For their amusement the team at GG Leicester were treated to a shaft of wit!! - or something like that (credit for that line goes to the late and great Ken Dodd.

Tonights report is more about the preparation for the event rather than the event itself.

There's a saying about going above and beyond the call of duty, and this weeks award for doing that goes to task force member Mel. For tonights task to happen at all we needed to collect a trailer full of horse manure. So, braving the second round of the Beast from the East last Saturday, Mel accompanied me to a remote spot in deepest Leicestershire where a "help yourself" manure heap lies. - Ankle deep in mud (well it might have been mud!) she valiantly helped load the trailer with around half a ton of Dobbin's finest!

Next was the small matter of transporting it to the task. Again it was Mel who ran the gauntlet of rush hour traffic to tow the trailer to site so it was there waiting for the group when we arrived.

And if that wasnt enough she still managed to take the photos and drive the trailer home - if you know how to cheer on GG then Mel deserves one this week.

So with all logistics sorted, the group run ran like clockwork, even the weather wasnt too bad for once.

11 gallant souls shovelled the muck into bags so we could carry it through the school to the science garden, everyone took a turn, shovelling, loading bags, carrying bags and digging in. In addition 2 or 3 of the group set to in painting the garden bench - a nice shade of cuprinol blue.

Taskmaster Amy was very pleased with us and I have guaranteed marrows of Hindenberg proportions which she promised to hold me to!!!

A quick hill repeat session on the way back completed the set of run, task and fitness and we were all back to the DMU in time for stretches and home.

Great work all and special thanks to Mel without whose help it just would not have been possible.

This one had been in the book for several weeks and we had really been looking forward to it. A lovely mild night but oh no, it decided to rain. Fortunately, by the time we got the opening announcements out of the way it had just about blown over. Carrying slight injuries, Jimmy and new member Lis joined us on their bikes. By time we got to task another new member David had also joined us by bike.

We ran a steady 3.5k route, me leading and Lindsay running the tail with Leigh and Jenny.

At Millgate School we were greeted by our taskmaster Amy who showed us to the bomb site.. sorry Science Garden. It had something of Bill and Ben about it, run down, ramshackle, run down... cue A Team music.

The group didnt take any organising, talk about getting stuck in. Before I could say dont poke yourself in the face with a garden cane and dont stand on a rake 3 or 4 sub teams had formed.

Jenny and Leigh set to on tidying the greenhouse, Nicola and Lindsay (I think.... well it was dark!) tackled the first planting bed. I know Gerald was doing the second bed because he managed to unearth about a dozen spuds which we left for the school chef for tomorrows dinner.

Frank Jim and David seemed to be mainly on tidying and weeding duty and Sam and Lis made short work of the ugly grasses growing between the slabs. To be honest, I think everyone did a bit of everything but it all seemed to come to natural end right on time and voila... one tidy garden.

A few group photos and a thank you from Amy and it was off to a nearby hill for a few reps. Once again everyone worked really hard but I was particularly impressed by the effort of Jenny, not long out of plaster from a broken ankle she wasnt holding back on those hills.

And so to finish, a steady run back to base led mainly by Nicola and a chance to chat as we went along.

Notable achievements in the closing remarks tonight... Lindsay got a 3rd in age group at the weekend in the Conwy 1/2 Marathon (out of 56), Nicola ran her first 10k distance, ably assisted by Leigh, and Sam broke her Parkrun PB.... well done all, see ya next week.