28 people ran 6 km to lift building materials for Hackney Pirates

We love Hackney Pirates, and we helped them out tonight by moving buildings materials. Hackney Pirates , with the help of local volunteers, are helping young people with their literacy, real world skills and creativity. They are in the midst of renovating their superb new home on Kingsland Road into an amazing boat like space in which young people will be inspired and comfortable to learn in.

It's been great seeing people getting stuck into GoodGym Hackney. Same faces coming back week after week, and more people are wanting to be paired with a Coach (an isolated older people that keeps you motivated to keep running, in exchange you bring them a newspaper and have a chat), which is great, in addition to all the work done in group runs.

After warming up outside Coffee Is My Cup of Tea, we ran north along Navarino Road into Dalston. We were welcomed heartily by the Pirate team, who confirmed the lifting brief and various routes upstairs and down. We divided into two teams; Lifting large sheets of timber and planks to various new locations. People paired up and with 'a hoy hoy hoy' and got on with the task.

It was good to see more of the building and to get a better picture of the hard work the Pirate team are putting into creating a wonderful learning space. The basement felt cosy and interesting with lots of shape and nooks for study.

Our task was done in no time, and we headed back to base at a steady pace across Balls Pond and De Beauvoir before hitting Middleton Road and then London Fields.

With a fast wind in the air, we spent another 15 minutes working on running technique. We worked on efficient arm drive and leg motion, and then put it all into practice along a 100m stretch in the park.

Working in pairs runners observed and reported back on each others form. Lamp posts formed jog / run markers, and I kept on shouting 'chin to pocket' to encourage runners to keep driving their arms in the right direction - backwards and forwards!!

More technique work next week folks.

Ade Aboaba GoodGym Hackney Coordinator