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Month: March 2013

29 1 12 April Running Info…

March 29, 2013February 28, 2016

Hello Runners,

Aaaaah, it’s time to take a break. Many of you will be away for the next two weeks, but those of us in town will be running. We’ll move the start time back to 8:30am for all runs over the next two weeks. Running over the holidays is fun. The groups are co-mingled and somehow the pace just works out. I’ll provide some route suggestions, but feel free to go wherever you want.

Routes this Week

Most of our runners are either in a recovery mood or are scheduled to do a series of 6-milers. Some route suggestions follow but please feel free to do loops if that suits your schedule with kids home from school. These routes are just fun - they are not designed to be optimal training runs. This week it’s all about the food - bagels, bakeries and markets!!!

Monday, 1 April
Hummingbird Bakery (6 miles) – We’ll take a slightly different route down to Hyde Park for a change of scenery - down Hall Rd. then through Maida Vale, under the A40, then Westbourne Bridge Rd. to the north side of Hyde Park (see route map). From there, we’ll head west (either in the park or along Bayswater Rd.) then turn south following the bike path into Holland Park. After doing a loop there, we’ll continue south crossing over Kensington High St. to Old Brompton Rd. The Hummingbird Bakery sits on that road close to the South Ken tube station (which is how we’ll get home unless you want to run some more).

Tuesday, 4 April
The ex-beginners in town will be doing a 45-60 minute (route of their choice) and some of our marathon trainees will be doing their 20/21-miler out the canal west to Greenford and back. Both of these groups will meet/start at 8:30am.

Wednesday, 3 April
Brick Lane (6 miles) - We’ll run to Beigel Bake on Brick Lane and get a coffee from Brick Lane Coffee next door (see photo). Beigel Bake is reportedly the most famous bagel shop in London. The route heads out the canal east towards Islington. At “the wall”, we’ll come off the canal and run south on Farringdon Rd. then turn east on Clerkenwell heading to Old St. From the Old St. round-about, we’ll take Shoreditch then cut across to Brick Lane. If you want to grab bagels and run home, go for it. Otherwise, we’ll be taking the tube from Shoreditch High St. or share cabs home if anyone is in a hurry.

Thursday, 4 April
Whoever is in town, have a look at these route options and let me know what you prefer. I’m up for anything. Save these route ideas - they may be good options for runs in the next month or two.
Option #1: Whole Foods (5.25 miles) - This route heads down to Hyde Park via Lisson Grove. Once we’re in the park, we head diagonally towards Carriage Rd. then south to exit the park at Kensington High St. We’ll run by the Natural History museum then take Old Brompton Rd. west to Queen’s Gate. From there, we wind our way up to Kensington High St and finish at Whole Foods.

Option #2: Westfield Mall (5.25 miles) - This is a nice run down to Hyde Park via Lisson Grove then cutting across the park to the bridge at Carriage Rd. We would then head north along the Serpentine to the Italian fountains then run west along Baywater Rd. to Westfield Mall at Shepherd’s Bush.
Option #3: Big Ben plus loop at the river (5.25 miles) - This route is the regular run to Big Ben but we would carry on crossing the river at Westminster Bridge. On the southern embankment we would run by the London Eye, cross back over the river then follow the northern embankment to finish at Westminster tube station.
Option #4: Little Venice Canal Loop (5.25 miles) - This route is a loop so we would finish back at Starbucks. We would run down Hall Rd. to Harrow Rd then head west towards Kensal Green. The route then leads over the canal then along the towpath back to Little Venice. From the canal we would head up to SJW (this is a good hill to start practising running inclines) and finish at Starbucks.

Friday, 5 April
Run the hill/heath/Hampstead if you want (8:30am start), or consider running to Borough Market - 10:00am start. There are a million ways to get to Borough Market, but if I run, I’ll probably be doing this route (see map below). There’s a chance I won’t be running on Friday, so have a look at this route map just in case and email around if you want to make sure you have people to run with.
Borough Market (6 miles) - Run through Regents Park then down Marylebone High St., Regent St., and Haymarket to the embankment. Cross over the Thames then run along the southern embankment to Borough Market. Again, this is NOT a fabulous training run - it’s just a fun route. It’s a lot of street running and there will be a ton of pedestrians on the shopping streets (Marylebone High St, Oxford St and Regent St). The market opens at noon but most of the vendors are setting up and ready to do business around 11:00.

