I hope you all enjoyed your “easy” week last week (except for Trenita and Devyani who ROCKED their long runs!). Loved seeing all of your smiling faces in the photos. We have another couple of weeks of long Thursday runs before we get another break week. This week we will be doing another 9 mile run. Most of you have done 9 already so hopefully it won’t be too stressful to think about it.
I am hoping we can run this Thursday similarly to how we can to Canary – with small, spaced groups heading out at different times based on pace and all arriving fairly close to each other. No burritos at the end this time but there are a few coffee shops where we should be able to get coffee before taking the tube home. We will end at the Wembley Park tube which is on the Jubilee and Metropolitan Lines so make sure you have an Oyster or contactless card. I’ll put the call out on the group chat about availability.
We will bring gels again this week for those who haven’t gotten their own yet. Please make sure to bring water with you – these are long runs and your body needs to hydrate. And eat something before you come!
The Schedule
Week 30 Mar 25 – Wembley – 9 miles
Week 31 April 1 – Canada Water – 10 miles
Week 32 Apr 8 – April break – 6 miles
Week 33 Apr 15 – Kew Gardens – 11 miles
Week 34 Apr 22 – TBD
Week 35 Apr 29 – RACE DAY!
Continue to do 45 min on the weekend and 60 min on Tuesdays!
This week’s run
Wembley is one of my favorites. There are many people who do not love this run as much as I do so I am going to tell you why I like it and you can tell me your own opinions of it after 🙂
Why I like the Wembley run:
1) You see many sides of London along the canal
Some runners complain that parts of the canal are very ugly. This is true. However, I enjoy seeing the transition from city and the older buildings along the canal and newer gentrified condos to the industrial parts to the country parts, with glimpses of Wembley Stadium along the way. I feel like it’s the real London – many sides, not always so pretty but always something to look at. And as you keep going, it changes.
2) You see a part of London you otherwise wouldn’t – Wembley
No, not the stadium but the streets. There is a large Hindu population and there are many shops with brightly coloured saris and trinkets that are fun to look at. And there is an amazing Hindu temple that was built in 2010 that took 14 years to build from stone from India. It is incredible. Look for it on the left hand side of the street.
3) It has a long, uninterrupted stretch of canal running
Once we get on the canal, we run for about 6 miles. I believe this will be the longest stretch of uninterrupted running you will have had so far. One of the things that makes me love this run is that it was on this part of the run in my beginner year that I had a running epiphany – I felt like I could just keep running forever. I think I had settled into that pace where you feel good, you feel like you’re just cooking along and you can chat and run and all is good. I hadn’t really felt like that before and it was a great feeling. Some of you may have already had that feeling, some may never get it, but having a nice long uninterrupted stretch may put you in a similar place. I hope so!
4) You get to say you ran to Wembley!
Most people have heard of Wembley. And people in London know it’s a ways out. So it’s fun to be able to say you ran there – so impressive!
The route
https://routes.rungoapp.com/route/9xjWne66GU
Start out heading west on Circus Road, turn left on Grove End to St John’s Wood Road and go west, turning left on Cunningham then right on Aberdeen to work your way to the canal entrance on Blomfield. Continue out the canal and exit at Alperton, see photo below, not quite 7 miles in. Turn right at the top of the stairs, cross the bridge and take the first right onto Ealing Road. Just after the turn you’ll see the Alperton station on your left. Follow Ealing Road to the High Road and turn right. You’ll see Wembley Central on your right for the 8-mile route. For 9 miles, continue until you make a left on Park Lane which becomes Wembley Park Drive. Continue past the turn off to the stadium on the right and up to Wembley Park Tube Station (Jubilee and Metropolitan lines). There is a Costa just down the steps towards the stadium so we will head there for coffee afterwards for those who can stay.
