16 runners ran 6 to 12 400m in gear to weed garden and move compost for social centre

Last night's group run was a real treat is many ways. Not only did we work on running Gears (different run paces from Gear 1 - 'Easy' to Gear 4 - 'Losing Control'), we also worked hard and quick on physical tasks at 2 sites to help a new social centre develop a veg garden. What an intro to GoodGym's work for new comers Ginerva, Camille, Thomas and Shenae!

Mmmmm, Gears…..I could see people's faces set in intrigue apart from Bailey's, who'd read Shaun's blog before coming. So, we warmed up outside our meeting point, Coffee Is My Cup of Tea, before jogging into London Fields for Gear work.

I call it the 'The Circuit of Pleasure' some 'The Circuit of Pain', but it's a clear 400m route in the centre of the Fields. People paired off, either with a mate or with a person of a similar level, and then we started the 1600m drill.

Each lap, we stepped up our running pace by 1 gear, so half way through the 4th lap, people were running hard; not quite a full out sprint, but hard enough to stride out strong like Mo and feel that satisfying burn in the legs.

Everyone rose to the challenge, at their own pace, and cheered and clapped for others as they crossed the finish line. It was good to see how people's training has been paying off. Great to see Damien flying after putting a lot of effort into run improvement following injury. Inez was also quicker (well done on your new parkrun 5k PB) and well sustained speed on the last lap Jason.

With heads low, gulping in well needed oxygen, we recovered, stretched and jogged on, at Gear 1, to the first site close by on Mare Street. There, we dropped off most of the group under Lauren's watchful eye, before the second group continued a mile further to the Dalston Curve Garden - at Gear 2.

The first group set about ferociously digging up the soil in the large front garden and bagging the weeds, while the second group (Becky, Phil, Victoria, Thomas and Damien) went about digging up nutrient rich compost, donated by the Curve, into bags before loading a van, which brought the soil back to the social centre's garden.

The first group blitzed the large garden in an hour and the second group, once tooled, only took 15 minutes to load the bags and van. The second group then ran back - at Gear 2 and 3 - to join the gardening group.

The last treat, was a whole load of delicious vegetarian food cooked by the social centre for us all to eat as thanks for all our hard work. Now, that's what I call a GoodGym finish.

Ade Aboaba (GoodGym Hackney Co-ordinator)