Monday, 8 April
Hyde Park Serpentine loop (6 miles) – This route isn’t exciting, but it’s very efficient. It’s a good one for any of the 6-milers on our schedules. Run down to Hyde Park via Lisson Grove. After entering the park, head west to Carriage Rd. Turn south running along Carriage Rd until you cross over the Serpentine. Drop down to the water and run along the edge of the Serpentine. Cross back over the water at the cafe bridge then head back to SJW via Baker St. or Gloucester Rd.

Tuesday, 9 April
The ex-beginners in town will be doing a 45-60 minute (route of their choice) starting at 8:30am and some of our marathon trainees will be doing their 20/21-miler - I’ll send you the route when I have it sorted out. Amy, Cai-Cai, Lynn - do you prefer to start at 8:30 or 8:15?

Wednesday, 10 April
Whole Foods via Brompton Cemetery (6 miles) - I’ll be in Italy so won’t be running with you, but here’s a nice route. Run down to the canal in Little Venice. Cross under the A40 then take Bishop’s Bridge Rd west towards Notting Hill. Turn left at Inverness Terrace and run to Hyde Park. Carry on south down the broadwalk (near the Peter Pan playground) then continue south to Fulham Rd. Run west until you see the entrance to the Brompton Cemetery. Turn right into the cemetery then when you come out the north side turn right on Old Brompton Rd. From there you have options. Just head north on any street (I usually take Earl’s Court Rd - it’s a straight shot north) until you reach Kensington High St. and Whole Foods.

Thursday, 11 April
I’ll be out of town, but the group will still run. How about choosing whatever route came in 2nd place in the voting for Thursday, 4 April? Or consider doing the Serpentine loop (route description above from Monday, 8 April). In addition, Vicky and Donna will be doing their 20-21 miler out the canal towards Greenford and back.

Friday, 12 April
Run the hill/heath/Hampstead if you want (8:30am start), or group up around 10:00 for a run to Borough Market (see route description from Friday, 5 April).

Happy Running,
Paula

1-12 April Running Info…

Friday, 29 March 2013

26 26 28 March Running Info…

March 26, 2013February 28, 2016

Hello Runners,

We did it! We conquered Bratislava! Thank you so much for making the weekend a huge success. Everyone contributed in many ways - organising dinners, tours, transport, making movies (Erin, you have a future in film production!!!), giving friends pre-race pep talks or post-race hugs, making sure we didn’t lose anyone, being on time, cheering on fellow runners, sharing gels, sharing stories, sharing beds (????? - couldn’t left that unsaid), sharing couples massages (?????)...... the list goes on. We had 72 MVPs on the trip and dozens of MVPs sending their love and support to us all weekend long from all over the world. Thank you for the scarf, the belt, the movie, and the photo collage. I don’t know how to thank you all properly for what you’ve given me. In addition to the tangible gifts, I’ll forever carry with me fabulous memories of a perfect weekend.
Dee has set up a Flicker collection for us for Bratislava pictures. To upload your photos go to www.flickr.com, the sign in is: womenrunningtheworld@yahoo.com and the password is Paula2013. Thanks a million Dee!!!
Ladies, we’ll keep running on a regular schedule into June. I’ll send more information in the next weekly email. For now, I just wanted to get the routes for the next few days sent out.
Here’s one other photo from Bratislava - it’s Alev finishing her half-marathon with the women’s marathon winner. This photo will make me smile for years to come. Well done Alev!!!

Routes this Week

Wednesday, 27 March
Whoever is interested in running tomorrow come out! It’ll be fun. This is a nice route that loops back to Starbucks in SJW. If you are taking some time off after the race, relax and enjoy it. There’s no need to jump back into running right away. With everyone running the same route, we’ll string out quite a bit. Feel free to cut the route short or choose a different route - no worries.
Kensal Rise Cemery Loop (6.4 miles) – We’ll head to the SJW tube station, cross over Wellington Rd. then turn right on Abbey Rd. At Abercorn Place, we’ll go left and run all the way to Harrow Rd. The route then heads west along Harrow Rd until we reach the Kensal Rise Cemetery. We’ll do a loop in the cemetery (that part could be eliminated to shorten the run by about a mile) then head back to SJW via Carlton Vale.

