Tonight we welcomed Megan to GoodGym for the first time, it was a pleasure to have you with us. George and John shared the back marking duties tonight with David doing the front.

We headed off to our task destination on what was initially a rather mild autumn evening. On arrival we met another Megan (the task owner) who had plenty of bin bags and head torches ready, as tonight’s task was a litter pick on the school’s wildlife area.

Once done the temperature had dropped somewhat so the group were ready for the run back! Just before we got to 1000 Trades, we did some interval training. Tonight it was pyramids, 30 seconds, 45 seconds, 1 minute and then back down. All but the 45s being up hill, so an added ‘Brucey bonus’ of some hill work thrown in for good measure! Everyone worked well, George and David showing some great leg speed, Chloe was very quick on her first GG interval Sess, Naomi worked well driving up the hill and Megan put in some great work on her GG debut. Emily had a great finishing rep as did Rob and Laura, pushing each other up the last climb! Anyway the whole group should have been mentioned as they were all collectively fantastic.

The best thing about this interval session spot, is once it’s done the group only have another 300 metres to drag their weary legs back to 1000 Trades! So that was it, after a quick stretch we were done for another week!

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

Tonight we had ten of us Brum GoodGymer’s going to help out at Birmingham Mission. We were pleased to greet Rahul for the first time to GG.

On arrival at the Mission we were split up into two groups, one to help out in the kitchen, the other to help store sleeping bags, hence this weeks pun thought up by Emily. The Mission are in desperate need of sleeping bags, so if you are reading this report and have one to donate please do!

On a slightly sad note, it was the task owner John’s last day he would see us. After 29 years with Birmingham Mission he is leaving due to some health problems. We will miss him as he has always given the group such a warm welcome and really appreciated our help, therefore it was only right we had a last group photo with him :-)

After the task it was onto the hill work. The session was 4 minutes of hill sprints x 2, with 1 minute rest between the sets. Most of the group are running the Birmingham Half Marathon on Sunday, so a great session to get the legs fired up! Liam sat this one out, as his legs are still recovering from his escapades at the Berlin Marathon 9 days a go! He joined me on the ‘support shift’! Everyone put in some top effort, Balal and John were striding up with good power. Emily was pushing really hard and Miriam put in a great shift sporting her bright pink compression socks! Rahul put in some great work on his first GG outing, but as ever everyone was fantastic!

After that was done we headed back to 1000 Trades and that was us done. Good luck to Emily, Morwenna, Rob, David, Balal and Rahul for the Brum Half on Sunday, I’m sure you will all do great!

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

Tonight it was canal litter pick night! It’s a task we haven’t done for a while, so without further a-do, we assigned John the front marker position and Rob the back.

Once we reached the canal the group was split into three groups, each litter picking a different part of our adopted section of towpath. There was plenty of rubbish to collect with it being over a month since our last task on the canal. Once each group had finished we joined up together to take the bags up to Aston lock. Though this was somewhat delayed as Tatyana found some fishing line attached to a reel left in the canal. Well we weren’t going to leave that as of course it would be a nasty hazard to the canal wildlife, so the group pulled it out, well Sam did most of the pulling, as Morwenna and Karin wrapped up the extremely long length of line. It took a while but we eventually got to the end of it and didn’t manage to trip up any passers by! That was two good deeds tonight then, the litter pick and a bit of animal welfare work! Hence if you haven’t already guessed, this little episode inspired this weeks pun, thought up by Sam.

Once the fishing line was removed we headed up to Aston lock to drop the bags off and then ran towards Digbeth as we just had enough time to grab a drink at the ‘pop up’ ‘Beach bar’, however on arrival we found it had been dismantled yesterday! Yep that’s a sign summer is over :( Oh well it hopefully will be back next year!

Anyway as we had a little spare time we took a slightly longer route back to 1000 Trades to take us up to a nice 6k in total for the evening.

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

It was great to see everyone tonight, especially our two newbies Mini and Gavin, a very warm welcome to them both!

