For the fifth in the GoodGym Race Team 2019 'Big-Six' series over a hundred GoodGym runners came from across the country from Newcastle, Sheffield, Cardiff, Portsmouth, London, Swindon and a few other places in-between to the South West for the Bath Two tunnels race and a GG South West summer party.

Summary

There are loads of photos here, and a brief description below to make sense of the images:

parkrun

The weekend started at Somerdale Pavilion parkrun where runners both marshalled and ran the crazy 'curly wurly' course, the sight or #redthunder flooded across the course was lovely, it was agreed that trying to describe the course is nearly impossible it just needs to be run/walked to be enjoyed.

River Run

A few runners then enjoyed a trail run along the River Avon from the parkrun to the community mission, although the heat and owing to a few people not reading the event description it was tougher than some thought. but the joy on Dharmesh’s face when he saw bits of countryside was lovely "oooo a duck!".

Community mission

Next a GoodGym weekend would not be complete without a good deed (or a double deed day for the parkrun High-Vis Heroes) So we convened on Bramble Hill farm which would be our venue for the party, but we had to earn those burgers first! Therefore Chris (GG Bristol founder) set us all to work, weeding, watering and digging whilst we all talked to other GoodGym members from across the country. The sight of nearly a hundred GoodGym red t-shirts spread across the farm like a swarm of helpful locusts reminds us of the joys of GoodGym that many hands can achieve so, so much.

🎂Party Time

So, after the running and doing good, it was time to have the GG SW summer party and unlike last year the weather was in our favour with glorious sunshine!
So with the venue of the Northern Slopes (confusingly in the south of Bristol) and a backdrop of the Clifton suspension bridge (if you knew where to look) the party commenced with the running events of a Vertical 100m race (yes 100m of climbing) and 'what goes up must come down' therefore there was also the west country tradition of Cheese rolling down a hill with some crazy GoodGym runners chasing it (note the hill was not as steep as the real thing!)

Then it was time for a BBQ and general socialise plus the all-important Birthday cake judging.

After the food some further leisurely games were played including:

• Welly Wanging
  
• Three-legged race
  
• Wheelbarrow race
  
• Forward roll race
  
• Aesthetically pleasing forward-roll competition
  
• What's the time Mr Wolf?
  
• Bloody Knee - a Czech kid’s game
  

In addition, some relaxation was available including Goat Yoga and Pig-lattes.

Finally, it was also able to release some anger with a wet sponge throw and a Splat the Marrow game, special thanks to all whom volunteered to be sponge targets!

Race Day

Sunday was race day, and so the tonnes of #RedThunder pulled in to the Bath Two tunnels race station, with a multitude of options from 50K ultra, a 50K team relay option, a 10K, half or full marathon. Everybody had a race to suit them and a chance to challenge themselves.

There were so many achievements with race placings, Personal Bests and runners proving they were on track for an upcoming challenge, these included but are not limited to:
* GG Hammersmith and Fulham 50K mixed relay team - 1st place!
* Alex Moylett - 4th - Lady at Half Marathon
* Rich Dowling - 4th - Half Marathon
* David Ewans - 4th - Marathon

A few thanks and appreciation

Events like this weekend wouldn't be possible without a load of volunteers, so a quick note to say thanks to everyone who made this special weekend happen, from the organising team of the parkun takeover, the BBQ and party, the MC's the bakers, and the race logistics, the pub finders. Also, thanks to everyone who came and those cajoled and organised their fellow GoodGymers to come along too. It really wouldn't be the same without you all.
Matt

Thanks guys for organising today. You put a lot of effort into making it fun and memorable and it certainly was.
Ben

Thanks for a great day everyone.
See you tomorrow
💙 Team Portsmouth

Lovely to meet you all, looking forward to the next big GoodGym get together.
Sophie

Well done to everyone I know there were a lot of PBs 😃 love the two tunnels race!
Clo

Thanks to the organisers, the bakers, the bbq-ers, the farmers and of course the ever amazing support during the race. Safe travels home to those from further afield. (And happy birthday to Matt!).
Emma

What next?

• The next GG Race Team 'Big-6' is the [Scottish Half marathon and 10K (https://www.goodgym.org/happenings/scottish-half-marathon-and-10k)
• The next chance to cheer people on is at the Green Man ultra on Saturday 24th
• Cross country is coming, and the first race of the Gwent league is 12th October in Cardiff - other areas check locally for races.

17 GoodGym'ers ran 4km to help prepare Age UK H&F's garden area for their summer party

So just how many GoodGym’ers would be joining me tonight I thought as it bucketed it down at lunchtime... not only was there the possibility of a wet run, there was the return of love island...and despite all the pre-run chat I’m still not sure what a “bevvy” means?! The youth of today!

