Ignoring searing temperatures on one of the hottest nights of the year the Camden GoodGym Crew powered past hordes of bewildered onlookers on their run down to the Calthorpe Project. We’ll it wasn’t that hot, and people generally ignored us- but we felt heroic as we dashed down Grays Inn road to help this great project with a series of tasks. Calthorpe has become a bit of a regular haunt for us. This hidden oasis in Holborn does lots of great things for the local community, offering holiday and afterschool activities for children, a community growing space, and physical activity classes for local residents. They’re really grateful for our help.

"we felt heroic as we dashed down Grays Inn road to help this great project with a series of tasks"

We shifted a large lump of rubble, staked a pile of bricks, and filled a skip with soil all in record time. Gavin the Gardener then kindly brought the Beer Garden to us...giving us two former pub garden tables and a stack of sand paper. Of all the activities we could have been doing with a pub table in the sunshine this wasn't the most relaxing... but I'm pretty sure there wasn't a better way to build stronger tri and biceps! Oh yeah...

"Gavin the Gardener then kindly brought the Beer Garden to us...giving us two former pub garden tables and a stack of sand paper"

We quickly tidied up and headed on a ‘long cut’ to Tavistock Square, where we ran a few laps round the park. We experimented with speed, using various different ‘gears’ - trying to slowly get faster as we progressed.. Other than a few mistimed surges (naming no names Jack) we all coped brilliantly and finished running hard and fast. I'm positive that working on our breathing and efficiency in these sessions will pay dividends on our longer runs in the future.

"we all coped brilliantly and finished running hard and fast"

We dragged ourselves the remaining 1km back to Somers Town for a well deserved rest, drink and stretch before Bob the caretaker hurried us out on our way. We all probably needed a shower anyway..