The Jolly and The Ivy

Two tasks this evening and three first timers. Welcome to Katie, Tom and Ophélie

New GG Richmond trainer Mark did our briefing and we cheered Caroline for completing LiRF (Leadership in Running Fitness) at the weekend.

And we had something jolly to discuss as we journeyed to our tasks: what's the best joke?

One group ventured to Caxton House. Aidan tells us what went down:

It has been a while since we have been to Caxton House and 15 Goodgymers took up the challenge this week. We do love a gardening challenge at Islington and this week we had two beasts to tackle, both obstructing people from getting into Caxton. An ivy plant had been doing its best to hide the sign and an evergreen tree thought it was fine to grow over the footpath and stop people getting in!

With shears and gloves at the ready we tackled the beasts and oh did we beat them.

With a team of 3 of our taller Goodgymers tackling the tree the rest of us tackled the mighty ivy.

After a solid 30 minutes of grabbing, pulling, cutting, chopping, shearing, throwing and bagging we had defeated the greenery.

Now with everyone able to see where Caxton House is and be able to walk to the door we did a quick cleanup before our jog back to base camp.

Aidan

The other group visited Barnsbury Square Gardens. First timer Katie describes the evening poetically:

Hanging with the B___ches and H_es (Branches and hoes)

It was a quiet July evening,
The sun had nearly set,
I set off for the meeting point,
To meet the Good Gym set.

These altruistic athletes,
Assemble every week,
Chocolate digestives
The only rewards they seek.

The past few days were crazy,
A few reasons to be glum,
We made a deal to not discuss
That bloody referendum.

We divided into groups
To conquer our two missions
And very soon I found myself
In an agricultural position!

We laid into Barnsbury Park,
Our forks and spades a-turning,
Our comrades up in Caxton Park,
Cutting ivy with arms a-burning.

Simon and Caroline called us round,
And made us do some drills-
Skipping, shuttling, flipping cones,
To perfect our running skills.

Soon enough it was the time,
To meet our running friends,
And work out any niggles and cramps,
With arm and leggy bends.

And then! Out came the biccies,
We ate them with such glee,
We told our jokes and had a laugh,
Thanks for welcoming me GG!

Katie

Back at the pool we nommed our cheap chocolate digestives and decided on the best joke.

• Ben: What happened to the magic tractor? it turned into a field!

• Katie: Why did the hipster burn his lips on his flat white? BEcause he drank it before it was cool

• Will: Farage

• Mel: Can't repeat

• Simon: A skeleton walks into a pub and asks for a pint and a mop

• Caroline: Why did the chicken cross the road? To get to the other side.

Our official Laugh-o-meter determined that Katie was the winner. Her prize is another run with GoodGym next week.

Wonderful good-deeding everybody. See you next week,
Simon