After the wild days of the January Challenge (smashed it, well done team) a super 17 showed up for the first Group Run of February.

Running through wild winds, rain and hail, these super heroes attracted more than a few seconds glances as we headed right through the city centre. We made good time and were greeted warmly by Warehouse Manager Jo and her boys with a stack of crates ready for sorting. The Foodbank received loads of extra donations in December and our task was to help sort the items. Each item was sorted into boxes according to its best before date and type.

After a few minutes of getting used to where each food type was located, the team speeded through a stack of crates, with another pile added with just ten minutes to go. With our backs to the clock, all of the crates were sorted before the time came to head back to base. Brilliant work team!

Big shout out to newbies Farnaz, Georgia and Lucy who all got really stuck in at the task and easily kept pace too. We'd love to see you again soon.

After the task there wasn't much time for a fitness session, but we used the warehouse car park to get everyone's heart beats nice and high with a 3-minute game of tig. But before the 3 minutes were up, the amazing IT team of Baptiste, Will and Effie managed to tig everyone!

The return journey was made extra exciting by traffic lights, hills and hail. But everyone dug deep and we made it back to base a little after 8pm. Well done team!

Next week we're in the city centre once again, sorting donations at Scope. Don't forget to sign-up here.

PS. Holiday alert! If you'd like to join the Liverpool X Cardiff Welsh Weekender make sure you sign-up here PLUS complete the booking form and pay the deposit by Wednesday 12 February. If you'd like to contribute to the Friendship Fund you can do so here, and if you'd benefit from some financial support have a quiet word with me in confidence.

19 runners warmed their cockles by getting fit and doing good with GoodGym Liverpool, despite a chilly evening.

With lots of our regulars taking an impromptu night off, the team might have been smaller than usual... but not when Amy H. is around! Amy brings a new standard to the suggestion of "bring a friend" and likes to bring not just one friend, but a whole cheering squad! Well done Amy, you are our recruiter No. 1!

With a pretty simple, downhill and super short run to the task, you'd think that nothing could go wrong getting there. Alas, I seem to have some geographical mind block when it comes to the Pagoda Centre but after a nervous hesitation, we didn't go too far off course (compared to last time we ran there at least!).

We were greeted by Zilan and the sight of an office worth of furniture stacked up in the main hall. A very patient group were also trying to enjoy a Tai Chi session next to this mess and with our team stomping around. Oh dear!

Zilan explained that the Pagoda Centre (Liverpool's Chinese youth and community centre) hasn't been painted in at least 10 years... maybe more. So we got to work smartening the place up, tackling the main office, three bathrooms and a corridor. It was a tricky job, working in close proximity to each other, to walls and furniture, as well as some dodgy paint and some rough drips. But all in all, we left the place in a much better state than we found it, feeling fresh and bright.

A big shout out and welcome to so many newbies: Davey, Esme, Ellie, Casey, Tafwauli and Fiona - you all did a fab job and we'd love you to run with us again soon!

After the task, it was uphill back to base. We stopped half way for a quick fitness session with half the group tackling hill (slope!) sprints and the other half doing some strengthening and conditioning drills. Everyone gave it there all.

Fantastic work folks, so great to have you on board!

Next week is our BIG CHRISTMAS RUN when we'll be jingling all the way to the Liverpool Irish Centre followed by drinks at Liverpool Arts Bar. Find out more and sign-up here.