With bright blue skies and a nice big group of us, we were all set for our monthly trip down to Doddington roof garden last night. We kicked off the night with strides. This exercise is 20 or so seconds of running, growing incrementally faster, and are a great warm-up to help get the blood flowing to your legs and your heart rate elevated. Wee did four sets of these, with some of the group opting to increase the intensity by including a bit of hill - great effort!

We took a nice steady run down to the garden, which is a huge space run entirely by volunteers for the benefit of local people, so there was no time to lose! Malissa met us at the bottom of the stairs, giving us our first job of bringing up some heavy tiles for use in the garden. We then took a whistlestop tour round the space, with tasks being given out as we passed the relevant spot.

There was loads to do, but the main job was getting the raised beds built up with top soil and compost so that vegetables could be grown. There are big plans to increase the produce, which will include carrots, brassica, potatoes, tomatoes and so much more, all to feed the community.

The place was soon a hive of activity, sped along by the discovery of a lightening quick way to crack into compost bags. No more fiddling with trowels and keys trying to break into the sacks!

The beds were filled, cardboard laid, compost shifted, and we even learned about a new planting process called the Milwaukee method. Every time we come we learn more and our fingers get just that little greener!

There was just time to shift that infamous marble table a few inches before we waved goodbye and headed downstairs for a fitness session that focused on glutes. That's right, it was all about that bass last night! We did sets of exercises focused on the major muscle group, which will not only help our form when running but prevent injury. Mixing it up between time based drills and reps, we gave those glutes and good work out.

It was also the monthly quiz last night - well done to our elite quizzing team!

Next week we have an earlier task at lunchtime helping a community association to empty and restock a storage cupboard. Hope to see you there.

We also have a really impactful mission coming up on 11th May to create a therapy garden at a nearby hospital for patients in rehab.You can find all the details and sign up here] (https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/support-a-therapeutic-gardening-initiative-for-the-rehab-ward-courtyard-at-springfield-hospital).

Have a happy week, GoodGym!

On a very sunny Saturday five goodgymers met at a community garden to help out. There were plenty of jobs to do. Some, such as planting strawberries and weeding, were more fragrant than others, such as turning over the compost (and discovering more worms than we’d ever seen before!) but they all made a big difference for a much loved local space. A big welcome to Leanne, Kevin, Carmelina and Phil, all of whom came to their very first session. Great to have you along and hope to see you again soon - hopefully for a less wormy task!