Once all introductions were done it was time to head off to tonight’s task, Mission Care. With Dave leading the way and Balal on back marking duties, no one was going to get lost en route!

Once we had done the short run to Mission Care, it was time to split into two teams - one heading upstairs to sort clothes and find some for the users, while the second group helped serve food and wash up.

After all tasks had been completed, it was time to say our goodbyes and head on our way to tonight’s fitness session: 6 minutes Hill Sprints on our favourite hill.

Everyone pushed really hard, chasing each other down, or should that be up! Not only is running uphill great for your stamina, but it's also great for building leg muscles, which helps with your speed. Downhill running engages your lower abs and works your quads.

Once everyone had their breaths back, it was time to run back to base the slightly longer route of course! We ran through the centre past the Primark, up into Cathedral Square, then onto the very nice downhill Newhall St for a short recovery!

Once back it was time for a quick stretch and to come up with tonight’s pun - credit goes to Emily, with a little help from George!

Sign up here for next weeks run with Jonny as Sub 14 minute 5K runner!

See you all then,

Rob

Tonight’s pun was thought up by Emily, I don’t think I need to explain the reasons behind it somehow! Anyway if you were in any doubt, tonight has to be the wettest ever GG Brum!

First things first, tonight’s task was gardening! Unlucky! Understandable it was cancelled! Things more useful then gardening in tonight’s weather probably include....an inflatable dart board, a chocolate teapot and concrete armbands, to name just a few!

After a chat with the group it was decided we would go for a steady run. It wasn’t the weather for standing still! We headed for the Soho Loop, which takes in some nice green parts of the canal. Once we got going apart from your trainers being full with water It wasn’t to unpleasant after all. Liam did the front marking duties and Fiona the back. With it being so wet, picture taking was a little awkward, but I did get a couple under the bridges during the run. We carried on along the Soho Loop, through Brindley Place, then off the canal at St Paul’s square and back up to 1000 Trades. One last picture of the group well and truest soaked was taken and with that we called it a night! Still a good near enough 7k was completed by the group, so a decent nights workout. Hopefully when they receive this report they have eventually dried off!

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

Tonight was rather hot as you can see from the pun and of course if you have been anywhere in England today you would know this!

We had Will from Lambeth joining us for tonight’s sweat fest, proudly wearing his black t-shirt.

We set off to the canal armed with our litter picks and bags, once on the canal we split into two groups, clearing a different area of the canal. There was quite a lot of rubbish tonight we really should have taken some more bags! Anyway the group still did a fantastic job, collecting two bags full of rubbish!

Once done we decided to bin (literally!) the time-trial with it being so hot, so it was a nice steady run via Millennium Point and through the city centre back to 1000 Trades. Once done the group resembled an understandably ‘sweaty mess’, and had a nice extra sweaty picture to finish off the night, though a few did go on for a few well deserved 'cold ones' after!

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

It was lovely to welcome Emily to GoodGym Brum tonight for the first time, it’s great to have you with us!

On a extremely sticky evening (hence the pun, a play on words on our local Lickey Hills!) we headed to Birmingham Mission. First things first, the ‘task man’ John took a quick video of us, showing why we help out at the Mission etc. This was to show at an event over the weekend. Once our media duties were done it was on with the task. Half the group helped out in the kitchen, the other half helped sort clothing, with an extra pair of hands. That extra help was from George, who can’t run at the moment, due to an in-growing toe nail op, so he was already at the Mission.

Once the task was done we headed to ‘our hill’ for some hill work. Tonight it was six minutes of Kenyan Hills, basically six minutes of continuous hard running both up and down the hill! David put in a sterling effort especially after only running the Birmingham Black Country Half Marathon on Saturday! Balal also worked well even though he hadn’t recovered as yet from his Ultra exploits! Emily put in some fantastic work in her first GG session, really powering up the hills. Annie and Fiona worked hard chasing up the hill and Rob and Morwenna were also not out done for effort level! There you are everyone gets a mention ;-)

After adding on one extra ‘up hill effort’ at the end of the six minutes everyone was pretty much done in, so we headed back to 1000 Trades.

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