For the fifth in the GoodGym Race Team 2019 'Big-Six' series over a hundred GoodGym runners came from across the country from Newcastle, Sheffield, Cardiff, Portsmouth, London, Swindon and a few other places in-between to the South West for the Bath Two tunnels race and a GG South West summer party.

Summary

There are loads of photos here, and a brief description below to make sense of the images:

parkrun

The weekend started at Somerdale Pavilion parkrun where runners both marshalled and ran the crazy 'curly wurly' course, the sight or #redthunder flooded across the course was lovely, it was agreed that trying to describe the course is nearly impossible it just needs to be run/walked to be enjoyed.

River Run

A few runners then enjoyed a trail run along the River Avon from the parkrun to the community mission, although the heat and owing to a few people not reading the event description it was tougher than some thought. but the joy on Dharmesh’s face when he saw bits of countryside was lovely "oooo a duck!".

Community mission

Next a GoodGym weekend would not be complete without a good deed (or a double deed day for the parkrun High-Vis Heroes) So we convened on Bramble Hill farm which would be our venue for the party, but we had to earn those burgers first! Therefore Chris (GG Bristol founder) set us all to work, weeding, watering and digging whilst we all talked to other GoodGym members from across the country. The sight of nearly a hundred GoodGym red t-shirts spread across the farm like a swarm of helpful locusts reminds us of the joys of GoodGym that many hands can achieve so, so much.

🎂Party Time

So, after the running and doing good, it was time to have the GG SW summer party and unlike last year the weather was in our favour with glorious sunshine!
So with the venue of the Northern Slopes (confusingly in the south of Bristol) and a backdrop of the Clifton suspension bridge (if you knew where to look) the party commenced with the running events of a Vertical 100m race (yes 100m of climbing) and 'what goes up must come down' therefore there was also the west country tradition of Cheese rolling down a hill with some crazy GoodGym runners chasing it (note the hill was not as steep as the real thing!)

Then it was time for a BBQ and general socialise plus the all-important Birthday cake judging.

After the food some further leisurely games were played including:

• Welly Wanging
  
• Three-legged race
  
• Wheelbarrow race
  
• Forward roll race
  
• Aesthetically pleasing forward-roll competition
  
• What's the time Mr Wolf?
  
• Bloody Knee - a Czech kid’s game
  

In addition, some relaxation was available including Goat Yoga and Pig-lattes.

Finally, it was also able to release some anger with a wet sponge throw and a Splat the Marrow game, special thanks to all whom volunteered to be sponge targets!

Race Day

Sunday was race day, and so the tonnes of #RedThunder pulled in to the Bath Two tunnels race station, with a multitude of options from 50K ultra, a 50K team relay option, a 10K, half or full marathon. Everybody had a race to suit them and a chance to challenge themselves.

There were so many achievements with race placings, Personal Bests and runners proving they were on track for an upcoming challenge, these included but are not limited to:
* GG Hammersmith and Fulham 50K mixed relay team - 1st place!
* Alex Moylett - 4th - Lady at Half Marathon
* Rich Dowling - 4th - Half Marathon
* David Ewans - 4th - Marathon

A few thanks and appreciation

Events like this weekend wouldn't be possible without a load of volunteers, so a quick note to say thanks to everyone who made this special weekend happen, from the organising team of the parkun takeover, the BBQ and party, the MC's the bakers, and the race logistics, the pub finders. Also, thanks to everyone who came and those cajoled and organised their fellow GoodGymers to come along too. It really wouldn't be the same without you all.
Matt

Thanks guys for organising today. You put a lot of effort into making it fun and memorable and it certainly was.
Ben

Thanks for a great day everyone.
See you tomorrow
💙 Team Portsmouth

Lovely to meet you all, looking forward to the next big GoodGym get together.
Sophie

Well done to everyone I know there were a lot of PBs 😃 love the two tunnels race!
Clo

Thanks to the organisers, the bakers, the bbq-ers, the farmers and of course the ever amazing support during the race. Safe travels home to those from further afield. (And happy birthday to Matt!).
Emma

What next?

• The next GG Race Team 'Big-6' is the [Scottish Half marathon and 10K (https://www.goodgym.org/happenings/scottish-half-marathon-and-10k)
• The next chance to cheer people on is at the Green Man ultra on Saturday 24th
• Cross country is coming, and the first race of the Gwent league is 12th October in Cardiff - other areas check locally for races.

In a gap between rain showers (it never rains for GoodGym) 43 weedy nice Bristol dwellers took a few hours out of their evening to run 6k and help at the Malago Greenway Berry Maze. In recent weeks some unsavoury (and by that I do not mean sweet, which I guess would be the opposite to savoury but very much not suitable on this occasion) characters have vandalised the berry maze and we wanted to come and help as much as we could to get them back on track with their fantastic community project which has taken a unused and often fly-tipped area of green space and turned it into a beautiful, educational and enjoyable area.
We met at Workout, and after a hokey-cokey style warm up we split into two groups; the first led by myself and backmarked by the ultra-crazy Matt, the second led by Danica and back marked by our cake queen who never gets a soggy bottom, Alice.
On our arrival Germinal and Luke were pushing around two wheelbarrows of tools ready for us to let loose on the juice factory (berry maze). Their faces lit up in shock and a-maze-ment as 43 runners arrived to do as much work as possible in under an hour. The team was introduced to the project and its berry worthy cause before splitting into groups. 6 of the strongest around (well keenest maybe...) took on the role of bashing in posts to replace those that were vandalised and the rest spread like jam over the area to clear weeds. Wheelbarrows were filled with unwanted greenery and posts half disappeared into the ground leaving them strong and upright able to hold the laziest and most fruitful of brambles. Our red t-shirt wearing army of good tore through the weed faster than hippies at Woodstock, and did more fencing than Zorro facing Arya Stark in a fight to the death. When the leader of the maze project, Raluca, arrived 10 minutes before the end she was astounded and incredibly thankful for all the help we were able to offer in such a short time.
Once the time had come to leave we tidied up the tools, took a group photo and ran back to Queen Square. The faster group did a few progression laps of the square before we all stretched and Alice reminded us just how much cake is involved in all the GoodGym tasks coming up over the next week. Seriously, dough you might not know it, flour runs may bake some effort but should you rise to the occasion there's often a slice treat at the end!
Thanks so much to everyone who came along tonight, Raluca, Germinal and Luke were incredibly impressed and thankful for everything you have done. We all prove that despite the wreckless and mindless actions undertaken by a small proportion of our community, there is always a bigger heart of kind and thoughtful people to outshine them. Shine on, you crazy diamonds!