HAPPY NEW YEAR GOODGYM WANDSWORTH!

We really started off 2019 with a bang - no less than 46 amazing runners ran 5k, smashed out a whole range of jobs for a community garden, and took on a tough fitness session all in the name of getting fit and doing good.

The January Challenge!

As some of you know, every year we take part in the January challenge. This is a bit of (friendly!) competition between GoodGym areas to see who can rack up the most good deeds and distance in the gloomiest month of the year - it's a really good motivation when it's a bit dark and cold outside. This year our goal is a biggie! We have no less than 220 good deeds to reach, and a whopping 3000 kilometres. We can do it! Just make sure you're connected to Strava so all your training miles are counted, and come along to as many group runs and missions as you can squeeze in - everything counts towards our target. Go team!

Well done to everybody who did races and parkruns over the festive season - don't forgt there is a parkrun every Saturday morning at 9am. It's a free, timed 5k and a great way to get fitter, improve your times and also to meet up with your GG buddies - wear your red tshirt with pride!

Need for Speed

After a quick intro and catch up in the BAC we headed outside for our warm up which got our muscles ready for the run ahead. We also found out about eachother's resolutions for 2019. There were a happy number of running and GoodGym goals (hurrah!) as well as promises to cut down on plastic, drink more, drink less, remain fabulous, eat less meat and read more books. You are an inspiring bunch!

Our task tonight was at Doddington and Rollo rooftop garden, a space which has been transformed from a neglected multistorey roof into an amazing community garden for local residents to grow their own fruit and veg. So after a stead run down there, stopping only briefly for some conditioning reps, we arrived to find the volunteers waiting for us with a list of jobs.

Tasks included cutting back vines, weeding, shifting heavy pots, sorting compost, turning over soil and we quickly divided up into teams to tackle them. It was incredibly seeing you all work so hard - looking round the garden is was a buzz of activity and so impressive to see what a big team of people can achieve in half an hour. That work would have taken the volunteers a significant chunk of time, so well done for making such a difference.

Tools down, we jogged over to Battersea Park for our fitness session. We kicked off the first one of 2019 with everybody's favourite/worst challenge - Sally Squats. This is a serious bit of thigh-burning conditioning, and we all found ourselves how blimming long Sally was going to be up and and down - was it the extended version? Was it on a loop? Finally it came to the end with everybody gritting their teeth and nobody giving up. If hat wasn't enough we then did a total body workout circuit, which sadly (I can tell you were devastated) had to be cut short because we ran out of time.

After a speedy run back to our starting point we paused at the bottom of the hill at the BAC for a final tough sprint before Danny kindly led us though our much needed stretches. What a brilliant way to kick off the year, team. Next week we're back doing the same and edging ever closer to reaching our January target! Hope to see you - until then, happy running!

With only four more groups runs to Christmas (well, three now!) we gathered last night to do as much good as we could possibly manage in the few weeks that are left. Undaunted by the old there were 22 of us, thermalled up and headtorches at the ready!

News roundup

Hello and welcome to all the runners coming to Wandsworth from other GG areas tonight. Lovely to have you join us!

Don't forget the Christmas party this Saturday- we have discussed our idea for the theme and the following link courtesy of Paul might help! Sign up and details here

We've been approached by FareShare, and amazing food charity, to participate in a massive food collection mission. It's soon to be listed on the website, so keep an eye out, but you can find out more here

Icy you baby, nailing that task

After a warm up (much needed) where we got our hearts pumping, we went round the group and found out the name of our first pet. There were Not one but two Goldys, along with several other very creative names, and a few non-pet owners.

Our task tonight was at the Kambala estate in Battersea, where we had been a few weeks earlier to start planting loads of bulbs in the raised beds there ready for Spring. The volunteers there have founded an organisation called Kambala Cares, which aims to bring residents together and to make the estate a lovely place to live. They have recently got funding for the project, but can't do such a massive job alone and so asked us along to lend a hand!

After a nice steady run down the hill we arrived to find Donna waiting for us with a load of tools and even more bulbs. Taking on one bed per group we got stuck straight in. It was hard going, and a great upper body work out, but half an hour later the job was pretty much done with just one guest appearance by the police -who took our photo! So it was off to the park to do some fitness.

