17 runners ran 6km to tidy up at the Giraffe House Comunity Centre

Southwark News

• This Saturday is the GoodGym Olympics at Parliament Hill Athletics track. If you're not registered for an event come and cheer, eat cake (there's a bake off) and drink beer! If you can't make the day, come join us at the after party at the Vine pub in Highgate from 6pm.

• 15th July is the British 10k and GoodGym are taking over a water aid station! You get a free Virgin race place for volunteering, a hat and a tshirt!

• If you're interested in the Team 100 scheme that Vernon told us about last night - please fill out this form. You can find out more at the reach volunteering website.

That's enough of the business!

17 runners gathered last night at Old Spike Roastery to enjoy a glorious summer evening and some do-gooding. Big shout out to Charlotte, Helen and Jordan who joined us for the first time last night and also Chi who's on a whirlwind GoodGym tour, bringing core sessions and 1km reps to everyone! Thanks Chi!

We split into two groups post warm-up. Beth leading one at party pace and Lucy leading a group wanting to stretch their legs a little. By perfect synchronicity we arrived at exactly the same time by the BMX park in Burgess Park where we met Vernon. The group has helped out Vernon many times but it's my first visit! The site is amazing and whilst there Vernon showed me the Tigers Club House which is in need of a lick of paint from us in a few weeks time. Can't wait! On site we met Franco, a Sicilian chef who's just started volunteering at the Giraffe House. He's currently working on a bed for tomato plants that he will tend with groups of volunteers. Ultimately he wants to set up a kiosk in the park selling his tomato sauce. Sounds like a job for GoodGym!

There was loads to get done last night! We split into three groups:

• Moving scrap wood
• Litter picking/general clear up
• Sifting the new tomato flower bed for stones and unwanted items with chef Franco

30 minutes whizzed by! With all the wood shifted, flower beds mostly sifted (Franco couldn't keep up with you!) and the car park looking super tidy - Chi treated us to a short (but hard!) core session. The session involved planks, bicycles, scissor kicks and more. Cores pleasantly aching, we bid our farewells to Vernon and Franco and headed off.

#GGOlympics2018

Before leaving, we had the opportunity to complete a 1km rep to put on Strava to count towards Southwark's standing in the GoodGym Olympics Nationwide Race. Beth led a group home whilst 6 of us stayed to do our 1km rep. Chi has been doing these on his GoodGym tourism so far and is hoping to get his 1km time down to 03:29. 1km is further than you think it is! Really great running from everyone. Don't forget to hashtag the Strava activity #GGOlympics2018 and link your strava to your GoodGym profile to make it count!

What a gorgeous evening to spend with you all. I was treated to a really beautiful sunset on the way home.

Looking forward to seeing you next week - we're running 3km total to do some gardening at Grove Park Allotments.

Keep running happy! Lucy