FAST FOOD PART 1

14 Brave Brent bandits, ran miles, to sort through piles of food that was sent, for the community of Brent!!

Food donation sorting for the amazing Brent Food Bank.

Having spent the last few days sending out a shed load of 'don't leave me hanging' emails to my crew, I was delighted to be met at base camp by a team of 13!! This of course was an absolute miracle considering the icy weather, freezing cold snow and wintery conditions!! So thank you, thank you team of brave warriors!!! What an awesome turn out for GG Brent's last sesh of 2017!!

The tasks (plural) at hand this evening, for our last and final session of the year, were helping out the Brent Food Bank, with their enormous hoard of food donations for Christmas at not one but two locations!!

As there were a couple of sites to get to; the storage center and the base, we split into 2 and set off! I led the team heading for base camp - The vestry hall, for an evening of lifting, loading and sorting all kinds of food groups into orderly piles and racked onto the shelves. Supported by my amazing team - Pete, Mouse, Marie, Ellen, Isabelle and Beth!

Our journey of 1.4 Miles was a cold one, so to beat the icy bite of the winds, we made it rapid!! That's fast food, if ever you did see!

Looked after by Maxine and Nana on arrival we were set to work instantly! There was so much to get through, we were like a team of busy elves, beavering away in our nutritious workshop!

Halfway through, we were rewarded with mugs of hot tea, which gave us the added energy to keep up the good work, for an extended session of 60 Mins, as we didn't want to go until we'd made a hefty impact on the massive piles!!

After a full hour of Good-deeding and about 100 tins and packets of food galore stocked up onto shelves, we said our farewells and head back out into the night.

Facing the cold once more, the run was again, a swift affair, but we didn't care. Pleased with our effors, we couldn't have done better. For Brent's amazing bank of food, not a worthier cause could we choose!!

FAST FOOD PART 2 - By Tabitha Skinner

So our group had the task of running to Brent Food Bank's storage unit, where they keep the tons of donations they receive. It was a 2.4Mile route there and we were thrilled to get there in less than 30mins woop woop.

We met Michele on site, who took us to the storage unit and told us a bit about what the Brent Food Bank do for the community! But to read a bit more yourselves check out their website - https://brent.foodbank.org.uk

Amazing cause What we found out was that they have boxes of food donations ready for when people in need.... need them. They also do packs of toiletries and nappies and things for new mums when they go to hospital to have a baby, as well as feminine products for girls who can't afford them. If that wasn't enough, this amazing cause also put on and host cooking classes at their base, for the community to teach people how to eat healthily and well for less money.
Loads of good stuff!!

Weigh-hey So back to our task, which was to empty out their big yellow, storage unit and weigh EVERYTHING before putting it back! This is because they have to do a yearly audit of donations, so we were helping with that. It was a mammoth task which took longer than a usual GG amount of set time, however, as it was our last one for the tear, we were all happy to stay and do more for these amazing people.

Fast food.... literally We got to work quickly using human chains to take it all out, weigh the boxes, then put them back. Each box was easily 20kg so we definitely worked hard, and we had hundreds of them to sort, so that's easily a tonne of donations we lifted. David our very own Isabelle's hubby (she finally dragged him along!!), was at the end of the chain most the night so probably did the most work! What an intro!! Even though there was so much food, Michele said, if they didn't get any more it would only last until April so they are always looking for more donations all the time!!!

Nearly there The last few boxes were Christmas presents and decorations so they were the last ones in, ready to be taken out again this week, for creations of Christmas Cheer all over Brent homes. After our epic efforts, we all ran back to base in the cold, other than karen who ubered it - Don't blame you Kazzer!!!

Until next year!!!!! That's GG Brent over and out!

12 speed demons came and conquered a pucker paper-chase and terrific track attack!! That's GG Brent all over October! Pow Pow!

It was smiles all round at base camp Queensbury with 10 glorious Gyals and 2 gorge Guys making up the numbers this eve!

Bringing the fire was Girl Power Hour and flexing for the females was: Clairey-Bell, Mouse, Dimple, Liz, Coralie, Eliza, Beth and sister sledge tabs and debs!

Repping for the fellas and back for his second week running was Crossfit Kid Lucas in his newly adorned GG red tee. Which by the way was suitably spray on to flex off his Olympic lift traps! And Looking just as macho in his signature yellow threads was resident king pin, all the guys love him (okay well maybe just Colin) devilishly daring Dinesh!! Woo!

So with all our wonder women at the ready and gumption gushing from the guys, we sped out for the night, for leaflet paper chasing all the way to Willesden Track!

