Saturdays Parkrun has become a regular part of my routine, and this time I joined Lloyd Parkrun in Croydon. It is known as one of the more challenging Parkruns in London, especially during the winter when the muddy and uneven terrain can make the course even harder. I was a little nervous because running is not my strongest skill, but as this was going to be my last Parkrun in Croydon, I felt determined to take part.

My finishing time was not my best, as I was already feeling tired after a busy week. However, during the run, I noticed a sentence that really encouraged me: “No matter how slow you think you are, you are still lapping everyone sitting on the sofa.” That simple message gave me extra motivation and reminded me that taking part was more important than my finishing time.

After completing the run, I stayed behind to volunteer as a token sorter. This gave me the opportunity to meet more people and become part of the Parkrun community. I really enjoyed seeing the teamwork behind the event and helping to make sure everything was organised after the runners had finished.

Later, when I arrived at my second GoodGym task, I discovered that Ian, another GoodGymer, had also been at the same Parkrun. He had been volunteering as a Parkwalker. Ian told me that, a few weeks earlier, he had even had the opportunity to meet a London Olympic runner at Lloyd Parkrun. I thought this was amazing and showed me how many interesting people and experiences can come from being involved in the running and volunteering community.

Overall, it was a challenging but rewarding Saturday. I was proud that I pushed myself to complete the run, even though I was tired and worried about my running ability. Most importantly, I enjoyed being part of the Parkrun community and meeting people through volunteering. As this was my last Lloyd Parkrun in Croydon, I am glad I finished it by both running and giving something back as a volunteer.