Double deeds! It's a two task combo!

Absolutely gorgeous evening for running and doing good last night- We had 19 runners at each of our tasks (including first timer and local runner Julianne, who spotted us running past her house a while back, and decided to see what we were about! Welcome, and thanks for coming down!). Massive congratulations to our race participants last weekend- Task force runners Patrick and Steve C for running PBs at the Yorkshire Marathon (and Steve winning his overall age category!), and Kike for running and cycling the Cowman Duathalon. Awesome and inspiring stuff, folks!

Before heading off to our task locations, we discussed our podcast and listening habits, particularly whilst running- lots of podcast suggestions from the group (surprisingly no running podcasts!). Some top options included:

• Reasons to be Cheerful
• Passenger List
• My Dad Wrote A Porno
• 99% Invisible
• The Brexitcast
• Anything by Brian Ferry...

(please add other suggestions in the comments below!)

We proceeded to perform a few warm up drills on the slope next to the Emirates Hub (leg rotations, open-close gates, lunges and leg swings), and then we separated into two groups for our tasks.

Mildmay Community Centre

Steve Coman lead Group 1 over to Mildmay Community Centre, near Newington Green, meeting Mustafa, the volunteer coordinator and head gardener at the door. The centre itself is an award winning "Passivhaus", or completely eco-friendly site, operating as a hub for the North London community- looking forward to working on their new cafe investment next year- watch this space! Our Goodgymmers set to work on clearing ivy from the surrounding fences, and brushing up the leaves from the main entrance and exits to the centre. It was a relatively quick turnaround, so our group was treated to tea, biscuits and bombay mix, before taking a slightly extended fun jog back to base.

Ramsey Flowers N1

Group 2 was lead by trainer Simon, Frances and Steve Lee, approaching Ramsey Flowers N1, near St Paul's Walk. We had a variety of tasks around the gardens and around the connecting public footpath- the area needs to be ready for the group's annual Pumpkin Carving event for the local children. Our team set about planting lots of fresh plants, recently picked up from Columbia Road Market, and then sweeping and raking all of the flower beds and pavements to clear the path for local residents. All of the green waste was then collected and dropped off next to the Rose Bowl Youth Centre (another one of our regular tasks).

Amazing work everyone, we made a real difference to both of these locations!

News

Social Pizza and Drinks next week!

After our task at Single Homeless Project next week (sign up here, you are welcome to join us for 2-for-1 pizza and drinks at the Victoria Tavern on Holloway Road.

GG 10 Year Anniversary Social

Talking about get-togethers, there will be a big party on 8th November, celebrating 10 years of Goodgym, and marking Pritesh Mistry's final event as social secretary. Sign up here, and give him an awesome send-off for his years of organising good times!

Halloween Headtorch Run

Tis the season for spooky stuff! Come and join Trainer Simon for a dark, creepy but ultimately stunning run around Hampsted Heath on Halloween night, setting off from the Bull and Gate pub in Kentish Town at 8pm. 7 miles total distance- headtorch required! If you have never run in the woods with a torch before, it is great fun, and this would be a perfect opportunity to try it with Goodgym friends. Sign up here!

26 Goodgymers ran 4-5k to help Barnsbury Square Gardens and Single Homeless Project!

Welcome along to newbies Poppy, Nikul, Rachel, Nicoletta and Sam - great to have you along!

In the news this week:

1. Make sure you get signed up for the GoodGym Olympics (3rd August) by the end of June! Full details here, represent Islington!
2. Join the unofficial GoodGym Facebook group here.

This week GoodGym is partnered with the Great Get Together, a scheme which was started by Jo Cox's family and friends to bring us more together, we have more common than we do apart. Everyone joined in with the wristbands and stickers, and hopefully spoke to someone new over the evening.

Barnsbury Square Gardens Report by Aidan:

A lovely sunny day for a trip to Barnsbury Square Gardens. Lucy was ready, waiting for us and eager to get started! Several tasks for us to take on tonight. The gardens are loved by the local community but sadly that means the grass has to take a pounding and as it is clay based soil the gardens can dry up easily. Helpful then that we had plenty of forks so we can loosen the ground and free up the ground.

