Welcome

Welcome this evening to Olivia, Charlie and Amanda. Great to have you along helping out.

Graham

Massive news! Graham did his 100th good deed last night. Give that man a cheer! Graham's a member of our taskforce in Islington and also en route to becoming a run leader. A specialist in scenic routes, he's led plenty of groups and often writes mini reports and supplies us with photos. Despite going against GG Islington's wishes and shaving his 'tache off we still love him. Hero!

So, three tasks tonight! Caxton House, Single Homeless Project and Barnsbury Community Centre.

Barnsbury

The Barnsbury contingent's main task was to assemble two hose carriers. We thought we'd have this wrapped up in no time, but forgot that instructions for self-assembly kits are usually written by drunk people. Richard F. decided it should be girls versus boys and we split into two teams.

As if dodgy instructions didn't make it difficult enough, about 5 minutes into the task we started getting bitten by little flying gits. So itchy today. Soooo itchy! Nobody's ever been this itchy in the history of GoodGym. Those wearing tights looked on smugly.

We declared it a draw when neither team quite finished thanks to some very stubborn wheel fittings. We got very close though and somebody will be along today to steal our glory by giving them a good smack with a hammer. Those hoses will definitely be appreciated. We know from personal experience how long it takes to water the garden with cans.

Before heading back we did a bit of speed-weeding before we were just too bitten-up and itchy to carry on and had to escape. On the way home we stretched our legs out with a game of secret surges and had a couple of sprints. Speedy!

Caxton

Another group headed up to Caxton House. Aidan explains:

Lots of GoodGymmers took the Caxton House run this week, so many that we could split into two groups!

Patrick took a group doing a medium pace and Graham led a faster paced group. Graham's group started with a lap of Highbury Fields onto a trip up Holloway Road with Lucy and Graham racing the finish to Caxton House, whilst Patrick blasted the tunes taking the steady incline up to Caxton House. Rose was ready for us with some much appreciated water.

We've been doing some great work at Caxton House over the last few weeks and today was no different. The benches needed a final coat of paint and the battle against the weeds continued. The benches were looking fresh and pristine by the end and we are sooooo close with the weeding. One more week and we'll be ready to fill in the gaps with sand. The end product will be awesome.

Patrick's group set off first leaving the others to brush and tidying up. After a quick goodbye we were following them into the sunset to Highbury Fields and a well deserved biscuit. Great work as always everyone!

Aidan

SHP

Yet another group went over to SHP. Caroline tells us what went down:

5 of us had a nice jog up to Single Homeless Project. We have been there a few times recently and it was really nice to help there again.

The team did full mission weeding in the garden and collected leaves from the front (Autumn is coming early this year!). On the way back we got nicely distracted by cute kitties but we did an extra lap of Highbury Fields. Well done team!

Caroline

Boring Biccies

We had our cheapest ever biscuits: 34p from the corner shop that's closing down. They were also the most boring ever biscuits: Morning Coffee. Won't be getting them again. Can anybody find a cheaper biscuit?

Muppets

Our big debate question was about the biggest muppet in athletics (track and field). So many people voted for Ryan Lochte that we made him an honorary track and field athlete. But let's not forget Mahiedine Mekhissi-Benabbad who, when not beating up 14-year-old mascots, can be found stealing bronze medals. There were a couple of other votes, but these guys are too nice to put down in a run report.

We'll see you next week for more cheap biccies, red-hot debate, fitness fun and glorious goodness,
Simon

HAPPY MONDAYS All round when a dozen Goodgymers ran 5k, to Kilburn Grange Park for a dose of gardening and an even bigger dose of upper body strength work.

(and yes this is a musical, Happy Mondays band themed run report, in case you get confused LOL)

Despite feeling a little under the weather myself, there were no PILL SPILLS AND BELLY ACHES that could keep me away from my beautiful GG Brent. To kick off the night, I was delighted to see, as well as the familiars, lots of new faces at base camp too! Tanya, Jarshee, Dharmistha and Shanta four lovely ladies ready to push down pavements and give back some goodness to their local community.

Back with our new friends - Kilburn Grange Park, to finish the gardening we started last week, after a warm and fun fuelled housekeeping we set off into the night. With Dan at the helm and me leading from the back, we set off on the first leg of the journey down to the high road, minding not to STEP ON the many cracked pavements and tree roots springing up attempting to hinder our fast pace.

In no time at all we had arrived and BOBS YOUR UNCLE were greeted by the gorgeous AJ with all the tools needed to get cracking straight away YAY

With the last of the SUNSHINE and plenty of LOVE we got to work digging, pulling weeds and raking up the dead leaves to reveal beautiful new soil ready for new planting.

About half way through, there was a HALLELUJA Moment, when AJ brought out 2 trays of deliciously prepared watermelon for the team!!! Amazing!! Stepping away from our Manchester themed music night for one moment of madness it was WHAM BAM THANK YOU MAM When I accompanied the moment with a dose of Club Tropicana on the spotify mix.... (Clairey-Bells request!!)

