DOING GOOD

Another fabulous group run to the Age UK Centre on Chad Park this week; 11 GG'ers braving the cold to do good & get fit, just how we like it. And no visit to the centre is complete without a mini Box-Sticks taster to warm us up. Once again, we found this exercise class in equal measures hilarious, cringe-worthy & down-right good fun as we smashed our sticks together & jived to the tunes!

After supporting the Age UK centre with their lunch club very recently on our Sunday special group run, we were excited to head back on a Tuesday evening & give the garden a tidy-up. We were tasked with neatening the place to make it look even better for the centre's busy events schedule; we moved sandbags, swept away leaves & weeded the flower borders. As always, one man enjoyed a brew & took a break from the graft.

And a smashing job done, even if we do say so ourselves! Luckily, other people think so too; the lovely Diane from the centre has said that the staff & volunteers there are so pleased with GG's hard work, that they've officially adopted us as their helpers!

As well as a task well done & some fun enjoyed at the music-boxing-inspired exercise class, there were some interesting conversations floating around this week... from how dust is really just dead skin cells (gross), that Buddleias originate from Nepal & were brought to Europe by explorers & the dangers of damn crew socks. All normal, Tuesday GG chat. There's always something to learn & something to share at GoodGym Derby... but mostly just dust AKA dead skin cells. Hehe.

WHILST GETTING FIT

A pleasant 7km total run for each GoodGymer, meaning that we covered a combined distance of 77km last night, which goes straight towards the January Challenge miles, where GoodGym as a whole is hoping to hit a whopping 100,000km by the end of the month! Move over January blues! Psst... Remember that your training runs also count towards this too, so let's keep up the great work & keep connecting to Strava.

If only Derby got points in the Challenge for enthusiasm, we'd be up in the top spot based on the efforts at last nights Box-Sticks class. Grins all round (minus the odd traumatized expression), with Emma bouncing around like a kangeroo & Danny's "riding a horse" impression. Stella work GG Derby!

COMING UP NEXT

Next week we're on a treasure hunt (litter-pick) around the Markeaton Parkrun route. And if you'd like more of the Age UK gang, we're supporting their February lunch club as a community mission next month... we're coming baaacccckkk!

THANK YOUS

Big thanks to Ashley for backmarking last night, who arrived very sleepy & left looking much brighter, the power of running! And thanks to all of you for being such lovely, helpful human beings - you da best!

Let's finish with a classic from yesterday....

"Your sex is on fiiirrrreeee"

Big Loves x

DOING GOOD

Our first group run of the decade & it didn't disappoint; from the long run to make sure we really knew we'd eaten too many festive treats, to the moss-scraping workout & discovering a Tardis within a church... this run had it all!

Even in the gloom of the evening, it was clear to see that St Mary's Church on Boulton Lane in Alvaston is a magnificent building in the local community. With our headtorches on & the portable lights positioned around the pathway of the church ready for grafting, St Mary's took on a new mighty splendor in the elongated shadows.

Once briefed by Lisa, we split into our "leaf removal" & "moss scraping" professional teams & cracked on with our good deed. Using highly advanced equipment (snow shovels, brooms & spades) we made the main pathway look a million dollars.

We couldn't all help but comment what an impressive job Helen was doing in particular removing the moss!

Hungry work, Doctor. It's a good job we had foam shrimps & bananas to keep us going.

WHILST GETTING FIT

And after a full bag of foam shrimps, bananas & copious squash we were left feeling like small children at a birthday party. Good job for the 6km run back to base to clear our heads, hey?

The run out & back was pretty brutal after a few weeks off, but heads down - especially against the wind on the way back - & we got it done!

Big thanks to Tracey for back-marking & keeping us going at the rear.

Let us finish off with what apparently is a well known quote from Dr Who (I haven't seen it, but google says so!) & seems fitting to last nights efforts, cause remember, we found a Tardis. Which Ashley probably now owns?

"Never cruel or cowardly. Never give up, never give in."

Big Loves

DOING GOOD

Our first Christmassy task & it was a good'en, with 12 committed GG'ers hitting the pavements in the name of Santa Claus!

Unfortunately the weather didn't want to play ball with getting in the festive spirit. Instead of being beautiful & frosty, it chucked bucket loads of rain all over Derby City promising us a very soggy evening... or so we thought.

