This week saw 23 runners descend on Heeley People's Park to help out with the on going maintenance of this awesome community open space.

After the traditional get together, count-off and group photo we headed off from the Showroom on an almost arrow straight route to the task, taking the run nice and steady not knowing what fitness antics awaited later in the evening.

We received our usual warm welcome from Fantastic Frank at the task and were swiftly split into Team Rake and Team Mulch. There was a large section of recently cut grass that required the attention of the rakes and by the end of the evening there was what looked like a hedge along the road side edge of the grass area, ready for collection the following morning. Brilliant Bee kept look out to make sure the team weren't caught slacking as Sub Steve kept an eye on proceedings. Us Sheffield Goodgymers are getting pretty experienced at spreading mulch and the team shoveling, carrying and scattering was performing like a well oiled machine within minutes! No time for chatting here as Brilliant Becca, Capacity Cat and Toiling Tom were filling buckets faster than they were being carried away. With the light quickly fading it was great to see so many head-torches lighting the way, a great reminder that these will only become more essential as we head into the darker months.

Once we had finished up, we jogged over to a nearby closed of road for the fitness session. After a quick introduction to this variation on hill sprints, where everyone had to sprint up the hill level with Steve and then jog back, there was much amazement that the first rep was only a few meters! But soon came the realisation that their marker was moving and the reps were getting longer! After a quick tweek on how to safely navigate the turn back down the hill, thanks to Guidance Grace, everyone got into the swing of things and started to push themselves really well. Running Rob and Climbing Chris deserve particular kudos for having to catch the sprinting marker at the very top of the climb. A great work out by everyone.

At this point we split into two groups for our trip back home, each with a different distance and pace planned. The first group led by Speedy Sarah and the second by me, we set off back to base. The main difference in route was a loop around SUFC football ground, which is also a segment. The #GGSHEFF ladies are owning this segment now with the fastest 6 ladies times on the Leaderboard!!! We joined the groups together again en route with a quick wall-sit-wait and then took the last km nice and steady before a final stair spring back at base.

Callisthenics Kim then lead a great stretch and we chatted through the ever busy social calendar for this week! Before we finished twins Kim and Steve were serenaded with a chorus of Happy Birthday from everyone and presented with some birthday cake which was swiftly cut up and shared around the group. Thoroughly deserved by everyone who had put real effort into this evening runs, task and hills session. Well done everyone and thanks for the cake!

On a dark and overcast night 24 intrepid Good Gym runners headed off to Lynwood Gardens.

We had two new members joining us – a big warm welcome to Jane and Sarah.

Our run out to the Gardens always includes the interesting (i.e., steep) climb just before the Gardens but run leader Sam also threw in a Strava Segment sprint around Sheffield’s magnificent City Hall. Once we’d generously been given a full 20 seconds to recover we passed Dame Jess Ennis’ gold post box (I’m sure she’d have been proud of us) before running the gauntlet of West Street, avoiding the temptation for a swift pint or kebab along the way.

At the Gardens Gareth from Regather and his colleagues had plenty for us to do. Three teams, led by Helen, Kat and Kim, managed to compost 3 large bins of apple pith, trim hedges, sweep and tidy large areas of the garden and move a substantial pile of wood. Great work team!

Brief historical interlude (discovered while cleaning a sign at the garden entrance). Lynwood was the garden of wealthy cutlery manufacturer, Francis Newton. His house is just above. The garden was the real showcase of the house, much larger than others in the neighbourhood and professionally landscaped, with a large pond, kitchen garden and an orchard. Following Newton’s death in 1864 the house and gardens passed through various owners, including the Education Department of Sheffield City Council. It became overgrown in the years following the Second World War but with community help has been brought back to its current state – a green gem in the middle of an urban area. Not sure though what Francis Newton would make of the fact that his house is now a Wetherspoons pub.

Having finished at the Gardens and arranged a Community Mission to pick apples for Regather (which was in no way influenced by the fact that the apples are going to be used to make cider) we headed rapidly downhill to The Showroom, via a quick sprint around a carpark, with GG runners helpfully pointing the way as human chevrons in the fast fading light …