How many GGers does it take to form a human chain, empty a cellar full of everything including a kitchen sink, and knock out a quick abs session in a church? The answer, we found out last night, is 23.

We met last night for our penultimate run of 2016 (nooo) after an eventful few days. We’d had our first Wandsworth Christmas party a few days before, which had obviously not held back Sophie, Dave, Sarah, Matthew and Ellie who ALL went on to get PBs in the Fulham Palace Park Run on Saturday. Amazing. Could it be that hill sprints aren’t so bad after all? ;) Then Tom went on the storm home with another PB in the Regent’s Park 10k this weekend. Fantastic work, team. Races are a brilliant way to get fitter and see your times really drop – GoodGym will be in Burgess Park this Saturday morning, so don’t miss out on racing with a few friendly faces.

We also welcomed several great new GGers- hello to the lovely Jenny, Gabby, Abby and Isobelle (and to Alicia on her first group run)! Then it was a huge well done to Tom for his 50th good deed last week, and a big good luck to Trish who is running the Milton Keynes half this weekend. We’ll be cheering you on from Wandsworth!

After a few dynamic warm ups, we set off to Balham to a church a community centre that needed us to get stuck in to a big job. It was a quick run there with no wrong turns (much to everybody’s surprise) and we were greeted by associate pastor Jim and a whole hall full of tiny toys. With superhuman strength we tore ourselves away from the buggies and slides and formed a chain from the cellar, outside, back into the hall, and outside again to the street. And it worked a treat! Pretty soon we were shifting enormous doors, planks, steel rods as well as some more unusual items, such as a prototype cross, a life sized mannequin, vinyl records and, of course, a full kitchen sink with surprising speed. Check out the pictures to see what other treasures we found, noting as you do how menacing Sarah is with a disembodied pair of arms.

Before heading back home again we knocked out a quick abs session amongst the tiny chairs and little cars, which included Russian twists, planks, leg raises and crunches. A strong core is essential for an efficient running form – and it was much nicer than our usual planking in the mud. Gloves and hats back on, we set out back to the common, where we stopped and divided ourselves into three groups. The first group set off back to our starting point, followed shortly after by the next, and then the last – the job of each one to chase down the preceding group of runners. A little bit of cheating notwithstanding, the exercise worked well, and we all ended up back at the BAC at the around the same time to finish off with a few stretches. This week’s CoRUNdrum was won by clever Abby, who knew that ‘when the lions are drinking, London is sinking’, referring to the lions that line the length of the embankment and serve as a flood warning.

Ace work, everyone. We got a good steady run in, helped out the local community, and did a short but efficient fitness session too. Same again next week? Sign up here for the LAST RUN OF 2016 and of course, a social afterwards to see the year off right.

https://www.goodgym.org/happenings/run-to-clear-junk

PS don't forget the GG Christmas party this Friday at the BAC. See you there!