Dear beginners,

Great job last week!  Each of you did really well.  Please keep up the good work, and don’t worry where you are in the group.  Everybody has a different natural running pace and it doesn’t matter whether you are at the front of the pack or in the back, as long as you keep running when you are supposed to. 

We are looking for two volunteers this Tuesday (9/30) to lead the group on the run.  Danielle and Ria have helped out the last few weeks and will both be out on Tuesday.  The run will be the same as the one we did last Thursday.  All the routes are in the spreadsheet Vicky emailed to the group last week.  Please let me know if you are interested in organizing the group on Tuesday.   

See you all on Thursday!

 

Meg and Vicky

Hello Everyone,

We are sorry to have missed you last week but heard from Jane and Bonnie that you did a great job.  We are looking forward to running with you this coming Thursday, September 25!   

For the benefit of those who did not run with the group last week and for the new additions to our group, we will recap a bit.  We will be following a walk/jog schedule that will keep building up over the next few weeks, following a program that is designed to have us ready for the half marathon in the spring.  You are all welcome in the group, regardless of whether you plan to run the half marathon or not.  Some of you may not even want to run long distances but simply want to learn how to run, and that is fine too.  It may seem far-fetched to you at this point that you could possibly run a half marathon in April, but believe us, if you stick to the program, and continue to run on Tuesdays and Thursdays (and eventually add a third run) you will be able to do it.  

Now that we are running slightly longer intervals, you might be interested in buying running shoes.  At Runners Need (which has several locations around London), they will watch you run on a treadmill and assess your running style and recommend shoes based on that.  A pair of running shoes will last you roughly 400 miles so it would be a good idea to write the date of purchase down (maybe on the inside of the shoe).  In general it is recommended that you go up one half to one size in running shoes, as feet tend to swell when running.  Also, we will be running rain or shine so you will need a good rain jacket.

For the first few weeks, we will be staying local and running a loop back to St John’s Wood.  Starting sometime in mid October, we will start to mix it up, running some loops and some destination runs.  For these runs you will need to carry an Oyster card.  We will let you know when we will be doing that.

That is all for now.  We will see you all on Thursday!  Please let us know if you have any questions.

 

 Meg and Vicky

Hi Everyone!

It was so nice to meet you yesterday.  We are really looking forward to working with this wonderful group of women. 

We have just sent to each of you an email announcing the date and location of the half marathon.  It will be held on 19 April in Padua, Italy.  We know these are early days yet, but the ultimate goal is to get each of you ready to run a half marathon.  Some of you are working towards that goal. Others just want to run and don’t want to do long distances.  That is also fine! There is no obligation to run the half marathon. 

As a reminder… the group meets without the coaches on Tuesday mornings to repeat the run we did together the previous Thursday.   For this upcoming Tuesday, 16 September, Danielle Linkas and Ria Sta Maria have volunteered to organize the group and keep you all on the plan.  It is important that you get that second run in each week.  If you are not able to meet the group, please email everyone and see if you can find someone to run with you at a different time.  On Tuesdays (or whenever you do your second weekly run), it’s critical to keep the pace slow.

Vicky and I will be out of town for the run next Thursday, 18 September, but Jane Novak and Bonnie Bandeen will both be there to lead you on the run.  Jane oversees the broader Women Running the World group and Bonnie coached the beginners last year.  We look forward to running with you the following Thursday!

 

Keep up the good work,

 

Meg and Vicky

Hello Everyone,

The beginner running group will start on Thursday, 11 September, at 8:15am at Barclays in St. John’s Wood.  Meg Stone and Vicky Timbers will be coaching you each week.  We are looking forward to meeting you and getting started.  Please let us know if you have changed your mind or if your situation has changed and you are no longer interested in joining this group.  Otherwise, you can expect to receive an email from us each weekend explaining what we will be doing the following week.  Some information on the program/schedule follows:

 

•       The program is gentle, but it’s still difficult.  For the first few weeks, we will be working out for less than 45 minutes.  We will do a 5-10 minute walk to warm up, then we will jog very, very slowly for 60 seconds, then we will walk for 2 minutes.  We will repeat the one minute jog, two minute walk pattern ten times.  We will then finish with a 5-10 minute cool-down walk back to Starbucks.  When we have finished our session we will have jogged for a total of ten minutes.  Over the weeks, the jogging intervals increase gradually but we continue to go at a very slow pace.  

•      We understand it’s difficult to believe, but by mid-December you will be running a steady 60 minutes without any walking breaks.  By late March/early April, you will be fully prepared for a half-marathon (13.1 miles).  We are finalizing the details for this year’s half marathon trip.  

