Last night’s run featured many bags of collected rubbish, muddy shoes, curious passers-by with their dogs, and a very tough fitness session. Just another night with GG Hounslow!

We headed out for one of our regular plastic and litter picks down by the river. This is something we do regularly because it genuinely makes a difference. Rivers are highways for plastic and rubbish – what gets dropped upstream ends up traveling further downstream and into wider ecosystems. Our visits mean we clear the draw dock, keep the path looking welcoming and remind people that someone cares about this stretch of river.

Armed with gloves, bags and pickers, we got stuck in. Passers-by had plenty of encouraging comments as we worked our way along. There’s something about a group of runners in red stopping to pick up litter that draws attention and hopefully makes them reconsider dropping that crisp packet! By the time we wrapped up, we’d collected quite a few bags even though it wasn’t exactly dry out there either. Check out Steph’s muddy shoes. A GoodGym badge of honour in my book!

With the job done, we headed back to Turnham Green for what can only be described as a brutal fitness session combining sprinting laps and strength exercises with a dose of tactics. Michelle took the lion's share of the laps with some very impressive distance, while Lucy somehow managed to squeeze in a day of double fitness. Florian delivered some excellent sprinting form among a huge effort from everyone.

I’m just finalising next week’s session, so watch this space. There are also some missions coming up, including working on the eyot this Saturday and a session gardening at Hope Church.

A week after the Walpole Park tree whips mulching, we were back to... Walpole Park for more tree whips mulching! Sounds repetitive? Sometimes the tasks may feel similar. You may be on the 9874th shovelful of woodchip in your GoodGymming career. Or doing the 79th wheelbarrow run this year. But you show up. There will be a different set of GoodGymers, different chats, different weather, and different challenges. You find freedom in the routine. You know that that session is a part of your week, fortnight, or month, and you will feel better than if you'd stayed at home.

Who knows that better than tonight's hero, Harvey, who has just reached the amazing 1000 good deeds? In fact, 1003 good deeds, as Harvey wouldn't stop just because he hit the highest official milestone at GoodGym! In the last 8 or 9 years, Harvey had been consistently present at group runs and community missions, not only in Ealing but across the whole of London. As a GoodGym run leader, he's been leading social runs and epic warm-ups at flagship Ealing races, connecting us with the local running community and encouraging new generations of runners through volunteering at junior parkruns and the Ealing Mile. Congratulations on your impressive milestone, Harvey!

Chris, James, Sevan, Steph Ducat and Kash were at Walpole Park to celebrate Harvey's achievement and, of course, do some woodchipping. With experience from the week before and an extra pair of hands on the team, they finished the mulching task more quickly and completed the entire section of planted whips along the southeast path of the park. Top quality work, everyone! No more woodchipping needed ahead. Well, until our session in Lammas Enclosure in two weeks! Sign up now!