Thursday, 28 March
Marathoners - you have one long run left..... the 20-21 miler. Many of you will be doing it Thursday. Unless there are objections, I’ve routed us to Uxbridge out the canal west. It is a fabulous non-stop training run along the water the entire way.
The route is easy to follow. Run along the canal as though you’re going to Notting Hill but keep on running. When you reach the t-junction of canals (mile 14), turn right. Follow that canal for another 6 miles. You will see the town to your right as you run into the edge of Uxbridge. Exit the canal at Oxford Rd. and wind your way through the streets to the station. Uxbridge is on the Metropolitan Line which goes to Baker St (or you can get off at Finchley Rd, switch to the Jubilee to go to SJW). For those of you doing your long run the following week, let me know if you prefer a city route. I have several route options of that distance.

Ex-beginners Group - I would recommend a 60 minute loop for anyone wanting to run. I’ll be heading out with the marathon ladies so cannot join you this week but I’ll see you at Starbucks before the run. Over the weekend, I’ll send a detailed email to your group with suggestions for training post-race. For the weekly emails, you will now receive the regular distribution with the MWF runners.
Here are two route options that might be fun for Thursday:
This route goes down to Hyde Park via Lisson Grove. Enter the park and run only the NE edge by Speaker’s Corner. Exit the park at the War Animals Monument then take Brook St. all the way to Regents St. Run north up Portland Place then enter Regents Park at the SE corner. Run up the broadwalk towards the Honest Sausage cafe. Cut diagonally across the park to Charlbourg Rd. and finish at Starbucks.

We call this run the Shopping Route - it goes down SJW High St. to enter Regents Park at the Charlbourg crosswalk. Run down the western side of the park along the water then exit at York Bridge. Run down Marylebone High St. then wind your way over to New Bond St. to continue the shopping. At any point, cross over to Regents St then run north back to Regents Park. Take the broadwalk then diagonal path as in the first option.

Friday, 29 March
On Friday, many of our runners will be traveling and/or observing Good Friday. I doubt I’ll be running after Thursdays long run but I’ll happily join you for coffee if anyone is running.
Happy Running,
Flat Paula

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26-28 March Running Info…

Tuesday, 26 March 2013

15 18 22 March Running Info…

March 15, 2013February 28, 2016

Hello Runners,

We’ve done it! We’ve made it through all the long runs to prepare for our race in Bratislava next weekend. Well done everyone! This week’s training will be much more relaxed. Unless you’re training for a marathon, this is a recovery week. Take it easy!!! Run at a comfortable pace - let your legs have a break. For those of you going on the Bratislava trip, I’ll be sending out a separate email with some final logistical information.
Many of you have asked what happens after the race. We have fun! Some runners will take off a week or two (particularly those who have aches/pains/injuries/niggles). The ASL break starts the Friday after we get back from the trip so a lot of our ladies will head out of town. I’ll be running on Wednesday, 27 March - probably a 5-6 mile loop. Most of our marathoners have a long run on Thursday, 28 March. Beginning Friday, 29 March, we’ll be running the “holiday format”. Basically, whoever shows up on Mon/Wed/Fri runs. The routes are decided upon at Starbucks before the run. It’s very laid-back and tons of fun. Usually the groups are mixed paces. Somehow it works. Some people slow down a bit and others speed up a bit. Beginning Monday, 15 April, we get back to a more “normal” schedule. The marathoners are winding down their training and the rest of us try to establish a regular running routine. Most ladies continue to run 3 times a week but not everyone is interested in doing long runs. The routes will be flexible to accommodate everyone. No worries!!!

This week the routes are organised by day - Mon, Wed and Fri, then by group.

