So sorry for this extremely late email.  It’s been one of those weeks – just haven’t been able to get it together!

What a great run down to see the lights on Oxford & Regent Streets last week.  You all continue to amaze us – it was a HUGE jump up in running time and you all made it seem so easy.  It might not have felt so easy, but it was definitely nice having the lights as a distraction.

Some of you have mentioned that the Thursday runs feel easier because they are slower.  First, it is important to try to make yourself run slowly when you are not with us on Thursday – this will help keep injuries away and will build your long range muscles.  Second, it is time now to start to break up into pace groups, especially when you run with each other on Tuesdays.  I know you all enjoy chatting with everyone in the group, but if you are at different paces, some of you will not have a great run – it will be either too fast or too slow.  It is better to be running at the pace at which you are comfortable!  It’s also OK if you don’t do the exact route together.  It’s not about the route, it’s about the distance/time.  We are happy to talk about this with you!

Over break, it is important to keep running if at all possible.  You have all come so far – you just need to maintain where you are over the next 2 weeks.  It’s OK if you don’t run a full length run – it’s better to go out a few times a week and run 30 minutes than to not run at all.  The schedule has you running the next 2 Thursdays at the same times as we are this week – 30 min twice with a 5 minute walk break in between.  If you can get out there and do that – terrific.  If not, it’s fine!  When we come back, we will have one more week of 30/5/30 and then we will (gasp!) drop those walk breaks completely.  You will be ready.

For tomorrow, we are going to run down to Hyde Park so you can see how to get there.  It’s a great place to go for your Tuesday runs – easy to get to, and then you get the park to run in.  We will end at the Starbucks at the Green Park tube so BRING YOUR OYSTER CARD!

Directions for the run:

From Barclays, head down Circus Rd and turn left on Lisson Grove.  Run to Marylebone Road and cross over to Seymour Place.  At the end, turn right, cross over Edgware Road (be careful at this light) and run straight for one block on Seymour Road.  Turn left on Stanhope Place and then cross Hyde Park Pl to get into Hyde Park.  When you see the silver globe, after crossing North Carriage Dr, turn right.  Follow that path as it curves left.  Turn left to run along the Serpentine (alternatively, you can cross over the Serpentine and run on the other side).  At the end of the Serpentine, make you way out of the gates to Hyde Park Corner and cross over Knightsbridge to run through the Wellington Arch and into Green Park.  Run diagonally to the left to go towards the tube station at the far end.