It had been building for some time, but rumour had it tonight was going to be the night that we finally beat our post covid record turnout of 33 people. Messages were being exchanged between Ed and Vicky every time someone signed up or dropped out and there was still some uncertainty as we got to 6.15 with 32 people meeting us at CVS and a few others saying they would meet us at the task. The tension (probably only amongst Vicky and Ed) was palpable! But first we got cracking with the task at hand and welcomed Joanne for her first GoodGym session just 2 weeks(!) after moving to York. Give her a big cheer 🎉

We also give a big round of applause too Pete who had completed the UKs ultimate swimrun challange, the Frog Graham Round. As well as running just over 40 miles and ascending and descending 15,750 feet over the North Western Lake District fells, Pete swam across Bassenthwaite Lake, Crummock Water, Buttermere and Derwentwater before finishing at Keswick’s Moot Hall. I'm exhausted just thinking about it. Well done Pete 💪

A slightly injured Vicky led the walking group, whilst Ed led out the runner with Nick bringing up the rear. We then split off at the top of Blue Bridge Lane with Laura leading a smaller group to the Fishergate Trianlge and Ed taking the larger group to the Cemetery.

A group of walkers plus some of the main running group travelled a bit further to the Fishergate Triangle. It’s coming on really well with wild flowers and plants but in danger of getting overgrown with grass and thistles. Our small team got straight to work digging and tugging and by the time we left the majority of the offending plants were out the ground and ready to be taken away to compost. We then headed back to join the main group for fun and fitness!

Meanwhile at the Cemetery we were joined by Elle, confirming our record post-covid attendance of 35 GG Yorkies! 🥳

Taskowner Clive who told us that we'd be carrying on clearing the brambles that we had been working on during our last session. Mitch was attempting his best Sideshow Bob impression by leaving his rake lying around on the floor, whilst Emma wrestled with the brambles and lost, leaving her requiring a very dainty plaster on her nose. Some of the group discussed the pros and cons of burial vs cremation with Martyn introducing the concept of liquidation which is apparently a much more environmentally friendly way to go out from the world! Joanna received a lesson in digging up bramble roots directly on top of a grave, whilst being conscious of not digging down too far, and the rest of the group cleared the biggest clump of brambles with just enough time left over to run the last few bags across to the compost.

It was then over to Tower Gardens (not Castle Gardens) for tonight's fitness session. First up we picked four captains - Babs, Matt, Emma and David, then assigned the rest of the group to each captain. People then took it turns to come and grab a card from Ed or Vicky with each suit representing a different exercise and the numbers relating to the amount of reps or seconds, The joker in the pack was burpees with David's team being unlucky enough to pick out both jokers! After all 52 cards and 2 jokers were dealt out, the two winning teams were tied on 14 cards each, so it was then time for sudden death between the two captains, Babs and Emma. Emma drew 7 lunges whilst Babs needed to complete 8 press-ups and despite some very speedy press-ups it was Emma who came out on top.

It was then back to CVS to celebrate our record turnout with some of Nick and Bab's plums! What a way to end the night

Another bumper turnout tonight to help rake grass at Millennium fields.

We started by naming and numbering off, welcoming new members back again, and saying a big warm welcome to Lionel who has returned after a break.

Mitch led the group out with Abigail, James and Abi leading a walking group.

When we arrived we were given several jobs - rake up the grass, pile it into bags or onto tarps, drag to the compost and make some sort of compost/grass lasagne. A select few also had a go at sything!

We managed to clear all the grass in the time and finished off with a quick game of whistleblower.

It was then back to base when a group then headed off for some well earned liquid refreshment!

Tonight's group run saw our joint biggest turnout since we restarted after the pandemic, and whilst we absolutely love having sooo many amazing GGers turn up, it also happened to coincide with a night at our smallest task in terms of space! But before we worried about how we'd fit everyone on to a small traffic island for a spot of weeding, we welcomed Imran who was coming along to his first ever GG session tonight. Give him a big cheer 🥳

We also welcomed back Elle for her second session, having completed her first just a few days earlier. And Matt who is well-known to most through his appearances at GG weekends away, but was attending his first session in York. Great to have you both on board 👍

Tonight's task was at the Fishergate Triangle, an area of land that has been turned into a flourishing wild flower patch in-between a very busy junction in the heart of the city. Ed led the run out with Amy bringing up the rear, whilst Abigail led a walking group and Vicky leading a walk/run crew.

Upon arrival we were greeted by Maeve from St Nicks who gave us our instructions. Basically, pull up the thistles, dandelions and anything else that looks like a weed, and leave the nice stuff. If you're unsure then ask! The guys from the walking group and the walk/runners got stuck into the task whilst Rich led one group back to Tower Gardens for their fitness session with Nick.

