It may have been cold and the traffic may have been gridlocked but that didn’t stop 14 keeno GoodGymers getting together on this wintery night in South London.

A brisk warm up from Mark helped get the blood pumping on such an icy evening. After much lunging and fast-paced stalker-walking, we primed our Stravas and were on our way through the streets of Kingston town to our task. We were off to help out the awesome KCAH (Kingston Churches Action on Homelessness) who offer so much in our community for the homeless. The task was to give the offices a good spruce up. The centre that once housed the Joel Project now runs a morning session named 'The Pathway' where those that need it can find some warmth, shelter and breakfast on these cold winter mornings.

After three icy kilometres through the back streets, we were thankful to be in the warmth ourselves and undertaking an indoor task this week. All set to get into our task and clean KCAH’s offices so after a brief introduction from the KCAH team, we split into groups and set to it. Cleaning windows, desks, computers, board rooms, kitchens, skirting boards... no task was too big or small for team GG. We even scrubbed at the mysterious stains left by some ominously “explosive” old army boots that were donated to the charity.

When I'm cleaning windows 🎧🎤🎼….with GoodGym!
Come and have some fun, do good and get fit! #goodgym #kingston #KCAH #volunteering #doinggood #cleaning #running #fitness pic.twitter.com/kQajqhSaRU

— GoodGym Kingston-upon-Thames (@GoodGymKingston) January 23, 2020

It’s amazing how quickly some of these tasks seem to take – one minute we were setting to it and then half an hour disappeared and we were gathering to head back to the Guildhall. We had a chance for the essential team photo before donning the gloves again and departing, leaving behind some very grateful KCAH employees and a much cleaner and fresher office space.

Welcome back for a second run at Kingston to Susi, Graham, Claire and Leticia - Great work all!

See you next week.

If it's not Raining, it's not training; and if not Snowing we're not going; therefore today's weather was perfect: Sleet is Sweet!

Whatever the weather 13 runners lit up snowy skies and braved the elements to help Kingston Churches Action on Homelessness (KCAH).

We met at Guildhall once more , layered in our running armour against the cold to talk of GoodGym Olympics, The Big Half places and the loss of our very valued runner Nic , who is off to pastures new in Portsmouth. We will miss you Nic!

We braved the outdoors for a much needed warmup that had us learning some essential exercises to improve our running. We then headed off on a 5km jog to the Everyday Church in Kingston, (we had heard so much about this church from one GG runner, Victoria so it was great to finally step inside and help them out).

KCAH have been using the hall at the Everyday church to run a nightly shelter for 30 guests in Kingston. The shelter will be moving on at the end of the month so our job was to leave it clean and tidy to hand back to the church. When its cold outside , there's no kinder place to stay, the staff were lovely and they had a long list of tasks for us to get stuck into.

WHATS THAT YOU SPRAY? CLEAN SOME WINDOWS? WE CAN (broom) HANDLE THAT WITH NO IF, ANDS OR (cigarette) BUTTS ABOUT IT!

We cleaned surfaces, walls, doors, and toilets. We mopped floors and washed windows as well as cleared the outside of any cigarette butts.

This was such an important task, especially on a night as cold as tonight where we could see the real benefit to those without homes who can go to a warm place to eat and rest. It was lovely to be able to make it nice for them.

Well done to Lorena on her second run and great to meet Shonese who joined us for her first GoodGym run.

If you are interested in The Big Half in March GoodGym has some £10 community entry places, email bighalf@goodgym.org. Deadline for applications is Wednesday 30th January.