Welcome

Welcome this evening to Olivia, Charlie and Amanda. Great to have you along helping out.

Graham

Massive news! Graham did his 100th good deed last night. Give that man a cheer! Graham's a member of our taskforce in Islington and also en route to becoming a run leader. A specialist in scenic routes, he's led plenty of groups and often writes mini reports and supplies us with photos. Despite going against GG Islington's wishes and shaving his 'tache off we still love him. Hero!

So, three tasks tonight! Caxton House, Single Homeless Project and Barnsbury Community Centre.

Barnsbury

The Barnsbury contingent's main task was to assemble two hose carriers. We thought we'd have this wrapped up in no time, but forgot that instructions for self-assembly kits are usually written by drunk people. Richard F. decided it should be girls versus boys and we split into two teams.

As if dodgy instructions didn't make it difficult enough, about 5 minutes into the task we started getting bitten by little flying gits. So itchy today. Soooo itchy! Nobody's ever been this itchy in the history of GoodGym. Those wearing tights looked on smugly.

We declared it a draw when neither team quite finished thanks to some very stubborn wheel fittings. We got very close though and somebody will be along today to steal our glory by giving them a good smack with a hammer. Those hoses will definitely be appreciated. We know from personal experience how long it takes to water the garden with cans.

Before heading back we did a bit of speed-weeding before we were just too bitten-up and itchy to carry on and had to escape. On the way home we stretched our legs out with a game of secret surges and had a couple of sprints. Speedy!

Caxton

Another group headed up to Caxton House. Aidan explains:

Lots of GoodGymmers took the Caxton House run this week, so many that we could split into two groups!

Patrick took a group doing a medium pace and Graham led a faster paced group. Graham's group started with a lap of Highbury Fields onto a trip up Holloway Road with Lucy and Graham racing the finish to Caxton House, whilst Patrick blasted the tunes taking the steady incline up to Caxton House. Rose was ready for us with some much appreciated water.

We've been doing some great work at Caxton House over the last few weeks and today was no different. The benches needed a final coat of paint and the battle against the weeds continued. The benches were looking fresh and pristine by the end and we are sooooo close with the weeding. One more week and we'll be ready to fill in the gaps with sand. The end product will be awesome.

Patrick's group set off first leaving the others to brush and tidying up. After a quick goodbye we were following them into the sunset to Highbury Fields and a well deserved biscuit. Great work as always everyone!

Aidan

SHP

Yet another group went over to SHP. Caroline tells us what went down:

5 of us had a nice jog up to Single Homeless Project. We have been there a few times recently and it was really nice to help there again.

The team did full mission weeding in the garden and collected leaves from the front (Autumn is coming early this year!). On the way back we got nicely distracted by cute kitties but we did an extra lap of Highbury Fields. Well done team!

Caroline

Boring Biccies

We had our cheapest ever biscuits: 34p from the corner shop that's closing down. They were also the most boring ever biscuits: Morning Coffee. Won't be getting them again. Can anybody find a cheaper biscuit?

Muppets

Our big debate question was about the biggest muppet in athletics (track and field). So many people voted for Ryan Lochte that we made him an honorary track and field athlete. But let's not forget Mahiedine Mekhissi-Benabbad who, when not beating up 14-year-old mascots, can be found stealing bronze medals. There were a couple of other votes, but these guys are too nice to put down in a run report.

We'll see you next week for more cheap biccies, red-hot debate, fitness fun and glorious goodness,
Simon

It was a lovely sunny evening for a GoodGym task. Victoria Park didn’t need us to clear their track anymore so Margeret at Hollybush helped us out with a last minute task. One group pruned a huge bush, carefully following Michael’s instructions on aesthetics! The other group was doing more gardening.

We tasked hard for about 30 mins and then cleared up all the mess and took a jog to Victoria Park, Alison leading a gentle jog, Tom a medium pace and Axel those who fancied a faster run.

At the park the sun was setting on a beautiful day, Tom partnered us all up, got us in a massive circle and some fitness fun commenced! To finish we did some sprints followed by easy jogs back, we pushed hard, and then ran steadily back to the hotel, where we parted ways, all a bit fitter and a bit more covered in foliage.

HAPPY MONDAYS All round when a dozen Goodgymers ran 5k, to Kilburn Grange Park for a dose of gardening and an even bigger dose of upper body strength work.

(and yes this is a musical, Happy Mondays band themed run report, in case you get confused LOL)

Despite feeling a little under the weather myself, there were no PILL SPILLS AND BELLY ACHES that could keep me away from my beautiful GG Brent. To kick off the night, I was delighted to see, as well as the familiars, lots of new faces at base camp too! Tanya, Jarshee, Dharmistha and Shanta four lovely ladies ready to push down pavements and give back some goodness to their local community.

Back with our new friends - Kilburn Grange Park, to finish the gardening we started last week, after a warm and fun fuelled housekeeping we set off into the night. With Dan at the helm and me leading from the back, we set off on the first leg of the journey down to the high road, minding not to STEP ON the many cracked pavements and tree roots springing up attempting to hinder our fast pace.

In no time at all we had arrived and BOBS YOUR UNCLE were greeted by the gorgeous AJ with all the tools needed to get cracking straight away YAY

With the last of the SUNSHINE and plenty of LOVE we got to work digging, pulling weeds and raking up the dead leaves to reveal beautiful new soil ready for new planting.

About half way through, there was a HALLELUJA Moment, when AJ brought out 2 trays of deliciously prepared watermelon for the team!!! Amazing!! Stepping away from our Manchester themed music night for one moment of madness it was WHAM BAM THANK YOU MAM When I accompanied the moment with a dose of Club Tropicana on the spotify mix.... (Clairey-Bells request!!)

So joyful our volunteering must have seemed from the outside, that we were suddenly surrounded by a gaggle of local kids questioning and quizzing what we were up to and then.... oh wait - No they were just here for the melon!!!! Of course.

With tummys full and the final countdown upon us we rushed to fill the last of the refuse sacks before said our goodbyes and hot footing it over to the playground for some more fitness fun!! No monkeying around as I guided the team into a series of hanging body holds and pull-ups on the bars and a team challenge of perfect technique press-ups on the grass.

Can we accept the Elle Energy challenge for this week I proclaimed.... 7 press ups every single day until next Monday??? YES WE CAN!!

After the upper-body annihilation, the lower body was back in business, as our legs did the work carrying us back the last 1.5miles back to base camp - The Queensbury. Hills were the last challenge of the night and with hips high and knees driving upwards, the team demo'd perfect skills to battle the last tree roots home and make it back in time for stretches bang on 8.30pm!! WOOP WOOP.

A night of fun fuelled, fruity goodness and fitness fury in the second week of the summer, that's another week rocked in Brent.

Until next time 24 HOUR PARTY PEOPLE

DO GOOD. FEEL GOOD. INSPIRE