As I arrived at the Jurys Inn, I panicked it may be the first group run where no one else would turn up (sob.) It was absolutely tipping it down & the wind was roaring. But, one by one the committed GG'ers arrived, tentatively walking through the Jurys Inn doors, looking a little baffled as to why they'd left the comfort of their homes to face such a dreary evening. The end. Kidding, kidding!

After an important safety briefing - you know, cause we were gonna be using step ladders - we headed outside to find that the rain had virtually come to a stop! Hooray!

We ran to the main row of shops in Littleover, where our task owner Jan spotted us (we aren't difficult to notice) & briefed us on our festive task; to hang 18 wreaths (tied together in pairs) on the flowering posts along the road. The Littleover Grange Community Centre has been making these wreaths for the past few weeks & needed some able bodies to help put them up. As always, we were the heroes in red (well, not really. Waterproofs) for the job!

Splitting into three groups, armed with step ladders, wreaths & wire, the groups set off to their posts & decorated the local area making it look B-E-A-UTIFUL!

In true Christmas spirit, some of the groups started rehearsing their favorite carols & it was overheard that Rachael& Emma, do like a little bit of donkey every now & again...

WHILST GETTING FIT

The run out to Littleover was no easy feat, as it was pretty much a 2 mile hill the whole way there. With sweaty brows & hearts racing, our bodies were warmed & we were ready for wreath hanging! The good news with an uphill run is that it was all downhill from there, literally! We enjoyed gliding back down the slopes, cheered after completing our good deed & remarkably dry (apart from Mark's feet.)

Before saying our goodbyes back at the Jurys, we had a stopover at the giant Christmas boxes in Derby City Marketplace - again - for some festive themed fitness. I'd pre-armed myself with candy-cane batons & reindeer antlers, perfect for the job. Split into two teams, a candy-cane relay ensued with runners having to run through the boxes & back to their team, passing on both the cane & the headgear, which had to remain fixed to the bonce!

A little bit sweatier than before & breath a little bit fresher after some mint candy-cane treats, it was time to jog back to base. It was clear from the flushed faces & jolly smiles that we were all leaving the group run feeling much better than when we'd arrived.

Running (& doing good!) work wonders for us, even if it is a little bit damp outside :)

THANK YOUS

Big thanks to Helen & Ashley for back-marking duties, a round of applause to our newest member of the Taskforce, Tracey & a huge well done to all of you for braving the elements & coming out to do good in Derby City - you're all amazing!

COMING UP NEXT

Next week is the LAST group run of the decade, so let's have a mega turnout! Straight afterwards is the Christmas social at the Jurys Inn, from 8pm until roughly 9pm, with snacks & a pub quiz! The social will cost in the region of £4- £6 pp to cover the cost of snacks. Please sign up here if you'll be joining in the festive fun & I'll be in touch later this week.

P.s My intel says that BadGym will be at both the run & social next week, so if you need a dose of the Bad, you better be there!

Big Loves x

DOING GOOD

Nine runners took on a frosty evening in Derby City (festivities & decorations in full swing!) to support the Samaritans to recruit local volunteers in Normanton.

Danny, who is a current volunteer with the Samaritans, brought the leaflets along to the Jurys Inn - approximately 260 of them - & after a warm-up of duck waddles & airport walking (don't ask) we were off on our Tuesday good-deed mission.

We've had a few practices of flyer'ing now on previous tasks & it's clear to see that GG Derby have got their technique nailed! We distributed all of the flyers in less than 20 minutes - a new PB! - & we were ready to head back to base, but first a visit to Derby's infamous Christmas presents...

WHILST GETTING FIT

With a total distance of 8km including flyering, it was time to cool down in the market place & make use of the four giant present boxes that have been installed by Derby City Council. The boxes are each an archway of lights & so we created a fitness drill in & around the present-archways.... what else would they be for?!

Run from Box 1 to Box 2 > duck (turkey?) waddle to Box 3 > run to Box 4 > lunge back to Box 1 > REPEAT

With miles in our legs & our glutes & quads screaming with joy, it was time to head back to the Jurys Inn, knowing we'd once again donned red & become the Derby heroes.

