32 GoodGym runners helped Sustrans this evening at Grangemoor Park

As per usual, we met at the Big Moose for our GoodGym group run. When the clock struck 6.30pm we then headed outside for our warm up; to warm up we played an exciting game of captains coming - A fav amongst a number of runners. We then did a headcount and welcomed new faces to GoodGym Cardiff... A HUGE WELCOME TO ROISIN, SARA, SCOTT, EMILY & STUART! It was seriously amazing to have you come along and we hope you come back!

This week we also had Ceri and her colleague from Barn Media join us for the run. We have been shortlisted for an award and they were there to put together a nominee video for us.

We celebrated runners achievements at the beginning of the run too:

• Martin ran a half marathon
• Those that participated in Parkrun
• Darren, although he couldn't make tonights run, has reached 100 good deeds... This will get another cheer when he next comes to a group run.

Time to choose your group!

Every week we try and organise ourselves into groups so that those who want to run hard, can, and those who want more of a relaxed run, can! This week we had a walk run group which enabled people to get the benefits of walking and running! Mikey led the speedy runners. Welsh Dave led the sexy runners and Aimee led the run walkers!

Let's head to the task!

It was time to 'get our run on!' We headed off down St Mary's Street towards Penarth Road. The clocks going back was no problem for us because we were equipped with headtorches, so even in the darkness of the night we could illuminate our path.

We're here!

We met Claire and the Sustrans team halfway down Penarth Road. Sustrans is a UK walking and cycling charity and custodian of the National Cycle Network. Its flagship project is the National Cycle Network, which has created 16,575 miles of signed cycle routes throughout the UK including 5,273 miles of traffic-free paths. Claire was positioned by the entrance to Grangemoor park, the location where we planned to help out this evening.

Claire was amazed with how many of us turned up to help this evening. "32!" she repeated when I told her the number.

Claire explained our tasks for the evening; "I heard you guys get a lot done in a short space of time... here are the tasks I have for you" she said. The task we were set were as follows:

• Use loppers to cut back the bushes and trees that are encroaching onto the path
• Pick up and move cuttings
• Raking up overgrowth
• Litter picking the local area

Every single runner broke a sweat helping out this evening. Even though the temperature was quite cold, because everyone was working so hard no one felt it.

Well done and thank you everyone!

Claire and the other Sustrans volunteers were so thankful for our help. They couldn't believe how much we managed to do in the short space of time we were there for.

We then had group photos and did a cheeky dab and floss before heading back to town. We ran back with huge smiles on our faces, knowing we had done something amazing that evening that made a massive positive difference in the community.

After warming down we collected our belongings. Approximately 15 of us headed to the Glassworks for some drinkypoos afterwards too.

An AWESOME run - Well done everyone for coming along. See you all next week hopefully!

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The Tweet off

Marie won the tweet off this evening. The gap between first and second place is closing up. People are watching this leaderboard closer than anyone is watching the discussions in the houses of parliament.

• LM 11
• MO 9
• EW 5
• DRN 4
• MG 4
• MJ 3
• NS 2
• BA 1
• NI 1
• AG 1
• WD 1

27 GoodGym runners ran to the Samye Foundation this evening, wearing their red GoodGym tees in solidarity for #RunForGav and Suicide Awareness Day

This evening a huge amount of GoodGym runners showed up in force to run and help in their community. The warm up consisted of playing a game of 'Touch the Colour' and running clockwise whilst carrying out warm up drills that Ben shouted out

A HUGE welcome to Naomi and Catherine who both joined us on their first ever GoodGym runs in Cardiff. Naomi has actually been on two GoodGym runs previously, both which were led by Ben at the Love Trails Festival. Catherine is the sister of Sophie, a GoodGym runner who was running with GoodGym Cardiff for a long time before leaving Cardiff for pastures new.

Choose your group!

Welsh Dave, sporting his fluorescent pink shorts, led the speed running group. Ben, wearing shorts that were quite boring in comparison, led the sexy runners! Peter, led the walkie talkie group!

Welcome to the Samye Foundation - The home of Mindfulness courses for individuals, groups and businesses in Cardiff

This evening Lorraine had a whole list of tasks that she needed us to do. About 12 runners were allocated to paint a room that would become an office space. 2 runners (Adam and Mike) spent half an hour in the toilet together... Lorraine had given them the task to paint wooden boards that covered pipework. Approximately, 13 runners weeded the car park. Naomi and Lewis teamed up to move cement slabs, dig a hole for a maple tree and then create a new path using the slabs they moved. Tori stabbed holes in the bottom of a plastic bucket and then put soil and a small plant inside it.

With about 7 different sub-tasks going on at the centre at the same time, Ben had a challenging job of taking photos! It was amazing the amount runners were able to get done over the course of 30 minutes volunteering.

As soon as time was up, everyone gathered outside the front of the building for a group photo. And with smiles on our faces and our hands in the air, a group photo was captured that reflected how much fun we had that evening... loads!

