Before we got started there were lots of notices, so here's a quick recap...

• Tomorrow there's a community mission at 1245 - details here
• Next week we're meeting at Hilsea Lido not at Fratton CC sign up here and bring your swimmers!
• Next Thursday there's a community mission to set up a Bollywood night.
• Next Saturday (6th July) there's the Southsea Beachwatch beach clean
• Next Sunday (7th July) there's the Great Salterns Litter Pick. Keep Judy company and have a nice cafe stop in Baffins afterwards!

As we'd had a lot of notices and a couple of last minute arrivals (no names mentioned here!) our warm up was incorporated into our run down to Goldsmith Avenue. Tracey and Jo North walked the hypotenuse of the triangle while we ran the two sides, with a bit of drama caused by Maura and a bollard on the way - not sure who won that fight but the first aid kit did have to come out! We all arrived within a few minutes of each other so no harm done.

We all set to work pulling up the weeds & cutting back trees in the garden of Diana House, PARCS building where they run groups and counseling services. We learnt that Jen has a personal vendetta against buddleia plants as she hacked her way through one - her and Sadik managed to completely dig it out by the end of the task. Steve was boldly path finding at the back of the garden and disturbed a bumble bee from its nest - so we decided that we should leave that area but use the moment for the run report title!

Charlotte was hiding in amongst the bushes and managed to still have tools in hand when time was called! Rachel was also still doing battle with the final stubborn bits of ivy on the fence and Kat was bailing out the fountain while Sam, Jen, Angela and Sadik rehang the solar lights.

A great job done by all (as usual). The PARCS staff commented that they couldn't believe how much we got cleared in the time. We easily filled the brown bin plus 10 bin bags! We were rewarded for our efforts with flapjacks / shortbread and bottles of water. After running the short route back to Fratton we did some half lap relays in the Rec to work up a good sweat (check out Maxine & Rosie with their flying feet on the photos!) and then headed back to the community centre for a slice of watermelon, kindly provided by Sam. Thanks Sam :)

See you all again soon for more GoodGym fun. Great to see all the red t-shirts now too!

This week's GoodGym runs are all in partnership with the Great Get Together celebrating what we have in common. We even had a few stickers and wristbands to give out too!

Tonight we welcomed 2 new runners, Steve and Mike - give them a cheer! Toni is now an old hand on run number 2!

No walkers this evening so we warmed up with a round of squats and balance learning about favourite cakes and first cinema visits. We also discovered that there aren't many members who are going to get their cricket team call up!

We then headed off the St Faith's to tackle the garden area which was being overtaken by bindweed. Maura, Charlotte, Steve and Mike were on litter picking duty and found plenty to fill the black bags (4 in total by the end). Interesting finds included a tree decorated with energy drink cans and a shop security alarm (which obviously didn't do it's job). All other hands were on deck with tackling the weeds in the garden. Several impressions of David Bellamy "wummaging awound in the undergrowth" with GoodGymers appearing from the middle of bushes! Kat contorted herself into the hedge to pull out a bottle, Jen used her bouldering skills to reach weeds and litter that others couldn't reach. Rachel stood by to take photos of the health and safety nightmare!! Jo found a frog (or toad) who wasn't best pleased at being disturbed. Almost everyone ended up covered in bits of green!

After a quick round of step ups and mountain climbers while the kettle boiled we were treated to a cuppa and a slice of cake or biscuits as a thank you for the hard work. Bonus!! And much enjoyed by all with the most direct route back to Fratton taken afterwards to try and prevent the cake stitch.

Our great get together truly was! It was lovely to see such a good number of people tonight.

Don't forget our social run on Friday (all welcome). Picnic after if the weather holds. Then we're back to Fratton to help out with the Great Get Together event at the community centre on Sunday, details here.

Next group run on Wednesday we're off to help PARCS with their garden. A new task location but not too far away. See you again soon

It's a busy time of year, making the most of the light evenings even if the weather isn't always quite what we'd like it to be!