This week, 9 keen GoodGym runners braved the damp conditions to run a solid 8km to Action on Hearing Loss in Twerton. This is a shared living space for people who are Deaf, Deafblind or have hearing loss. By doing some much-needed gardening we helped keep the communal spaces safe, tidy and presentable.

Welcome Kiran!

We welcomed Kiran for her first run with GoodGym and did a quick headcount where everyone shared their name and their favourite animal. We don’t get many platypuses in Bath, but that didn’t stop it being one of our favourites! After a quick warm-up to get our bodies ready for the 4km run ahead, we got on our way.

Most of our route to Twerton took us along the river Avon. We took in some lovely scenic views of the river as dusk was falling and we even spotted a couple of swans. As well as enjoying the views, we had a good work-out by making time to do some squats, walking lunges and some standing push-ups.

When we got to our destination we received a warm welcome from our host, Evan. We have a great relationship with Evan and he was excited to have us back again! Evan took us to their equipment shed and distributed some gardening tools before heading us round to where we would be gardening.

Cutting-hedge technology

Ollie and Allie did an excellent job trimming back some bushes. They had grown a lot since our last visit and needed several inches chopped off their front-facing side to make them even and stop them taking over the car park!

What a sweep thought

Jaxx and Emma spent part of the task working hard together to sweep and shovel the hedge trimmings into the wheelbarrow to be disposed of. There was lots of garden waste being cast around and we left the ground clear and tidy at the end thanks to their efforts!

We’ed not want to be anywhere else right now!

Not shy of getting their hands dirty, Emily, Catrin and Kiran were down on their knees pulling up lots of pesky weeds that had smothered the flower bed.

Having a wheely good time

As well as kindly using her Signing skills to act as our point of contact, Pascale volunteered for wheelbarrow duties. We filled the wheelbarrow several times over and each time Pascale navigated her way to the compost heap to dispose of all the waste for us.

Special thanks to Pascale for using her Signing skills to help us communicate and get the task done. Thanks (and well done!) to Ollie for this weeks pun! And thanks also to Ollie for kindly offering to backmark for us last night.

Coming up:

• Next week we are running to Cleveland Pools to develop the grounds ahead of a special visit.
• We have a Community Mission on Sunday 7th October at Prior Park Landscape Garden. Not one to miss!

8.4km as the Crow flies

17 early bird runners met at the Leisure Centre tonight, our flock welcomed Catrin for her first GoodGym run and Ed from GG HQ who migrated across from the Big Smoke for some city running South West stylee. After a warm-up and a headcount we made the most of a beautiful evening and a beautiful route following the sun along the River Avon.

Birds of a feather stick together

We never want a runner running 'owl by themselves' so we used a range of drills to keep the group together - step reps, loop backs and a quad burning set of ski squats. We finished off with a conditioning exercise 'last man sprints' - which, in honour of the bird theme within this report, shall now be renamed a 'Goose Run' (which is equally apt as when geese are are flying in formation they re-form when the leader gets tired!)

Alison was ready and waiting and raring to get stuck in at the task (actually she was chilling in the sunshine with a new feline friend - who with the help of our resident runner vet has been in contact with its owner and has hopefully since returned home!)

Helping at The Nest is the BEST

Our task hosts gave a quick introduction to the charity and its ambitions to provide clothes and equipment (age 0-5) completely free of charge. This service is available to anyone in BANES who needs it regardless of income, faith or background so if you know anyone who has little ones who can donate to or benefit from this fantastic charity then check out the website for further details: www.thenestproject.co.uk/

Boys and their toys

Ali , Allie and Catrin made a terrific trio tidying up the storage trays upstairs whilst the fab five: Ed, Mark, Rob, Sam and Tom were on toy cleaning duty and set straight to work. That left the tremendous 10 to sort out the clothing donations, separating the items according to age and gender. Jaxx's eagle eyes spotted that father-to-be Steve was window-shopping for baby Boden attire!

Time flies and so must we

The cuckoo-clock struck 7:30pm and it was time to fly The Nest and head back for a cool-down and a quick chat about the benefits of yoga to runners (check out BROGADOO for local Men's only yoga classes) also check out this article from Runner's World: https://www.runnersworld.co.uk/yoga-for-runners

Apologies for a slightly later return to base tonight. Thanks to Allie and Mary for back marking, to Rob for the pun brainstorming and for everyone for a great run and task well done. It was an epic distance for those new-to and returning-to running so expect a little ache and stiffness in the muscles over the next day or so, but don't let that feeling put you off, instead use it as motivation, feel proud of yourself and remember that you ran that extra mile to go the extra mile for charity and that's awesome.

Great to see so many along tonight, 18 in fact for the 8 k run out to THE NEST PROJECT a charity which collects donations of baby clothes and equipment and gives them out to families in and around Bath.

Welcome..Welcome...Welcome!!! to our new trio this evening, Rebecca, David and Yasmin.

The run out this evening was all about adding some extra mileage towards our January challenge with the front runners looping back to the hearts content, they won't be so keen next week when it goes up that hill.

THE TASK

The lovely Pip was ready and waiting and after an insight into The Nest Project the group had a tight 30 minutes to sort out 6 boxes of baby and toddler clothing into gender and age before storing them away upstairs ready for distributing.

Sam and Tom found some suitable outfits, whilst Lucy squeezed into a body warmer , who are they kidding ?

I didn't have the heart to tell them...HA!!

The run back seemed much shorter, although Joe might disagree with that one. A nice stretch out at the leisure center with a reminder of an extra run on Sunday and some Bath Half training on Saturday morning https://www.goodgym.org/happenings/training-for-bath-half

THANK YOU to MARY for back marking and JOE for tonights pun.

YOU ARE ALL AN AMAZING MOTIVATED BUNCH OF LOVELY PEOPLE TO BE AROUND ....FEEL PROUD OF YOURSELVES.