The seasons have changed and there is a cooler air, darker evenings and we are surrounded by falling leaves.

This week we all met in the car park outside Ferndown Upper School and were delighted to see some returners!

Gayle having done her virtual marathon last year, hadn't managed to be back for a while and is finally back in the Goodgym spirit with us, ready to weed, clean, chat and run! Likewise Maria we haven't seen for a while, she came along to do exactly what we all know Goodgym can do for you - a chance to focus focus a task, chat to lovely people and run! All helping that mental fitness!

Becky was our task owner and regular runner, and as ever, planned for our support on the school community garden.

Robert was the first to find a decent strawberry missed ready for supper!

We were reminiscing about those that did the London Marathon this weekend- Elizabeth reminded us she was also a Couch Grad just like Rob only a few years ago, yet here they are both rocking out half marathons at the weekends!

We pulled up old strawberries, weeded around cabbages and pulled up some dead looking things before the light started to fade (lights needed next week!)

Esther, Gayle, Robert and Maria headed off into the depths of Ferndown's Bungalow Estates! The task was to run a 5k route but have sprint intervals down some of the small closes we passed. This was wonderful for the first few, but wasn't long before that 5k felt really far! But we plodded on for a steady finish, our mouths probably moving more than our legs!

Wonderful to see everyone and great we can help the school with their community garden!

No sign of Ciara as runners bundled into Daveena's cafe around 6.20pm ready for another night of it!

Great to welcome back from holidays Jane and Patricia who both only got back in the last 48 hours from exotic locations (well Iceland and Eastern Europe...!)

It was also super to see Ali join us again tonight after a few weeks break - Ali is very much part of the Goodgym family here and has been missed! Nicola you are definitely rocking that Goodgym top!

Briefing was a little earlier at 6.25pm due to the longer run with a quick warm up on the garage forecourt before heading up North Road. Marie led the group on the up along with Tim who is looking pretty strong at the moment!

The only way really was up, North Road followed by Ringwood Road and onto the School off Herbert Avenue. It was the first time we have visited Manorside and it was great that the on site manager, Jay lives next door to the school to greet us at the task!

Jay had a skip ready and a load of different waste to be collected from various parts of the area to all go in it. Splitting off into sections there was a team on plastics. Turns out they were pretty long - I have seen the footage and Ali you really did get the 'long' straw when you carried it over! Sian took a serious view on the task in hand - and jumped quickly into the empty skip, attempting to ensure all items were placed in order. That was forgotten around half way through when bits of carpet, leaking containers and old toys were getting launched at her feet!

It was pretty dark at the school but random items from various places were all getting thrown into the skip - although on reflection we cold have done with some thicker gloves for a few items. One small casualty was Robert and his finger but it was still attached on leaving and no signs of blood so all good I hope!

Jay let us into the school to get cleaned up, although sign of the hard work and earning of our stripes in mud! The half an hour was already up but the skip was full and all items inside it. Jay was a happy site manager and I hope we can support the school again in the future.

Thanks to Patricia for taking the back marker post - it was good to be on the down on the way back - such a wind chill had appeared so we kept moving to return back to base for a quick stretch!

Tonight we also had an open social for anyone who wanted to come - so onto the local Sloop 8 of us went! We will be making it a bi-monthly or so affair so Easter will be the next one!

Ps Thanks to Liz for extra photos including the return of the random Kettle!

It was around 2pm when the messages starting to roll in - 'is it still on tonight? I've nearly been blown into the road... its wet and cold...is it safe?'

Absolutely we were happening tonight - not even storm Brendon could stop us in our paths! We are Goodgym runners!

Ok so just a little tweek to get to task directly for 6.45 was decided on. Then a confirmation email to our lovely head teacher Helen Armstrong who was coming back to the school after an all day meeting off site to be there to show us the brushes!

Pulling up on the forecourt at Daveena's it was a relief to see Richard in the car next to mine - there was at least going to be 2 of us! 10 minutes later and the total was 8 hardcore runners all looking a bit apprehensive in the back courtyard of Daveena's.

Only this week I was listening to a podcast by Dr Chatterjee (Feel Better, Live More - highly recommend it!) and his guest was James Wallman. The topic being 'Time and how to spend it'. In the podcast, when you consider your time and how it can make you happy - one of the recommendations is to spend some of it doing something for others, whether it is a favour for a friend or a neighbour or even for your community (Goodgym - tick!). Another recommendation was to do something with a story - a little risk! That risk taking can be jumping out a plane, it could just be doing that run in biblical type weather! (Goodgym tonight - Tick!). If you don't listen to podcasts by the way and are often short of time - it is a great way to hear interesting interviews, gain knowledge, hear comedies, stories or anything you are interested in. I download them for free for a run once a week or so via an app so go check it out!

Onto the run tonight - agreed that a 1 mile route would be great to take us up the lovely little opportunity that is Birds Hill and the surrounding roads for just 10 mins or so before heading into the school. Just a short breather whilst crossing the road - otherwise it was onwards! Great to see Patricia tonight join us as part of RED Janruary - a great cause to support people to manage mental health with exercise.

On arrival at the school, we were met by Helen who was once again all ready for us with a classroom with paint, cupboards pulled out, sheets down etc! (great caretaker!). Wwe all love a painting task and with plenty of brushes and rollers we were off - expert cutting in by Sian and reaching great heights (with the help of a chair!) was Richard. Tim and Gayle took turns at being quality controllers, looking for those white spots! Topic for tonight was appropriate to St Mary's School - books of Bible - Yep Esther is one of the only 2 female books in bible! However Elizabeth had a mention and Tim was a pretty important Apostle too - the rest of you...well if your names not down...

Given the weather, we had time at the task to do anther room and delighted to find the French room was a lovely dirty wall for painting making it that bit more noticable we had been! Thanks again to the caretaker for having it all ready for us! 

Tasks complete - time for a 1 mile run home but with a little down hill to boost the amount of rain and wind in your faces, making us feel that but more invincible (but happy to go home for a cuppa and a shower!)

Definately good use of our time tonight I would say!