GoodGym Huddersfield always likes to welcome guest runners and last night we were very happy to count two amongst our number. GoodGym Sheffield trainer Tom Mutton and his friend Helen Webster joined the Huddersfield regulars for a roving run, a top task and some horrible hill reps.

Introductions made and briefing done we were off and running after our usual swift warm-up. Keen to show our guests some of the (arguably less well-known) sights of Huddersfield, a somewhat circuitous route involving the Birkby Bradley Cycleway took us on a journey about 3.5K, meaning we were raring to go (or possibly ready to drop) by the time we arrived at our destination.

Support to Recovery (or S2R as they are more commonly and conveniently known) are a Huddersfield based provider of community mental health services. Their town centre site contains offices and a range of activity and meeting rooms which host various sessions and workshops throughout the week. But tonight’s activity was all about GoodGym, and S2R co-ordinator Paula Wood had a couple of indoor jobs for the GoodGymmers to do.

So swift following introductions and a short explanation, we were on with the jobs in hand. One team (Louise Galvin, Heather Wilshaw-Jones and Helen Webster) would be tasked with tacking some beading to the skirting boards in the upstairs office, whilst the others (Kati Law, Ben Godfrey and Tom Mutton) would be down in the cellar painting a bench and a couple of planters.

As a top task owner Paula had all the equipment ready to go and all the GoodGymmers had to do was get stuck in, admittedly with the distraction of tea and biscuits offered by our generous host. That’s biscuits at two consecutive GoodGym jobs now, we could get used to this kind of luxury!

Soon the S2R offices echoed to the sound of GoodGym industry with the hammerers hammering and the painters sloshing, whilst Paula explained a little more about the organisation’s great work in the local community.

In a surprisingly short time, it was job done! The tasks were complete and there was time enough for some hill reps to wrap the evening up. So after saying goodbye to Paula and S2R we headed the short distance to Claire Hill for a little bit of pain. Five reps was the agreed target (thanks Ben) and the GoodGym crew set forth and their second tough task of the night, pushing hard up the 100 metre climb, before a 150 metre recovery loop. The sound of heavy breathing was testament to the effort being put in by all, and the five reps were quickly rattled off (although I suspect there may have been time to do one or two more had we been really keen!), and then we headed back to the Stadium at an albeit slightly more sedate pace.

Thanks as ever to all the Huddersfield GoodGym crew and especially our guests last night, you’ll always be welcome if you fancy getting hammered (or painted) in Huddersfield again.