After running The Big Half, 23 super-dedicated athletes ran 5 more km and cleared wood and shifted wood chip at The Albany Garden!

What a week! Last Monday we battled an icy wind, with snow blowing lightly around our heads. As the week went on we battled cancelled trains, closed schools and turned our attention to sledging on the slopes of Hilly Fields. The (gorgeously) snowy weather didn't deter two of our runners from visiting their GoodGym coaches for the first time, well done to Rebecca and Conroy, who ran (slipped and slid) to two older people who were probably feeling particularly isolated at this time.

Racy racers

Our focus on the weather forecast wasn't just to see how much more sledging we could get in, but in anxious anticipation of Sunday's Big Half. With roads remaining icy, it was touch and go whether or not it would go ahead at all. All that training, all that mileage and all that nervous energy spent clicking the Big Half website for updates! Sunday morning came, the temperature had risen (a little), the snow had thawed and it was all systems go! This was the inaugural Big Half, organised by the London Marathon team, so a big event, but with a difference. Many of the runners were local to the course route, with reduced-price places being offered to those in the four host boroughs of Lewisham (yay!), Southwark, Tower Hamlets and Greenwich. Runners were also representing the very many charities and community groups that we help out through our group runs and we had had a big involvement in the run up to the event, with our Big Half starter sessions and, of course, our wonderful team of Lewisham runners who had committed to taking on the challenge.

'The GoodGym runners give the best smiles!'

As our amazing, if nervous, runners made their way to the start at Tower Bridge, I cycled over to Deptford with my son, to find a good cheer spot. We were delighted to grab a prime spot, looking along Creek Road in the last mile of the race. Being there so early, we had the pleasure of seeing the wheelchair athletes and even Sir Mo himself! I later heard how our runners had seen him as he passed them on his way back towards Tower Bridge. Throughout the race we were lucky to spot many GoodGym runners, from many areas, all giving us a big wave and, as a nearby spectator commented, 'The GoodGym runners give the biggest smiles!' There you go. Everyone has their own story to tell, with some of our runners completing their very first half-marathon, some bagging a personal best and all feeling an incredible sense of achievement as they passed the finish line alongside the Cutty Sark. I'm immensely proud of you all, for finishing the challenge and, most of all, for the support you have given each other on the journey to that point.

Croeso!

Joining us for the first time this week, was Leon, who was here with Joey, who was joining us for his first Monday night run, having been along to one of our Big Half stater sessions recently. Welcome Leon, Lewisham Love to you!

With there being a few sore legs (some sensibly took the sofa recovery option this week), we did a heart-raising, knee-lifting warm-up before heading over to The Albany Theatre in Deptford, with Rosemary and Eva back-marking, making sure nobody was left behind. On arrival, we were shown out to the lovely Albany Garden, a large outdoor space that we have visited previously, but not for a while. Here there were various tasks to do but, as it was a little dark, we picked our way carefully! There were two main areas of focus initially, clearing the chicken coop of wood scraps and dismantling a den that had been constructed during the recent Smashfest - this caused a momentary pause, with Joey trying it out and a general feeling of not wanting to take it down!

The Albany Garden is used for very many activities, including a gardening club, where people can come along and learn how to sow seeds, grow vegetables and even take away their own plants to nurture at home. This week we were exploring just a fraction of what goes on here, leaving the marvellous polytunnel untouched, but with Sarah and Rosie giving the greenhouse a good mop (it was looking a bit dusty/grubby after the snow!). The wood was quickly cleared and taken to the skip and it was time to fill wheelbarrows with wood chip and spread this on the ground of the chicken coop. We talked about the chickens, wondering where they were and I advised people to come along in the daytime to see the space properly and meet them. Sadly, we were told that they had been killed the previous night by a hungry fox. I really hope this doesn't deter the staff from having chickens in the future, they really are a lovely part of the space.

Placing our tools back in the shed and gathering for a group photo in the light, it was now time to run back towards Glass Mill. My planned technique-focussed running session en route seemed a bit mean with so many sore limbs, so this week's fitness session looked at our core and those all-important glutes (well done to Amber, who seems to have well and truly engaged hers in her first half-marathon!). A week like this wouldn't be complete without a social, so a few of went over to our local Turkish restaurant, Levante and filled our hungry bellies, whilst having a post-race debrief and medal share.

Next week we will run to Goldsmiths Community Centre, where we will be doing some sanding - please note that this run will be 8km in total, broken up by the task in the middle. This Thursday is the monthly GoodGym-wide social, this time nearby, in Greenwich. Sign up here and go along to meet runners from all across the GoodGym areas and to hear inspiring stories from the guest speaker, oh and the International Pun of the Month, of course!