Finally, Group Runs returned. The regular, week-in week-out guaranteed session providing a dose of fitness and chatter. It will take time and patience to build them back up to their former state, but am keen to give it a right good go.

New runner, India joined us for her first session in Newham, having completed tasks in other areas. She also works for Expressway and was the driving force behind us having a base there. Big thanks to her!

We did some covid secure high knees, from afar, no patellas were caressed nor fondled. RWQ was: "Name one positive thing to happen to you during the pandemic?" Realising how important the GoodGym community was and is to you, becoming overly adept at packing food parcels into black cabs, cherished moments with close family, developing highly transferable rubik's cube skills, expanding cooking repertoire, horticultural based satisfaction and finding awesome house-mates. It's useful to inspect the silver lining now and again.

Then onto a baking 2.4 ish mile to help Emma from RDLAC, it began with a lovely waterside section, under the old shipping cranes, then quickly became more industrial. Upon arrival we underwent a surprise stretch from Emma, she's a qualified masseuse, so all were safe under her muscle lengthening supervision.

Quickly to work, tugging out thistle and bindweed mainly, to unveil a rather sumptuous assortment of plants growing under the vigorous weeds. Think we managed about 30mins - but the impact is there to see in the before and after pictures.

Upon our sweaty and radiant return back to Expressway we indulged in some home-made cake by the man himself, Eugene. It went down as could be expected, bloody well; a soft, moist glucose based delight.

Next week, we roll over to Cody Dock, sign up here

Till next week

B

We ventured farther south east than ever before on Wednesday, to start a new relationship with the fantastic, Royal Docks Learning and Activity Centre.

Good to meet Miriam for the first time, a hardworking new personality new to the GGN ranks. Was superb to catch up with all the old faces too, as the sun set to the west of docks.

We were put to work on a simple weeding session, removing nettles and other unwanted plants from the local gardens. Most weeds came out with a simple 'yoink' some needed a deeper dig, but together we left a positive mark, Emma was rather delighted. Reckon I won the 'most nettle stings award', which hopefully comes in the shape of a dock leaf.

Nice one for making it to North Woolwich and exploring a new venue guys, potentially more scope down there in the future.

Take it easy

B