Chain Chain Chain

18 people ran 7k and cleared a car park of wood, bricks and soil to make way for a passive off-grid building project.

Tonight Plan B was definitely in evidence as the mission to rescue Sleeping Beauty from the incredibly overgrown garden of a Bethnal Green council estate fell though, but never fear GoodGym had a good deed up it’s sleeve and ably led by Shaun Dixon and Ivo Gormley my fellow red shirted runners and I made tracks for a new mission in Hackney Wick.

"changing lives"

Our outward journey took us though Vicky Park, past columns of other jogging groups high fiving as we went. After 3.5km we arrived at an Art Deco Hackney Public Baths on the Eastway, now home to Cre8, a landmark London 2012 regeneration project which is committed to changing the lives of all the people it supports and works with through training, learning, personal development and cultural experiences.

"human chains"

Our task was to clear a specific area of the car park covered in wooden planks, bricks and soil in preparation for the arrival of a big articulated lorry the next day. After a quick chat about the possibility of finding false widow spiders and how fast we might run if we found one, we set to work clearing the area, forming human chains whenever possible.

Job done we said goodbye to the warm and grateful Martin and divided into two groups with Ivo leading the more energetic runners back on a longer route via the Lee navigation, I opted to return with Shaun the way we had come.

"lampposts as markers"

As we entered Victoria Park for the second time, Shaun brought us to a halt and kindly took a moment to share a fraction of his vast knowledge of running with us. For the next ten minutes using lampposts as our markers, we tried a range of new techniques from running on a forward slant to make sure you hit the ground with the toes and not braking with the heal, to lifting your knees up and over to pull yourself along and finally running with smaller steps to prevent injuries.

"a new PB"

Arriving back at the Gallery we caught our breaths, warmed down, and bounced out into the night, some cycling home as far a Peckham (Go Culainn), On my much shorter route I took a moment to contemplate my brilliant evening and the wonderful achievement of a new PB of 7km, I could never have imagined I could do that a fortnight ago.

And we all lived happily ever after.

Chris Brennan