17 runners moved 2 tons of compost and complete 4 fitness tests

A week after reading an article in the Guardian about combining getting fit with community work I find myself in The Arch Gallery on Cambridge Heath Road and feeling a little self conscious.

As the space filled with guys and girls a few tentative conversations started up and I relaxed a little.

"Amongst the plants"

Our run leader Mark gathered the group and welcomed us all and gave us the run down on what to expect from our first session and what our evening's community work was to be.

A short run to the community centre, then 45 mins of ferrying woodchip mulch 200m and spreading it amongst the plants in the Holybush estate's communal garden. After that some fitness checks to baseline our levels and give us a framework to set some goals if we wished.

Fallen Tree

Easy peasy lemon squeezy, a little bit of Health and Safety and a small mission to say hello to as many of the group as you could during the session.

The next hour passed in a flash as Mark and the community gardeners gave us tools and barrows and we tackled a huge mound of recently chipped fallen tree. With a little basic instruction the group organised itself - tasks were shared and everyone had a go at running a barrow, shovelling the mulch or getting it evenly around the plants.

Stirring Competitiveness

Much laughter, a bit of stirring competitiveness, lots of encouragement from Mark, the gardeners and everyone on the run. And a FULL body work out, heart rate up, pulse rate up, sweat forming, arms, back and legs working HARD!

Much mutual gratitude and then it was off to the local park to begin the fitness tests. The gardening had certainly taken my energy reserves down but I didn't feel bad lurking at the back of the group. I probably scored lower down the ranks in the balance and co-ordination assessments too. Again, strangely, I was okay with that.

Was it because I reckon I've got 20 years minimum on the others. Or because I had just spent an hour doing something for a good cause?

Lessons learned:
Be brave - get amongst it and connect with a great initiative.
Check your face before getting the tube home - a big muddy streak down one cheek got me some odd looks!

Sarah Croft