THISTLE While You Work

Sun, run and fun

25 runners gathered on what was probably our warmest run of 2019 yet, to head to Meath Gardens for some urgent gardening work.

We briefly warmed up on our hotel steps before heading a short run around the corner where task owners Asia and Julia were ready and waiting with a top plan for the evening...

A treeally urgent task

The young trees which we helped water from the canal last summer are all currently being swamped by various weeds, and so following some expert leafy lowdown from our task owners, runners were divided into three teams: two weeding the bases of the new trees; one on mulch-collection in the far corner of the park. Thistles were plucked, nettles nixed, sticky weed sent packing… But despite lightning-speed work, time went quickly and before long, it was all hands to the pump as we filled the last few remaining buckets with mulch and carefully laid it at the tree bases. This was a tiring task, wading through long grass and huge thistles – and running trolleys full of mulch around a very large park. Steps galore. But we made good progress, and achieved a lot by 8.10pm, and Julia and Asia were delighted.

Top-to-toe before we go

And then we made our way to the centre of Meath Gardens for this week’s speedy head-to-toe conditioning work. Alas, the promised ‘pulsing playlist’ was more of a tinny tunefest in the absence of the usual trusty speaker. But luckily the runners got to hear me talking non-stop, instructing them through this evening’s line up of jack squats (sorry, but they are really good for you); scorpion and grasshopper push ups (again, sorry, but lovely to continue our wildlife theme) and some killer abs exercises. They looked bemused but managed to squeeze out every last rep, which is the main thing.

And so we called it a day, finishing with a couple of stretches before heading back to The Official Stretching Railings in Peel Grove for some final flexibility work.

Amazing. Amazing energy, amazing work, amazing humour, amazing friendliness…Team TH, it's official: you are amazing.

And so to this week’s big shout-out’s

Big shout-outs to backmarkers Leanne and Katherine, and massive thanks for pun fun and suggestions to Bryon and Steve and Rachel.

A big thanks and cheerio to our runner Pauline, who leaves us this week for more travels, but who’s contributed bundles in her short time with us.

And, as per pics, a very big shout out to all our runners and volunteers who put in such a big effort in yesterday’s Hackney Half. Really great stuff. You can read all about it here, in Danny's brilliant report. And, talking of Danny, an extra special shout-out to him, who's helping us find our way with our race volunteering events, and who helped us out with this one with everything from talking me through the sign-up and admin process, to helping TH GoodGymers get their best freebies on the day. Hope to see you soon, Danny!

What’s coming up...

Right, two things to flag up before I head off…

• This coming Saturday (25th May), our Friends of Meath Gardens will be at the wonderful Globe Town Spring Community Fair, which is taking place at Globe Town Market. Running from 11-2, you’ll have the chance to eco-craft with Plastic Free Roman Road, chat more to Friends of Meath about the work they do at the park we were at tonight, and, if you fancy it, you can get your face painted too. What’s not to like?

• And then next Monday, it may be a Bank Holiday but we run as usual! Hurrah! And we’re heading back to Parkview, for more geranium-planting fun, and saying hello to residents with some new seeds!

In the meantime, enjoy the sun, go for a run – and have fun. Have a wicked week, everyone!