Tonight we welcomed Kerry , Sally, Tom, Paul, Ali to their first Goodgym Group Run. Hope you all enjoyed your first Goodgym experience.

We also welcomed Jon Wright from BBC Radio Suffolk who came on the run and recorded some interviews for his show.

It was chilly evening and we started with a dynamic warm before taking a roundabout circuit to the Survivors in Transition Centre - anyone else noticed the route we ran tonight looks like a bit like a heart #stravaart !

We arrived at the centre and Bessie explained the task was to paint a room. With the number in our gang this evening we split into two teams enabling one group to complete the painting task and the second group to take on an ad lib task of litter picking along the waterfront.

Robin led the painting team while the litter pickers scoured the area. It was surprisingly clear but we managed to partially fill 3-4 black sacks before returning to observe the final stages of painting. We had be gone less than half an hour but there was a visible difference to be seen - amazing work as there were a number of beams in the walls to be cut around.

Two tasks on one Group Run - Surely we can claim double points on the National Challenge - and peg back the task count in the local derby with our Goodgym Norwich neighbours

We rounded off the evening with some intensive interval training. Splitting into teams of three for relay sprints. A fantastic effort by everyone .... despite the complaints about the timing - 15minutes is a "long" time apparently!!

See you next week https://www.goodgym.org/happenings/helping-at-st-michael-s-community-centre

ICE ICE B-BABY!

Yes, it was a chilly icy one out there on our group run with ice underfoot, so we took it super steady on the run out to Abbeydale Picture House to ensure we all stayed on 2 feet and had no Bambi incidents.

SANTA! I KNOW HIM!

This week Santa joined us as our Xmas back marker, festively lit up to spread Xmas cheer for all around. Great work Santa!

NO, NO, NOTORIOUS

On arrival to the Picture House we were greeted by NOTORIOUS NICK who gave lead us up through the back entrance as private screening was ongoing in the main cinema room with Sheffield based Salt Street productions.

We went all the way to the top for our brief where we were greeted by the Picture House's very own pigeon who was very calm throughout the task and thankfully did not decide to go to the toilet on anyones head during the evening.

Nick gave us the briefs and we split into 3 teams:

1. TEAM Scrub a dub dub (prepare)
2. TEAM PVA glue the walls (seal)
3. TEAM White wall Xmas (paint)

All the teams got straight to the task delivering a 3 pronged attack to prepare, seal and paint the walls to make the rooms usable in the near future.

IT'S FITNESS, IT'S FITNESS TIME!

Once time was up we headed back out into the cold winter air for a big thank you and Merry Xmas from Nick and then headed home toward the Showroom with a stop off at our fave park for some winter warming fitness which this week inc:

• Paired Arm Rows
• Static Sprints
• The Circle of Merkel

To finish off and to ensure we were not slipping on the ice we finished with a squat challenge to the tune of 'FLOWER' by Moby, squating to the commands of 'bring Sally up, bring Sally down' which at around 3mins 30s starts to burn! Everyone got the end and will be the better for it, well done team!

BEANIE BABY

On arrival back at based we stretched of and heard announcements before heading into the warm where a surprise was in store for Kim from Lilli who has skillfully crafted a GG chunky knit beanie!

Check out Lilli's ETSY Shop here

Until after Xmas, have a great break and look forward to seeing you all on the 1st Jan!

On the penultimate @GGSHEFF run before Xmas we welcomed 2 new fantastic runners into the group. Please welcome, support and cheer;

• Michelle Clarke
• Finn Burgum

After a brief welcome and chat about the soar legs in the group after the fantastic efforts the previous day at the infamous Percy Pud 10k we set off with DANGEROUS DAVE as our back marker to our task destination of The Real Junk Food Project - Sheffield, a fairly new task, but a massively worthy cause for the group to be involved with.

On arrival we were warmly welcomed into the warehouse by Logistics Manager AMAZING ALICE and volunteers.

Alice gave us a great brief splitting the group into 3 teams;

1. TEAM MARKETPLACE RE-ARRANGE
2. TEAM HAMPER, NO PAMPER
3. TEAM SORT/IS A HOT CROSS BUN SAVORY OR SWEET? IS A TOMATO A FRUIT OR A VEGETABLE?

