Getting to the Root of the Matter

** A fabulous group of 16 GG Yorkies ran 7 (and a bit extra) kilometres to help out the Foxwood Residents Association.**

After a very sociable afternoon of watching the Micklegate Soapbox Challenge, we sat and chatted for a while before the start of our group run tonight. This gave us plenty of time to welcome two brand new runners to the gang, give out your best cheers to Cem and Sarah. Cem managed to join us for the social bit too, despite the fact that we didn't have an exact meeting place and he didn't know what anyone looked like - good effort!

Paul and Nick were leading out on the run tonight - but there was some sort of miscommunication about the route somewhere along the line and for the first time ever in GoodGym York history, the group did go completely in the wrong direction. We styled it out though and just casually added almost a kilometre on.. all good.

The additional running left us with a strict 30 minute time limit on our task. Neil - of Foxwood Residents Association - was very clear with his instructions.

If it's not a tree, take it out

We knew this was going to be a tough one from our previous visit, and it was. The ground was hard and the roots were resistant, but we didn't let those factors scupper our efforts.

I think I prefer forking - Becky

Around the back, Graham was immersing himself in the deepest of greenery and Tim managed to pull out a branch which had about 15 snails on it, we did wonder if snails actually grow on trees and we just never knew. Tim carefully picked off and rehoused all the snails before adding the branch to our ever-growing pile. Graham then emerged from his den.

I'm so itchy. I'm not used to nature - Graham

Shortly before the 30 minutes was up, Team Griffin and Lizzie found an epic root which was bedded horizontally. More of the gang gathered over to get involved and it turned into a team tug-of-war which GoodGym obviously won.

We celebrated our victory with a rapid fitness session including:

• Sprints
• Squats
• Walking lunges
• Star jumps

It was a beautiful evening for a run back across a sun-kissed Hob Moor with views of York Minster, and lovely to finish with just a bit more socialising in Brigantes (we're a very social type of gang).