Some unusual but festive characters turned up at Wholefoods this evening, including a couple of reindeers, an elf and a santa or two! We must have looked great as the head of Wholefoods jumped in to take our group picture around the tree! After hearing about the amazing community missions completed over the weekend and some information about ones coming up, we got outside into the cold. A quick head count and into an active warm up in Mark's new favourite alley and then we set off up the hill that is Church Road, and back down the Star and Garter Hill, before heading along Richmond riverside (luckily avoiding Nightingale Lane this time - Phew!) then over the bridge. Once over the water we did a hard left to continue along the river on the other side before our staggered arrival at Lynde House Care Home in East Twickenham (some of us may have got a bit lost - Oh deer!!!).

It was wonderful to return to the care home after visiting last year for a Christmas carol sing-a-long with a local choir. We gathered in the main room then dispersed to assemble and decorate not one, not two but SIX Christmas trees in different rooms of the care home. Many of us had to put our temptations aside to avoid the delicious mince pies and mulled wine that were kindly put out for us to make sure we got the trees finished in time. (Mulled Wine and Mince pies - ho ho ho!!! we are spoilt!) Debates began to rise: Beads or no beads? Red or gold? Tinsel or no tinsel? Less is more or more is more? Fortunately we were able to put our stylistic differences aside to focus on the job in hand and all six trees were completed. The big one even had impressive decorative presents under the tree that light up!

We rounded up our Bing Crosby scene with a mandatory FESTIVE group photo beside the big tree and a quick Jingle Bells on the piano then we tackled the much shorter 2km route back to Wholefoods. Have fun deciding who decorated their tree the best - check out the photos!

Welcome to Jon for his first run with GG tonight!

Next week is a trio of tasks so look forward to making good things happen with you all once again!

What a night! ...We couldn't beleaf it!!!

We were leafed out in the cold :-(

Well we have news for you universe , we can too handle a 10km run on top of a task! However if you think thats too much for us to take on we'll do sprints and a fitness session PLUS the 10km run instead....ain't no one gonna POUND us down to the ground (We might reach down and pick up a Euro though eh Chris and Eva!!)

18 runners braved a complex warm up under the romantic setting of a single street light on Richmond Green before running near 5km to Whitton Youth Zone. 'Just go straight, cant be that hard right? We have been there before', well lets just say everything looks different on a dark winters night. As the middle group were deciding which turning was the right turning, Kate came to the rescue and did indeed take us along the next right turning. Thank you Kate and well done to Laura for Backmarking as well!

Right, OK, we are here and looking forward to pulling that Ivy, digging up those weeds and getting the garden area ship shape BUT 'Whitton' see this coming, what happened? We were there, Mark was there, but the task owner wasn't. After trying to track Mandy down it was clear we were out of luck. Had our run become 'Undone' - there was some deliberation about new task verses run verses fitness session but we did what we do best and still managed to find a way we could do some good. We rolled up our sleeves, put on our gloves (and some of us held our noses) and rid the car park of leaves, rubbish and some unsightly objects.

But thats not all! We do good but we also get fit , so, not only did we run slightly shy of 5km back but some of us teamed up to sprint segments of it AND once back on the Green we threw ourselves into Marks creative and impromtu fitness session.

It may not have been the night we were expecting but we ran, we did good, we got fit and we did it together!

Well done Jane and Georgia on your 2nd run!

Look forward to seeing you all next week guys!

Don't forget there is a mission up for grabs for next Monday https://www.goodgym.org/happenings/furniture-move-from-upstairs-to-down-and-vice-versa There is a Fulham 10km this weekend https://www.goodgym.org/happenings/adidas-city-run-fulham10k-race-volunteering And a few community missions too on the horizon - one this Friday and look out for following Santa for Spear too!

Remember Remember the 5th of November!

And remember it we will! A strangely mild November evening saw 16 of us gather in Wholefoods where we welcomed newcomers...Jane, Chris, and Georgia to the group. After talk of races and new badges! (sooo exciting!)

We warmed up and got going on our 8.6km run. Our route took us up Richmond Hill and into Richmond Park, which was as black as night except for the promising little lights on our head dancing and bobbing in the dark, all we had were a few fireworks to light the evening and our path. Once out of the park and at Ham Gate we were greeted by Ken the task owner and given instructions to make a woodchip path in the Latchmere Brook area!

We gathered spades, shovels (which are bigger than spades you know) , a rake and we 'rolled out the (wheel) barrells and got to work. We had a great production line going and took it in turns with each of the tools. We made light work of the large and weirdly warm pile of woodchips that gave off almost a mulled wine aroma.....mmmmmm.

The night's finale was a gift of sparklers from Ken , so we were transported to our childhood trying to sign our names (and 'GG') in the air. Thank you Ken! What a Hamtastic night!

After a great team effort and getting into the spirit of bonfire night we headed back to Wholefoods, our headtorches keeping time with our running stride as we headed back along the edge of the thames.

We arrived safely back to congratulate the new runners once again and Gemma on her second run not to forget Kudos to Imogen for back marking so well.

Next week is 10km (the furthest we run) to Whitton Youth Zone. Do remember that there will be a backmarker so you will not be left behind no matter how slow you think you might run. Also you can always leave the task a little earlier to get a head start on the return journey.

See you next week