It’s my life

We all know a runner can never have enough kit, just not enough space to store it all. A runners wardrobe, bursting at the seams, can act like a personal museum of their running journey. Memories of the ups, and the downs. Showing the shape we were, the shape we want to be. Helping us to hold on to our aims and aspirations, remembering where we started and hinting at where we’d like to be.

Just lace up and run

Running is popular due to its simplicity, accessibility, health benefits, and the ability to fit into various lifestyles and fitness levels. It has often been said that at its simplest running is the cheapest way to get fit. Just lace up and run. But not everyone is in the position to be able to access even the most basic of kit.

Community Support

Who better to approach to support disadvantaged groups being able to participate in physical activity than those who both value exercise, and support their communities. GoodGymers never disappoint. 190 items (literally enabling kitting out from head to toe) have been donated, all of which have sufficient life and wear in them to support someone starting out on their fitness journey.

And come on, own up, who has already got their eye on replacements to fill those wardrobe gaps!

We had a fab turn-out for our first group run of the year, thank you all for coming on such a grotty evening!

Emily had provided us with a list of jobs to complete, so we quickly got to work.

Team Clean got to work in the kitchen and the toilets, which truly had their sparkle back after receiving the GoodGym treatment. Meanwhile, Harry and Dave travelled around the whole site cleaning down the window sills.

Team Shuffle and Shift, meanwhile, brought through some big boxes of clothes ahead of Spark's big clothing sale at the weekend. Some fabulous and interesting outfits were found and a few were purchased!

Portsmouth GoodGymers put their best feet forward to start the week with exercise.

There were treadmill-ers, walkers and runners.

There were commuters, socialisers and chocolate-fuelled guiltsters!

Some stopped for selfies, or to capture Portsmouth scenes. Some walked the dog, or took the cat to the vet. Some were on a lunchbreak or doing some errands.

There were sky-scapes and skyscrapers.

And all of it on Strava to prove it actually happened. (And hopefully all of it felt like a 'win' against the January doldrums.)

Same again next week?

Laura had previously spotted all the litter caught in the shrubs and under the benches at the pocket park at Fratton Bridge.

Four GGers picked up every fag-end and windblown takeaway wrapper, and even picked up a pair of discarded joggers (the trousers, not a couple of disorientated Parkrunners!)

30 minutes later, the pocket park was impeccably litter-picked