Alpah-bet on Red

Tonight's fitness session focussed on our ABCs - agility, balance and coordination - which are vital for every runner and something we should be getting into our regular schedule. These drills strengthen muscles, help activate our fast-twitch muscles, work on our balance which ultimately improves our form and running economy. So over a given distance we worked on these crucial points with some grapevines, high skips, toe taps, reverse lunges and hopping. Passers by must have loved watching our sumo walks! To finish off the night we did our weekly minute's plank. You guys make it look easy!

After a steady run back to base, we had time for a stretch and a chat about next week's run. In a first for us we have an absolutely huge task on Clapham Common, shifting literally tonnes of compost ready for an incredible wildflower initiative. Sign up here for Monday fun and fitness.

Lovely to see you all last night, GoodGym!

Wandsworth, please give a big cheer for our new runners last night. Hello to Alex, Laura and Caitlin - and welcome to the group!

News

It's BACK! The great GoodGym Tooting Common takeover. It's going to be massive (we hope), it's on 17th November and you can choose your role. Sign up here to get involved.

It's a sad goodbye to Tessa who is off for new adventures. Thanks for all your hard work Tessa, we'll miss you in Wandsworth!

In happier news, it's Tom's birthday today - why not give him a birthday cheer! Many happy returns Tom.

While you're there, wish the best of luck to Emily and to Helen and to everybody else racing in York this weekend. We're behind you every step of the way!

Weed did good

Last night we were back at a local school, but not in the garden we had been working in last week - instead, we had a series of jobs to do in a secret garden the children use to grow their own fruit and veg. This is an amazing space that gives the children the opportunity to learn about plants, and as research has shown the benefits on our health of spending time outside, the school believes that by giving them the chance to learn outside they will be healthy and happy.

So after a nippy jog down there, stopping for a few reverse lunges on the way, we arrived and split up into groups to tackle all the different stations. They included watering, weeding, composting and clearing and we cracked right on accompanied by music provided by Chi (thanks!). Half an hour of work later, we downed tools and made our way out of the lovely space, and after stopping for a quick photo, headed for Battersea Park for our fitness session.

Fast fit fun

We had a tough session last night in the park, starting with a pacing exercise that saw us pair up and vary between 50-90% work. We then divided up into groups and took on various conditioning and strengthening drills while one group acted as our running 'clock' . After that, we just had time for our weekly minute plank, before heading back to the BAC to stretch it out.

Next week we're just waiting on confirmation for our task, so keep an eye out here for all the details. See you then gang!

After a few weeks of sweaty running it had cooled down a bit and we had some pretty perfect conditions for our group run last night.

Lots of lovely new faces joined us for their very first GoodGym run. Welcome to the gang Seb, Wendy, David, Karen, Claire and Evan, great to have you with us!

During our warm up we asked the question, 'what one thing should everybody do at least once in their lifetime?' Some of the answers were super sweet - telling your family you love them, falling in love, learning to love yourself, and finding the thing that makes you happy - while others were more adrenaline-fuelled - visit Malaysia and Ireland, jump out of a plane, travel the world ...and come on a GoodGym run of course!

Our task was just a short run away at a local school, so we set off at a fair lick, and helped along by the nice downhill first leg, we were there in no time at all. Our job was to carry over several dozen bags of compost, and transport lots of rubbish back so that the beautiful hidden garden the kids use to grow their own plants is a safe area.

Judith and Ella started off the human chain, and before long we were working like clockwork, and the back of the greenhouse was getting clearer and safer by the minute. Meanwhile, other groups started on the weeding and composting, and trying to resist the temptation of the very good looking raspberries growing nearby.

After 40 minutes of work, we had managed to clear the overcrowded bits of the garden, with the headteacher letting us know how grateful she was that such a big job had been done for her in record time. Well done team!

After such a short run we needed a tough fitness session, so ran over to the nearby park to get working hard. Tabata is the perfect workout for when we're a bit strapped for time - this kind of short but high intensity training really has a positive impact on our aerobic systems and our endurance. With eight rounds of 20 seconds hard work, featuring burpees, spidermans, shuffle squats and high knees, we certainly got our heart rates up. Nice going!

However, it wasn't over until we attacked that last hill, so after a ten minute run back, we finished off the night with an extra bit of work. Another Monday evening of fun and doing good done!

Next week we have a very special occasion to mark - it's our SECOND BIRTHDAY! Come and help us celebrate two whole years of doing good with a picnic on the common after our run. Sign up here, bring along your fav snack and tipple, and get ready for some birthday fun!