We SQUASH a lot into a 30 minute task; hoover, wipe, shift, stack, fold, heave, pack sweep, scoop - and chat. All done! It was free pumpkin today. Well done Penny and Mike. Smashed it!

Welfare visit

An impressive turnout tonight in very cold conditions!

We started by celebrating some phenomenal running at the weekend with Michal doing some Bob Graham training, then Ed and Rich escaping from Meridan and covering 75 and 121 km respectively!

Max then led the group out to Holgate allotments and Rich led a walking group.

Once we arrived Helen provided us with a barrow full of tools and we quickly got to work clearing a plot ready to be let. Despite the cold the ground was soft and we soon had the area clear.

After a quick photo we headed off to do some sprints to warm up. Everytime Ed shouted whistle, we ran faster. He decided this was better than blowing a whistle so rival whistles couldn't interfere with proceedings.

We then headed back to base where we sung happy birthday to Paul Kelly and were treated to some of Jenna's fruity flapjack.

I decided that the ideal way to spend the morning of my 43rd birthday would be to clean out some gutters, and Mr A delivered the goods with some that were packed full to the brim. So much so that they were turning into a full-on ecosystem of their own (the downside to having a lovely blossom tree in your garden).

Mr A had the right tools for the job, with us being the first to get to use his shiny new folding ladder, and an extra long trowel for getting all the muck out of the gutters. We took turns in scooping it out and dropping it down to the green bin below. A nice satisfying job seeing the gutters restored to proper working order by the time we were done.

Seeing as the sun was out and we were being sufficiently fuelled with tea and Tunnock's Caramel Wafers, we offered to rake up the leaves from the grass too. With that done and the garden looking nice and tidy, we had a bit more of a chat and we were on our way.

After enjoying Heslington park run in the rain, 4 GoodGymers helped Treemendous York Partnership to plant 500 saplings beside the new Nursery. The sun came out and Nestlé provided a delicious background chocolate scent as convivial folk happily dug holes, chatted, planted & hammered.

Next 500 sapling session 7th December.

Tonight three of us met for our hill reps. We decided to go off road and run up and down the hill on little Knavesmire wood.

After many many reps and admiring the mist forming on the racecourse, we headed home.