Some top GoodGymming action last night over in Newham. Featuring a gusty westerly and a closed locker area at the aquatics centre, luckily they had another section open. I'm told this won't be the case next week.

The squad warmed up and answered James' RWQ, "if you were a chat show host, which guest would you like to have on?" David Attenborough, Obama, Sandy Torqvist (spelling blag, sounds right), Oprah Winfrey, Jesus, Mohammed, George Monbiot (holiest of them all), the first alien and loads others i forgot as my brain is operating at 36%, max.

A mere 1.7 miles later or lovely sunset hour canal trot, however you want to frame it, we reached destination. Our man Pablo, also know more formerly as Paul, was on the money with tasks and instructions. Bark got shifted, tyres got rolled, sheds got reoriented, weeds got plucked and troughs emptied. A perfect dose of work for our clan, out at just after, in time for some of you guys to justify the pub. And crisps, lots of crisps.

I'm off next week, on hols, currently closing in on Paris, where I'll get a connection and head off in south westerly direction. If you'd like me to swill any red wine on your behalf, drop me a line, I'm here for you.

Have a fab session next week, Kev and Shaz are taking the reins and galloping to Cody Dock. Always a quality session.

As always, log some salacious steps and run like you stole it.

I'll see you'll in a bit,

B

A heat resistant elite team met at the Aquatics Centre last night. Plans to tidy up our adopted canal section were scuppered, but in a good way, our stretch was unblemished. So though it was best to have a nice catch up run, and light up our core muscles in the leafy shade of Hackney Marshes.

But first, we welcomed Corey, all the way from New Zealand, he came solely to sample GoodGym Newham's volunteering-training winning combo, we offered him just one of those yesterday, but we'll be back doing our thing next week, at Newham Hospital, sign up here.

Random Weekly Question fluttered between the BoJo based questions "How could the dithering dumpling get sacked?", "Have you ever said something you really shouldn't have said?", however the heat got to us and we settled for "what's your favourite ice cream flavour?" Vanilla, pistachio, peanut, almond, chocolate, mint chocolate and much more. Reckon today's a good'un for icy desserts actually. I'm getting an ice lolly soon, FYI.

Our run was proper lovely, went via the Velodrome, passed some nice fields, over a cute bridge and into The Marshes. Across the Parkrun course, love that Parkrun, then onto the grass. Just a little dabble of core for the team, plank variants, ab work, paired core work and team core work. A relatively tame one, more of what I call a 'feel good session', where you've got plenty more to give at the end.

We finished off with refreshing drinks at Tap East and all the fried and sliced potatoes a human could desire.

Looks like it's cooling off this weekend, touch of rain tomorrow and some cool mid twenty figures next week. Hope we have a Parkrun tribe attacking the Saturday morning 5k with panache and vigour. Let's get them comms rolling.

I'll see you fine specimens next week, then on 3rd August for the massive GoodGym Sports Day, aka Olympics - should be a cracking day out.

Till then peeps

B

An intense summer sun accompanied by a soft breeze last night, dreamy conditions for an evening of goodwill over in East London. New runner member Gabriel, weighing in at ~ 5kg and with exceptional flexibility, came down with parents Victoria and Rich in toe. What a great surprise and we can't wait to have the new mother back, as and when you're ready. After much baby swooning, we warmed up and did our RWQ "If you could ban anything, what would it be?" Whilst we usually like to focus on the positives in our intro, there's no harm venturing into a more cathartic space. As always, we had variance in our answers. From spitting and snotting to short termist politics, tinny phone music on public transport to an outright ending of golf. People chewing gum loudly to cars overtaking too closely. Socks and sliders a big no-no, as was flip flops not being worn at the beach and also just generally wet feet (difficult one to ban, but start a petition, I'll sign it). Lots of very powerful emotions regarding feet, interesting.

Some real grunt work at the school, moving 5 tonnes of bark chip and laying 3 of them. Plus carrying numerous sleepers, a thick highly dense wood, over to the other side of the playground. We (surprisingly) got it all done, with just the 14 of us this week. Muchos kudos, everyone rolled up their sleeves and chipped in, pardon the pun. That was a lot of watts there people!

Once back at base, Ounie thoughtfully brought us some brownies, fluffier than a cumulus cloud and brimming with deep velvety cocoa. I'm not sure who started this baking at 50 deeds trend, but my oh my it's a good tradition. Ounie did a large number of her deeds back in the day in south london, but then returned, over to the east side. We're chuffed to have your energy and honoured that your big 5-0 was with us.

On the off chance you don't know, i'm helping organise the the fastest 10,000m race in europe this saturday - with my bro and my club. If you you were ever to come to a track race - this is the one. The only time I invite my non-running geeks mates. Gin bars, craft ales, fire dancers, DJ's in scissor lifts, pyrotechnics, live bands... get onto lane three in touching distance of the runners. This Saturday, hampstead heath track. It's worth coming even if track running ain't your bag. GoodGym are owning one 100m section. You don't have to volunteer, but if you want to chip, always appreciated, just be good to have y'all. sign up here

Have a wicked week and see you all this weekend or in 6 days

ps almost forgot, next task is Cody Dock and outdoor social after using their pizza oven. A couple of drinks and some alfresco dining awaits. Awesome it shall be. sign up here

B

Yesterday's nineteen strong contingent tackled a smooth long run and a mixed bag of tasks at Newham Hospital's dementia ward. Added man-power coming from Ben and Filip Hope you had a good first outing, great to have you along. A somewhat accelerated intro chat due to the extended run. We congratulated the saturday morning 5k smashers, ie Parkrun Gods. Including James' 16.39 PB the Wanstead clan's efforts and Alice's marathon heroism. Forgot to say: Jade got a 5k PB and Mary flew around a 10k race. I even got a Parkrun done myself. Happy days at Newham.

Random Weekly Question didn't quite tie in with the hastened intro, oh well. "what's the best adventure you never had?" Trans Siberian express received many nods (think Siobhan has just done it), going to Bangladesh for a wedding that never happened, skimping out of an antarctic voyage, riding Spain's biggest waves, "eating all the spicy food....in China" (!), going to New Zealand (sans Kev), Scandinavian tours with your bro, North Coast 500 cycle, walking the Great Wall of China, unicycling around...Columbia , Everest Base Camp and many more. There's still time guys, most of those are feasible.

All arrived at the hospital with a radiant shine of endorphines. Resident nurse Chan directed us warmly and then lead from the front. Benches were painted vivid bright oranges and pinks. Brambles were head-locked and wrestled out of their lairs. Weeds were plucked. Bushes were trimmed and shaped. Litter was picked. Bang on 30mins and the place looked vastly better for it, what GG is all about.

Next week it's a shorter run with a bespoke fitness session at the end - you'd be proper (non-contagious) mental to miss it. Sign up here

Look forward to hearing about your weekend training and continued parkrun success next week. Go get it peeps.

Till next week

B