Routes this Week

Monday, 18 February
Marathon Trainees (18 miles for London and Stratford-on-Avon runners): You have 2-3 options. It would be best for us to run non-stop along a canal or the river, but we’ve had so much rain. It’ll be muddy. Option #1 will involve some dirt/mud. Option #2 is all street running - the route is interesting but your knees/hips will feel it. Option #3 is so boring you may want to hang up your running shoes once it’s over.
Kingston via Richmond Park (18 miles) – This route is a combination of street running, asphalt paths and some dirt/trail running. It’s a fun route because it’s constantly changing; however..... because it’s constantly changing, we’ll have to stay together as a group. The route goes down to Battersea Park, then back across the river to King’s Rd where we’ll head southwest to Putney Bridge. Once we cross over the river, we would follow the embankment for 1/2 mile then cut through some dirt trails to Priory Rd. The route leads straight into Richmond Park. We would cut across Richmond Park (those are asphalt or well-groomed gravel paths) to exit into Richmond village. From Richmond, we would run along the river to Kingston-on-Thames (this stretch would probably be muddy). Train back to London.
Canary/Greenwich/Borough/Westminster/Waterloo (18 miles) – Below is another option. This route is easier to navigate (but we still might have to stay together for those of you unfamiliar with the south side of the river) and goes along part of the London marathon route. We would run to Canary Wharf, then on to the Isle of Dogs, cross under the river in the footpath tunnel, then come up close to the Cutty Sark in Greenwich. From there, the route takes Evelyn St. to Jamaica Rd. to the Borough Market area. We would run along the embankment and cross over the river to the north side at Blackfriar’s Bridge. The last 2 miles follow the embankment to Westminster then we would probably need to add about 1/2 mile so we would go over Westminster Bridge and finish at Waterloo. This route is all street running which won’t be muddy, but is hard on your knees/hips.4 Parks (18 miles) – If you prefer to run your own pace or need to run on a different day/time, consider the route below. It’s beyond boring but you’ll get your 18 miles done.
This route covers 4 parks (with Hyde Park looped twice). So, head down to Hyde Park and do the perimeter until you reach Wellington Arch. Cross over and do the perimeters of Green Park and St. James Park. Cross back over under Wellington Arch to Hyde Park. Do another loop of Hyde Park then exit at Brook St. and run north on Baker St. to Regents Park. Do a full loop of Regent’s Park then a partial loop going into the Inner Circle. Exit Regents Park at Charlbourg and finish at Starbucks.
Speedsters (6-8 miles depending on your program):
Fast Group (6-8 miles depending on your program):
Hyde Park (6-8 miles) – Hyde Park is a perfect route for Monday. For those of you wanting/needing 8 miles, do the full perimeter and return to Starbucks (map to the left). For those of you following the less aggressive training program, you have 6 miles on your schedule. Those of you easing back into running after an injury might also consider a 6 mile run (instead of 8 miles). Run to Hyde Park but don’t do the full perimeter (see map to right). Run west from Speaker’s Corner, then south along Carriage Rd crossing over the Serpentine. Run alongside the water crossing back over the Serpentine near the cafe. Run diagonally back towards the east side of the park, exit at Brook St. and take Baker or Gloucester back to SJW. Finish at Starbucks in SJW.
Mid-level I - (6 miles):
Mid-level II - (6 miles):
Run to Hyde Park and follow the Serpentine route (see map below). Run west from Speaker’s Corner, then south along Carriage Rd crossing over the Serpentine. Run alongside the water crossing back over the Serpentine near the cafe. Run diagonally back towards the east side of the park, exit at Brook St. and take Baker or Gloucester back to SJW. Finish at Starbucks in SJW. The two groups will be following the same route, but don’t feel the need to adjust your pace in order to all stay together. Everyone should run at their own (medium) pace.

Wednesday, 20 March
Speedsters - Marathon and Half-marathon Trainees (6-7 miles):
Fast Group - Marathon and Half-Marathon Trainees (6-7 miles):
Mid-level I (6 miles):
Notting Hill (6.5 miles) - I think you all know this route. It’s out the canal west then exiting at Ladbrook Grove to run up to Notting Hill. We usually then head east to Ledbury then jig-jag to Westbourne Grove to run back towards Paddington Station. Drop down to the canal at the basin (near the Starbucks on the canal) and head back towards SJW along the water’s edge then run along St. John’s Wood Rd then Grove End Rd. to Starbucks.
Mid-level II - (5-6 miles):
You have 5-6 miles on your schedule this week for Wednesday. Either do the Notting Hill loop (6.5 miles - see map above) or run out the canal about 2.5 miles then turn around and run back to SJW. If you don’t like that idea, Susan Ashley showed me a nice route in Regents Park this week. You could do that one or run down towards Marylebone High St. and do a shortened shopping route.

Friday, 22 March
On Friday, 72 of our runners are heading to Bratislava for the half-marathon so we’ll have a smaller group out running. My flight leaves in the afternoon so I’ll probably come out and do a 4-5 mile flat run. For those of you not going to Slovakia, run the regular routes in the heath or feel free to join me.
Happy Running,
Paula

The Mid-level I Group ran to Kew Gardens on Wednesday. What a gorgeous day…. what a gorgeous group of ladies!!!!

