This was my last group run as trainer at Goodgym Bath. A great turn out with 29 runners coming along from Bath and Bristol to send me on my way but first we have some flyers to pop through letter boxes  for Bathscape promoting the Bath Walking Festival taking place in September, maybe you would like to get involved http://www.bathscapewalkingfestival.co.uk/

Welcome to John tonight and Valeria who came all the way from Mexico to be with us, they certainly picked a crazy night to come along.

Thanks to GG Brizzle for coming along this evening, love you guys ❤️

I was instructed by Steve to head outside first and wait by the river and was soon joined by lots more Steph’s....Hahaha!! Now that was a sight for sore eyes 👀 The chuckle brothers arrived in their matching Bucharest vests now that’s the Steph nightmares are made of. I'm sure Steve enjoyed gouging out my eyes 

All masked up so off we go into the deepest darkest depths of Widcombe armed with 200 flyers, this wasn’t going to take long so it seemed only fair to spread those letter boxes out in places giving those who wanted chance for a little sprint with Matt being chief torch bearer, Pascale was herding everyone in from the rear making sure there was no escaping. The next task was to find a box to put Jack in and there just happened to be one at the bottom of Widcombe hill although he needed a little Gary style tuition to master the jump, poor guy must dread seeing me in the vicinity of a Box of any description or he secretly enjoys every moment.

TIMES UP FOLKS

The pub is calling us for a celebratory drink and GG Bath update........ My Show is Over but the show must go on as Freddie would say after 176 group runs since we launched in Bath. I'm all flyered out, I had a whole lot of loving for a handful of Runners

The Boater seemed like a perfectly located drinking hole for an update, Emma and Pascale will be looking after you all throughout August and it’s hoped GG HQ will come up with a way forward from September, so I truly hope everyone is kept in the loop, we’ve worked hard to get where we are with such a great team in Bath including our community hosts and let’s not forget B&NES Council who made it all possible in the first instance...Thank you!!!

I managed to fight back the tears 😭 during a very unexpected presentation of fine Gin and Crystal drinking vessel engraved with Lady Bath all topped off with a fabulous homemade masterpiece of a cake baked by our very talented vet Nicola...Yummy!! I even got to slice Lydia down the middle and eat her 😂 Clean Mary was definitely missed tonight but someone’s gotta keep the country ticking over.

The pun needed to be the best of the best in the west for my final group run as leader of this wonderful pack of people and GG Bristol’s Jack came up with a paronomasia to top them all.

I would like to Thank Everyone for making the last 3 years so enjoyable from runners to task hosts, I love you all dearly.

With better weather than we've had for the last few runs enticing people back into the great outdoors, we had a whopping 17 runners meeting at Bath Leisure Centre for our two-task Tuesday.

Gin and Tonics all round

We all named our favourite drink during the headcount and, as Steph pointed out, the ladies of the group clearly live much harder lives than the men, as most of them opted for a stiff alcoholic drink, while the gentlemen were happy with a nice cuppa ;)

Welcome to Richard!

With new addition Richard, and a few who were back for their first GG run since Christmas, there was lots of chatting on the first leg of our journey. But the chatter soon turned into heavy breathing when we started our steep ascent up Holloway, followed by an even steeper ascent up Shakespeare Avenue.

It was all worth it for the view

After a quick photo op with the city lights behind us we split into two groups.

The A Team - Lady Bath's team of the fab four - had the job of flyering for Bear Flat Community Market, Send A Cow for Bath Half Marathon, and some GoodGym mission flyers. They left the earth and leaf shifters up at Alexandra Park doing what they do best. The flyer team weaved their way around Junction Road and back to regroup on Bear Flat 35 minutes later and they caught sight of a rather interesting wreath attached to what may have been some student accommodation. It's amazing how many letter boxes you can target in a short space of time whilst having fun on the run.

The rest of the group shifted piles of wet leaves down a slippery hill, and those feeling particularly strong carried a very large, heavy bag from the allottments back to the lovely Virginia's car. There were a few muddy bottoms at the end of it but it's all in day's work! We also got to meet a very cute dog who couldn't quite work out what we were doing so decided to just bark encouragement at us!

It's all downhill from here

A nice downhill run back to the Leisure Centre for some stretching.

Thanks to Mary for back-marking!

See you all next week :)

A cold very soggy start to 2018 for the 11 strong team this evening for a 6k run out to Royal Victoria Park for a spot of maintenance in the children’s play area and skate park and some gift pack distribution for the homeless and their dogs.

Two Teams On Two Task Tuesday

First off a warm welcome back to Ruth during tonight’s warm up and headcount with a nutty twist. A few faces missing tonight but given the weather can’t say I’m surprised.

Team One - The Brazil nuts

Led by Steph heading to the Playpark for some raking and litter picking at the end of the school holidays ensuring a safe clean environment for the little ones.

Team Two - The Hazelnuts

Led by Emma hitting the city centre pavements in search of the rough sleepers and their dogs to hand out some gift packs full of goodies, supplied to Julian house by the 51st Scout group in Bath.

What horrible weather this evening but it just highlights the fact that some people are having to sleep outside in such terrible conditions.

It was a struggle for both teams tonight with harsh conditions and the difficulties in finding the rough sleepers who had obviously tried to take some kind of shelter. The play park was a mix of a scene from a tropical storm on the deserted beach and the sodden fields of Glastonbury festival.

