In November 2020, a crew of Goodgymmers from all different boroughs encouraged each other to sign up to the Camino Ultra London: Lea Valley 50km race, fuelled by the ambition of finding a race to train for over 2021, especially with the approaching 2nd lock down looming. Some of these runners were experienced ultra runners, most had not attempted such a long endurance event before, but were willing to give it their best shot!

Over the following months, a ultra training Whatsapp group started, with fellow Goodgymmers offering advice and asking questions about the event, and how to approach ultra running. This proved to be a really vibrant hub of activity during the lockdown restrictions, especially while there were limited opportunities for group running and traveling.

On Saturday 19th June 2021, over 15 Goodgym runners lined up on the start line at the Gosling Sports Club, Welwyn Garden City (between 8am-10am), and set off on their 50km adventure! The course then linked on to the Cole Green Way, a former railway line now made into a smooth cycle path and over to the notorious motorway underpass near Hatfield Road! After 3 days of heavy rain, the underpass was pretty heavily flooded, and required some wading to cross to the opposite side. David Bone (one of the event organisers) was standing in the middle in full length wellies to ensure everyone made it through the obstacle safely. Fortunately, our wet feet and legs did dry off eventually as we continued on course.

David Bennett (Goodgym Haringey) was a familiar face at our first key turning points near Hertford Castle, a really pretty diversion on to the Lea Valley Navigation. From here, we were able to lock onto the canal paths, and then run through Ware, Stanstead Abbotts and Broxbourne, while stopping at the first main aid station. Sarah and John were out supporting near Enfield Lock, and made sure we were on the right track. Waltham Cross, Tottenham, Clapton and Hackney Marshes started appearing on route, with more support offered by Liz (who also kept everyone in the loop for Goodgymmers approaching the finishing line). As the runners started to see more families and day trippers on the canal path, a sign stating "200m to go!" appears just before the bridge at Mabley Green, and the applause starts from the finishing crew.

And so begins an all-day party of 50km finishers and supporters in Hackney Wick, celebrating the achievements of the fellow Goodgym running friends. Food, drinks and laughs were had all round at the restaurants and bars at Here East, often interrupted by whoops and cheers of supporters bringing their runners over the finishing line. It really was the best day!

Thank You to DaznBone Ultra Coaches (aka David Bone and Darren Strachan) for hosting an exceptional event. https://www.instagram.com/daznbone/

Also, Thank You to Gigi Giannella for providing these lovely photographs (more to come soon). He has a wonderful project called "Everyday Runner" on Instagram, and is always looking to create photographic interviews with all different running folks. https://www.instagram.com/everyday.runner/

Thank You to David, Sarah, John, Liz, Linda and James for providing support on the volunteer stations and out on the course as well. Seeing Goodgym faces cheering you on makes such a difference, especially in the latter part of the event!

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Camino Ultra London 50km: Epping Forest Prize Draw!

Camino Ultra London and DaznBone Ultra Coaches have kindly offered 4 free entries to Goodgymmers for their next 50km event in Epping Forest.

By signing up to this page, you will be entered into a random prize draw for one of these entries.

Area Activator Simon will email and announce the winners on Sunday 27th June at 8pm.

Don't be afraid to put your name in! This is not just for super experienced ultra running obsessives! Give it a go!

https://www.goodgym.org/happenings/camino-ultra-london-50km-epping-forest-prize-draw

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Event Details:

Camino Ultra London: Epping Forest 50km

09 Oct, 08:00 – 17:00 Camino Ultra, Epping Forest, United Kingdom

A little bit hillier and muddier than the Lea Valley 50km!

https://www.caminoultra.com/events/epping-forest

A few good gym members joint for an online yoga session.

interesting quote from the author William Irvine.

Yoga has improved my balance and flexibility, reminded me of the importance of play, and made me acutely aware of how little control I have over the contents of my mind. But besides conferring these and other benefits to me, yoga has been a wonderful source of voluntary discomfort. While doing yoga, I twist myself into poses that are uncomfortable or that in some cases border on being painful. I will, for example, bend my legs until they are at the very edge of a cramp and then back off a bit. My yoga teacher, never talks about pain instead, she talks about poses giving rise to too much sensation. She has taught me how to breathe into the place that hurts. The technique undeniably works.

Well done for registering to help this charity with a run today. I did a short 5 km run in some local woods with my dog Gus. It was a lovely springlike day so I hope you had an equally enjoyable run.

Please let me know how you got on and send me your pictures. I will try and add them to the report.

The Trust supports a network of over 1,200 food bank centres to provide emergency food and compassionate, practical support to people in crisis, while campaigning for long-term change to the structural issues that lock people into poverty.

lets give each of a cheer! and please check out the Good Gym website for community missions starting in April.

A few GoodGym members came online to do yoga together. Breathing is all important!

Yoga breathing

Please find some notes to help you below. 

Yoga breathing pranayama Ujjayi pranayama: Integral to my yoga.  This breathing (the victorious breath) consists of a gentle breath that is both relaxed and energized, allowing for a balance. Ujjayi pranayama sounds simple enough, in and out through your nose, but on each exhale, you should attempt to make the sound of an ocean wave in the back of your throat. Or another way is to think about steaming up a mirror. It's important that you're not trying to ingest more air, but shift the quality of your breath. Ujjayi breathing is one of the only pranayama techniques that is practiced simultaneously with asanas (postures.)

A few goodgymers came together for on line yoga. Thanks for coming please sign up again for next week and what about the foodbank challenge. Its a £10 donation to enter and you dont have to raise money.

Make a commitment and have a go! ..(and don’t forget to invite a friend).

https://www.goodgym.org/areas/barnet/happenings

https://www.goodgym.org/happenings/race-against-hunger-saturday-27-march-2021-09-30

Interesting talk

The Vagus nerve is part of our parasympathetic nervous system, delivering information from all our major organs to the brain stem, and stimulating it can help us switch off our fight or flight response and calm us down. But listener Mags wants to know what science says about its impact on our general wellbeing? Marnie Chesterton learns some deep breathing techniques and discovers how the length of our exhale is closely linked to our heart rate, all of which is important for developing something called vagal tone. Cold water immersion also said to stimulate the Vagus, so Marnie braves a freezing shower, only to discover she needs to get her face wet but keep the rest of her body dry, to avoid what scientists called autonomic conflict, which is when your stress response and calming response are both switched on by the same event. Activating both arms of the nervous system in this way can lead to serious heart problems in some people. New research into the gut-brain axis has shown that the Vagus nerve may be responsible for transporting the so-called happy hormone serotonin, which could have important implications for the treatment of depression. And innovations in electrical stimulation of this nerve means implanted devices may soon be used to treat inflammatory conditions like arthritis.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/w3cszv75