Storms becoming the norm

Storm Brendan was no match for 31 robust Tower Hamlets runners this evening, who gathered in wind and rain to warm up for this evening's three-task bonanza...

But we were still doing the TRIO

• Bryon was leading the task to Cranbrook Community Food Garden, to help Eileen and Janet with some much needed clearing, and fixing of vegetable beds.

• Leo and Isabelle, in the meantime, were tasked with leading a team through drenched, congested streets, to shout from the rooftops about the wonderful activities neighbouring St Margaret's House have coming up, in a big leafleting job.

• And I led a team back to Hollybush where Margaret met us with tasks galore, from de-weeding paving stones, to planting pots, to shoveling mulch and sweeping leaves.

It was a night-and-a-half. But I'm afraid Storm Brendan's pelting rain and howling winds were no match for this lot. As bin liners were filled, leaflet piles emptied, compost shifted, the evening's work got done regardless. And with smiles.

The usual incredible stuff.

And a CHOICE of workouts no less.

And then Chi headed 'round to our favourite basketball court to prep for this evening's session. And so with two trainers on board, the lucky group got to pick from a running session led by Yours Truly or conditioning work led by Chi. We finished with a little balance and cardio work before running back through slippery streets to our hotel steps for a final calf stretch.

A wrap or what.

And so to tonight's shout-outs...

Here's what I want to highlight tonight: every session I thank our Task Force, because they do so much to enable our lovely, growing sessions to run the way they do. When we need to accommodate three tasks, they appear like fairy godmothers of fitness. Here's how it looks to a trainer:

• Task Force member Leanne got in touch over the weekend to ask if the group needed any help for today.
• Bryon stepped forward today to lead the Cranbrook Task.
• Leo stepped forward earlier today to lead the leafleting task.
• Isabelle stepped in to lead the walkers.
• All our regular task force (Kat, Lieke, and those above) help me to make decisions like whether to relocate our fitness session (weather exception needed); who gets what lighting equipment; route navigation; backmarking...the list is endless.

...And other thank you's tonight go to Chi, for yet again helping to deliver the group some really fabulous, effective fitness content, catering to all abilities. Thank you from us all.

What's coming up

Now. Do you want the good news or the great news? Next week, we're at a brand new task! And it's indoors. Yep, we're heading to Limehouse Town Hall for Week 1 of a two-week task helping the Limehouse Town Hall Consortium Trust prep for a bold building makeover...More details and sign up can be found here.

Oh, and the even better news, you don't have to wait that long for more GoodGym Tower Hamlets activity: on Sunday, Leo and Isabelle are leading another Junior parkrun event, where you can take your pick from a range of volunteering roles. The details and sign up for that one are here.

Until next time, have the most wonderful of weeks. Stay warm, stay well, and hope to see you very soon.

A December chill was no deterrent

It may have been a chilly night but that didn't deter 24 runners from setting out for two tasks tonight.

Yep, we were only due on one big decorating task at Oxford House, but I got a call from Catherine at Parkview this afternoon cheerfully checking we were "all good for this evening". Cue wide-eyed, head-scratching, panicked trainer.

But as always, Task Force came to the rescue and Leo led a team down to Parkview to help Catherine plant crocuses and cut out cardboard trees for this weekend's Winter fair.

In the meantime, I led the remaining runners to Oxford House, the beautiful community arts centre off Bethnal Green Road, where task owners Deborah and Jessica had prepared brilliantly the stairways ready for a big paint job.

It was all hands to the pump, as the team shuttled rollers, brushes, masking tape & paint trays between all 18 of us, getting stuck in in record time. They worked tirelessly getting the emulsion on those walls as quickly as they could, trying their hardest not to spill too much...

A toasty theatre for a tough tum workout

And then at 8 we all met in the toasty theatre for tonight's Cardio & Core session, where the runners whizzed through speedy plank leg sweeps, jumping single leg squats and the Pilates roll up-on-steroids.

An unreal evening's work, guys.

The messages following the tasks from truly appreciative task owners make for beautiful reading, "...they have done absolutely fantastic work", messaged Catherine by 8.15!

Thanks tonight, to Leo, and Kat, who brilliantly led the team to Parkview and back to Oxford House; to our photographers Leo, Kat, Steve, and Izzie, and to Joel for his usual brilliant pun.

A big warm welcome to Jo, who joined us from Exeter GG - what a treat! Lovely to see you Jo: thanks for being such an asset tonight, and we hope to see you very soon.

And hello and welcome to our first time runners, Johanna: thank you too, for being so hardworking, and for all the smiles, and we hope to see you really soon.

Next week, we're off to the Royal London

Yes, next week our very own Chi leads the crew to the Royal London where task owner Nancy, and the other Barts Volunteers have all manner of Christmas-y WARM, INDOOR tasks for you! Check it out here!

Until next time, have a brilliant week everyone: stay warm, stay smiling, stay wonderful.

A good sized crew

We were a decent sized crew tonight as we gathered in an extremely warm hotel room to prepare for this evening's activity.

We were lucky to have our evening started off by lovely Rosie from AgeUK, who had come to personally deliver the leaflets on the new Sparko service, and also to tell GG Tower Hamlets about what AgeUK are doing locally, and how we may be able to be involved in the months ahead.

We then headed to our hotel steps where we proceeded to run through a little warm up before dividing into two groups for tonight's tasks. Isabelle, Lieke, Steve and Becky were heading to all four corners of Bethnal Green to distribute the leaflets, while I took the remaining runners around the corner to Keddlestone Walk Community Centre on the Hollybush Estate where task owners Michael and Margaret greeted us with rakes, wheelbarrows and Basil the dog, to take us to this evening's task, which was a large leaf clearing operation.

As is the case week in, week out, the runners worked tirelessly - at 7.45 the WhatsApp group was buzzing with the leafleters demanding to know where we were, such was the speed of their efforts, while at 8.05, barely a leaf remained in the garden, and we headed to the basketball court to commence tonight's speed session.

The Basketball Court Beasting

Led by Steve, Becky and Jo, two groups headed around Middleton Green at different speeds, trying to catch one another. Arriving back at base, no sooner had they caught their breath, than we moved swiftly onto incline push ups, the inamous booty blaster and the lunge skip.

We then jogged back to base and proceeded to run through an extensive stretching cooldown, focusing on our ITBs with a vengeance tonight!

Amazing, amazing, wonderful stuff, team TH.

Shout-outs

Thanks to Isabelle for helping to organise the AgeUK task, and for heading it up; to Steve​ for running and helping plan tonight's drills.

A massive warm welcome to our first time runners, Jo, Linh, Klaudia, Andrei, Izzie, Eileen and Fiona. You did AMAZINGLY, and we hope to see you again very, very soon.

And lastly, a massive happy 50th run to our Jo, who tonight reached her 50th run. It's so lovely to see you so often, and you contribute so much to our group. Thank you, and here's to many more.

What's coming up next week...

Next week to head back to Oxford House, for another evening of hustle and bustle indoor activity, with the wonderful Deborah, followed by the cardio & core workout.

Until then, have a totally brilliant week.