Litter pickers wear smaller knickers

The rain may have been pouring, the evenings drawing in, the trains delayed and overcrowded, but that did not stop 24 brave GoodGymers meeting up this Monday evening, ready to make a difference in their borough.

We were really happy to have some new faces along for the ride – hello Claire, Polly and Sophie! And an extra well done to Claire for smashing the Royal Parks Half last week.

It was our shortest run yet, just a skip up the road to St Barnabus Church, so we mixed it up by jogging there in Indian file – with the back marker sprinting to the front to become the new leader. This got us nice and warm before we arrived at the church, which is home to a number of community and youth groups.

We got stuck in quickly, despite the lack of floodlights. It was iphones to the ready, with Jenny wielding her surprisingly powerful mini torch to shed light on us all. Thanks Jenny! If any other of you lovely people have head torches please bring them along next week. Not only will you be the most popular people on the run, but you’ll look supercool too.

Dave tackled the creeper that was encroaching on the shed. It fought back, but the GG team won in the end. The other groups wrestled the cluttered sheds, collected the litter that had blown over to the church car park from the common, and weeded the driveway. Well done team – we’ll be back at St Barnabus soon to shampoo their carpets – next time, let there be light!

With only a short run in the bag so far, it was over to the common for a tough fitness session. We warmed back up again with some more Indian file- this time in pairs – before hitting some flying 30s head on. These are hard work, with a 30m run heading into a 30m full sprint, before a recovery jog back to the start line to do it all again. Four times! It still wasn’t over, because after a minute plank (in the mud – sorry!) we ran off to find our new hill sprint spot. It was shorter and sharper than normal, so the team managed no fewer than five of the pesky little sprints. Amazing for your stamina, core, speed and fitness levels. It got competitive – who won the chase in the end, Sarah and Jordan?

A short jog back home for some stretching. This this week’s clever runner award goes to Lizzie, who correctly solved the CoRUNdrum when she knew what the sign on Albert Bridge reads – ‘All troops must break step when marching over this bridge.’ Go Lizzie! Although no one could figure out which vegetable Sophie was trying to think of at the same time – her ‘small star shaped courgette’ actually turned out to be okra. Of course!

See you all next week lovely Wandsworth GoodGymers, you can sign up here:

https://www.goodgym.org/happenings/get-fitter-quicker