DERA is so much clearER

Run report courtesy of Jane Yelloly ...

Torrential rain lashed down on Richmond on Monday night turning roads into rivers, creating puddles more like small ponds, blowing most of the remaining leaves off the trees, and generally adding to Mondayness. Even the River Thames got too generous for its banks and lapped at the riverside pubs, which you'd need wellies not runners to get into. But by a stroke of Goodgym luck, the rain stopped in time for our 6.45 pm meeting time and it actually wasn't that cold a night at all. 'Oh DERA' where is everybody we wondered? Was there something going on in Richmond that we hadn't been invited to? Was Bieber in town?

A little confused we turned ourselves into the Three Richmondo muskateers for the night as Dera was waiting. And very excitingly, we had a new member to welcome aboard, Caroline, who of course received profuse reassurances that we are NEVER normally just 3! And we have photos to prove it!

A quick warm up and the Three Muskateers were off into the night as we had a long run ahead followed by rapid gardening at Dera Hall. Safely over Richmond Bridge and the gushing Thames and all the way past the duo of rugby stadiums at Twickenham and The Stoop down the A316, we arrived at the relatively unknown community hall called Dera, or was it a gigantic tardis?

We were struck by the most unusual shape of this hall, only to find out from the ever so friendly David who looks after it so well, that it was a Nissen Hut from WWII that had been transported from Great Missenden to Twickenham on a back of a lorry after the war. After this quick history lesson, David explained DERA is now a social club, which exists for the benefit of the local community. It is self-funded from the income that it raises from lettings and events. Any profits raised are retained for maintenance and funds raised may be dedicated to approved national and local charities, some of which should be of direct benefit to residents.

David had an incredible array of gardening gear waiting for us, all borrowed from his friends especially for us. It was more like a shop with a choice of pink and purple pretty flowery gloves for the girls and leather gloves for the boys! And enough secateurs for a small army. So we declined David's tempting offer of a hot cuppa and got stuck in with pruning the berry bushes followed by a quick sweep of paths of the autumnal leaves. And DERA was clearer!

Mission done and very satisfyingly by the time we got back to Richmond, we'd clocked up a 9k run! And a special well done to Caroline achieving so much on her 1st week. All topped off by Mark's special warm-down stretches against Richmond lampposts and phone boxes.

And a final shout-out to everyone who didn't make it - next Monday we need to firm up our spooky Hallowe'en run on Sunday 30th Oct - please come along with your preference for 5 or 10k distance and preferred costume theme. Ghosts, witches or wizards? Or post your preference against the FB post.