Another productive session clearing the garden for Mr S. He was more chirpy this evening, with the dog joining briefly too despite a recent bee 🐝 sting!

I tackled the overgrown hedges, brambles, nettles, and remainder of the space while Mr S mowed the area cleared last time. Lots of pulling, strimming, chopping, and mauling of the space with a few stings and scratches to show for it.

Managed to unearth a nice rose 🌹 lots of mint 🌱 and more plants towards the back fence that are now much more accessible. Another pile of green refuse to be collected.

More nettles and the front hedges that need tackling are another job for another day. Kind of some of the neighbours providing us with ice cream and snacks! 🙏

With Deansgate having transformed since the Great Manchester Run yesterday, Derek (first session with the GoodGym t-shirt 👏), Peter, and Ben met up to run the 4-5 km along the Bridgewater Canal towards Old Trafford and Gorse Hill.

After meeting Katie at Gorse Hill Studios with the key, we headed down to the community allotment to tackle any weeds and look after some of the beds.

While Peter and Katie had a handle on what was planted where and helped maintain or thin out some of the beds, including the boom of carrots 🥕 and beans 🫘, Derek and Ben took short shrift to the weeds 🌱

Lots of horse tail, grasses, bindweed, and sticky weed removed, freeing up some of the fruit trees 🌳 and clearing the paths and entry ways in the allotment. The potatoes 🥔 are growing well, with lots of lettuce, salad, and more beans growing, with tomatoes 🍅 and chilli 🌶 growing inside the polytunnel.

It's always amazing how much gets done, and how time flies, when working on the plot, with a final watering giving the finishing touch to a productive session.

We'll be back intermittently throughout the summer so watch this space 💪

Big well done to all the runners today! 👏👏

• Congrats to Caroline completing the half marathon with a new PB!
• Well done to Scott with a new PB in the 10 km!
• We'll done to Ben completing a foodbank run full of tins and pasta in the half marathon, welcomed by Juno at the finish line

Kudos to all the spectators too including Peter coming out on a day of mixed weather 👏

Busy crowds with nearly 38,000 runners plus a lot of spectators!

Well done to the 468 finishers this morning! Special welcome to the 126 people visiting us for the first time, including 22 completing their first ever parkrun 👏

🦺 Big THANK YOU to the 22 volunteers who helped out with everything to ensure a safe and welcoming event. Scott was on the bike and marshalling at Old Bedians rugby club while Ben was Run Director near the finish area.

Good luck to all those taking part in the Great Manchester Run tomorrow! 💪