07:48 👏🏽 there were also 43 PB's great running by everyone 😀

It was the 336th Woking junior parkrun, the route was not too muddy and despite the recent rainfalls, there were not too many puddles either.

James was the run director this morning and welcomed, as well as the regular runners, some of the children from Sythwood Primary School. The school is now a “parkrun primary”. (You may wish to read more about this new scheme: https://blog.parkrun.com/uk/2025/09/12/parkrun-primary-initiative/)

James explained to 185 children and their parents about Woking Junior parkrun. Some of the children helped by reminding the crowd about the different rules and a little group of them took charge of the warming up session with a real enthusiasm.

Adam, Liam and Anne were given different roles to encourage the runners around the 2 kms route.

The atmosphere was great, the children enjoyed themselves which made their parents happy! It was a great way to start the day!

What a wonderful task organised by Julie, who kindly provided all the paint, paintbrushes, pots, tablecloths and even drinks and snacks.

It proved to be a popular task as there was a good turn out from the Woking GoodGym gang to paint bird boxes for Knaphill Lower School. We were given a wooden bird box to unleash our creative painting talents. Becky and Anne shared a box, and went with a very practical camouflage design, as did Julie and Kirsty who went with a beautiful shade of blue plus a cheerful yellow sun.

Nadia did GoodGym proud by not only painting a colourful box but also bringing along a friend for January in the form of her mum who is a good painter as demonstrated by her berry design. Adam ran to the task now he is getting back into running in time to paint a colourful red and blue box.

Ola showed his creative talent by using masking tape for his design. Vicky from the PTA popped along to see our hard work and explained 20 bird boxes will be placed along a trail for the lower school children to try to spot them all.

Vicky's son picked Stephanie's as the the best painted bird box, which was well deserved, as she was able to combine a practical but stylish design of green leaves.