Dame and Fortune

Another Saturday run in November and both fame and fortune came running with us! Yeah!

A bit of fame here - http://www.bristolpost.co.uk/GREEN-AWARDS-HONOURS-UNSUNG-ENVIRONMENTAL-HEROES/story-24531793-detail/story.html (look out for Sara from Incredible Edible there too!), and a lot of fortune; the weather was once again fantastic running weather (one suggestions for the run name was 'Gorillas in the mist'), and we were fortunate enough to have lots of new people, as well as some familiar faces.

Dame Emily Park in Bedminster awaited us with open flower beds, and the stories of the rampant buddliea (note that the spell checker wants to make that 'rampant buddha') had not been over sold. We met up with two Sara/hs - our Incredible friend Sara (see above article!) and also Sarah Matthews who is co-ordinating the revival of this cute little park in Bedminster.

No sooner had we been told what to pull up (everything apart from some sage and a nice plant with red leaves), it was done. I literally turned away to chat to one of the Sara/hs, turned back and there was no plants left. Two separate volunteers who were part of the team renovating the park said that the GoodGym Bristol gang are 'like locusts, but in a good way', such was the ferocity and speed with which the flower beds were stripped bare of all but those prohibited plants.

So, my GoodGym friends, you've only got yourselves to blame for what happened next. So fast were you to complete the task, there was no option but to retreat to the near by tennis/football courts for a spot of sprinting, squatting, press ups and other fitness related malarkey. With a large group and mixed fitness levels, it was fantastic to see everyone giving it a go, and pushing their limits just a little.

Lots of people have congratulated Chris and I for the Green Volunteers Nature and Biodiversity Award, but do remember that without all of you, all of the runners who have come to Good Gym once, twice, 30, 40 (or in Kim's case, over 50), it would just me making Chris do burpees after we've hacked at a bit of bindweed. And no one wants that.

Whatever brings you to GoodGym, whatever motivates you even when it's cold, foggy, (but never raining, cos it never rains properly for GoodGym), know that it's been recognised, it's appreciated by everyone who will walk past this flower bed once it's planted up, by those people in the spring who are cheered by the bulbs we planted recently, the kids who play with the stuff we sorted at the Scrapstore, and countless others. And whilst we'll never meet them, they'll never meet us, or even know it was us that helped, on their behalf I'm saying thank you to you all! Congratulation, you award winning bunch of amazing people!