Wall of Honour

• Hi Five to Becca for joining us after a few months off.
• Fist Pump to Sam for back marking in his new GoodGym 100 Wings t-shirt!
• Shout Out to all the runners who also ran The Big Half on Sunday!

Lets have a recap

Last night 11 runners ran 6km in total to support Age UK in Southwark.

We had been asked to deliver flyers to sheltered housing residential properties in the streets around Nunhead Green and Peckham Rye Park. The flyers were promoting a community project run by Age Uk called My Social, aimed at bringing people together to try new things, develop friendships and feel part of the community. They were advertising their regular Bingo night social on Thursday evenings!

With the rain easing off we started with a quick warm up, and a game of Knee Tag! We ran as group towards Nunhead Green, where we split into 2 teams. Sam headed up Team A with a supply of flyers, directing the group around the green and along Kirkwood Road. David lead the charge for Team B following the main road, before turning up into Barset Estate. After only 30 minutes all the flyers had been delivered, with no fingers caught in letter boxes!

Fact Of The Day - The early Victorian post boxes were originally painted green! The first boxes to be painted red were in London in July 1874.

We continued the session through the puddles making 2 loops around Peckham Rye Park. We varied the pace with some lamp post strides, and a game of follow the leader. Finishing up at Old Spike to stretch and test our balance!

Next week we are running 8km overall to Crisis store in Elephant & Castle.

See you next week Team.

A few quick words to say: thank you to everyone who came, dressed up, donated to Stephen's House, and partied away. We thought it was brilliant and hope that you agree. Some thank yous:

🎅 to our wonderful DJs Alex and Chi, who did a great job with their alternating sets

🎅 to our amazing hosts Stephen's House, who kept the drinks flowing and were so flexible with every request we had

🎅 to GGB's very own Mumtaz who did SO much work in getting the party from a concept to a reality

🎅 and finally, to our prize winners who made an amazing effort with their costumes: 3rd place was of course Steve in his Elf and Safety outfit (and a whole persona) 2nd was Rosie and her 5 gold rings 1st ~drum roll~ was Beth as a Pig in Blanket!!!

Thanks again. I hope you like the photos and do join us in thanking everyone here when you next see them. Have a brilliant Christmas.

This morning, 4 GoodGym runners headed to Goodrich Community Primary School in East Dulwich. Goodrich is the biggest primary school in Southwark, and their annual Winter Fair is an important opportunity for them to raise funds and engage with the community.

We had been asked if runners would be able to help them set up for the fair, before kick-off at noon. We quickly swung into action; Nat, Becky and I lugging up vast amounts of snacks and drinks to the cafe area in the upper hall. As we finished this, we were joined by Neil (with little Sophie in tow), who joined us in setting up several gazebos, and tying baubles and tinsel onto any possible object.

Once we had sorted this, and Becky had draped festive sheets over the more mundane aspects of the hall (imagine multiple stacks of chairs), we headed upstairs - where Nat was ALL OVER the task of labelling the teddy bear tombola - and we set about labelling jam jars full of sweets for their jam jar tombola. Never let it be said that Goodrich Community Primary School is lacking in tombolas.

After some time working away on this (and chatting to some of the parent volunteers about our journeys into running and good options for a first 10k), we each made our way for the rest of a foggy Saturday!

Wall of Honour

• Thanks to Dom & Helena for back marking and keeping the 2 groups together.
• Big Shout to Helen & Manny for completing their first run with us!
• Pat on the back to Anna for completing 4 Good Deeds at the weekend - including 3 in one day!!

Let’s have a Recap

Last night 21 runners ran 6km in total to the Crisis store in Camberwell. Crisis is the national charity for homeless people, helping them to rebuild their lives. Through research into the causes and consequences of homelessness and the solutions to it, they are committed to ending homelessness for good!

Despite the rain we began a quick warm up with a chance to learn some new names! Then we headed off in an organised group with Task Force members Dom, Helena & Sam in position to make sure as the pace of the group stretched no one was left behind. We ran along Lyndhurst Way to Peckham Road untill we reached the store in Camberwell Green.

Store manager Ross directed us through the evenings tasks, varying from dusting, cleaning rails and rearranging clothes into size order. With so many hands ready to help we quickly split up into different areas of the shop, whilst keeping a keen eye on some bargains! Kate managed to reserve a top and Allie even ran home with a candelabre!! Floors, shelves and rails were swept and mopped and Holly finished up with her favourite job of hoovering! After 30mins we said goodbye to Ross and left his store looking nice and clean!

FACT OF THE DAY A Candelabra Tree cannot stand the cold - anything below 10-12 degrees Celsius. However they do survive indoors, ideal for those living in a chilly climate.

On the way back we still had time for some Mexican Wave Squats, and a slippery but competitive Burpee relay in Warwick Gardens with Ian just about staying on his feet to lead his team to victory!

Next week we will be running 8km to support the Tabard Growers community group with some weeding at Stompie Garden. Come to see 'Stompie' a decommisioned Soviet tank!

See you next week Team. Stay dry!

Wall of Honour

• Thanks to Emily & Sam for back marking and keeping the group together.
• Pat on the back to Rebecca, Ian, Emma & Dom for completing Half Marathons in London and Lisbon last weekend!

Let’s have a Recap

Last night 20 runners ran 10km in total to the former Daily Mail Printworks, now being turned into a fantastic community garden and education centre run by Global Generation.

A slightly strange ensemble of runners arrived dressed in prison outfits, capes, bandages and deadly makeup in true GhoulGym fashion! With a longer run this week we set off promptly armed with 'trick or sweets', surprising a few passers by giving us strange looks as we took to the back streets on route to Surrey Quays.

When we arrived at Printworks site we were met by Martin who guided us to a beautifully hidden garden with fairy lights and log cabins. The task ahead was to dig up a mound of soil and transfer a very large bag of logs to the inside community centre. With time being short a team of 4 swiftly began digging at the stubborn mound of earth clearing the area with expert speed. The rest of the team lifted, carried, and wheeled the logs inside until half the bag was emptied. Then a masterstroke decision was made to drag the large back to the storage area and a chain was quickly set up hurriedly emptying and piling the remaining logs in a safe pile ready for use indoors.

FACT OF THE DAY In Toraja, Indonesian, a ritual called Ma'Nene (Care of Ancestors) takes place each year in August when the bodies of the deceased are exhumed to be washed, groomed and dressed in new clothes. The mummies are then walked around the village!!

With our speedy gravedigging and logging complete we headed back along cycle paths and through tunnels making sure our group didn't get too stretched, thanks for your help team! After a good night of exercise it was time for a well earned drink!

Next week we will be running 6km overall to Theatre Deli in Burgess Park giving their hall a lick of paint! So don't wear your best running gear!

See you next week Team. Wrap Up.