HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Richmond Goodgym, Happy birthday to us!

What a great two years, celebrated with the finest folk in the most authentic GG style! Well played Richmond tonight and every night you run you are heroes! We had 21 turn up and some great well wishes from Richmond council, Vocal tonix, Spear and others on Twitter and other media so thank you!

It's warm up time on Richmond Green #Goodgym #volunteering #reasontorun #Richmond #ourbirthday #twoyears pic.twitter.com/Xp8BxkilFZ

— GoodGym Richmond (@GGRichmon) July 16, 2018

So much happened that to document it all would read longer than you could stay captivated for or end up as a list to keep note of. In short we had a blast we had a strong run on some slippery surfaces, we got to touch one another's knees in the only way I think it is legal as adults? We ran through British military territory, dodged rugby matches and French Bulldogs (I imagine so obliging as they were still on a high after the footie result!) We watched Kate turn 'Transformer' into her Bolero outfit and we gave the hills the slip (well some of us did - You know who you are!).

It wouldn't be a birthday without any party games now would it? First up...."Tag knees" #Richmondgreen #birthday #party #goodgym #twoyearsdoinggood pic.twitter.com/xS0vCefgCQ

— GoodGym Richmond (@GGRichmon) July 16, 2018

Second birthday game..."Up or Down?" Can you work out what #GoodGymRichmond are trying to do in order to win?#Mondays #volunteering #Richmond #goodgym #running #birthday pic.twitter.com/gCcdMDTTBn

— GoodGym Richmond (@GGRichmon) July 16, 2018

At the task we helped Vineyard prepare for this week's summer Bar B- Q in such beautiful gardens. Washed down and set out the chairs, tidied the garden and helped with the weeding and lopping..... hmmm those that lopped need to tell us a bit more about this as we don't see it as often as it's referred too so do tell next run PLEASE!! Then there are those that on a night hot enough to melt your minstrels (even in the fridge) dressed up toe to neck to tackle the beast that is Himalayan Balsam and well we won of course ...the pics say it all and well done to all.

Phew, I'm exhausted reliving this one but luckily next was a cool down in prep for a FEAST that satisfied our running appetites and one can only say well done to all who bought and contributed. We even had leftovers although not much cake went spare I noticed. Simply because it was just so damn GOOD!! thanks Richmond task force for organising, Kate, Laura and Jenny for the cakes and balloon!! Super night by all!

Happy Birthday GoodGym Richmond!
Today we turned 2 and celebrated with a picnic on Richmond Green, thank you to everyone who joined pic.twitter.com/FGRD4ogsxw

— GoodGym Richmond (@GGRichmon) July 16, 2018

Finally welcome Helen on her first run and Heidi from Spear (great you made it), also Kate from Kingston ; ) Lewe and Penny big KUDOS on your second too! 2 for 2 eh!!!!!

Think that's the lot .... all the cake has made me sleepy

See you next week lovely people doing GOOD!

So we started this week off with another busy news section:

1. The first Richmond community mission was successfully completed on Saturday
2. 2 local missions were run on Sunday, by Kate & Samia
3. Mark had tails of running up some monster hills that made Richmonds look pretty meagre! Hmmmm ...wait to see the evidence !
4. Mark also had new the task shuffle around for next week, which gives us Balsam to pull for our 2nd birthday. Well it is tradition, as that was the first ever Richmond Task and the 1st birthday mission too!

Saturdays Thistle pulling mission also brought us a new runner, Lewi, who not only joined but back-marked, a very valiant effort for his first time out! Great to have you on board. Madurai also joined us from GoodGym Kingston.

We set off to the green for a quick warm up as we had a long run to get to Whitton. The 5k distance gave us plenty of time to catch up on the weeks sporting events, Wimbledon & the football, of course, and to discuss more plans for next weeks birthday party, as well as reminiscing about favourite tasks and discussing all things mission related.

Once we arrived at the task, we quickly downed some cold water before cracking on with the gardening. We concentrated on the front of the building this time and set to work sweeping and weeding the entrance and parking spaces. Aran did a great job battling the wind, sweeping piles of leaves and hurriedly trying to get them into bags before they were scattered back across the tarmac. Then we tidied up the path way leading to the side doors; bagging leaves, pruning back the over hanging plants, collecting litter and pulling up yet more unruly weeds.

