It was lovely to see faces old and new, from GoodGym Hounslow and beyond tonight for our Wednesday run.  We started off the night with some news:

• Congratulations to Matt who earned himself a new personal best half marathon time last weekend 

• Welcome to David who came along for his first group run tonight - great to meet you!

• Look out for the Fareshare, a food poverty charity, and GoodGym community missions like this one happening in Wimbledon which are happening all over London. 

After a warm up we asked what the first object we would rescue in a fire - answers ranged from photos, to paintings, to bottles of wine and, perhaps the best suggestion - a fire extinguisher. Makes sense!

We set off for our task of the night which was at Cultivate London. This brilliant urban farm and social enterprise in West London repurposes disused land and trains unemployed young people in landscaping and horticulture. So after a good run down there where we stopped for a just a few minutes to let a train pass and do some wall sits ("I love it when you humiliate us in public" - Remy) we arrived at the site.

There was a bit of a false start as we struggled to find the entrance of somewhere we'd been several dozen times before, but eventually we got in to find a genuinely enormous pile of plastic pots which we had been asked to sort. Auberon, who manages the site, had asked us to put them in correct sizes so that they could be used again.

After 25 minutes of sorting, one dodgy human chain and several hundred marginally different sized plant pots Lindsay declared time, and so after a photo op and a run back to base it was time to do some fitness.

We kicked off the session with a pacing exercise, before moving onto alternating laps of sprinting with conditioning. It was tough going but there was some great running and impressive form - great work.

Next week we're off to a new task at a school to help with various jobs, including shifting stones and some clearing. Hope to see you there. Until then, run happy!

Another Wednesday evening, another group of community heroes getting together to lend a hand and get themselves even fitter too. Winners!

Don't forget that next week we have our week of special birthday celebrations! GoodGym is a whole ten years old, and to mark the occasion we'll be having a week of birthday themed runs, which will culminate with Super Saturday!.On the 21st we will be attempting the greatest number of community missions across the UK - check out the listings to see what's on offer!

During our warm up last night we really worked on mobilising and activating our major running muscles, and before we set off, discussed our favourite running and racing distances. Almost every distance was covered, right from the sprinters with 100 and 400 metres up to marathon - and to the pub!

Our job last night was at the beautiful Gunnersbury Park, a local space for all the community, where we were helping out at the amazing sounding Gothic Ruins. So, after a 3km run there - where we miraculously missed the train crossing coming down for the first time ever - we had a quick squat competition and headed in to the park.

After picking up the barrows, gloves and tools Dave led us down to the ruins, which were dramatically lit by a full moon. This small gothic folly near the former stable block is beautiful but its borders were starting to get a bit overgrown and the bamboo across the path also needed a bit of attention.

We divided up into two groups and got working straight away. The bamboo was soon looking much tamer, while despite some nasty bitey things attacking Glyn and Dave and Naveed getting covered with sticky bits, the weeds were soon cleared. With the beautiful sunset gone and darkness falling, we returned the tools and headed back to Turnham Green for a quick abs blast. Great work everybody!

Next week we have a great new task helping lay a woodchip path and shovel soil to help turn a worn out grassy patch into a lovely to garden for Brentford residents community association. We'll finish off the GG birthday run with a fun fitness session and a social. See you there! Happy running, GG Hounslow.

Ps - happy birthday to Luis - go on, give him a birthday cheer!

It was a special night in Hounslow yesterday, and 22 runners came to celebrate!

• The excellent Thames Tradesmen Rowing Club had invited us for a land based session at the clubhouse, which we were very happy to accept. A club and a charity, the rowers encourage disadvantaged young people to be active, and improve their physical, social and mental wellbeing. They help develop crucial life skills, and enable young people to participate in rowing regardless of background, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, disability or ability.

• We welcomed some lovely GoodGym tourists from Lambeth, Brent, Hammersmith and Richmond, and cheered Sonia who came along for her very first group run – give that lady a high five!

• It was Matt and Eloise’s last session before they run off into the sunset to get married – we wish you all the best you lovely pair. Maybe your future be filled with PBs!