Also plenty of leaves to pick up which clears the soil to get much needed rainfall. To finish off, their beautiful flower beds need edging to frame their gloriousness.

Lovely running

Some lovely gardens with plenty of great dogs, worth a visit! Fun fact there are two air raid shelters underneath the centre ground. Graham led us back with eager Steve offering up an extra 1km around the Fields.

Single Homeless Project:

Just as we were collected together Regina called to tell me the woodchip had not arrived for the task. There was still plenty of gardening we could do to help this fantastic charity, which provides hostel accommodation to those in need.

After 2k of running we arrived to help Regina, she got us doing the following tasks:

• Two people litter picked through the back and front garden - lots of cigarette butts!
• Four people weeded and tidied the front garden
• Three people tidied the paths in the back garden, putting any woodchip that had overflowed on top of the carboard.
• Three people took on an extremely spikey bush, cutting it back and then digging out the roots.

Once all the above was done we bagged up more weeds and debris, swept up and then took a group picture.

After running home along Holloway Road we did a fartlek session around the Emirates, stretched and went to the pub for pizza and beer.

Sign up here for next week when we'll be helping Caledonian Park and probably Single Homeless Project.

PB out

36 Goodgymers ran between 5-11km to collect up a massive 125 Christmas Trees for recycling!!!

Welcome along to Emily, Natalie and Mel whose first time it was last night. Plenty of regulars and tourists around too.

In the news this week:

1. It's GoodGym Islington 4th birthday next Monday, come along for Thai food and drinks next Monday after the group run.
2. There is a GG Islington Starter Session on Saturday 26th January - sign up here.
3. Chi is doing a training session this Sunday in Islington and Olivia is leading a long run in Richmond - join in.

Corrrr blimey what a welcome to 2019, we not only had more attendances than we've had for 18 months but we arguably broke a GoodGym record with 125 Christmas Trees collected on a group run.

GG's Angels

After a big old intro we warmed up and split into our four groups to cover as much as Islington as possible, looking for those Christmas trees. It is technically fly tipping leaving them out on the street and of course it's a real hazard. Therefore we are helping the community in lots of ways getting them collected and recycled.

We had four teams and there final scores were:

• Team Steve - ran 11km to Crouch End and collected 8 trees
• Team Paul - ran 6-8k around Highbury and collected 29 trees
• Team Paradise (Graham) - ran 6-8km to Paradise Park, Callie Road and Holloway Road and collected 40 trees
• Team James - ran to Barnsbury and collected 48 trees!!!

This is an insane amount of pulling, carrying and tossing of our piney friends - good work all.

Next week we will be helping St Lukes Community Centre and doing another round of Christmas Tree Collections - sign up here.

PB out

32 Goodgymers ran 5km to help Caxton House decorate a Christmas Tree and do some gardening!

Thanks to coming to Islington's Christmas Edition! It was spectular :)

The main news this week is to remember we are back from Monday 7th January, I don't expect to see you on Christmas Eve or New Years Eve - make sure you have a fun holiday!

Back to what happened last night - after our intro Huw (New Leicester Trainer) led a warm up with the theme of 12 exercises of Christmas. We splitted into two groups as we headed up hill 2.5km to Caxton House Community Centre, with James leading a faster group doing a lap of the Emirates. This fantastic centre provides a hub for community activities; including gardening, education projects and even a credit union.

Upon our arrival at the centre we were presented with a very large Christmas tree and some gardening to do. Splitting into two groups we got started with both tasks. Group One put the tinsel, lights and some stars on the tree. Meanwhile Group Two weeded the front garden and dug for bamboo. With Christmas music playing inside and out, joy was in the air!

Switch over the Elves

The teams switched tasks, with Group Two continuing the garden efforts, adding in some chopping back bushes. Meanwhile Group One put baubles on the train and of course Santa at the top of the tree. Nice! Once all the tasks were finished we had a mince pie, switched on the tree lights and took a lovely group photo.

After saying our goodbyes to Rose and Sue we ran home, and then stretched before going to the pub and for pizza #XmasParty.

Sign up for the first group run of 2019 (7th January) here.

See you in the New Year! Merry Christmas Everyone!

PB out