I can’t tell you how many times I have heard this, most of
the time given as an excuse from people who don’t want to run and see no value
in it. And I must admit at times I feel the same which is why GoodGym is a
great incentive!
In short, GoodGym takes groups of people who want to run and
gathers them all in one place on a weekly basis. From that meeting place
everyone runs together to a local community organisation or project which needs
volunteers for a short amount of time. The runners run in, get the job done and
then run away again, back to where they started.
I have been going to GoodGym (almost) every week since
Christmas and the range of activities and community organisations I have gotten
to know over that time has been fantastic – one week I could be turning compost
on Stepney City Farm to painting the inside of a local Church. I must admit
there has been A LOT of poo shovelling and compost turning and although it is
smelly work it is something I wouldn’t have a chance to experience if I was
running for hours on a treadmill staring at a wall in my local gym.
But GoodGym is even more than this; they also match runners
up to local older people who could do with a bit of company. The idea is that
you run to your GoodGym coach (older person) have a chat and run away again.
Seeing my GoodGym coach, Veronica, is always the highlight of my week. She gets
me out there for a run even when it is the last thing I want to do because I
know that she is waiting to see me. We get the chance to chat about everything
from how gorgeous George Clooney is to the lack of local pubs and the
subsequent breakdown of community!
So, there you have it, running doesn’t have to be pointless!
No comments:
Post a Comment