As everyone knows, we meet at 6:30 on a Wednesday, right Rob? The silly goose turned up at 6:00! So after the rest of us arrived at the right time (apart from Laurie who was a minute late) we said hello, laughed at me for accidentally blocking Laurie's new credit card, and prepared the pickers. The walkers headed off led by Fay while we discussed our recent achievements. Kate showed off her new red GG tshirt, Andy saved lives by giving blood this week, and Rob had been to a Peter Pan afternoon tea. That obviously explains the photos.

We ran a medium-ish route at a good pace to meet up with the rest of the posse and get picking. Sallyann enjoyed her wine and yoga based holiday and also casually dropped into conversation she has a super famous cousin?!?! We've never seen Kings Road so clean, apart from after we've been through of course, so did a longer ambling walk. We didn't pick up the toilet we found, Kate doesn't need one for her house renovation, but we did have to shout at the bag boys to tell them to hurry up.

Fay reminisced about walking down the street in her PE kit while Andy commented that the amount of Stella litter by the school could be a cause for concern.

We are going to investigate an afternoon tea social, although fierce debate raged about sweet versus savoury ratio. Watch this space. We have loads coming up, the reverse advent calendar foodbank, xmas social at Banana Tree, pub quiz on November 3rd, parkrun volunteer and next week a halloween run led by the amazing Angela!

Last week’s poem about suspicious lemonade seemed to go down well. Which is good, because this week’s litter pick found even more stuff dumped in the bushes, including several bottles of hedgerow homebrew.

Jane was back with us for another run and looking forward to a delicious, uninterrupted weekend without Rich. Because it takes all sorts to build a world, he was looking forward to going home via a plant-based Whopper.

Robert went for his trademark jazzy shorts and socks again but it wasn’t warm, so David led us out and we warmed up on the run. Destination B&M, via a roundabout route to find Laurie and Sallyann who’d walked to the river. We sent Rich up the path to check if they were there and somehow resisted the temptation to hide before he came back.

So. Much. Litter. The usual piles of McDonalds, disposable vapes and energy drinks, but there were also some vintage finds tonight. Heidi and Joe had to go halves with litter pickers to grab a huge can of GOLD WHIP gas. It was empty but there were no empty balloons around, so maybe Chelmsford’s nitrous lovers take their laughing gas straight from the can?

That wasn’t enough of a find for Andy, who came around the corner exclaiming “I’ve found a washing machine!” Bit big for a bin bag… Happily, it was only a bit of a washing machine, which had clearly been there a while judging by the amount of ivy that tied it to a tree. With some delicate kicking and Andy yanking the other end, it was freed and bagged.

We’d only managed to clear a short stretch of the car park by the time we had to leave. Everyone agreed it was the most litter we’d ever found in a pick (we ran out of bags!) and thankfully, the two dumped shopping baskets we found became bins for the heavier stuff.

Five bags and five-and-a-bit kms later, job done. Thanks everyone for coming, and see you on Saturday for parkrun. Apparently it’s Chelmsford’s birthday, so try fancy dress!

Joe Wilkinson once went viral for a hilarious poem about visiting a train station toilet. So here’s one about what happens when you discover someone couldn’t reach it quickly enough. Maybe this will get us more members?

There once was a bottle of “juice” With a lid that looked pretty loose The contents? Suspicious… And far from delicious So into the bin it went to minimise ooze.

A short lesson there on why it pays to be careful what – and where – you litter pick. Bad weather and busy members meant there were only two of us signed up at the start of the week, but a dry(ish) day and the chance to be a third wheel for Rich and Andy’s post-run burger date meant there were six of us turned out ready for litter picking.

Robert was back after finishing the Vitality 10k in London last weekend and using this as an extended cooldown. Joe was thinking the other way and had prepped for the evening by giving blood. “Time off work, a lie down and free crisps and squash – it’s a miracle more people don’t do it!”

Once we’d waved Leanne off on her walk to the task, the rest of us followed Rich, who was run leading. And immediately ran off away from where we were headed. It seemed weird at first, but a longer first run means a casual jog home, which Jess and Joe later agreed is the best approach.

It was a hit and miss night for Wombling in the viaduct car parks – some areas were pretty spotless, others filled with cigarette butts, broken glass and a bottle of something that might have come out of a human but definitely wasn’t Pennine Valley clear spring water.

The theatre’s been revamped recently but it was all just fields around there when Andy was growing up, so we listened to his memories of Geoff Hurst in Chelmsford and loved him recreating the famous pose. We loved it even more when he found out the statue we were under was actually of Marconi. Sometimes Andy, the truth Hursts.

