Three teams headed out to get three tasks completed on what was easily one of the most miserable Monday evenings in recent months.

Lots of behind-the-scenes planning from trainer and task force meant that our multiple-task evening went ahead smoothly - runners had options galore as they turned up at Bethnal Green’s Town Hall Hotel, some already soaked by 6.45.

Leafleting for the Lantern Parade

Dave had been working with me and Aldgate Community Events’ (ACE) task owner Laura in planning this evening’s leafleting activity, for the upcoming Aldgate Winter Parade and Lantern Festival (we’ve got a Community Mission organised for the 5th December to get involved with making the lanterns for this – details are here). All the leaflets were distributed: a team of four fast runners sped to the task which allowed bundles of time to blitz the Aldgate and Whitechapel Road area. They distributed the leaflets but got drenched in the process. It wasn’t the easiest of tasks on an evening like tonight, and these runners stepped forward when the rest of us were most definitely plumping for the indoor alternatives, so on behalf of ACE and the group, thank you Joel, Luke, Bryon and Dave. If you’re coming to next week’s task at the farm, you get first choice of task!

Legging it to Look Ahead

Meanwhile, more behind the scenes planning from Becky and Leanne meant another group were able to head to Look Ahead Care & Support on Commercial Road for an evening of decorating and sign-making. Writes Becky, “After dodging a number of buses that seemed intent on showering us with most of Bethnal Green’s standing water, we made it to Look Ahead, drenched but in one piece, to be greeted by the lovely Catriona. Leanne and Gabrielle were soon put to work unleashing their creative juices on drawings and signs reflecting the Five Ways to Wellbeing, while the rest of us were despatched to the kitchen, vestibule and toilet areas to give the walls a fresh lick of paint. Who knew blitzing surfaces covered with finger marks and Blu Tack stains could be so therapeutic. The dash back to base in the rain proved less so, but provided an opportunity for some impromptu fartlek training. Every cloud…(forgive the pun). And Catriona expressed her heartfelt gratitude and seemed keen to have us back again for more, so it really was mission accomplished.”

Pacing to Parkview

And after our third task had been rearranged at the last minute, I took a team of four to the Glasshouse Community Centre at nearby Parkview Estate, where task owner Catherine has been working hard over recent months to give this beautiful venue a supersized makeover (we’re heading here for another fun Community Mission on the 5th December, for carol-singing, catering at the venue’s big Winter Warmer event - all the details are here ). Tonight we were painting the recently de-cluttered office, and no sooner had we arrived than the runners were covering walls in a luscious pale lemon shade and even I joined in (there are only so many pics a trainer can take in an hour on such a small task), learning the ropes for wall-sanding from Catherine and our Jess. The runners worked hard, and covered a lot, and Catherine was overjoyed with what we achieved.

And so we returned to base, in the pouring rain, where a now depleted group ran through a tough resistance training session in the hotel room. What work, what teamwork, what resilience – GG Tower Hamlets, you are warriors.

Special thank you’s and shout outs tonight

Amazing work from everyone tonight. A big warm welcome to Michael, whose first run it was – I hope you enjoyed your first experience of a Group Run, and we really hope to see you again soon.

And congratulations to our very own Si, who joins us nearly every Monday night, and who hit 25 group runs last week, despite only being with us since April.

…especially to our Task Force

And to our task force, to Dave, Becky, and Leanne tonight, who were emailing and helping plan over the weekend, and throughout their busy working day today.

We always thank the task force, and hopefully appreciate them, but I was thinking this evening about how a truly reliable and resourceful task force impacts on the GoodGym community and local community. Here’s what I came up with:

• It means multiple tasks can be created on one evening with much greater ease, offering runners a choice of task, and being able to agree to help desperate task owners who are after some eleventh hour help.

• It means multiple new running routes can be explored, routes planned in advance, and much more local knowledge utilised on the best routes.

• It means all group run plans can always go ahead, however complex, irrespective of any unforeseeable last minute ‘hiccups’ (e.g. a much higher turnout than anticipated, impromptu DBS checks potentially delaying our departure, local medical emergency requiring our runners’ help…).

So there it is, a bit of rationale behind the task force shout outs. Thank you Tower Hamlets Task Force, you always rock.

Moving on. To next week – and to Christmas parties

And so next week, we’re back at the fabulous Stepney City Farm, where no doubt Charlie will have all manner of tasks lined up for us, from compost-turning to pig-watching. Come and join us – to say it’ll be fun is an understatement.

And don’t forget, December 1st is the GoodGym Christmas Party, at The Old Library, in beautiful Burgess Park in South London from 7pm, and for which the fancy dress theme is the first letter of your GoodGym area (we have two, obviously - the best I’ve come up with is Thor. I know, I know…).

Right, that’s it from me. Have a wonderful week, everyone – stay warm, stay running and see you very soon.

Two teams headed to two very different tasks tonight in Tower Hamlets.

Painting and gardening at Look Ahead

Writes task force member, Becky: “Fellow task forcer Bryon headed up the team to Look Ahead Care & Support on Commercial Road where task owner Catriona was ready and waiting with the projects for the evening ahead: Bryon and Gabrielle headed to the front of the building to gather leaves; Luke, Jonathan and Katherine were despatched to tidy the garden, while Joel, Steve and I hit some of the indoor walls with the white emulsion. We were such a productive and focused team, before we knew it, it was time to tackle the 1.3-mile run back to base, without time to join the Cranbrook team for their tempo session. Oh well (every cloud, more like). We got our own speedwork in, though, with Joel and Bryon leading a speedy pace back to the hotel, via Meath Gardens where we managed to catch the Cranbrook crew at the Roman Road lights. All’s well that ends well.”

