OH MY GIDDY PLANT

Last night was all about the plants and the planters and thankfully we had a massive gang of GoodGymers to tackle our two tasks. They probably quite fancied the pub afterwards too.

Big up Angela, Mira, Georgina, Kerry, Em and Clare for coming on their first ever GoodGym run! And nice one to all the tourists who came for a piece of the Lambeth pie. 🥧

Tonight we had 2 run options: * George took a small group on a serious 6k trek to Crown Dale Surgery in West Norwood to help the GP Food Co-op rearrange some planters and fill them up with soil. * The rest of us went on a 2k jaunt to Myatt's Field for some bindweed removal and FITNESS FUN.

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George's group arrived in West Norwood to be mysteriously greeted by nobody... but then they discovered the plans for the planters and they were off, lifting and shifting to get them into place. There was some excellent lifting from the legs (see pics) and they even had time to fill a planter and a half before heading back to base. It was a warm evening for all this work and those guys absolutely smashed it. 👏👏👏

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Everyone else had a quick warm up with a classic knees up and kick-ass and began the run to Myatt's Field Park. We were greeted by Eliza who showed us the task - removing nasty bindweed from the compost heap. Unfortunately it was wreaking a bit of havoc and needed to be removed pronto.

// For all those keen gardeners: Apparently growing plants in compost with any hint of bindweed is a bad idea. It'll just wrap around your lovely plants and suffocate them. //

So we removed the pallets and the tarps to find an absolute tonne of the stuff, still managing to grow in the dark. Everyone was then very diligent with removing all traces of bindweed (as well as any rubbish we could find, obviously. #goodgym). We filled up a couple of big sacks and made a reasonable pile of rubbish.

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The highlight was undoubtably the discovery of a family of frogs and even some newts! Despite a couple of screams, some brave souls moved the frogs to avoid them getting squashed.

We then had a quick game of RUNOPOLY in the park. It's basically circuits:

• Community Chest - Press Ups
• Pass GO - Sprints
• Squatting (it's a property-themed game after all)
• Chance - ??? It's a mystery (I tell you what to do).

30 seconds on, 30 seconds rest, next exercise. Twice round. Everyone smashed it. 👊

After that, we ran back to Papa's, had a nice stretch, decided that Papa's park's concrete bench needs to be painted GoodGym red (more on that in a few weeks time...) and then we hit the pub.

Ace work, everybody. 👌

Next week we've got 2 tasks; finishing off the soil shoveling at Crown Dale and back to Ruskin Park Community Garden. Sign up here.

Oh it was a hilly one today, with a run up Brixton Hill, along Hillside Road to Hillside Gardens.

We set off at a steady pace, dodging the crowds in Brixton until we got to clearer paths before making the ascent towards our destination. Our legs got some respite at the traffic lights and to pass the time, some of us were brave enough to do squats with some cheeky inbuilt calf raises!

We arrived at Hillside Gardens to be met by Tom and Stu, who split us into small groups of us to do different tasks - clearing weeds, transporting compost and moving wood, rubbish and rubble. It was great to get stuck into the tasks while it was still light. After a solid half hour, we finished up, took a group photo at the top of the hill (with some killer views behind us!) and set off on a nice downhill run back to Papa's.

Tom said they were really impressed with what we got done and that sorting through the yard has helped them work out what they need to do for the future.

We had a bunch of new runners to GoodGym Lambeth and some totally new runners to GoodGym, Maya and Sophie! - a massive welcome to you, and well done to everyone for a cracking task and run! 🐣

Tonight's Group Run was linked in with WWF Earth Day so we decided to do a litter pick around the city of Norwich, which was a good environmental task. Norwich City Council kindly lent us the litter pickers.

Hollie and Jon were on their 1st GoodGym adventure tonight so welcome to the group :-)

Dave T was completing his 10th good deed and Liz & Bobby were completing their 25th good deeds.

Helen was back runner and Bill walk-leader.

The lovely Alice was on her final outing with GoodGym Norwich before she moves to London. You'll be missed but there's plenty of GoodGym's to pick from in London :-)

We caught up on the races from the weekend with members completing the Wymondham 20-miler, London Landmarks 1/2 Marathon and the Resolution 10K.

Although the litter pick was from our base at The Forum, we couldn't not do a little run so we started the evening with a little jog around Norwich in search for some litter we could come back and clear up.

