15 AMAZING runners came for the first group run of the year in Exeter, ran 5 k and delivered 710 leaflets for Ride On! A very warm welcome to Sarah and Alistair who joined us for the first time. We loved having you with us and hope you come back for more running and doing good soon!

It was so lovely to all meet up again after our Christmas break! Everyone seemed full of energy and there were smiles and cheers all around, no January blues in our group at all! We started our session with sharing some big news about the GoodGym in Exeter, including giving those who volunteered for Exeter Park Run last Saturday as a Community Mission a big cheer! Great work guys! We also had the great pleasure of having the task owner Will with us at our starting point. He told us a bit about the great work that Ride On does, working to make Exeter healthier and greener through promoting cycling, recycling bikes and offering bike courses.

We then carried out a dynamic warm up session outside the Phoenix, getting our bodies ready to run, and then, off we went. It felt great to stretch out running and we moved in good speed towards our task location. We re-grouped at regular intervals and made the most of these little stops by giving our legs some extra work with squats, lunges and some agility exercises. Sarah, Lisa and Anna back marked so that no-one got left behind, thank you so much!

When we reached St Leonards we divided into two smaller groups so that we could get as many leaflets as possible delivered. Everyone got stuck right in and everywhere you looked you could see runners in GoodGym tops with head torches jogging along the streets delivering. Fantastic!

We totally smashed it, in 40 minutes we managed to deliver 710 leaflets and covered all the streets on our map! That's a new record number for leafleting for us! What a great start to the year!

On the return run we stopped in Princess Hay to do a core session, just what we all want after Christmas! We did ten different exercises for 30 seconds each and although I had promised to not do any music this evening I just had to sing a little bit for you when you did your head, shoulders, knees and toes-plank! I hope it didn't put you off too much..

Super work at the core session all of you! Keeping the core strong is so important to your running, it keeps you well balanced and ensures that you maintain good running posture even when you are tired at the end of your runs.

Back at the Phoenix we carried out some stretches and talked about up-coming runs and events (see below). We also had a very exciting time doing a lucky dip with some amazing prices that Will from Ride On had given us. Thank you so much Will and congratulations to Vicky who won a bike maintenance course with Ride On. What a treat! Some of us then gathered in the Phoenix for some refreshments. After running up and down so many streets some special treats were well in order and we had a little tasting session of Swedish sweets. I think it is safe to say that most of you preferred the cinnemon buns over the salt liquorice. Loved the faces made though when you tasted it he he he!

Wow guys, just got to finish of with saying how great it was to see you all again! Fantastic work running, delivering leaflets, doing that core session, even better to hear all the laughing and joking going on. Already looking forward to next week!

Dates for the diary:

Next week we will run to St Davids church and start a three week project redecorating a room that is used for various charity work. We will have two different run speed groups so this is a perfect session for all abilities. Please sign up here to come along.

On Sunday 19th January we will do an extra group run, heading to Powderham Crescent Resident Association there with some garden tasks. Come along and join the fun! Tell all your friends about it too! Sign up here

On Saturday 25th we will go to Killerton Park Run together for a little training run, coffee and cake. Would love to have you along! Sign up here.