• On Saturday a load of GoodGymers will be helping out at Gunnersbury parkrun by filling in the volunteer roles there. Sign up here for a great opportunity to help out at this local community event.

While leading group Michelle and Sonia set off ahead of us for the rowing club, the rest of us did a warm up to get our heart rates going (with loads of squats)- and then we all told Matt and Eloise something that makes us happy ahead, just in case they wanted to introduce it in their marriage! Puppies, dancing in the kitchen, singing, more running, getting drunk together, more GoodGym – of course!

We then set off at a good steady pace towards the river. It was a beautiful night, everybody was chatting away, we were having a lovely run….I blame all of that on the reason I missed the turning and took us all on a much longer route than intended. Sorr-y! Eventually, almost 5km later, we arrived to find Pete waiting for us.

Thames Tradesmen is a very community minded organisation, as well as working to make rowing for everybody, they are also introducing loads of exciting new things including yoga on Tuesdays and even a new parkrun which means those chasing the elusive ‘X’ on their parkrun alphabet will be happy! It’s open to everybody, so have a look here to find out what’s going on.

We split the group in half, and while one group got stuck into a good litter pick around the club, the second went with Pete for the fitness session. And what a session it was! We were surprised to find out that rowing isn’t as much about the upper body as we might think, but the legs come significantly into play – good news for runners! Focussing on team work and form – both things we love at GoodGym! - the groups were taken through their paces, and Georgia and Johnny both got a chance to lead their crew as ‘the stroke’. After the groups swapped over, and bags of plastic bottles and other rubbish had been collected from around the club, Pete brought out two rowing machines for the grand finale.

The two groups had a machine each for the Great Oxford V Cambridge GoodGym boat race, and the tensions were high. The whistle blew and the two teams gave it everything, swapping members in and out. It was a very tight race – check out the video here to see who won!

We took a shorter route back in the last of the light, and finished off a very fun night with stretches. Next week we’re off to Cultivate London to help with various jobs at this charity which repurposes destitute land for good. Sign up here for all the details. Until then, happy running – and rowing!

With a new task lined up tonight, perfect weather for a run, and lots of great news from Team Hounslow, it was action stations from the off tonight!

• Good Luck to Remy for the Edinburgh marathon this weekend, and to all you racers doing the Vitality 10k on Monday. We’re behind you all the way!

• Fancy running 5k or walking 2k whilst picking up rubbish at the same time? Then Plogulution is for you. Get fit and make a massive difference at the same time. Everyone welcome at this event on 8th June in Wandsworth’s King George Park, not far from Putney – there’s even a free tshirt on offer! Sign up here for all the details.

• Shout out to all you mission warriors! Fantastic to see so many of you getting involved with missions – whether it is mowing lawns, shifting furniture or staying longer for a cuppa after the work is done, you guys are making a real difference in the people’s lives who need it most. If you have any questions about the mission process, just say the word!

After a warm up where we discussed the benefits of getting our muscles and brains prepared for the activity ahead so as to reduce the risk of injury and maximise efficiency, we given our new task at a school, did a quick poll on our favourite subjects at school. English, electronics, latin, geography food, and writing lines all topped the list!

Our job tonight was at Cavendish School who wanted our helping clearing ground ready to make a dipping pool, bring back wildlife areas, and create kitchen gardens. So after a 2k run down there, and a little bit of creative entering, we met Marcin the caretaker who took us to the right spot, and we got stuck in!

We split into two groups to tackle a couple of different overgrown areas that were to become kitchen gardens, and after 40 minutes of work they were totally transformed. If only somebody (ahem) had remembered to take before and after shots! Still, check out the photos for the progress that was made.

During a good steady run back through the beautiful grounds of Chiswick House we stopped to do a short fitness session that focused on upper body strengthening and combined a bit of speed work in too. Partnering up we mixed sprints with various conditioning exercises such as press ups, reverse planks, T push ups, walking push ups and tricep dips. Phew, what a work out!

All that was left was a short run back to base and some lovely stretches. Next week we’re back to the school to carry on the work we started tonight. Hope to see you there! Sign up here for the details. Have a week of happy running everyone.

*Thanks for the punspiration team!