So joyful our volunteering must have seemed from the outside, that we were suddenly surrounded by a gaggle of local kids questioning and quizzing what we were up to and then.... oh wait - No they were just here for the melon!!!! Of course.

With tummys full and the final countdown upon us we rushed to fill the last of the refuse sacks before said our goodbyes and hot footing it over to the playground for some more fitness fun!! No monkeying around as I guided the team into a series of hanging body holds and pull-ups on the bars and a team challenge of perfect technique press-ups on the grass.

Can we accept the Elle Energy challenge for this week I proclaimed.... 7 press ups every single day until next Monday??? YES WE CAN!!

After the upper-body annihilation, the lower body was back in business, as our legs did the work carrying us back the last 1.5miles back to base camp - The Queensbury. Hills were the last challenge of the night and with hips high and knees driving upwards, the team demo'd perfect skills to battle the last tree roots home and make it back in time for stretches bang on 8.30pm!! WOOP WOOP.

A night of fun fuelled, fruity goodness and fitness fury in the second week of the summer, that's another week rocked in Brent.

Until next time 24 HOUR PARTY PEOPLE

DO GOOD. FEEL GOOD. INSPIRE

On a scorching summer evening in Islington thirty-six wonderful runners (including 10 brand-new!) said NO to the temptation of an evening pub session or BBQ and said YES to an evening of firsts, meeting at Highbury Pool to get fit, spruce up local gardens, catch some rays and play games! And then went to the pub

While Simon was away on a well-deserved break Patrick had a chance to lead his first group run.

Mel arrived nice and early and then followed a flurry of new faces coming for their first run, returners and some travellers from down the road, John and Jackie from Camden. Patrick delivered his welcome speech and was delighted to see TEN new runners. There was a special mention (and a reminder to regular runners) about:

• Coach runs
• Missions
• Races: 4 x 1 mile relay and Regent's Park 10k - both on Sunday 7th August and it's possible to do both! There's even a 5k ParkRun on Saturday 6th.

In keeping with Islington tradition there was a debate (favourite childhood party game which would also set the scene for the fitness session) and the first Vietnamese biscuit: peanut, malt and sesame biscuit (bánh đậu phộng) brought home from Vietnam.

We then divided into three roughly equal groups:

• Patrick led a mercifully short 1km run down to Barnsbury Square Gardens,
• Graham and Steve took a group on a slightly longer 2km run starting with a lap of Highbury Fields
• Aidan and Kike took a group for a 1.5km run to the brand-new task down at Wilton Square Gardens

Here's a report from Aidan:

11 Goodgymers arrived at our new task at Wilton Square. Ready and waiting was the lovely Merje with her son Oskar.

All 13 of us got stuck in with some weeding, raking, chopping and brushing of the garden, we had plenty to being doing!

With Oskar helping with the weeding the stone paths were looking pristine quickly. Soon piles and piles of grass and leaves were appearing from the rakers hard work. On the other side of the fence the bushes were taking a beating thanks to some tough work with some secateurs.

Piles of chopped bushes, grass and leaves meant only one thing...lots of clean up work to do, but after that the job was done!

A beautiful garden nestled between the houses and plenty to do, one we'll be back to again! Until next time :)

Here's a report from Barnsbury Square Gardens:

We arrived in two waves at the very tranquil Barnsbury Square Gardens and were warmly greeted by Lucy and Carmela. As usual, our wonderful hosts were super-organised and had plenty of tasks and tools for us and refreshments for those in need of a break.

As we had only run a short distance we had lots of time to get loads done to include Rich and Vanessa tackling the rose beds, Nigel confidently separating the weeds from the flowers and Nicole on broom patrol. The rest of the group swept up and raked leaves (John did ask if the trees thought it was autumn!), loosened soil and did some edging.

After forty minutes we had really cleared up the gardens and bagged up the green waste. We packed up, received thanks from Lucy and headed back to Highbury Fields for our fitness session.

The new game

The groups from two tasks met back at Highbury Fields with great precision and managed to find space in the busy field to play adult Musical Chairs (Cones) for the first time. Does it need an explanation?! Patrick and Kike traced out the running perimeter and scattered the cones in the middle. Then Patrick put his DJ skills to good use and whittled down the group over successive rounds until there were two: traveller, Jackie and newcomer, Nicole.

After a long final round, Patrick stopped the music and Jackie heroically found the final cone and crowned herself champion! Well done Jackie.

After the stretch and cool down there was no clear winner of childhood party game though some mentions were: eating chocolate wearing gloves, scarf and hat; British bulldog; I have never and the cereal box game. Noone said musical chairs!

The last thing to do on a warm evening was to quench our thirst so we went to the pub!

That's me done for now. Simon will be back next week: sign up here