"I'm sure I've already swept this leaf!"#Richmond #GoodGym #volunteering #Mondays #WhittonYouthZone pic.twitter.com/QvBOaTPN8l

— GoodGym Richmond (@GGRichmon) July 9, 2018

Soon enough, time was up, and we gathered together for Mandy to gave us a quick run down of all the great work Whitton Youth Zone do. She let us know that there's a big garden work party day scheduled for the 27th July, should anyone fancy getting really stuck in! But for tonight, we had to be off, 5k back, this time in slightly cooler temperatures with a nice breeze, for which we were all very grateful.

"Are you sure we bagged it?"#Richmond #running #GoodGym #volunteering #Whitton #weeding pic.twitter.com/zVL7el7mLr

— GoodGym Richmond (@GGRichmon) July 9, 2018

6 runners stepped out into the beautiful spring sunshine.....oh no wait ...that's not right, silly me.

6 runners braved the rain, some making a risky decision of abandoning water proofs ...we soon regretted it!

We ran to Thomson House School, a firm favourite in the GG calendar. Once there we swept any rubbish in the playground we could find....only pausing to race one another with our brooms...watch out for us in a curling competition in the next Olympics. We then moved onto weeding hoping that we wouldn't unearth frogs under what looked like a lost boys camp fire in the playground.

After a photo in front of the daffodils ....with us asking Mark to self impose a photo of the sun behind us as we hide our shivers.

We ran back with the task of not only thinking of a pun but also to discuss our favourite summer running song....someone really want's to see those rays eh Mark???

So 6 runners ran 6km and we did it with passion and enthusiasm even without the sunshine and to celebrate we went for a short in the pub (Ok maybe not quite a short ...but there was talk about the impressive whiskey selection.)

Thank you to all for making Mondays that little bit brighter..... laughing in the rain and great tales in the pub after

News! Don't forget Tug of War is taking place in June, let Mark know if you are interested...we could win a night worth of drinking.

*Dig deep Richard, welcome back for your second GoodGym run where we have a resurrection at the sequel to our Halloween graveyard shift. *

We headed along the high street and turned left up Richmond Hill, dodging the Monday night locals as usual. At the top of the hill we got stuck into a drill relay in pairs, consisting of incline press ups, lunges, tricep dips and squats between running back and forth to our partners, in what must have looked like we were doing some strange cricket runs. All we could think of is how scenic the top of the hill will look in about a month’s time when the clocks go forward. What does the Thames look like again?

After the drills we set off again downhill on Queens Road, before taking a right towards Old Richmond Cemetery, where we were greeted by the lovely Steve, Adrian, and my resurrected water bottle from our last visit at Halloween!

Steve briefed us on our task, and carefully squeezed a tale of fright that may have sent a lighthearted volunteer running but this was a grave affair and GG runners are not put off so easily.

We got into groups to start work on clearing the ivy and brambles off gravestones (AKA tug of war practice for our upcoming contest). Steve explained that this part of the cemetery was likely to have been closed off back in the 1930s era, so to say the ivy was overgrown would have been a huge understatement; making each stone we cleared quite a revelation of age and history. It soon turned into a game of ‘find-the-oldest-grave’, and the winner was Amy, with a winning year of 1878! Wow!

After some impressive de-brambling, we uncovered some unexpected gravestones (Hi Frances) and a couple of decorative snails who were taken to safety nearby. Sadly no sign of our toad friend from our last visit :( or the badgers and foxes that had been sighted earlier (we will see you next time guys!) This project within the Richmond Borough is likely to take some time due to the amount of wildlife and overgrown trees etc that have taken root over the years. So it is awesome to get the chance to not only uncover some history but help make it within our community.

Time was soon up, and Steve showed us the area we worked on last time and it was great to see the progress made since then. Thank you Adrian and Steve , look forward to seeing you again soon. And it was now time for our run back. We rejoined Queens Road and took a left down Sheen Road where Mark asked us to try Fartlek running where we ran extra fast between every other lamp post on the long stretch back towards Wholefoods.

Great run tonight everyone! Welcome back to Amy and Rosie, and a big well done to Victoria and Jane for completing the Big Half yesterday - cracking effort! Hope to see you next week with your medals.

P.S Looks like we are now in training for Tug of War in June - bring it on Twickenham.

More news...GG Kingston is happening so start telling your Kingston friends and let Mark know if you have any contacts in that area that could be potential tasks.