22 fantastic runners came out this cold and blustery evening , ran 4.4 k and helped paint the hall in Trefoil Lodge so that it can be enjoyed more by the girls scouts and other community groups that use it. Amazing work!

A very warm welcome to Howard, Molly and S who joined us for the first time! You did a brilliant job running and doing well with us! Lets give them a big cheer! Also fantastic to have a GG tourist with us- David joined us from Bristol. It was great to have you along and we hope to see you again next time you are in the area!

We started the evening with a a bit of a fashion-show in the Phoenix, showing off some very cool looking meggings and leggings! Wow guys, you've gone full out. I feel I got to up my own game a little here! Once the leggings were showed off and the welcome speech done we moved outside for a dynamic warm-up session. A few new animal was introduced to accompany the chickens this evening and there were some great high knees and heal flicks.

Warmed up and ready to run we set off towards our task location. The run took us up and down some of Exeter’s many hills (you got to love hills living in Devon right!?) and this evening we also had the great pleasure of tackling some flooded paths... Despite the rain, the wet ground and the wind there was so much chatting and laughing going on. Thank you Sarah for back-marking, making sure no-one got left behind.

On arrival to Trefoil Lodge, the HQ for the scouts in the area, we were welcomed by Paula who showed us what to do and which walls to paint. As we were a big group we sent 4 runners off to paint the toilets in great green shade, 15 runners stayed in the main room, painting all 4 walls, and 3 runners took it in turns to come outside for some extra fitness- Sally squats and some jogging around the block. This is how we get fit by doing good! Yay!

22 runners working for 45 minutes add up to 16.5 hours of work and you could really tell!

It was amazing how much we got done. The toilets had a complete new coat of paint, all 4 walls in the hall were also completed. Well done team!

On the return run we stopped at one of our favorite circuit training spots, the Millenium Bridge, and smashed the following stations:

• Squat jumps
• Mountain climbing
• Lunges with upper body twist
• Sprinting over the Millenium Bridge and back

Fantastic effort everyone! That was a lot of running and doing good for one single evening!

Back at the Phoenix we carried out some important stretches and had a little chat about whats happening next:

• This weekend we have the Hammeldown race. Good luck to everyone running!

• Next week we have another great task coming up! We are running to Franklyn Hospital and planting wildflowers for wellbeing! Sign up here to join, we’d love to have you with us!

A few of us then gathered in the Phoenix for some refreshments (including Swedish cinemon buns) and to say goodbye to Ellie who will be leaving us to move to London. I am sure you will find an awesome GG group to join up there. Good luck and please come and see us every time you're back in Exeter!

To finish off with I have to say that there is no better way to forget about the relentless rainy and stormy weather than being out together with our GG community, running and doing good! I ALWAYS leave our sessions with a big smile on my face and I hope you all do too! Have a great week till I see you all again!

14 runners came out this bitterly cold and wet evening, ran 4 k, did a litter-pick in St Thomas and smashed some circuit training! AMAZING work all around!

A super warm welcome to Dave, Jonathan, Mark and Alex who joined us for the first time. We loved having you with us and hope to see you very soon again!

We started our evening with “letting the chickens out” (this is Exeter code language for a dynamic warm up session. Ask no more!). Once the chickens were out and we felt warm we set off running towards St Thomas. We made good way along the wet paths until we had to wade through an enormous puddle! Well, some of you said you like swimming... Only trying to keep you all happy!

We re-grouped at regular intervals so that no-one got left behind and made the most of these stops by squatting, lunging and carrying out some agility drills. Thank you Rachel and Anna who back marked the whole way!

We reached St Thomas with wet trainers on our feet and big smiles on our faces, and were welcomed by Chloe, the community builder for the area. Chloe quickly kitted us out with high viz vests, litter pickers, bags and yellow rubber gloves.

Oh la la! Pete looked especially good in the yellow rubber gloves! But where were the matching meggings?

To get as much done as possible we then set off looking for litter in three groups, each group covering a different area in St Thomas. It seemed like the timing was perfect for the litter pick- the stormy weather had blown a lot of rubbish around and all three groups found lots of bottles, cans, cardboard boxes, cups, crisp packages. In 35 minutes we filled 7 big bin liners with litter! Great stuff!

First price for weirdest piece of litter goes to Sophie and Jonathan who found a plastic scythe!

On the return run we stopped at the Millenium Bridge, a perfect spot for circuit training. We smashed the following stations:

• Press ups
• Triceps dips
• Squat Jumps
• Reverse kick over lunges
• Sprinting over the bridge and back

The rain was pouring down by now but everyone gave it all they had! Such good work everyone! Totally beats lying around on the sofa doesn't it!

Finally we made sure to cool down properly with a jog and some important stretches. We also managed to lock our chickens back up again! Phew! They will be ready for next week no doubt and I just can't wait to see you then for more running and doing good!

Next week

Next week we will run 4.5 k to Trefoil Lodge and help them redecorate their hall so that this space can be enjoyed more by the many community groups that use it. It will be a bit of a hilly run but lots and lots of fun! Don’t miss out, sign up here!