🎄 22 brilliant GoodGymmers gathered for our final group run of 2023. We were thrilled to welcome Jamie for his first GG session and hope that we’ll see him again soon.

🎁 We named, numbered and warmed up while discussing our favourite Christmas traditions. Food featured heavily, including some classic pigs in blankets, alongside singing, games and presents!

🍂 It was soon time to head to West Bank Park for some leaf-clearing, with Ed leading the run there. Kristina was there to meet us, with a different van from usual but still all the tools we needed. We got to work quickly, choosing tools wisely. Martin and Abigail volunteered for the leaf-blower Ghostbuster suits while others deliberated between rakes, brooms, leaf-hands and scoops. We spread out up the path, tackling different areas and gathering as many leaves as possible in the time available. Martin and Abigail gathered a huge pile in their patch, clearing the ground to give the spring bulbs chance to thrive. It was then all hands on deck to get them bagged and barrowed to the compost bins.

🎅 Before we knew it, it was time to gather tools and pose for a group photo before our annual Christmas fitness session - the 12 squats of Christmas! After some debate as to the appropriate tree to run to and deliberation as to whether the words actually fit the tune, we got stuck in! I’d like to say that everyone enjoyed it but that might not be strictly true. Hopefully we all had a good workout and felt better for it afterwards though 💪

🍫 It was then time to head back to base and enjoy some truly delicious brownies courtesy of Barbara before/in the pub.

☃️ Thank you for all your help everyone, and a huge Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. Don’t forget that Planet Food is continuing over Christmas, with sessions on the 21st and 28th December. We’ve also got some parkrun (and breakfast) tourism to Millfield parkrun in Easingwold this weekend, and a lovely Christmas walk and pub on the 28th December. Don’t forget there are plenty of social visits to do over the Christmas period.

💥Then we’ll be starting 2024 with a bang on New Year’s Day. Sign up for parkrun volunteering here (and email york@parkrun.com to get on the rota ASAP). Keep an eye on our website here for what else will be happening that day and the rest of January.