WOOOOW! Folks it is Tuesday and GoodGym is in town! (or The city of Cardiff, town just sounded better)

What an epic turnout! More people ran with GoodGym than have ever been on the moon... You guys are out of this world 27 of you made an appearance at GoodGym this week. We had 2 new runners come along too… WELCOME to GoodGym Jess and Katie. We are a lovely bunch (Or at least that is what we claim to be). We hope you enjoyed the cheers for you during the headcount – Well deserved I must add! If you bring a friend to GoodGym you will earn yourself 1 red lace – Blooming exciting I know…and do not underestimate the red lace... some people have fainted before when they’ve received a red lace. No names; Darren. It was AMAZING to see both Rhian and Louise running with us for a second time too...! It's great to see you both getting really stuck in and pushing yourself to get fitter.

Part of the headcount also involved runners shouting out their favourite cartoon characters…. Mikey said his was some "Bat thing" and we now know Fiona is a massive fan of Winnie the Pooh. There was a slight anti-climax when Lydia said she didn’t like cartoon characters… What! I know, I know… (Secret fan of the smurts… It was such an epic cartoon… “Watch out papa Smurf, it’s Gargamel!”)

There were two tasks planned for this evenings run:

• 1 – The sexy runners helping out Keep Wales Tidy with litter picking in Riverside
• 2 – The speedy runners running to Rumney to help out Seedlings garden

Mikey left first taking runners on a 7.5 mile round trip to Rumney Furthest GoodGym Cardiff run to date alert and Ben led the sexy runners about 5 minutes later.

Run 1: Keep Wales Tidy butt

Ben led 16 runners to Riverside, taking more of a snaking route to get there and stopping to take a ‘ghetto’ style photo with the graffiti art in Cardiff. You didn’t banksy on that one happening did you? Runners tricep dipped on the way and also planked at some of Cardiff’s best planking hotspots. Google it if you don’t believe me!

Hello Lorna!!!! … “Hello GoodGym!”

Lorna from Keep Wales Tidy was there to greet us with bin bags at the ready and litter pickers which looked like inspector gadgets arms (GO GO GADGET ARM! – Emma Wilkins’ favourite cartoon character… I’m surprised she didn’t say a cartoon character from Disney.)

After a couple of minutes we were all armed with Go Go Gadget arms, big bags and gloves (From sexy runners to the sexiest runners… we were now all looking the height of fashion). We then all got stuck in straight away… the streets called our names! Litter be gone! All 16 of us roamed the streets of Cardiff picking up items of litter… Lorna did make us aware in the safety briefing that some litter we had to steer clear from though… dirty diapers, sharps, broken glass, dead animals... (many zebras roam the streets of Cardiff) and I think that was it…

After 30 minutes of litter picking at least 9 bags of litter was collected.

"Goodness Gracious GoodGym... You guys are so quick...!" Lorna said.

Items we found included:

• Socks
• Coca Cola cans
• Shoes
• Gloves
• And a Maynard Bassetts container! I wonder if this Maynard was in the road longer than the other Maynard was in the jungle? Anyway I bassett you not that we picked all this litter up in great speed!

On the way back, by popular request, we stopped to do some sprint drills. Sprint, recover repeat x6 reps. There was friendly competition between Fiona and Aimee. Everyone was totally fab with the sprint drills though! I know they aren’t everyones favourite thing to do, but you will improve by doing them!

Group 2 – The run to help out Seedlings Garden

Tonight 11 goodgym runners – Extreme, took to the challenge of the longest run yet on a Tuesday session. The challenge to run the Rumney partnership hub 6km away, in the rain and do what we could from a list of possible tasks.

Off we went, on our trek to meet up with the organiser for the community garden, Mark Seed – yes that’s his name.

And so we arrived, no time to chat, twenty minutes on the clock. Without hesitation Mark went through the tasks, 2 runners (Lucy and Lewis) over to paint the wooden borders a luminous lime green. The next 4 over to the island in the road, (Emma, Emma, Darren & Dave) on border patrol with hammers to stomp it in good. There had already been an incident with a car taking out the lavender, this would help followed by the luminous lime green borders once the paint had dried. Another 3 on weeding duties, if they could decide which were weeds! (Charlotte, Rachel & Ffion) and Joseph moving and recycling before joining the ‘ground force’ crew.

