CHILD'S PLAY

18 GoodGym-ers ran 4km to help a children's centre this week

We broke GG Barnet records yet again this week with 18 people showing up to run – the most people to date (not including launch night)!

Big shout out to Graham, Lara and Eleanor who all joined us for the first time this week! Be sure to click their names and give them a cheer!

After a quick intro inside the cinema, we went outside to warm up the side road. It's always important to warm up properly to make sure our muscles and joints are ready for the task ahead. It was a nice easy run this week to Newstead, a nearby children's centre, to paint the hall. We ran 1.4km there, with Hazel our trusty backmarker.

Teje was there to meet us, armed with all the painting essentials and a box of biscuits! The team blitzed the first coat of paint in the hall in 15 minutes, leaving plenty of time for our fitness session in the back room. Today the focus was on agility, strength and conditioning, starting with some duck walks and knee tag games and finishing with some press-ups, crunches and jumpning squats. There were obviously also some burpees, because everybody loves burpees.

Thanks to Hazel for taking lots of pictures during the workout!

We then said our goodbyes and ran back to base, splitting off into two groups and taking a slightly longer (2.5km) route back. Damian and Mark lead the speedy lot back while I lead the less speedy group. Paul was my trusty back-marker on the way back, with Eleanor and Freya navigating the back roads of Finchley for me.

The run back was pretty much all up hill, so kudos to everybody for doing so brilliantly.

The Barnet Biscuit of the week: Freya's homemade gingerbread polar bears

We also had the biscuits from Newstead AND a box of chocolate fingers that my gran gave to Hazel on Sunday after a mission to clean her greenhouse.

We have two missions in Barnet this weekend. If you're already DBS checked you can sign up: Help deliver fliers for the Safer Neighbourhoods Team in High Barnet on Saturday (who have promised biscuits to any volunteers – unprompted) and clear the way for Ms D's carers on Sunday also in High Barnet.

If you're not DBS checked yet, just bring some ID and proof of address (two of one and one of the other) along to next week's run. We'll be flyering for a local christmas fair. We'll also be going to the pub afterwards for some food.

The following week will be the last GG Barnet of the year – running to set up SANTA'S GROTTO. And the Phoenix will be providing Mince Pies and wine for us when we return to the cinema.

See you next week!