8 intrepid Goodgym runners joined Area Activator Simon for a tour of three Central London Slow Ways routes! On Friday evening, we started our run from The Running Works (an independent running shop in Aldgate), and completed the following paths:

HOLMON 2

Monument to Holborn - 2 miles

https://beta.slowways.org/Route/Holmon/9675

HOLANG 4

Holborn to Angel - 2 miles

https://beta.slowways.org/Route/Holang/10092

ANGLIV 1

Angel to Liverpool Street - 2 miles

https://beta.slowways.org/Route/Angliv/2208

The Slow Ways project is an incredible route mapping project started in 2020, with the intention of creating an interactive tool that prioritises safe walking routes across the UK. To allow the project to be successful, runners, walkers and pedestrians of all types have been asked to submit and verify routes in their local area to make sure that any visitor could trust that the path is safe.

Our evening Goodgym run in the winter months proved to be extremely valuable, as we were able to identify two or three parks that would typically be open during the day, that were closed as the sun goes down. Otherwise, we found the routes to be really pleasant opportunities to explore back roads and lesser known side streets in our city.

Due to a glitch on the Slow Ways website, our verifications still need to be uploaded, but keep an eye out for our reviews very soon!

I never thought I'd find myself with pitchfork in hand in London, but I found I quite enjoyed forking muck, and as a workout my post activity aches suggest it was a good one!

A good-sized group gathered around the corner from tonight's task to speed through a short workout.

Balancing on the wall, we sped through incline push ups, leg lowers, tricep dips and the toughest single-leg squats. The team did great. You could have heard a pin drop, but they didn't falter, finishing with the fantastic curtsey lunges.

We then made our way around the corner to the garden entrance to meet Kieran of charity GET OUT, our task owner for the night.

What is GET OUT?

GET OUT is a local charity that believes 'all young people should have the same access to the natural world'. The organisation's programme of surfing, outdoor education and food growing project is designed to 'help overcome the disconnect between young people and the environment'.

Tonight, following a long winter, we were playing gardening catch-up in this well-used local space.

Two teams spent their time on each end of the garden, clearing weeds and preparing the ground for planting and other use by the garden's users. Working tirelessly to pull up weed after weed in poorly-lit areas, the before and after pictures of both areas of the garden were impressive.

Meanwhile at the other end of the garden, three strong participants were keen to tackle the relocation of some seriously heavy paving stones (despite my initial hesitance) and did an absolutely great job. They lifted, wheeled, and broke up slab after slab, speedily moving them to the opposite end of the garden. Having completed the task early, they proceeded to turn a bit of compost as a nice cool-down.

8pm came and went, and by ten past, we were emptying the last of the weeds into the compost, packing up equipment and heading to the fire area (better than it sounds) for our final group shot.

We then said cheerio to Kieran, and made our way back out onto peaceful Harley Grove for a few final stretches after this tough task.

What a great night!

Shout-outs

A big, warm welcome to Davide, whose first GoodGym task this was, and to Alan, whose first Tower Hamlets task this was! A brilliant debut from you both, and we hope to see you again very soon.

...And to our Rosie, who tonight reached her 50th good deed. Well done Rosie!

Next week, we return to Cranbrook Community Food Garden!.

Until then.