Goodgym runners were cancelling other appointments to take part in this task tonight! They were strapping on their already mud filled trainers, zipping up their many layers and preparing their waterproofs to meet their challenger....and no , it wasnt blustery Brendan... it was the soft play ball pit!!

15 runners came together to help their local community; and it wasnt just us long in the tooth GG runners that braved the gail force winds and unforgiving showers to meet at Guildhall for a 5km run and to do some good, but 3 sparkling new runners felt pulled by good will despite the promise of soggy trainers , a huge welcome to Susi, Graham and Claire (if you can run in tonights weather, you can do anything!)

With Jo and Laura leading the way as our walking group we headed along the river to the YMCA Hawker Centre where we met Ciaran who divided us into two groups...the apparatus and the ball pit.

Who thought cleaning lots and lots and lots of tiny balls could be so much fun! #softplay #ballpond #ballpit #ymcahawker #ymca #kingston #gooddeed #volunteering #runtodogood pic.twitter.com/4lOHx3y89f

— GoodGym Kingston-upon-Thames (@GoodGymKingston) January 15, 2020

The YMCA centre puts on many sports and fitness activities for the community including the incredibly fun soft play area for kids (or adults, I'm not judging) which includes a ball pit. This ball pit needed a good clean, so one team set to work removing all of the balls from the pit, cleaning them with a good rattle around in disinfectant spray and the putting them back in the ball pit looking all shiny and new...while the other team got to work cleaning the soft play apparatus , so channeling our inner 5 year old we weaved in and out with joy as we wiped and dusted, using the slide as our mode of transport from one section to another.

Last night we shook things up! Come along to GoodGym Kingston every Tuesday, 6.45pm at Main Guildhall building and you can too#goodgym #kingston #runninggroup #volunteering #ymcahawkercentre #ymca #doinggood pic.twitter.com/vB6rGUGnRv

— GoodGym Kingston-upon-Thames (@GoodGymKingston) January 15, 2020

We then regrouped to put all the clean balls back in the pit ready for the kids and of course our group photo!

We tackled the raging gusts once more as we headed back to Guildhall for a cool down and debrief

Great group, great task, great night!

How much fun can you have at GoodGym? This much fun!!!! #runninggroup #volunteering #exercise #running #getfitdogood #kingston #tuesdays pic.twitter.com/yf5LW1tlxU

— GoodGym Kingston-upon-Thames (@GoodGymKingston) January 15, 2020

Don't forget we have a Starter Run this Sunday, sign up here

12 elves met at Guildhall for the final GG Kingston run of the year.

With a ho ho ho and run run reindeer they were off to rock a warm up around the christmas tree

The elves raced santas hat, with Rhian remembering it was Rudolph pulling santas sleigh on a foggy night (much to the delight of everyone else who could finally stop planking!)

Here come's Santa Claus and here comes GG Kingston in their final GoodGym warm up of the year and what a great way to end it! #fitness #running #runninggroup #fun #volunteering #goodgym #kingston #santa #reindeers #christmas pic.twitter.com/yQuAcd8e4o

— GoodGym Kingston-upon-Thames (@GoodGymKingston) December 18, 2019

After the elves had braved the wintry conditions of Kingston, they arrived at the Grow Baby workshop, where there was just 30 minutes to work their magic.

Growbaby is such a giving charity in our community who since 2003 have been doing so much in the community, donating clothes to families with babies and younger children that are in need. The giving does not stop there as they serve the community in far more ways too so if you would like to know more then check out https://www.kingstonvineyard.co.uk/growbaby/

Spurred on by the glasses of bubbly, they got to work folding mountains of generously donated clothes and sorting into age groups.

As well as sorting baby clothes we were also tasked with cleaning duties and after an initial attempt to clean the windows only made them foggier than a cold december night that not even Rudolph could navigate, we changed our methods leaving them crystal clear.

Armed with brooms, dustpans and henry, we sweeped into action for the final job to leave the hub spick and span.

Back out into the cold we went, with bellies warmed with bubbles and our hearts warmed with the good deed.

We ran, we sorted, we wiped, we swept and we cheered! It was great!

All in all to round off a great year of GoodGym tonight was a thoroughly heart warming task with Grow Baby followed by a good warming drink or two...

On the 12th day of Christmas my goodgym gave to me.... 12 runners running , 1 walker walking and a mince pie dunked in beer!

Ho-ho-hope you all have a very merry Christmas. See you next decade!

Final run of the decade got us rocking around the Christmas tree - Merry Christmas everyone #goodgym #christmas #kingston #market #volunteering #running #runninggroup #doinggood #gooddeeds #elves pic.twitter.com/vaUQLvXrd9

— GoodGym Kingston-upon-Thames (@GoodGymKingston) December 18, 2019

Report written by everyone, ignore the line below

How lucky were we!

Thankfully we managed to dodge the rain and only lingered around the threat of it, which felt muggy to say the least!

Although already sticky (lovely!) Our muscles still needed a warm up so we huddled under shelter (just in case) and started with mobility stretches. We then moved onto weaving in and out of cones before pairing up for rock , paper, scissors, squat jumps with high fives and trying to get into a static squat in pairs - back to back! (I definitely did not master this one - big apology to my partner Laura)

Tuesday night madness #goodgym #kingston #tuesdays #warmup #fitness #runninggroup #moreincommon pic.twitter.com/spTMic3oKL

— GoodGym Kingston-upon-Thames (@GoodGymKingston) June 18, 2019

So we were warm, muggy, sticky and ready to run...we headed out up Villiers Road, onto Ewell Road to Lovelace, where we met Andrew from ideverde and his two little helpers (superdad!) To be instructed on how we could help the council in one of its green spaces that had been neglected. Ideverde were giving their time and tools to volunteer and improve these area near the Wayside community garden and we were happy to help.

