High Intensity Rocket Training (HIRT)

Last night 23 people ran 5 km to help Hackney locals

It was another fine summer's evening, set for gardening,. We split into 3 sharp groups to help local people tackle their patches.

The first group of 4 went on a Mission. They ran to an Outward centre in Hackney Downs. Outward provide support and care services to vulnerable people in Hackney. Outward was set up by parents of disabled children looking for an alternative to institutional care provision. This group ran to one of their facilities, which gives tailored support for people with severe learning disabilities. Their task was to start weeding and tidying up the front and back gardens, ready for planting next week.

The second group of 4 GoodGymers ran to a Mission too; back to a local resident who needed help with her garden to make way for their mobility scooter.

The rest of the gang ran up to Rectory Road allotments nestled in De Beckers Estate to clear an overgrown plot of land, allowing residents to continue growing their own veg.

I led the third group, and we jogged through London Fields and found a quiet well-shaded spot for a cheeky 4 minute high intensity Tabata (made up of mountain climbers and star jumps) to fully limber up before the 2.5 km to the estate.

Once on site, we stretched and picked weapons of choice. Shovels, forks and hands with gloves were used to yank out the plot's tough and long weeds. Delicious wafts of lost rocket and mint were released as the weeds were stripped away, and we all got excited at the odd brown beetroot emerging from overturned soil.

We ploughed on, determined to swap dense green overgrown vegetation with dark bown snail laden soil. Gemma and James, local residents and allotment growers, popped out to say hello and supplied us with well needed cool water and lots of thanks for our work.

We got through the plot, about 3m by 10m in 30 minutes, and piled the recycling area high with bags of weed. We were jeed on with news of possible funding for the residents to create lots more raised beds and mulch paths to make the site more accessible to more residents. There was even talk of a shared raised bed for GoodGym runners! Good rocket?! Yes please.

Chatting away about the possibilities, we re-warmed, and ran back in two groups at two different paces - summer steady and summer spritz.

Thanks everyone! 3 jobs well done.