*What a monumental task *

Tonight's task was a last minute change to go to Brickmakers Wood and help move (literally) a ton of logs. They have had some dangerous and dying trees felled on their site. However the work couldn't continue until the humungus pile of logs were moved to create space to carry on. So that was our job.

This was one of those night's when I think " I'm not sure we can get this done in the time we have" However once again I was happily proved wrong.

After a quick briefing from Rob the logs were flying into wheelbarrows and speedily transported into the warehouse were a stacking team were building wildly.

There were some serious sized logs and the "clearing" team were building up quite a sweat moving the wood to be loaded onto wheelbarrows for the "transport" team.

Rob couldn't quite believe the speed and rapid progress - and I was seriously impressed with how much was achieved in such a short time - amazing teamwork and a thoroughly worthwhile task.

After all the phyisicality of the log lifting and stacking and wheel barrow pushing; I wasn't sure what the appetite would be for "parlouf" relay on the run back. ..... Ho w wrong could I be ? With the team paired up, and coned circuit marked out there was more serious effort and high five slapping... in between gasps for air!

A gentle cool down run back to base ended one of our most physical tasks, but Goodgym Ipswich smashed it!

A big welcome to Nick(https://www.goodgym.org/runners/nick-ridler) and Richard(https://www.goodgym.org/runners/richard-fryatt) making their Goodgym debut this evening!

Our original task of outdoor painting was cancelled due to the rain and replaced with a check up of a small section of the National Cycle Network route 51, which runs through Ipswich and out towards Stowmarket and Bury St Edmunds on behalf of SUSTRANS.

Kerry and Robin led the way on the run out as I had to transport the litter picking kit to our start point, arriving just in time to meet the team and distribute equipment - with the new "hoops" supplied by Ipswich Borough Council being a big hit...... for hula hooping as wells as holding bags!

As well as keeping the cycle path clear of debris we cleaned up a few cycle path signs and cut back a small amout of foilage to keep signs clear and easy to spot.

With the check complete we combined the bags to be collected in the morning and set up for a pairs interval session using the cycle path. New boy Nick made lots of new friends suggesting 4 circuits was a good number to do!

There was lots great effort and heavy breathing in between muttered swearing before a comprimise of 3 circuits was negotiated!.

A steady run back to base for the first time in darkness empahsised summer is ending as well as the team photo picking out Daniela's reflective jacket looking like a spectacular, glowing waist coat!

Next week we head to Brickmakers Wood and celebrate Goodgym's national 10th Anniversary and plan (another) trip to the pub post task! All the details are Here #GG10

Goodgym Ipswich 2nd birthday celebrations got underway with a huge cheer for Tom achieving his 50th good deed and a warm welcome to Joe joining us for the first time.

Acknowledging 2 years since our launch there were 6 people who were there on the first ever Goodgm Ipswich group run - Steve, Eleanor, Libby, Robin, Nicola and Hayley - thank you for your loyalty and company over the last 24 months!

So the plan for the evening was to complete the task - Our last tour of Elmers Big Parade (which has brought so much joy and a great atmosphere to Ipswich during the summer) - cleaning and polishing the elephants for the final time before they disappear this weekend and get to the pub for a birthday social!

We started with a warm up game "Black Shirts" v "Red Shirts" competing to retain a tennis ball - no running with the ball and only holding the ball for 5 seconds max. It was very competetive with the ball flying around and changing teams several times. However the game was abandoned when (after a couple of close calls) the ball ended up out of bounds among traffic!

So we set off around the elephant trail with water spray, cloths and dusters in hand. This was to be a shortened route to the previous times we hand undertaken the same task...... along the Waterfront and through the town centre, stopping briefly for a few step up circuits, stair running and interval sprints.

Once again elephants were washed and buffed as we ran through the streets and as if it had been planned.......we finished cleaning the last elephant right outside the pub!

Happy Birthday Goodgym Ipswich!

A few heavy showers prior to our departure made tonight's elephant washing task slightly easier with all the sculptures on Elmers Big Parade getting a good soaking.

After a quick red shirts v black shirts warm up game of "tag" we set off with the aim of covering most of Elmers Big Parade and cleaning as many of the elephants as posssible.

Along the way and in between washing and polishing, we carried out various "fit" challenges including press ups, dips, step ups and steps circuits and even a few interval sprints.

A multitude of photos were taken with a variety of elephants across Ipswich town centre. It was lovely bumping into families out walking the trail and even offering to help us with the cleaning!

With just over 3 miles completed, 30+ elephants cleaned and checked for damage (and only one heavy rain shower) we were back at our Waterfront base for a cooldown stretch.

The Elmers Big Parade really has brought a great feel to Ipswich over the summer, with literally thousands of people visiting to see the elephants. It's been wonderful for Goodgym to play a small part in helping maintain the amazing sculptures.

After a few weeks celebrating a run of 50 good deed milestones, we had a quieter night welcoming THREE people making their Goodgym debut and there were biscuits to celebrate my 100th Goodgym deed!

WelcomeRebecca, Miranda and Ayse

Tonight's task was just a short run to Brickmakers Wood where Rob met us and was eager to get going on a fairly significant task.

Brickmakers Wood has a gigantic indoor warehouse area and the electrics had malfunctioned leaving virtually no lighting. An electrician would repair the lights but needed a scaffold tower to reach each of the lightin units. However all along the path the scaffold tower needed were huge amounts of wood scrap metal and various other treasures being stored.

