It was an early start for a group of GoodGymmers this fine Sunday morning as we came together to set up the Otterspool prom water station for the Liverpool half marathon. Three GoodGym members were taking part, Vikky, Roz and Emma, while Sallyann was running the Bath half marathon the same day. We were looking forward to cheering on our friends along with the rest of the runners, and got going setting up our tables either side of the route. As we prepared by unpacking crates of water bottles from a shipping container, opening the bottles and screwing the tops back on so they were ready to hand out, there was a growing sense of anticipation as we waited to see the first runners pass by. Not many of the leading runners wanted water, leading to the teams on each side of the path competing to hand out water to those who did and jokingly boasting about our bottle tallies. This was soon forgotten as we began to get steadily busier and were very quickly deluged with runners as the main body of the race passed by. Even though our stock of prepared bottles filled three trestle tables, it vanished very quickly and everyone was working flat out either unpacking bottles or handing them out. We were so overwhelmed that eventually we had to give up unscrewing them, something that has never happened before in our time running the water station for this race - there were 9 thousand runners this year, an increase of about 2 thousand on previous years, and it really made a difference! Despite how intense it was we kept up a cheer for all the athletes as they passed, and when we spotted Roz, Emma and Vikky we made sure to shout extra loudly for them. As the race drew to a close we turned our attention to our next big task - collecting up all the bottles the runners had thrown behind them. Charmaine, who happened to be passing by on a walk, got stuck in to help which was amazing, and even signed up as a GoodGym member later that day - a big thank you, Charmaine! With the extra help we powered through the clean-up and collected a staggering 52 rubbish sacks full of plastic bottles. We were all quite sobered to see the scale of plastic waste and are really hoping to see a more sustainable solution for next year's run. As for this year though, it was hard work but good fun and made enjoyable by the camaraderie and conversation of the GoodGym team - huge thanks and kudos to everyone!

This Sunday saw the return of the BTR Liverpool Santa Dash, the biggest and longest established Santa Run in the UK. Fun fact - in 2005 it achieved Guinness World Record status for the Biggest Santa Gathering!

This year Goodgym were once again enlisted to help with the 1k mini dash for under 12’s. After stopping by the official finish line for a few mins to clap some of the 5k runners over the line and admire the beautiful winter scene being created by the snow machine, we headed over to the mini dash start to help usher the children (and their parents/guardians who were showing a whole range of enthusiasm levels…) to the correct place. The big crowd of mini Santas was a great sight!

With the sea of mini dashers on their way, we legged it over to the finish to use our ushering skills once again to make sure all the children got to the right place to collect their thoroughly deserved medal and chocolate. Here we were joined by Pauline, although it took us far too long to realise it was her behind the awesome blue wig and Santa beard! Well done to Pauline and family for completing the 5K dash and to everyone for clocking up a festive Sunday morning good deed!

Whilst most of the city were still asleep Heetu and Sallyann set off across the Mersey to the beautiful village of Port Sunlight to help out with the BTR Port Sunlight run events. Three runs - a 5k, a 10k and a childrens 1k.

We were partnered up with three Running Bugs and a Kirkby Miler to make a fantastic team. Together we set up the finishing area with all the finishing goodies, put together the children's goody bags and handed out water, bananas, cliff bars, hydration packs, foot lotion and Chai Latte sachets to the very hot grown up runners and the goody bags to the (very speedy) children.

It is sometimes easy to take part in the runs and not take into consideration the hard work that goes into the events - it felt a privilege to give back to an event and help out Thanks to BTR for the opportunity and The Running Bugs and Kirkby Milers for great team work and company

On a lovely crisp, bright and slowly warming, early Sunday morning a fabulous five GoodGymers got together at the 9 mile point of the BTR Liverpool Half Marathon to set up a water station. Experience of previous water station tasks meant the team came equipped with rubber gloves (makes a HUGE difference when opening hundreds of screw top bottles, guarding against the usual blisters!), litter pickers for the post run clean up, the GoodGym flag to fly, and some warmed up voices ready to cheer and cheer and cheer!!

We were in the middle of Otterspool so surrounded by trees and just by the gorgeous Mersey River, a beautiful place to spend a spring Sunday morning.

Setting up a table either side of the route, filled with opened water bottles ready for the first runners and then the crowds, we handed out bottles as people hurtled past us, catching their names on their bibs and shouting well done, you're doing great, you got this, and other phrases of encouragement for what felt like a thousand times. All while swiftly opening more and more bottles ready to hand out, working at speed to keep up with the crowds. But the real work began when it was time to clear up the sea of discarded water bottles stretching from the tables and all the way down the prom.

We worked hard emptying out the remaining water in each bottle (watering all the plants as we went) and filling a whopping 36 bin bags! With offerers of help from a couple of young kids and a group of older women on their way for Sunday lunch and lots of thank you's from passers by.

To be fair it took us a good while to clear the entire stretch but the sheer satisfaction of looking back and seeing it all clean, and fresh with no trace of 2000 runners that had just raced, jogged and plodded through was worth every minute.

A huge well done to all who took part in the half and 10 miler including GoodGym friend Jak and new member RJ!!

Once upon a time, on a cold December morning, an elf, a Santa ( who dressed on the bus) and a colourful personality met up at the port of Liverpool building thinking to themselves what the hell are we doing?!?

Santa met her friendly elf from the bus in Queens Square before skipping ( mostly because she was still trying to fix her pants) through town towards the waterfront.

Once the other Santa's started to arrive Ema, Pauline and myself were put to work directing the reds and blues to the start line ready for the Santa dash!

As the Santa's started to run through the start line, Pauline, Jess and myself joined in and completed the dash while Ema, Jo and Roz got ready.

Post dash (to which I finished first out of the group... yes its never going to happen again so I get to brag for once!), the magical six joined together like Santa's reindeers to help hand medals and selection boxes to the mini Santa's with the help of the cadets.

The scene was magical, there was snow( well bubbles), a live drumming band, Christmas music playing, characters on stilts, Santa's everywhere and lots of smiles from young and old.

Another great day, a great cause, bling for the dashers and as always great company. Lots of smiles, lots of dancing and lots of laughs. It's official. Christmas has come to Liverpool!

The Liverpool Half Marathon and 10 Miler are a key date in the city's running calendar, and when a call came up for people to help with support on the day, we were very happy to step in. Our role was to run the 9 mile water station, just as the runners come up to Otterspool Prom to start their route back to the finish at Pier Head in the city centre. Jo was first on scene just before 8am to pick up the van keys from Alan, the race director, shortly afterwards joined by Steph, then Ro, Ema, Pauline and Mat. Among other things, we learned that it is much more efficient to decide on the final position for your tables BEFORE putting all the little water bottles out. However, with a bit of careful lifting we maneouvred the tables without too much drama. Then all we had to do was proudly display our GoodGym banner and wait for the first runners to come through. There was great teamwork today with Steph replenishing one table, Ro and Ema the other, Pauline directing people as they approached the area, Mat clearing away the empties, and Jo doing a bit of everything. By around 11.15 after nearly three hours and a lot of cheering, we were finished and ready to pack up and retreat to the nearby cafe for some well earned refreshment.