Firstly, HAPPY NEW YEAR! Tonight was our first group run of 2019 and, although it was a pretty cold evening, 24 runners turned up to get fit and do good.

Welcome to GoodGym Cardiff!

We all met in the Big Moose Cafe. The Big Moose Cafe is our fantastic meeting point, and like us, their mission is to make the world a better place!

When the clock struck 6.30 we made our way outside to here the pre-run briefing and to warm up. No red laces were earned tonight as nobody brought a friend along, however we had Paige join us for the first time - WELCOME PAIGE :D We hope you come running with us again! We congratulated mission runners, parkrunners and coach runners. Emma and Ellen told us about their wonderful mission to help clean an older persons windows and Ben and Nathan told us about their mission to help clear Mrs R's driveway of leaves and moss - Both tasks made a huge difference! We then did a headcount. Part of the headcount included everyone stating their running goal/new years resolution for 2019. The list included;

• Running a 100 mile race
• Completing an ultra-marathon
• Running a sub 4 hour marathon
• Doing 4 half marathons in 1 year
• Coming up with at least 1 pun that gets used as a title for a run report
• Winning the tweet-off at least once
• Making the most of every weekend.

Really fantastic goals everyone - Make sure you stick at them!

Okay guys, let's get warmed up with a game of Stuck in the Mud - The Dance version!

This game is very similar to stuck in the mud, however there is a twist. Instead of standing legs apart and arms stretched when you get tagged, you have to do a dance move continuously until you are saved. You can only be saved if somebody copies your dance move for 5 seconds.... It was a fantastic game and it was a huge hit. There were some questionable dance moves, some tango, and maybe even some slow Marvin Gaye style of dancing!

Welcome to the Samye Foundation - Who's not been here before?

Lorraine and Yin greeted us like old friends. With smiles on their faces, they invited us in from the cold, offering us water to hydrate ourselves. Lorraine asked if anyone hadn't been to Samye before; she provided them with some information about the centre and told them about the fantastic work they do there.

We didn't want you being disappointed... so we have LOADS of tasks for you lot tonight :D... Again, music to our ears. Our tasks included:

• The furthest building on the left needed the walls painting inside it
• Cupboard shelves needed stuff moving off them
• The furthest building on the right, the top flat required a trampoline putting away and doors painting.
• Tiles needed to be moves from the front of the building to the back.
• A shower basin and glass needed to be moves from the furthest left hand side building to the flat that was at the top of the building on the right.
• The ceiling needed painting in the kitchen.

Everyone got stuck straight into all of the tasks tonight... it was clear that people had missed GoodGym after a 2 week break! Some antics included;

• Aimee and Emma spent some time figuring out how to get a trampoline under a bed...
• Sophie and Paige shouted warnings to one another when the door they were painting needed to be opened
• Welsh Dave had spontaneous laughter that continued for the whole time he was carrying a shower
• Welsh Dave and Darren began having a conversation with Henry the Hoover
• Mikey managed to collude with Emma and put his hand in front of Emma in the group photo.

Thank you so much for your help... Now have some sandwiches

As a thank you, Lorraine and Yin had kindly prepared us an array of sandwiches, there was even a gluten free option too!

After saying our goodbyes we then began our run back to Big Moose.