Once we got back to The Forum we got into 4 groups and headed off to different areas of the city with litter pickers, bin bags and gloves. 40 minutes later the groups returned. A thank you to all the photographers tonight as I couldn't really cover 4 areas of the city at once. We couldn't get a photo of all the rubbish collected as someone (me!) forgot to let the council know we were doing the litter pick so all the bin bags were disposed in bins near to the area where each group was but shhhh, don't let the council know haha.

It was then time for everyone's favourite part of the evening... the fitness session ;-) This week it was a little pairs conditioning workout focusing on strengthening the lower body, upper body and core.

On Saturday we have a Community Mission at Catton Park for Earth Day and next Monday's Group Run is at The Norwich Food Bank.

There was a plank involved and there was a 69 involved... so you better read this whole run report to see what on earth I'm talking about!

We started off by giving Frances a big welcome on her 1st GoodGym outing.

Several of tonight's GoodGymers completed the Valentine's 10km yesterday so we had a catch up on that with some achieving PB's - AMAZING!

Tonight's task was to visit Hayden Court Sheltered Housing Scheme to clean resident's cooker hoods and ovens as well as communal areas. This is the point you're probably getting a little disturbed at the thought of 69 coming into the equation?

We only has 1 mile each-way to do this evening, when we arrived, one of the residents, Joyce greeted us and had a list of the flat numbers that needed cleaning. We did groups of 4 for the 5 flats and then the rest targeted the communal areas.

It was a bit like an auction, I said the flat number and then those who wanted it put their hands up. 103, 79, 69, 59... so yes one of the flat numbers was 69, there were no inappropriate positions (apart from the plank).

Each group finished at different times and we regrouped in the communal lounge when finished. After the 1st 2-3 group had finished we did a plank challenge with the prize being the final chocolate brownie and the accolade when to Liz K for destroying the rest of us.

We then got the New Age Kurling set for a quick few games, with the Emerson sisters kurling one out against each other.

After all of that entertainment we headed back via Chapelfield Gardens for a quick sprint session before several of us embarked on a trip to the pub for some grub.

Next week is a longer run as we are visiting Redmayne View for a board games night with some soup. For anyone not wanting to run the whole distance you could meet us at the North Walsham Road roundabout on the ring road at 7pm.

We had the pleasure of ITV News filming us tonight ahead of a live piece being aired tomorrow evening at 6pm.

A big welcome to Sophie and Amanda who were taking part in their 1st GoodGym experience.

Thank you to Katy for being back runner and Emily for being walk leader.

The warm up felt a little different this week (as in I felt the pressure haha) as the cameraman was on us. It was very cold so we definitely needed the warm up to warm and mobilise our muscles and joints.

We then headed off to Adat Yeshua to paint a 2nd coat on the new foodbank walls, weed the outside area and do a litter pick nearby. I split the team into 3 roughly same sized groups and they went on to do their tasks.

The litter pickers made no hesitation and were off cleaning the local area. The weeders... well blink for a minute and the place was transformed and ready for bulbs to be set in the spring. The painters soon had their rollers out and a bit of improvisation (a broom handle) meant Helen could paint the ceilings although I think she had quite a bit of it over her face and in her hair.

On the way back we stopped off in Chapelfield Gardens for a sprint session - Brad thought he was coming home in 1st place before Kevin pipped him on the line, a great effort by everyone at the end of the night.

Next week, we're visiting Norwich Food Bank.

Our 1st longer run for a while and we went to visit Noel and his team at Friends of West Earlham Woods, where there's always a whole lot of litter to collect. It was just over 4km each way.

Robert and David were on their 1st GoodGym outings so a big welcome to you both.

Well done to Tasha who was participating in her 25th good deed!

Elizabeth, Bill and Amy C shared back runner duties this week.

After a warm up (which was very much needed after the temperature had dropped a few degrees yesterday) we set off to embark on our journey to West Earlham. On arrival Noel was distributing out the litter pickers, gloves and bin bags and the team went off in groups into the deep, dark woods.

At these tasks we always have a bit of a competition as to who can find the most exciting item. Tonight some of the items included: a zimmer fram, an electric fan and a giant Xmas candy cane (which Liam posed with very nicely).

After 30 mins we regrouped with all the bags of litter and just as we were about to set off, Amy had realised she'd lost her phone in the deep, dark woods... but we are GoodGym so straight away we all went to follow her foot steps to retrieve the item and within 5 minutes, eagle-eyed Rachel spotted it (she must eat her carrots!).

Another great task with a great group of people.

Next week, ITV Anglia News will be filming us at Adat Yeshua.