After successfully slamming the high road with all the goodgym vibes, we arrived at destination pain on the lanes, oh no wait I mean fun delightfully good times lanes..... To be fair, it was probably a bit of both depending on who you ask! But actually proof that so much fun was had was that only 3 photos were taken!!!

So once we'd mobilised and warmed up joints with a few drills and spills, it was down to big business and that was some laps!! 200m sprints to begin followed by 400m timed splits!! Now me being nice only asked the team for 2 sets of each, however Clairey-bell reminded me that in goodgym Brent days of old, there was a 12 lap session once upon a time!! I think I'll be bring that back some time soon!!

**Oh yes..... watch this space, get the stop watch ready for some time and punishment at the next sesh!

So after my team wiped the floor with my timer each one achieving feats of absolute glory, we bashed out 5mins of core blimey can you feel your abs yet, before setting off for a cool down jog back to base.

What an awesome night, where we all took flight, to task and good deed and thrash some speed!!

See you next time!!!

DO GOOD. FEEL GOOD. INSPIRE!

9 GG Brent fitties were fast and furious as they pushed down pavements and paraded their way through tonights leaflet task for Brent's good causes. YAY!!

Now all I can say to start this run report tonight is - What Debs wants Debs gets and when our bride to be requested a track session, how could I refuse!! So armed with our source of good-deeding info sharing leaflets for - The NHS, Granville community food kitchen and some home grown repping for us GG BRENT as well, we got to stepping and paper chased our way through the ends, all the way to Willesden Sports Centre. BOOM!

Oh and thank you mother nature for blessing us with a rain free evening. Really and truly, this will be the first track attack session in a while that hasn't been a wash out! phewwwwww!!!!

So after our community spree which included face to face, library drops and postal passion, we arrived at our home for the eve & let me tell you, these guys were raring to go. Seriously energised and ready for some fabulous fitness fun and games in the form of drills, skills and a lot a lot of HIIT training - THATS High intensity interval training to you and me ;) POW POW!

After some mobilising and skills work, in the form of walking lunges , crab walks and various hop, skip and jumps (No that wasn't into the sandpit although Tabitha would have loved that!!) it was set to work on running 200m sprints, timed and repeated to track pace!

Can I just say at this point, OMG what a set of times, for each and every one!! All achieved even in the midst of some worried faces and moments of self doubt, particularly ironic was the cries from Jo But I'm not a sprinter hummmm really?? As she smashed in under 40 seconds each time!!! Bolt eat your heart out please!

Everyone gave it their all and worked their socks off for the whole session. Huffing, puffing, panting, recovering then going again and again. Special shouts go to Pushpa aka 'mum' who shaved 15 seconds off her first time in round three, living up to her name as she "Pushpa'd" to the max!! Think she was holding out on us and is a cheeky lil speedster at heart!!

After the main event, we finished off the session and the last of the legs with step jumps x 10 for three rounds and with that all jelly legged and understandably exhausted, we jogged the cool down back to base.

Another great evening doing good in Brent, with a HIIT-Fit focus for our resident badass athletes, that really packed a punch!

See you next time fit fam!!

DO GOOD. FEEL GOOD. INSPIRE

It was another incredible effort, when 20 Goodgymers from Brent, pounded pavements, crossed boroughs and gave back some more time in memory of four weeks since the tragedy of the Grenfell Tower fire in West London.

On an incredibly hot and muggy evening in July, we came, we grouped and we began, what turned out to be an epic journey over to Latymer Road Church, to meet up with sister Ruth to see how we could help one more time.

Joining the group this week was many a familiar face and to my delight Dinesh and Simon who had returned for more! Also in the mix were some newbies too, in the shape of; Alex, Amy's little brother.... Keeping in the theme of Brent's family affair and Pete, who upon my arrival was sipping on his vital fuel and pre-workout drink ready to rock the roads... Okay, this may have been a half a pint but it seemed to work as he was quick on his feet, swiftly gaining the nickname -Pistol Pete.

As the team set to work on the first leg of the tour, it becomes clear quite early on that we had some pace splits among our epic crew. Therefore the faster team were sent off ahead with sister sledge at the helm. Unfortunately in their rapid response, 2 were caught short and nearly lost their way - Alex and Amy! But luckily with some quick thinking from big sis Amy and a lot of urban orienteering they found their way back and regrouped upon arrival. Phew!!

After Group two had sped into the evening, we agreed to meet at the Church, which is exactly what we did! Me leading the back-packers and of course having my usual chats and love-in with Pushpa AKA mum! But it wasn't long before we were nipping at the heels of the first pack and meeting with Sadhana at the location, who had joined us straight there.

