Two days before exam day...

It may have been less than 48 hours until Summer School's final exam day but that didn't deter 10 tough runners heading out to London's busiest streets for a blast around the block to St James's Park for some full-on fitness fun.

The Strand was stressful!

Having decided in my infinite wisdom that the Strand would be the best route (most direct is always best, right?), our agility skills were put to the test time and again as we navigated pavements full of tourists and commuters in the best London rush hour has to offer. As soon as we hit a quieter spot, traffic lights seemed to turn against us. "I'm sorry for keeping you waiting but we always wait for the green man at GoodGym", I wailed time and again, apologetically at the smiling, understanding group.

"Let's play a game..."

On arrival at St James's Park, we found a suitable spot for some speedwork and body weight moves. "We're going to play a game called Catch Lorna", I announced to a now slightly puzzled-looking group. Lorna had very kindly agreed to take the lead in a tough game of tag, and with a 15-second head start, set off on an exceptionally speedy loop of the park, with the rest of the crew trying to catch up after a delayed start. What a brilliant pace everyone set! More weaving in and out of plenty of parklife, including romantic couples, oblivious toddlers and sympathetic-looking commuters. Everyone looked suitably stretched when they arrived back to our starting point but I've never seen a recovery quite like it - within seconds, the group were keen to press on with the resistance training.

And so to the resistance training

And press on (and up) they did. We motored through the grasshopper push-up, double crunch, Bulgarian split squat (even meaner than usual as we risked toes getting caught in railings on this one), arms-to-palms, Pilates Leg Pull Back, double-duty kneeling donkey kick and pulsing prisoner lunge ('ouch' doesn't do this one justice...I'm sorry...), to name a few.

A much-needed detour

We then took a group decision to take a tiny detour along the Embankment back to base, and up the Waterloo Bridge steps for some final quad-burn, to avoid some crowds. It worked...Hurrah! Let's hear it for a quieter route.

Stretching the soleus

On arrival back at our meeting spot, we ran meticulously through some stretches (thank you for being so patient while I insisted in selling you the soleus stretch).

And so the hard-worked, but remarkably fresh-faced, runners returned to text books after a bit of a fitness bonanza.

Good luck with that exam, well done for all your hard work again tonight and THANK YOU for being such a great crowd - fun, strong (!), fit, hardworking, welcoming, patient...What more could a Wednesday Night Run Club trainer ask for? Team LSE - you rock!

Some brilliant upper body work, as we tackled a busy running route

A good-sized group gathered this evening for a gentle jaunt around some of London's finest scenery. After some dynamic warm-up stretches, we headed South across Waterloo Bridge ("I think this is our best bet, busy-wise"...Famous last words by me as we headed out). After a stop outside the South Bank Centre for our first resistance training-fix of the evening (think pulsing push ups and challenging V-sits with an audience like no other), we stopped for a pic or two with a stunning view across the Millenium Bridge to St Paul's, as I hastily remembered to point out sights, "That's the Tate. The modern one. Lots of installation art and stuff." (don't give up the day job, Laura).

Theatre, cathedral, rush hour traffic...We squeezed it all in.

Carrying on, weaving in and out of crowds, slowing by The Globe, I begged our large, smiley, speedy group to, "Look to the right, quick, a bit more culture," before we negotiated cobbles, and, spurred on by the chiming of Southwark Cathedral bells, sped across London Bridge where the runners turned down the opportunity for a pic against a backdrop of a really authentic London scene - rush hour on Lower Thames Street. Can't think why.

A cracking hardCORE finish

Such was our speed arriving back at LSE, we had plenty of time to head to Lincoln's Inn Fields for some finishing moves. The expression on some of the group's faces was a joy to behold when they realised the fitness session wasn't quite over. We enjoyed the lower body move, the Booty Blaster, - beautifully performed even though legs were by now weary; the T-push up and the tuck-and-roll. Lower body, core, upper body: check. We then ran speedily through a total body stretch before finishing off with a well deserved round of applause.

What a fabulous start to a Wednesday evening. Thank you to the group for being so speedy, efficient, patient, and welcoming and encouraging - both to me and to one another.

Another beautifully sunny evening in central London saw a huge turnout for last week’s LSE run.

In a change from the previous week’s route this time we ran a river route taking in a lot of famous London bridges and landmarks. It was really fun to point out all the points of interest to the group along the way!

With it being such a wonderful night it was a particularly busy evening with lots of zigzagging around pedestrians and weaving through the crowded streets.

Our route first took us past St. Pauls on the north of the river and then continued all the way down taking in Blackfriars, Millennium, Southwark and London bridges before crossing the spectacular Tower Bridge, the half way point of the famous London marathon route.

Over and down through borough market where everyone was feeling hungry with the smell of all the delicious food we then took the route along the Southbank. On this final stretch there was so much to see, The Golden Hinde, The Tate and Shakespeare's Globe before crossing back over Waterloo Bridge.

After promising a route of around 5km we ended up doing just over 8km in total so well done to everyone for finishing the longer than intended run!

What a great evening!