•       Our training schedule will prepare us for the half-marathon, but please know that you do not have to go on the trip or have any intention of running those distances.  You do not have to commit to anything.  If you try it for a few weeks and don’t like it, you stop.  There will be no hard feelings – at least you will have tried.  All of that being said…the women who end up being the most successful with the program are those who make a mental commitment to being there each week.  

•       Each Thursday your coaches will run with the group, set the pace, tell you when to run/walk and set the route.  We will also encourage you to start meeting up one additional day a week either as a group or as several small groups (most of the beginner groups in the past have done this on Tuesday mornings but that’s up to you).  For the first 8-10 weeks, this second run each week will be a repeat of whatever we did with you on Thursday.  That second run each week (without us) will teach you just as much as the Thursday run.    

•       We will address injuries/aches/pains as we go.  On the Women Running the World website there is a list of people (physios, trainers, etc.) that can help if there is a problem.

A few guidelines….

 

•       Come dressed however you choose.  There is no need to buy a lot of running clothes at this point and definitely do NOT buy a new pair of running shoes yet – we will be able to recommend a store that can advise you on running shoes. 

1. •      Be on time.  We do not operate on an RSVP system so whoever is there at 8:15 runs.  If you’re late, you will be left behind.  For any of you who are dropping off young children or have other complications, just let us know.  We’ll figure something out.

•       No dogs allowed (sorry!).

•       Always carry with you a bit of money and an Oyster card (and possibly a Starbucks card).  For a while we won’t be getting very far from SJW, but it’s nice to know you always have the option mid-run to grab a cab/tube/bus if you have a problem.  Also many of the women stay for a coffee after the run.  This is a great time to ask questions or discuss concerns as sometimes we don’t all get a chance to talk to each other during the run.  

If you are interested in joining the group, but know you have a conflict(s), just let us know and we will try to work something out.  We work around the ASL schedule so we’ll be taking breaks when ASL is on break.  We know some of you may have children in other schools or no children here, but it just simplifies things to stay on the ASL schedule.  

 

The program works – we promise.  Countless women have come through it successfully.  It’s hard, but it’s good fun and the sense of accomplishment you will feel is simply more than we can put down in words.  So give it a try, show up on 11 September and see what happens.  We are doing this to learn how to run – it’s impossible to “slow down the group” or “hold people back”.  You can do this – we promise.  There is a huge support system in place.  

  

We hope to see you on Thursday, 11 September!

Meg Stone & Vicky Timbers

Dear Runners,

 

 Well done for an absolutely amazing job this weekend – each and every one of you made all of us coaches  really proud.  This was not an easy race – it was sunny, and so warm and it was very hilly (far more than we expected – the race website smoothed out the hill profile so that it didn’t look as bad as it actually was).  I want to share with you what Sunny Brenneman, one of our experienced runners told me after I came through the finish line – she said that what got her through the race was the thought of you beginners tackling this course.  She has been running marathons, and half marathons for countless years, and told me said this was the slowest half she has ever run.  That should give you some kind of idea of how hard it was.  In spite of that, every one of you finished, most of you ran alone, some with injuries, and yet you ploughed through.  Thank you for making our job so rewarding.  We have really enjoyed getting to know you over the past few months, and hope you come out and run with us (I promise you we will take care of you those first few times, until you realise that you run as well as or better than those in the MWF groups!

 

From now until the summer, the groups may often mix and run together – the runs will be fun, laid back and non competitive, especially as we do not have anyone training for the marathon this year.  You could run together on Tuesday/Thursdays for a bit if you prefer, and perhaps join the MWF groups later on, or start right away (there is a short 4 mile run tomorrow and a 6 mile run on Friday before the holiday).  Just a word of advice from last year’s beginner group – don’t leave it too long before you join the MWF groups.  It would be ideal if you made the transition right after this upcoming break.  The ex beginners said that it was very intimidating to join in September, and they would have been much better off joining right after the race. 

 

  If you need to know where you would fit in best, please don’t hesitate to ask.  Bear in mind that Bonnie, Betsy and I will be running in the groups that most of you will be joining, and we will happily help you adjust.  Something else to think about is what is your next goal – do you want to maintain fitness, go for a faster half marathon time, shoot for a full marathon, try some shorter races or retire from running.  I sincerely hope you don’t choose this last option – you have come too far and worked too hard!  To maintain your fitness, you should continue to run 3 times a week – two 45-60 minute runs, and one slightly shorter one.  If you want to get faster, you should make your shorter run a tempo one, where you would start off with a warm up jog for 5 minutes, pick up your pace for 20 – 25 minutes, then go back down to a comfortable pace for the last 5 minutes.  During the ‘tempo’ phase, you should not be able to carry a conversation – maybe yes/no answers, but nothing much more.  I know a few of you have signed up for some shorter races, which is really a great way to ensure you keep running.  I will be signing up for the Nike 10k that Tammie told us about, and may do some of the Regents Park runs on Saturdays too.