18-22 March Running Info…

Friday, 15 March 2013

8 11 15 March Running Info…

March 8, 2013February 28, 2016

Hello Runners,

We’re almost there! One more week of long running and Bratislava, here we come!!!! We can do it! We have some interesting routes this week but please feel free to run loops around Hyde Park or run out and back if you need to be back to SJW. Destination runs are fun, but they do eat up the morning hours.

For those of you not going to Bratislava, let me know if you want a running cap. Chris Roberts and Kelli Montanaro designed them for us. They are so cute - light pink and have “Bratislava 2013” on the side. I have 13 extra caps so first come, first serve! They cost £17. I take cash, checks or your first-born child (prior approval required). Just kidding - the child doesn’t have to be first-born but I’m serious about the prior approval. In Bratislava, all of our runners will wear them so we can identify “our team” on the course.

I forgot to mention the March birthdays in last week’s email. When do you want to celebrate these birthdays? We could have cupcakes on Wednesday, 27 March (Friday is a holiday) or we could celebrate in Bratislava (but everyone won’t be there). What do you prefer? These are the March birthdays that I know of:
4 March - Sunny Brenneman 8 March - Ellen Rickert 9 March - Paula Mitchell 14 March - Sue Evans and Tracey Sears (Sue and Tracey, we miss you!!! Come
run with us again soon!!!) 16 March - Chris Roberts 30 March - Jean Hughes

I’m still working on pace cards for Bratislava. Please email me your target pace or finishing time. Thanks!

Kathy McMahon found a Lululemon glove at Starbucks after the run on Friday. Hurry and email her if it’s yours - I think she’s busy sourcing a matching one for her other hand. mcmahonjk@aol.com

The routes below are organized by group, not day:
Speedsters and Fast Group (same routes this week)
Mid-level I
Mid-level II

Routes this Week

This week the Speedsters and the Fast Group will be doing the same route. If you are one of the faster runners in those groups, migrate towards the front of the pack before we reach the canal. That will help the different pace groups naturally spread out.

Speedsters and Fast Group:
____________________________________________________________
London Marathon Trainees (16 miles)
Stratford-on-Avon Marathon Trainees (16 miles)
Paris Marathon Trainees (10 miles)
Half-marathon Trainees (11 miles)
Monday, 11 March
Canal/Victoria Park/Ponders End (16 miles) – Ask around - Ponders End has it’s own micro-climate. The forecast for London on Monday is snow (I’m not making that up), Ponders End will probably have Arctic-like conditions. This route heads out the canal east towards Canary Wharf. At Victoria Park, we’ll exit from the canal and run to the River Lea. At the river, the route leads north to Ponders End. We will take a train from there to Liverpool St. Station then tube home.
Canal/Victoria Park/Tottenham hale (11.5 miles) – Half-marathoners, this week you have 11 miles on your training schedule - it’s the last long run before Bratislava. You could either run with the marathon trainees and finish at Tottenham Hale (see map at right) or run to Canary Wharf and do a loop around the colonnade/Heron Quays (see map at right). The Tottenham Hale station sits less than 1/4 mile from the River Lea (the red line on the map is our running route) and is on the Victoria line. It’s a nice run up there, but if you prefer to finish at Canary Wharf, run the normal route then do a big lap around the Canary Wharf district. Even with that loop, your mileage will be a bit short of 11 miles but it’s close enough.
Wednesday, 13 March
Camden/Euston/Oxford Loop (6 miles) – Run along the canal to Camden. Come off the canal and follow Chalk Farm Rd. south to Mornington Crescent tube station. Veer to the right at that Y intersection to run on Hampstead Rd. south across Marylebone Rd. At Tottenham Court Rd. tube station turn right and run west along Oxford St. Finish the run by taking Baker St. up to SJW. We have used this route for tempo work in the past. I would recommend just running it at a medium pace this week. Allow your body to start resting before the half-marathon. If you want some tempo work, pick up the pace for varying distances when you can. Usually the bit along the canal isn’t too busy for quick-paced running and there are parts of Hampstead Road that you can usually sprint.
Friday, 15 March
On Fridays, everyone goes up the hill to Hampstead and/or the Heath. If you are running the half-marathon in Bratislava, take it easy on this run. Don’t push the pace. Let your legs start to wind-down before the race.

