With lots of talk of corona virus, flu and other viruses it took its toll on our gang. Quite a few missing out on the run tonight to do good due to being sick! We wish you all a speedy recovery!!!

Despite all the sexy mucus and phlegm 16 of us manged to sty healthy enough to get ourselves outside for a fresh run through the gardens.

We met Andrew at the Square and it was a very long time since the last time we saw him, so it was great to have you along again!! See you next week!

Today was also extra special, because our much loved Pri was making her

200th

(way more really, but according to the website...) good deed!!! What an amazing achievement and what an amazing person too. Always up for anything, happy to help, turns up despite not having slept after a night shift, welcoming to everyone and has been part of GoodGym Bournemouth since the start. 200 good deeds mixed in with coach runs, missions and group runs.

WE LOVE YOU CAPRICE!!!!

Apart from all that loveliness we had a task to do! And tonight called for helping out one of our favourite people; Paul at Bishop Aldhelm's Primary School! Our run was a little longer today, 4km each way. The way there being up through the gardens along a gentle and steady incline...not really noticeable until you get to the top...and then even more noticeable on the way back when it all seems a little easier!

We dodged the mud at times...other times we didn't realise until it was too late that we'd taken the wrong line...slosh slosh through the puddles and mud we went and now being hardy runners, weren't too phased by it.

We stopped at the road crossing to make sure everyone was ok and to allow the group to gather again. Caprice being our back marker tonight, making sure no one was left behind.

Tonight's task was to help the school do a deep clean of their cookery classroom. So wit gloves on and each person manned with a cloth and cleaning products the gang set about cleaning all the cupboards, trays, doors, sinks, fridges and taps. In 30 minutes the place looked spotless and again Paul was so grateful and impressed y how much we can get done in such a short amount of time. Well done gang! Brilliant work as always!!!

With the place looking clean as a whistle at that was left was to take some creative photos to celebrate Caprice's achievement.

Paul volunteering to climb up some monkey bars to make sure we had a great angle! And we managed to get some great ones!!

All that was left was to gather ourselves, say our good-byes and start the 4km jog back to base. This time along the more lit route, but also more suspicious smelling...

Once back we stretched and chatted about upcoming runs and then headed home for some well deserved dinner!

Thank you to Phil for taking lots of photos, and again Caprice for back marking on her special evening.

See you all next week for the quiz night! Thank you Daryl for preparing that for us!

Byeeeeeeee make sure you top up on Vitamin C, ginger and garlic to keep the germs away!!!

Tonight called for a change of plan...from going to see Mark at Hope Housing to going to see Denise at It's all about culture in the Sovereign Centre.

17 of us gathered, ready to take on any task and distance that was needed to do good and give it heart!

Our route out to the task took in as many wind assisted routes as we could find, soon cracking out some Strava segment PBs....in our minds at least. And it was amazing running with a lot less effort than usual.

When we came into Boscombe high street we were trying to figure out what the lights were. Were they Christmas lights, or Easter ones? Well when we got closer we realised they were hearts! So it must have been from Valentines? Or they knew that the GoodGym theme for February is Give it heart! We took it as a sign to take a group photo right there!

Denise was very happy to see us when we arrived and soon gave us the low down on what needed doing.

Team bunting, consisting of Karen, Charlotte, Molly and Hannah took on hanging up the bunting at the entrance to the unit....and did an ok job......but then we realised that it had to go higher up, so Marianne climbed the ladder and with some help and direction from David tidied up the work.

Roshana and Fredrika got their hands on the two hoovers and cleaned the floors, the other cleaned and dusted all over and another team of Laurie, Daryl, Sophie, Keith, Chris and Phil put another coat on the green mile we didn't quite get to finish last time.

We also manged to tidy up the kitchen area and leave it with lots of space to be able to work in and allow new cabinets to be brought in.

We had time for another team photo but then we had to set off and try to make up some time on the way back, but also try to avoid the strong head wind that was our friend on our way out.

The route back took us away from the coast and on some parallel roads, lined with pine trees.

All back safely we stretched and headed home to the warm!

Next week we're heading to Bishop Aldhelm's school to help with a clean and tidy up of one of their arts rooms.

Thank you Fredrika for back marking for us and Hannah for taking some snaps too! See you next week!!

It's almost like everyone know it was the last chance to climb up the January challenge leader board...or the prospect of painting...or perhaps the promise of drinks after the run...or maybe a combination of all of the above... ...either way...18 wonderful people gathered in the lobby of the Marsham Court Hotel.

There was a real buzz around the group, lots of things to catch up on and so many lovely faces to say hello to!

We had Molly back for her first run in a long time! Same as Lea, both overcoming injuries and starting up their running journey again. We're very happy they chose to do that with us this evening! And even better news that they came through their test unscathed.

Karen was the proud new owner of her dashing GoodGym shirt and wore it proudly! Mind you, by the end of the evening everyone was wearing cream paint splatter on some part of their clothing!

We arrived at the IAAC hub where we had a warm welcome from Denise. After showing us all the progress they had made since we had last been to help with painting the walls, she let us know what was the challenge for this evening.

Lea, Keith and Sam hung up the IAAC frame by the entrance and used an app on Sam's phone to make sure it was all level....genius!!

The rest of the group grabbed brushes and rollers and headed to the back of the unit to paint the masonry walls a less depressing colour. From Kermit green to soothing cream colour. With only 40 minutes to complete the whole corridor and having to deal with a wall with lots of grooves in it the gang knuckled down and used their best team work skills.

Keith taking one for the team and getting down to do the skirting board edges, others on chairs and the rest shoulder to shoulder, some rolling and other with brushes making sure the ridges were covered too...

We didn't quite finish it all....but we got mighty close!!

Denise was super grateful as always and it was a pleasure to help her and her charity again. We will be back!!

With the good deed done, we sprinted back to the hotel, looking forward to heading out for a drink at our local. Painting and drinks...pretty perfect if you ask us!

See you all next week!!

This evening we were heading back to Bishop Aldhelms School to finish the corridor we started before Christmas and say hello to Paul the site manager! It was a little different this evening as Charlie from BBC Radio Solent had been in touch wanting to do a piece on the gang and the great things they do in the Bournemouth community.

We all made sure we were wearing our GoodGym best, polished out shoes and tidied our hair....

When we arrived at the school Charlie and George were eager to get shots of us running so off we went in different directions making sure we looked like pro's and definitely not like we'd run 4km through Bournemouth Gardens in way too many layers yet again!

With lots of action shots in the bag we headed inside to do some painting!

WE LOVE PAINTING!!!!

After a quick briefing from Paul on what was needed we split up into two groups. One group putting a second coat on the left hand side of the corridor, and the other group tackling the right hand side and giving that a fresh, new, first coat!

During this, Daryl, our good deeds leader volunteered himself to be interviewed and after that Caprice our second placed with good deeds stepped up into the limelight for her 5 minutes of fame. The gang beavered away and in no time had finished the corridor! And this time it didn't look like there had been missed brushed strokes from the look of clean t-shirts! They obviously cherish their GoodGym shirts! Especially Charlotte who had just received hers! Wohoo!!! Looking good!!!!

We headed off to wash off the paint brushes, made sure we weren't leaving anyone behind and set off into the night. The route back took us along the well lit path through the gardens allowing us to chat non stop without having to worry about not seeing where we were stepping.

We got back to base, decided we were going for drinks next week and finished with a stretch and some more chatting.

Good luck to Caprice who is running a Half this Sunday and has been ill for over a week! Hope you feel better soon and can enjoy it come Sunday!!

See you all next week!!!