I’ll apologize for what will be a very long email….. sorry!  Our running group is growing and we have such a wide range of paces/abilities/goals.  It’s fabulous!  I am trying to see how we can best organise ourselves to meet the needs of the group.  I keep tinkering with it so it’s not your fault if you can’t figure out what’s going on.  Just as soon as you get the hang of it, I change something.  I’ve always been hesitant to assign people to groups or dictate training programs.  As a result, we have a lot of flexibility, but maybe not enough clarity in how our schedule works.  Over the years we have become quite focused on long-distance running.  I’m hearing from some of you that you would love to do the half-marathon, but more as a “one-off” and you would prefer to run shorter and faster.  Some of you want to run very long at a more gentle pace.  Some want short and slower paced.  Some of you are less focused in your training and would love the flexibility of just deciding week by week if you feel like running long or doing a mid-distance run.  So… I’m proposing that we start to label these training groups just so we can more easily identify other people who may have the same goals as you do.  If you’re not sure where you fit in, send me an email and we’ll figure it out together.

• Distance Runners – approx. 10:00 min/mile pace for very long runs
• Pace-Setters – This new group wants to run faster but not crazy-long distances (until late Jan when their long runs will increase to 9/10/11 miles to prep for the half-marathon).
• Flex-runners – This group likes to run long (usually not over 10 miles or so) at about a 10:30 pace (so faster than the Mid-level runners but slower than the Distance Runners).  Most of this group is not terribly interested in pushing the pace but enjoy running long-distances.
• Mid-level – These ladies run long distances on Wednesdays at about 11:00-11:15 min/mile.
• EBR – This group is getting back into running or learning to run longer distances.  Their long runs are 5-6 miles on Tuesdays and those will be gradually increasing in distance from now until the half-marathon.  This group runs an approximate 11:00 pace – no faster!  We’re running at a steady pace but not super-speedy.
• Gentle-runners – This group is the place to be!  They are training for the half-marathon and like the Pace-setters, they aren’t interested in running extremely long distances yet.  The long runs will build very gradually until mid-March (this week is 7 miles).  The group runs at about a 12:00-12:30 pace.

For anyone unsure of how you should train for the half-marathon, I would suggest you run 3-4 times a week doing 1 long run, 1 mid-distance run, and 1 hilly run.  If you ran a fourth run, it could be fun – whatever you want to do.  The long run is the most important run of the week – if you only have time for one run in a week, it really should be your long run (if you are hoping to do the half-marathon).  This is our long run schedule:

• Long distance option – 16 miles – along the canal east towards Canary Wharf but exiting the canal at Victoria Park then running beside the River Lea to Ponders End (train back to Liverpool St. then tube home).  I’ll be doing this run at a steady pace after leaving the canal (after 7ish miles) so if you’re interested in doing the full 16 miles but are not sure you can maintain the pace, give me a call or email and we can talk through the options.
• Pace-setters – 6 miles – to “The Wall” and back.  For any new runners, this is a great route to push your pace.  You would start on the canal with the main group, run 3 miles to what we call “The Wall” (the canal is bricked in and you are forced to go up a ramp onto the street – stop at the wall, turn around and run back alongside the canal the way you came.
• Flex-runners – 9.5 miles – Canary Wharf (tube home on the Jubilee line).  If you don’t know the route, please pair up with someone who runs your pace (preferably beforewe meet at Starbucks).
• Mid-level – 6 miles for your medium-distance run – “The Wall” is an easy route to navigate and you would get to run with a lot of ladies as most of the groups are heading in that direction.
• Gentle – 5 miles – for your medium-distance run – if you wanted to run towards “The Wall” once you go under the train tracks that’s about 2.5 miles – then you could turn around and run back to SJW.

• Ease Back into Running group – Our long run this week is between 5 and 5.5 miles.  We’ll be doing a route along the canal (no traffic lights!!!) then down through the city (praying for the “red men” at street crossings) finishing at Runner’s Need in Holborn.  Many of you have been asking about carrying water on our long runs so this will give you the opportunity to buy water bottles that slip over your hand, or tiny backpacks, or waist belts with water bottles.  This store also has a lot more merchandise (running tights, jackets, tops, etc.) than the Camden location.  So bring some money/credit card and your Oyster card.  There are endless options to shorten this route if you don’t want to do the entire 5-5.5 miles.
• Beginners – Our newest runners group up and do their medium distance run on Tuesday mornings.  Please don’t crash their party!!!  I intentionally leave them on their own as it’s important that they learn to pace themselves, they get to know the basic routes through London, and most important – they learn that Syma, Bonnie, Becky and myself aren’t magic.  They start to get it – they can run on their own or in small groups.  Their confidence grows and their running improves, so let’s leave them to it.  Thanks a million for understanding.

• Distance runners – If you ran long on Monday, you might consider doing the Green Park loop (down to Speaker’s Corner, then to Wellington Arch, a loop around Green Park, then home via Baker Street).
• Pace-setters – 5-6 miles at a good clip!  I would suggest running down to Hyde Park and doing the Serpentine Loop (west from Speaker’s Corner to Carriage Road, then south along the road, cross over the Serpentine on the bridge, then head back east along the water, then back towards Speaker’s Corner and home via Lisson Grove or Baker Street).
• Flex-runners – If you ran long on Monday, you might consider the Green Park loop.
• Mid-level – 8.5 miles to Wandsworth Common – This route is a blast!  We’ll head down through Hyde Park, through Sloane Square to the river, along Battersea Park, then head south along the high street of Wandsworth which is packed with cute little shops, restaurants, boutiques, cafes, etc.  We will finish at the Wandsworth Train Station and train/tube home.  Bring your Oyster card and some money (I’m not 100% sure that we can use our Oyster cards from that station).
• EBR – Some of the EBR group has been doing their mid-distance run on Wednesdays (some on Thursdays).  You have your email distribution list now so group yourselves up for Wed or Thurs. This week’s mid-distance run should be 4-4.5 miles.  An idea would be to run down to Hyde Park, do a very small loop up in that NE corner of the park, then run home by the US Embassy and up Baker Street.
• Gentle – You have 7 miles on your schedule for your long run this week.  I would suggest hanging behind the mid-level group on their route until they head south from Battersea Park.  You could come back over the river Thames, run back to Sloane Square and tube home from there.  If you don’t like that idea you could do the Green Park loop.

• EBR – Some of the EBR group have been meeting up on Thursday mornings for a medium-distance run.  See the route suggestion above.
• Beginners – long run