As always I needn't have worried as 16 other GoodGym'ers joined me tonight full of energy to run and do good. They're a lovely and hardy bunch in H&F!

It was lovely to welcome along Lucy for her first GoodGym run, and to our GoodGym Lambeth tourist (soon to be GoodGym H&F...) Victoria who recently completed her 200th good deed - epic, well done Vics!

Stacks of news!

Firstly, well done to Eloise and Matt who wombled their way around Wimbledon Common on a very muggy Sunday, and to Catriona who got a new parkrun PB!

1. GoodGym monthly social - this Thursday in Old Street, for all the details click here.
2. Weekend Community Missions - this Saturday Plogolution in King George's Park and Sunday SOS Challenge at White City Adventure Playground.
3. GoodGym x Bath Two Tunnels - please pay off any debts owed, sign up here and complete the spreadsheet here.
4. GoodGym Monthly Long Run - Led by Andy and I, 16/10km run options, for all the details click here.
5. GoodGym Olympics - entries are now open! Click here. Lots of event options! Deadline is Thursday 27th June at 23:59.

FINALLY, well done to Andrew and Helen on some brilliant double-deeding, both were on their second good deed of the day having joined 150 other volunteers at City Hall this morning for Team London and GoodGym's biggest run of the year #runtodogood2019 to help celebrate Volunteers' Week.

Sun for the road

Following a quick pulse raising warm up we headed off on our short run to tonight’s task at Age UK H&F. The sun was even beginning to appear through the clouds, what perfect weather for a run!

We headed along Fulham Palace Road weaving in and out of the pedestrians and Mo managed to time his run to perfection as we seamlessly joined up with him at the crossroads. As we turned up Greyhound Road we came across a nice flat wall, perfect for a wall sit - after parkrun on Saturday Lucy may have said to me that she’d really missed the wall sit these past two weeks and requested that we stop en route this week and complete one, so I ensured her request was granted*.

Ain't no party like an Age UK H&F party!

As we arrived at Age UK we were greeted by more red GG tees and the ever smiley and welcoming Volunteer Coodinator, Aileen and their Chief Executive, Dawn. As the group congregated and signed in, Aileen and Dawn first thanked the group for all that they do to help out before explaining that next week they are hosting their annual summer volunteer party in their garden, and everyone at GoodGym is invited! - please drop Johnny or I a message if you are able to go so they can get an idea of numbers.

In preparation for next week’s summer garden party, tonight the group were going to be helping to spruce the garden up. One of their volunteer gardeners, Jack asked the group to split into four equal teams and began delegating out the jobs to be done:

• Team A - tidy and sweep up all the cuttings
• Team B - wash down the garden furniture
• Team C and D - were to join forces and tackle the weedy patio area

Everyone gloved up and quickly got stuck into the jobs at hand, with Mo again on hand to take some wonderful candid snaps. Weeds were being pulled up at a rate of knots from in-between the patio cracks and lots of elbow grease plus soapy water was being applied to garden furniture.

As always the time quickly flew by, but in just 40 minutes the group had managed to transform the garden area: the tables were now gleaming white again, the cuttings were all bagged, the patio weeds were all removed and swept up - great job all! We called it a day and the teams began to pack away all the tools and stack all the full bin bags.

Oh, crumbs there's so many biscottis!

As a thank you for the groups hard work Aileen had kindly provided lots of biscuits, though as a certain Johnny Wren was busy putting his feet up in Italy, not because they were hobnobs, there seemed to be a lot more biscuits leftover than usual! Cheekily we decided to pose for our group photo with the biscuits as props to show Johnny all the treats that he was missing out on!

Everyone was squat amused

Before we headed off back to base there was time for a quick ‘Sally Squats’ leg workout. Catriona and I synchronised our phones to ensure a little more volume and we were off! For those that were wondering, in those 3mins 25 seconds, Sally goes up 30 times and down 30 times, so 30 squat reps! Did it feel like it?! It was also lovely to have all the Age UK volunteers get involved too! Squats all round - no one doing diddly squat...

I don't remember forgetting!

With quads burning we said our thankyous and goodbyes and headed off back to base. Clearly still in holiday mode and with no Alice G to help me remember to pick up my first aid kit, I had to make an unplanned u-turn halfway back and return back to fetch it. As I headed back Catriona kindly led the group safely back through Barons Court and Mo helped delivered the stretches and cool down. Thanks both!

Farewell Martynas!

