Grey City Rollers

Undeterred by fierce Storm Imogen, five eager runners put their heads down and ran into the wind towards Catford, grabbing rollers and brushes on arrival and freshening up some accommodation for Action for Refugees in Lewisham.

It was windy, it was grey, it felt foreboding, but that didn't stop us gathering in the warmth of Glass Mill Leisure Centre to catch up with old friends and welcome new ones. We talked all things Good(Gym) and were delighted to hear that Jacqueline is well on her way to being paired with her Coach in the Borough. After a (quick!) head-count and warm-up, we braved the wind (it wasn't all that bad you know) and jogged on over to the property in Catford.

On the way we talked about favourite pancake toppings and how we might get creative with a Chinese New Year/Pancake Day fusion (crispy duck pancakes anyone? Mmmmmm).

Once at our task, we got struck straight in, carrying on from where we had left off the other week. The rooms are looking so much fresher now and will hopefully be more welcoming for the residents, who will move in shortly. Sterling roller action was observed, from Amy, Jacqueline, Judy and Martin, who compared parkrun experiences (hilly or flat?) as they worked. Our time was soon up and we were due to head back outside. No need to worry about getting cold though, no chance of that on our return leg!

There's nothing like fallen branches to keep you on your toes, so we skipped and leapt our way through Ladywell Fields, gathering to hear what was coming next...a little time-trial. We squatted and drilled in preparation and a well-lit cluster of athletes set off into the darkness. Minutes later (yes, just minutes, these are fast legs) times were being called out and noted and a somewhat breathless conversation ensued, all about how much easier it is to push yourself when running in a group: 'I'd never go that fast by myself!' Not one to keep people standing around, Adele quickly gathered everyone at the benches for some brisk push-ups and tricep-dips, before we lunged into the night and back towards our start-point.

A group run doesn't seem complete without a bit of sprinting, so we legged it back to the entrance of Glass Mill before slowing things right down with a good stretch (and plenty of chatter, obviously).

We really want to make this house truly homely before next week so, if you want to help, sign up to this one-off Mission on Saturday.