It’s like an episode of 60 minute makeover

20 minutes soon passed by as Mikey cursed the rain for ruining photo after photo, so just one more chance to try for a group shot. Sorry Darren, for the horror movie effect on your face, so a handshake each from Mr. Seed and off we went on our trek back.

A well done to all tonight for the epic run for a group task, and especially to Emma after her run on Sunday.

Riddly Diddly Poo… I have a Riddle for you

A man is pushing his car along the road when he comes to a hotel. He shouts, "I'm bankrupt!" Why?

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After we finished our group run we had a look at what this January Challenge thing was about...

We've done it!!! We thought we may have to 'up our game' but no, we've reached, surpassed and SMASHED our January Challenge target... That is how you do it! WELL DONE GOODGYM CARDIFF - YOU GUYS ARE INCREDIBLE

Fourteen runners ran 5km to Bloomfield Allotments (the seedy end of town) to help Virginia move some compost.

Frost things frost...

No new runners on this cold winter evening, but there were plenty of familiar faces this week, including Emily visiting from London. The run was led by Sam who's enthusiasm for squats was matched only by his determination to get us lost. We ran up the Holloway (again), which at least kept us warm in the almost freezing temperatures.

Lettuce Begin

We managed to find Virginia in the darkness, she had several tasks for us, and we split into groups to tackle each. Emily, Sam, and Steve found building a new compost bin more pallet-able than shifting the smelly tank of compost tea. Joe, Mark, Chris, and Dan set to moving some flagstones - Mark managed to break his second shovel in three weeks, well done Mark. Mary got her hands on a saw and the rest of us moved the compost tea and built a new fence with the remaining pallets.

Coming Up

The Christmas Party is coming up on 16th December, so get signed up.

Everyone's been booking flights for Budapest, it's not too late to join.

A soggy 8k run this evening with a “Gert Big” hill thrown in for the lucky 14 who braved the weather showing true grit to keep fit.

The Task

To paint some community banners at St Phillips and St James’s church in Odd Down and emulsion a wall in this rather large room.

Welcome Christopher ... wow!!! Another great runner in Bath.

A few announcements before we took to the hill Well done to Pascale who ran a marathon in Majorca last week... Hip Hip!! Good Luck to Ollie who’s running The Athens Marathon on Sunday .. Hip Hip!!! Cllr Goodman though you guys were great last week... so fab stuff for doing what you do every week.

Superman Sam was leader of the pack tonight with Lovely Mary back marking on one of our longer runs out to a task so no time for that extra fitness stuff for us this evening. We had a lot to get done.

Indoors

Andy was our host this evening and he was ready and waiting to direct the troops to their allotted task and a wall in need of a coat of paint or two.

Some intricate work needed on the community banners, the boys on the blue and the girls all yellow and must say you can tell who applies make up with some nifty brush Work going on. You can just make out the crib with baby Jesus in amidst the rays of sunlight, the local school children will be finishing them off tomorrow.. Fabulous stuff!!

We also enjoyed a little history lesson before leaving on how St James’s Church was bombed during the war and rebuilt in 1956. St Phillips was unaffected.

Thankfully the run back was a downhill affair but I’m sure they’ll agree that strava elevation looked mighty impressive and let’s face it the rain was very cooling tonight. That stretch out was much needed back at the leisure centre with a chat about the group pun, Thanks JOE for some great looping back and tonights edited pun.

The group enjoyed hearing about Bowen technique from Steph so here a link to explain, I really recommend http://www.bodyinbalancetherapies.com/

A reminder our Goodgym Charity Calendar is now on Sale, just £10 with profits going to the new cancer centre at the Royal United Hospital in Bath.

Christmas party is now up and listed so don’t miss a fun night and get signed up, a casual night of glowing balls and festive drinks https://www.goodgym.org/happenings/a-very-bath-christmas