Sadly, it was Martynas' last run as he has now moved up to Brent so we said our goodbyes and thanked him for all his hard work over the past year as part of GoodGym H&F. We'll miss you around Martynas! And thank you for the post-run treats.

Next week we're heading to Flora Gardens to paint, destroy some cupboards and help remove a fence, this will be followed by our monthly social. Sign up here. Awesome work tonight all. Have a great week, see you next week!

*Lucy actually just pointed out that the group hadn't done a wall sit in two weeks...

20 GoodGym'ers voted with their feet as they ran 3km to help spruce up a local election venue

What a beautiful evening for a run it was yesterday evening, wonderfully mild and a stunning pink sky as the sun was beginning to set.

A big welcome along to Jen on her first ever GoodGym run, and to Amy, once a GoodGym Camden runner now along on her first GoodGym H&F run! Thank you for all joining in tonight!

You snooze you news!

Well done to those that raced or volunteered at the Hackney Half, and to Tom on his parkrun PB! 🥳🙌🏼

1. Woking Trail Run - Fancy joining Tom on a lovely trail race down in Woking? There are distances of 5k, 10k and 21k for you to choose from. For all the details and to sign up, click here.
2. Fulham Palace parkrun GoodGym takeover - Saturday 29th June! - I think you may all have heard, but...GoodGym will be helping out with a BIG takeover event & need some volunteers and pacers! - Sign up here & please fill out the spreadsheet on the sign up page with your preferred volunteer role or pacing time. Join the WhatsApp group here.
3. Unofficial Unofficial GoodGym Socialising - Join the Facebook group here.

Crumb here often?

With Johnny and Sarah meeting us at the task rumours were rife that Johnny was there to make a start on the hobnobs that Berni had kindly promised us tonight...turns out we needn’t have worried as hobnobs aren’t his favourite biscuit?!

To ensure Johnny wasn’t left alone with the biscuits for too long we had a very quick warm-up, and I went a touch ‘rogue’ as I included some alternate elbow to knee touches and backward lunges which seem to leave a few puzzled...I’ll mention no names...Bex! 😉

Andrew kindly led the way on our short run up to Springvale Tenants Hall. A sea of red t-shirts and bobbing heads graced the streets as we stuck nicely together. Taking the seemingly very scenic route I suggested that we take a right and head towards Blythe Road. As we approached Springvale Tenants Hall, we spotted the distinctive GoodGym tees of Sarah and Johnny who were executing a perfect wall sit on a power cabinet, electric! ⚡️

Garden of the jobs

As we headed inside we were greeted by the ever smiley, Berni who ran through the list of jobs for the evening:

• Weeding in the garden area between the path cracks 🌱
• Emptying of bins 🗑
• Netting of plant pots to protect the flower seedlings 🌺
• Cleaning of the sink and trolley 💦
• Washing of the windows 🧼

Lots for the team to get stuck into! There was also the wall of photos from our last visit to admire that Berni has created as a thank you from all the residents - it will soon be finished off with a red GoodGym tee!

Gloved up and tools in hand - some innovatively home made and slighlty more 'deadly' than others! - the team split into smaller groups and beavered away for 40 minutes, stopping only briefly for a break of the biscuits and liquid refreshments which were kindly provided by Berni and handed out by Catriona.

On a stinging streak

Unfortunately, those weeding in the garden area in t-shirts and shorts got no thanks for their hard work and committment as they many were struck by the pesky hidden nettles, especially poor Tom who had an arm full of white lumps...if only there were dock leaves around!

We really pushed the vote out

With the wonderful transformation of the Hall’s garden area complete, just in time for the hosting of the elections - DON’T FORGET, VOTING IS ON THURSDAY! 📝 - the team posed for a ‘game face’ and jumping photo, two very contrasting photos!!

Keeping cup appearances

We said our goodbyes and thank yous to Berni and headed over to Brook Green for tonight’s fitness session. A take on the well known classic, “Heads, Shoulders, Knees and Toes”. When I shouted “head” everyone touched their head, and so on, except instead of toes it was “cup”. With everyone partnered up in the squat position, with a shot cup was placed directly in the middle, the game began. Some very close, and dare I say fiercely fought battles took place with Lucy emerging victorious - and she only crushed one shot cup! 😜

What’s squat to like?!

We rounded of the session with some pistol squats, spotty dogs, bicycles, leg raises and planks before we called it a night and headed off on our short run back to base for a cool off and stretch. Excellent work this evening team!

Next week, Catriona is in charge and she'll be leading you up to Askham Court to help with some gardening work for the residents, sign up here. Have a great week and Bank Holiday, see you in a couple of weeks! AND good luck to those running the Vitality London 10,000!