I made a pun about the wind. But it blows.

It was a wild one for GoodGym Lambeth this evening with diversions, a snoop around Brixton Windmill and many, many tasks.

We started off giving a big Lambeth welcome to Laura and Becky! Woop woop! And we mentioned that our friends/rivals across the border in GoodGym Wandsworth are going to Clapham Common Parkrun on Saturday. GG Lambeth represent and look out for the red tees.

With the wind in our sails we had a quick warm up and headed up the hill with Jim, Nicky and George taking a long and windy route around the houses and myself and Beth heading straight there (apart from missing a turning... but hill training is really good for you!). Freyja and Lucy walked and still beat the rest of us...

When we arrived, we got cracking on a multitude of different tasks inside and outside the Windmill:

• Planting shrubs 🌴
• Trimming branches ✂️
• Weeding in the play area 🌾
• Dusting surfaces in the windmill 🌫
• Removing grass from the pavement gaps 🌱
• Litter picking 🗑
• Getting rid of cobwebs 🕸

When we were done, Jean gave us the lowdown on the Windmill, how the council is building a new visitor centre there and about some of the events they've got coming up. Not least the BEER AND BREAD festival. i.e. two of the best things in the world. Lambeth social? I think so.

On our way back to PAPA's we were thinking about FAB:

F for FORWARDS - Thinking, looking, moving FORWARDS. i.e. no side to side motion.

A for ARMS - Moving the arms back to propel oneself FORWARDS.

B for BALLOON - Imagining a helium balloon attached to our heads, keeping us upright - not leaning down or backwards.

And because of that (and the fact that the entire route was downhill...) we shot back to PAPAs at lightning speed and finished off with a quick stretch.

NEXT WEEK is our monthly social so come along for some well deserved beverages after our run to the Portico Gallery Sign up, show up, eat up, drink up.

Cheers GG LAMBETH 🍻

This evening started with a merry celebration of Katie's 300th good deed and two year anniversary of being Lambeth trainer. Woo! Victoria and Tom dressed all in black and hid in the basketball court expertly decorating gingerbread people into GG runners with sparkly trainers. What more could I want? Thanks gang!

We had three lovely run options:

Group 1 went with Katie down Brixton Road to Kennington Park. The park is being judged on it's Green Flag status on Friday so we helped to tidy it up. One group got busy removing bind weed, another gave the hedges a close shave, some people went on a litter pick and more still did some excellent cleaning of signs all over the park. We did a top job and fingers crossed the park keeps its status as a nice place to be.

Groups 2 and 3 went to GP surgeries to support the GP Food Coop. This great group puts plants and veg in surgeries and hospitals in Lambeth for a nicer environment and also for patients and staff to get involved with.

Group 2 went with Issy up to Streatham. They covered 7.5km and transferred a big bag of soil out pf the surgery, past the security guard and into the garden! They were rewarded with delicious strawberries from task leader Elizabeth's allotment. Yum!

Group 3 went with Tom Hunter to West Norwood...maybe even just Norwood. It was far! 7 runners ran 10km to Crown Dale Surgery in Upper Norwood. Where we were met by Brenda (and Brenda’s excellent doggo Riley). She explained to us all the benefits of the GP Food Co-Op Scheme, in providing community spaces for people to learn about growing some tasty fresh fruit and veg.

We quickly shovelled some soil into the last empty plantar. Then made room for an intriguing sounding vine growing space along the side of the building.

After finally convincing Riley the dog to sit still long enough to be featured in our group photo, we were on our way home. Lovely Summer’s evening for it.

She was so happy! Said Tom Hunter

And with that it was back to base with everyone, some walking lunges, single leg deadlifts and stretches. Then home! Thanks for being great as always - here's to the next 300 runs!

After thunder and lightening very very frightening during the afternoon, we actually managed to have a dry run come evening in Lambeth. As the last Tuesday of the month we had our Shit Prize of the Month to give out. The lucky winner was Andrew, who finally, finally bought some new trainers. This has made trainer Katie very happy as she feels sad when she looks at his sad, sad shoes. WELL DONE ANDREW.

James KB led a small but perfectly formed crack team 3km through Brockwell Park to the South London Botanical Institute. They had to move some seeds and boy were there lots. They moved boxes and boxes of the stuff in a human chain. And they only got about half way through. Don't panic Botanicals, we'll be back!

Katie led the rest of the group back to Clapham Common, where we were all happy about the rain as it softened the ground for our nearly final round of digging. We removed loads of the turf and wheelbarrowed it over to the park edge. It was hard work and sometimes even two people jumping on a spade didn't manage to get beneath the surface. But after a lot of arm muscles and a serious portion of elbow grease, we left happy to have made such a big dent in it.

After running back to base, we did some nice stretches and then went home. Well done Lambeth!