Has beans and high stakes at the Community Allotment

This evening's group run took us back to the Maidenhead Community Allotment - a place that's bean close to our (lettuce or celery?) hearts ever since we visited on our GoodGym launch event in February 2020.

We met at the Pinkney's Green Cricket Club under a pink sky, with a chill in the air giving us pink cheeks. We made the most of the last of the daylight with a chatty 3km run/bike ride on scenic National Trust paths. Extra kudos to Kanika for going the distance as this was her first run in years - great effort! Also well done to Amanda, who ran the Windsor Half on the weekend, but was still full of beans.

On arrival at the allotment we armed ourselves with torches and shared task owner Sue's lovely clear instructions for the evening. Our first job was removing the (has) beans and their frames. This took no time at all, so bean there done that, half the group worked berry hard to plant some raspberry canes, while the other half got hammered and went to bed...

I mean got hammers and went to work on fixing edging planks in place along the rear of the long bed. For stakes we used sticks that Sue had carefully prepared for us. Some sticks sunk in very obligingly whilst others were real stick in the muds. Jess has a broken thumb so she had the important job of inspecting our work and giving us all lots of stick(s). Enthusiastic hammering put everyone else's thumbs at risk too, but despite the high stakes, we got away with more green fingers than purple thumbs.

Having completed our to do list, we moved on from hitting hammers to HIIT... Our 8 minute fitness session included lots of jumping (beans!?), squats, lunges, and some mean press-ups and tricep dips. Warm and buzzing with endorphins, it was time to head for home. Some of the group ran 2km back to the Cricket Club, whilst others peeled off on their own roots (I know, I didn't see any carrots this evening either, but there must have been some there somewhere!)

Well done everyone - allotta Good done this evening! Or should that be Gourd....?