After a string of poor excuses, only the bravest of goodgymers met last night (having a baby? pssh).

Traffic was awful so there was a lot of discussion over the best way through town right now, and the answer is clearly on foot.

Fay, Andy and Richard drove in but survived the ordeal. The excellent 'reverse advent calendar' foodbank collection is underway. Joe appeared when summoned by Andy.

A cold run to the church hall and we got to work, it's like we've never cleared any leaves at all every time we visit but it keeps us out of trouble. Everything was filling up with piles of leaves still waiting to be lifted so a brisk walk for a bin secondment allowed us to get more picked up for collection day.

We will be back for more leaves in a few weeks!

It was a dark and stormy night.. well, it wasn't stormy but it was dark- and it is halloween so just imagine.

Erin got there nice and early to skulk in the shadows. I was attacked by a giant spider on the way to meet the gang. David had been under Frankensteins blade (explains all the extra body weight). Rich was terrifying as usual. Kate was riding a DIY-high and eager to crack on.

We trotted down the highstreet avoiding any slippery leaves. At the hall we found another spider (Sallyann), a pumpkin (Laurie) and.. the devil? (sorry Fay). They had made an excellent start and we blitzed through the brown bins in no time. Goodgym will be back soon to re-leaf the hall of the remainder of foliage as it drops over the next few weeks.

See you next week for some pub based prep.

As everyone knows, we meet at 6:30 on a Wednesday, right Rob? The silly goose turned up at 6:00! So after the rest of us arrived at the right time (apart from Laurie who was a minute late) we said hello, laughed at me for accidentally blocking Laurie's new credit card, and prepared the pickers. The walkers headed off led by Fay while we discussed our recent achievements. Kate showed off her new red GG tshirt, Andy saved lives by giving blood this week, and Rob had been to a Peter Pan afternoon tea. That obviously explains the photos.

We ran a medium-ish route at a good pace to meet up with the rest of the posse and get picking. Sallyann enjoyed her wine and yoga based holiday and also casually dropped into conversation she has a super famous cousin?!?! We've never seen Kings Road so clean, apart from after we've been through of course, so did a longer ambling walk. We didn't pick up the toilet we found, Kate doesn't need one for her house renovation, but we did have to shout at the bag boys to tell them to hurry up.

Fay reminisced about walking down the street in her PE kit while Andy commented that the amount of Stella litter by the school could be a cause for concern.

We are going to investigate an afternoon tea social, although fierce debate raged about sweet versus savoury ratio. Watch this space. We have loads coming up, the reverse advent calendar foodbank, xmas social at Banana Tree, pub quiz on November 3rd, parkrun volunteer and next week a halloween run led by the amazing Angela!

“We’re leaving at half six on the dot. That’s ON THE DOT, OK?”

Rich? Being on time? Really?

Yes. And we had to get back in time because the forecast was saying thunderstorms at eight.

18:29 and a few seconds, and Rich was keen to get us going. Everyone happy? Know where we’re going? Headtorches ready? Strava on?

“Yes, Richard” came a voice from the back. When your wife says your full name, it’s time to be quiet and get going. Rich was run leading but it’s nice to know Jane has him under control when needed.

We set off – exactly on time – for the long uphill stretch to Beaulieu while it was still just about light. Andy was happily backmarking and telling Joe – still sore from a half marathon – about why it’s worth waking up at 4am and going to Romania for a waterpark.

“Turn right here guys!”

“Yes, Richard!”

Richard P was up front setting the pace, and before it got dark we were at the last road crossing before Beaulieu. A quick sprint across when there were no headlights coming, and all we had to do from there was follow our noses to the chippy smell and listen out for the dance music playing upstairs in the community centre.

We got to Beaulieu Community Centre ready for some cleaning. Fay, Leanne and Russell were already there and admiring the GCSE Art exhibition in the entrance. It was all very impressive stuff and gave us all kinds of inspiration for the next time we paint prison benches or pop-up shop walls.

We split into smaller groups, got the buckets and sponges and made very quick work of cleaning some already pretty clean loos and corridors. By the time we were done, there were no paint splashes left anywhere – and if you were cleaning as vigorously as Richard P and the coconut fibre sponge he’d got, not much wall paint either.

A bit more art admiration later and it was time to head back. Andy was telling his waterpark story for about the fourth time – this time to Russell – but they paused for long enough to join a team photo in front of the King. (Ten points if anyone can photoshop a GoodGym logo onto his robes!)

Leanne said she’d start running back with us but ducked out soon after we’d crossed the road. Turns out our route home went right by her front door! She didn’t even get to enjoy the long downhill bit. Richard P also speared off home to try and make it back before things got too wet and stormy…

Jane and Erin were praying hard for a thunderstorm, and they just about got their wish. It had been dry all the way back but the first lightning flashes hit right as we arrived back at the gym. The thunder came a loooooooong time later… Could we make it home and stay dry? Yes, Richard. After all, it never rains at GoodGym.

Spoiler alert – only some of us stayed dry. Others went home via a McRib and/or fish & chips and got caught. Hopefully it’s dry for the Barrow Farm mission this Sunday – see you there!