Mid-level I Group:
____________________________________________________________
Monday, 11 March
Camden/Euston/Oxford Loop (6 miles) – Run along the canal to Camden. Come off the canal and follow Chalk Farm Rd. south to Mornington Crescent tube station. Veer to the right at that Y intersection to run on Hampstead Rd. south across Marylebone Rd. At Tottenham Court Rd. tube station turn right and run west along Oxford St. Finish the run by taking Baker St. up to SJW. We have used this route for tempo work in the past. I would recommend just running it at a medium pace this week. Allow your body to start resting before the half-marathon. If you really want some tempo work, pick up the pace for varying distances when you can. Usually the bit along the canal isn’t too busy for quick-paced running and there are parts of Hampstead Road that you can usually sprint.

Wednesday, 13 March
Half-marathon Trainees (11 miles)
Kew (11 miles) – The route to Kew is normally 10-10.5 miles. We’ll extend the mileage by running along the eastern edge of Hyde Park before heading
west along the southern edge of the park. If you need to be back to SJW, you can always run out 5.5 miles and turn around and run back. It’s a bit boring but efficient.
Friday, 15 March
On Fridays, everyone goes up the hill to Hampstead and/or the Heath. If you are running the half-marathon in Bratislava, take it easy on this run. Don’t push the pace. Let your legs start to wind-down before the race.

Mid-level II Group:
____________________________________________________________
Half-marathon Trainees (11 miles long run)
Monday, 11 March
Battersea Loop plus Regents Park or Kew (11 miles) – You have options!! Either follow the route to Kew (made a bit longer by running the perimeter of Hyde Park) or run the Battersea Loop and add a mile in Regents Park. The Battersea Loop map is to the left. You would run the normal route but then head into Regents Park for an additional mile before finishing at Starbucks in SJW. The Kew route is detailed in the map below. You would run down to Hyde Park via Lisson/Seymour, enter the park then run down towards Wellington Arch. At the SE corner of the park, head west remaining in the park (running along the southern edge). In front of Kensington Palace, exit the park and run west on Kensington High Street to Hammersmith. Cross over the river then continue running west along the Thames until you reach Kew Bridge. Run up Kew Road, then cut over to the Kew Gardens station (see map below).

Wednesday, 13 March
Camden/Euston/Oxford Loop (6 miles) – Run along the canal to Camden. Come off the canal and follow Chalk Farm Rd. south to Mornington Crescent tube station. Veer to the right at that Y intersection to run on Hampstead Rd. south across Marylebone Rd. At Tottenham Court Rd. tube station turn right and run west along Oxford St. Finish the run by taking Baker St. up to SJW.

Friday, 15 March
On Fridays, everyone goes up the hill to Hampstead and/or the Heath. If you have been injured, consider running flat.
Happy Running,
Paula

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11-15 March Running Info…

Friday, 8 March 2013

1 4 8 March Running Info…

March 1, 2013February 28, 2016

Hello Runners,
I tell you what..... I couldn’t be happier! Our training is going extremely well. Everyone is training hard, running the appropriate pace, settling into their “packs” for the race and we have several previously injured runners easing back into the program. It’s fabulous! For the half-marathon, we have one more hard week of running - but that’s not this week!!!! This is a recovery week so enjoy the shorter routes and very relaxed nature of the runs this week!!! Take it easy this week so you’ll be ready for the following week. This would be a good time to get a sports massage and/or see your physios for a MOT tune-up. For those of your training for the half-marathon, I would recommend stopping speed/tempo work until after the race. Give your body the next 3 weeks to settle down. Those of you training for marathons could either stop the tempo/speed work now or, at a minimum, 3 weeks before your race.
We have two great class opportunities available:
Yoga - Carol Mark, one of our runners, teaches yoga at the LJ Synagogue. She’s been offering a class on Thursdays, now she is adding a Tuesday BASICS class. The class will be for all levels but will move at a slower pace than the Thursday class with more of a focus on proper alignment. Ladies, this is the best thing since sliced bread! You can drop in, no commitment is required, you pay on the day and Carol is an incredible teacher. Don’t miss this opportunity!!!! One of these days Carol is going to be famous and you can say you took lessons from her “back in the days” of SJW.
Pilates - APPI is beginning another session of Pilates for Runners on Thursdays at 1pm. Contact their front desk at 0207 624 5314. This pilates class is fabulous. The exercises strengthen core and stabilizer muscles and the stretching helps lengthen muscles that we constantly compact with our running. Consider it! It’ll be good for you!
I’m working on pace cards for Bratislava next week. Please, please, please let me know what your goal is. It’s possible we’ve discussed it while running, but I’m old - I can’t remember what you told me 5 minutes later when I get home. Please email me your target finishing time or pace.
The routes below are organized by group, not day, ie.:
Speedsters
Fast Group
Mid-level I
Mid-level II
Hopefully this will make reading the email easier - you only have to go through your section.

