Dark Arts, Woodchip & New Faces 🌙🌲

Last night’s group run reminded us why GoodGym is such a brilliantly odd and rewarding thing to be part of.

We gathered in the welcoming glow of the Phoenix Cinema foyer, chatting and catching up while meeting a couple of new faces a warm welcome to Jack and Jamie who both dived straight into the spirit of the evening. Numbers were handed out and, in keeping with January tradition, we briefly checked in on how everyone’s New Year’s resolutions were going. The verdict? Not much to report but crucially, everyone had turned up, which already counts as a win.

A quick warm-up followed outside the cinema, making full use of the uphill gradient for kick-ups, crossovers and skips ... proof that you don’t need fancy equipment when you’ve got gravity on your side.

Subham kindly volunteered to back-mark… and within about two minutes found himself at the front of the group. To his credit, he noticed before anyone else did, which gave us all a good laugh!

We headed off towards St Martin’s Primary School, only to arrive to a scene straight out of a mystery novel: locked gates, no lights, and a very quiet school. Just as we were wondering whether we’d taken a wrong turn into a spy film, John appeared to open up and set us to work.

Tasks included improving paths around the forest school area particularly near the fire pit and outdoor kitchen with the added bonus that we managed to tackle some extra path work too. A bit of digging, some wheelbarrowing, and a lot of purposeful activity in near darkness: exactly the kind of thing that makes GoodGym feel refreshingly different from an indoor gym session.

Before long it was tools down, a steady run back and gentle stretch.

Running, digging, and volunteering in the dark on a cool January evening turns out to be just about perfect: short, sharp, effective exercise with real purpose. For Jack and Jamie and anyone else wondering whether to come back this is what we do. Different every week, always friendly, and always worth turning up for.

Same time next week?

A few GoodGym members came online to do yoga.

Yoga talk Holding a posture engages the muscles, fascia, and nervous system, stimulating mild stress that builds strength and stability. But unlike many workouts, yoga follows this with a deliberate release a moment to soften, breathe, and recalibrate.

Three Goodgymers joined a group of local community activists helping to keep the waterways of Barnet free of litter. The group included a number of asylum seekers who are being housed locally and have been eager to get involved in the local community by engaging in volunteering with local organisations.

The task took us along the Mutton brook, near the North Circular road, and onto the Dollis Brook. These two waterways are tributaries of the river Brent, which flows south into the Thames, so keeping them clean is of benefit to many Londoners.

We collected multiple bags of rubbish, mostly the usual mix of discarded alcohol containers, packets of cigarettes and food packaging.

It was muddy work, but the rain held off and we were able to stay dry.

Thank you to the Dollis Brookers community group for organising, and to the asylum seekers who came out to help their local community.

Out with Pauline and her lovely crew of locals once again, we were blessed with some great sunshine and fresh weather. Several of us gathered at the corner of Woodgrange Avenue and Summers Lane for out monthly session.

We worked east, cleaning hedges, pavements and roads. After a quick sweep around the greens at the top of Upway, we turned around and cleaned the other side toward the High Road, getting stuck into the hedges and the fences. We finished up fishing loads of rubbish out of the small triangle just before the zebra crossing at the top of Summers Lane.

All in, a solid haul of around 10 bags, a license plate, a pillow, a restaurant sign and frame, and a few other bulky odds and ends.

In beautiful winter sunshine, George Peter ( welcome great to see you!) and I (Paul Salman) had the pleasure of representing GoodGym Barnet at a wonderfully uplifting community orchard planting day, organised in partnership with The Orchard Project and Earthwatch. It took place in a small, little-known park one of those hidden green spaces that reminds you how many surprises still exist close to home if you’re willing to step slightly off your usual path.

Around 20 people came together, from children to seasoned GoodGym runners, all drawn by the idea of turning an underused space into something vibrant, productive, and shared. Lizzy from The Orchard Project guided us with infectious enthusiasm and crystal-clear explanations not just what to do, but why we were doing it this way. Square holes (not round!) to help roots spread, fungal powder to encourage healthy growth, careful staking, and making sure the graft union sat safely above soil level every detail felt purposeful.

We planted a rich mix of fruit trees and bushes designed to encourage biodiversity and community use for generations. An Apple Discovery, ripening early in August and kept low so children can reach the fruit easily. A beautiful pear tree, tall, long-lived, and potentially standing here for 150 years now that is a legacy. Plums, greengage, Golden Drop (ready in September), plus an edible island of fruiting bushes and herbs, all adding layers of colour, food, and habitat to the park.

Fuelled by an astonishingly generous vegan lunch (so plentiful people were encouraged to take food home), we returned to finish the planting and then gathered for wassailing singing to bless the trees and wish them a strong harvest. We used a traditional song sheet from Hackney Wassailand while I can’t guarantee my singing will help the trees grow, let’s hope it doesn’t do the opposite.

A new green space has been gently nudged into life, with the hope it draws people in, grows food, builds connection, and maybe even inspires more singing next yearafter a fantastic harvest.

if you’d like to visit Freehold Community Centre 9 Alexandra RoadLondonN10 2EY London England N10 2EY GB

Also, if you’d like to do your own orchard singing

https://hackneywassail.org.uk/songsheet/

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.