On the last run before the Christmas break we were picking litter around the Marconi Ponds area near Central Park.

Eleven runners met up tonight and started with a warm up run including walking lunges, running backwards and knee grabs. Up to the high street with Rich tail running and Joel leading off. We ran down the side of the market with a controlled caterpillar run in two groups. Then into the park to pick up the litter picking equipment, a short walk across the bridge on the river Can and we begun picking the litter discarded on the pedestrian paths and soon cleared it up.

After the litter pick, we did quick fartlek sprints around the park with Rich blowing the whistle randomly to start and stop the sprints (I think he enjoyed that!)

We then headed back top the Uni with Kirk on a mission to get back first!

Thats the end of the group runs for 2019 but there is still a mission available on Sunday by joining Laurie & David at M&S bag packing by raising funds for Interact.

We return on the 8th January for our first group run of 2020

We had 17 runners this week, welcome to Alex for his first group run, hopefully he enjoyed and will sign up to get that coveted red shirt.

After welcoming evceryone to tonights run it was time to congratulate the Chelmsford 10k runners from Sundays race, Laurie, James G, Julie, Russell, Jenny and Catherine & Adam who weren't here tonight. Well done everyone and thanks to Andy & Rich for the support on the day.

This weeks task was back to interact to spread woodchippings around the muddy car park at the entrance to the house.

We set off from the Uni with Russell leading and James G tail running, the usual long pause at the traffic lights on Victoria road ensued!

At the high street with the Christmas lights glowing bright, we performed a caterpillar run all the way down to Stone Bridge across the River Can.

Arriving at Interact in Moulsham Mill we started to look for the woodchippings but they were nowhere to be seen, a phone call to Susie the task owner and it was established they just weren't where they were supposed to be.

However, Susie had a indoor task we could do, given the nippy conditions it was welcomed by everyone. The task was to move around office furniture and the office partitions. After a lot of lifting, pushing and pulling we set the office out as requested...hopefully! As usual at Interact, the biscuits and drinks came out before we departed for our run back.

Before we headed back, a 400m, paired handicapped race was set. Slowest pairs first with each of the others setting off at intervals I determined! :) The idea was to have everyone finish together, not quite achieved but it wasn't too bad a result. With some heavy breathing going on we headed back up the HIgh Street and onto the Uni for our warm down.

Don't forget to sign up for next weeks run!

A record attendance of 24 runners at Chelmsford tonight!

Welcome to Sallyann and Pat to their first Goodgym group run, we hope to see you again in future weeks.

This weeks news was about 10km races with Chelmsford forthcoming on the 17th November, looks like at least six runners are signed, unfortunately it is now sold out so if you fancied doing it, too late! The other was Billericay 10km ;last Sunday, well done to Joel, Rachel, James G and myself who all ran at the event.

Catherine also gave a reminder that tonight was last orders for the Xmas social as final numbers were required, it looks like 16 of us will be going to Zorba's!

Tonights task was to litter pick (Plogging: a recreational activity, originating in Sweden, that combines jogging with picking up litter) in a section of the park set away from the main routes. It was a 2k run to the park led by Rich with Russell and Catherine tail running. We collected the pickers and bin bags and set to picking up the litter along Meteor Way (did you know there is a minature railway there?) with 24 people it didn't take long so we headed back to Central Park to do an efforts session.

Tonights efforts was a 500m loop at a 10k pace and then a 300m loop at a 5k pace, this was repeated twice, a third one was planned but time ran out. Hopefully it will help the Chelmsford 10k runners, but will help anyone with the parkrun times.

Time to head back to Anglia Uni with a 2km jog back led by Joel, a good stretch down and then everyone headed off home. Thanks for coming along everyone and making it a record turnout.

Laurie will look forward to seeing you all next week for our trip to Interact.

Happy running