Easy like Monday Evening

Last night GoodGym Wandsworth had two jobs. The first was deliver no less than 2500 leaflets for a local community garden in Battersea that needs help. The second was to kill it on the track.

The first task? Well, we got pretty close. After some quick mental arithmetic from Kylee we realised we’d have to hit up 100 flats each – difficult, but not impossible given we were going to the high rise buildings that surrounded the garden. In the end we had maybe a couple hundred leaflets left which will be distributed soon. The second job? There was no question, GoodGym Wandsworth knows how to work it on the tartan.

Bolt-ing about

We started off the night at our usual haunt, the Battersea Arts Centre, and began a series of congratulations. Wandsworth, you’ve been busy!

First it was hello to our fantastic new runners, Silvia and Ellie. Great to meet you! Then it was on to our heroes – Jack is topping the distance and cheers tables, while David is notching up most good deeds, and Matthew has been cheering like a pro. Well done everyone! Kylee nailed her first park run, while Matthew got his course PB, and Jack and Tom both ran extraordinary races on Saturday on the Gower Trail. Depending which one of them you ask it was either amazing or terrible. Either way, they both did so well. Finally we had a huge cheer to our very own historian and all round Good Person who, at the weekend, reached that magic 100th good deed. Way to go Will, that’s a huge achievement.

So near, yet so Far-ah

We took to our starting blocks, and with the stopwatch ticking, headed off for Battersea. There was a minor glitch on the way down when the bag containing the 2500 leaflets that Roshan and Will were gallantly carrying between the two of them split, but we soon divvied them up and before long we were all perfecting a rather fetching one armed stride technique.

At our task destination we split up into three groups. One group gave each car a leaflet, one group were putting on their best GoodGym charm handing them out to people leaving Tesco, while another group attempted to get access to the flats. The rooftop Doddington & Rollo community garden is a great opportunity for people in the area who have no access to outside space to come and grow their own plants. It is also a really clever use of space that would otherwise go unused. They always need volunteers so get yourself down there on a Saturday to give them a hand. As welling as spreading the word about the community garden, it was a nice little warm up before heading over to the park for our track session.

Ennis a good evening?

Thanks to the lovely England Athletics, we were given a slot on the track tonight. For some it was the first chance to feel the spring of tartan underfoot, and before long everybody was flying around the track looking like they were trying out for Tokyo. We started off with a quick game of chase the hare, with Penny leading the way as our speedy hare. Then it was on to working on our pacing, starting at 30% and finishing our circuit at a full on 100%. The next lap we all started together, but when the first person crossed the line, everybody, no matter where they were on the track turned around and ran the rest of the lap in reverse. Nice sprinting here Roshan. We finished off with a quick 200 metre relay. Everybody gave it their all, with Emma striding down the back strait, Hannah and Silvia showing some real power.

After some tricep dips and push ups in the stands, we headed back to the BAC, stopping at some more houses, pubs and cars to divest ourselves of the remaining leaflets. Cracking sprinting Wandsworth, you are all on the right track.

Next week we’re off to Paul’s Cancer Support Centre for clearing and painting. This is a really important charity, so please sign up here to make a real difference:

https://www.goodgym.org/happenings/painting-and-cleaning-at-paul-s-cancer-support-centre

ps I thought my CoRUNdrums were getting harder. But this week’s was quickly solved. You’re clever Wandsworth, too clever by half. For those who missed it; who am I? I was born in Putney in 1883. I helped mastermind the welfare state, and the NHS was created during my stint in power.