18 GoodGym-ers ran 4km to help a children's centre this week

We broke GG Barnet records yet again this week with 18 people showing up to run – the most people to date (not including launch night)!

Big shout out to Graham, Lara and Eleanor who all joined us for the first time this week! Be sure to click their names and give them a cheer!

After a quick intro inside the cinema, we went outside to warm up the side road. It's always important to warm up properly to make sure our muscles and joints are ready for the task ahead. It was a nice easy run this week to Newstead, a nearby children's centre, to paint the hall. We ran 1.4km there, with Hazel our trusty backmarker.

Teje was there to meet us, armed with all the painting essentials and a box of biscuits! The team blitzed the first coat of paint in the hall in 15 minutes, leaving plenty of time for our fitness session in the back room. Today the focus was on agility, strength and conditioning, starting with some duck walks and knee tag games and finishing with some press-ups, crunches and jumpning squats. There were obviously also some burpees, because everybody loves burpees.

Thanks to Hazel for taking lots of pictures during the workout!

We then said our goodbyes and ran back to base, splitting off into two groups and taking a slightly longer (2.5km) route back. Damian and Mark lead the speedy lot back while I lead the less speedy group. Paul was my trusty back-marker on the way back, with Eleanor and Freya navigating the back roads of Finchley for me.

The run back was pretty much all up hill, so kudos to everybody for doing so brilliantly.

The Barnet Biscuit of the week: Freya's homemade gingerbread polar bears

We also had the biscuits from Newstead AND a box of chocolate fingers that my gran gave to Hazel on Sunday after a mission to clean her greenhouse.

We have two missions in Barnet this weekend. If you're already DBS checked you can sign up: Help deliver fliers for the Safer Neighbourhoods Team in High Barnet on Saturday (who have promised biscuits to any volunteers – unprompted) and clear the way for Ms D's carers on Sunday also in High Barnet.

If you're not DBS checked yet, just bring some ID and proof of address (two of one and one of the other) along to next week's run. We'll be flyering for a local christmas fair. We'll also be going to the pub afterwards for some food.

The following week will be the last GG Barnet of the year – running to set up SANTA'S GROTTO. And the Phoenix will be providing Mince Pies and wine for us when we return to the cinema.

See you next week!

On a chilly November evening 18 fired up GoodGymers ran 6k to Core CIC to continue with the dismantling of the fixtures and fittings in preparation for the building refurbishment.

We welcomed Rich and Chidi to there first GoodGym run and look forward to seeing you both on many more to come!

We celebrated the epic 10k PB performances of Anna, Rich and Anne!

Talked through the last two monthly socials of the year 22nd of November and 13th of December.

I continued my mission to create the Manchester marathon running train and even welcomed a confirmed passenger Ian and a couple of very strong maybe's Rich and Anna aboard. Anyone else fancy a flat and fast April marathon?? The more the merrier!!

Just the small matter of keeping warm was the first order of business so we took a steady warm up run lead by Peter to a good spot for a few mobilising dynamic stretches, muscle activating exercises and some running form drills.

That got the blood pumping and warmth running through the body for the rest of the 3k run to Core CIC. We were in for surprise when we arrived as Danny let us know the builders had turned off the lights so we were literally in the dark. Undeterred we set about completing the tasks we could starting with loading about a thousand ceiling tiles into the skip outside! A great production line approach meant we zoomed through this task in no time. Then came half a piano (as you do), wooden flooring and carpet! With a bit more time we decided to remove 7 doors on the first floor, rip up piles ofwooden flooring and take down a hundred more ceiling tiles.

After 45 minutes of carefully performed physical work it was time to run off into the night after a big thank you from Danny from Core CIC and a huge thank you to Peter for once again boosting our tool supply bringing along a range of tools to help with the task.

It was time for the Race back to base! We had a running handicap race this week with the Steady paced crew running an even pace back while the Speedy crew waited 4 minutes before chasing us down on the 3k run lead by Rich who even managed to not take a short cut back for the first time (another PB racked up!)

A series of static stretches and we were off on our merry way feeling great with a fitness filled job well done!

See you next week for a new task installing a Polly tunnel in Hackney Wick! Be great to have you along sign up here.

Smooth running

Joel