Met with a much less crowed and quieter site this time around, we took the time to soak up the true gravity of the situation on Latymer Road and read the messages on the walls. This truly brought home, how many lives have been not only lost, but affected by this awful tragedy and just our attendance alone felt like we were supporting the acknowledgement of this unbelievably sad and unnecessary event, one which we hope will never happen again in our lifetimes in London.

After a much needed moment of silence and contemplation, the larger than life character that is Sister Ruth arrived and with not much time left on the clock, she asked two things of us - 1) To help clear some of the older flowers away, making room for the many new ones coming each day and 2) Sing. Of course we obliged both requests and wished whole heartedly that we had more time to help and perhaps had more tunes in our voices, as we weren't up to her high standards sadly.

Even though, we knew we were finishing a late one this eve, the time we had for the tasking was unfortunately at an end and with that, the teams split once more. Some got the tube, some the bus and a handful of adventurers chose to run the last laps with me.

Now there has been many a long run at GG Brent since our inception, but this by far was the most challenging run I've ever personally partaken in! Hot, muggy, sweaty and hilly, but let me tell you, this incredibly courageous crew did not complain. Okay okay - Maybe Dinesh was vowing never to return, but he said that last week too and hey presto here he was once more! pow pow

These warriors, smashed the last of the miles coming into home base with a massive 10k under their belts for good measure!! And with copious amounts of water guzzled, the final few rehydrated and assessed the epic challenges that we had overcome. It felt big, it felt important and we felt like a true team!

Next week the run won't be as far only a few short miles in fact, however I have no doubt that the efforts and energy will match this week, because of course this is GG Brent, a true and wonderful team and everything that comes with it.

See you next time.

DO GOOD. FEEL GOOD. INSPIRE

OMG, is it true? Your damn right it is..... We hit 22! Not just that.... Now hold onto your hat Four Boys did come for some Goodgym fun!!

On a beautifully sunny Monday, we hosted Brent's largest ever familia affair, with a whopping 22 runners, rolling deep to represent the west wing of Goodgym! YIPPEEE And yes you did read that correctly we had not one, not two, not even three, but FOUR marvellous males, holding down the fort for the Brent Brigade. This is a big dealio y'all, because up until now, we've been a largely female populated crew, so to welcome these guys, filled us with delight!

Also in the mix this eve were four fabulous newbie faces: Dinesh, Zara, Simon and Audrey who to their credit threw themselves straight into the old familia faces of the beloved Brent crew, with all the smiles and enthusiasm under the setting the sun!

So after welcomes and housekeeping, we set to stepping the 2 mile dash down to the task for the eve, a Granville day out gardening jobey for our great friends - The Granville Community Kitchens in south kilburn. As we set off it was clear to see, with such great numbers there would be some diversity. Some were fast, some were slightly slower, but everyone running hard to get to the lawnmower!

With Debs and Joe taking on leader of the fast pack roles, there was no stopping the speedy twosome, as they pushed pace and got the front pack to the task in swift time. I led from the back and enjoyed every last chat with my gang of girlies; Mouse, Amy and the fabulous familia clique the Anandas, who as well, to my delight, had brought mum back!! Hurrah!!! Ready to rock the roads and give back for Goodgym looking fresh to death in her floral enemble. Go on Mum!!!

So with crew 2 arriving with me in 30mins flat, we were delighted to enter into an already busy scene. The weeds were being wacked, the plants watered, the holes for compost being dug and the awesome foursome of guys on deck, putting themselves to good use by shifting some Shhhhhhhhhhhshould we move on..... It definitely needed some expert MANoeuvring that MANure!!

While the gang worked their magic, Leslie our host served up some delicious treats! Fresh watermelon and some lovely cold H20 Water way to be treated hey!!!

With 30minutes of hard graft under our belts, the gang didn't stop there. Next up they got to stepping with some fitness drills to finish off the session. Three rounds of plank holds, with various arrangements: Low holds, high holds, hip dips, high to low changes and press up practice thrown in for good measure! Core blimey they were working hard and putting in the real-deal efforts..... I expect nothing less from this team of legends

Last whistle blow and it was sadly time to go. One last pose, because as we all know, I do love a snap of my Goodgym pack.

Last shutterbug of the night achieved and we were off once more, into the eve which was still gloriously light. The speed demons head off like bullets and leading the back-packers once more, we cruised it home with all the good vibes in the west! Snapping selfie pics with pink elephants all the way home.

