26 red-shirted runners ran to help our friends Regather tonight, including three newbies:

• Dot • Laura • Weronika

It’s always nice to see the GG Sheff family grow!

With Super Sam back as our substitute run leader, we headed off to Lynwood Gardens. Helping to keep this outdoor kindergarten safe and tidy is one of our regular tasks! With a couple of sprints and loops en route, we soon covered the 2.5K out to the task.

On arrival at the gardens we split into four teams, all designated the same task but in different areas, so as to maximise our efforts. The job? Pulling up the invasive bindweed that had crept up various fences and walls and into pathways and play areas.

We also had our share of blackberries, though nobody tried the sloes. Hence the run report title!

It wouldn’t be a GoodGym group run without some fitness thrown in, and team by team we were taken off by Sam to do some slide-based activity. Running up the steps to the top as fast as we could and returning via the playground slide. This part was less successful. We had to get inventive in our descents! Backwards, forwards, on foot or rolling – it was all covered.

All the bindweed (plus nettles and thorny brambles) that we removed was then placed in a huge pile ready to be used as tinder for a bonfire. The pile was impressively high, testament to our weeding skills. After posing for some group shots it was time to head back into town.

On the way, we stopped off on the Moor for some paired leapfrog fartlek workouts before continuing onwards.