Rain, Resolutions & a Hidden Gem

Our group run to Stephens House and Gardens from the Phoenix Cinema had all the hallmarks of a tough one. It might have been a relatively mild 10°C, but the steady rain and gloomy skies made it feel intimidating. And yet incredibly everyone turned up. Not a single runner was put off by the forecast or the prospect of getting soaked.

We gathered in the foyer of the Phoenix Cinema, shaking off the drizzle and catching up. It was great to welcome Matta brand-new runner, clearly committed to his New Year resolution of trying something different. Fresh back from cold-water dipping in Sweden. we hope to see him at our next challenging event.

Our warm-up chat turned to resolutions kept, broken, or still evolving before we headed out into the rain, easing into the pace with George sensibly anchoring the back. Don’t forget: capture your run or walk on Strava every activity counts for the January Challenge.

About 20 minutes later we arrived at Stephens House and Gardens. By then the drizzle had eased, and we were warmly welcomed by the wonderful volunteer duo Alison and Warwick, who give so much of their retirement time to supporting this historic place.

Our task was a satisfying one: clearing leaves from the front car park and the stable yard — a job that’s particularly effective late in the evening once the cars have gone. Armed with wheelbarrows, brooms, shovels and rubble bags, we soon filled two very large bags of leaves. Jackie was so engrossed she barely seemed to want to stop proof that leaf-clearing can be strangely addictive.

Before heading off, we reflected on just how important this place is. Stephens House is a real hidden gem, run as a trust and heavily reliant on community support. Many people don’t realise how vulnerable places like this are right now. Whether it’s popping in for a coffee, enjoying the food, attending an event or even hosting a wedding every visit helps. Even the Antiques Roadshow recognised its charm, filming three episodes here.

The run back revealed a lovely irony: East End Road was closed to traffic, but on foot we slipped straight past the barriers — yet another reminder of how adaptable (and smug) runners can be.

Most of us finished back at the Phoenix Cinema for well-earned refreshments: popcorn, homemade chocolate, and cider generously supplied by Theo — our resident cameraman for the night.

A wet evening, a brilliant turnout, a great task and another reminder of why GoodGym works so well.

A few GoodGym members came online to do online yoga.

Yoga talk

One of the most overlooked benefits of yoga for runners and for life is how it trains you to stay relaxed while something feels uncomfortable. Holding a steady pose while the legs shake or the breath tightens isn’t about pushing harder; it’s about softening just enough to stay present. That skill transfers directly to running when a hill feels endless, or to life when things feel tense or uncertain. Yoga quietly teaches you that discomfort doesn’t always mean danger sometimes it’s just a moment asking for patience rather than force.

We gathered once again at the ever-reliable Phoenix Cinema, braced for another properly cold winter’s evening. With the last few days dipping well below freezing, this Tuesday proved no exception and with the added prospect of snow and icy surfaces later on, safety came first.

Our task host at Shepherd Hill, Pat, made the sensible call to cancel the session there due to slippery conditions and a light covering of snow. So… Plan B it was. And when in doubt, you can always rely on GoodGym’s most generous task of all: litter picking.

We warmed up in the cinema foyer, where conversation turned to New Year’s Eve plans past, present, and imaginary. Answers ranged from the sensible (“go to bed early”) to the surreal. Subham absolutely won the night with his story of accidentally meeting Mike Tyson on a staircase in a famous New York nightclub Tyson going up, Subham coming down, polite smiles exchanged. Subham briefly considered pushing him down the stairs and claiming victory… wisely deciding against it.

It was also great to see John from Camden joining us, and the beauty of litter picking meant plenty of time to chat while quietly doing good around the local area. Always surprising (and slightly depressing) how many cigarette ends lurk around trees though there was a small victory when a blocked drain was cleared using nothing more than a litter picker and determination.

As the cold finally began to bite, we headed back inside for the important stuff: hot chocolate, refreshing drinks, and a rather large box of popcorn, courtesy of George much appreciated.

Thanks to everyone who came out, adapted, laughed, and still made a difference. Next week we’re at Stephens House & Gardens it’s a great one, so bring a friend!

Run, chat, do good see you there.

A few Goodgym Member members came online to do yoga.

Yoga talk

One reason you should be doing yoga is that it Reduces Inflammation • Research shows that yoga’s combination of movement, breathing, and relaxation can decrease chronic inflammation markers in the body. This helps balance the natural healing process without aggravating an injured area.

A hardy group of Goodgymmers, new and regular, gathered at the Phoenix Cinema for their regular session, only to find... the cinema was closed! Thankfully, the lovely manager was in, and more than happy for us to gather our resolve in the foyer as we prepared to go out into the dark and damp.

Tonight's mission was leafleting for the North London Hospice. Each year they offer a great service collecting Christmas trees and donations to keep themselves going. We had 500 leaflets and many pairs of hands to make light work of delivering them to nearby houses, especially the ones with all their Chrimbo decorations sparkling.

Warming up outside, we welcomed Fanny and Kingsley for the first time, as well as Narina for her second consecutive week (thanks also for bringing Kingsley!). Amazing to see Jacqui also, who can't usually make Tuesday group runs. And, of course, stalwarts Rachel, Subham and Paul making up the numbers.

Then off we went, with Rachel and Paul leading a walking group of 5, and myself, Subham and Jacqui jogging to the far end of the nearby roads, then working our way back to meet them in the middle. Then, after a quick redistribution of the remaining flyers, we set a challenge to see whether the runners could finish and get back to the Phoenix before the walkers. The walkers won, mainly because the runners stopped to take a photo.

Lucky for us, the Phoenix manager was still working and more than happy to open the bar for us! After a round of bevvies (or maybe two for some), we patted ourselves on the back for another job well done.

Looking forward to the new year, on Wednesday 7 January we'll be helping North London Hospice reap the rewards of our leafleting, collecting Christmas trees - a great follow up to start 2026 with!