04.02.17 Pavilion Cafe, Victoria Park
A run followed coffee under an iconic East End dome.
The run there began with a well timed meeting with James Wakefield at the Town of Ramsgate on Wapping High Street, this is a well appointed & desirable place to convene because it means we’ve both covered 2 km from our respective abodes.
With inclement weather courtesy of some dark clouds a distinct prospect we then head north over The Highway, across Cable Street and then up Leman Street until we hit Aldgate. Then as we continued along Commercial Street we figured that we needed to turn eastwards so on reaching Hanbury Street we went right and worked our way toward Bethnal Green, taking in the hallowed ground of Weaver’s Field. Now, the heritage of this hemmed in open space is well explained by those at Oxford House here: http://www.oxfordhouse.org.uk/weavers-fields/
For me this is where I played my first official football match for St Mary’s and St Michael’s Primary School, Stepney in an all Catholic derby versus St Patrick’s, Wapping. I remember getting changed in the open on the side of the pitch & the pope blessing us with a 10–0 win… although I can’t remember whether the goal I kept had a net.
Heavy legged we ploughed on and it felt as if we were climbing the cellar steps to Vicky Park. Kilometres 4, 5 and 6 could be seen as some hard yards.
On entering the Peoples’ Park from the south west we cut across towards the Pavilion… then J wanted to stop off.
Wesley Henry a man with infinite time, effort, support, know-how, and reassurance for those playing the beautiful game in East London, without whom my love for the craft of goalkeeping wouldn’t have flourished.
They said that about the Titanic
Under those leaden skies our arrival coincided with the staff were grafting away to prepare the bread, pastries and cakes for opening. We waited by the lake, sheltered from the falling rain as the conversation began to flow. When we got in it was amongst other runners, cyclists and dog walkers who like us craved caffeine amidst their early Saturday protocols.
Square Mile coffee was on offer, two flat whites were ordered and we retired to benches which would not have looked out of step in a Bermondsey brewery.
It seemed that their kitchen was well stocked and raring to go with an array of breakfasts, lunches and dinners for all palates, although setting about our coffee and conversations about the 6 Nations Rugby, convection and the frailty of memory was our concern. The flat whites were potent fuel for the run home without that really bitter edge, the second was as enjoyable as the first.
After passing up the opportunity to have a bottle of Kernel table beer, the run home along the Regent’s Canal towards Limehouse Basin was labored with hamstrings being strung tightly in the rain unrelenting.
It was a great way to start the weekend. The numbers, distances were reported by our correspondent as follows :