 

Finally, thank you all so much for the Cowshed gift card, what an absolute treat!  I am looking forward to getting my beauty fix!

 

I hope to see you out there running really soon,

 

Syma

Dear Beginners,

 

What an amazing run last week.  We were a big group and everyone managed to finish.  It was a tough run, but there is nothing easy about running 11 miles.  Us coaches and Chris, as well as Jane (who emailed us afterwards to see how the run went) got goosebumps when you all came through – I know I keep saying it, but it is inspiring to us to see how far you have come in the last 6 months.  You make our jobs so much easier!

 

Next week, you should be running about 60 minutes on Tuesday, and 45 on Thursday.  As a group, on Thursday, we will run to Big Ben.  This should be a nice fun run, and a piece of cake compared to last Thursday.  You won’t need any gels, just bring your Oyster cards as we will be getting onto the tube at Westminster to head back to SJW. 

 

You should all have received the email from Jane with the itinerary and details for the trip next weekend.  Let me know if you have not.  As far as we are concerned, we would like you to think about what your goals are for the race.  If you have a specific time you would like to run it in, let me know.  Other than that, we will be running similarly to the way we have been in the past few weeks.  I will run out in front, with Bonnie in the middle, and Betsy behind Bonnie and you should decide which ‘sub group’ you want to run with.  This does not mean you are bound to any group/coach, but it will give us coaches some idea of who to look out for.  We may well all split up, as we did last week so it would help if you could pick one, or a couple of people who you can, and have run comfortably with just so you are not alone if you lag behind your coach, or indeed decide you can go faster.  We will all start off pretty slowly for the first couple of miles – the tendency is to rush off at the beginning, but your coaches will make sure you run at the right pace so that you do not tire early on.  Don’t forget, you will need to take your gels at 70 minutes, and then again at 1:55 or 2 hours.  Please be sure to do that, even if you are not tired – once you become too tired, it is usually too late for the gel to kick in!  The most important thing is to enjoy yourselves.  There is no reason this should be any different to the training runs – you should all be chatting, and running in the way we have been doing all along.  No need to be nervous – treat it like another training run! 

 

See you all next Thursday,

 

Syma

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

Dear Beginner Runners,

 

What an incredible run to Canary Wharf by all of you!  Kavita and Colleen – great job for getting out early – we loved having coffee with you both and well done for manoeuvring it all alone!  For those of you who ran with the coaches, you did a great job too – chatting throughout most of the run, and keeping your sense of humour, and negotiating your way along the canal with all those crazy bikers!  Julie, Leeann and Peg, hats off to you for getting out this morning and running it instead of enjoying a lazy Sunday, after what must have been a hectic few days at ISSTs.   It is so hard to believe that 6 months ago you were asking me if it was time to walk, after only a couple of minutes of running!

 

Ladies, 21 days to go!  You are all ready, the next few weeks is just about fine tuning, and preparing ourselves mentally.  You could actually run the 13.1 miles now if you had to (Karen showed us that by running it last week) but the next few weeks will be about making the whole thing easier.  This week we will be stepping down the mileage and time. We will run down to Hyde Park, and run the entire circumference of the park and then back up to Starbucks in the High Street.  This way we will also have the upslope on the way back to help prepare for the gentle slopes of the race.  This Hyde Park loop is a good one to know as there are many ways you can lengthen or shorten it. 

 

A few things to keep in mind for the race weekend:

 

1. Take a few options in the way of athletic clothing for race day.  The weather seems to be changing all the time, and having more rather than scrambling around to find extra layers, is safer.  Having said that…

 

2.  Don’t do anything different on race day than you have been doing.  Wear the clothes/shoes that you have been wearing.  Also, eat the same breakfast.  By now you should have all figured out what is best for you in these long runs.  A lot of people swear by oatmeal/porridge a couple of hours before the run.  If you can’t eat that far ahead of and are running out of the door then simple white carbs are the best – a piece of toast with nut butter, half a bagel with half a banana, etc, the closer you are to the run, the simpler the carbs should be.  If you have a specific breakfast, consider bringing whatever food you may need with you so you are not put out on race day.  We will check out breakfast on the Saturday and if there is something specific that you want that is missing, we can try to find a grocery store so that on Sunday, you have exactly what you want. 

