Hi Everyone,
We have two unique runs planned this week where we’re doing something different so please read the email below. Should be very fun, hope you can join us!
Monday – Wembley Central IN REVERSE
OK, we’re trying something new on Monday. We’re going to do the 8-mile Wembley route but in reverse. That means we’re going to take the tube first, out to Wembley Central station and then run back to St. John’s Wood. The benefits are that we’ll avoid the cold trip home after running, we may also have less bike traffic on the canal and we can still meet for coffee in St. John’s Wood. Let’s try it and see what we think. We’re going to do a short run (0.75 mile, see the map below) over to the Maida Vale station and then take the Bakerloo line to Wembley Central Station. (We’re going the opposite direction to the commuter traffic so we’re hoping that the trains won’t be too crowded at that time of day.) You may want to stretch again on the train. If you’re not sure if you want to tackle 8 miles, it’s 6.5 miles to the canal exit in Little Venice so you could easily walk to town/home from there.
Wednesday – Christmas Lights, 6:00am start
We did this run last year (after a great suggestion from Diane Bell – thanks!) and it was good fun. Why get up so early? It’s pretty much deserted, the shop windows look amazing and it’s just so pretty in the morning. It really is quite spectacular to see the Christmas lights at night and without the crowds. For those who are interested, meet at Barclays at 6:00am. It’s 4.4 miles to Bond Street station and 5.3 miles to Baker Street. (Last year I took the tube from Bond Street and was home around 7:15.) If you’re planning to run at 6:00am please wear bright or reflective clothing and maybe even carry a bike light if you have one. (And be extra careful of the cars!) If you’re not up for an early morning run, they’ll be a group that meets at the regular time on Wednesday. You can decide to do the Christmas Lights route at that time, or you can do the regularly planned Wednesday route of The Wall or another route of your choice.
Friday – The Hill
It seems that the Swiss Cottage and Fitzjohns construction is different each week. We’ll just have to keep monitoring the situation and adjust the route if the sidewalk gets too congested. Remember to be extra careful and considerate of the pedestrians.
THANK YOU to Starbucks
The holiday time of year is here and we’ll be organising a gift for the employees at our local St. John’s Wood Starbucks. We’re suggesting a £5-10 donation but feel free to give whatever you would like. We’ll also be donating some home-baked goodies. Give your donation, in an envelope with your name to me before Tuesday Dec. 15. Please email [email protected] if you would like to contribute baked treats. We’ll gather the baked goods on Tuesday Dec. 15 and we’ll give the gift to Starbucks on Wed Dec. 16 so please get your gift to us soon if you would like to participate.
A photo from last year to inspire you for an early-morning run!
Keep running,
Jane
ROUTES
LONG RUN – Monday 7 December – Wembley Central Tube Station (IN REVERSE) 8 miles
This week we are trying something new – reversing a long run back to St. John’s Wood. We are going to take the tube out to Wembley Central station and then start our run home for coffee.
Part 1 – Run to Maida Vale tube station
Take Circus Road/Hall Road to Hamilton Terrace. Turn right on Hamilton Terrace and then left on Abercorn Place and cross Maida Vale. The tube station is ahead of you on the left. We’re taking the Bakerloo Line to Wembley Central station.
Part 2 – Wembley Central station to St. John’s Wood
Out of the station, turn left on the High Street and then take your first left on to Ealing Road. Follow Ealing Road (past the Alperton station) to the T- junction and turn left. You’ll cross over the canal bridge and see the entrance to the canal path on your left. There is a 243 Ealing Road sign for new apartments at the entrance to the canal (see photo below.) We’ll follow the canal back home and then exit the canal off Bloomfield Road in Maida Vale and run back the usual way to Starbucks.
Here’s a photo of the entrance/exit on to the canal. You are looking for the 243 Ealing Road sign
Wednesday 9 December
Option One (6:00 am start) – London Holiday Lights (4-5 miles)
[NOTE – this is the version revised January 2016 by Kathy]
The first part of the route we run through Regents Park. Head out St John’s Wood Terrace, right on Charlbert and enter Regents Park. Turn right at the Outer Circle and follow the outer edge of the circle until we exit at York Gate. [Note we are running by residences in Regents Park so try not to talk—our conversations echo in the early morning calm!] Cross Marylebone Road, running through the Marylebone Church courtyard and follow Marylebone High Street down until you turn right on George Street, then left on Spanish Place to Manchester Square (past the Wallace Collection) then right on Fitzhardinge Street, left on Orchard Street until you reach Oxford Street. Left on Oxford Street and continue until you reach Regents Street and turn right. Follow Regents Street to Great Marlborough Street, take a left, go past Liberty and then take a right on Carnaby Street. Follow Carnaby to its end at Beak Street, right on Beak then left on Regents Street, all the way into Piccadilly Circus. Turn right on Piccadilly Street and then right on Old Bond Street. Follow Old Bond which turns into New Bond back up to Brook Street. Turn left then right onto South Molton Street up to Oxford Street. You can stop at the Bond Street Station (4.4 miles) or continue up Gee’s Court (a tiny alley street diagonally across from Bond Street Station) which becomes St. Christopher’s Place. Cross Wigmore Street up Marylebone Lane, back up the Marylebone High Street, through the Marylebone Church courtyard to Marylebone Road. Options: turn left at Marylebone Road to reach Baker Street Station and you will have run 5.4 miles; alternatively, retrace your steps through Regents Park outer circle back to Starbucks via Allitsen and St Johns Wood Terrace and you will have run 6.5 miles. Latte time!
Option Two (normal 8:20 start) – The Wall (3 to 6 miles)
We head down towards Regents Park, then enter the canal at the Charlbert entrance and run east [left] cutting through Camden Lock Market until we run out of canal path at Islington and hit “The Wall.” [Don’t forget to touch The Wall or else your run doesn’t countJ ]. At The Wall, we turn around and head back to St. John’s Wood. This is a great route to do a tempo run because there are no traffic lights. But please be careful and aware of the bikes on the path. If you run all the way to The Wall and back it is 6 miles. But it is very easy to run half the distance if you want and turn around and head home. As a marker, if you run to the Camden market (where we have to exit the canal path and run past the food stalls for a minute) and return home it is a 3 mile round trip.
Friday 11 December – The Heath 4-8 miles
It’s Friday [again!], so everyone up Fitzjohn’s. You can pick your distance and whatever you choose, there will certainly be someone else interested in running that distance. All of these routes are on the website. If you are not up for a hill run, ask around at Barclays; every week there is a group who prefer to do a flat run and you can decide together which flat route to tackle.
4 miles: A great way to ease into running the hill. Run up to the Hampstead tube station and back. If you have trouble running up, think about how easy it will be running down!
5 miles: The Betsy Route
6-7miles: The partial Heath route
7.5 miles: The Highgate route
8 miles: The full Heath route
Click here for maps of all of the Heath routes.