A whole leaf-lot of good tonight, as we faced leaves and leaflets, harbour runs and hills and digging and deeding.

We started with a run along the harbourside to get to our task with Mel as a brilliant back-marker. Due to the traffic-free route, the group got a treat of extra stops for squats and press-ups, yay!

We quickly got to tonight's task, the Church of Holy Trinity in Hotwells. Here we met Suzanne from the Redcliffe and Hotwells Community Development group. Suzanne explained the tasks that they needed help with at the church and the group were split into the leaf-raking and bagging team, a digging team and a leafleting team. It is unusual for GoodGym to be outdone (especially on noise) but the local choir managed to sing through the 30+ runners digging and raking outside. We will need to work on '500 Deeds' for the rematch...

Unbe-leaf-able

Within 30 minutes, the Digging Team had successfully turned the soil ready for new winter bulbs to be planted and the Leaf Team had cleared all of the pathways and grass, making the area safe for pedestrians to walk on without slipping and filling a whopping 27 bags of leaves.

Big shout out to Hannah who won the all-important Best Leaf Competition (and, even more impressively, carried it all the way back)!

Take it or leaf-let

Meanwhile, the leafleting team were not to be upstaged. With some very logistical leafleting to be organised, the group covered all of the key areas and delivered 4 leaflets to each door, spreading the word of the Community Group and of Above and Beyond, who have a series of challenges and events people can take part in to help them raise money. Not to forget that some of the group also had to cover some big hills while they did this.

Soon, the group had finished their jobs and after a handful of hardy GoodGymers completed the steep optional hill sprint, we headed back along the water home. And this time the group only had to stop once for sprint and squat intervals. What a re-leaf. Well done everyone!

Tonight, we welcomed lots of new faces to GoodGym Bristol (welcome Verity, Fergus, Victoria, Teona, Clem and Lizzie!), celebrated Danica's 300th Good Deed and cleared up Felix Road Adventure Playground (in their exciting new floodlights!) with all hands on deck for litter-picking, cutting back nettles, brambles and branches and clearing up leaves to create more space for the children to play. Despite the wind and rain, we had a great time and got a lot done.

This was followed by our monthly GoodGym Eats, organised by the wonderful Maria, which resulted in the one-line-each story about (read: loosely based on) our night. Thank you for a fab birthday everyone and enjoy the resultingly mind-boggling read below (please note new runners, we are normally slightly less weird than this...).

And so I present to you: Our GoodGym Tuesday, written in single sentences inputted by 16 nonsencial GoodGymers. (Apologies to those who faced the wrath of my edit).

And so it begins...

Once upon a time, in a land far, far South West, 39 people gathered to do good...

There was Flimpy, Flumpy, Tipsy, Wipsy, Carl, Igor and his children Garth, Mickey, Claire and the man Woth the Wobbly Nose.

When the rain means no painting , we're sure to find a small wheelbarrow to move a lot of leaves, quite slowly.

Shenanigans tasked us with removing ALL the leaves so we needed help from the giant wheelbarrow!

"I, giant wheelbarrow was the perfect accessory for moving leaves.. a new task for GoodGym leaflessing.'

I have never seen soo many leaves, moved many times, by soo few people!

The special den-making twigs were kept for the children of Felix Road to get building.

We faced the sea of rain like valiant captains and cleaned all the litter away.

On the way back we were sure to take in a few dark alleys, these are a great way to make new friends #paulspointers

The run was cool. Stuff happened and we did good things. Then there were giant unicorns and unicorns with cats and badgers inside of them and magic was had by all.

And then in a twisted and unexpected turn of events...

WE BEGAN THE PURGE ...of Peshwari naan. Every last crumb was devoured. Then we came for the roti.

Then Shona hoped to not go the way of those before her on her twenty-fifth birthday, with the golden trowel as her protection.

However, there was no trowel golden enough to protect the unicorn from Danica's sudden unexpected treachery. Thus evening ended how it began, with a sharp implement to the face in the dark.

(Please note, no unsafe dark alleyways, implements to the face or any other unsafe activity was experienced this evening. The only thing harmed in the making of this run report was Danica's unicorn cake and potentially Paul's dignity.)