 

3.  Carry your shoes on the plane with you.  If your bags get lost for whatever reason, you will always be able to find clothing amongst the others travelling with you or at the race expo.  You will not find shoes as easily and do not want to be running in a brand new pair, so having them with you on the plane takes care of that. 

 

4.  Pack your gels in a Ziploc bag in your checked luggage.  Even if they are less than 100 ml, some airport security people can be funny about gels and make you throw them out.  You will need at least 2 gels for the race and I would carry a couple more just in case.

 

Fingers crossed the weather stays this glorious for the next couple of weeks – I am checking out the Kew route tomorrow to make sure it isn’t too muddy with all the rain we have had this past winter!

 

Syma

 

Dear Beginners,

 

Another great run last week, and it was not an easy one, with very few stops!  However, at least the conditions were perfect, and in spite of rain having been forecast from the week earlier, it stopped in time for us to have a dry run!  You are all troopers, and would have run and taken it in your stride, something I can’t say for myself, so I, as you all know, was very happy the sun came out!

 

This week we have the run to Canary Wharf.  You are all ready for this, so don’t worry – just be prepared to be absolutely exhilarated once you get there – it is a great feeling!  Please make sure you have a good breakfast, and bring your gels, water and Oyster card as we will return by tube to SJW.  For those of you who haven’t managed to run the long runs for a couple of weeks, please resist the temptation to migrate to the front of the group.  We will tend to split up quite a bit over the next few runs, and you have got to make sure you are running a comfortable pace.  I have copied the route directions that were sent out to the MWF group when we ran to Canary Wharf a couple of weeks ago – Jane actually went out the Saturday before and took photos, and modified the route so it would be easy for anyone to get there if they got separated from the group.  Hopefully, most of you will be behind one of the coaches but here is the route anyway.  We will be taking the gels between 70 and 80 minutes into the run – roughly at around the Victoria Park area.  Also, from now on, we will start to run right away from Barclays Bank, so please warm up as you are waiting for all the runners to show up. 

 

 

Section One – Canal to the Wall

 

We will run past Panzers and turn right down Cochrane Street to the High Street and cross Prince Albert Road at the SJW zebra crossing.  Run along Prince Albert Road to join the canal at Charlbert Street.  Run along the canal for approximately 3 miles until the canal pathway ends at the famous “Wall.”  

Section Two – Angel Roads

We need to run through the Angel neighbourhood until we can re-enter the canal path.   At the wall follow the ramp up to Muriel Street.  (This is a good place to wait for your pace group.)  Take a right and then an almost immediate left up a path that winds between the apartment buildings.  See the picture below for the entrance to the path.  

Keep going straight on the path and it will become Maygood Street.  When you get to the intersection of a main road (Barnsbury Road) turn right.  Run until you make the second left onto Chapel Market.  (There is a metal archway saying Chapel Market and a zebra crossing at the intersection.)  Follow Chapel Market until the end.  (NB:  There is a public Ladies Room at the end of White Conduit Street, which intersects with Chapel Market at the euphorium bakery.)  Turn right at Liverpool Street to the major road Upper Street.  Cross Upper Street and turn left.  (NB:  Angel Tube Station is to your right if you are going home from here.)  Make your first right at Duncan Street (Jack Wills shop at the corner) and follow until the end.  The entrance to the canal path will be directly in front of you.  Go straight along the canal (NOT a sharp right turn.)

Section Three – Canal to Limehouse Basin

We run for about 4 miles following the canal path to the Limehouse Basin.  We exit the canal path at the wire looking bridge – see picture below – and take the brown brick steps up to the left.  

Section Four – Limehouse Basin to Canary Wharf

At the top of the brick steps, go straight.  At the Limehouse Gallery and Bronze Age shop turn right.  Run along the water until you reach the second metal foot-bridge leading to a park.  Cross the bridge and run through the park.  (You’ll see that the way we have gone in the past is blocked so we need to make a slight detour.)  When you reach the road (Narrow St.), turn left and run past the Dunbar Wharf and make your first right on Three Colt Street.  Run until you hit the water again and turn left.  Run with the water on your right until you see the long flight of steps next to Royal China – see picture below.  You’re almost there!  Only a third of a mile remaining!

