Lawn and Order in the Patchwork, Chop Chop!

This week's run and do good, to St. Christopher's in Twickenham, was partnering with the Great Get Together, an initiative founded by the family and friends of the MP Jo Cox who was killed on 16th June 2016, to reject divisive politics and bring our communities together and celebrate all that unites us. St Christopher’s is a fantastic charity doing great work to create brighter futures for children and young people in care, and we got to continue the efforts we started in April when we cleared some thick vegetation for their new vegetable patch.

This week's warm-up was in the evening warmth of Richmond Green (a welcome change from huddling in the entryways round the corner from Wholefoods in last week's torrential downpours) and Mark took us through an imaginative routing of skipping, bridges, dead bugs and mountain climbers. We even got to kick each other while we were down (well more like nudging each other while we did planks).

Then off we trotted up Richmond Hill, down Star & Garter and along the river through Buccleuch Gardens (our flowerbed now a mass of tulips, lavender and poppies), over Richmond Bridge and along to St. Christopher's on Rosslyn Road, to be greeted by the ebullient Ricky and his team.

We "saw" you 🤣🤣#moreincommon #richmond #goodgym #mondays #doinggood @StChris1870 #chopchop #runninggroup pic.twitter.com/5bnIbQGhEx

— GoodGym Richmond (@GGRichmon) 18 June 2019

Dividing an conquering between the various tasks, we snatched up the tools laid out for us and got stuck in to weed and lay topsoil on the new vegetable patch, mow the overgrown lawn and chop a tree down and up (if you see what I mean) that had been blown down in recent winds.

Did we fool you?? #goodgym #richmond @StChris1870 #running #moreincommon #fitness pic.twitter.com/L6X2Q6M9j7

— GoodGym Richmond (@GGRichmon) 18 June 2019

Valiant against prickles and bites (starting to itch as I write this), we made short work of our work leaving a beautiful new vegetable patch ready for planting... who knows, potatoes? marrows? giant pumpkins? ... a pile of freshly chopped branches and a lawn so immaculate it was a surprise not to see Novak Djokovic stroll out and starting warming up.

Second-time Richmond-GGer Leo was piloting the mower, and had to step up the pace as time started to run out, but was helped to a photo finish with a chorus of Mexican waves from the rest of the group. What a team.

Who else has this much fun on a Monday night? #moreincommon #goodgym #GreatGetTogether #fitness #running #richmond #dogood pic.twitter.com/lb7NGKJcK8

— GoodGym Richmond (@GGRichmon) 18 June 2019

After a quick tidy-up of tools we left the garden looking fantastic, and headed off back to Wholefoods (apart from 5 who peeled off to homes nearby). Welcome to Monika for her first run, and great to see Jane and Aran again.

Don't forget to take a look at the Whatsapp group for the list of races in the GG Olympics and post what you would like to do, the sign up sheet will be brought to next week's run also.

Community Mission happening this Sunday for Spear - take a look and sign up if you're free!

There is also the Asics London 10k on 21st July