Balsam Round Two and...

HAPPY THREE BIRTHDAY!

We are 3! Happy Birthday @GGRichmon 🎂🥳#birthday #threeyears #runninggroup #doinggood #wholefoods #volunteering #richmond #mondays pic.twitter.com/VHLqoYGpcx

— GoodGym Richmond (@GGRichmon) July 16, 2019

Party Time tonight and what a night to feel hungry before a run as each runner arrived with a mini hamper or picnic basket all deliciously packed ready for our celebration after the run. Such temptation was hard to resist but there was a brief to focus on and goodness me is that more cakes… I mean good deeds to be done before we eat any cakes!

A great turnout as red shirts accumulated at Wholefoods with runners old and new gathered. Some that had made that first GG run three years ago were present right the way through to those that were making their first run tonight – Welcome Farah and Neepa. Also, some birthday surprises with Holly and Jon making it back to join the party, Jenni from Ealing and Andy from Hounslow. What a great crowd!

Our task tonight was Balsam Bashing round 2, but where is it? I know strange question right as how you can lose a plant the size of a beanstalk that gathers in 100’s along the tow path one would just not imagine. Well it wasn’t lost as such, but the site planned for tonight’s bash had already been bashed and this news was fresh off the press so now we needed another plot to hit so we could get our fix and contribute to help slow the spread of the Himalayan Balsam and allow other fauna a chance to flourish along our riversides. It meant that some alterations to the run route had to be made at the last minute and sadly the two hills were removed making our run flat. It was a blow but as a trainer I was impressed at how well all the runners took this news. Such brave faces, with some even forcing a smile to hide their disappointment. There’s always another day though and smiles turned to confusion as soon as the three-legged, egg and spoon Olympic relay race was introduced just after the warm up. Again though super impressed at how easy the runners made it look so GO RICHMOND in the GG Olympics… perhaps don’t hold the egg to the spoon or is that legal?

Practising for the GG Olympics during our warm up last night!#3leggedrace #eggandspoon #warmup #running #Olympics #goodgym #fitness #fun #mondays #Richmond pic.twitter.com/OSlDKduQmV

— GoodGym Richmond (@GGRichmon) July 16, 2019

Anyway, enough talking, remember there is cake to be had and prosecco to be popped so let’s run and we did (still within or close to the total distance set for the night too) along the river which was just looking a roaming beauty on a gorgeous summer’s evening.

We found the site, pulled on our longies and gloves before we pulled at the balsam and we pulled and pulled and pulled and well you get the gist. So now covered in green leaves, nettle stings, some other foliage and the glow of a film of sweat from hard work we were ready for our group photo – Perfect jungle looking snap had and job done and whilst yes the river scene was still beautiful meandering against the contrasting back drop of the cows grazing under the Petersham the focus for us now was cake surely, or was that just me?

Back at Wholefoods, Stravas beeped and we swapped puns as we stretched off and congratulated Jason on his epic 100km run done this weekend. Still ran tonight too – Legend!

Then we made our way to Richmond Green, where even more of our GG team were gathered and had rolled out a picnic that was not for the faint hearted I can tell you. What a fantastic group to be running with and what great company to be sharing SO MUCH food and stories of good deeds with since our first run. We toasted us all, from absent friends to the great ones by our side and as Anita lit the biggest candles cupcakes could carry the tune of ‘Happy Birthday’ echoed around Richmond Green.

We know how to party! #birthdaypicnic #richmond #happybirthday #goodgym #runninggroup #volunteering #doinggood #community #cake pic.twitter.com/1jktsDXkSI

— GoodGym Richmond (@GGRichmon) July 16, 2019

Thanks all not just for tonight AND some of the best cakes ever!!! But for all the runs we have shared in the last three years ; - )