Routes this Week

Speedsters:
____________________________________________________________
London Marathon Trainees (10 miles)
Stratford-on-Avon Marathon Trainees (10 miles)
Paris Marathon Trainees (18 miles)
Half-marathon Trainees (8 miles)
Last week worked out so well! Thank you sooooooo much for helping each other out. It sounds like everyone had a job and did it well. You girls are the best!!!! This week is a recovery week (except for Paris runners). This is a nice loop that will get you back to SJW efficiently. Some of our upcoming longs runs are destination runs so this loop will be an easy option this week.
Monday, 4 March
Parks/Embankment/Farringdon/Canal Loop (10 miles) – This is a nice, efficient route. You will head down to Hyde Park via Lisson Grove. Then head down to Wellington Arch, cross over into Green Park and run to Buckingham Palace. Skirt around the front of the palace and follow Birdcage towards Big Ben. When you reach the river, run along the embankment until you reach Blackfriar’s bridge. Run north on Farringdon Rd., cross over Pentonville Rd., drop down to the canal and run back to SJW. Paris Marathoners, I think you’re doing your long run on the weekend, if you need any route suggestions, let me know. A great 18 mile run is out to Kingston-on-Thames. It’s mostly non-stop running. Half-marathoners, this is a recovery week for you. You are scheduled to do 8 miles. You could easily finish at Marble Arch and take a bus/tube home. It will be tempting to run the full 10 miles and truthfully, that won’t kill you. If you decide to run the 10 miles, take it easy pace-wise on the last 2 miles.
Wednesday, 6 March
Half-marathoners, I would stop doing tempo/speed work until after the race. Marathoners, depending on your respective race dates, either stop tempo/speed work now or at a minimum 3 weeks before your race.
Canal/Brondesbury Loop (6 miles) – Head down to the canal at Little Venice. Run along the canal as though you are doing the Notting Hill loop. Come off the canal where we normally exit but turn right to go over the canal. Stay straight for less than 1/2 a mile (the road becomes Chamberlayne Rd) then turn right on Harvist Rd. Run almost precisely a mile until you reach Kilburn High Road where you turn right. Turn left at Abercorn, right on Abbey then take Grove End and wind your way back to Starbucks. If you want to do speed/tempo work, you could do that on the canal stretch or just stay on the canal for a more intensive session.
Friday, 8 March
On Fridays, everyone goes up the hill to Hampstead and/or the Heath. Most of you in this group normally run the full 8 mile loop. As this is a recovery week, if you want to take the shorter route in the heath or do a flat route - that’s fine!

Fast Group:
____________________________________________________________
London Marathon Trainees (10 miles)
Stratford-on-Avon Marathon Trainees (10 miles)
Paris Marathon Trainees (18 miles)
Half-marathon Trainees (8 miles)
Monday, 4 March
Canal/Farringdon/Parks Loop (10 miles) – This is nice, efficient route that brings us back to SJW most efficiently. We’ll head to the canal, run to Islington, then exit from the canal to take Farringdon Rd. to the river Thames. We’ll run along the embankment to Westminster, then take Birdcage to Wellington Arch, then cut north through Hyde Park. From the park, we’ll take Lisson/Seymour back to SJW. Paris Marathoners, I think you’re doing your long run on the weekend, if you need any route suggestions, let me know. A great 18 mile run is out to Kingston-on-Thames. It’s mostly non-stop running. Half-marathoners, this is a recovery week for you. You are scheduled to do 8 miles. You could easily finish at Marble Arch and take a bus/tube home. It will be tempting to run the full 10 miles and truthfully, that won’t kill you. If you decide to run the 10 miles, take it easy pace-wise on the last 2 miles.
Wednesday, 6 March
Half-marathoners, I would stop doing tempo/speed work until after the race. Marathoners, depending on your respective race dates, either stop tempo/speed work now or at a minimum 3 weeks before your race.
Canal/Brondesbury Loop (6 miles) – Head down to the canal at Little Venice. Run along the canal as though you are doing the Notting Hill loop. Come off the canal where we normally exit but turn right to go over the canal. Stay straight for less than 1/2 a mile (the road becomes Chamberlayne Rd) then turn right on Harvist Rd. Run almost precisely a mile until you reach Kilburn High Road where you turn right. Turn left at Abercorn, right on Abbey then take Grove End and wind your way back to Starbucks. Marathoners, if you want to do speed/tempo work, you could do that on the canal stretch or just stay on the canal for a more intensive session.
Friday, 8 March
On Fridays, everyone goes up the hill to Hampstead and/or the Heath. Most of you in this group normally run the full 8 mile loop. As this is a recovery week, if you want to take the shorter route in the heath or do a flat route - that’s fine!

