On a crisp winter's night, nine of Goodgym's hardiest runners met in Wanstead to clean TWO sets of Charity Shop windows and then did a tough fartlek session for good measure.

As usual, the squad met at Wanstead House Community Centre and it was great to welcome back the 'Barking Brothers' - James and Peter. This dynamic duo will shortly be launching Goodgym Barking and it was great to catch up to hear about how pre-launch plans are going. With the briefing done and people keen to do good in the area, the group was soon off up the high street to the sites for the nights' task.

Keeping the windows sparkling clean is a never ending task for high street charity shops and can become a significant expense during the course of a year. As such, we aim to get out on to our high street every six to eight weeks and do what we do best - get hot and sweaty and do if for them. This week, we took on the challenge of cleaning two sets of windows - Barnados and St Francis Hospice - a first for GG Redbridge.

With the team split in two, windows were washed, squeegied and polished in double quick time, leaving plenty of time for a super fun (if quite tough) fartlek session down at Redbride Roundabout. In this fun but challenging workout, each runner starts at one end of an out and back and runs towards each other. When they meet they high-five each other and alternate pace between easy and hard running. It’s a great session for working on pacing and developing sustainable speed - necessary skills to smash out a new 5k or 10k PB.

With everyone working hard for 20 minutes, there was just enough time to run back and get in some some static stretching to prevent those post workout DOMS. Great work team. You’re all legends!

We’re on a roll at Goodgym Redbridge right now, so why not come down and check out the good vibes and do good in the Borough. You can sign up to next week’s run on the right of the report.

On a chilly winter night, eight of Redbridge's best Goodgymers met to clean windows and did a 6km run in the process.

There is only two two GG Redbridge sessions until the end of 2019, a hardy crew met at Wanstead House to do good in borough. It was great to welcome Martin back and see Run Leader Peter, who is still out of running action with a rugby injury.

With the usual briefing done, it was time to head down to Barnados Charity shop on Wanstead High Street for some window washing. Keeping the windows sparkling clean is a never ending task for high street charity shops and can become a significant expense during the course of a year. As such, we aim to get out on to our high street every six to eight weeks and do what we do best - get hot and sweaty and do if for them.

As usual the windows where glistening within minutes which left plenty of time for a 2km warm up and a fun (or not so fun if you are John) Fartlek session on George Green. This is a super easy session to do yourself and simply involves running hard (about 8 out of 10 effort level) for 1 minute, followed by 1 minute easy (or a 6 out of 10 effort level) and then repeating for a given amount of time. We did 20 minutes but you can do longer or shorter as your training or available time dictates. It's an awesome session for working aerobic endurance and pacing - it's seriously hard if you start too fast!

Once the session was complete the squad returned to base for some easy stretching, happy in the knowledge that they had run 6km and made a difference in the high street.

NEWSFLASH: It's the Goodgym Redbridge Xmas Party next week and we are going to be all festive at the run and then in The George Pub. Wear you Santa hats, Christmas lights and jumpers and get stuck in! You can sign up for next week's task hereand the party here. Look forward to seeing you at one or both next week!

On a wet and miserable autumn night, eight of Goodgym's hardiest runners met to do good in the Borough and ran between 6km and 8km in process.

If last week's run was biblical, this was more of Tempest in a Teapot. The rain always threatened but never became harder than drizzle. Far from ideal for outside deeds but GG Redbridge are made of tough stuff and the enthusiasm for running and making things better was high.

With Julia returning to the group for the second time (well done Julia) and Momoko welcomed back before her return to Japan, the squad were soon filling up buckets with hot soapy water and off down the road in the direction of Barnados Charity Shop.

Keeping the windows sparkling clean is a never ending task for high street charity shops and can become a significant expense during the course of a year. As such, we aim to get out on to our high street every six to eight weeks and do what we do best - get hot and sweaty and do if for them.

Task done and tools deposited, the squad headed up the road towards Redbridge roundabout and the site of the evening's run based work out. Using the coloured walkway/cycleway between two underpasses, the team ran for 20 minutes alternating between easy and hard efforts. Cruise intervals can be a fantastic way of building aerobic endurance and with the weather being poor, the runner is always moving.

