Three teams headed out to get three tasks completed on what was easily one of the most miserable Monday evenings in recent months.

Lots of behind-the-scenes planning from trainer and task force meant that our multiple-task evening went ahead smoothly - runners had options galore as they turned up at Bethnal Green’s Town Hall Hotel, some already soaked by 6.45.

Leafleting for the Lantern Parade

Dave had been working with me and Aldgate Community Events’ (ACE) task owner Laura in planning this evening’s leafleting activity, for the upcoming Aldgate Winter Parade and Lantern Festival (we’ve got a Community Mission organised for the 5th December to get involved with making the lanterns for this – details are here). All the leaflets were distributed: a team of four fast runners sped to the task which allowed bundles of time to blitz the Aldgate and Whitechapel Road area. They distributed the leaflets but got drenched in the process. It wasn’t the easiest of tasks on an evening like tonight, and these runners stepped forward when the rest of us were most definitely plumping for the indoor alternatives, so on behalf of ACE and the group, thank you Joel, Luke, Bryon and Dave. If you’re coming to next week’s task at the farm, you get first choice of task!

Legging it to Look Ahead

Meanwhile, more behind the scenes planning from Becky and Leanne meant another group were able to head to Look Ahead Care & Support on Commercial Road for an evening of decorating and sign-making. Writes Becky, “After dodging a number of buses that seemed intent on showering us with most of Bethnal Green’s standing water, we made it to Look Ahead, drenched but in one piece, to be greeted by the lovely Catriona. Leanne and Gabrielle were soon put to work unleashing their creative juices on drawings and signs reflecting the Five Ways to Wellbeing, while the rest of us were despatched to the kitchen, vestibule and toilet areas to give the walls a fresh lick of paint. Who knew blitzing surfaces covered with finger marks and Blu Tack stains could be so therapeutic. The dash back to base in the rain proved less so, but provided an opportunity for some impromptu fartlek training. Every cloud…(forgive the pun). And Catriona expressed her heartfelt gratitude and seemed keen to have us back again for more, so it really was mission accomplished.”

Pacing to Parkview

And after our third task had been rearranged at the last minute, I took a team of four to the Glasshouse Community Centre at nearby Parkview Estate, where task owner Catherine has been working hard over recent months to give this beautiful venue a supersized makeover (we’re heading here for another fun Community Mission on the 5th December, for carol-singing, catering at the venue’s big Winter Warmer event - all the details are here ). Tonight we were painting the recently de-cluttered office, and no sooner had we arrived than the runners were covering walls in a luscious pale lemon shade and even I joined in (there are only so many pics a trainer can take in an hour on such a small task), learning the ropes for wall-sanding from Catherine and our Jess. The runners worked hard, and covered a lot, and Catherine was overjoyed with what we achieved.

And so we returned to base, in the pouring rain, where a now depleted group ran through a tough resistance training session in the hotel room. What work, what teamwork, what resilience – GG Tower Hamlets, you are warriors.

Special thank you’s and shout outs tonight

Amazing work from everyone tonight. A big warm welcome to Michael, whose first run it was – I hope you enjoyed your first experience of a Group Run, and we really hope to see you again soon.

And congratulations to our very own Si, who joins us nearly every Monday night, and who hit 25 group runs last week, despite only being with us since April.

…especially to our Task Force

And to our task force, to Dave, Becky, and Leanne tonight, who were emailing and helping plan over the weekend, and throughout their busy working day today.

We always thank the task force, and hopefully appreciate them, but I was thinking this evening about how a truly reliable and resourceful task force impacts on the GoodGym community and local community. Here’s what I came up with:

• It means multiple tasks can be created on one evening with much greater ease, offering runners a choice of task, and being able to agree to help desperate task owners who are after some eleventh hour help.

• It means multiple new running routes can be explored, routes planned in advance, and much more local knowledge utilised on the best routes.

• It means all group run plans can always go ahead, however complex, irrespective of any unforeseeable last minute ‘hiccups’ (e.g. a much higher turnout than anticipated, impromptu DBS checks potentially delaying our departure, local medical emergency requiring our runners’ help…).

So there it is, a bit of rationale behind the task force shout outs. Thank you Tower Hamlets Task Force, you always rock.

Moving on. To next week – and to Christmas parties

And so next week, we’re back at the fabulous Stepney City Farm, where no doubt Charlie will have all manner of tasks lined up for us, from compost-turning to pig-watching. Come and join us – to say it’ll be fun is an understatement.

And don’t forget, December 1st is the GoodGym Christmas Party, at The Old Library, in beautiful Burgess Park in South London from 7pm, and for which the fancy dress theme is the first letter of your GoodGym area (we have two, obviously - the best I’ve come up with is Thor. I know, I know…).

Right, that’s it from me. Have a wonderful week, everyone – stay warm, stay running and see you very soon.

Back to school

It was a task-with-a-difference this evening as 31 of us headed off to the Royal London to undertake some intensive training, under the care of fabulous task owners Nancy and Richard of Barts Volunteers.

Preparing to head onto the wards...

We've enjoyed a few tasks at the hospital over the last few months and so with runners previously expressing a desire to visit patients on the wards, Nancy and her team arranged for us to participate in an evening's training at the hospital's Education Academy. The training covered not only the logistics and health & safety aspects of going onto the wards, it also gave us an insight into what's involved when visiting wards which treat patients suffering with dementia.

No sooner had we arrived at the hospital, were we all seated on benches in the lecture theatre, and learning about what goes on inside the Trust, and watching invaluable and moving footage of a hospital experience through the eyes of a dementia sufferer. The runners became absorbed in the training and engaged well - well done as usual, team!

Nancy also took this opportunity to thank the runners for previous work undertaken at the hospital, explaining that the litter-picking and gardening previously blitzed by Good Gymers in the hospital's John Harrison garden had been really well maintained, and, Nancy felt, had contributed to an improved perception of the hospital's green space, leading to less litter being deposited. What a thing to hear! What a thing to be responsible for! Another well done, team.

Greyhound and hare-ing it back to base

And then a brief hour later, we were heading back to base, playing our favourite greyhound-and-hare game, with Danny leading the greyhounds who caught us up at...the first set of lights, before co-hosting the stretching session with Leanne.

It was a really great night, and we look forward to returning next week to pick up where we left off.

A record number of first time runners!

And what a fabulous number of new runners joined us tonight! A big hello and welcome to our 8 first time GG runners: Hannah, Jess, Pippa, Lynda, Sarah, Sian, Sean, Sophie and Cath (new to TH but not to GG).

Monday night medalists

Tonight's Group Run thank-you's go to: Leanne and Lisa for back-marking; Leanne and Danny for leading our post-run stretching session (great job!); Danny for leading the greyhound runners, and to Joel for this week's perfect pun.

Come and join in next week! (even if you didn't come this evening)

Next week we're returning to the hospital for Week 2 - but if you didn't attend this evening's training - don't worry, there'll be tasks available for you to do that don't require training!