Run up the steps and straight ahead, through the small park to India Drive and then veer slightly right along Cabot Square.  You’re heading for the big sky-scrapper building in front of you.  Stop when you see the sign for the Canary Wharf DLR Station at the ‘mall’ entrance on the South Collanade.  We’ll meet at the Starbucks inside the building on the right, next to the DLR station.  After a much earned coffee, we’ll head to the Canary Wharf Tube station [Jubilee Line] and tube it home to SJW.

 

 

On a different note, thanks to all of you who made it to the ‘filming session’ last Friday!  You made it an absolute blast for us coaches (who knew we had so many multi-talented runners?) and were real troopers.  For those who didn’t make it, please sign up for one of the other days – you should have all received an email giving other options.  You will not be doing what we did on Friday, but can join in the MWF runners.

 

See you on Thursday, 

 

Syma 

Dear Beginner runners,

 

I hope you all enjoyed your break and ‘recovery week’.  We are now 5 weeks away from the race!  We have 3 more long runs – this week’s run for 1 hour 50 minutes, then a 2 hour run to Canary Wharf, and a 2 hour 10 minute run to Kew on March 20th which will be to Kew.  Please clear your schedules for these runs – the ones to Canary and Kew will take up a large part of the morning because of the destinations.  Please let me know if for some reason you are unable to run on one of these days – it is essential that you try to run with the group for these long runs – the routes are not so easy to figure out on your own as they are either on the canal, or on a dirt track along the river (as in the Kew run) and you need to know which exits to take off the canal/river path. 

 

This week we have a run which will be part canal, part street and part park running, plus a hill!  This is a good route to take before we do the Canary Wharf next week which is almost all canal running.  Once again, do not take any notice of the mileage on the map – depending on where in the pack you are running, the coaches will be making adjustments to the route towards the end.   

 

Now a bit about gels.  There has been all sorts of information, and opinions about gels, so I have decided to copy and paste what Paula wrote this time last year to the beginner runners then.  She is the expert on running, and it is best to take the read the information in her words.  Please take the time to read this carefully.    

 

You are all incredibly bright women and many of you are doing a bunch of research/reading/studying about running (which is fabulous).  Announcing to your friends that you’re running a half-marathon usually results in an onslaught of advice.  It’s kind of like having a baby.  The unsolicited advice just pours in.  So, it’s highly likely that you are getting information that conflicts with my advice/guidance/suggestions.  The problem with that is their advice is usually valid but doesn’t always apply to beginner running (or our type of beginner running).  Competitive/elite runners have an entirely different fuel requirement than we do.  Runners completing races at high intensities fuel differently.  Uninformed racers fuel differently than we do.  There are beginner groups who’s goal is to do a race in a fast time so they fuel differently.  Our group/program is designed to complete a half-marathon (with time being very secondary).  So, I think this is how we should proceed….  I’ll give my recommendation and everyone can decide whether they want to take that advice or not.  I promise I won’t be offended if you disagree.

What type of fuel?

I recommend gels.  Period.  There are issues/problems/complications with all other types of fuel when considering what our group is trying to achieve.  Again, this would be different if we were not beginner runners who’s aim it is to finish a half-marathon.  If you chose to use a different fuel source, I recommend taking in an equivalent amount of carbs at the same time that everyone else is doing their gel.  For example, if you are going to use shot-blocks or sport-beans, you need to take in the equivalent of a gel within a few minutes (not just eating a shot-block every now and then).  The body responds differently to periodic fuel injections (snacking on sport-beans) than a one-off significant fuel injection (ie., a gel).  For what we are trying to achieve, a one-off injection has less of a chance of disturbing the body’s fuel sourcing system.  We want the body to fuel primarily with fat for this half-marathon.  Once you have one half-marathon under your belt, then you can decide to push the pace (or distance) and you will have different fuel requirements.  Remember to drink 50-100ml of water after doing most gels.  There are a few gels that don’t require water.  The downsides of those types of gels is that they are bulkier and I’ve seen quite a few women throw them up (which is kind of unpleasant but more importantly, you lose the carbs you just took in).

When to fuel?

For our three remaining long runs and the race, I recommend doing a gel between 70-80 minutes (of running time).  I’m sure you’ve noticed that some runners are needing a gel earlier and some later.  This window will give everyone fuel before you reach meltdown!  On race-day, I will recommend that everyone do a second gel at 1:55-2:10.  It is a really bad idea to do gels/sport-beans/shot-blocks before the race or before 70 minutes in the race.  It is also a bad idea to do gels closer together than 35 minutes (again, these guidelines are for us as beginner runners).  These guidelines will keep us safe and best prepared for the distance.

 

Please let any of your coaches know if you have any questions/concerns. 

 

See you on Thursday!

 

Syma