12 runners ran 6k and raked huge wads of scum out of Victoria Park's model boating lake

On the final evening of the Bank Holiday weekend, 12 runners met in a red lit railway arch amongst an art exhibition being installed. Leaving our bags and bikes, we set off together for the 10 min run to model boating lake in the middle of the eastern half of Victoria Park.

"Edges of the lake"

We met the park ranger, Rose, and grabbed rakes from the store, then walked up to the lakeside. We had 39mins to rake as much of the algae from the edges of the lake as possible. The various edges of the lake had scums and sludges of varying viscosities, unsettling settlings in an array of stenches. Each dip of the rake brought out another wad of bright green felt, silty leaf substance or feculent sediment.

"Pleasing to the eye and the nose"

As piles grew on the sides of the lake, Rose explained that they'd stay there to dry and to allow the insects to get back to the lake, before being cleared the next day. Removing only the plant matter within reach was a deliberate choice by the ranger to keep the lake pleasing to the eye and the nose, but to leave habitats for fauna further into the water.

"Nice patch of grass"

After the job was complete, we stowed the rakes and set off round park. The evening air seemed all the fresher, and we took in deep breaths to oxygenate our blood, pushing to Gear 2 for the journey all the way around the edge of the park. We stopped briefly before leaving the park to make use of a nice patch of grass for a few squats, lunges and burpees, then took a gentle cool down jog back to the arch.

Mark Herbert