Oh wow?! Food! That's kind

Completely to our surprise, the Samye Foundation had made us sandwiches to have before we ran back. Lorraine took the time to tell us about the AMAZING work they do at the Samye Foundation and we all listened intensely whilst munching on egg and cheese sarnies.

Time to run back

It was 10 to 8 which meant it was time to get back! Welsh Dave quickly encouraged everyone to get into a running pace.

Who had a stitch?

Running after having food can bring on a stitch, however it was Tori who didn't even have a sandwich who had a stitch - Aww. Maybe it was seeing everyone eating that brought it on.

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Stop your kettles boiling... It's Time for the Tweet Off!

Well done to Emma Wilkins! An incredible tweet off performance and you've managed to move up the leader board into second place!

• LM 10
• EW 5
• MO 4
• DRN 4
• MG 4
• NS 2
• MJ 2
• BA 1
• NI 1
• AG 1
• WD 1

This week, 27 runners ran to do good in the Cardiff Community!

Our numbers seem to be growing week on week - Yipee! - and his week we had the pleasure of welcoming two new people to GoodGym. A HUGE welcome to Elsa and Jen who came along to their FIRST EVER GoodGym run this evening - Hope we didn't scare you off and we hope to see you back very soon!

What else is worthy of a mention:

• 29 of us headed to the Lake District to hike Scafell Pike over the weekend (Helping Nathan complete his 2019 New Years Resolution).
• The AWESOME Meg ran the Port Talbot half Marathon and achieved a new PB - You go girl!
• Lewis did Parkrun - He is our religious parkrun runner at GoodGym

Before we headed out for this evening's run we got warmed up by playing a game of Fish and Chips; Fish and Chips is an EPIC game. Run around and then when Ben shouts "Fish and Chips" you must find a partner and say either Fish or Chips, say the same and you must perform 10 star jumps, say different and you perform 10 squat jumps. We also did some running specific basic warm up drills.

It's time to help out in the community

Ben led those wanting a further run to Global Gardens whilst Ellen led the group wanting a shorter run to the Grangetown Hub.

On the way to Global Gardens Ben had everyone doing step ups, planking, running forwards and backwards and performing tricep dips on public benches.

Run to plog

Unfortunately Poppy wasn't at the Global Gardens Allotment - We hope she is okay! So instead, we took to the streets and back streets for some fast paced plogging, shouting PLOG everytime we needed to bend down to pick up litter. Ben managed to find an empty chewing gum packet and crisp packet. The Daz machine picked up LOADS of cigarette ends. Lucy found empty beer cans, a yankee car air freshener and also an empty packet of cigarettes.

After plogging we headed down to the roundabout by Roath Park and from there we turned onto Fairoak road. Fairoak road is where the 12 mile marker is in the Cardiff Half Marathon. It is also the place where runners have to tackle the final hill in the half marathon. To practice getting used to the hill, we ran up it and then jogged down it to recover. We did this 3 times.

After the hill sprints, which everyone LOVED :D we began running back towards town. We stopped one final time to run on King Edward VII Avenue to run the final 200 metres of the Cardiff half marathon course. Lucy gave everyone a pep talk before they ran the 200 metres which helped spur everyone on.

Run to the Grangetown Community Hub

10 GoodGym runners ran to the Grangetown Hyb to help spruce up the outdoor surroundings. We weeded around the car park, digging the moss and weeds in the cracks of the paving stones. Some of those pesky weeds need quite a good whacking, which Fancy Su provided. Andie Cleaver showed us her namesake skills, handling a miniature cleaver to cut up some of the weeds! Some of us also did a mini-litter pick, grabbing up the litter blowing around in the car park and surrounding lanes, with their excellent pincer skills. Ceri (spelling?) from the Hyb said it looked so much better coming out of the double doors, seeing that so much had been cleared up, so quickly! So with a group photo and a wave, we set of back to base camp.

Well done

A task well done by everyone. You should definitely be proud of yourselves :D Here's what's coming up over the next few weeks:

• Next week our group run will involve running to promote Cardiff Pride - Rainbow colours encouraged! Click here to sign up to it
• On Sunday 1st September, we have the opportunity for you to volunteer at the Cardiff 10K. Click here to find out more
• On Wednesday 4th September, a number of GoodGym runners will be getting up early to partake in the festivities of Soulful Sunrise. Click here to find out more
• On Saturday 21st September we will be running to help Coryton Primary School set up their Autumn Fair. Click here to find out more and get involved.

We then headed over to the Glassworks for drinkypoos and for the weekly tweet off.

It's time for the tweet off!

Darren has stopped Marie's winning streak - Marie had a whopping 4 consecutive weeks of tweet off victories! I almost fall off my chair every time the tweet off happens as i'm always sitting on the edge of it. Tune in next week to see whether Darren can make it two wins in a row.

• LM 9
• MO 4
• DRN 4
• MG 3
• EW 3
• NS 2
• MJ 2
• BA 1
• NI 1
• AG 1
• WD 1