Back at base and it was stretch and last banter, with The Ananda's mamma telling us of her secrets to youthful looks..... wait for it...... A full bowl of spicy curry before every run!!! Yikes But you should see this woman, like Benjamin Button, getting younger every step she took!! Think I may try that one out, but perhaps a Korma, no warmer?!?!?

BOY OH BOY, What a night, to welcome our blokes in with the female folks. We focussed our run, towards a wonderful cause in Kilburn. Ran four hefty miles all with big smiles. The weather couldn't have been hotter, but no group could be better, than GG Brent, from Goodgym, heaven sent.

See you next time fitness familia!!!

DO GOOD. FEEL GOOD. INSPIRE

Twelve runners set out on a beautiful Monday night for short trot down to the Old Harlesden Police Station where a huge task awaited them out the back...

Abraham was there to meet and greet, and introduced us to Colin, who explained that a new art complex called CREATE SPACE will soon be opening there and will be available for local community use, and that they are fighting to make it a great space for everyone, rather than letting it be developed into blocks of flats. Anyone looking for more information about volunteering or signing up as members can contact colinlearatceatespace@outlook.com (0749 232 1626).

Colin led us out to the previously unexplored territory round the back of the station, (where the creepy old Willesden gallows are located!!!) and set us all to work, with Sadhana, our intrepid (and prolific) photographer catching all the best action moments!

There was (quite LITTER-ally) heaps to do;

• moving wood

• weeding

• sawing branches

• moving piles of mattresses

• litter picking

• fighting unruly ivy...

...but the team were undaunted - we had no trouble with the rubble! and cleared some space in that place! Bravely ignoring slugs and wee beasties, brushing past clumps of nettles and thistles and enduring their nasty stings, we worked on for 50 minutes, searching for doc leaves to soothe the pain, but to no avail... We packed up and set off back for the Queensbury with just a sliver of daylight left - yay for spring!

Before you go... The next GoodGym monthly drinks will be on Thursday 6th April from 6.30pm til late, upstairs at the Marquis of Cornwallis, WC1N 1AP (near Russell Sq). All the details are here: https://www.goodgym.org/happenings/gg-monthly-social-april I hope you can make it!

The next is a 'save the date' for the GoodGym Olympics, which will be held on Saturday 10th June at the Parilament Hill Track from 1-6pm; the idea is that different boroughs compete in events like 400m, and the elimination mile, to more novel events like a welly throwing competition and even hopefully a wheelbarrow race with real wheelbarrows. Each area will be encouraged to make their own flag for the event and even have a GoodGym Bake-off (ala a summer fate style), so hopefully it will be something for everyone.

Bye for now, till next time! XXX

Like spring flowers, eighteen runners emerged to the relatively balmy 14 degree temperatures of a fine Monday evening in their home patch of Brent, to run 4 miles to the Harlesden Community Gardens and back, bagging up an impressive collection of litter on their way.

It was lovely to see so many people out - we welcomed first time GG runner Sam whose sister had recommended GoodGym to her, keeping the family vibe strong were the Awesome Ananda's times three, Sisters Sledge Tabitha & Deborah, and yet another family affair - Eliza and Tania...

Not to mention the backstreet boys, Enrique, Vojtech and Sam, the girls next door Sadhana (radiant as ever in high-viz), Liz, Samina, Amy, Beth, Steph and Great Aunt Claireybell making sure the family stayed together and no feuds broke out...!

We set off on the two mile run to the Harlesden Community Gardens on a mission for litter, we got gloved up, grabbed some bags and swept the area like a swat team. With so many pairs of hands on the case, we had the place cleared in no time, which meant that there was some spare time for some fun circuits in the playground!

Four groups were formed and each group spent 60 seconds each on:

tricep dips using the benches

jumping jacks

jumping lunges

monkeying around on the climbing frame (not really - working hard on their biceps as they slowly lowered their body weight or swung across to the other side!)

Then it was time to head back towards base, but as we had some speedier runners, they went off ahead to blitz the area around the old Willesden Green police station, whilst the others made their way back at a steady pace, bagging an impressive haul of cans, bottles and other miscellany...

With the streets looking a bit more respectable, we jogged back to the Queensbury for a quick stretch out, and a chat about upcoming events:

A few of us in GG Brent have already signed up for the Richmond 10 mile run on Sunday 4th June, it's not too late to join, and with all this extra daylight for training, what more excuse do you need...?

Also Tough Mudder in May, and for those of you who just wanna have fun of the non-running variety, we will be arranging a post run drink shortly.

Thanks so much for your Bags of Enthusiasm and positivity which helped to make really rubbish night actually really great :)

Lots a love xxx