Show us some glove!

Embracing everything that is wonderful about our recently lighter evenings, eight eager athletes ran 4km to clear the way towards the fruit trees at St John's Meadow.

Thanks this week go to Louise and Louise for our title pun, arrived at in an instant as they popped on some lovely, brand new gardening gloves (see photo)!

We have a really great core group of regulars now and were joined this week by Nate, who was visiting GG Bromley for the first time (having already done lots of coach visits and missions), welcome Nate! Before we set off on our run, I told everyone a couple of exciting bits of news. First up, the entries are now open for the excellent (if a bit muddy and possibly hilly) Petts Wood 10k, which has been well-attended in the past couple of years by GoodGym runners (if only for the post-run banana and samosa!). I'm also a bit (lot) excited that the GoodGym Monthly Social is coming to our very own start point at the Bridge House on May 3rd. Sign up here, bring a friend if you wish and catch up without getting sweaty. Ahem.

After a little warm-up, where we entertained the passing drivers, scooped up commuters with our arm swings and generally caused mild amusement, we ran up and over to St John the Evangelist. I say up and over, it felt like up and up and up a bit more (I don't remember it being that hilly!). Here, we were met by Clare, who welcomed us and showed us a delightful array of tools and new gardening gloves (it's quite a special feeling to slip on a pair of newly opened gloves, unlike the manky things I dish out from my grubby cloth bag!). We were shown our area of work for the evening, a rather overgrown patch that was preventing anyone getting near the row of fruit trees. Before I had time to take a 'before' picture, everyone started lifting bits of wood, bricks and hacking back brambles to create an opening. A convoy of wheelbarrows went back and forth, adding to the pile, while near the wall, Tim tried mightily hard to shift a hefty tree trunk that was determined not to budge (maybe next time).

As we worked and chatted, Bradley suggested that it might be nice if we plant something at each of the places we visit (what a wonderful idea!). I had just pulled up a couple of stray raspberry canes, so what better than to start this new tradition than something in GoodGym red?! Bradley did the honours, finding also some beautiful red leaves to mark these two out from the rest (see photos). We will need to think carefully about this legacy, finding appropriate gifts for each task.

It was at this point that Louise C-W asked if I was making a list. I realised I hadn't made one for a few weeks, so it was about time we revived this run report feature. In keeping with the evening's proceedings, I found out everyone's favourite fruit:

• Louise C-W - raspberry
• Kiri - (she had trouble choosing...) banana, raspberry, strawberry (and then pineapple, she's a fruit fiend)
• Tim - mango
• Louise C - fig (at which Tim informed us his tree produced 200+ last year!! Sorted)
• Nate - lemon (in gin)
• Stuart - mango (popular)
• Bradley - watermelon
• Clare - orange
• me - blackberry (I found this very difficult, I love 'em all. Apart from apples)

As we wrapped up and admired our handiwork, the evening took a turn for the absurd, as Tim asked, 'Did I ever tell you Adele, what my first job was after I graduated?' 'No Tim, I don't think you did'. 'I was a scarecrow'. Yes, that's right, a scarecrow! Tim Gummidge. It turns out he had to scare the birds on a cherry farm, using various methods, including bashing a sheet of corrugated metal with a stick and firing an air rifle, all for the princely sum of £1 an hour. Those were the days.

Continuing our conversations on the run, we ducked back into Crystal Palace Park, still light enough for some chain running, circling the dino lake and rounding up by the avenue of trees. A few squats, press-ups and tri-dips later and we were ready to stretch. Next week we will return to finish the painting at Penge Congregational Church, sign up here to join us. We wish Bradley good luck in his first 10k race on Sunday, in CP Park (nice medal) and Louise good luck on her new coach run tomorrow.

See you all soon!