A new task for the @GGSHEFF crew tonight on a hot and humid Bank Hol Mon.

We set off from the Showroom via past and future task locations of Heeley People's Park, Reach Homes & Alexandra Road Community Garden which will be the site for our task next week.

We arrived to the Church of Nazareen and were welcomed with water, biscuits and ice pops by SENSATIONAL SOPHIE who gave us a brief background to the church and it's activities before showing us where the tools and paint were for us to get to work re-painting a large storage container on site.

The team got straight to it quickly making light work of the task in hand and not wanting to leave until every bit was covered.

After dragging the team away we made a pit stop on route back for some hang tough fitness working in pairs to complete;

• Plank
• Sit Up's
• Press Ups

On the bars we put in;

• Straight arm hang's
• Pull Up's
• Knee Raises
• Leg Raises

On return to base we stretched and shared updates and headed inside to sample the delights of TREMENDOUS TOM who really could do with auditioning for Bake Off with the skills he has, making some delicious cake for Chris to congratulate him on his wedding! Unfortunately Chris couldn't make it but we all celebrated and gorged in his honor!

A huge welcome to new runners:

• Thomas Holmes
• Rich Haglett
• Rachel Riglett

GIVE EM A CHEER!

This week we were back at Heeley People's Park, but at a different part of the park this week.

On arrival AMAZING ANDY & RADIANT ROB gave us an overview of the People's Park and the task we would be helping them with this week including;

• Chopping back the overgrown hedges
• Composting the leaves and cuttings (leaf it out mate!)
• Litter picking

The teams got straight to it, getting right to the root of the issues.

After a huge effort by all we used the triangular shaped space for a bit of fartlek circuit training with various speeds on each straight edge of the triangle along with a multitude of exercise on each round inc;

• V-Up's
• Burpees
• Curtsy Lunges
• Crab toe touches
• Plank
• Clock Lunge
• Tuck Jump
• Star Jump
• Inch Worm
• Divebomb push ups

After posing for a photo and getting a huge thank from Andy we set off for home with some extra loops chucked in on route, then stretched off back at base where we gave a huge round of applause to Sarah for completing the London Marathon on Sunday!

We also heard from Jawad, who joined us on the road and also told us all about Small Park, Big Run in June which we will be doing our best to get our runners involved and to help spread the word - details in photos.

Until next time, happy running!

Twelve runners set out on a beautiful Monday night for short trot down to the Old Harlesden Police Station where a huge task awaited them out the back...

Abraham was there to meet and greet, and introduced us to Colin, who explained that a new art complex called CREATE SPACE will soon be opening there and will be available for local community use, and that they are fighting to make it a great space for everyone, rather than letting it be developed into blocks of flats. Anyone looking for more information about volunteering or signing up as members can contact colinlearatceatespace@outlook.com (0749 232 1626).

Colin led us out to the previously unexplored territory round the back of the station, (where the creepy old Willesden gallows are located!!!) and set us all to work, with Sadhana, our intrepid (and prolific) photographer catching all the best action moments!

There was (quite LITTER-ally) heaps to do;

• moving wood

• weeding

• sawing branches

• moving piles of mattresses

• litter picking

• fighting unruly ivy...

...but the team were undaunted - we had no trouble with the rubble! and cleared some space in that place! Bravely ignoring slugs and wee beasties, brushing past clumps of nettles and thistles and enduring their nasty stings, we worked on for 50 minutes, searching for doc leaves to soothe the pain, but to no avail... We packed up and set off back for the Queensbury with just a sliver of daylight left - yay for spring!

Before you go... The next GoodGym monthly drinks will be on Thursday 6th April from 6.30pm til late, upstairs at the Marquis of Cornwallis, WC1N 1AP (near Russell Sq). All the details are here: https://www.goodgym.org/happenings/gg-monthly-social-april I hope you can make it!

The next is a 'save the date' for the GoodGym Olympics, which will be held on Saturday 10th June at the Parilament Hill Track from 1-6pm; the idea is that different boroughs compete in events like 400m, and the elimination mile, to more novel events like a welly throwing competition and even hopefully a wheelbarrow race with real wheelbarrows. Each area will be encouraged to make their own flag for the event and even have a GoodGym Bake-off (ala a summer fate style), so hopefully it will be something for everyone.

Bye for now, till next time! XXX