17 excellent GoodGymmers met on a somewhat blustery evening to get fit and do some good.

We heard some GoodGym news:

• Lots of people with us tonight had done The Big Half, including with some impressive PBs!

• There's a community mission at Hyde Vale, Blackheath this Saturday morning (10am-1pm).

• There's another community mission supporting guide runners at Paddington Rec Track next Thursday evening (19th March).

After a quick warm up, we braved the riverside path to run to Christchurch Primary School where we were helping in their lovely garden. We heard about (and saw) their brand new apple trees and were instructed on our tasks for this evening:

• Moving some very heavy pallets.

• Moving some equally heavy soil from big bags into smaller bags.

• Moving some slightly less heavy individually rocks to form a rockery around the pond for an amphibian habitat.

• Doing some equally important litter-picking.

We split into groups and got down to business quickly, efficiently dividing the jobs up and developing systems of lifting and shifting. In no time, it was time to down our tools and head off, after a group photo, naturally.

Our run back was into the headwind and very impressive considering just how strong it was! We ended with a quick fitness game and some stretching, before heading our separate ways to warm up and feed up.

Next week's group run is at Ballast Quay Garden, another opportunity to get those green fingers working!

The Deed-y Dozen

Despite Trainer Sarah being off-duty tonight, plenty of sore legs after The Big Half on Sunday, and being blessed with some decidedly English weather; I was chuffed to see 11 of you out tonight for a slightly longer run to help the Marsha Phoenix Memorial Trust over near Hilly Fields.

This included Antonin on his first GG run, and Mathis on his second. We also had some tourists over from Lewisham and Wandsworth. Welcome everyone, thanks for coming out!

After stowing our stuff securely, and a quick warm-up on the immaculate (but wet) grass of the University, we set-off the 3km or so to Brockley. With as many crossings as we had to pass, it was pretty straightforward staying all together, despite the dark and rain.

Comed-deed

At the charity, task-owner Lorraine was able to tell us a bit about the work they do there, and why fundraising is so important to them. Marsha Phoenix Memorial Trust is a supported housing project, which provides hostel accommodation for young women. Their mission is to give young women a secure base from which to develop self-respect, independence, and purpose.

They’ll be hosting a comedy show this month to raise funds for the centre.

'The Scummy Mummies'

On our return trip heading back into Greenwich we split-up and distributed the flyers around any houses or businesses where it looked like the people inside might need a laugh. Amongst those on the bill at the gig will be Arielle Souma, Susie Steed, Cressida Wetton, Sisika, Jenan Younis, Esther Austin and The Scummy Mummies.

Those of us that hadn’t peeled-off on the way back had a thorough stretch on the colonnade before heading off home. Don’t forget, if you fancy it or know someone who may, the gig is next Friday the 13th at the Rivoli Ballroom in Crofton Park.

Before we go, a few news bits I didn’t want to trouble you with out in the cold…

Check yourself before you Rec yourself

Last Thursday some of the GG Greenwich team went over to Paddington Rec in Maida Vale to see Achilles International. We were helping some of their visually impaired runners get some distance in around the open-access running track there. It’s totally straightforward to do, and they’re a proper fun bunch so sign-up here for when it happens again this month.

Also at Paddington Rec this Sunday we’ll be volunteering at the Junior ParkRun. If you’ve never tried it before it’s well cute of course, and a far better spectator sport than seeing adults race.

3 x 1/2 marathons = ?

Sunday gone was The Big Half race, London’s biggest Half-marathon. As one of the host boroughs GoodGym Greenwich are usually at the top of the list for £10 places, so keep your ear to the ground if you fancy it next time around.

London’s second biggest half-marathon, Hackney Half is on 17th May. GoodGym will be operating several aid stations along the route. Sign-up here to be involved, it’s always a good laugh and you’ll get a free bib for a subsequent VirginSport race for your trouble, as well as other loot.

GoodGym are also providing volunteers for adidas City Runs: 1 Hour on 5th April. This time the task is bag check, and the incentive is a free bib for a subsequent City Runs event, including for the FIRST EVER Islington Half-Marathon in November!!! What a time to be alive…

Thanks for spreading the GG word Mathis , Pieter and Stephen for photos and help co-ordinating, and Alex and Steve for helping lead from the other end. ;-)

You’ve another visitor next week, Nicky from over in Lambeth will be leading you down to Christchurch School for some gardening. Sign-up here for that one.

Thanks so much and see you again soon I hope!

