What a lovely Bank Holiday Monday at Goodgym Bexley. We done our usual 18.45 / 19.00 sign in and chatted on the warm weather, and weekend we had all enjoyed whilst waiting for everyone to turn up. After our warm up (which didn't take long in the humid heat) we headed out to beautiful Danson park to enjoy our run. On arrival we split up into two teams Eileen taking the stronger runners up front whist Caroline and I looked after the back runners. This is what's so great about our Goodgym runs. No one is ever left behind, and we always improve on our running, running technique and fitness every week. If you have never run around Danson park you have to put it on your local bucket list. It truly is a beautiful place not matter what the weather. You're always guaranteed beautiful views and wonderful wildlife on the lake. Any way, I soon got everyone back to reality by putting in an awesome sprint session. The excuse, it's Bank Holiday Monday Tim didn't wash with me 😂. I had come shuttles on the menu, and it was going to be served 🙌🏻, and served it was. With everyone now sweating a lot 💦 we took the time to have a drink and talk about getting everyone up onto the Team Goodgym Strava and Runnkeeper apps, getting people mission and coach verified and all the Goodgym running events that are going on. With everyone now refreshed it was that time again. We moved off running through the park and back up towards Crooklog sports centre. Arriving with smiles and great sense of running achievement it was time to draw the evening to a close. But before we did, we wanted to congratulate Susan and Sarah for smashing their first 10K race at the London Vitality Run earlier that morning and Eileen for being accepted for becoming a Goodgym Run Leader. You're going to be a real asset. Well done 👊🏻😁 Next week Bexley Goodgym are heading out to help a local Charity sort out donations for their shop. So if you're looking to improve your running, get fit and also do good for your local community, sign up, come along, and join us.

Awesome run report written this week by the epic Enrique who we wish a very happy birthday to as well!!

Tasked this week to help the beautiful people of Harlesden Community Garden with a clear away of an overgrown perimeter walkway. It would be a 2.5k chase from base to clear a path, with this lot it’s bound to be a laugh. There were even some excited high kicks upon arrival (Well it was my Birthday) relieved to be notching up ever more years of survival!

So, the middle of May had us in sartorial muddles with her insistence on spots of rain, even slippery puddles. Powering through a well paced 2.5k, we dart through traffic and people on there way. But eventually We’ve arrived. . .

GoodGym Brent we are all relevant! . . .Ordinary people from all around, coming together to pound the ground, running to achieve something sound! The team are smart, funny, kind, some of the best GoodGymers you’ll ever find! Through the naff weather we were wielding spades, or being careful with razor-sharp clipper blades, even taking turns hauling rakes - Ah, the gift of back-aches!

Ellie our Captain, Drill Sergeant and all round amazinger thought (as usual) that this perfect scene was not quite right - not quite LEAN!

Bottom obsessed in a brilliant way, we were taken in two sets PAY! Commanded to complete a cunningly complex combination of crippling SQUATTT exercises!! All set and timed to the beat of J Lo!? Loads of fun - Mo power to yo Bun!

Our valiant efforts for a path of clear view would have been easier without the stench of Nettle Stew!! - That’s a powerful eco-friendly stinky brew!!!! Designed to repel all manner of pests - It’s a genuine wonder the birds don’t flee their nests!

NOTE Harlesden Community Gardens have an open day this Sat so get on down to say hello - Might even be some BBQ food you know!

So, after running hard then working harder it was back at base - A quick tidy then outta the place. With exhaustion causing the group to split we stopped to regroup as we neared RoundWood Park - About ½ way back. Rest time we thought: YAY! Ellie said: NO - NO WAY!

WALKING LUNGES x2 sets of 30 Now this was a real li-Berty!

Genuinely tired - Oh so hurty, what a great way to celebrate being 8 + 30!

See you next time!!!!

Well it all dried up nicely for our Monday Goodgym in Bexley. Tonight we focused on our running techniques, building our fitness, having fun, and meeting new Goodgymers. And meeting new Goodgymers is what we did. A massive hi5 goes to Sara and Emma welcome to Goodgym Bexley., we hope you loved it. Basecamp Crooklog was virtually empty so we had most the area to ourselves. Having all levels of runners this week, we split up into two teams. One doing a longer loop, with Eileen leading (thanks so much) and one team doing a shorter loop. Thanks Caz for looking after our back group. The beautiful thing about this weeks run is both groups could push to their full potential and no one would be left behind.

There's no better feeling than heading out on to the road with all those Goodgym tee shirts on display, it just feels brilliant.

On heading back into basecamp Crooklog, smiles were a many so we headed strainght into fitness mode. It was time to introduce everyone to burpees 😁 I'm a true believer that fitness should be hard work but real fun and that was the order of this evening. We split into two teams and suddenly it was pure rivalry, all love had disappeared, no team wanted to lose, no team wanted the losers punishment. At tonight's fitness session every part of the body was worked, and worked hard, but guess what, there always has to be a losing team.