Martin C and Issy both met us at the task, the latter having lost her voice so was obviously made to answer as many questions as possible, including that age-old debate: Cornflakes or Cheerios?? A lot of people made use of the soft bark chip floor to have a much needed sit down whilst pulling up the weeds around them, whilst Jenna got to work with some loppers and took chunks out of the buddleia that was growing by the pay phone (which, incidentally, is still working although it will cost you at least 60p to make a phone call, thanks to Max for checking)

Rich led the first group back from their fitness session and swapped over with the guys who had been making excellent progress at the task. Vicky led the second across to Nick for their turn to be put through their paces. The fitness sessions involved a game of squat, squat goose followed by some races with balls - an over and under race and some plank rolling

Then Jenna led a game of Grandmas Footsteps / Squid Game with folk hiding behind trees - unfortunately the group hid too well with those returning from the task thinking everyone had disappeared and already made their way back to base!!

It was all a bit hectic but somehow we managed to keep 33 GG Yorkies busy at a tiny traffic island. Well done to Nick for leading two fab fitness sessions and to Vicky and Rich for getting people to where they needed to be on time

An impressive turnout of 19 GG Yorkies (and 1 GG Geordie) braved the less than impressive bank holiday weather to help St Nicks look after the green spaces on down by the river on New Walk. Before setting off we welcomed Issy along to her first GoodGym outing and Christine to her first task although she has been a regular at socials for some time. Give them both a massive cheer 🎉

We also had the honour of being joined by Aimee from GG Newcastle who came bearing the Golden Trowel, which is awarded to the most good GoodGym area during the January Challenge. So after a quick warm up featuring our favourite seasonings/sauces we posed for some photos with the trowel before heading on our way to the task 🏆

Tristan led a longer run, whilst Vicky led the more direct route with Ed and Rich making up the walking group. Upon arriving at New Walk were met by task owner Maeve who set the group to work armed with scythes, rakes and shovels in order to remove dock plants and cut back some of the nettles. GGer Martin also met us at the task and soon got to work digging up some of the bigger plants.

The team of GGers weren't the only ones foolish enough to be out in the rain by the river and we soon attracted the attention of lots of small bitey insects. Fortunately David was on hand with some bug spray to keep us all from getting too badly bitten.

Sheets of tarpaulin and sacks were soon getting full of weeds and getting shuttled back and forth to the dumping area which was a hood few hundred metres further down the path. Perfect for getting some more distance in those legs!

With time running out Maeve spotted a few larger docks which needed particular attention from our own Dock King, Martin who tackled them with ease before Michael and Hannah dragged the last tarp away. Whilst waiting for them to return we had plenty of time to celebrate Leanne's Birthday with some happy birthday squats, as is tradition. We may have also added an extra syllable to Leanne's name just to sneak a bonus squat in.

Happy birthday dear Le-a-anne

Then it was off to Vicky's fitness sesh which involved various exercises located at intervals on the slightly hilly Blue Bridge Lane. Poor Aimee had never come across a spotty dog before, and I'm still not entirely sure she knows what it is after being shown by GG's least rhythmic member, Tristan!

We then posed for a photo on Blue Bridge before all running back together, followed by walkers Ed and Rich

On a balmy spring evening 6 GoodGymmers and Fergie descended on arguably North Yorkshire's finest traffic island for a spot of maintenance.

After Maeve had given out instructions to each of us individually, we got to work pulling out the thistles and other undesirable weedy type things. Once the bulk of the weeds were gone we then helped Maeve spread a bit of bark chip around and even got to work bashing a few metal rods into the ground so they were no longer poking out and capable of skewering someone's foot!

Before heading home we had a quick tidy up and posed for the obligatory group photo

we'll be back later next month when the weeds will no doubt have returned!

The January challenge is officially over and despite the monumental efforts of everyone at GG York, we still had an impressive 20 legends turn up for tonight's session, inverting soil at Millennium Field.

Before we set off we awarded the prestigious January GoodGymer of the month award to the super-human Michael who ran a ridiculous amount of KMs whilst also completing a remarkable 23 good deeds. Top effort Michael, give that man plenty of cheers 🍻

We then set off to Millennium Field with Ed leading the run out and Jenna, Laura and Abigail as our backmarkers. Those at the front got a bit too far ahead so did some very questionable wall sits whilst they waited for the rest of the gang to catch up! And then we arrived at the task to be greeted by Maeve and Nicola from St Nicks.

Nicola stole Mitch, Michael, Martin and Stef (the Mmms for short) to do some forking compost work, whilst everyone else joined Maeve at the South end of the field to start digging out clumps of soil and then flipping it over, ready for wildflower seed to be spread on top.

You can tell a lot about someone by how they invert soil - Vicky

The instruction was to dig out random areas but that didn't stop some GoodGymers from getting quite artistic with their inverting. Ben created two very neat connecting squares, whilst James went for quantity over quality and had dug out the biggest patch by far, if not the neatest!

The task was soon complete and the final ask was to spread the seed around on top of the patches we had just dug out, before trampling them down. We then set off and picked up the Mmms en route to a fitness session on the other side of the bridge

We used the seating area next to Rowntree Park to do a series of exercises followed by a quick dash up the stairs and a sprint round to do it all over again. Mitch was like a man possessed, completing 6 full sets, with Jane not too far behind as our leading lady

It was then time for the brief jog back to CVS complete with a few nore wall sits along the way!