12 people ran 10k to organise a food order for FareShare

After last weeks ‘heatwave’ it was back to business as usual this week as a rather wet and soggy night greeted us. Not to worry though, we still had a newbie to welcome and a very warm one goes to Aaron’s mate Jeremy!

We set off to FareShare, taking in the canal towpath on our way. David did the back marking duties and Aaron the front. Once arriving at FareShare Dionne greeted us, who not only works at FS, she is also part of the GG clan. We all got a well earned drink, some getting a bit of extra sparkle, with a cup of sparkling water and then it was on with the job of sorting some food orders. Aaron and Richard stood in the vans while the rest of the group passed them all the food. The first van was a order being taken to Stoke were all the food would be distributed to various charities and schools. The group worked like a ‘well oiled machine’ going back and forth, loading food into the van. I even got Aaron picking the boxes up with a perfect deadlift technique, my Personal Training day job getting used just a little bit more.

Once done before we headed back the group were asked if anybody would like some bread and milk which was going out of date today. Richard jumped at the chance, the only down side was he had to run all the way back with it, therefore running over 5k looking like he had robbed a corner shop (hence the pun/picture). After organising us at the task Dionne also got her running shoes on to join us for the trek back to 1000 Trades.

The run back is always hard work as it is all up hill and generally into a headwind and tonight the wind didn’t disappoint again! Once back the whole group were pretty tired. Running just over 10k there was no need for a fitness session tonight!

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

15 people ran 11k to organise a food order for Fareshare

On an even colder night than last week we had fifteen hardy Goodgymers ready to do some good! We welcomed GG first timer Lucy to the ranks, who definitely chose a challenging run to start off with! After the intro’s we were out into the ‘natural walk in freezer’! for the 5.5k run to Fareshare.

Garry and Aaron got the short straw

Once arriving at our destination, running at a fair old clip in the process, the group were ready to get to work. Fareshare is were Dionne works so she did a great job organising everyone. She had a clip board, which always makes you look important 😉 Garry and Aaron stood in the truck getting passed all the items, now why this might be considered as the short straw, was because the back of the van was basically a walk-in freezer! In the summer I think we would have had a queue for their job…but at one degree celcius maybe not tonight! It was that cold that Luke, the only person in just t-shirt and shorts managed to get himself a cup of tea during the task! The group took around 30 minutes, everyone mucked in getting the van fully loaded and Garry and Aaron didn’t get frost bite, so jobs a good un!!

Even colder on the way back?!

Once the task was complete we went back out into the cold and now it really did feel like a walk-in freezer! It certainly had gotten colder, with the arctic type wind, but that didn’t deter us GoodGymer's, well we had to get back somehow, so off we went, once arriving at 1000 Trades we had done 7 miles! Or 11.5k, so excellent work everyone! I hope you are all now relaxing at home, with the heating on!

Next week is GoodGym Brum’s 1st anniversary would you believe?! So, after the run we will be having a celebratory social. Unfortunately, I can’t promise beer garden weather, but I can promise a good time, so it would be great if you could join us sign up here

21 people ran 4k to Birmingham Mission Care Centre to give mince pies to the homeless and then have a Christmas party

Last night was our GG Brum ‘Christmas run’. The group came dressed in Santa hats, with boxes of mince pies to feed the homeless at Birmingham Mission. It was great to get another good attendance and to see Luke back with us after a long injury spell.

The Mission

Once the intros were done it was on our way to the mission. On arrival we were warmly greeted by John. Four of the group went upstairs to help Maureen sort some clothes out were as the rest of the group helped serve the food. Bhaskar even gave his woolly hat away to one of the attendees who was more than happy to have a photo. After the main meal was done the group served all their mince pies, which were thoroughly enjoyed by everyone at the centre.

German market

Once we had finished at the centre we all headed back to 1000 Trades splitting up into two groups, one group running back slightly quicker than the other. I went with the quicker group. Aaron and David were the front markers and I ‘hung around’ in the middle with Dionne putting in a great run back. Once back at our base we waited for everyone to return before heading to the German market. The fitness session this week was arm work, bicep curling our drinks 😉 Well it is Chritsmas! The group had a great time at the market, with plenty of sausages, beer and mulled wine. It was a great way to round off the GG year for me as I’m away next week. Hopefully there are no sore heads this morning! I hope you all have a fantastic Christmas and I will see you all in the new year.

Next week will be the last GG Brum group run of 2017, with the group in Aidan’s capable hands. It would be great if you could join him sign up here.