Rob needed a clear runway created so the electrician could move from unit to unit, This did look like a big job..... but in Goodgym style the team got stuck in moving everything from furniture to iron fencing and celotex boards to logs and pallets.

The runway was created in super quick time with Rob phoning the electrician while we were finishing off to tell him to come tomorrow! Rob estimated it would have take more than a day to complete and Goodgym sorted it in less than 30 minutes including time to eat the celebration biscuits!

With the job complete we had a quick tour to revisit areas we had worked on previously inculding the pond and ampitheatre area - really beautiful on a lovely sunny evening.

We then headed into Alexandra Park for some relay intervals on the flat and with a a few hill efforts too - oh how we all laughed!!

Then a short run back to base for a quick stretch - another top night with GG Ipswich.

Next week we are helping Ipswich Soup Kitchen - find out more and sign up HERE

Congratulations on a landmark 50 good deeds achieved tonight by Keith

Welcome to Nathan who was making his Goodgym debut on one of our longest runs and farewell to Jamie who was making a final appearance before heading off to New Zealand - best wishes from all of us.

Before we left we celebrated the achievements of those who had run the Ipswich Twilight 10k through the town centre on a hot and humid Friday evening.

Arriving at the Castle Hill Community Centre there appeared to have been a breakdown in communication as Trevor had been expecting us until a late message this evening., However Trevor leapt into action finding brushes ladders and creosote for painting an outbuilding we had started on a visit a few weeks ago.

With a long side and a short end of the building to be done the team spread out and made light work of the task, even having time to eat (while painting) chocolate cake Keith had provided to celebrate his 50 milestone... delicious, thank you!

The return run was a steady pace social run through the town with no appetite for any intervals given the exertions on Friday.

So the black shirts are becoming more prevalent with Keith joining the ranks - I'm very proud of all GG Ipswich participants and particular kudos to those reaching 50 good deeds and earning that black shirt.

Next week we are making the short journey to Brickmakers Wood - more info and sign up Here

** Big Congratulations Lizzie on hitting 50 good deeds done on this task**

Welcome to Ian and Pratyush who made their Goodgym debut on last night's Group Run - We hope you enjoyed the evening and we'll see you again soon.

It was hot, hot, hot in Ipswich as we set off for a run around the massively popular Elmers Big Parade to clean the elephant sculptures and check for any damage on behalf of St. Elizabeth Hospice.

This was our third time doing this task but with over 50 elephants to check we know we won't cover the whole trail in one go, so we headed off in the opposite direction to last time along the Waterfront then through the town centre and into Christchurch Park before turning back towards town and back along the Waterfront - around 4 miles in total!

A quick warm up (not really needed) game of tag with the black shirts being "it" got hearts beating and temperatures raised - with Lizzie earning her 50 shirt we will soon have more black shirts than red on the Group Runs.

Armed with cleaning materials we sprayed, washed, wiped and polished each elephant while also incorporating various challenges at each sculpture. - Squats, hill intervals, lunges, steps to name a few.

The very warm evening sapped strength and lots of water was needed not only to clean the elephants but also to keep runners hydrated!

The group was back marked by Steve and Daniela with Keith in charge of photography and promising some "moving" pictures - can't wait to see the emotional pics!

With around 30 elephants visited and left sparkling, it was a great night's work.

Next week we return to Castle Hill Community Centre to complete a painting job we started a few weeks ago - you can find all the info and sign up HERE

Huge congratulations to Adeline on completing her 50th good deed on tonight's group run

Our "Mammoth" task was in support of St Elizabeth Hospice and we were to run to as many of the Elephant sculptures onElmers Big Parade as possible, giving them a wash and polish where needed.

The trail has been set up for the summer with around 55 differently painted elephants dotted around Ipswich to form the Elmers Big Parade - named after the patchwork elephant in childrens books.

It was a great task, taking us around a large part of the Waterfront and town centre. (Thanks to Kerry for plotting the route) It was bright sunny evening and we saw families and several groups of cubs, brownies and guides following the trail. One group even called us "Legends" when they realised we were cleaning the elephants - we modestly accepted the complement!

In between we had some short burst of step ups, press ups and step running just to keep the excitement going!.

So we travelled almost 6k in total and checked on about 30 of the elephants some need very little attention and one or two required a good rub down with the soapy water and cloths we were carrying. Time wouldn't permit us to get to them all but we wil be repeating this task 2 or 3 more times before the trail finishes and the sculptures are auctioned to raise funds for the Hospice.

A warm evening, a 5 mile run and a painting task (with loads of brushes) - it's another Monday in the life of Goodgym Ipswich!

We were off to the Castle Hill Community Centre - a regular destination for us and one of our longest runs right across Ipswich.

On arrival we were greeted by Shane, who was very well prepared for us with lots of brushes and several buckets of brown creosote ready to paint a large outbuilding.

Brushes were grabbed enthusiastically and the group dottted themselves around the building covering two of the walls. Some great teamwork was evident to paint the higher and lower areas - with delicate manouvering required to avoid brown paint splashes on the Goodgym T-shirts.

Within half an hour we had two sides completed and Shane couldn't quite believe the area covered which he estimated would have taken him 2 days on his own. We will return to completed the job soon.

Our return run was pleasant with various people "peeling off" on the way, but we escorted Nicola almost to her doorstep with an adjustment to our usual route.

Next week is the second of our Elmers Big Parade runs - checking the elephants are keeping clean and being looked after in their temporary homes around Ipswich - Find out more and sign up here