GoodGym scores a leaflet hat trick and takes the biscuit!

Tonight’s challenge: a triple-decker leaflet drop. Three charity events, three teams of three, and three packets of Oreos. Three really is a magic number.

After our attention grabbing warm up in the centre of Richmond town – hip swinging, shuttle running, downward dogging - Mark passed on some essential leafleting survival tips. These mainly centred around fashioning the leaflets into some sort of defence weapon in the event of meeting a hostile dog on the other side of the letterbox. (How we all laughed nervously...)

Then it was down to the Green for some wheelbarrow racing and Oreo Olympic relay races round the cricket field. Two mini packets of Oreos acted as our relay batons with a big packet of Oreos promised to the winning team.

‘I’ll give them to you at the end of the run…so you don’t have to carry them,’

Mark said as he dropped the big packet back into his bag. Hmmm… pretty sure they were still in his bag on his way home…

And then it was a short run to the ETNA community centre in St Margaret’s to pick up our leaflets promoting three different charity events: a Spring Lunch on April 25th supporting The Holly Lodge Centre, which is a charity based in Richmond Park providing educational activities for people with disabilities; a Garden Party on May 28th for The Poppy Factory , the proceeds of which go towards the charity’s work supporting disabled veterans back into meaningful employment; and a Charity Art Auction (Desmond Jones Hidden Art) on June 9th, supporting over 30 different charities.

Bundled up, we split into three teams to cover as much ground as possible. There were no angry dog encounters, but Jenna did meet a scary cat that stared at her menacingly. Jenna counter attacked with a winning smile. We’re not sure who won the stand off.

Jane announced that she had finally mastered the art of leafleting –

"When you can’t find a letterbox for blocks of flats, just sweep them under the door"

...and then she demonstrated a move which we all instantly recognised as one of Mark’s favourite dynamic hamstring stretches: bent double, sweeping hands forward past her ankles. Who knew, Mark is actually the Mr Miyagi of GoodGym? All this time, we thought we were performing random warm up stretches, but actually we were developing critical muscle memory for our GoodGym tasks! Genius.

We were joined on this run for the first time by Tom, brand new to GoodGym, and by Jason who is a regular runner at the Hammersmith GoodGym but new to Richmond. Welcome both!

Just a reminder that Mark needs to know if you want to join the team for the Tug of War on 9th of June. It’s an evening event outside the Eel Pie pub in Church Street, Twickenham. We need a team of eight plus two reserves, and winners get free drinks.

Jane is also organising a GoodGym London-wide social on Sunday 23rd April to support GoodGym’s marathon runners. Details are posted on the GoodGym website (in the Social section), but essentially wear your red t-shirts and get ready to cheer on our runners from around the Mile 18 marker in Canary Wharf. Kick off is 10am. Sign up on the website to let Jane know you’re coming and if you’re free and able to help, she’d love a buddy to set up with her.

Well done all for this week's Monday run, Mark promises to explain what happened to the big packet of Oreos next week....which is a reminder that GoodGym is still running on Easter Monday, the task planned is EGG-cellent!! and on that note if you have too many Easter eggs or the odd one or two spare please bring with you for our run as we intend to share the chocolate love.

Big thank you to Elaine for the run report and to all those who sent through some photos

Happy Running