25 runners met and mingled over a McVities this evening, before we all headed out to the Town Hall steps for a very quick warm up.

Regular runner Luke led the route to our task, leading a steady-but-manageable pace along one of our busiest routes, which was appreciated by several of our runners who had been racing over the weekend (we were just impressed you were out tonight).

Decorating decorum

Task owner Sarah was ready and well prepped for tonight’s leg of the big decorating task in this beautiful, big community arts centre: we were briefly briefed in decorating decorum (don’t start an area you can’t finish; beware the paint slosh; mind your clothes…) before two teams speedily formed in the office and corridor area. Door frames were taped, surfaces sugar-soaped – and rollers loaded. It was an industrious crew who blitzed both areas in super speedy time. And the precision! Scissors were requested (to cut tape tidily), screwdrivers summonsed (to ease nails out neatly) - no slapdash style for GoodGymers. And so after 45 minutes of solid work, it was time to dunk decorating gear into buckets to soak overnight and gather in the large theatre for tonight’s fitness session, our Glutecamp.

He glutes, he sCORES

Runners motored through 5 of my toughest balance challenges. Although the biggest challenge was probably putting up with my endless glute-activation narrative (“Push through heel, push through heel: strengthening and activating are two different things you know.”) And just when they thought it couldn’t get any worse, our fave guest fitness presenter, Chi, popped up to lead them through the Advanced part of the workout. Partner exercises and plyometric squats were just a couple of the glute goodies he presented to the now weary team. But they rose to the challenge as always, not only delivering beautifully executed reps of these tough compound exercises, they did it with cheeky smiles and cheers.

And then it was a wrap.

What a night. What another glorious, gutsy Monday run.

And so to our shout-out’s…

It was an absolute joy to have first time runners Shervin and Helen with us, both of whom wasted no time in picking up the running pace (and the rollers at the tasks), and joining the group with a real spring in their step.

Thanks from the group to Becky for backmarking both ways, and Luke for navigating and leading us to our task tonight. And to Chi for picking up the glute pace, and offering a fabulous, fun finish to the evening.

Thanks from us all for great report contributions to: Dave for getting some great pics, and for being creative with the angles, and to Chris for tonight's fun pun.

And a great big GG shout out to all the runners who participated in yesterday’s Big Half. Well done for getting involved with such a great race. Well done for all those weeks of training, and for battling through injury and twinges – and for being a regular GoodGymer during those tough weeks of training!

We have MORE fun events for you to get involved with this week…

We have a great indoor, midweek task this Wednesday, from 6.45-8.15pm, decorating the windows for Artizan Street Library, while next week, we have THREE TASKS for you to choose from - check that out here.

Until then, have a thoroughly good week!

A prompt departure tonight

19 runners gathered tonight on the hotel steps for a handful of very brief warm up exercises, before we enjoyed a short run to our task, a busy location on Grove Road, where a total of 23 volunteers now congregated to join the Borough's first Big Clean Up of 2019.

Brilliantly prepared

With usual efficiency, our task owners Carmen and Charley from Tower Hamlets Council, and Mark from Veolia, were brilliantly prepared: Carmen and Charley met and greeted us, and Mark swiftly ran through our health and safety briefing, before handing out hi-vis jackets, litter pickers, gloves and bin bags to each and every runner. We were lucky enough to be joined by volunteers Stacey, Henry, and Val, which further boosted our numbers and made our evening feel even more sociable!

A lot of ground covered

The runners headed out in five groups, in five different directions, covering the whole of the area from Wennington Green; Roman Road in both directions; ditto Grove Road. Bulging bin bags were the order of the day come 8pm. And tonight's Trash Stash of the Night goes to David, who was tickled by his find of a pair of hipster glasses.

...And then we hit that ground

And so we moved swiftly onto the fitness session of the evening, a relativey short, and somewhat sharp, fitness booster. The runners made light work of jack squats, spiderman push ups and skipping lunges, wincing only at the Backstreet Boys track that had snuck into tonight's playlist.

And then it was all over. We said our cheerios and headed back to base for a little stretch and a biscuit for the road.

This week’s shout-outs

Welcome to Michelle, whose first run it was. Thanks for your huge first effort Michelle! We loved you joining us and we hope to see you very soon.

Thanks to Leanne for usual great backmarking and ensuring we all stay together, Tom for leading an impromptu speed-lap again, to Bryonfor this week’s pun (I have to say I think this is my favourite pun yet).

…And to our task force member Becky J, who hit 100 good deeds tonight. Becky joins us most Mondays, greeting new runners, helping behind the scenes, leading Community Missions…Then goes on a coach run later in the week. Becky participates in around 2-3 good deeds a week.

What’s coming up…

Moving on to future activity: On Sunday, we kick our trainers off and head to The Coborn in Bow for a night of pub quiz-ing. Whether you fancy joining us for a pint, or to share your extensive trivia trove, we’d love you to join us. Details of timings and venue are here.

And next Monday we’re heading back to Victoria Park to help Tom move mulch and dig space for a fountain. DO come and join us if you can.

Until then, have a wonderful week – enjoy the sun, go for a run, and have fun.