A terrific turnout

A great Tower Hamlets turnout saw us heading punctually off to the beautiful Meath Gardens this evening for an evening of weeding, planting, carrying, wheeling and watering.

Our task owners for the evening, Julia, Joanna and Tunde from Friends of Meath Gardens, were exceptionally well prepared – this was project management like no other.

And so to work...

Teams were soon despatched to clear the areas around the new trees, so the trees were ready to be watered, while other teams headed to the canal to fill oversized buckets and wheel them back on trolleys (or carry, in some cases). Further gardening teams were assembled to tend to borders in need of weeding and plant newly donated shrubs.

So efficient were the runners, Tunde was soon having to dart off and find additional buckets. Joanna quickly stepped in with trowels & gloves and redirected the displaced runners to a nearby border while they waited for more water vessels.

A Good Gym-er without a task needs fixing quick. No wild flower-spotting and enjoying a break for these runners – they like to be busy like no other.

Back to base - at race pace

All too soon it was 8.15 and time to assemble for the group pic. Then we headed back to base at 3 different running speeds: thanks to Becky and Dave for heading up the 8-minute mile lead and navigating the route back; Laura and Izzy for the 9-minute mile pace and task force member Leanne for back-marking, both there and back, and leading us back at an 11-minute mile pace.

Tarmac-toning

On arrival back at base, the team took the news very well that not only were we going to perform some seated stretches on the tarmac, we were also going to squeeze in the Boxer’s Crunch and Captain’s Chair – so our cores didn’t feel left out after all the upper body work of the evening obviously.

And then we headed back to the hotel pretty much bang on 8.30…hurrah!

Well done...and welcome

And so to this week’s other thank you’s and welcome’s… Thanks to Bryon for leading the route out with me and co-navigating (and not even waiting to be asked about navigation); task force members Leanne, Bryon, Sarah and Becky, for being so hands-on, as always: early and available to our new runners, and, along with Becky G, helping to make our Olympic dream take shape and become reality…

And welcome to Ignatius, Ellie, Briony and Ellen, whose first run it was. Thank you for all your hard work, for learning all the ropes so very quickly, and for becoming part of the team so effortlessly. I really hope you’ll join us again soon.

We're a two-task run next week...

Next week it’s a two-task week: we’re needed at Hollybush and Weavers - two, great, fun outdoor tasks, doubling up as a good little workout again, no doubt, so do sign up here.

And, I for one just can’t WAIT to do it all again then.

Have a wonderful week in the meantime!

On the eve the hallows, there were some scary sights to behold in Brent! But thankfully amongst the horrors, were 14 local heroes, who, although wearing masks, carried out tasks, in the name of what's Good(gym) in Willesden. YAY!

SCREAM QUEEN The usual meet up was a freaky affair, in our old haunt, The Queensbury! But making a play for old Queenies crown, was I, the Goodgym prom queen of death, in all my crowning glory!! But to my absolute delight, I wasn't alone in my Halloween costume efforts, with the majority of the crew bringing a whole lotta fierce, with faces painted, masks, head dresses and props! Hurahhhh haaaa haaaaa haaaaaaaaaa (that was an evil laugh by the way!)

Amongst the familiar faces was another I'd seen before, although a member of my Peckham flock who appeared to have flown West for winter! Michael, a regular Southwark speedster, but due to a change in address was ready to bust out with Brent!! Hurrah!

So after housekeeping and the big reveal of what would be the prize for best costume - A pumpkin disguised as a chocolate orange and my crown, we hit the road for a fast mile down to the police station.

ELLO ELLO ELLO The Old Police Station is a site we've been visiting for months and months and are proud to say have contributed to its complete regeneration. Once a den for squatters, thanks to Colin and his community crew, it has been shaped into a glorious hub for artists. What was once an unsightly eyesore, is now a tremendous center for arts and crafts, which values community spirit and supports local business.

Devil may care, artistic flare So after our pavement pace down the high road, we arrived excited and raring to go. Waiting at the door for us was Colin, our host, ready to explain our missions for the eve. First up on the agenda was was the most important task; The creation and painting of our very own Goodgym mural, representing all the hard work that we've achieved since beginning our volunteering, way back in spring. So with paper at the ready, the crew began sketching the designs, that would later be translated onto real life, painted wall art!

Rubble in paradise As the sketching began a few of the scary soldiers peeled off to tackle some lifting and shifting of rubble and rubbish outside, into Colin's trusty old van. This task was EPIC to say the least!! Led by Uzman, the gang of Goodgym ghosts and ghouls, hoiked and slung mountains of debris and made way for some much needed outdoor space! As the crew formed a chain of shifters and lifters, Joe was put to work inside the van, where he felt far more comfortable than standing on the roof, like last time!!

Paint by numbers With all the action outside going on, I nearly missed the excitement inside, when the actual wall painting finally started! Crammed into the mini room where our mural would take shape, the team worked tirelessly, chalking up outlines, then painting on the infamous GG logo and all manner of related images, from running shoes, to wheelbarrows and spades. Michael worked particularly hard on the creation of MEEEE, now to be remembered forever doing pull-ups on the tube!!

Drop it like a squat Even though the night was brimming with all manner of tasks to be completed, I still found time to put my Halloween hotties through their paces. Splitting off in teams of 4, a HIIT session was on the menu, consisting of squats, stair runs and sprints!!

We've only just begun Even though we would have loved to have stayed all night long, we feared the inevitable of turning into pumpkins ourselves, so I had to wrap the timer on the cop shop task drop. However, we still have loads and loads of our mural to complete and will therefore be back to do more in 2 weeks!!

But before we could say a final farewell, sister sledge - Tabs and Debs were crowned the winners of the Halloween Prize for their fantastic face painted efforts!!! However the twosome turned out to be not so gruesome, when they shared their choccy orange prize out with the troops.

Homeward bound So that's a wrap the winner revealed as Debs the cat. Oh and Tabitha too, as a scary ghoul. We ran home feeling pleased, with all we'd achieved, on this Goodgym for Brent, on all Hallows Eve.

See you next time fit fam xxxx