For tonight's run we headed out on mass covering an impressive 1km to get to Scarcroft Allotments. The really fit ones then carried on an extra 300 metres to Wild Things Forest School!

At Scarcroft we were given two tasks. Team 1 were asked to move some sleepers (I'm sure we moved these very same sleepers not long ago...). In goodgym style this took about 5 minutes so we were asked to move some brash and woodchip to keep us busy. It wasn't long before team 2 arrived back having been given the job of carrying sheds down the hill. We then moved onto smashing these up (I think Nikki had had a bad day as given the gusto with which she yeilded a hammer!) The last job (which Rob said would be too difficult - has he ever met us?) was to prise apart the ruins of a burnt out shed. No problem for us!

Meanwhile at the forest school...

The group of 9 that headed over to wild things forest school had a range of physical tasks to get stuck in to. The first was to chop up some old Christmas trees to lay a bed for the wood chip that was to be spread on top. Nicola was shown which areas needed doing and everyone else got to work chopping trees or shifting the bark chip around. Meanwhile Ed got to work with some pallet splitting using a fancy pallet splitting tool. Fortunately, despite a few near misses, no nails ended up in anyone's feet even after Rich joined in with the destruction.

It was then time for a creative team photo, seeing how many people we could fit on a giant tree trunk, before heading over to Scarcroft Green for a beasting from Vicky!

After the beasting we jogged or walked back to base then a few stayed on to quench their thirst.

Tonight we welcomed new comers Liv and Mia to goodgym! Hope you had fun!

We then celebrated our goodgymer of the month for July which was awarded to the fabulous Nick. Nick is always one if the first to volunteer to go that extra mile. He took on the run leader duties when Ed and I were away and has been a great ambassador for goodgym from tje very beginning. He's basically a true goodgym hero!

We then congratulated the 10k runners and triathletes and in honour of international cat day this week named our first pets.

We were then off to Scarcroft allotments to help clear a plot. The main task was yo cut down and remove willow. Within minutes Nick was wedged in a tree wielding a saw and others were lopping, sawing and stripping willow. A team made several journeys taking the cuttings to the chippings pile (not chickens Jenna!).

Before we knew it time was up and the only injury was leanne's 'saw' hand. Everyone grabbed a pile of willow and we headed down the hill to drop off before fun fitness.

Following the cat theme we played a game of cat and mouse, which brought out the competitive side folk!

Back to base for a quick stretch and round up. See you next week!

We started the session tonight by celebrating some fantastic running achievements over the weekend, which were even more remarkable given the heatwave. Paul Kelly completed Lakeland trail 55km, with Max also doing 35 of it! Steve raced to the stones - completing a 100km ultra, and Becky, Nikki, Ed, Tristan and Nikki's brother attempted the Snowden challenge. This got canceled so they ran up and down twice each anyway!

We then welcomed Kit for his second task, warmed up then headed over to Scarcroft Allotments with Ed leading the way, Pete backmarking and Nikki and Abi with the walking group.

When we arrived, the plot we were asked to clear was so overgrown we barely all get in but armed with a wide selection of tools we soon started clearing space. Jan joined us there for her second task too, welcome back! Eventually we got to ground level then a team took to having a go at mattocking out some large roots. One mattock and seven observers seemed to be the mist effective method!

Before we knew it it was time for the team photo and to head to the grassy patch for fun fitness. This got quite competitive and folk worked hard. Good job it was only a km back to base!

Another good job and another plot ready for new tenants!

If there's one thing we know about York GoodGym its that we love a demolition job - last year we had the pleasure of pulling down a shed at Scarcroft Allotments and tonight we went back to deal with the aftermath.

29 large railway sleepers which had formed the old shed base and were now in varying states of decay needed moving a short way so the area could be made ready for woodchip.

6 GG heroes arrived in force - 2 runners, 3 bikers and Vicky with her wheelbarrow combining the task with woodchip collection

Only snag was we were too damn quick and the sleepers were moved and stacked in less than 15 minutes!

...and this despite some big spiders which could have put off the arachnophobes amongst us.

This did mean we had bonus time to peg out the weed membrane with some very bendy pegs

Paul proved that a gentle push worked better than Ed's brute force method of whacking with a rock

Next we were on to digging, barrowing and spreading woodchip onto the cleared space - standard GG fare which we managed in short order with Jane, Paul , Ed, Nick and Vicky taking turns at shovelling and barrowing - with a combo of Vicky's shovel, a broken bucket and the weirdest bent flat spade.

meanwhile Barbara was raking the chips and nattering with the allotment team.

40 mins after arriving, sleepers moved, chips spread and we were away running, biking and barrowing our way home... boom! job done!

4 goodgymers shook off their weary heads after Mitch and Amy's party and faced the heat to shift sleepers and barkchip for Scarcroft allotments. Impressive strength was shown lifting the sleepers in 2s and we proved we aren't as thick as two planks by using a door and broom to move the woodchip when rakes were in short supply! it was hot work but we quickly made a big difference - well done everyone!

Six GoodGymers applied themselves admirably to the task of stripping all the cladding from a large hut so it could be safely demolished. The allotment association reckoned we'd need two hours; we were done in forty minutes.

GoodGym 1 : Hut 0