La Clique c'est Chic

22 runners ran 5k to shift and fill 6 big planters to create a community food growing space

On a clear and chilly evening in Camden 22 GoodGymers ran a combined 110km (further than London- Cambridge) to help London Wildlife Trust. We ran to Camley Street Natural Park to help finish building a large community food growing space on the edge of Kings Cross station. The food project has been run by Helen from Camley Street. It's her last week at Camley so it was brilliant for us to help get the last planters in place and finish filling them with compost. By next year there will hopefully be an abundance of berries, herbs and vegetables grown by local people.

Here's a report from GoodGym first timer Laura Cole;

When I heard about the Good Gym, I was keen, if not a tad apprehensive to sign up. You see, whilst I'm not a stranger to my trainers, I'm hardly Mo Farah on the track either. But after a few reassuring emails from Ivo and Shaun which ended with a 'see you later!' I realised there was no wimping out.

Word spread of my Wednesday night pursuits and two of my workmates promptly signed up too. The night was soon upon us and I was grateful for the absence of rainclouds and gail-force winds. We joined our fellow good-gymers at the Camden meeting point- Somers Town Community Centre.

Earn yo' stripes

Some had obviously earned their stripes, proudly doning their red member t-shirts. Coincidentally, I was wearing a red jacket, which I took as a sign. After some introductions, Shaun led the way to our first stop: Camley Street Natural Park, an urban nature reserve in Kings Cross. Just 1km away, it was a good distance to get our chilly bones and muscles toasty. We finished our warm-up by some roadside stretches, attracting a few bemused looks from passing motorists.

Community Growing Space

Helen, from the Wildlife Trust was there to greet us. She set our task as thus: to move empty raised soil beds to a new location, then fill them all with compost. She explained that a plot of narrow land had donated to them by National Rail and they wanted to turn it into a mini garden for the local community to enjoy.

Compost distribution line

Marching down the road armed with spades and wheelbarrows, I felt the urge to belt out 'hi ho, hi ho'. I resisted, aware that not everyone would share my enthusiasm for Disney. We set up an effective production line of ‘compost diggers’ and ‘transporters’ as the plot was a fair walk away from the soil mound. In between deposits, we’d sprint back, chatting along the way. A few of the people I spoke to had been coming for months, others were good gym virgins like me. What was clear was that it didn’t really matter.

Fluffy compost filled beds

The friendly and welcoming atmosphere meant there were no ‘old-boys’ or ‘newbie’ cliques you might expect to find at regular running clubs. Forty power-minutes later, the plant beds were lined up neatly and filled to the brim with fluffy compost. Job done. To give our legs a proper work out, Shaun took us a different route back via Regents Canal.

Chic-Bar exploration

Although I’ve lived in London for five years and work nearby, I’d never been to this part of the canal before. It might not have been the purpose of the run, but discovering chic water-side bars and restaurants was definitely a little bonus. Three kilometers later, we were back where we started, out of puff and satisfied. To me the Good Gym makes a lot of good sense. Why pummel your energy into a cross trainer when you can use it to actually create something?