Sawing, digging and sanding at Cranbrook

I, in the meantime had headed to Cranbrook Community Food Group with a team of 9 to set about completing quite a variety of tasks requested from us by task owners Janet and Eileen, “Boys are needed to saw wood,” Eileen announced on arrival. Right you are. A slightly bemused female team then divided into two to dig, construct trellises and later move onto bench-sanding. LOTS was accomplished. Wood was sawed and wheeled to bins; trellises were beautifully and efficiently built; earth was dug and benches softened for painting. And then…it was 8pm.

Lap-and-log

Time for tempo? Uh-uh. The team were suffering this evening, with everything from sore calves from sawing, bruises from the previous day’s races, and just generally tired running legs. So we played lap-and-log. A new game that involved speedwork over laps of Meath Gardens followed by lower body, upper body and core exercises around the tree. The runners were a quiet but determined group of exercisers, running fast and balancing well. The core’s coming on nicely, folks. We headed back to the hotel for some serious stretching before calling it a night. Way to go, folks.

Big GG shout-outs

A big GG TH welcome to first time runner, Jonathan – it was great you joined our task force at Look Ahead, and well done for getting so much done (and run). And we hope to see you very soon.

Thanks to Bryon for heading up the Look Ahead team, and for making the evening’s planning that little bit easier, and to Becky for lovely report-writing and cool pics – and for sending it all so promptly.

Thanks to Annie, for the fabulous pun this evening.

And thank you to Si who saved the day somewhat in helping our task owners identify where the shed key had been hidden at 9.30pm on a Monday night.

Next week, we’re joining Tower Hamlets Big Clean Up, and, to celebrate England Athletics’ #RunandTalk campaign (twice a year they’re asking people to head out for a jog or run with friends, family or colleagues and have a chat to support Time to Talk Day and World Mental Health Day), which is running from 6th-12th October, we’ll be litter-picking around Mile End Hospital. What a way to spend your Monday evening – do come and join us, and sign up here.

And lastly, what better way to see in October than by heading to the GG social, this Thursday 4th October, from 6.30pm, Islington Townhouse, N1 0RW. More details are here.

Right, that’s it from me! Have a really great week, everyone, and look forward to seeing you soon.

It was a whopping three-task operation this evening in Tower Hamlets. Thanks goodness for a resilient, resourceful task force...

Lieke led to Look Ahead

We were lucky enough to have Task Force members Lieke and Sarah taking control of this new task. Look Ahead is based in Limehouse, and is a 24-hour service providing specialist support and care services to individuals with a variety of needs. Lieke headed up the slightly longer run to the venue, taking with her Martin, Miranda and Gabrielle, with Sarah meeting and greeting the runners at the task. Lieke writes, "We had a very warm welcome by Catriona and Laura, with some tea waiting for us on arrival (Autumn is really coming!). When the task was explained to us, we soon realised there was no time to waste, as both the front and backyard needed some TLC in time for Autumn. Five bin bags - and lots of trimmed plants - later, the clients can now enjoy the garden again. We even got a little bouquet out of it - see pic!"

Bryon tackled tricky trellises

Meanwhile, task force member Bryon headed up the crew consisting of Tim, Jess, Becky and Domitille, returning to Cranbrook Community Garden, to help continue work on the trellis construction. This was a fiddly affair requiring lots of creative thinking - and patience. Task owners Elaine and Janet busied themselves organising sticks and canes for the runners for this surprisingly complex little task, while Domitille and Becky headed to the borders at the front of the garden for a spot of weeding and pruning.

I weaved our way to Weavers

The remaining runners headed to Weavers Adventure Playground, via busy Bethnal Green Road, for the team to get to grips with some unfinished table business. Dave, Polly and Si settled into the serious situation of assembling the table from misshapen blocks and planks of wood, ("It's a bit like Ikea assembly, but without a manual.") while Chris and Emma lovingly painted the bright bench with a second coat, leaving it looking glossy and very inviting to a weary-legged runner.

...before we all met for Bethnal Green body weight moves

And so it was the entire team made it back to Bethnal Green Gardens to finish with our Summer Shred workout. In order to leave no muscle group feeling neglected, we ploughed through squat jacks, prisoner lunges, lateral lunges, single leg deadlifts, 'T press-ups, planks with knee taps, The Sprinkler, and the seated sprinter. Ouch - in a good way. All for the greater good (think injury prevention, washboard abs, stronger back muscles etc etc). And no sooner had we finished our last stretch, were we heading back to base - nearly on time, were it not for the slowest traffic lights in the world.

Extra-special shout-outs this week

Thank you on behalf of the group to the brilliant task force tonight, who have helped out with a lot of behind the scenes planning and enabled us to commit to three, very grateful task owners. Thanks to Sarah for helping to plan Look Ahead, and for Lieke for stepping in so quickly to lead the run, and for lovely pics and report. Thanks from the group to Bryon, who stepped in so quickly to lead Cranbrook, and who took lovely pics.

Massive welcome on board our Task Force to Dave - what a great start to the week to hear you've joined the TH Task Force - and for being up to lead the run to Weavers.

Thanks to Si ,for correctly identifying our workout spot, and navigating our route to Bethnal Green Gardens.

And a big GG welcome to Emma who was running with Tower Hamlets for the first time - was really lovely to have you on board and we hope to see you again very soon.

And so to next week

Next week, we're two-tasking it again: proficient painters you're needed back at the gorgeous Glasshouse Community Centre; green-fingered gardeners you're needed at marvellous Meath Gardens.

And then you're all needed for our Buns & Guns workout, as we focus on butt and biceps. Oh, and then we're going to head to the pub for a cheeky half to celebrate...(not sure what yet, but we'll think of some excuse - reason - by Monday). So sign up here for next week's run.

In the meantime, have a wonderful week, everyone, and see you soon.