We love hosting Swindon's virtual parkrun but it's definitely time to see our lovely running community in the flesh (so to speak 😳) once again. So we have our fingers tightly crossed 🤞🤞 that this was our final virtual parkrun fling, and the final countdown to parkrun in real life is on.

This week 90 people ran and walked their vpr...taking us to a grand total of 8961 virtual parkruns in Swindon.

With our pefect pacers, terrific tailwalker, and magnificent marshalls, including a pawsome pacing debut from Domino 🐶, the sun has set on another weekend of shared stories of running and walking and a sense of togetherness and friendship ❤️🖤

But not just yet. The government roadmap to bring the UK out of Covid Jail has been announced so there is light at the end of this very long tunnel..... YAY!! It's been a whole year since the UK went into the first lockdown but that didn't deter the good people of Swindon from missing out on our beloved Park Runs and VPR came into fruition. 9 runners / walkers covered pacing duties, tail walkers and marshalling and I was RD for the weekend. I couldn't have done this without the support of my fantastic GoodGym Swindon support team, well done guys! Our thoughts were with Tariq Hussain, a Swindon runner, and his family. Sadly, Tariq was struck by a vehicle whilst out running recently and he lost his battle for his life - RIP dear man. We are very lucky here to have a magnificent support group in Swindon Community Running always full of kindness and sound advice, it really is quite amazing.

Aloha! This weekend, under bright blue skies, Swindon became a tropical paradise 🏝️ and we had a lot of fun in the sun 🌞

It was a GoodGym takeover for Swindon's virtual parkrun and a Hawaii 5-0 theme gave the opportunity to escape winter and release those Hawaiian shirts and beachwear from the depths of the wardrobe.🩳👙 And the Swindon running community did not disappoint - with the brightness of the outfits matching the vibrancy and warmth of our running family.

Our fabulous team of virtual pacers, tailwalkers and marshalls supported 144 runners and walkers, with 15 people ringing the PB bell 🔔. 20 minute pacer Paul was quick off the mark in the most magnificent grass skirt. Alexandra was spot on with the 30 minute pacing, as were Cath and Annie in her pawsome outfit 🐶.

With the news of the roadmap for the return of parkrun, we hope that we'll be together again soon. Maybe for a celebration cake -meanwhile Ashleigh kindly offered virtual slices of a very real cake 🎂...it's the thought that counts?!