A short run back (see, it pays to run long and early!) and we were back at base. Headtorches and hi-viz from next week on – or see you on Saturday morning if you’re coming to parkrun. 😊

Joe

A fine weathered day led to a great turnout at GG! Leanne saw us all waiting and thought 'nah, those lot look too charming and fun' so went to join the walking crowd taking Laurie and the litter picking equipment with her. Martin arrived with his trombocinos which we all obviously identified on sight, and DJ Andy recreated his favourite 00's popstar moment. I gave the runners the choice of three distances and we settled on the middle one, Rich leading us out with such aplomb that Paul wondered when since his last task that we had started to hit it so hard! We paused our Endeavour at the Endeavour for comedy's sake.

The race was on against the sunset clock and we all worried about Ben when he took a tumble trying to do a heel click! Fortunately he was fine, must be something to do with the socks which Rob would be proud of.

We met up with the others and spied the womblers had already picked six bags! Still we have keen eyesight and a will to do good. As Heidi, Kate and I debated what art was (Banksy doesn't, GoodGym run report photos do) we got to work. As we got closer to the river and the new bridge, which looks lovely, we split into two groups. Drinks on Jess as she found £50 and Sallyann had already had those drinks with a pile of smirnoff bottles. Fay complained about having to take photos of the Hokey Cokey boat, but then leaped at the chance to photo me by a 'Fat earth dave.com' sign....funny that.

As twilight descended, Russell led us back to base for a 7km overall run - 1/3 of a great north run (entries now open!). Next week is painting the town red with our shirts and painting some benches so sign up!

I had lots of jokes ready about England losing and Southgate not being all that, but then we won. Oops. Expect a less funny report…

Even before the session, Fay set the group chat alight with details of just how much of a bargain her old people's befriending lunch was. Andy’s no stranger to wrinkles or a joke, and proved it by turning up with a bag of Werther’s Originals for us all. Well, when you’ve got a free bus pass and a discount with your Saga membership, why not?

It’s been a while since we did a litter pick and wow, did it show. Gunning for an early finish ~~just like the Three Lions~~ we’d decided to litter pick locally rather than running across town, but Saeed and Erin didn’t even make it out of the car park before pulling nasty stuff out of the greenery. It seems every hedgehog in Chelmsford is mad for a few cans of Stella and CBD vapes. Either that, or people can’t take their own rubbish to a bin…

Still riding the sugar high of his Werther’s gag, Grandad Andy actually found a zimmer frame. Honestly. After taking some photos to prove it, and making sure that there wasn’t anyone nearby who it belonged to, we moved the frame away from the middle of the car park where it had been abandoned.

Usually, we do about 5km each session. This time though, we were barely halfway to the Bunny Walks and the bags were already getting full. Richard was on a roll and managed to pull several beer cans from where someone had necked a six-pack and was too drunk to tell the difference between a bin and a hedge.

If all this doesn’t sound very active, we did also have to constantly dodge bikes and e-scooters. The only pedestrian we saw actually stopped and said thanks for cleaning the path up. Kind stranger – if you’re reading this, thank you in return and why not come to see us at a session sometime?

Festivals were the chat topic of the day – we’re going to the Chelmsford beer one next Thursday evening, but Angela will be at a different one with fewer badly-named drinks (2023 was not a vintage year for Filthy Tramp Juice – just ask Fay and Erin). Angela is also missing women-only festival Camp VC to do some DIY at home, because #HouseEveryWeekend. What does the VC stand for? No idea, but Laurie and Joe had fun guessing.

The usual suspects will be at Parkrun this weekend and praying it’s drier than last Saturday! We’ll also bring the GoodPub spirit to the beer festival – apologies in advance for the terrible Hawaiian costumes. In the meantime, run happy! And if you’re one of the people who litters, GET IN THE BIN.

The surprisingly cold evening didn't stop David and Martin from optimistically turning up in shorts, whilst the rest of us sensibly covered our legs for an hour of litter picking.

We were pleased to see Nisar back after a break, talk about parkrun, and hear all about his other great volunteering work recently! Russell also returned after a short break and of course he and Andy talked at length, with Disneyland on this week's agenda for them. Martin casually slipped into conversation that he'd run a marathon in Colchester at the weekend, and spotted an unknown Goodgymer.

We tried out a different litter picking location down by the river, and whilst being stared down by an understandably angry swan, filled up two very heavy bags. Andy ventured into the bushes and produced an almost unbelievable amount of Tesco cider cans, followed by posing for a photo with a gleeful wine glass holding Sallyann.

Our task this evening couldn't go past without mention of some of the group's previous love, Beat the Street, or without a photo of a once frequented lamppost on Waterloo Lane.

With it being Fay's birthday tomorrow, she very kindly brought us delicious homemade lemon drizzle cake, thanks Fay! It's also Sallyann's birthday on Saturday, David's birthday on Monday, and it's just been Nisar's birthday. We funnily enough didn't discuss gifts, but plans for birthday food, including Moto, homemade pizza, fish and chips, and Chinese takeaway. Hope everyone enjoys!

Thanks for a great litter pick, and see you all soon.

Laurie