Horsenden Farm never disappoints when it comes to a good workout! This Saturday, trainer Elsa prepared a strength session for our team. Even the warm-up wasn't lightweight in any way.

I have a big container to move. It is very heavy.

Elsa knew what she was talking about when addressing GoodGymers. The steel monster at the back of the farm didn't want to move by an inch when we first approached it. We had reinforcements: one strong person who works regularly at the farm and Livio, whom we know as a Friend of Grove and Horsenden Farms but, most significantly, a LAGERCanner. Livio has brought his indispensable litter picker, which we employed to measure the doors through which the container had to travel to reach its final destination in the farmhouse (see the photos of Christos taking the measurements).

With the combination of collective muscle power, thinking ahead, the use of a trolley, lifting and shifting, we defeated the uneven surface, inclines, stairs and narrow doors. The container finally found its resting place indoors. And that was just the warm-up!

For the main set in today's session, trainer Elsa split us into teams and gave us a choice of two activities. The first training programme involved dealing with fertiliser, the second one - more focused lifting exercises. Before the rest figured out what was going on, Steph Ducat and Sevan quickly teamed up as a pair to lift more heavy objects. Those two must have smelled in the air that the other activity may be a mucky one, just like last month. By choosing weightlifting, they soon found themselves carrying very challenging loads, and suddenly, surrounded by goats in narrow passages! Two bucks blocking Sevan's and Steph's way were our old pals and escape artists we met in July.

In the meantime, the other three GoodGymers were given shovels and wheelbarrows and presented with a compost pile, a compost bin and a compost bag. None of those seemed manure-rich, so we were relieved to deal with mainly plant-based material. Livio stuck with us as a natural part of the team. Having a quartet available, Elsa's friend, who led the Vegan Composters Challenge, split us further into two teams. Christos and Sean were emptying the compost bin near the car park, while Kash and Livio attacked the pile inside the farm.

Each of the duets used different compost sources and routes but eventually unloaded their barrows at the same place: the potato patch we had enriched with manure last month. Those potatoes had really demanding nutritional requirements!

I will have to give each of you a potato bag when they grow! - Elsa

Sean was already picturing a plate of chips! That vision made him and Christos finish their composter before Livio and Kash, especially after Livio was taken out of that duo for a good while to help with other tasks. The combined new team dealt with the remaining pile and bag of compost in no time and finished the job at high noon. It was a solid session with plenty of shovelling and pushing the barrows up the hill!

With all the planned jobs done and the pizza oven firing up at midday, everyone felt a need to replenish the carbs in their bodies. We sat down to munch on pizzas and flatbreads before we split to enjoy the rest of Saturday afternoon.

We will be back at the Horsenden Farm in March! Save the date now!

When the six walking route surveyors, who left Ealing Broadway at 10:30, ventured into Southall after midday, they felt like it was a time to sit in a cosy place, ideally with a cup of chaii. Stomachs were rumbling, and hands were getting cold. The explorers strolled past shops with sumptuous Indian bridal fashion and three supermarkets with Madhan's name on the signs! 😮 We didn't know our humble mate is such a tycoon outside GoodGym!

The town in the southwest corner of our Borough is a known as centre of South Asian culture. Today's coffee social shifted into a gathering over chaii! We picked Chaiiwala as the tried venue. Despite it being lunchtime, a few of us opted for a Desi breakfast with a masala omelette and a selection of sides like chana, daal, roti and paratha. Others went for wraps or crispy aloo pakora snacks.

When the new joiner Chloe had to leave, Louise, a guest runner from York, joined us at Chaiiwala to charge her batteries for the running survey in the afternoon. It was a nice pit stop for all of us who fancied completing both Slow Ways surveys, and a perfect opportunity to socialise and learn more about GoodGym Ealing for the new starters.

After marshalling at Pitshanger I was slowly strolling towards Ealing Broadway. A guy with Hot chocolate in one hand and almond croissant in the other waved hi at me. The last time I saw him, he was shoveling steaming hot manure on top of a hill. It was Sean, who arrived earlier and went to Popeye's nearby to kill some time.

Then I noticed a red streak going past us and entering into a coffee shop. Two other familiar faces walked behind. I dragged Sean and followed them. It's the group who volunteered at the Acton Junior Park run this morning.

5 out of the 6 people who signed up for the slow ways task were at the coffee shop. We were expecting one more person to join us.

Little did we know that this person came all the way from Clapham for her first GoodGym task.

Chloe introduced herself to us. Sevan briefed us about the slow ways task and we were all set for a 6km walk from Ealing Broadway Station to Southall Town Hall.

Sevan upped the challenge for himself by leading the task along with being a backmarker. We took photos at regular intervals to notice if there were any accessibility issues while also remembering the various GoodGym tasks that we've done in the past along the way.

A few of us checked GPS once in a while to ensure we were on the right track. Golf courses, blocked routes, and fences didn't stop us from going forward.

After walking through the quiet streets, parks, and muddy areas, we emerged out to the main road somewhere around Iron Bridge. Then it was a straight walk alongside the main road.

When the clock read 13:14, we were in front of the Town Hall. Though we had a delayed start, we managed to reach the destination on time.

Hands were cold and our bladders were giving up. We then walked to Chaiiwala nearby and warmed and relaxed ourselves.