There was lots going on tonight, there was news of Olympics, 100km races, Tug of War and monthly socials – with some, one and none taking part in each of them.

With regards to the GG Olympics on 3rd August, T mentioned how we each need to sign up individually on the GG website and that there are a number of events we can get involved in , including egg and spoon and sack race. T will be putting together a spreadsheet of events for us all to put our names against.

Tonight though, all runners (13 of us) were taking part in an adventure, the adventure, that’s right…the adventure playground was back!

But first of all, we were put through our paces with a rather adventurous warm-up – think…bootcamp style, “drop down and give me 10…press ups, burpees, dips, squat jumps and other exercises that got us ready to tackle the run ahead. Before we set off Mark announced the delightful news that tonight we would have the pleasure of …a hill! Oh, we do know how to have a good time in Richmond! As we set off we all wondered what hill it could me, there was nightingale whispers and church road panics, but it was Kings Road that saw us to the top. Some of us paused for a second as we took in the beautiful view at the top of Richmond Hill across Petersham Meadows.

Now, stopping for a moment may have been a mistake as a few of us were now further behind than we would have liked to be. Thankfully with the GG shirts in the distance as our beacon we were confident we would get to the task location. And we did get there…but some of us took longer to get there than others, now you see when one GG shirt follows another GG shirt that thought they were following the right route, a few extra GG shirts end up running another 2km’s further than they needed to.

We live and learn!

Once at Marble Hill Park and at the adventure playground we were put to work by Claire who had some of us sanding down chairs and doors, so they were ready to paint, while the rest of us were litter picking and weeding. We were kitted out with all the necessities, including face masks to protect us form the sawdust and Lego to help with the sanding (see photo for evidence). It was a tough old workout, and by the end of it our arms were aching, and there was more sand around us than an Egyptian pyramid but Claire was chuffed with how much we got done. All that was left was to of course, have a go on the big swing once more (also see photos for evidence).

Once the adventures were had we headed back to Wholefoods along the river (for the second time for some people) and welcomed a well-deserved stretch and cool down – Oh, and just to finish of the night we also decided to walk like an Egyptian – well why not eh!

And if you are wondering about the pun, watch this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bq7DGvfnr3U

and here's our version...

Walk like an Egyptian#runninggroup #Mondays #volunteering #Richmond #wholefoods #fitness #fun #marblehill #adventure pic.twitter.com/TkZRZ9UOoU

— GoodGym Richmond (@GGRichmon) June 4, 2019

Last night, it was a full female force, (well except for Mark of course) and we were ready for a Monday night of chatty running and doing good!

We started the evening with a big welcome to new runner Sarah and a welcome back to Katie and Egle on their second run. It was also great to see Tonje on her third run and Victoria an original GG Richmond runner who had been away for a while.

The big news was to wish all of those from GG Richmond taking part in the Vitality 10k on Monday 28th May - Victoria, Holly, Imogen and anyone else running…good luck!

So, back to it, we headed to Richmond Green for a warm up, a very energetic warm up as always that saw us running from cone to cone trying to remember 1 to 4 and where we needed to press up and where we needed to donkey kick!?

Running into the new week like......#goodgym #mondays #richmond #running #fitness #warmup #exercise #technique #drills #sprint #drive #fun pic.twitter.com/HAqQE6Y4of

— GoodGym Richmond (@GGRichmon) May 21, 2019

After a little confusion and lots of giggles we mastered it and celebrated with star jump (see photo) and then hit start on Strava and headed out over Richmond bridge and to the river, taking on the start of a figure of eight route on our journey to Lynde House Care Home.

Lynde House Care Home provide high quality nursing care, palliative care and care for people with sensory disabilities. It is a beautiful home with a lovely garden. We headed out to the garden for our task for the evening – we had been asked to paint benches. We grabbed sand paper, paint and brushes and got to work.

It was definitely “women’s work” as we put our muscles into it and opened the paint tins with pure brute force (well done Lenka) and scrubbed those benches that we wore down the few bits of sand paper we had. We then carefully painted each bench and some of us even watered the garden when there weren’t enough brushes - and we did all this while still chatting!!!

With just minutes to spare there was one bench left, so we grouped together to achieve a PB - the most amount of people to paint a bench at the same time as well as getting it done in such speedy time. Those without brushes were helping keep the team motived by giving them words of encouragement and swapping in when their arms got tired.

It really was a “PB on a PB” (personal best on a painted bench).

How many Goodgymers does it take to paint a bench?! #volunteering #richmond #carehome #painting #outdoors #doinggood #fun #goodgym pic.twitter.com/Zs05Mjufg6

— GoodGym Richmond (@GGRichmon) May 21, 2019

Time was up and before we new it we were heading back to Wholefoods on the remainder of our figure of eight route, heading over Twickenham bridge and back onto the green before a cool down to round us off.

It really was a injection of girl power last night to get the task done! Well done everyone

We’re all rooting for Earth Hour at GG!!

