30 runners hit the streets of London from New Balance's flagship store to run 5km and help clear some workshops for young people in central London.

In the bright lights of our new location a crowd of runners emerged from the throngs of Oxford street shoppers.
We had a massive crew of first timers and a good gang of Westminster regulars.

"amazing opportunity for young people"

Our task for tonight was to help Makerversity clear out their cupboard to make way for more making space for young creative businesses. The dark vaults of Somerset House now vacted by HMRC are home to a thriving community of designers and makers. Every 3 months they support two new young creative people to get their first studio and workshop space free of charge - it's an amazing opportunity for young people to get started in Central London.

"7pm cutoff"

Our gang split in two: one lead by Barnet run leader Damien - taking a longer, posher, faster route down Bond Street and passed he Ritz, while Ivo's group went as the crow flies - through London's busiest streets including the very monica for busy-ness - Piccadilly Circus.

We battled through the crowds (and waited fro many a green man) and made it to the location just before our security-enforced 7pm cutoff. Both groups arriving within minutes of 7pm.

We got to work quickly - one trip for each person was enough to fill a skip with the designated unneeded materials. In no more than 6.5 minutes the job was done.

"planks, squats and dead bugs"

A quick task meant more time for exercising under-exercised muscles. The steps from the Mall to Pall Mall were the back drop for planks, squats and dead bugs. Everyone completed 2 sprints and all three exercises.

The groups made it back at 7.45pm. A rapid, efficient and speedy start to our runs from our new home on Oxford street.

See you next time.

Massive thanks to Damian, Nina, Gillian and Millie for their help guiding us around town tonight and wishing a speedy recovery to Joel - our new trainer for Westminster.

Until next week, safe running.

Meanwhile in BestMinster we are back in full effect for ours and your first run of 2017.

What better way to get than Good going this than running and delivering food to rough sleepers in Central London on behalf of Rhythms of Life? A great charity set up by Andrew who has spent some of his life sleeping rough himself.

Now as it was our first session of the year we brought together lots of newbies and lots of regulars who pulled together to make the lil goody bags for our delivery containing fruit, sandwiches, crisps and chocolate.

Obviously before any of this happened we discussed the wonderfulness of GoodGym and why we do what we do, some health and safety and few sips of water and we were off.

Once again we'd been told where the best place was to head for the drop offs so all in all the plan was for a steady few KM followed by some intervals then steady back.

We left GG HQ and headed down into the strand via the back streets where we distributed the food to those in need and I swear we heard the the best thing I've ever heard on a GG run.

Would you like some food?

No thanks, BUT have you got a tenna as there's a hat that I saw on sale I'd like to buy abc replica gun in a library that I like the look of lol.

When we told up we had no money and no replicas he accepted the food and we were on our way.

We headed towards Trafalgar square for some relay reps then to the Christmas bazar for some selfies and as if by magic we were back at base having done our bit, just because.

Thanks for joining us, hopefully we'll see you next for yet more goodness. Now remember, continue to do small things with great love.

On an evening where temperatures were dropping to -2, I was very excited to have a group of 5 GoodGym runners, who ran 6km to help a local community in Boscombe.

Lovely to see Caroline again after her trip to India....Ross, Daryl and Shauna, shout out to you and your commitment too!!!

We wasted no time running up to Eastcliff and to Churchill Gardens, stopping only to dance with traffic at a roundabout - we were literally stopping traffic in our high viz! 

Our task was to help the group who run the local Joy cafe in Churchill Gardens. We've been here before to help them out and think the work Becky and her group are doing is just brilliant in bringing together a fragmented community, reducing isolation and sharing resources. Her latest project is a new home to be used as a community resource, housing charity workers and hosting group events....like the upcoming carols and mince pie session! 

The place was HUGE and we were to help out blitzing the place as it was tired, mucky and just a little bit nicotine-stained! We found some interesting objects while working...spiders and a brain jelly mould (random). Apparently we missed the false teeth, found before we got there! Our two boys also help lug some furniture around and once we'd finished up and said our goodbyes we realised there was time and energy to spare.

A quick drill in the park opposite: each person ran a circuit, on their return they nominated next runner and an exercise for the group to complete while the runner was on the circuit. We learnt that hopping is VERY hard work and remembered the joy of squatting on a cold dark night with passing strangers heckling at you!

We dashed back to Boscombe Pier and finished the session with a couple of hill sprints up up and away from the sea.

Really excellent effort from you all and glad we all found the warm fuzzy GoodGym feeling despite the Baltic conditions!!!

See you next week!

Meanwhile in Bestminster our plan for this evening was a simple one. Hand out and drop off leaflets in Central and West Westminster for over 50s charity Open Age

Open Age was established in 1993 and they’re now celebrating over 20 years of championing an active life for older people. Their aim is to enable anyone aged 50 or older to sustain their physical and mental fitness, maintain an active lifestyle and develop new and stimulating interests.

They provide a wide range of physical, creative and mentally stimulating activities to enable older people to develop new skills, fulfil their potential and most importantly make new friends.

Now from reports coming in it was going to absolutely hammer it down at some point this evening so the plan was to absolutely hammer down to the edgware road area a mile and half up the road, deliver all of the leaflets to lots of houses and hammer it back, so thats exactly what we did.

But before we got started we had to explain to all of these amazing new goodgymers why what they were doing was so good so thats exactly what i with the help of a special guest who will remain unamed.

After this magical briefing the 8 of us headed off on our travels in light rain slowly but surely picking up the pace till we arrived on church street, we headed into a block of flats, split up and popped leaflets through doors and flew back down the steps.

Shortly after we split into small groups and raced around all the side streets till all the leaflets were gone. A quick regroup and off we went again trying to beat the rain.

Did we? Of course we did, a job well done and 5k covered....

See you next week...

Meanwhile in Westminster we headed 2 mins over the road to the Salvation Army to hand deliver a bunch of coats and toiletries and help out with giving them out as well as joining the other volunteers on soup kitchen duties.

The plan was simple, wander over, help out for the 30 mins then head off on a 30 minute tempo run so that exactly what we did.

The Salvation Army run a very tight ship at Princess Street drop in centre. Rough sleepers turn up and are offered food then ask what they need whether it be food, clothing or toiletries. You write it all down on a piece of paper, they are given a number, you go downstairs into the store room, collect the clothes, call out the number and bobs your uncle they are a little warmer.

We spent 30 mins there mingling, chatting and helping and then we were off.

An ever so slightly uncomfortable pace from light to light just to get the blood pumping, followed by some stretching and smiling and we were all done.

Thanks to all of you who came out to play, see you next week.