Haringey

Group run

Digging the trench

8 GoodGymers made their way 6.0km to help the Cafe Connect in Haringey.

  • Pennie Varvarides
  • Catherine
  • Abigail White
  • Francis Bradley
  • Rebecca
  • Emine Rustem
  • Joe Hemsted
  • Una
 
Wednesday, 21st of March 2018
 
Led by Pennie Varvarides

This week 8 powerful GoodGym-ers ran 2km (and a bit) to dig a trench at the Bowling Green for the electricity cables they're installing to power the stage they're building.

Everything about this project makes me so excited. Leyla and the team have got so much done since our last visit and it was so nice to know we were really helping create something wonderful.

But let's not get ahead of ourselves. We started with a warm up out front of the leisure center, where I discovered none of you can sit at the bottom of a squat comfortably. Your homework was to sit in that bottom position for two minutes a day – make sure you practice!

Abi, on her 25th Good Deed, was our trusty back-marker for the evening, as we made our way the 1km to the bowling green.

As always, we paused at the top of the cycle path for a quick sprint, before heading to the green.

Leyla and the team were all very excited to see us, and Leyla gave us a quick tour of the progress before setting us our task. We had to dig a trench deep enough and long enough for the electricity cables to pass through. Someone wanted to charge them over £60 per meter to dig it, so we were glad we could help!

I actually thought we'd be planting stuff, so when I was giving my health and safety chat at the start I mentioned pick axes and then retracted it. Turns out we had two pick axes to work with!

We were joined by a few other bowling green volunteers, who helped us dig and clear leaves. Em turned out to be particularly great at the digging, clearing the deepest bit the fastest. Joe was on a roll, until he came across a hidden cable deep in the soil which meant we had to stop to avoid accidental electrocution. No GG fatalities yes.

It was soon time to pack up and head home. But not before tasting some of the most delicious oranges Leyla had brought us from the Turkish shop (via Spain), which we all very much enjoyed.

On the way back we stopped at the cycle path again for more sprints - this time with a focus on form. We were working on knee drive and power generation, getting the gang used to pushing off that back leg rather than reaching forwards with the front one. Everybody felt faster and bouncier and Cathy told me she actually felt like a gazelle, so I think the technique work has started to pay off.

We finished up with a quick conditioning circuit, before running back to base for stretches and high fives.

PS that photo of a bit of green in a pot is of my birthday strawberries growing!

Report written by Pennie Varvarides


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Pennie Varvarides
Led by Pennie Varvarides

GoodGym trainer Haringey. Strength and conditioning coach getting people moving better and feeling stronger.

GoodGymers helping out
  • Back marker

    Make sure that no one is left behind

    • Abigail White

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