The first 2025 session with Ealing Greenwayers required an extra shot of energy, so the GoodGymers who signed up for the Pear Tree Park run or walk met up with the junior parkrun GoodGymers for a coffee at Pitsahnger Lane. Properly caffeinated, Liuba, Mohamed, Steph, Sevan and Kash set off for an extended 4km run, zigzagging through Pitsahnger and Cleveland parks to make it to Pear Tree Park. On the way, they bumped into Harvey, Tom and others from the We Run Ealing crew training for the Queen of the Suburbs ultra.

The Greenwayers' leader, Richard, is always fond of GoodGymers' prowess and keeps finding impactful jobs in Pear Tree Park that test our team's power and endurance. Today's activity was about moving things from one place to another - but what was it this time? Woodchip, logs, hedge trimmings? None of those things! Richard went level up and found us a formidable challenge: paving slabs.

Today's task's objective was twofold:

1) Release the roots of a tree surrounded tightly by flagstones near the old (now closed) golf club cafe;
2) Cover the muddy patches on the path GoodGymers and Greenwayers created (and recreated) during a couple of sessions last year.

If the nearly suffocated tree by the park's cafe could breathe like humans, we would hear a sigh of relief from it when Liuba, Richard and Yi Shwei (an Ealing Greenwayer and Walpole Park Kitchen Garden Volunteer) loosened and lifted the paving slabs around it. The flagstones were then loaded either onto wheelbarrows driven by Sevan and Kash or Richard's trolley operated by Mohamed and Steph.

The weight of the load didn't allow any of those cargo machines to speed on the off-road track. As everyone took it slowly, no GoodGymer or Greenwayer was hurt during transport. We cannot say the same about the paving stones. In a truly slab-stick attempt, one of the slabs hurled off the trolley on a bump. That stone eventually made it to the muddy path to rest in pieces rather than in peace.

While the four slab couriers worked on their arm muscles and step count, Liuba and the Greenwayers excavated more flagstones and sand from around the tree to reconnect its roots with the air and moisture it had been denied for years.

Liuba delivered the final 19th slab to the muddy path. Richard also came to inspect the site and found out that the GoodGymers' vision of arranging the stones was not exactly the same as his. The Head Greenwayer was trusted to know best which parts of the trail get the most flooded during heavy rainfall, so after a few minor corrections, the paved path was ready to be tested by the visitors. Just like deus ex-machina, three humans and three dogs materialised and attested that the new infrastructure was suitable for those who were not fans of muddy soles (the dog walkers) and those who loved to run alongside their people on a stretch of soggy dirt (doggies).

Here is what our task owner said about our session today:

"A million thanks once again for partnering up with the Greenwayers! The task was superbly accomplished by your fantastic warriors and met with immediate praise from the dog-walking denizens of Pear Tree Park." - Richard

Although today's session was quite challenging physically, at Pear Tree Park, there are always jobs for those less comfortable with lifting. You also do not need to be a runner to join our February session! You can walk with us to the park from Pitshanger Lane - you won't be alone. Sign up for the next month's adventure at the park!