Danny

24 awesome do-gooders ran to help patch up airbeds at St Marks Church for the winter night shelter!

We had loads of new faces tonight which is always GREAT to see! Welcome to Aima, Shahzeb, Hayah, Mian and Shona! Hope you all had a good first run with us!

Very disappointed to learn about the lack of pancakes consumed on Tuesday, hopefully none of you gave up pancakes for lent so you can give it another try in the next few days to redeem yourselves!

After a few laps of the quad and some chain-tag, we headed off via Greenwich town centre to the wonderful St Mark's church who hold a weekly night shelter on a Thursday evening. There is one every night of the week in the surrounding areas, Charlton, Woolwich etc but on Thursday's it's hosted at the church and the visitors get a nice hot dinner, a warm place to sleep for the night and breakfast the next day! Lovely! Only problem is that some of the airbeds have been losing a bit of air via some pesky punctures and it was our job to locate and eradicate!

Everyone grabbed a bed and began feeling around for holes. Disclaimer: If there are any euphemisms or innuendos in this report they are 100% unintentional.

Many techniques were being adopted from sitting on the beds to see if any air puffed out to slopping some soapy suds on to see if any bubbles appeared. All valid methods and within minutes we had our first success... "YES, FOUND IT!". Once a hole was located, it was circled with a marker and then later patched up by dream team Jenny and Marta.

Meanwhile, Alex and Andy were having a grand time outside in the scout garden - which we will be back to help with in a few weeks time, it is very overgrown!

After half an hour, we had checked over 20 beds and found loads of punctures! Nice work everyone!

We said our goodbyes to Tony and then it was time for some hills but since the majority of the group have a half marathon on Sunday, I thought it would be best to opt for a nice long relaxing stretch session instead! You're welcome.

Then we headed back inside and had loads of treats which Natalie brought for her birthday, but she headed home before the end so didn't even get to enjoy her own snacks! Happy birthday Natalie, hope you had a lovely day and thanks for celebrating it with us!

Great job everyone!!! See you next time for a longer run where we will be picking up some flyers and distributing them in Greenwich on the way back!

Some community missions to get involved with over the next couple of days!

Guide running tomorrow night in Paddington with Achilles International mixed disability running group.

Conservation work at Vanbrugh pits this Saturday.

Best of luck to all those running The Big Half on Sunday! See you there! And we have a space booked at The Hare and Billet in Blackheath so please join us for some post run celebrations!

19 awesome runners ran 5km and scaled multiple hills to help out at Clothes For Causes charity shop!

Quite a lot of films have been filmed in Greenwich. Because that's the thing about Greenwich, it's just bloomin' great for making films. I mean, Steven Spielberg and I were chatting once and he turned to me and said, 'I bloody wish we filmed Jaws in Greenwich, Alex'. And then there was that Patrick Swayze who knocked on my door and said, 'Alex, look, I know we filmed Dirty Dancing at that resort in Lake Lure, but we really should have done it on Deptford Creek!'

And it's that last true story that I really want to get at, dear reader, for Greenwich is just the best place for a certain type of film. The romantic film. A little part of London littered with Cupid's arrows. And this, as we lead up to St Valentine's Day, was how we began our evening of do-gooding in Greenwich this evening. In true GG Greenwich fashion, Sarah asked us to go around the circle and say our name, our number, and this week, our plans for Friday evening. And then we sort of did some running and do-gooding and all went home.

The end :)

Okay, FINE. Most of us are doing bloody nothing on Friday. NOTHING.

... anyway... enough of this silliness (blame brother Steve for taking so long to cook my post-GG dinner) for I have some rather excellent good-deeding to report. At exactly 5 past 7 this evening and with the night's initial low point all forgotten, a stream of red thunder hurtled down Trafalgar Road with the Clothes for Causes shop in its sights. If you haven't heard about Clothes for Causes, every year this lovely group distribute over 15,000 items to over 5000 people who need them. Brilliantly awesome.

Upon arrival, the lovely team shouted 'OLD STOCK OUT, NEW STOCK IN'. Well that was the gist of it anyway. And like a well-oiled-good-karma-seeking-machine, the GG Greenwich crew formed a human chain of good-deeding wonderfulness, with the bagged-up old stock swiftly passing down it and into the van. Having filled it up to the brim, with half the group having given the clothes rails a tidy and a spruce, and with plenty of time still on the clock, we said our goodbyes and popped on over to Maze Hill for a little pain good-natured-and-really-fun-hill-repetitions (although don't get me started on that time Sly Stallone sent me an MSN saying, 'Alex, that Cliffhanger film I were in should've been filmed on Maze Hill!'). Everyone did stunningly brilliantly in their reps up and down that rather endless incline!

