DOING GOOD

In support of the twelve hour shifts our key workers regularly work, we decided to honor their dedication in a way we know well... running!

A twelve hour relay was plotted; GoodGym runners would run (or walk) back to back from 6am to 6pm on Sunday the 17th May. Twelve hours of continuous moving.

And what a wonderful virtual activity it proved to be! We shared photos from our runs & routes, shared anecdotes, supported one another & followed the progress of the relay through the Whatsapp group, as well as from live updates on the GG Derby Instagram page.

And for the first time in a while during lock-down, it felt as though the GoodGym Derby community was together again, sharing in a collective experience and making amazing things happen.

WHILST GETTING FIT & HAVING FUN!

And no running event is complete without some thumping heart-rates, epic routes & tasty Strava stats, all of which we shared in abundance! As well as smiles, laughs & a couple of aches & pains...

Ready for the Relay Commentary?

The relay was kicked off at 6am with Dani & Sam heading to Kinder Scout - the highest point of the peaks! - where they completed a loop, summiting Kinder & finishing their leg for 8am back at the car (Dani having left some of her knee back on Kinder) & in time for breakfast!

8am to 9am was Katherine & Lehann running seperately but in together in spirit; Katherine completing her segment as part of a May Half Marathon Challenge & Lehann running seven miles on local routes around Chellaston, snapping a very professional looking photo!

9am to 9:30am again saw two runners keeping the relay in play. Naomi ran three miles & got a gorgeous snap of her kitty looking fabulous on the red tee & Rachael (touring from another GG group) ran four km & took a snap looking fabulous in her tee!

9:30am was our first solo runner of the morning - Gemma - who completed 5km through some of the green spaces in Derby; Markeaton & Darley Park, a couple of the GG favorites! The 10am slot was smashed by Karen, who looked radiant in red and what a lovely morning for it too!

Up at 10:30am was Tracey, who used her thirty minutes of running to think of & pay thanks to the wonderful staff on Ward 205 at the Derby Royal Hospital who's she's recently had a positive experience with - amazing!

11am saw Tracey's partner begin the relay, running for one hour until 12pm. Gywn really enjoyed taking part & managed to get some lovely photos whilst still on the move.

Ashley's leg was 12pm until 1pm, another one-hour wonder runner! As well as impressed by his relay effort, we were delighted to finally see evidence of his lock-down beard, and clearly so was his cat, who gave him a warm welcome home.

At 1pm Lauren took over the relay reigns, also running for one hour. She covered just over 10km (& made time to say hi to a friend!) Impressive running, especially after just getting a juicy new 5km PB - well done!

2pm came around & that meant Helen was go, go, go! After completing her segment, she snapped a finishers photo in her beautiful garden (giving us all flower envy!) looking happy in her GG tee & race bib.

Ellie was up at 2:30pm, completing her thirty minute segment and running just shy of three miles. Another fabulous finishers photo in red!

Grace took on the 3pm til 3:30pm slot along with her gorgeous pooch Bobby. We loved seeing everyones pets getting involved in the relay action!

On at 3:30pm was Mark, who got arty on his run with a reflection in a suitably coloured red car! Time stamped too, Mark ran three miles of the relay!

4pm til 5:30pm was Peter, who regularly completes a long run on a Sunday afternoon, so this worked out perfectly for his training plan. Not letting any lock-down blues effect his mileage, like Katherine, Peter completed a half marathon!

5:30pm until 6pm was our final segment of the relay & so it's only right that this segment also boasted the best photo of the day from the lovely Nicky & her gorgeous baby, who looked super sweet in a "GoodGym runner in training" onesie! The wonderful duo completed the finishing segment together, both in red!

THANK YOUS

Thanks so much to everyone who took part in this virtual relay & to those who offered words of encouragement and support throughout the day. Let's do something awesome again soon!

Big Loves x

DOING GOOD

I waited with anticipation at the Jurys Inn after it seemed as though many of the GG regulars were busy, had a case of the sniffles or were tending to a niggle... it was nothing to do with the afternoon of rain keeping them away, honest.

But alas runners did turn up & they were some cool-cats alright, much to Ashley's relief!

