Sum-ho ho and a barrel of laughs

28 people ran 7km to exercise for local people

Fuelled by GoodGym endorphins, I decided to write the report. We nailed 2 tasks in Dalston with a Mission Run alongside it.

We've been working with The Hackney Pirates since January; helping with the wonderful transformation of their new learning space in Dalston. Tonight, they had lots of building materials and furniture to move, 1 mile, between their new place (on Kingsland Road) and their old one (on Downham Road).

On top of this, the Secret Seed Society needed 50 large oil barrels (weighing around 12kg each) moving from the ground level bee garden up 7 floors to the roof top on the Print House.

Mission Runs, for GoodGym members, make a big difference to an elderly person or a community group. Tonight, an elderly Hackney resident needed help trimming an overgrown hedge in his front garden.

So with 2 tasks and 1 mission in our sights, we warmed up thoroughly in London Fields. A pyramid set (12, 10 and 8 reps) of lateral jumps, star jumps and sumo squats. Each level of pyramid was separated with a 50m running drill (over 3 lamp posts). Always got to do at least 3 rounds to get the mind and body focussed on the ACTION TO COME.

We had very sweet company from a group of kids in the park. They followed us in our warm up, copying the GoodGymers down the 50m stretch. They seemed to drop out, at the sight of us sumo squatting. Probably not a pleasant sight to the untrained eye.

With muscles warmed and minds eager, the Mission Team - Leah and Andreana tonight - set off to hedge, and the rest of us ran 3.5k through Broadway, along the canal and weaved along the blossom lined streets of Haggerston, to Dalston.

We slit into 2 groups at Dalston Square. Half ran a little further to meet Catriona at the Pirates, and the second team jogged on to meet Amy from Seed.

Our briefs were delivered and everyone took up command and posts. Trent and David kindly front and back marked the Pirate group, and Hass, Kartik and Carly, Andy and Hannah did the same for the second group.

I ran between the two checking up on the activities. It was a fab run and task indeed with lots of banter. There was a lot of smiling and laughing too (mmmmmm, note to self - add burpees in warm up).

Sarah's smile deepened the more she seemed to lift (or was that grimacing), Will was a trooper; coordinating the movement of barrels up to the rooftop, and newcomers / Run Hackney folk - Dan, Gaby and Amy - got stuck in.

Megan and Boudewijn made mince out of the barrels - lifting them firmly overhead or on the shoulder, and Rosie, Abi and Katy made a great team steadily walking the barrels up the fire escape (arm ache anyone!?).

The 3.5k run back was a 7.5 / 8 min mile haze of heel lift and arm swing (and even heavy panting). We all joined up at the canal and enjoyed the final 800 m stretch back to base camp.

A super evening everyone.

Ade Aboaba GoodGym Hackney Coordinator Thanks to Amy too for the lovely 'through the barrel' image