CLEARING LEAVES AND RETURNING TO BIG HEAP OF COMPOST

Tonight’s group run had 2 separate missions; the longer run headed north to help with a garden used twice a week for children to play in. It was overflowing with crispy brown maple leaves and they needed getting rid of so the garden could be checked for needles. The second task was a tried and tested workout that needs doing on a regular basis: turning the compost at Stepney City Farm. When we arrived at the rectory at the top of Amhurst Road, we found the place beautifully illuminated and the blossom in full bloom. We set ourselves a 25min time limit to finish the job. Employing rakes, gloves, a massive bag and plenty of wheel barrows we got it done in 20 minutes. This gave us the time to take a meandering route back through the previously un-explored territories East of Mare Street. We’d done 10k and 20 mins work in about 1.32hrs.Dan describes the run to Stepney City farm: A motley crew of about 20 of us went to Stepney City Farm. Fairly direct route on the way there – down Cambridge Heath Rd. Got there and there were so many of us (more than they were expecting anyway!) that there were not quite enough pitchforks to go round. While the pitchfork-holders got stuck in to relocating ”Mount Manure”, the remainder tidied up other detritus such as wood and rocks into neat piles to clear a clean path to Mount Manure. The route back was great - this time along a good stretch of the canal, past many evening strollers and commuting cyclists. The “pack” of runners thinned out slightly as the pace was slightly quicker, but everyone made it back to York Hall within about a minute of the first arrival so no real stragglers in fact. A good workout.