This weeks group run took us on a relatively short run to Penrose Roots to Recovery where we met up with the task owner Pete sitting comfortably on a chair enjoying the early evening sunshine 🌞. This weeks task had the team chopping back nettles that had grown up behind the poly tunnel at the allotment. The team made relatively short work of cutting down the troublesome plant although I think there may have been 1 or 2 moments that reminded some of their childhood as they got the odd sting. Some of the nettles were put into a vat of water to be left to break down into liquid fertiliser. After a couple of group photos 📸 the group headed to the bandstand in Wardown Park to do a little workout with resistance bands. 💪 Then we headed back to town to finish the evening. Fantastic effort tonight by all, Thanks to David for leading the run and the workout. I look forward to seeing you all at next week's 🏃‍♂️ 🏃‍♀️

This weeks group session saw the team head back to the Penrose Roots to Recovery Garden. 7 GoodGymmers got to work, tackling weeds, stinging nettles and grass cuttings. Everything was raked together and transferred in to wheelbarrows, to be deposited on to the gardens compost pile. Eventually it will break down, ready to be reused in the community garden. The team tidied up the areas around the gardens raised planters, and around the sink / shed making it a nicer environment for the groups attendees. Always a great place to help out, we couldn't resist getting a group photo with the 2 scarecrows. GoodGym Lutons next recruits?!

It was a return to the Penrose Roots to Recovery garden this evening for part two of a big sleeper cutting task.

There's lots of new raised beds planned for this year's crops but before they can be built we needed to cut a bunch to size.

We completed the sawing job and moved some sleepers down to the far end of the garden in super quick time so we ran on to the Wardown Park Bandstand for a leg-based workout circuit.

This week we had Joe return for his second session and we had Steph visiting from Ealing for is 501st!

Our Group Run took us to the Penrose Roots garden where Peter had two tasks for us, an enormous pile of wood chips that needed putting into bags and a pile of sleepers that needed sawing in half.

We split into two teams and the shovelers got shoveling while the saw team hit an early obstacle. Wet wood was making it very difficult to cut through with the saws. After a few minutes of perseverance David remembered he had the trusty pruning saws in his kit bag. They've never let us down! He gave it a try and great success, the team swapped saws and suddenly we were making progress.

We rotated around the tasks as backs got tired from shoveling and arms got tired from sawing. Circuit training GoodGym style!

By the end of the session we got the whole pile of chips packed away in bags, but we only got half the sleepers sawn, so we'll be back soon to finish off that task.

This week's group run took us to All Saints church which needed a thorough cleaning from top to bottom. The high ceilings had cobwebs unreached for 10 years!

We used a combination of brooms and dusters with extended handles as well as ladders to reach up to the heavenly heights of the rafters and the tall windows, meanwhile down at ground level old markings on the floor from covid times needed a good soak with white spirit and scraping up.

Combined with a bit of vacuuming and wiping down walls and sills with soapy water we left the vast space looking much lighter and brighter, ready for Christmas services!

A snap of cold weather brought snow to Luton this week and caused our group run to be a frosty one.

The hardiest runners came out for this weeks group run to Penrose roots, where Pete had a bramble and weed clearing task for us. We ran hard and fast to keep warm and then worked hard chopping away at the weeds and raking the cuttings up into a big pile.

Breath making large clouds in the icy air we kept on going until the area was clear and then quickly took some photos and ran on into the cold night. It was not one for hanging around outside!

Pressing hard on the return journey too, we managed to keep the cold at bay long enough to make it back into town and bid each other goodnight, with very welcome hot showers waiting for us!