Three determined teams

And so it came to pass we were a three-team crew this evening again. Already committed to tree-watering at Meath and painting at Parkview, three GoodGymers were invited to return to Weavers Adventure Playground for some unfinished table business.

1) Let’s turn the tables

Task force member Dave headed up the Weavers crew, taking Polly and Si back to the tricky table, and remaining at the task until the four-legged furniture had, well, four legs, egged on by a resident fox.

2) An emulsion return to Parkview

Leanne, another of our fabulous Task Force, led the Parkview team to the task, and then onto Meath for our workout, on post-Great-North-Run legs. Much, much appreciated. The team finished the spearmint-green kitchen, making great time after a bit of delayed prepping at the venue. Well done to you all for making it to Meath in such good time.

3) Multi-tasking at Meath

Meanwhile, the marvellous Meath bunch combined tree-watering with litter-picking. Once it was established there were too many hands for two trolleys (there’s nothing a Good Gymer hates more than to be empty handed, right?), Chris, Charlotte and Heidi wasted no time in getting stuck in to some very productive litter-picking.

Buns, guns and…bands

And then we all gathered around in what was initially a slightly-strange looking circle for our Buns n’Guns workout – a 20-minute delight for the runners, using body weight and looped bands to effectively work arms and bum. Well done for you all putting up with both my playlist and continual exercise instruction. And so we headed back to base, for some final stretching and a quick drink ‘round the corner, for a non-weary few.

Special shout-outs

Thanks to everyone this evening, for making tonight so unbelievably productive, and such fun. Congratulations to Ruth, whose 50th good deed it was tonight. What a lovely addition to the evening .

Welcome to Katherine and Sam, whose first run it was. It was fantastic to have you both be part of tonight, and we hope to see you very, very soon. And lovely to see Justin from Newham GG, by no means new to GoodGym – but new to me. Please come back soon.

And so to next week…

Next week, we’re two-tasking it, at least, so do sign up here to come and be part of the fun. Have a really great week until then.

No spectator sports for us tonight

It was a respectable group of 18 who shunned the TV for some tyre-painting and mulch-moving on a beautifully balmy June evening. And thank goodness as a two-task evening requires many pairs of able hands. We left an air-conditioned hotel room, complete with England game on the screen, for a brief warm up before heading our separate ways...

A two-task evening

Leanne led the Hollybush crew over to Margaret at Hollybush Gardens, where a big pile of mulch and multiple wheelbarrows awaited. It was a workout heavy on the lower body, lats and obliques as the team shovelled mulch and even formed a wheelbarrow relay to get the task done in double-time.

Meanwhile, over at Weavers, the bulk of the team were moving, stacking and painting tyres to form a fabulous-looking tyre ‘fence’ on the go-kart track. Meanwhile Heidi planted new pot plants in a brightly coloured wheelbarrow – her finished work was quite the jolly affair. Our very grateful task owner Alex supplied much appreciated post-task snacks and water – perfect fuel for the subsequent Metaburn workout that the team went onto complete in Weavers Fields.

Monday’s Metaburn

The team went on to work even harder at tonight’s workout – a top-to-toe affair that covered plyometric squats, lateral lunges, plank jacks, single-leg side planks and the ferocious, old-skool Pilates Leg Pull Back. Well done everyone for bashing out lots of beautifully executed reps on already weary limbs.

Back to base – on time

And so we headed back to base on time (for once… You heard it here first) where the team patiently went through their post-run stretches before heading inside to our room to catch the last few minutes of the game.

Thank you’s, welcome’s (and apologies…)

Thank you to you all for a really busy, industrious evening. Massive thank you’s tonight to task force memberLeanne for task pre-planning, beautiful pics and report contribution; leading the team to Hollybush, and back-marking. Thank you to Becky for backmarking and for being her usual, brilliant addition to the task force team, arriving early and welcoming new runners AND for this week’s lovely pun. Thank you to Dave for navigating and leading the run to Weavers with me, and to task force member Bryon for co-navigating and leading the return run.

And massive apology to Keri who followed (my) incorrect Hollybush location info and rather than give up, made her way to Weavers instead –thank you for your patience and perseverance.

A massive GG welcome to Rajand Sam who joined us tonight for their first run. It was great to have you on board – thanks for all the hard work and for your phenomenal fitness efforts in our post-task workout. I really hope you join us again soon.

And so to next week...

Talking of which, next week we’re back to Meath Gardens, for more canal-action, helping to get those young trees off to a great start for the summer, and we’ll be popping to Mother Kelly’s for a quick drink after too. Don’t miss out – sign up here. I can’t WAIT to do it all again then.

Until then, have a great week.