With lactate in our muscles and nattering together, we headed back to the University for a stretch and a cool down. Nice one guys. And that... is a wrap. A lovely evening all!

Community missions coming up!

A few community missions to sink your teeth into over the next couple of weeks. No DBS check required!

Clear out the Crisis warehouse in Southwark this Saturday.

Prep and serve food at Mycenae House for the next Good Food In Greenwich Pop Up Kitchen on Thursday 20th Feb.

Be a mama or papa mermaid on Thursday 27th Feb and help some young girls in their 5k challenge!

Conservation work including sawing, lopping and digging at Vanbrugh Pits on 29th Feb.

The promise of burgers brought out an enthusiastic bunch of 17 runners ready to work and do good to earn their food.

We gathered at the meeting spot and counted heads (a few of us were number 9...), each saying our favourite cereal with most options on the health spectrum represented.

We dropped off our stuff and completed some loops of the green in the Naval College - in an exciting twist we were on a different patch of grass to normal! We limbered up with a quick game of “if I say 1, touch the ground with your left hand” and so on. We then set off on our way along the river and through some residential roads (navigated skilfully be Elle) to GoodGym Favourite Christchurch School.

Our task was to clear grass in a long 1 metre by 8ish-metre strip, ready for trees to be planted on Saturday for an orchard. At the same time, a barrel of water had to be emptied eventually moved to allow the digging to pass seamlessly by. Armed with forks and spades to dig, and watering cans to transport water, we got to work.

We dug (and forked and emptied) for victory for half an hour and in classic GoodGym fashion completed our allotted task so got to move onto another plot of grass! The tree planters on Saturday won’t know what’s hit them!

We headed back to base camp to pick up our bags and half-heartedly stretch before it was time for the main event - the food! We munched our way through beef, chicken and vegan burgers and plenty of chips, celebrating 4 years of GoodGym Greenwich! A lovely evening full of good friends, good deeds and good food - not much else to ask for on a Wednesday!

Thank you to Alice for the run report this week! If anyone else fancies it, let me know!

18 runners ran 4km to help dig trenches and plant baby trees at St Lukes School!

Ah you guys, it's good to be back!! And happy to see another decent sized group for a winter month which bodes extremely well for the January Challenge... we are absolutely spanking the distance total and now working our way up the league for good deeds too so let's keep it up! I think we can do some serious damage to this leaderboard!

We were running a bit late but there's always time for a short warm up game, which admittedly have been few and far between recently! We began with Alex and Ben linking arms/holding hands, lovely. Then they began to tag as many scared runners as they could and lured them in to joining their chain. Loads of fun!! I especially enjoyed it when someone got cornered and had realised their fate.

Then it was time for more running, this time with some respect for each other's personal space. We set off through the foot tunnel and arrived at the school moments later. We were met by the lovely Myra who had loads of spades and forks and most importantly, the baby trees which had been donated by a bank (I think?) in Canary Wharf who are doing some carbon offsetting... ha! So hundreds of little tiny trees arrived at the school, all individually wrapped in their own clump of soil and our job was to find homes for them.

At first it wasn't exactly clear where they were going, but essentially it seemed that anywhere would do as long as they weren't too close to the fence or each other! Everyone grabbed some gloves and a spade and got digging. Lots of leaves and weeds were cleared in the process too, nice! After half an hour, we'd planted all the trees we could. Now all that was left to do was to hope that the kids don't come into school tomorrow morning and trample them all.

We said our goodbyes to Myra, had a quick photo and headed off to Millwall Park for a mini session. We paired up for a mile long fartlek, alternating between various fast, medium and slow paces. This is a great one to spice up any run, especially if you tend to be the type of person to do the same running route! So throw in some fartlek the next time you're out, it will make the time pass a lot quicker plus ultimately making you faster and fitter! Win win!

After two 800m laps we called it a night and headed back to the uni for a stretch! Nice work!!

Events coming up!

Pop Up Kitchen Community Mission in Charlton on Wednesday 22nd January.

Eltham Junior Parkrun Starter Session on Sunday 26th January.

Great work tonight everyone as always. Well done getting stuck into the task and getting loads done, it's always hugely appreciated by Myra and the school! See you next week for some fun at More 2 Childcare!