On a crisp, decidedly lovely autumn evening, GoodGym Barnet assembled as usual at the Phoenix Cinema, a place that’s rapidly becoming our own version of the Heart of Gold. There, we welcomed a brand-new member, Tom. Now, Tom had been orbiting the idea of joining GoodGym for years (which is quite a long time in the GoodGym galaxy). A seasoned marathoner, Tom has decided to explore the shorter but still wondrous distances of 5km and 10km. Naturally, we welcomed him aboard with open arms.

After gathering in the foyer— we stepped outside to do a warm-up. This involved a brief "introduction to ourselves" via the classic name and number routine. (And no, it’s not a prison roll call, though it has a certain futuristic formality to it.) There was also a brief foray into holiday reminiscing: tales of journeys to exotic lands like Turkey, Crete, Cornwall, Sicily, Belgium, and Denmark. Just your average list of places you'd pop off to when you're not saving the local community.

In no particular order, our heroic team of runners included:

Peter Rachel George Paul Tom Kubilay

give them a heroic shout out. click on the red link.

Our quest for the evening: a scenic dash down the High Street, past the station, chasing the gloriously glowing red and orange sunset towards our destination—Northway Community Gardens in Hampstead Garden Suburb. Here, the great guardian of the gardens, Brian, awaited.

Brian, by the way, is somewhat of a warrior. His sworn nemesis? Bureaucracy. And oh, how he battles it, defending the beauty of the gardens from the forces of inefficiency. Armed with his pruning shears and an unyielding passion for fighting the good fight, he welcomed us to the task at hand: litter picking, sweeping, and the ever-satisfying pruning.

The most heroic task, however, came in the form of litter fishing from the stream. Armed with litter pickers and the precarious balance of tightrope walkers, we reached over the banks to retrieve the offending debris. It was daring work—soggy, slightly treacherous, and mildly reminiscent of a low-budget action sequence, but we prevailed.

Once we'd tamed the litter and pruned the greenery into submission, we secured the garden shed (because all great quests involve a shed of some sort) and turned our weary feet back toward the Phoenix. The run back, now under cover of night, was peaceful and introspective. Some of us, brimming with energy, opted for bonus sprints around the quiet streets. Tom and Peter, in particular, blitzed through the sprints like the fleet-footed heroes they are.

Finally, we gathered back at our base—the Phoenix—for a well-earned warm-down. There, discounted beverages awaited, and we chatted about our adventure over drinks, basking in the glow of a job well done.

Thanks for coming and doing some good! And remember, don’t panic—we’ll be back next week for more heroics.

What do you get when you mix nine eager GoodGym runners, a plot of land, and a historic charity? A wheelbarrow load of fun, fitness, and community spirit, of course!

Last night, on a gloriously warm summer evening with a few picturesque clouds, we set off on a mission to support the Finchley Charities. These good folks have been helping the community for over 500 years, primarily through their Armes houses, but also by nurturing an allotment that provides fresh food for the local food bank.

Our run was off to a dynamic start as we paused for a round of dropkick squats—because why not add some flair to our fitness? Then, onward we dashed, meeting up with Anton at the allotment. Anton gave us the lowdown on the Finchley Charities and led us through some very imposing gates. (Seriously, these gates were practically auditioning for a part in the next Game of Thrones season.)

With the gates behind us, we jogged through the lush allotments, making our way to the heart of the Finchley Charities site. Tasks were promptly dished out: some of us took on the heavy-duty job of wheelbarrowing mulch down to the bottom of the allotment to prep the area for visiting school kids. Others got down and dirty with some weeding and continued the epic quest of digging out an area for a new pond.

Time flew by as we dug, weeded, and mulched, and before we knew it, it was time to head back. We made our way back to the Phoenix Cinema for a well-earned warmdown.

A big shoutout to everyone who came out to run, work up a sweat, and do some good. in particular to our new runners.Michaela and James

Remember, every step we take and every task we tackle makes a difference. See you at the next run!

Keep running and doing good!

It’s not always easy to drag yourself out to do these things, but I always think its satisfying.

Well done for signing up and making the commitment. Let’s continue it into the spring trying to make a little bit of a difference.

Goodgym Barnet came to support the community of people that had helped develop the Tiny Forest in Barnet. We had planted the forest just over a year ago, and cared for it through drought, torrential rain and littering. It is developing well with only a few casualties from last year. We are also updating the National portal with data on the trees in terms of growth, biodiversity and carbon capture. amongst others. This will be analysed by Earthwatch along with hundreds of other Tiny Forest all over the UK. We are hoping it continues to be a source of focus in the community about understanding our local environment and the need for sustainability. We encourage everyone to come and see the forest and upload data about health and positive effects of the trees.

Thank you to all those people involved in looking after the forest over the last year, and who came today to celebrate.

thanks to Dan for the cake!

Tiny Forest , Barnet a Poem on its first anniversary.

In the heart of Barnet lies a little space, The Tiny Forest, a peaceful embrace, A plantation of trees that grow tall and strong, With leaves that rustle as the winds come along.

These trees are our guardians, so wise and so true, They take care of our planet, for me and for you, With roots that reach deep into the soil, They help keep the air we breathe pure and royal.

The leaves release oxygen with every breath, And cleanse the air of pollutants that lead to death, The soil they enrich, creating a home, For creatures great and small, like a kingdom grown.

In the Tiny Forest, the sun dances through, A symphony of light, a vision so true, And as we stand beneath its branches so green, We feel a peace, a calmness that can only be seen.

This precious little space is a symbol of hope, For our community, a way to cope, With the challenges we face each day, It's a reminder to take care, in every way.

So let us cherish the Tiny Forest Barnet, And tend to its trees, our planet's garnet, For it's more than just a simple wood, It's a gift to us all, our home for good.

A magnificent seven, Goodgym Members came together at the Phoenix Cinema to help Martin Primary School in East Finchley. Most people met at the cinema to chat and warm up. We set off, on a cool, cloudless evening, , at a slow pace along the High Street . We met Kirsten and Cloud before joining up with our host John at the school. He provided us with the tools to spread the woodchip over the paths inside the forest school.

Goodgym Barnet loves this mission!

After the mission Cloud took us through some Fartlek training in the school field. This involved simple jogging in One Direction and various levels of sprint back before repeating over four minute period.

We then jogged back to the cinema for a warm down and refreshments.

Thanks for coming running and doing some good.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Our burgeoning new Goodgym Barnet run leader Antonio led the session for new starters. We gathered at Stephens House Gardens which is the jewel in the crown of Finchley. It is a charitable trust that relies on volunteers, including GoodGym. Beautiful gardens and café.

It was a chilly morning, so we started off with a gentle jog to warm up then Antonio took over the session in a sheltered pathway.

Antonio beautifully demonstrated some warmup exercises and then initiated a running session with sprints.

We then ran on to deliver leaflets from the Phoenix Cinema to local houses in the area. Another charitable trust that we like to try and help and hosts our Tuesday sessions. We did a warm down in the café with some refreshments to aid our weary limbs. look forward to all the carrot cake, Antonio!

Thanks for coming running and doing some good - I hope we ticked all the boxes.