Tonight we welcomed back Rachael & Louise for there first Goodgyms since completing their marathons so we were able to congratulate them in person for their fantastic achievements. It was also great to welcome Rikash for his second Goodgym run but first with us in Brighton. And it turns out he had recently met Amro so I sense a firm friendship forming there! We also congratulated Roy on his new parkrun PB!

Way back last summer I first met with the good people at One Church to discuss how we could help them with their rusty railings. “Should take about 3 visits,” I said “1 to prep, 1 to prime and 1 to top coat.” Well I’ve just checked through our run reports and I can confirm that this was our 5th visit!!!

But all the hard prep is done and tonight it was prime time! We were met by Andrew who filled us in on some of the great and diverse things that happen at One Church including pole dancing classes and The Real Junk Food Project! With a big group of 15 painters but only 8 brushes we split the group in two with half painting and half taking on tonight’s fitness session in the car park behind the church. We did 4 rounds of 45 seconds of sprints, plank & a squat with a side leg raise using a mini band before swapping over with the painters. Thanks to Helena for supervising the painting whilst I cracked the whip on the fitness sessions!

We nearly got the priming done but alas not quite so about another 3 visits I reckon!! This is the task that just keeps on giving!!

We headed off as a group to the Level for a quick fitness game, a bit like stuck in the mud but with a cone collecting competition thrown in. Lots of fun!

Next week we’ll be going to one of our favourite tasks…The Bevy. See you then!

Tonight the weather started out as the warmest of the year and we warmly welcomed Andrea to the group for the first time. We congratulated Louise on completing the Paris marathon on Saturday, (give her a cheer!) and looked ahead to this weekend when its the best day of the year, the Brighton Marathon. I urge you all to go and watch it and cheer on the runners, particularly our very own Sherman, Beth, Rachael, David & Cal. Good luck to you all, you will have an amazing day!

Things got even warmer as we ran up the hill to SloaneCourt which is a senior housing scheme for the over 55s. We were met by resident Anthony who has lots of plans for the huge gardens, including a hedgehog hotel (can’t wait to help on that one!), but for now our task was threefold

1. planting bulbs in the raised beds
2. digging over a bed that we’d previously cleared and planting some lavender
3. removing some large shrubs and roots from another bed and planting it with some shrubs that had not been thriving in patio pots

Anthony was chuffed to bits and said it would have taken him days to achieve what we did in just half an hour. I’m sure we’ll be back for a few more visits over the summer and I can’t wait to see this garden progress and help Anthony achieve his vision.

By the time we’d finished the warm weather had turned to totally un-forecasted rain just in time to keep you cool on the fitness session. We headed to Queens Park for some laps of the lake (Chloe assured me she was a trained lifeguard and would rescue any one who fell in!) and some squats, press ups lunges etc…

A few of us went on to the Mesmerist for a drink and a bite to eat and Roy came up with the pun (what would I do without you?!)

See you on Saturday for our parkrun meet up at Bevendean Down and breakfast at the Bevy after and next week’s group run takes us back to the Percy & Wagner almshouses.

Our planned task tonight was cancelled as the task owner was ill so the focus was more on fitness than doing good, although good was done!

After speeches and warm up we spent a few minutes picking up litter from the New Steine where we do our weekly warm up. After quickly filling a carrier bag we set off to the seafront for the first instalment of the night’s action packed fitness fun, a one kilometre time trial. I gave myself a head start to ensure I was at the finish to give you your times which was just as well as there were some pretty impressive times, with a few of you coming in very close to the 4 minute mark. Remember your times so you can see how much you’ve improved when we do it again in a few weeks!

I’d planned for us to spend a few minutes picking up litter form the Peter Pan playground, but there wasn’t any! So we got on with our Hunt the Cone game where team White convincingly beat team Yellow but you were all winners as you all got to do loads of exercises to make you fitter and stronger!

After popping in to say hello to the fantastic Sussex Homeless Support Bus, who I hope we can help out with a task at some point, we set off for part 3 of our night of fitness fun! This included a technique focus on arm drive which you all put into practice excellently on the 5 ramp sprints. Although arms become less important as you slow down its still good to get into good habits and keep those elbows driving backwards to propel you forwards.

The final instalment of our fitness extravaganza was a 10 minute abs blast pinched straight from the Bodycoach so here it is if you fancy another go at home!

Next week, normal service will resume and we will be gardening at the almshouses at the bottom of Elm Grove in DAYLIGHT!!!!!

It’s always such a relief to get to Goodgym and see pun generator Roy Hill! Thanks Roy, for another corker!

It’s equally fantastic to meet a couple of first timers to Brighton GG such as Julie (previously from Westminster) & Chloe, who jump right in with boundless enthusiasm for the concept, the task and the fitness! You are both very welcome!

In the news we bigged up

• Helena - for being most cheered, most cheering and most good deeding for February
• Michael for running the most k’s in February
• Tabatha for running a race in the most exotic location…Tanzania!!

Our journey to our task tonight involved a bit of a hill(!!!) which you all coped with admirably. On arrival at St John the Baptist School we split into two groups to ensure all got a chance to both do good and keep fit. The do-gooding involved weeding and digging over the school’s educational garden which is used as a learning resource, and thank you all for managing not to fall in the pond! The keep fitting involved 2 rounds of a smorgasbord of 8 exercises for 30 seconds each with just 15 seconds rest. Again top marks for all for giving it your all!

Task complete we headed to the playground for a group photo in what must be one of the best views in Brighton. I told you the hill would be worthwhile!

On arrival back to base a few of us went on for our monthly social where we chatted about loads of interesting stuff such as the joys and benefits of Goodgym, changing attitudes to consumption, run technique, university connections and the price of avocados in the Open Market (£1 for a box of 14!!!)

Next week’s task is still to be confirmed but it will involve doing something to get you a little bit fitter and make the world a little bit better - so sign up now