A chilly Richmond evening welcomed nineteen (count ‘em!) GoodGym gals and guys (with quite a contingent of new faces – we’re already very "frond" of you guys), in celebration of Earth Hour for an unbeleafably fun task that really grew on us. As usual, Mark put us through our paces with his highly creative workout, this time drawing inspiration from a wide range of animals to keep us on our toes (/paws/hooves/knuckles/claws). Once we’d completed enough animal poses to make our own little zoo we set off up our first hill – as tonight also saw us taking part in our very own Richmond Three (Little) Peaks Challenge. Aren’t we lucky?

Whacky Wildlife Warmup!!#earthhour #wildlife #fun #goodgym #richmond #running #fitness #volunteering pic.twitter.com/FEUr5IMtd8

— GoodGym Richmond (@GGRichmon) 26 March 2019

A jolly chat along the way up Kings Road and then Queens Road for our second Peak, and before we knew it we were passing the Star and Garter and careening down the hill to the start point. We picked up trays of tiny plantlings, trowels and baby spades and headed off along an ominously dark path that looked like it belonged in a scene from a horror movie that would make you jump behind the sofa. Brave souls as ever, we flipped our headlights to full beam and struck out into the gloom.

Our task, set by the Thames Landscape group was to plant primrose plants along the borders of the path, presumably because yellow flowers would make it a bit less scary. Ken the task owner threw the gauntlet down for us to plant as many bulbs as we could so we were fired up and raring to deliver! Met by the lovely Jean Loveland at the task who briefed us and pointed us in the right direction we got stuck in, and soon enough we were racing along. Plant, anyone? Who's got a hole free? (Ahem). But we were a little too leisurely to begin with and totally underestimated the number of the mini suckers we had in the trays, leading to some frantic power plant-ing as Mark gave us our 5-minute warning. The fun tasks really do go too fast, and despite our efforts there were a couple of unfinished trays - can we go back and tuck the rest of them into bed?

A quick drop off of the gnome spades and we set off again, heading for the biggest and most daunting of Richmond’s Peaks – the dreaded Nightingale Lane. The trick on this one is to build up gradually and go for a heads-down push as you get round the bend… as usual Jay left us all for dust, but then he eats 10 Nightingales for breakfast. Not really, he’s really quite gentle to birds of all kinds.

Back at Wholefoods and a warm down, this time without the zoological theme, and it was time to head home. A very warm welcome to our newbies – Kate, Charlie, Emma, Annabel, Nicola, Mike, Nat and Tonje, and well done on a first (or in some cases second) group run and task completed in style – you grow girls! (and boys!)

Great to hear all the run news as well folks! Keep up the good work

It might have been wet and grey but our bright red shirts and headtorches brought light to the night.

Our warm up was fun and of course a little confusing for a Monday night but it woke us up and got us moving, making our muscles warm and ready for our 7km run. (slightly more for some)

We set out towards Mortlake, down the long stretch of Sheen Road until we reached the railway. With the front runners up ahead and out of sight, us back runners (accidently) ran a little further than planned - just getting in those extra kms! It was a quick look at the map and we were off back down Mortlake High Street and heading for 2nd Mortlake Scout Hut.

We were there to help the Brownies and Girl Guides who have been using the hut for over 100 years! We were met by lovely Task Owner Lynn, who kindly left out satsumas, water and biscuits for us. We were so looked after on this task!!

We had a number of jobs to get to, so we got to it, first stop was a large store cupboard at the side of the hall. When I say cupboard, I mean …. Well, you could fit a few vans in it! Great job though as it was filled with all sorts of weird and wonderful things - camping equipment, clothes dryers, wool, a toadstool, tools not used since biblical times I think, and some strange (and quite spooky) clown cut out stand things you would find at a carnival (when you see the photo you'll know what I mean).

To me , to you! #goodgym #task #physical #lifting #fitness #volunteering #browniehut #mortlake #scouthut #richmond pic.twitter.com/stgM0307gg

— GoodGym Richmond (@GGRichmon) 19 February 2019

Once we had moved all the treasures from the store we tackled the outside and swept the leaves ensuring it all looked in tip top shape. We also even had time to find and move a battle rope, a 9kg weight and an office chair – We did a farmers walk and more workout anyone??

#GoodGym's version of a farmers walk #fitness #sandbags #weights #strength #volunteering #brownies #girlguides #richmond #mortlake pic.twitter.com/CjAZoA9VZx

— GoodGym Richmond (@GGRichmon) 19 February 2019

So that's pretty much it for the report this time, although some felt that the run report may have been more interesting to come from the perspective of one of our newest recruits if even....a mouse that we disturbed as worked. Perhaps if it has a GG shirt on next time we visit we can get the account from our furry friend …. Imagining it went something like …."My slumber was disturbed by some large beings in red, they moved quickly as though they'd been in training. They started collecting and moving my hiding places. I was left with no choice but to let my agility and speed work kick in and race to safety. I don’t know who those clowns were, but I hope to never see them again...unless they have cheese".

We bid a farewell to Lynne and Mickey Mouse to head back to wholefoods, splitting into 2 groups for the return journey. One, a leisurely jog back down Sheen Road, the other, a steady but cruel incline on Queens Road on the route back. We came together once more to have a well-deserved stretch at the end.

Welcome to Katrina and Tonje for joining us on your first run – great to meet you!

Don’t forget to look up the news from Dora in your emails with ref to shin dig and missions that were mentioned

See you next week for the hedge and weed!