The foyer at Glass Mill Leisure Centre was buzzing with red t-shirts as 23 eager runners gathered to do good. We ran out along Lewisham Way - with a few drivers beeping their horns as we passed - and converged at New Cross Learning, to do a spot of Speed Spring Cleaning.

It was brilliant to see so many new faces - some brand spanking new to GoodGym - and to welcome some now familiar faces to our fourth group run in Lewisham. Adele told the group about all things GoodGym, mentioning Coach Running and Missions, gave a mention to the social this Thursday (yes, this Thursday, not last Thursday - sorry!), told everyone all about the task ahead and then persuaded the warmly huddled mass that we really should venture out into the wind.

In the grassy (and crazily windy) area outside the leisure centre, we warmed up with some high-fiving and a very noisy game of shin-tag, before syncing our various devices and heading out onto the streets of Lewisham central. On the way, we regrouped at traffic lights, making sure nobody was left behind and joined in conversations about dream running spots (oddly, not Lewisham Way during rush hour!). On arrival at New Cross Learning, we were greeted by Kathy and Gill and took the opportunity to take a big group shot.

Once inside the library, Gill read a message from our local councillor, Paul Bell, thanking us for helping at a library that is 'very close to his heart'. Kathy then showed everyone what needed doing and where to find the bowls of soapy water and cloths. Before long, the chatter was rising again (no 'shusssshhhhing' in this library!) and piles of books were forming, as shelves were wiped and dried, ready for the books to be placed back (in order, with some taking more interest in this element than others, ahem!). Time flew by and books were quickly replaced, before Gill and Kathy said 'thank you' and sent us on our way, back out into the wind.

We ran steadily towards Deptford Bridge DLR Station, where everyone groaned when Adele pointed out the lovely steps up to the platform (then sighed when she said we would only be running up part-way, phew). Some ankle-stabilising drills were performed and then some thigh-powering jumps, with little jogs back down in-between. After some powerful, deep squats, we skipped our way back to the path, where Adele gave instruction in the next part of the session, some short, sharp fartlek through Brookmill Park. It all got a little bit PE, with a whistle and everything, but the group did some superb hard running to lamp-posts, with some steady jogging back, to re-group.

It's interesting how very quiet it gets at this point...

After an enforced rest at the crossing (yay!), we sprinted our way back in to the foyer for a good stretch and a catch-up on next week's group run (sign up here). With a gradual rumbling of tummies during our quiet stretch, we briefly chatted re-fuel and it seems steak was on the menu for one lucky runner...writes shopping list for next week...

Well done everyone, the library was sparkling when we left, what a team!

Tower Hamlets celebrated the end of Christmas in charitable style this week. When our planned task was cancelled, Tom discovered that the Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park wanted discarded Christmas trees to make an area for wildlife to enjoy. This request turned into an unconventional but really fun night with fourteen trees in total taken from pavements, front yards and kerbsides. We carried these trees to the Cemetery Park and made our way through the spooky maze of gravestones to drop them off.

Our route home included hill sprints and three different paced groups running back so that there was something for everyone.

I only wish we were going to be there to see the park ranger's face tomorrow morning when they realise they've been visited by the Goodgym post-Christmas angels!

Gabrielle.