Buds, sweat and cheers

It was set to be Wandsworth's longest run yet, with a meaty 5k run down to the task and the same again on the return leg. But that did not put off the 23 runners who met last night to help out the wonderful Work and Play Scrapstore.

This charity has, for the past 30 years, promoted the re-use of materials for environmental, community and artistic benefit and donated clean and re-useable waste materials otherwise destined for incineration or landfill to schools, charities, community groups, arts organisations, students and families.

There were a few new faces who bravely took on the challenge of a longer run – huge hellos to the lovely Leanna and James, and welcome Dennis, our ace visitor from Tower Hamlets!

This week’s tough CoRUNdrum comes courtesy of Will, who kindly sent a set of three quiz questions in advance of the run. Thanks Will. Which is the only underground station that shares no letters with the word ‘underground’. Tricksy! But it was clever Danni who nailed the answer a mere mile into the run, with the correct answer – Balham. Go Danni!

With a good downhill section on the outward leg, we arrived at the charity to be met by the lovely Rachel, who led the team into an Aladdin’s cave of brightly coloured materials, glitter, fake fur, baubles, boas and beads. This was our most beautiful task venue yet, and the team quickly dispersed into the warren of shelves and different rooms to tackle the tasks. The painting crew led by our very own Van Gogh Jordan set off to paint a bare room (check out the before and after shots!), while other small teams stacked rolls of material, scrapped carpet samples, sorted bottle tops, cut swathes of paper, trampled boxes and sorted fabric swatches.

The minutes flew by, and before long, our allotted time had passed and we set off into the night. Shout out to Jack and David who joined us despite having run the gruelling Cardiff half marathon the day before. What a heroic effort. Well done to everybody that completed the race, you make GoodGym proud!

Back at the Battersea Arts Centre, over 10 kilometres completed, we celebrated like only runners know how. With cake. The mega-talented Sally made a fluffy and delicious lemon cake in honour of our birthday girls this week – huge happy birthdays to Sarah and Kylee!

Next week we are transforming the Omnibus theatre with an epic paint job. Come and join the fun by signing up here:

https://www.goodgym.org/happenings/painting-the-omnibus-theatre