Fair to say a few peeled off home after the task to take a well deserved hot shower with the remainder of each team

Rendezvous at 19:40

beneath the towering silhouette of Bath Abbey for a mix of functional fitness before the short jog to cool down back to the leisure centre for a well earned stretch out and that ever important Pun discussion.

Pascale taking tonight’s Pun and summing the weather to a T.

A reminder to bring your ID so you can get paired up or mission verified. We also have a Bath Half training session on Saturday morning at 10am for anyone wishing to join, this will focus on distance rather than pace, save that for your shorter training runs https://www.goodgym.org/happenings/training-for-bath-half

Look forward to seeing you all next week

A windy one for 11 lovely goodgymers in Bath today for a cool scenic 8k run out to Dryarch to help with the annual

APPLE DAY

WELCOME TO HARRIET

Monty the dog took the lead today closely follow by Lucy and Hannah (one of our many doctors on the run) kindly back marking on the scenic run out along the Kennet and Avon canal.

Keith was overwhelmed by our presence today although soon had us organised into 3 groups. Hannah, Harriet ,Sarah, Lucy and Bee on chopping, scrutting and pressing and serving the freshly pressed juice.

Sarah goodgym Bristols master baker took charge at the Pizza oven whilst Rosie was overwhelmed serving the crowds on refreshments, from apple cake to cups of cider.

Steve, Ed, Mary and Steph plus the dogs on Bramley picking duties.

60 minute task

Such fun today with so much going on from pressing apple juice to a live folk band.

Have to say i love the compost loo.

We made time at the end to buy some Bath pressed apple juice, enjoy far too much cake, yet we still managed to get back to the leisure centre.

A celebratory Cider with our very own Rosie on her 99th Good deed in Bath.

Thanks to Hannah for todays Pun.

I can't wait for our wassailing event in January, one not to be missed.

A fabulous 15 this evening at Goodgym Bath for a 5k run to the community allotments at the foot of The Two Tunnels on Lyncombe road.

Whoop!! and Welcome to Leanne from Goodgym York

joining us fresh from racing the train at the weekend before heading for a well deserved break in Devon

Well Done to everyone who raced at the weekend Two Tunnels series from 10k to 50k some great achievements... Feel proud!!

Time to hit the road and head towards a wee hill and the job at hand tonight

TWO TASKS to cut back the over hanging hedge and hazel from the young fruit trees and lay some chicken wire over a slippery wooden bridge accessing the allotments along a shared pathway.

The route out involved a rather enjoyable leg burning hill or two, although the first was considered a warm up for the second one and i really do believe they enjoyed every moment.

The Task itself

LOPPERS and SECATEURS pairing up to form the hedge trimmers with Ed on saw duty on a fallen tree and had a later use as a cuttings battling ram. Emma,Tim and Sam getting to grips with that slippery bridge with some chicken wire and a staple gun.

40 MINUTES LATER

Job done!! one well pruned hedge stretching along a narrow footpath with a mad dash at the end to create a wildlife haven with the cuttings and one very safe bridge to cross with our very own

QUEEN MARY

to officially cut the twig and open the bridge to the public. This was suitably topped off with some delicious raspberry tasting before the short run back to base.

Double thanks to Alison for back marking and for tonights pun.

A beautiful summers evening in Bath for 16 runners and a nice flat 6k round trip to Alice Park community garden on the east side of Bath along the London road.

To kick off the evening a few announcements to make from the weekends racing within the group.

Saturday saw The Goodgym Olympics at Parliament Hill track in London-

Sam took Gold in the 800 meters ... Whoop!!

Emily 5.0 km 24:30 Alison 0.8 km 03:09 and 5.0 km 23:17 some very respectable times from both ladies on an unexpectedly hot day.

Rosie and Steph did the three legged race, Rosie egg n spooned.

Steph was disqualified from sack race for wearing it on her head and Rosie and Emily took part in the relay event.

All in all a fabulous event and everyone went home with a medal.

Sunday was Chew valley 10k race results-

Ollie 39.17 6th overall 4th in category

Cosmo 42.27 31st overall 18th in category

Jo 51.02 200 overall 19th in category PB

Steph 53.51 280 overall 4th in category

Well done everyone.

Welcome to Rob joining us for his first GG run... Whoop!!

Tom kindly led the group with Ollie along the canal for a more scenic route to our task destination at Alice Park, our host Kathy was there to direct the troops for a spot of hearty hedge maintenance. This involved some bind weed pulling and nettle trimming along the community garden hedge,

it was like pretty maids all in a row

Ollie, Rob Mary and Emma diving into the wild area with Steve joining in for good measure to cut everything back clearing the pathway but ensuring to leave elderberry flowers and bramble flowers intact for fruit picking at a later date.

35 minutes in total spent on the task with a last minute dash to bag up the bind weed and gather the cuttings to the compost area for sorting.

Group photo had to be taken in the lovely willow arbour made from willow cut at a previous task for Goodgym at Bloomfield orchard. Kathy had kindly gathered some fresh produce for the group to enjoy and take home, the strawberry eating made a fine Boomerang and didn't we look strange on the run back carrying lettuce and radish.

We made it back in the nick of time for a stretch out and vote on tonight's pun, it was a draw with a combination of Sam's and Nicolas Alice themed puns.

Thank you Tom and Ollie for leading and Alison for back marking and Sam and Nicola for fabulous pun.

Finally it is with great sadness to announce the departure of Emily and Rosie from GG Bath, they will be greatly missed but we will be having a farewell dinner for them before the Two Tunnels event. Details to follow

Thank you everyone for just being you and being fabulous folk to run with and have fun