THANK YOUS

Big thanks to everyone who came along on a bitter evening to spread some warmth; I know its hard, but its always worth it. Especially once you get back home & tuck into a mince pie :) Thanks to Katherine (& welcome back!) for back-marking the run & thanks to Danny for arranging this weeks good deed. We look forward to helping the Samaritans again in the New Year!

If you're reading this, thanks to the Jurys Inn for making us feel welcome & checking in on us last night before the run.

COMING UP

There are only two group runs remaining of this decade & they're both going to be full of festive fun. Let's get a big turnout for both & end 2019 in style GG'ers!

Next week we're hanging Christmas wreaths in Littleover - super cute! And for our final task of the year, we'll be supporting Scouts with Stamp & Deliver - even cuter!

After our last group run on the 17th we're having a GG party at the Jurys Inn, enjoying some snacks, drinks & a pub quiz. The evening will cost between £5 - £7 to cover the snacks (vegan, veg & meat options) which will be payable on the night. Everyone welcome!

Big Loves

DOING GOOD

We braved the drizzly evening to do a good deed for a local church; the majestic Saint Lukes located in the Stockbrook area of Derby City.

The church community are hosting a Christmas fayre on the 30th November & wanted us to let as many of the local residents know as possible so that the local people can come together & celebrate the festive period. They're also hoping that through this event, those that don't know much about the church - but live gazing up at its impressive spire - will find out more about the church's services & feel more able to access them - win win for the people of Stockbrook!

As always, the heroes in red delivered... literally!

We flyered the local streets (in our usual fashion of a right & left-side team) up & down the terraced houses until all 300 flyers had been successfully handed out... Apart from the couple that got used for kindling, but that's a story for another day. We even managed to greet a few of the local residents & Rachael got to play the role of Indiana Jones in a gated housing estate... Innnddiiiii!

WHILST GETTING FIT

As if delivering 300 flyers & running all across Stockbrook wasn't enough for trainer Dani (moi), she insisted that the Derby GG'ers had a little extra work to do before heading back to base...

We (royal we there) found a decent sized space in Abbey car park on our run back to the Jurys & it was just too perfect not to stop for a cheeky speed work session. Hehe.

Paired up, speed work commenced in Paarlouf style, with a couple of pretty unorganized rounds (sorry) before a more structured two sets of two laps to finish everyone off. Panting, puffing & pretty worn out, time to head back to base for a second round of the circle walk game & then a dose of stretching to sort our pins out.

A tough evening of running covering between 6-7km & doing another good deed, well done team! It's a good job we warmed up with a round of creepy tuk-tuks :)

BENEFITS OF SPEED-WORK (sorry, not sorry)

So that you don't all think I'm sadistic for adding speed-work into our fitness session, here's some reasons why it's awesome & why you should love those few moments of full effort & pain...

1. Caring for your muscles... really! Muscle mass starts to decrease from the age of 25 (not that any of you are older than this anyway.) The good news, the slow-twitch muscles used for long distance running are pretty resilient. The bad news, the fast-twitch muscles (used for faster bursts of running) decrease faster, at a rate of 1% per year. Speed-work helps to slow this decrease & keep the muscles strong. Use it or lose it guys!

2. Fat burn When you do steady exercise, about 50-70% of your energy comes from fat sources in the body. When you push at full throttle, whether that's running or doing resistance work, your body uses energy from carbs & then once you stop, the body replenishes itself from your fat reserves, 100%. Come at us bourbon biscuits!

3. Better at running Running for short, fast bursts is hard work; we feel as though our lungs will burst & the heart pumping wildly. The more time you spend at maximum effort, the less oxygen your body needs to run at that pace as it gets used to this faster work. This means that when you come back to your slower pace, it'll feel easier as your running economy will be improved.

For more inspiration on why speed-work is awesome, check out the article here where I stole these ideas from (disclaimer.)

THANKS YOUS

Big thanks to Nathan for back-marking & to Helen for visiting from Sheffield GG - good luck on getting to your 200th good deed run before crimbo! Thank you to Emma for helping to marshal the infamous speed-work session. And a BIG well done to Tracey who has just hit her 10th good deed run!

You lot are on fire! Just like those two flyers...

UP NEXT

The LAST flyering task of 2019! Danny is a volunteer with the Samaritans & we're helping a cause important to him & to many people, by letting local residents in Normanton know of the ways that they can support this amazing charity. Want in? You can sign up here, we'd love to have you join us!

Big Loves x