Tuesday 24th January 2023
Report written by Melanie Young (she/her)
When the location pin on the website moves 100m from the actual meeting point, we had a few options. 1. Assume everyone would find us anyway 2. Position TaskForce members at strategic locations to accost passers by 3. Shout out, literally shout out, first names of new GoodGymmers signed up for their first group run
We opted for number 2, although John found us as if we'd opted for number 1.
Then came the tear-jerking email from Brian that he'd cone to Queen Square but must have missed us and would see us some other time. Nooooooo! Panic! Quick reply to say we were still in the Square. And resorting to tactic 3 - shouting for BRIAN in case he (or another Brian) was still in earshot. Suddenly someone was running towards us, We shouted BRIAN ever more enthusiastically until someone pointed out it might be someone different. The pause must have been a good two seconds. Then the BRIAN calling continued. The lone runner approached ever closer. We paused once again. When he was within talking, rather than shouting, distance, we gently asked if he was Brian, ready to deny any of the shouting was us. BUT IT WAS BRIAN! Utter elation from GoodGym Bristol who set off walking and running to the BS3 Southville Community Centre where Hugh had promised us an indoor task for the chilly night, although it turned out only a few could be accommodated indoors whilst the hardy contingent were out a-sweeping in the nursery garden. All offers to swap indoor/outdoor positions were turned down and by 7.30 we'd made a mess, cleared up a (different) mess, almost cleared up the self-made mess and painted quite a lot of wall. And had loads of opportunity to chat, much of it whilst stood around leaning on brooms.
The downhill run back to Queen Square was nice and quick, the walk seemed quite chilly and the runners had already finished their stretches* and were warming up (or down) in workout when the walker arrived.
Much 10th birthday party planning ensued with a couple of great GoodGym money-raising initiatives proposed that have less-than-no prospect of ever being followed through. But if GG ever do invest in a vertical skydiving, transportable system, it was GG Bristol's idea.
Bristol
Our local community farm is tidier for the enjoyment of all