It was a night of highs and lows for Team Wandsworth last night, but as 90s rockpop sensation Chumbawamba (peaking at number 2 in the popular music charts) taught us in the late 90s, when you get knocked down you get up again, because nothing is going to keep us down. Words to live by, Chumbawamba.

This run report contains SEVEN sets of lyrics from bands from the 90s (not including the groups already named here). Some are more hidden than others. Who can get all seven?

Everybody get Down

It all started when our long-standing task (plus long run) got cancelled at the last minute, leaving a group of runners staring a very long fitness session square in the face. It was so cold that the ground was frozen, and no digging was going to be done tonight. We just had to roll with it. Thankfully, our friends at the amazing Omnibus Theatre had a good job ready and waiting for us to do. They needed the word spread about upcoming shows, and had several bags of leaflets ready to go.

Reach for the stars

It was a very chilly group of tough GoodGym runners who met at the BAC, but we are nothing if not a cheerful bunch, and we decided it was A Good Thing that it was so cold. It was character building, after all, and more importantly meant that we had to consume more calories to keep warm. So we said our hellos, and welcomed lovely new runners Phil and Danni to our group. Sorry about the timing mix up guys (slaps wrist), but great to have you on board!

We said well done to Tom, Matthew and Sarah who all raced in Battersea Park this weekend, and gave a big hat tip to Matthew, Jake and Luke who are all making waves on the heroes board. We also all gave ourselves a big pat on the back for being nominated in a category at the Wandsworth Sports Awards. Go us!

There was just time left for our weekly CoRunDrum (whose novel ‘The End of the Affair’ was set in Clapham, after the author lived on the north side of the common during the 30s?) before we set off for the theatre…happily unaware that our next knock was just around the corner.

Down, down, down , down , down, down-d-d-d-down

A speedy run to the theatre later, we arrived to find that there were no less than several hundred leaflets waiting for us to deliver. They had very kindly labelled and counted all of them for us, but we hadn’t realised just how far away the streets were for which they were destined. It was enough to turn us into basket cases. After some headscratching and discussion, the amazing task force leapt into action and we divided up into teams to tackle the problem. GoodGymers dispersed along with a ‘so long suckers’ from Sophie as her team sped off to their destination, while Dave volunteered to carry the heavy bags on the tube for us while others sprinted across the common. It was a hefty work out all round, with extra points going to Mark for sprinting like a trouper between each house. Racing back to the common, all GG teams assembled back outside, and even after a tough task, were ready for their fitness challenge.

She’s so High

We kicked off our final peak of the night with the Roxanne work out. Every time Sting wailed ‘Roxanne’, it was a burpee, with every ‘red light’ it was a press up. This was interspersed with other exercises and was a great way to warm up – and won us a few admiring (we like to think) stares from passing cyclists. After that we divided up into teams and took on various challenges including tuck jumps, supermans, squat holds and lunges, all split up with sprints. If that wasn’t enough to tire us out, we ended up the session with a relay race. Tough, but we want it that way. A big well done to Team Awesome, Team Awesome 2.0, Team Us, and Team Jordan Rules. Names need a bit of work, even if the sprinting was spot on ;)

With that, it was homeward bound for our stretches, and to crown this week’s CoRunDrum winner. Well done Lisa for being our most literary runner and knowing that Graham Greene lived in Clapham. As usual, a few of us stuck around afterwards to have a drink at BAC’s lovely bar. This happens most weeks – everybody always welcome! Next week we’re going down to Paul’s Cancer Support charity, a hugely important place for Wandsworth, to do some jobs for them. It’s an inside task so no need to worry about the cold – as always, we’re back for good. Sign up here: https://www.goodgym.org/happenings/run-to-help-paul-s-cancer-support-centre