Seven GoodGym runners met on a dreary and drizzling Saturday morning in Victoria Park to run to the first good deed of Cardiff Goodgym’s day – a run to Herbert Thompson school.

Jo and Emma who were at their first GoodGym run today and had arrived first along with Eleri. They were soon joined by Martin followed by Ben, Lucy and Emma.

Ben started the warm up getting us to run around and around the bandstand in the park, shouting one to signal we needed to touch the floor, two to jump and three to change our direction. Just when everyone felt suitably disorientated having run in circles for several minutes, Ben led off for the run proper. We ran up the road through the drizzle, attempting in vein to avoid the many puddles onwards to Ely Bridge and beyond, stopping a few times to do squats and push-ups.

School time!!

Eventually we arrived at the school but could not get access immediately, so Ben encouraged Eleri, Emma, Jo and Martin to take part in some interval training, running as fast as they could up a hill outside the school, and then jogging back down in order to recover... Oh how kind Ben is!

Soon we were let into the school having been met by GoodGym runner Fiona. We were also joined at the school by Mikey, Aimee and Ellen, who were just returning from a mission in their quest for a ‘four good deed Saturday’. Mrs Marsh, the school headteacher, told us all about Herbert Thompson Primary School. She told us about the amazing children who attend the school. *We couldn't wait to get stuck in :) *The team soon set about their tasks, with Jo and Eleri electing to paint the back of storage room doors black for children to use them as a blackboard, while the rest of us moved gym equipment from one of the school halls into a storage room. While attempting to tidy up the store room, we also had a little time to play with some of the equipment. Mikey demonstrated his spectacular skill at hula hoop, while Ben exhibited his juggling skills, attempting with little success to teach the rest of us.

Mrs Marsh kindly provided us with some biscuits and water, and then we all went up to one of the classrooms and sat cross-legged on the floor to listen to a story from ‘GoodGym Tales’ read to us by Ben.It was very exciting! After that it was time to leave to get to the next task of the day. We ran back again along Cowbridge Road again trying to avoid the puddles, although I’m sure most of us got wet feet. We ran past Victoria Park and onwards to our second task of the day at the Samye Centre.

• How did we get on at our next task?
• Would Aimee and Ellen succeed at ‘four good deed Saturday?
• What story will Ben read to us next?

You can find out all this and more by coming to the next GoodGym run.