It was a drizzly morning with all the hallmarks of an autumnal one but minus golden leaves and dropped temperature. It was still so mild for September and after all the rain the once bleached grass was back to healthy bright green. I saw Suren at the meeting point, it was good to meet up, I hadn’t seen him for a couple of months. Then Bekah joined us and we saw Sophie walking up. We walked over to the start line and got instruction from a very competent shouter of a martial, I have never heard someone project so well across a large crowd! There must’ve been about 300 people it was really crowded considering the recent bad weather. I ran/walked a lap and a half and then bowed out to wait for the others. Sophie had finished around 27mins, then we saw Aatefa, then Leo at a respectable 33mins. Bekah was not so happy with her finish time but this is the big build up for her now to running the London marathon next April so very soon our park run will literally be a walk in the park for her. Amina said she’d run/walked and couldn’t join us for breakfast but wanted to get in the picture as proof of her attendance for the coveted sticker. Suren must have run and left as we couldn’t find him but he had told me at the start that he wasn’t joining for breakfast. We got a message from sticker guardian Steph that she had reserved a table at our new breakfast spot, Golden Brunch. Myself, Leo, Bekah and Aatefa walked from the park to join her. The food was amazing! Very generous portions, a good variety and great quality. Possibly a contender for our new favourite. Then we all went our separate ways in the rain.

It was the annual Choir With No Name summer concert at the Everyman theatre on Hope Street. Two Goodgymmers Steph and Steph were performing with the choir and our Area Activator Ema, who is also manager of the choir was in attendance which was a real treat for the choir and us Goodgymmers because we have really missed her while she has been ill. Aatefa, Dina, Suren, Liam, Heetu, Sallyann and myself met with Kate from Choir With No Name who explained our role in selling merch, signing people up as fans and collecting donations.

To be honest we were well and truly on it, we love being a part of this event so we knew the drill. The puns on the merch were so fantastic we knicked one for the title of this report. All song lyric puns, you had tea towels ‘Never gonna wash you up’ (Rick Astley) ‘Hate to say I toweled you so’ (The Hives) and tote bags with ‘Bag to life, bag to reality’ (Soul II soul). Sallyann was please that a bag with ‘Bag a do do do’ (Black Lace) sold as it was the last one and she hated for it to be lonely.

The concert was typically phenomenal, our Steph put in a fantastic solo in a Chapel Roan medley and Heetu commented that her favourite song was their rendition of Kate Bush’s ‘Running up that hill’ it was amazing.

A really special part of the concert was special guest, Scouse poet, Joseph Roberts who puts his poems to music. The CWNN provided a haunting backing vocal to his poem about mental health called ‘luggage’. It was stunning. There was a moving testimony from one of the choir members called Skye who spoke about grief and surviving suicidal thoughts and how she had found a home in the choir. It was so moving and definitely moved the audience.

The audience showed incredible generosity in the bucket donations and merch sales. We think that merch sales might be the most successful we’ve ever known with the new tea towels proving particularly popular.

Well done to the Stephs and so wonderful to see Ema, we all left on a high. Special shout out to Aatefa and Sallyann who did the TRIO on this day… parkrun in the morning, Everton Park Games in the afternoon and CWNN concert in the evening, it was an epic day for them.

Goodgym Saturdays are the best!

The summer sun certainly made its presence known this Saturday, and the soaring temperatures persuaded many to enjoy a slower start to the weekend. But for a small and determined group of us, the heat was simply another challenge to embrace. Dike, Suren and I laced up our running shoes and headed to Princes Park, looking forward to another Saturday with our Parkrun family, and, of course, another Sticker Saturday.

Every Parkrun tells a different story, and today's wasn't about numbers or personal bests. It was about showing up, encouraging one another, and celebrating the community spirit that makes Princes Park so special.

While we took the course, Steph proudly stepped into her much-appreciated role as our Sticker Guardian, welcoming everyone from the lodge with her usual warmth, positivity, and a well-earned post-run breakfast. On a day like today, cold water truly beats the heat, and those simple moments, a refreshing drink, good food, plenty of laughter, and great company, became the real rewards of the morning.

One of the greatest joys of Princes Parkrun is knowing that no one is ever truly running alone. A heartfelt thank you to Kate and the wonderful Friends of Princes Park, whose cheerful encouragement reminded us that support doesn't always come from those running beside you. Sometimes, the loudest motivation comes from those waiting with a smile, a kind word, and unwavering encouragement. Their generosity creates a genuine sense of belonging, friendship, and community that stretches far beyond the finish funnel.

That same spirit is at the heart of GoodGym. Our presence at Parkrun reflects what GoodGym is all about: promoting health and wellbeing through physical activity while building stronger, more connected communities. We run to keep ourselves healthy, but we also run to support others, volunteer our time, and give something back to the places we call home.

At GoodGym, we believe that positive change begins with action. We don't need grand speeches to show our values because our actions speak for themselves. Every run, every community mission, every volunteer hour, every helping hand, and every word of encouragement is another step towards creating healthier, kinder, and more resilient communities. Whether we're running a Parkrun, helping a local project, or simply cheering someone on, we know that even the smallest act of kindness can leave a lasting impact.

Today's Parkrun reminded us that success isn't measured by the size of the crowd or the time on the stopwatch. It's measured by the friendships we nurture, the encouragement we share, the communities we strengthen, and the willingness to show up for one another.

The sun may have warmed up the day, but it was kindness, community, and friendship that truly made it shine. Because when people come together with purpose, every step forward becomes a step towards a stronger community. 💙🏃☀️