A short jog back to base and some easy stretching signalled the end of festivities for this week. Well done to all those that came and braved the weather. You are all legends.

SAVE THE DATE. It's a bit early to use the C word but before diaries get booked up, we are going to hold the Goodgym Redbridge Christmas Party on Monday 2 December - after the run and task. I will book a space in The George. All welcome and encouraged. Spread the word.

On a pleasant spring evening, seven of Goodgym's very bestest runners met to clean windows and had an adventure in Epping Forest, covering 6km in the process.

With stories of running and cheering the amazing London Marathon motivating the team, we headed out on to the mean streets of Wandstead to do our regular window cleaning task and bring a sparkle to the high street. We were fortunate to be joined by [Sam](https://www.goodgym.org/runners/sam-whitham0 for his very first Goodgym run ever and also Cedric join us again after a layoff with an annoying case of anterior tibialis. Welcome Sam and welcome back Cedric.

This week we did a super quick once over of the windows at Barnados. By doing these simple tasks we save the shop money which can be used for more constructive things. Small tasks cam make a big difference and with the sparkle put back into the store, we were soon of to explore Epping Forest, just a short run from our base at Wanstead House.

Epping Forest and Eagle Pond is one of our favourite summer run spots and its hard to believe we were only half an hour from central London as we explore the single track paths behind the lake. Before long we were back at base after running 6km and ready for some nice relaxing stretches to avoid those post-run aches and pains.

Fancy getting involved? Why not join us each Monday and do good and get fit in the Borough. It couldn't be more simple than clicking on the link to the right...

On a strangely mild February evening, eight of Goodgym's bestest runners met to wash windows, do an interval session and smashed out 8km in the process. Nice work gang!

Can you believe the weather at the moment? With the mercury reaching 20 degrees (in Wales, not Redbridge) the team donned shorts and their red GG tees for the meeting at Wanstead House Community Association. As an area, we are blessed by being based in the super nice town of Wanstead - home to 2.4 children, hipster cafes and gastro pubs. It also means that the high street has a number of charity shops stocking all sorts of designer clothes - a man's Paul Smith Jacket in the window of Barnandos, no less.

Although the area is relatively affluent, charity shops still need to pay for window cleaning and rather than do this, several have asked GG Redbridge to help out. This week we headed to Barnandos to remove some road grime and make things look all shiny. Armed with a range of squeegees and sponges the team soon set to work, with Run Leader Peter, borrowing some stools from the local pub so we could get those, hard-to-reach spots at the top of the windows.

With the task done in double quick time, all that was left was a 2.5km warm up and a figure of eight intervals session on George Green - fondly know as Crazy Eights. This was a new interval session using two different loops of the Green as our playground. Runners, used the outside of the loop to run fast and recovered while running inside the Green itself. This is a fab way of making a run more interesting and the 20 minutes session flew by.

With just enough time for some easy warm down stretches the group returned to base a little sweatier, happier and more content for the experience. A great way to kick off the week! Fancy joining is next week for more GG goodness? Check the link on the side to sign up!

On a chilly winter's evening, four of Goodgym's finest met to wash windows at a Charity shop and completed a 5km interval session as a reward.

Charity shops are often run on shoestring budgets and largely managed by a team of volunteers. With high street rents often being a huge fixed cost, stores have little money left for basic maintenance like window cleaning. This is where Goodgym steps in, cleaning the windows for free and making these high street staples just a little more enticing.

This week's task was to clean the windows of the Barnados charity store, just a short walk from our base at Wanstead House. Armed with hot water, squeegees and scrubbers, the team was soon at work removing the stubborn road grime. As usual, the task was completed in double quick time leaving sparkling, streak free windows.

With the the good deed done there was plenty of time for a fitness session. After a 3km warm around the streets, Trainer James, outlined a interval session on George Green. Using the three sides of a triangular loop, Peter, Alice and Stefania alternated between easy and hard running - aiming to be consistent in effort level for 20 minutes.

With some impressively strong running under their belts all that was left was a quick stretch back at base! Fancy getting involved? You can sign up simply using the link to the right of this report!