Jon Scott-Francis

Last week our Wednesday poll was about fighting the climate crisis. This week it was another burning question - are you a sweet or savoury person? We cover all the hard questions here at GoodGym Hounslow.

With the savoury gang coming out tops, and after a very alarming discussion about the current crisp shortage, we did our warm up and headed off for the church on Ealing Rd.

Our job at this shelter and community centre was to tackle a very overgrown area at the back of the building so it can be turned into a garden space. Apparently one of the older members of the congregation was keen to transform the area, but sadly passed away before they could begin. So we are continuing the plans, and hope to come back and do some planting at the beginning of the year.

We were not overburdened with tools (one pair of secateurs to share around) but thankfully we are used to that, and everybody got creative. Rolling up sleeves, nettles were removed, weeds bagged, litter and other dubious items (was it whiskey in that bottle or...?) were thrown away. Before long, it was much clearer and less of an eye sore.

Before our run back we did a fitness blast, with a number of reps of different exercises to be completed within a given time - including that dreaded frog! After that, it was a quick 2.5kms back to base and some stretches. Next week we have a Wednesday evening community mission - don't forget you have the option on the website now to join others for a run/walk there.

Have a lovely week GG Hounslow!

It was distinctly nippier in Hounslow last night than it has been in previous weeks, so we started off the group run with a warm up that got our temperatures up in no time and maybe tested our coordination and reflexes a little too - goodness knows what the passing cars thought with the constant changing direction, jumps and floor touches!

Before we set off on our run we each talked about one little or big thing we are doing to fight the climate crisis in light of COP 26 happening this week. You're a true group of eco warriors, pledging to take fewer flights and more public transport, reducing meat or even going vegan, and switching off machines in standby.

It was a short run down to Strand on the Green school, where we arrived to find that Janitor Claire had left us out a barrow full of all the tools we'd need to stain the wooden structures in the playground to protect them from the rain, and also to clear the paths of leaves. Wasting no time, we split into teams and got to work.

With the painting team enjoying the impossibly small chairs and wendyhouses (with Beth even getting inside one to check out the teeny dimensions while also giving it a lick of paint) the leaf clearing team did a sterling work making sure the drive and playground was free of rotting leaves while discussing the terrifying old bonfire night public service announcements urging us never to pick up a sparkler after it had gone out. We even discovered that there are no native hedgehogs in America. Who knew?!

Jobs done and tools away, our GG heroes took on the Leg Finisher. This was just as brutal as it sounds, with six different exercises all designed to work our leg muscles to the max. There was some great form on the cursty lunges (looking at you, Paul!), serious height on the squat jumps, and some technical prowess from the ballet dancers on the plié squat calf raises. Amazing job team!

A quick run back to the Town Hall and some stretches and we were ready to get somewhere warm. Next week we have been challenged to clear an overgrown area outside a local church. Hope to see you there! Until then, run happy and sustainably, GoodGym.

With Halloween coming up, we did our very own GoodGym trick last night - using just two rollers between 10 GoodGymers to turn a long bare wall and overgrown pathway into a sparkling freshly painted and welcoming area for local people.

During our warm up and run down to the task we discussed horror movies - it was a unanimous no thank you very much from us - and how we would all fare as a contestant on Squid Games. We agreed GoodGym sessions have been a very helpful grounding for it, and all that work on agility, balance and coordination, not to mention some of our more challenging tasks, has been excellent practice.

Arriving to find just two rollers and a massive expanse of wall, we were not deterred and while painting commenced, everybody else got busy pulling up weeds, pressure washing and litter picking. We were accompanied by the beautiful sound of Lucy's singing, as she magically converted every conversation into a song to keep us focussed and entertained as we worked.

Given the restrictions we had, I think the team did pretty well! The area is now plastic free, sparkling with fresh paint, with no weeds and swept clean - hopefully this will prevent people from throwing away litter which gets in to the waterways and help them keep the slipway by Kew Bridge clean and tidy!

For the 'treat' portion of the night, we alternated between running and strength exercises on our return leg, particularly enjoying the progressive squat pose. We finished off with a sprint and some stretches, before talking about next week's task at a local school. Please bring headtorches if you have them! Until then, have a spooky, treat-filled week of running GoodGym!

What's your favourite post run snack? In Hounslow we love all forms of avocado on toast, pizza, peanut butter with and without banana, and...beer.

We started our run last night with this highly important discussion, before heading over to Chiswick House and Garden, a charity organisation which keeps the grounds beautiful and open to the public all year round.

Our job last night was trimming off the new shoots on the huge trees that line the main avenue. Or, if you're fancy, like us, the 'epicormic' growth. We'll be on Ground Force before you know it!

We relished the use of the very fancy secateurs which blow the usual tools we have to use out of the water, whilst learning about the life cycle of the ladybird and weevil, and hearing about everybody's amazing running, from parkrun right up to marathon.

After 45 minutes of work the trees looked smart and de-epicormiced so we posed for a beautifully lit photograph thanks to gardener Chris' excellent floodlights. Then it was over to Turnham Green for a fitness session that really saw us test those ABCs -agility, balance and coordination. Sorry about all the reverse lunges!

Next week we're back at Gunnersbury Park, so hope to see you there! Have a lovely rest of the week with some very happy running.