Clicking, drills and clean up skills

Our tasks with Changing Lives are always fantastic, and our first visit to Eslington House in September last year was one of the most epic of all GoodGym group runs... remember the Flat Pack Adventure?! so tonight we took the opportunity to chill in the most laid back of kitchen tasks.

It was great to welcome back Will who's been a little tied up the last few months becoming Daddy to a new baby boy! Will was one of the original GoodGym Newcastle family and has continued to support us from afar. As we passed our 200th member of #GGNCL this week it's always nice to look back at who has been with us right from the start too. Welcome back Will! Will was one of 21 battling through the Blue Monday Blues to use their run tonight to do good things.

Eslington House is a Changing Lives project for homeless young people to stay to help them get back on their feet after a period of temporary housing. This little set of flats is hidden away in Gateshead, giving us a super view of the Newcastle Quayside as we venture over the Tyne! I was so proud of Aimee who despite not running since her last GoodGym attendance before Christmas, battled through the bracing winds (and hills!) to complete the run and give it her absolute best.

Smashed it!

On arrival to Eslington House it was immediately into two teams and into major spring clean mode to tackle not one but two shared kitchens. Rachel deserves the biggest shout out tonight for being first on with the dishes and last to leave the task. I hope your hands aren't too pruny Rach! Fridges and microwaves scrubbed, windows gleaming (Faye on her favourite job!) and cupboards deep cleaned and in just 20 minutes we were all done.

You could eat your dinner off them!... Which is, kind of, the point.

This extra time gave us the opportunity to do some mobility drills where we discovered Katy is the clickiest and Ross is the bendiest, and that the best of these simple exercises is just shaking your foot up and down until something goes crunch. Running, eh? Two elements to the fitness session tonight (step reps, squats, shuttle runs and lunges followed by speed play) meant we arrived back at Hotel Indigo absolutely glowing! Everybody worked so hard and supported each other and it was great to hear our sessions are paying off in the shape of some speedy 5K times at parkrun last weekend.

We have a new task next Monday which is the perfect Group Run for newbies, so spread the word and get some of your friends along who want to give us a try. We are off to do a Canny Big Clear Out for the Nunsmoor Centre for which there is a walking option too. Hopefully see you again there!

Have a wonderful week knowing you got it off to the best start.

Anji x