Wet weather brought the jumping toads out! #goodgym #tuesdays #kingston #moreincommon #thegreatgetogether #running #doinggood #fitness pic.twitter.com/7QUnAwHkUS

— GoodGym Kingston-upon-Thames (@GoodGymKingston) June 18, 2019

We were to cut back a very large hedge making it as short as the tallest person and ensuring it wasn't an obstruction to pedestrians as they passed by as well as giving the trees more breathing space. This beast of a shrub put us through a good arm workout as we gave it a good short, back and sides.

We also did a litter pick of the area finding historical objects such as camera film (anyone remember what that is?) And also lent our hands to a spot of weeding. It really was a fulfilling task that hopefully the Tree Officer will be pleased about when he visits (cool sounding job right!)

How many GoodGymmers does it take to carry a bag of leaves?! #teamwork #inittogether #moreincommon #thegreatgettogether #volunteering #community #team #runninggroup #environment pic.twitter.com/b8RRhH8pm0

— GoodGym Kingston-upon-Thames (@GoodGymKingston) June 18, 2019

After the group photo and before heading back to Guildhall we took a moment to wish our Run Trainer a very Happy Birthday for Saturday. We then resumed our Stravas for the return journey and tried not to be lured home as we passed the streets we lived on or into the neighbouring restaurants where we could smell dinner cooking.

Well done everyone, a great night and lots achieved! Welcome back to Zi on his second run.

If you are interested in a joint community mission with Richmond this weekend take a look at the website to sign up for Trumpeters House Art Fair and Garden Party on Sunday.

There is also a call for volunteers at the Asics 10km on 21st July. Check it out and sign up if you're interested.

Happy Running , see you next week

Unluckily for some but not for us....13 runners joined Goodgym Kingston this evening (weirdly though that's the same amount that went to the cemetery on our last visit!!). We welcomed newbie Elizabeth on her first run with Kingston!! AND we also welcomed back Lesley after her magnificent achievement of running the Brighton Marathon. Well done Lesley!!

After news of community missions spreading like wild fire. Well done Kingston! (Check out the run listings for the next 2 weekends), some Marathon reflections where we all felt proud of Nik and Nic for their achievement we had a quick bit of birthday talk and then we headed out for our warm up.

Straight in to the all important pre-run stretches and then we paired up and got into the zone to conquer that ab building exercise...the plank! One half of the pair planked it out while the other balanced on the edge in a variety of exercises all tailored to strengthen our running. There was no lack of motivation from our partners and some were even spurred on to 'Stick it out and keep it stiff'. Not sure if it helped performance but the abs were hurting from laughing!!

We then set out on what was turning out to be a lovely sunlit evening to Kingston Cemetery. A location we have visited before and there is just so much to tackle there that we were DEAD set on helping to cut down thorny brambles and self-setters that were taking over the grave stones. We chose our weapons - everything from loppers, secateurs, rakes and even saws and set to work! Digging, raking, cutting, lifting and even Olympic style broom curling were all part of the workout at the task and we got plenty done but time went so quickly and before we knew it we needed to start packing up and heading off, we BRAMBLED to beat to caretakers clock and 'we would have got away with it if it weren't for those pesky self-setters causing so much havoc'!

RAKE me back so I can clear those vines ...

a few of us pleaded as we set off for our return run via the familiar red phone boxes..."who you gonna call?"

Well done team, we came , we saw and we conquered...see you next week

Don't forget the Thames Path Trot this Sunday if you fancy a run along the river we some fantastic GG folk.

After the first long weekend of the year, 7 keen runners EGGER to show off their St Lucian tans and to swap friendly wild animal encounters, gathered in room 41 for the briefing, with our usual leader who had finally deemed it warm enough, to shed the winter running suit and to show off those limbs. We whistled through a warm up, including a game of 'chuck a pair of gloves at your partner', discussed whether suncream was needed at 7pm, but agreed that insect repellent would be a good idea, then set-off on the run.

As if to punish us, by the mistaken distance accusations last week (i.e. Not 10k gate) Mark led us back along the stinky route, on another 'not quite 10k run'. Back over to help Sustrans out for the 2nd week running, this time for a bit more of a physical task such as rock bagging and weeding - Forking concrete.

We set about the patch of ground that we had started to clear last year, this time without the sticky bore plants and worrying smells in the dark. They had already made a great start on the area, with the help of an early GG runner, Jane, so we were there to rake up the rest of the weeds and turn over the rock solid soil. Dave bent a fork in the process, Kate wished for her feather bird tool and Jenna got her kings and saints of England in a muddle. Who pulled the sword and who slayed the dragon?? By George/Arthur!

After our time was up we flexed our muscles for a picture and set off back to hq, back down the oh so stinky lane, for a few warm down stretches.

Don't forget to check out the upcoming community missions including Saturday's planting on the platform at Berrylands Station, as well as the Thames path trundle, organised by Jenna and Kingstons 1st birthday party in May, including pub quizzes, post market picnics and sports day games...

Also Best of Luck to all taking on the Marathon this weekend especially Kingston's own Nik West and Nicola Cage-Brimelow (we are sharing you with Portsmouth still!)

Next week less of a stinker and shorter running (Walkable even if you prefer) so spread the word!