8 Goodgym runners met up at Pavilion Cafe on Old Ford Road this morning for our first "Track Attack" time trial session of 2021. Our crew walked together to the old, bumpy (but accurately measured!) Victoria Park track, passing happy dogs, children and sports teams enjoying the slight relaxing of lockdown restrictions.

Every month, our plan is to host a 1 mile (4 laps) and a 5km (12.5 laps) event every month as a personal challenge, especially while events like parkrun are not currently operating. The atmosphere is sociable and supportive, not competitive and race focused (although we can appreciate a good kick in a track event!), and is actively open for all runners- perfect for folks who want to try track running for the first time. We were even able to enjoy a safe, socially distanced coffee and cake afterwards.

A couple of videos from trackside can be viewed here:

https://we.tl/t-1UOgNk6a3F

Sign up for next month's session here:

https://www.goodgym.org/happenings/track-attack-2021-round-2

11 Goodgymmers joined us for our monthly time trial event at Victoria Park track this morning.

We held two separate time trials with Matt, Kapil, Tracey, Sam, Ceiling and Simon participating in the 1 mile session, and then Iman, Paul, John, Julia, Ivy and Matt (again!) ran the 5km distance right after.

Thank you to Paul, Tracey and Kapil for recording results, taking on stop watch duties and taking photographs. And Thanks to everyone to getting involved, and for being an excellent cheer squad for your fellow Goodgym folks!

Six Camden Goodgym regulars joined us for a special interval session last night, lead by Simon from GG Islington. We met up at the Somers Town Community Centre, and ran to Russell Square as a small group, passing through Tavistock Gardens on route.

Upon arrival, we performed a dynamic warm-up to get the blood pumping, and a series of strides underneath through a green floral archway.

Our main workout for the evening was a "Paarlauf" interval session (or "pairs running" in Finnish). The objective is to switch between different running paces between two runners. Each of our runners paired up, and allocated themselves as runner 1 and runner 2. Runner 1 runs around the perimeter of Russell Square at a 70-80% effort (10 mile-10km pace) until they reach the opposite side of the park. At the same time, runner 2 would be running or walking straight across the park at a recovery pace (no more than 40% effort), and will meet up with runner 1 at the same spot. As the two runners meet, they switch roles, and continue the process.

6 minutes paarlauf running x 3

2 minutes recovery (walking back to a start point)

Our runners did a smashing job with the session, and actually got quicker towards the end of the workout! Trainer Simon, Paul and Clair ran back to Somers Town Community Centre again (with John Shirley following along with his bike- Thank you with assisting with the bag drop!).

If you are interested in participating in a future fitness session, Trainer Simon will be posting another track meet-up in Victoria Park on Saturday October 3rd (day before the London Marathon). Click here for more information and to sign up: https://www.goodgym.org/happenings/track-attack-3-the-trackening