The teams got straight to work along to the tunes of cheesy xmas music to keep energy levels high, which were also topped up thanks to some generous snacks provided by the team at TRJFPS. A lot of our runners were in the market for a Xmas treat after being hampered by yesterdays 10k, volunteering and a few bevvies at Charlotte & Carys'. THANKS AGAIN BOTH!

All teams did a fantastic job and nothing hampered our efforts. After pudding everything away, we had a big group photo and Alice gave her thanks on behalf of TRJFPS for a market down crate effort by all...

We waved our goodbyes and headed homebound with a cheeky game of King/Queen of the hill to help shift the junk from our trunks. The crown on this occassion was won by the visiting wonder that is DANGEROUS DAVE who we all wish good luck on his PHD review today!

With climbing on Wed and the Regather Social on Dec 12th after our last run before Xmas on the 11th there is still plenty of GG action to get involved in and earn those mince pies so make sure you've signed up to them all and keep an eye on the WhattsApp group for other festive treats!

This week saw @GGSheff run to a new location with the fantastic REGATHER to help Friends of Lynwood Gardens with the upkeep of this city centre gem.

WELCOME

We welcomed a new runner to the group this week who mucked in really well with the group and is a real chip off the old block. Give a big CHEER and follow for LUKE

LETS RUN

With a bit of a longer run than usual everyone did a fantastic job of getting to the task site. On reaching the site we were given a fantastic and thorough brief of the nights task by GORGEOUS GARETH who even brought some posh moveable lights for the task to make the task doable in the dark of the wooded area and made for some very arty lighting for photos.

TASK TIME

Our tasks for the eve was to shift cut down weeds into a compost pile and shift as much woodchip into the muddy grounds of the park as we could to make the area more useable for the public and the kindergarden on site. By the end of the task we had covered a massive area with very little beating around the bush. The team really stuck with the task throughout with everyone chipping in!

PHOTOS & TREATS

At the end of the task we gather for a great group photo taken by MAGICAL MARTIN and had time for a quick drink before heading back to base with bags of treats provided by GORGEOUS GARETH of REGATHER in the form of honeycomb and fudge - DELICIOUS!

SPRINTS & SITS

On the way home as it was a bit of a longer run put in some sprint and returns with everyone doing a great job and really giving it a go when they saw the sprint go off the front and the hands go up for the loop back to 'THE KING' as the back marker. We formed a great wall sit tunnel in the underpass to give high fives and cheers as people came through and get a great group photo.

Back at base we used the wall for some stretching and headed inside for liquid refreshment, pun suggestions and talk of a GG climbing session this week - watch the WhatsApp!

Until next week,

Happy Running :)

Tremendous Tom had work commitments (hobnobbing with the likes of Chris Boardman!), so I took over run leading duties.

16 courageous Goodgymmers took to the streets of Sheffield to help CADS with a sticky situation at the Abbeydale Picture House, running 6.5k in the process.

Special mention goes to new GG Sheffield member Brilliant Becky - who has been doing good with GoodGym since March 2013. Tonight's run was her 500th good deed. Awesome Becky - here's to (hopefully) the next 500.

After the usual obligatory group photo & safety briefing, we headed for our destination via a little fartlek session down the quiet (in the evening) pedestrianised Moor.

On arrival at the Picture House we split into 2 groups, tackling different parts of the building. Our main aim during the task was to scrub down and then seal the walls with a PVA glue water mix, which the intrepid groups did after suiting and tooling up. Various puns related to scrubbing were mentioned!

We then said our goodbyes to the lovely CADS lads (we'll be back, and it's lovely to see things progressing so well there) and headed for the U-mix Centre park where we got straight into a set of box jumps before doing laps of indian running round the park, 2 at a time. Suitably fortified against the cold and peeling off layers, we then ran back to the Showroom via Stevie G's Segment for some stretches.

A few of us even tackled the mystique of the short and sharp Howard Street Segment, as has become tradition.

We then headed inside for the usual briefing & drinks, where Tremendous Tom awaited us. He'll be back on his regular run leading duty next week.