Well, I think I speak for everyone who joined the task when I say, that was some workout! One of the most physical we've ever done.

Our task today was to help move some paving slabs for our friends st Mincinglake Allotments. Even though we didn't quite finish the task today we moved just over 1000kgs of paving between the 4 of us, you've all earned the food and drink tonight for sure!

It was great to see Nonny and Rosie again for their first tasks of 2022, and Lawrence who hit his 25th good deed today and told us all about his ParkRun yesterday. The 4 of us were a great team today and it was lovely to chat whilst we found out how strong we were.

Big well done and cheer to Nonny also, helping a young lad with a broken ankle before coming to the task, ensuring he was cared for before coming!

We're back out again on Tuesday night with a run and a litter pick - see if we run a tiny bit further than our 3.5k! Sign up here

The wheels keep on rollin at Mincinglake allotment with the GoodGym team returning this week to shift A LOT of gravel. Craig and Lisa came back for a second week at the allotment, and it was great to see Jo, Lawrence, Lucy and Nonny - what a team! Lucy even missed a post-lockdown haircut to join us - you still looked fabulous! We shifted a huge pile of gravel across the allotment to where it was needed to improve the allotment paths - tough work but a great fitness session. The allotment association were super grateful and we saved them loads of work - well done team!

7 amazing GoodGymers worked super hard moving roof tiles and gravel in wheelbarrows in Mincinglake and Marypole Community Allotment

It was a lovely and warm summer evening and 7 GoodGymers came running and cycling to Mincinglake Valley Park, thinking they would do a litter pick.. Little did they know that the group before them had not quite managed to complete their task in the community allotment around the corner.. But as everyone were happy to change task the group quickly made their way over to the allotment to complete the job.

All the remaining roof tiles were moved in wheelbarrows from the garden nearby, up and down some bumpy paths, to the allotment. After that the group moved on to moving gravel from a big pile from the top path down to the allotment. What a great work out!

I don't think we have ever worked so hard during a task!

Not only was it a perfect evening of getting fit whilst doing good, it was also amazing to be back in the allotment as this was one of our first task location after we launched the GoodGym in Exeter! We were very pleased to see that the Bug's Hotel that we built last year was still standing!

More than anything it was so nice to be out together, chatting and laughing whilst working hard! Our community is definitely still going very strong even after months of lockdown!

A big shout out to Craig, our new TakForce member, who led this session and to the whole group for working so hard! You guys totally smashed it!

Wow what a night! 4 runners moved several hundred clay roof in wheelbarrows! Now that’s definitely a way to get super fit whilst doing good!

It was another lovely summer evening and it was amazing to be back at Mincinglake and Marypole community allotment, one of our first task locations last year. So nice to see the bugs hotel that we built last time we were there and how great the allotment is looking!

This evening turned out to be one of our hardest and heaviest tasks we have ever done! We moved several hundred clay roof tiles form a garden nearby to the allotment by pushing them up and down some bumpy paths in wheelbarrows.

What a work out! That certainly engaged all those small muscle groups you never get to otherwise!

Everyone worked safely with social distancing at all times and it was great to hear all the chatting and laughing going on. Meeting up like this, outdoors in the fresh air, seeing the evening sky turn pink as we work, is just the best!

You all deserve a medal for working so hard! The task owner was very impressed! I hope you won't be too achy tomorrow..

Finally, big cheer to Kathy for help with the pun, always so appreciated!

I can’t wait to see you all soon again! Take a look at the website for upcoming community missions!

18 runners ran 5.2 k to help the Mincinglake and Marypole Allotment Association with one of their amenity plots. This included digging a pond and creating a bug hotel! We had two new runners joining us this evening, Maeve and Anna. We hope you loved it and will be back soon again!

Getting fit

We ran a total of 5.2 k this stunning evening, some mixed flat and hilly bits and we had a beautiful sunset to enjoy for most of it! One of the hills that we climbed was quite long and steep so we went through some hill running technique, especially the importance of not leaning into the hill but to keep your chest up and drive your hips forward. This makes breathing so much easier and also enables you to pull your knees up high and to get those quick and light steps in.

Living in Exeter you just got to learn to love hills!

Whilst we were re-grouping we managed some squats, lunges, triceps-dips and press-ups. A big thank you to Sarah who back-marked so that no-one got lost or left behind!

We also carried out a core session this evening. We did ten different types of core exercises for 30 seconds each. By keeping your core strong you will become a well balanced runner, you will keep a good posture even when you feel tired at the end of your runs and your speed will improve. Absolutely brilliant effort everyone (even those of you who tried to hide away from the core session ha ha ha)!

Doing good

At the task we were welcomed by Simon from the Mincinglaka and Marypole Allotment Association who explained that they are aiming to develop the amenity plot so that it can be enjoyed by everyone at the allotments. We worked for 35 minutes with the following tasks:

• Digging a pond
• Rolling a metal barrel up a hill for recycling collection
• Cutting back overgrowth
• Creating a FANTASTIC bug's hotel by piling up logs and branches (check it out in the pictures!)

It’s amazing how much we got done! 18 of us working for 35 minutes is equivalent of 10.5 hours of work! This clearly shows that you are all are making such a difference by coming along and getting stuck in with all these tasks together on Tuesday evenings! Such great work everyone!

Next week

Next week we will run to the Wonford area and help the Wonford Planters, a small volunteer gardening group, with some gardening tasks in the Burnthouse Lane estate. It will be a lovely run and we can make a real difference in this area! Don't forget that next week is pretty special as it is the 10 year anniversary of the GoodGym so we will have the big GoodGym birthday flag with us for some nice photos. Sign up here to come along!. It will be great!

Community mission

We have our first community mission coming up in Exeter soon! So exciting! Make your own way to the Westbank in Exminster on Saturday 21st September where you will meet other GoodGym runners and work together with some gardening tasks in their allotment. This is a great way for you to plan your own run and still get that good feeling of having carried out a good deed. The Westbank is 5 k from Exeter quay and the run along the canal path is lovely. You always cycle or walk some of it if running 5 k both ways feels too far. There is also a regular bus service between the Westbank and Exeter city centre, leaving every 30 minutes from just outside the Westbank. Tell your friends and family about this and sign up here to come along. There will be birthday cake too as this is part of the GoodGym 10 year birthday celebrations!

Lets finish with a big thank you to Phoenix Art Centre for being our starting point and to the Westbank for funding us in the area! To all runners who took part this evening- YOU ARE ALL AMAZING! You ran so well, worked so hard on all exercises and you made such a big difference by working together at the task! See you all very soon for some more fun and getting fit by doing good!