Mid-level I Group:
____________________________________________________________
Half-marathoners, I would stop doing tempo/speed work until after the race.
Monday, 4 March
The Shopping Route (5-7 miles) – This is an enjoyable 5+ mile route with lots of great window shopping. The exact streets you choose aren’t important. Feel free to play it by ear. Normally we run down through Regents Park to Marylebone High St. At Wigmore, turn left the an almost immediate right into St. Christopher’s Place (or carry on to Welbeck then take Vere) to Oxford St. Head south on Bond St., then east on Conduit until you reach Regent St. Take Regent St. all the way back to Regents Park. Do a diagonal through the park and finish at Starbucks in SJW. This is a recovery week so there is no need to push your pace. Enjoy the route and come back with a full report of what we’re all supposed to be wearing this spring!!! The Mid-level II group will be doing this route and Wednesday so you can compare shopping notes.
Wednesday, 6 March
Stratford-on-Avon Marathon Trainees (13 miles)
Half-marathon Trainees (8 miles)
Hyde Park Perimeter (8 miles) – OK, it’s a bit boring but it’s efficient! This is a recovery week so you “only” have to run 7-8 miles. The loop around Hyde Park is precisely 8 miles. We’ll take Lisson/Seymour to the park, run the full perimeter (notice the cut-out in front of Kensington Palace), then return to SJW via Baker St. or Gloucester Rd (whichever you prefer). Sherry and I will be leaving you in front of Kensington Palace to head to Richmond. Feel free to join us if you want a more interesting route than Hyde Park. On the Richmond route, there are exit options at 5 miles (Hammersmith), 7 miles (but this is a train station - not tube - and it’s fiddly getting home from there), and 10 miles (Kew).

Friday, 8 March
On Fridays, everyone goes up the hill to Hampstead and/or the Heath. As this is a recovery week, if you want to take the shorter route in the heath or do a flat route - that’s fine!

Mid-level II Group:
____________________________________________________________
Half-marathon Trainees (7-8 miles)
Monday, 4 March
Hyde Park Perimeter (8 miles) – OK, it’s a bit boring but it’s efficient! This is a recovery week so you “only” have to run 7-8 miles. The loop around Hyde Park is precisely 8 miles. Take Lisson/Seymour to the park, run the full perimeter (notice the cut-out in front of Kensington Palace), then return to SJW via Baker St. or Gloucester Rd (whichever you prefer). It will be kind of fun at Starbucks at the finish. Several of our groups will be finishing there.
Wednesday, 6 March
The Shopping Route (5-7 miles) – This is an enjoyable 5+ mile route with lots of great window shopping. The exact streets you choose aren’t important. Normally we run down through Regents Park to Marylebone High St. At Wigmore, turn left the an almost immediate right into St. Christopher’s Place (or carry on to Welbeck then take Vere) to Oxford St. Head south on Bond St., then east on Conduit until you reach Regent St. Take Regent St. all the way back to Regents Park. Do a diagonal through the park and finish at Starbucks in SJW. This is a recovery week so there is no need to push your pace. Enjoy the route and come back with a full report of what we’re all supposed to be wearing this spring!!!
Friday, 8 March
On Fridays, everyone goes up the hill to Hampstead and/or the Heath. If you have been injured, consider running flat.
Happy Running,
Paula

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