Dear Runners,

 

Well, here we are, ready to run our last long run before the half marathon!  You have all worked so hard, and kept up with your training, and are now more than ready.  I know some of you (myself included) found the run last week hard, but it was warm, and we had a long stretch in the park, followed by an incline home, so there was nothing easy about it, even though we cut back the time and mileage!  You have to keep reminding yourselves, that there is nothing easy about running these long distances! 

 

This week we will be running to Kew Gardens.  We will run down Seymour Place, through Hyde Park (either diagonally across or along the perimeter – I am not sure just yet), along High Street Kensington to Hammersmith, and then across Hammersmith Bridge and down along the river where we will run to Kew Bridge, when we will come out onto the road and follow it to Kew Bridge Station.  There is a Starbucks right there by the station.  Please bring your Oyster cards – we will most likely take the overground to West Hampstead, and then get onto the Underground to SJW.  There is also an option of taking the Underground directly from Kew, although I find that takes longer.  I have attached a map, although we may take a slightly different route through the park to make it slightly longer.  The aim is to run 130 minutes.

 

Please bring plenty of water, your gels (you may need to take 2) and an Oyster card.  You may want a jacket to put on after the run as the ride home can be cold, although the forecast is for good weather.  Make sure you fuel before the run and have a good breakfast – different things work for different people, just go with what works best for you, but in general, even if you don’t normally have breakfast before you run, do have something to eat before this long run.

 

As you have noticed in the past few runs, we are falling into a pattern with pace groups, although as the runs get longer, we do spread out more.  I will bring a couple of more detailed maps with me on Thursday morning, just in case you think you may lag behind or go ahead of the group.  One of the coaches will be waiting at the bridge where we leave the river, and also at the Starbucks in Hammersmith, so that we can make sure no one is left behind.  At this point you should be thinking of who you will be running with in the Half Marathon, and what sort of pace you would like to run it.  If any of you have a specific goal, please let me know, and I will try to help you towards achieving your goal.  It always helps to have a partner (or a few) that you can run with during the race, although your three coaches will try to keep with you.

 

See you Thursday

 

Syma