It was a whopping three-task operation this evening in Tower Hamlets. Thanks goodness for a resilient, resourceful task force...

Lieke led to Look Ahead

We were lucky enough to have Task Force members Lieke and Sarah taking control of this new task. Look Ahead is based in Limehouse, and is a 24-hour service providing specialist support and care services to individuals with a variety of needs. Lieke headed up the slightly longer run to the venue, taking with her Martin, Miranda and Gabrielle, with Sarah meeting and greeting the runners at the task. Lieke writes, "We had a very warm welcome by Catriona and Laura, with some tea waiting for us on arrival (Autumn is really coming!). When the task was explained to us, we soon realised there was no time to waste, as both the front and backyard needed some TLC in time for Autumn. Five bin bags - and lots of trimmed plants - later, the clients can now enjoy the garden again. We even got a little bouquet out of it - see pic!"

Bryon tackled tricky trellises

Meanwhile, task force member Bryon headed up the crew consisting of Tim, Jess, Becky and Domitille, returning to Cranbrook Community Garden, to help continue work on the trellis construction. This was a fiddly affair requiring lots of creative thinking - and patience. Task owners Elaine and Janet busied themselves organising sticks and canes for the runners for this surprisingly complex little task, while Domitille and Becky headed to the borders at the front of the garden for a spot of weeding and pruning.

I weaved our way to Weavers

The remaining runners headed to Weavers Adventure Playground, via busy Bethnal Green Road, for the team to get to grips with some unfinished table business. Dave, Polly and Si settled into the serious situation of assembling the table from misshapen blocks and planks of wood, ("It's a bit like Ikea assembly, but without a manual.") while Chris and Emma lovingly painted the bright bench with a second coat, leaving it looking glossy and very inviting to a weary-legged runner.

...before we all met for Bethnal Green body weight moves

And so it was the entire team made it back to Bethnal Green Gardens to finish with our Summer Shred workout. In order to leave no muscle group feeling neglected, we ploughed through squat jacks, prisoner lunges, lateral lunges, single leg deadlifts, 'T press-ups, planks with knee taps, The Sprinkler, and the seated sprinter. Ouch - in a good way. All for the greater good (think injury prevention, washboard abs, stronger back muscles etc etc). And no sooner had we finished our last stretch, were we heading back to base - nearly on time, were it not for the slowest traffic lights in the world.

Extra-special shout-outs this week

Thank you on behalf of the group to the brilliant task force tonight, who have helped out with a lot of behind the scenes planning and enabled us to commit to three, very grateful task owners. Thanks to Sarah for helping to plan Look Ahead, and for Lieke for stepping in so quickly to lead the run, and for lovely pics and report. Thanks from the group to Bryon, who stepped in so quickly to lead Cranbrook, and who took lovely pics.

Massive welcome on board our Task Force to Dave - what a great start to the week to hear you've joined the TH Task Force - and for being up to lead the run to Weavers.

Thanks to Si ,for correctly identifying our workout spot, and navigating our route to Bethnal Green Gardens.

And a big GG welcome to Emma who was running with Tower Hamlets for the first time - was really lovely to have you on board and we hope to see you again very soon.

And so to next week

Next week, we're two-tasking it again: proficient painters you're needed back at the gorgeous Glasshouse Community Centre; green-fingered gardeners you're needed at marvellous Meath Gardens.

And then you're all needed for our Buns & Guns workout, as we focus on butt and biceps. Oh, and then we're going to head to the pub for a cheeky half to celebrate...(not sure what yet, but we'll think of some excuse - reason - by Monday). So sign up here for next week's run.

In the meantime, have a wonderful week, everyone, and see you soon.

22 energetic Hackney GoodGymers ran 6k to Abney Park Cemetery to shovel and shift a cubic tonne of mulch in 45 action packed minutes!

After a 3 month gap our wait was finally over!! We got to return to a firm Hackney favourite and a local treasure in Abney Park Cemetery!! Maybe coincidentally but the squad was back in force!! Great to have a big group back to help dominate a monster task!

Amy was on fire and showed a clean pair of heels leading us the 3k to Abney!

Meeting new Abney Park head honcho Quentin!! Arming ourselves with gloves, shovels and wheelbarrows we marched our way up to the back of the park and one of the paths that lead to the Chapel!

A huge mulch mound lay ahead of us and we got going shovelling and narrowing load after load of mulch and running it down to the Chapel.

We were boosting the paths so when the rains come the paths and so the park are still usable. In particular for an event next week in the Chapel where a large group of visitors will be using the area for an open air performance and standing water would be a massive dampener on the show.

Going at such a pace we ran out of barrows we re-upped our wheelbarrow numbers and increased our mulch carting production!!

Clearing the whole mound in 45 minutes of action was a brilliant effort!! As a reward we got to pick up the pace on a speedy 3k run back to the Bakehouse before our stuff got locked in!!

Thanks so much for coming along, hope to see you next week when we tackle the gnomes!

Have a look at the links for volunteering at Hackney Marshes parkrun and Shorditch 10k which Danny spoke about at the start.

Smooth Running

Joel