Tonight was one of those really satisfying tasks, alongside a very fun fitness session (if I do say so myself). Perfect for GoodGym's 365th day in Newcastle!

This week, our truly fantastic leader, Anji, and the route-master extraordinaire, Paul, were absent due to yesterday's London Marathon. Tom, Jon and Sally also were heading back from the capital while Carol-Anne and Michael had completed the Stirling marathon and half marathon yesterday too! Even though they couldn't make tonight we send big congratulations their way and gave them an applause that we know they couldn't hear but the sentiment was there anyway...Well done guys!

So, it was left to me to lead my first GoodGym run, and it was definitely a good one - not even just for the warmth and sunshine!

The warm up certainly got me a few funny looks when I told the group we'd be acting out different sports. As always, however, they soon got into the spirit and Evan had us on our bellies acting out surfing, Charlotte had us swimming and Andrew questioned what someone does when they play Ultimate Frisbee? Who knows?...I really hope that at some point, Marco Pierre White was watching out of the window from his fancy event at Hotel Indigo so that he could see us all looking particularly crazy!

Soon, it was off up Westgate Road (our favourite) to Elliot House, a home for vulnerable men in Newcastle which is run by Changing Lives. I should have known from the look of delight on their faces when we arrived that we'd come for the ultimate task. What awaited us were two poly tunnels which needed fully cleared of the plants which had been left untended...and I mean really unattended.

It looks like Jumanji!

It was also let slip that a few dead rats had recently been found inside and there may be some left - lucky us! That was not something to put these hardcore runners off - oh no! They grabbed their gloves and shears and got to work! Nick sensibly chose the weeding of the path while two teams got to work on each of the tunnels. I definitely didn't envy them this one as one of the tunnels became particularly dusty...

It just occurred to me...does anyone have hay fever? several hands go in the air...

In just 35 minutes, the tunnels were almost fully cleared (with a running total of just three rats) and a HUGE pile of bin bags were deposited into the skip. Thankfully, we'll be back in a few weeks time to finish the rest and there will hopefully be no more furry creatures to find. It was so satisfying to see such progress!

After such an uplifting task, it was also good news to know that the way back was downhill and that games awaited in Elswick Park. I had 'borrowed' some equipment from school and so we played a very appropriate game of Cat and Mouse (or Cat and Rat). It seemed that Ellen was the champion of the 'All or Nothing' round, while Charlotte and Amy beat out Evan and Andrew on their paired round despite such impressive wrangling skills, but in the end, team red were victorious over team yellow with three of their members hanging on to their tags!

There are lots of exciting things to get involved in before our next run, too! Saturday with Equal Arts Sunday at Harbottle Park GG Newcastle's Birthday Beach Bash on Monday

Thanks everyone for your support, hard work and laughs!