18 GoodGymers turned out to litter pick in Sheffield City Centre. Our group run took us from our start location, over to the railway station, through the centre of Sheffield and down the Moor . We collected every empty can, take-away box and sweet wrapper we could find.

The Task

Quite a different task from the previous 2 weeks. It was a simple case of picking up as much litter as we could find to make Sheffield look as pretty as possible in time for the Christmas markets opening. Our loyal Goodgymers donned their gloves and got stuck straight in. We managed to fill 6 bin bags, despite some of the streets being actually very clean.

Session 1

On arriving in the Peace Gardens we spend 10-15 minutes doing some run drills to focus on running form. The main points were:

1. Ensuring body position is tall, head high, no hunching
2. No lateral body movement (side to side)
3. Heel kicks up to the rear - this assists forward thrust, increasing efficiency and speed
4. Knees are raised to the front
5. Elbows at 90 degree angle
6. Use the arms to help create force. pump those bad boys!

Session 2

Our second session was based in a semi empty car park where we did some interval shuttle runs. Despite the efforts being short in time, the intensity was extremely high and the group worked exceptionally hard. The sets were:

1 minute work, 30 seconds rest. 45 seconds work, 45 seconds rest at an increased intensity. 30 seconds work, 1 minute rest - all out. 30 seconds work, then finish.

Then back to base

On arrival back at the hotel we did a few upper body conditioning exercises. Tri dips and press ups, concentrating on form. We then did a thorough warm down and witnessed some unfortunate wind escaping from a certain person who was very embarrassed, but confident enough to style it out.

Next week we are back in to the digging and moving type of task. Over at Heeley City farm again. This time we are helping out on the farm by moving some manure. It will be a great task and we will have lots of fun. You can register for it here Fun at the farm

A huge thanks to everyone once again. We are a great little running community and it will only grow stronger. We salute you!!!

It was set to be Wandsworth's longest run yet, with a meaty 5k run down to the task and the same again on the return leg. But that did not put off the 23 runners who met last night to help out the wonderful Work and Play Scrapstore.

This charity has, for the past 30 years, promoted the re-use of materials for environmental, community and artistic benefit and donated clean and re-useable waste materials otherwise destined for incineration or landfill to schools, charities, community groups, arts organisations, students and families.

There were a few new faces who bravely took on the challenge of a longer run – huge hellos to the lovely Leanna and James, and welcome Dennis, our ace visitor from Tower Hamlets!

This week’s tough CoRUNdrum comes courtesy of Will, who kindly sent a set of three quiz questions in advance of the run. Thanks Will. Which is the only underground station that shares no letters with the word ‘underground’. Tricksy! But it was clever Danni who nailed the answer a mere mile into the run, with the correct answer – Balham. Go Danni!

With a good downhill section on the outward leg, we arrived at the charity to be met by the lovely Rachel, who led the team into an Aladdin’s cave of brightly coloured materials, glitter, fake fur, baubles, boas and beads. This was our most beautiful task venue yet, and the team quickly dispersed into the warren of shelves and different rooms to tackle the tasks. The painting crew led by our very own Van Gogh Jordan set off to paint a bare room (check out the before and after shots!), while other small teams stacked rolls of material, scrapped carpet samples, sorted bottle tops, cut swathes of paper, trampled boxes and sorted fabric swatches.

The minutes flew by, and before long, our allotted time had passed and we set off into the night. Shout out to Jack and David who joined us despite having run the gruelling Cardiff half marathon the day before. What a heroic effort. Well done to everybody that completed the race, you make GoodGym proud!

Back at the Battersea Arts Centre, over 10 kilometres completed, we celebrated like only runners know how. With cake. The mega-talented Sally made a fluffy and delicious lemon cake in honour of our birthday girls this week – huge happy birthdays to Sarah and Kylee!

Next week we are transforming the Omnibus theatre with an epic paint job. Come and join the fun by signing up here:

https://www.goodgym.org/happenings/painting-the-omnibus-theatre

4 runners ran 8.2k and were joined by 3 more to perform a variety of tasks at the Easton Community Allotment.

It was a gloriously sunny morning, just perfect for a run along the Bristol to Bath cycle path to one of our favourite venues, the Easton Community Allotment, which as always provided a cornucopia of delights, where there is never a shortage of goodness to perform.

Dave, Sarah, Alice and Sion met up at Roll For The Soul and after a brief introduction for this experienced group we were on our way, stopping briefly on Castle Green for a pitstop (well you can't just ignore a row of portable loos can you?) and a quick watch of a community choir performing a rendition of Katy Perry's Firework (rather apt considering we were heading to a place where we had been clearing up after some fire damage during our last Saturday run there) we made light work of the run to Easton.

On arrival, we met up with Rich B, who was already hard at work with a saw on some thick branches, and Praminda and Richard S, who were getting their instructions from our host, the wonderful Cristina. One thing you can be sure of with Cristina is that she would have plenty for us to do and we were not disappointed.

Praminda was doing a fine job of litter picking, whilst Alice and Sion set about cutting back grass and weeds from the roadside edge of the allotment, with Sarah trimming a grassy patch within the grounds of the allotment.

In the meantime, Richard S and Dave set about clearing branches and brambles that had been left in the road, into a nearby ditch.

Following this Sarah, Rich B and Dave set about shifting some bricks and wooden sleepers, whilst Praminda and Richard S loaded wooden chippings into containers ready for use in the allotment.

At the same time, both armed with shears, Alice and Sion were asked to attack the grapevine (and yes everyone's pun radar went off at the same time!) that had rather taken over part of the perimeter fence.

The time flew by, such an enjoyable task, and what a wonderful way to celebrate Alice's 50th GoodGym run - you could say we were in Wonderland! Well done Alice, you star - see you in the black shirt soon!

Saying our goodbyes to Cristina and to Rich, Praminda and Richard it was back to base for celebratory food and beer, followed by a saunter back to Castle Green to watch a great bit of visual and musical entertainment, performed by Extraordinary Bodies, a leading integrated circus company.

Next group run is on Tuesday - there will be cake! Yay!