Allot more fun than expected with a drag race and speed staking
45 GoodGymers made their way 3.0km to help the Friends of St Pauls and Hull Road Park in York.
- Monday, 8th of April 2019
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Led by
York runner
She/her
45 GG Yorkies completed two huge multi-part tasks!
It was another night for celebration as Vicky ran her 50th good deed and got to run in the Cape of Good Deeds - go Vicky (make sure you give her a big cheer)!
We also welcomed along Chris for his first ever GoodGym run, extra exciting because Chris is one of the founding members of GoodGym in Harrogate and is working hard to bring another GG to North Yorkshire.
Our warm-up (and subsequent fitness session) was a test of coordination and concentration as we introduced new game, Slappy Slappy Point Point. Leanne and I demonstrated rather badly but some people picked up the concept straight away. See the video below!
I led a team out to St Paul's C of E School's allotment in Holgate, where we were met by Charlotte and three of the teachers from the school too, they were already busy digging up weeds. Our jobs list was hefty:
- Clear the whole bed on the right of the entrance
- Clear the weeds from the wood pile
- Sand and paint the yellow bench
- Sand the three picnic benches
- Completely weed and clear four large and four small raised beds
- Empty out the two plastic compost bins and put compost in (newly cleared) raised beds
Not only that but in the process we added two new tasks to the list:
- Relocate the waste from the compost piles into the emptied compost bins
- Get the bug hotel open for business
Esther, Maddy and Laura seemed to unearth a nest of frogs and so carefully went about popping them back into the beck, which Carl and Paul had now cleared the way for by weeding an area along the fence line.
Caped-Vicky and Nick were busy getting all the lovely compost out of the bins to top up the newly-weeded raised beds whilst Debs was on a mission to restore the bug hotel to it's former glory.
The three picnic benches were sanded down in no time at all and looked much better for it, whilst the yellow bench to a little more elbow grease. Zoe has a sure-fire way to check it was sanded effectively prior to painting.
If I rub it and it doesn't hurt me, it's fine.
We had one last dash to take many filled bags to the van just outside the allotment before we attempted some Slappy Slappy Point Point fitness variations with squats instead of slaps and lunges instead of points. Success was limited. Mel and Katie absolutely nailed the original version and were going so fast nobody could stop them, whilst Zoe and Helen created their own interpretive dance version.
After the run back, Vicky announced she'd made Creme Egg cookies and they were the best ever.
Tim's team ran to the lovely Hull Road Park. They trotted in on our lovely hand-crafted path which we'd constructed over winter and were quickly set to task in 4 separate areas by Rachael and Kristina. The areas were spread out all over the park so Tim covered a lot of extra mileage in his run leading duties.
In the first team was by newbie Chris from the wannabe-future-Harrogate-GoodGym folk and parkrun-tourist-extraordinaire Tom, they got stuck in. Their job was clearing the remaining waste from a composting area and dragging it all the way over to where it could be picked up by a skip later this week.
"Love a good Drag" - Tim's louder than intended response to the task
The second team met their match with some surprisingly deep rooted plants that needed clearing so they can install a new bench. The plants lured Tom D into a false sense of security sending him tumbling as it snapped earlier than he expected.
The third team were there to pop the last remaining bits of self-binding path gravel down on our path. They might have laid it on a bit thick as it ran out just short of completion but some frantic scraping of sand just about got the job done!
The fourth and final team were tasked with speed-staking wooden stakes into the ground to protect some newly planted flowers from the lawnmowers. Their mission was to speed through it so they could run to the aid of the other teams. Craig and Max both for a boost of enthusiasm when Tim told them how much destruction was happening elsewhere.
After collecting up all the tools, there was just enough time for a quick fitness themed slappy slappy pointy pointy game/coordinated falling over if you watch Pete and Max's video (standby for link).
With so many tasks happening they overran slightly so were all super out of breath on arrival back at the Priory Street Centre after a fast run; husband and wife dream team John and Lauren Forecast even raced for a sprint finish. Unfortunately Lauren went the wrong way handing John the lead. But don't worry Lauren next time you'll have him!
Only a few of Vicky's amazing cookies were left so we incorporated a stretch and walk-out-plank challenge for those who wanted one (read: everyone).
We shortlisted these entries for the Slappy Slappy Point Point competition, vite for your favourite by commenting below!
Report written by
York runner
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Led by Egg Cameron
Ex-Trainer for GoodGym York. Loves to LUNGE! Obsessed with parkrun, hills and puppies.
GoodGymers helping out
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Shrub tidying and tree guard removal at Ashton Park
Monday 18:15 - 20:00
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Ed Woollard
York CVS, Denham Room
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I think Craig and Ed were going for a little slap and tickle!! Hilarious 😂
So many great versions of slap slap point point:-)
Got to be Katie and Mel! Very coordinated!
Definitely teaching this one to my youth theatre groups. Thanks Egg! May need to rename it: Pat Pat Point Point doesn't sound quite so much fun!
Pete and Max get my vote.
Pete and Max for the win!
Pete and Max were definitely the best.
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