After last week turned into a rather soggy affair, we were all very glad to see the sun shining once again on a Tuesday night and had the pleasure of welcoming along three new runners Lauren, Sam and Elisa and GoodGym tourist Charlotte to the group. Following a run-down of all the achievements from the team in the past week, including stellar performances from all who attended the GoodGym Olympics (and have the bruises to prove it) and to Helen and Steph who took part in the RideLondon100, not to mention casually saving someone’s life (Lucy!), Beth kicked off the evening’s activities with a thorough warm-up consisting of many of our favourite limbering-up techniques; crab-shuffles, lunges, shooing-the-chickens – you know the drill!

Nicely limbered up we headed off on our 2.5km run through the streets of Hammersmith and Shepherds Bush, with a quick stop for Beth’s all-time favourite torture method, wall-sits. It wasn't long before we arrived at Askam Court, where we were met by Mirko, one of the residents who tends to the garden throughout the year and who had called on the mighty GoodGym Hammersmith and Fulham once again for help. The 22-strong team, fuelled by biscuits and what just so happens to be my favourite chocolate (Lindt Lindor in case you're wondering, I know you were 😉) donned their gardening gloves and with the help of a few assorted tools, dug, weeded, chopped and bagged-up all the unwanted "invaders" to clear the patches ready for new plants.

Some of the team were tasked with detangling and removing a climbing vine which had sprawled across a flower bed and up a fence, a challenge which required both a delicate touch and brute strength in equal measure, while others were tasked with cutting away old debris to make way for baby Lamb’s Ears* (n’aww) hiding underneath. The age old proverb “many GoodGym hands make light work” was proved to be true yet again and it was amazing to see how much difference was made in such a short space of time. After a summer of gardening across the borough, despite everyone’s modest claims to the contrary, I’m starting to think that some people might be able to tell a weed from an actual plant!…

As usual, the task flew by and before we knew it Beth was giving us our 5 minute warning and herding the group together for our weekly group photos (one normal and one jazz hands) before we waved goodbye to the residents and embarked on our 2.5k run back to base. The group split into 3, giving people the chance to run at a speed that suited them. En route we came across a matteess that had been strewn across the pavement, in true GoodGym fashion within seconds it was safely propped up against the wall, and not long before we were all reunited for our cool-down stretch and de-brief.

*A type of plant with super-soft furry leaves, not actual lamb’s ears, no animals were harmed!

A BIG thank you to Catherine for a brilliant and entertaining run report!

This week's news...

1. This Thursday is the August GoodGym Social - all the details are here.
2. This Saturday (not Sunday as I may have said!) - help support London Frontrunners to put on their PrideRun 10km 2019! Volunteers are needed for the event set-up & baggage tent. Please sign up here.
3. This month's GoodGym Long Run is on the morning of Sunday 25th August, it is a tour of the Docklands area, followed by lunch. There are 3 distance options, 26km, 16km, 10km, all the details are here.

Next week's task is at Age UK H&F...and it's also our monthly social! Sign up here. Hopefully see you there! Have a lovely rest of your week and weekend!