It was great to see Karen back after her ultra effort a couple of weekends ago (looking as fresh as ever!) as well as Alice who's making a comeback after an injury - go team!

With a group of us rearing to go (kinda), we hit the pavements & headed out to the Glebe Gardens Allotments, where we were met with enthusiasm by Vron from the committee & Sharon, a local resident who has a plot on the allotments.

We knew it was going to be a wheeley fun task when Vron said we would be cutting back a hedge & then wheel-barrowing the trimmings around the maze of allotments to the piles ready for composting.

Splitting into two teams, we worked on two sections of the hedge, trimming it back & taking it in turns to load up the barrows & wheel the trimmings around the allotments to the growing piles.

It became clear that we needed a taller person on team two as the hedge was neatly trimmed back to 5ft 5 with a bushy, sprouting top!

This was soon remedied when Ashley joined them with the loppers.

After forty five minutes of hard graft, the hedges looked in a much better way, making the allotments neater ready for the residents to begin spring planting. A job well done by the GG clan.

WHILST GETTING FIT

As well as graft at our task, we kicked the evening off with a team challenge outside of the Jurys Inn; Cool Cats vs The Vikings.

We dueled at a squat challenge, the plank war & then a mini relay around the flower beds.

After warming up our quads & core it was time to start the run, jointly led by Sam & Lauren. A total of 5km covered on a mild evening... perfect!

UP NEXT

Our next task takes us back to where it all began; supporting the Friends of Darley Open Spaces (FoDOS) with their wildlife garden. We're going to be sorting out the wet-bed (home to frogs & newts!) & planting snow-drops. A short run - with a walk option - of 4km total, so everyone is welcome & I'd love to see you there!

If anyone has any snow-drop bulbs that they'd like to donate to FoDOS, they'd be most welcome by this lovely group.

THANK YOUS

Massive thanks for once again braving what looked as though would be a miserable evening, but luckily turned out mild & pleasant & a barrow-load of fun! The lighter & warmer evenings are beginning to show, so let's hang on a little longer you Winter Warriors & look forward to a busy year ahead.

Big Loves x

DOING GOOD

There's a theme for Tuesday weather at the moment & yet again, despite the miserable conditions eight runners - one pretending to be a cyclist, two newbies (a warm welcome to Karen & Sarah & a runner with perfectly un-holy pants - braved the cold to do good whilst getting fit.

Due to the heavy rains of the past few days our original task at Glebe Gardens Allotments was unfortunately canceled due to flooding, but fear not! Where this a GoodGym, there is always good to be done!

Our friends at the Age UK Centre on Chad Park were keen as always to welcome us with open arms & had a little tidy-up job for us to do.

After - of course - the chaps enjoyed a hot coco & a sit down.

Due to the rain, leaves & debris had been carried across the pavement & car park which meant that an elderly person accessing the centre had slipped - the first incident here in years.

We got to work, sweeping, brushing & tidying the paths removing as much of the slimly leaves as we could & hopefully making the path safer again.

Speaking of incidents... armed with her old nemesis "broomy-broom", Rachael fell victim of the brushes cruel tricks once again. Her pants were now marked as holy.

But luckily her leg (& in particular, her main artery) were unscathed, although we did hear a bit more about it...

As always with Age UK, a task completed & a pair of holy pants is never the end of the story.

WHILST GETTING FIT

Tuesday at Age UK means only one thing now - BOX STICKS CLASS!

After we swept that path good & clear, it was time to burn off the hot chocolate and to box & sticks(?) our way into the evening to some classic rock anthems.

With flashing lights, pumping fists & epic tunes, it was as close to a real party as we'd all been for a long time!

Heart rates elevated & inner rock chicks released, it was time to head back to base. Even the hail splattering down on us couldn't dampen our spirits after another successful Tuesday Group Run.

THANK YOUS

Big thanks to Emma for leading the run whilst I doddled along on my bike & of course to the best back markers, Pete & Holy Pants Rachael. Well done to all of you for braving the elements & being the winter faces of GG Derby!

UP NEXT

A brand spanking new task next week - our favorite! We're at St Giles Church tidying up a memorial. Come along to do good & get fit with a longer run of 8km total.

Big Loves x