I am glad to report it all ended pleasantly, with massive smiles, lots of laughs, and friendly hand shakes.

Well it was that time again, the time where we all go our separate ways, but with the promise of all coming back next week and doing it all again. See ya next week Goodgymers! We've got an awesome task for an awesome community charity.

Four Goodgym runners met up on Saturday morning to help Ms G with potting some plants and preparing her raised bed so that she can enjoy home-grown vegetables again.

Khara, Becky, Marie and Bianca arrived at Ms G’s place and were greeted by Ms G who was happy to see them. She explained that she had not been well recently and has therefore not been able to look after the communal garden which made her sad. But help was at hand and Khara and Bianca started straight away turning the soil on the raised beds while Marie, Becky and Ms G herself got on with removing last years dead plants from the pots to replace them with fresh ones.

The raised bed crew struggled a little with the turning of the soil as the key to the store room could not be located and the only tools that were available were two little trowels (one of which had a tendency to bend). However, a good chat and some helpful watering of the solid soil by Becky helped. An hour later, all was well and the soil was sufficiently prepared for the fresh compost which was mixed in with the old soil.

Marie and Becky meanwhile were busy watering the garden and following precise instructions from Ms G on how exactly the new plants should to be potted. It was lovely to see that Ms G herself got stuck in and how she enjoyed being able to do a bit of gardening herself while safely resting on her rollator. Marie in particular learned an awful lot about exactly how much soil needs to go into a pot.

After an hour of hard work Becky had to go to work and then there were three.

While Marie continued to assist Ms G, Khara and Bianca were sent to the local church (!) to fetch some more compost. Khara was initially a little worried about the legality of that particular part of the task but she needn't have worried: it was all legal and no crimes have been committed at any stage of the mission.

Then Khara had leave and then there were two. Well, three, actually…

The look of her transformed garden seemed to have boosted Ms G’s energy and enthusiasm and she started planting her spinach in the newly turned-over raised beds and sowed some broad bean and sweet pea seeds. After almost 3 hours the remaining 2 Goodgym runners tidied up and helped Ms G carry all the tools back up to her balcony. Ms G kindly offered a cup of tea and repeatedly declared her gratitude for the help she had received. Overall a very successful mission resulting in a very happy Ms G.

Bank holiday Monday, was no rest for the badass, when seven Royal subjects; Tasked and in glory basked, at Queen's Park! POW POW

On the last day of the Eater bank hols, this stupendous crew of seven Brent Beauties, hit-up Willesden with passion and purpose! Tasking for some awesome community groups in the area and leaflet dropping for all of the above including our lovely selves. The golden ticket event being to make a member of the community smile whilst conversing with them and passing the paper!! I of course opted for sharing a moment with a furry kind of passer by in the form of the cutest Pomeranian Pup known to doggy-kind, who paid me all the gorgeous attention i wanted back with yelps and cries of gleeYAY

So, after the 1.5mile dash to our evening's destination - Queen Park, my regal roamers got to grips with the fitness focus of the night - The 1 Mile challenge...!!!!! And with their Easter Egg hangovers to shake off, my speedsters got in line at the starting blocks and......... 3,2,1 THEIR OFF!!

No I'm not even Egg-aggerating * when I say my crew smashed out some *Egg-cellent work (sorry I had to do at least some egg related puns!!) They all absolutely annihilated their PBs and I mean all of them by at least one full minute!!!!!!! Amazing!!!! However, special shouts have to go out to the first three back - Debs with an absolutely epic time of 6minutes and 20seconds!!!! Closely followed by Sam coming in at 6minutes 35seconds!!! And the second half of Sister Sledge; Tabitha, not only rolling in at 6minutes 40, but taking a clean 2mins of her PB from last time!!!!! Absolutely astonishing!!!!!

So with Personal Bests torn apart and energy running high, the team opted for more fitness fun, in the form of a short bodyweight and plyometrics circuit in the park followed by some bandstand planking in support of the amazing Sadhana, who is 40 days into her plank-a-day challenge. And can I just say WOWWWW Sadhana schooled us all with her core strength and ability, which just proves, consistency everyday, gets results!!!

With perfect 1 minute held planks achieved, we had just enough time for some playtime antics of cartwheels on the grass, handstands and photo-ops, because lets face it, GG Brent never miss a chance to get shutterbug happy when the sun and blossoms are out :)

After playtime in the park, there was just enough fuel in our tanks, to chase pavements all the way back to base for our cool down jaunt of 1.5miles. With chatting and laughter in the air (as always) this fitness familia arrived back at base rosy cheeked and full of pride as the achievements of the eve had finally sunk in!!! WOW I mean, this team may be little but we be fierce and tonight we proved that with gusto!!!

Always a pleasure with people that I treasure. Badass and bold, GG Brent - what a team to behold!

See you next time!!!!

DO GOOD. FEEL GOOD. INSPIRE