13 runners ran 4 k to help with litter picking in St Thomas AND got a full body work-out at the fitness session!

GETTING FIT

To start with we had a great warm up session with a lot of exercises to mobilise our hips, knees and ankles. We also discussed our favorite proverbs which turned out a to be a very multi-lingual collection!

We ran a total of 4 k this evening. The run route was mainly flat but it had one great hill... As you all know your run trainer LOVES HILL TRAINING so we just had to make the most of it and do some great hill sprinting.

Even if you hate the hills whilst you run up them, deep down you know how brilliant they are and how strong they make you, right?

We also carried out our monthly core session this evening. As the ground was cold and wet we didn't do the usual planks or sit-ups. Instead we worked on our core from standing position which also engaged our hip-flexors, glutes and quads. Win win win!

As if that wasn't enough, we also did an extra fitness session at the Millenium Bridge, which was beautifully lit up in the dark evening. We worked in pairs with one person sprinting over the millenium bridge whilst the other person did triceps-dips and press-ups.

To sum up the evening you can definitely say that we got a full body work-out! WELL DONE EVERYONE!

DOING GOOD

Our task this evening was litter picking in St Thomas Park, arranged by the community builder in the area, Chloe Pooley. Chloe welcomed us at the task and told us that litter is a big problem in the park and that she had almost daily complaints about the litter over the summer months.

So we set off, suited in high-viz vests and brand new gloves with litter-picking-sticks and bags, ready to get stuck in and clear it all up from the park.. But after fifteen minutes of looking for litter we had not found very much, so we decided to head over to St Thomas precinct instead. We found quite a lot more litter there that we managed to collect before our 40 minutes were up.

Even if there was less litter than usual in the area (a great thing obviously), every little bit that we picked up will make a difference! You could definitely tell that local residents were very grateful for our help; a lot of people who walked past thanked us for our work! GREAT EFFORT EVERYONE! Also a big thank you to the local residents Sue and John Taylor for sorting out all equipment and high-viz vest!

It was so lovely to hear everyone chatting and laughing together all evening. As much as we are doing something good for local organisations and charities every week, it also makes us feel better in ourselves to be out doing this together. We're making a difference, we're getting fit, we're part of a GoodGym community and we're having fun! TRUE GG LOVE!

SHOUT OUTS

• Thank you so much LucyR who back marked this evening!

• Francesca, it was brilliant to have you along for your first group run with us! We hope you had a great time and come back soon again!

• MASSIVE shout out to Joe who has been to every single group run since we launched in Exeter, on August 20th! Amazing work!

• Congratulations to Vicki who got a new PB at Parkrun last Saturday!

• HUGE shout out to all of you who came along and did such brilliant work this evening! GREAT EFFORT both at the run, the task and at the fitness session!

• Thank you to the Westbank for making the GoodGym possible in our area and to the Phoenix Art Centre for providing us with such a good starting point!

NEXT WEEK

Next week we will return to St Thomas to help Bloom In' St Thomas maintain a wildflower area at St Thomas churchyard. This small volunteer group work very hard with the upkeep of green spaces and they are very happy that we can give them a hand, so please do come along! It will be a similar run route to this week and we have some great fitness sessions in store for you. You just don’t want to miss it! Sign up here!

Remember to bring a head torch or torch and reflective bands if you have them. Please also wear some layers so that you don't get cold whilst working at the task.

COMMUNITY MISSION

On Sunday 27th October we will have another community mission. We will help out an organisation called Plastic Free Exeter with some litter picking around the quay. Sign up here to join, it will be a brilliant way for you to plan your own run route and still get that great feeling of having carried out a good deed!