I think for all of us this was our first Group Run back with GoodGym, meeting at the classic 1000 trades (even though Balal had run the first official one the week before). So exciting!!

We ran to the Girl Guides building by the mailbox and cleaned up their outdoor space. Lots of rubbish cleared, and swept up (HENCE THE PUN!).

We then headed to our favourite hill by the big red lamp and did 5 minutes worth of hill sprints with Jonny giving us lots of words of encouragement.

Tonight was a rather cold GG! But no worries from our group we still had a healthy attendance.

We set off on our way to the Girl Guide Association, Liam front marking and Fiona back. On arrival we were handed our equipment by Maureen, we even had a pair of marigolds that Rob and Liam shared! The task was to clear the car park of leafs and rubbish, the group did it in super quick time as I reckon they were keen to get moving again me thinks! We said bye to Maureen, giving her our equipment and marigolds back, had a quick picture and we were on our way again.

We headed a slightly longer route back along the canal, up to St Paul’s Square, were the plan was some circuit training. However due to the Brass Monkey weather I decided to change it too some interval running to keep the group moving. The session was 8 times 30 seconds hard efforts, with a 30 second jog recovery. The route was a little circular circuit around the square, including a short hill. The group did a class job, John was light on his feet, Cesca used a fantastic arm action, driving her up the hill and Annie was pushing hard on each rep. A special mention goes to Rahuul, who despite doing not one, but two half marathon races at the weekend, for one thing made the run, but also put in some great work on the intervals. Of course as ever though, the whole group was fantastic working hard chasing each other around the circuit!

Once done it was just a few minutes back to 1000 Trades and the warmth!

Next week we will be out doing good again, it would be great if you could join us sign up here.

Tonight on a much milder evening then we have been used to recently, we headed to the Girl Guide Association. On arrival we were warmly greeted by Maureen, who handed us brushes, a dustpan and bags. The task was to sweep up all the glass outside the building, which had been left by a broken fridge. That took us back to our very first GoodGym run back in January 2017 when we had to clear some concrete football pitches of glass. After the glass was cleared it was on to clearing all the leaves, as we only had one dustpan, Balal used a bit of initiative picking the leaves up with two brushes! Once done and we had got rid of the other rubbish around the building, after handing our equipment back to Maureen we were good to go!

We headed along the canal towards St Paul's square, adding on a little extra loop. Once reaching the square it was fitness session time! Tonight it was an intense leg workout. Though we started with a bit of core, then it was onto some glute building lunges, Laura showing a great technique, then it was squat jumps, John working hard as ever. Next was some tuck jumps to fire up those hamstrings, Morwenna putting in some great work. Last but by no means least was some leg burning wall squats, two 45 second holds with only 15 seconds rest. Oh and the last one I added an extra five seconds, just for fun ;-) I think Jaime and Tom 'enjoyed' their first GG fitness session, though I'm not sure their legs will agree tomorrow!!

Once done the group thankfully just had a few minutes of running back to 1000 Trades.

Next week we are having a bit of a party! Yep we are going to social darts at the Flight Club after next weeks run!

Next week we will be out doing good again, it would be great if you could join us sign up here.

12 runners ran 5k to clear the car park for the Girl Guide Association

On a bitterly cold night we had twelve hardant GoodGymer’s out doing their thing. It was fantastic to welcome Rocio for the first time. I would say we gave her a warm welcome, but the words warm and tonight don’t really go together!

Aaron did the front runner duties and Annie the back as we headed to the Girl Guides building. On arrival we were handed bags, gloves and a couple of brushes. Karin and Laura certainly had fun with the brushes! The job was to clear the car park of rubbish. With there not being to much in the way of garbage we were done in double quick time. We handed our equipment back to Maureen, who thanked the group and we were off on our way again.

On the way back we ran via the canal up to St Paul’s square. Once in the square it was time for a Little Bootcamp blast! We started up with a core exercise. Aaron, George and Tom showing a sound technique. Next it was squat jumps. Rocio did great in her first session, especially as she wasn’t expecting a HIIT workout towards the end of the run! Richard put in some top work as did Karin, Annie and Leah. Next it was high knees running. Tom got a really good fast knee lift and Laura certainly got that heart rate souring! The last exercise was the dreaded tuck jumps! Marija did fantastically well to keep going, as did all the group in such a tough circuit! That was it! Well not quite, just two quick laps around the church to finish off, well it kept the group warm if nothing else ;-) And then we were done! It was just a matter of the short jog back to 1000 Trades and the welcome warmth :-)

Next week we will be out doing good again, it would be great if you could join us sign up here.

15 people ran 6k to the Girl Guide Association to clean around the outside of the building

Tonight, we were off to the girl guides with another good attendance on a cold January night. Summer will be here before for you know it…….hopefully! Anyway, we got on our way taking the canal route towards Brindley Place and then along to the Mail Box before arriving at our destination. The task was quite a quick one tonight, as we were all done in around ten to fifteen minutes. It was just a case of sweeping the car park and getting rid of the moss around the building.

De-tour and Bootcamp time

Once done we handed the equipment back to a grateful Maureen and after a quick photo the group were keen to get moving again as for some reason the temperature seemed to have dramatically dropped! Due to the task being on the quick side we added on an extra loop through the city centre before heading to our Bootcamp venue of St Paul’s Square. The group started off with some incline press ups on the benches followed by some reverse tricep dips to really get the back of the arms burning! They even held the position hovering above the floor for 30 seconds on the last set, causing a red-hot burn!! Aaron was smashing them out like he had spent a stint at her Majesty’s pleasure, Garry and Paige put in some great work, Kate H put in some top press ups on her first Tuesday night GG group run, and Kate E worked well as always on her first group run of 2018. Once done with that it was into some plank work again using the benches followed with some squat jumps and finishing with one last set of tricep dip holds. Laura and Karin worked hard together, and Abi showed she had really been working hard on her core strength and muscular endurance showing great form on all the exercises. As always, all the group supported each other and put on a top display that I’m sure the passers-by were impressed with! I know I was! Phew!! After all that we just had the short jog back to our base!

Next week we will be out doing good again, it would be great if you could join us sign up here.

13 people ran 5.5k to clear the car park at the girl guide association

It was a warm welcome to Caroline, Emily and Dionne tonight who came to GG Brum for the first time. Great to have you on board! Once back and front markers were sorted we were on our way to the Guide house. We had a 3.1k run along the canal, finishing just before our task destination with a group wall squat. Once we arrived after a little confusion from the task owner, we got to work, sweeping the yard, and digging up the weeds.

Bootcamp

Once the area was looking spic and span, we were back on our way, stopping in St Paul’s square for a 10-minute-high intensity boot camp session! We had burpees (I love a burpee), Neal putting great effort in. This was followed by some backside/thigh burning lunges, Caroline and Charlotte showing great form. After this we had tuck jumps, followed by reverse dips on the benches helping to make ‘bingo wings’ no more! As if that wasn’t enough we then added some high knees, Dionne and Karin putting in a great shift and last of all we did a one minute plank jack, now that was a killer, but the whole group were awesome as usual.

Ready for a beer

After all that effort the group were exhausted, so it was a gentle run back to 1000 Trades for a drink. A drink wasn’t quite enough for Neal though as Rob caught him on camera tucking into some ‘beer infused’ cake, so he was literally drinking and eating beer. The next social will be in 4 weeks’ time, so mark it in your diaries.

Next week we will be out doing good again, it would be great if you could join us sign up here.