The first 2016 GoodGym of Spring yesterday, a more intimate group than normal - 6 stalwarts in total. Where is everyone else hiding?! Must be in intense training for the Hackney Half, the only plausible explanation.

We hotfooted it down to our new task. Abbey gardens, situated next to Abbey rd (not that famous place where people take pictures in an effort to replicate a Beatles album cover and fail miserably, no, somewhere else).

Very excited to reach our new destination, with 12th century Abbey relics, it's a protected site, and rightly so. A really gorgeous open space greeted us, with loads of growing beds suitable for the plants and veg that these wise gardeners grow so well.

Our job wasn't to gently nourish and tend to the plants, but a more brutish display of GoodGym'sbpower and 'get it done' philosophy. We had the challenge of turning a large compost bin through. This was done with minimal fuss by Sarah and Tim, as they forcefully drove and twisted their upper limbs in order to aerate the compost. Mairead and Alice were tasked with emptying one compost bin into a wheelbarrow, which was then ably emptied by Alison into the larger unit behind. A no fuss approach was adopted, before I knew it the guys had pretty much completed said task. So we quickly moved onto our second job.

Lead gardener Aiste, gave supremely explicit instructions (with pictures) - essentially idiot proofing the jobs - we must have met before. She asked us to also top up some of the many growing beds, another physical challenge, approached with a nonchalant ease by the team. We filled and raked three large beds in no time at all, whilst trying to even them mouth out as well as the eye could see.

A really rewarding task, hope you all enjoyed it as much as i did. Have sublime bank holiday weekends and see you soon!

Brahma

9 GoodGym heroes ran 1.5k to a community garden, cleared a messy patch of soil, then ran back

A return visit to Mobile Garden City was our Mid-March Wednesday treat. Greeted at the Aquatics centre with healthy GoodGym numbers, numbers that I hope blossom and grow in sync the imminent British Spring. New runner Matt joined us for the first time, Hin rejoined us after after battling illness and Nadya managed to return after some 'hard uni work' (I understand this means wild partying - nice).

After the the short journey to our task location, we tried not to be too conspicuous. Peter unlocked the padlock by reaching his hand over the large wooden gate and seemingly resting his face on a rough wooden post, cheek splinters are not of concern to this man.

We opened the shipping container (we may have struggled a tiny little bit the week before) with consummate ease. Instructions lay inside, anticipating their reading upon our arrival. Two tasks were offered, we picked the harder and dirtier option. Crack on we did.

A deceivingly large amount of soil required shifting, to be wheel-barrowed to the other side of the gardens, then bagged- to nourish future plants (maybe plantations...). Jane and Matt took control of the transportation side of things, as they covered ground with speed. Everyone else dug hard and dug deep (literally and figuratively), the thick soil wasn't budging easy, but GoodGym Newham's indomitable spirit was evident. Some soil smashing from Sarah was indicative of this, improvising and finding new tactics. Though momentarily, it just looked like she hated soil.

We managed to shift about a third of the soil and then skipped on back base. I put the guys through a 'crank up' session. Where you run outwards for 10secs more than you run back. Requiring you to crank your pace up and make up 10secs on your return leg. Very useful pacing work and helpful for finishing speed. Everyone executed this superbly. You'll be fitter for it - that's a promise!

ps. Run Hackney, are we all confirmed?! Very confident you can all do it, please speak to me about training if you have any concerns. Check it out on GoodGym website. Sign up, sign up.

Catch you next week guys

B

7 GoodGym gods ran 2miles to pave a wheelchair access path, then ran back

Another trip down to Plaistow for GoodGym Newham. The sky conveniently emptied all traces of water pre task, so we stayed dry as a bone as we did our weekly good thang.

A gentle 2 miles there, the perfect joint lubricating warm up, before some all-action path laying at the Urban Wilderness Garden. Jacquie received us with a jovial welcome as per normal, the tools were ready for our altruistic arms - stuck in we got. A tricky curve in the path was negotiated well with some improvisation by Alice and Sarah. Adreana and Jane carried bricks with wonderful industry, Rodrigo levelled the soil with a keen eye and Carol filled in the gaps with sand. Another organically formed GoodGym work train, done with aplomb.

We managed to lay yet another section of our long term wheelchair path project. I personally can't wait to complete it, shall be vastly satisfying. Nice work team.

We broke up our run home-bound with some fast 10sec efforts. 10 of them to be exact. With some of the guys running half marathons soon, very useful to get a higher cadence session in, give you some complimentary 'zip' to those roaring v8 engines.

Look forward to seeing many of you next week...more good deeds, more cardiovascular goodness and more of YOU please.

Catch you then.

B

On a brisk and sunny Sunday morning, 5 Goodgymers joined forces with 5 other volunteers from Cleanup UK to help make The Greenway look a little, well… greener.

The Greenway is a privately owned cycle and footpath connecting Tower Hamlets with Beckford via the Olympic Park and Stratford and was in need of a bit of a spring clean. The clean-up mission was part of the Beautiful Boroughs Project and Clean for the Queen initiative.

The group focused their attention on the 800m stretch between Wick Lane and The View Tube. Armed with gloves, pickers and high-vis vests, the group set to work picking up litter from the path and surrounding fields, bushes and trees. It was amazing how quickly the bags filled up over the 2 hour period! The final tally was 35 large garbage bag, to be collected by Tower Hamlets Council. The most unusual item was found by Mandy who discovered an entire Vespa, complete with embroidered leather seat.

Special thanks to Sarah at CleanupUK for providing the equipment and biscuits and for David at Moka East Café for bringing the coffee!