It's a streak!
Keeping Worthing GoodGym's January parkrun streak going saw four Worthing stalwarts heading to beach house grounds to volunteer.

Not streaking! Nothing to see here.
Nerves already on edge because of the potential high numbers and the likelihood of an increasingly slippery finish funnel Belinda went hunting for an essential volunteer. Where was her timekeeper? Paul certainly wasn't streaking along. He casually appeared with his usual broad smile, unaware that he was surrounded not by misty drizzle (or mizzle to the locals) but by the steam that a moment ago had been pouring from Belinda's ears. The RD role was going to be fun today.

It was a set up
John as usual lent a hand with creating the finish funnel. Definitely essential, and due to play a central role as the morning went on. As has become the norm, it was a double. John prefers the simplicity of being single, whilst seeing the value of two, had we created enough extra length? Did we have enough capacity? Is the funnel, heaven forbid, too short? The RD role was going to be fun today.

Hitting the wall? Not on our watch
When Daisy volunteers to marshal she often manages to get a position where she can tuck herself away behind a bin, protected from the elements. Not today though! Today she managed to secure a position with a whole wall to shelter behind if needed. It wasn’t needed. The weather held, and with Daisy directing runners towards the final sprint, no one was hitting that wall today. Daisy clapped over 750 participants on their way. On their way to……….. The RD role was going to be fun today.

The RD role was going to be fun today
In the main the runners cheered by Daisy around that corner found themselves passing Paul, clicking them in as their feet passed the finish. In a week when parkrun had secured some novice volunteers (hooray) inexperience at the double funnel told its own story. A brief period of chaos led to a queue for the finish. It provided a great opportunity for runners to chat with Paul (always a delight!) as they slowly passed by him and his tightly held phone. But as for their times? The RD role was going to be fun today.

Cueing up for a strike
So, who was that RD who got all the fun. None other than the well respected GoodGymer, Belinda. She undid the chaos of the funnel, and unpicked the potential chaos of results processing. Amazing. Potential crisis averted, but cue the emails! Is there a GoodGym badge recognising being calm under pressure? Acknowledging the ability to respond positively to those “I love Worthing parkrun, but….” emails? If there is, it’s most definitely been earned today.

Oh, who is Nel, you may well ask. That’s a story for another time………

Tonight’s task took us to English Martyrs First School as part of our supporting the school with general maintenance – with a particular focus on painting.

Our main jobs for the evening were refreshing Head Teacher Helen’s office and making a start on the staff room

The team split efficiently:

Paul, Belinda and Roxytook charge of painting the Head Teacher’s office, getting great coverage and making excellent progress. Mel, Paul, El, Barbara and myself rolled up our sleeves in the staff room, where we prepped the space and applied the first coat, setting things up nicely for completion. Johnwas on hand throughout, capturing photographs of the task and the team in action 📸 😇

There was a fantastic team spirit all evening, and it was great to see two important school spaces already looking brighter and fresher.

We’ll be in 2 weeks to apply another coat of paint and, fingers crossed, finish both rooms. A brilliant effort from everyone involved and a lovely way to support the school community during the winter months 💪🎨

A freezing cold wind swept across our beautiful Goring beauty spot this January, but that didn’t deter an intrepid GoodGym crew from heading out for a Walk & Talk litter pick. Wrapped up and ready for action were Mel and Paul, Barbara, Daisy, Ann, Ricky (fresh from his run ), Belinda, John, Paul and Pepper the pooch!

Despite numb fingers and toes, the team set to work with real determination. Bags were soon filling up with an interesting – and at times rather risqué – assortment of rubbish. It was sad to see just how much litter had found its way onto our greensward, but hugely uplifting to see the impact we could make together in such a short time. Fantastic teamwork all round, with plenty of chat and laughter to keep spirits high despite the cold.

A very special mention goes to Anne who celebrated her 150th good deed with us on this task – a wonderful milestone and the perfect way to mark it: giving back to the community with a smile, even in freezing winds. Huge congratulations, Anne! 🎉💚

Mission accomplished, we retreated to the warmth of my house for a well-earned social. Tea, coffee and hot chocolate flowed freely, accompanied by sweet treats . A perfect way to thaw out, catch up, and celebrate another job well done.

Cold, camaraderie, community action –. A classic GoodGym session and a brilliant start to the year 💚