Hello Runners,

Plans for next year are coming together beautifully.  The running group will be better than ever!  Lynn is pulling together a team of people to help with different aspects of the group.  Next year, there will be runners providing nutritional tips, finding and promoting races, helping set routes, selecting and organising the group half-marathon, updating the website, and keeping the group fun with social activities.  It’s going to be fabulous!  I think by spreading out “jobs” everyone will feel more ownership of the WRW.  Thank you so much for keeping the group going.  It means the world to me.  Knowing that WRW will continue makes me very happy.  Thank you Lynn for agreeing to coordinate the group!

Syma will be leading a beginner group for next year.  If you know of anyone who is interested, please have them contact Syma.  As in the past, it is best if the ladies in the group are truly beginners.  If someone can run a bit, they are better suited for the regular MWF group.  You could help Syma and Lynn by encouraging new WRW runners to find the right group.

Attached to this email are training programs for Ealing or Windsor half-marathons on 29 September and the 17 November San Antonio half-marathon.  Amy Grace will put these on the website so you’ll have easier access to them.  When I finish the program for the Spring 2014 group half-marathon and a spring full marathon, I’ll forward those to Amy for the website.  All of these programs are just suggestions.  Use them as a basic guideline and adjust them to suit your schedule or your specific training needs.

If you are moving from London this summer, please let Lynn know.  She will be organising a “leavers” get-together probably around the first week of June.  Speaking of leaving, please stop by Cafe Richoux on Friday after the run (around 9:30-9:45am).  I would love to have a chance to tell you goodbye.  It will be very casual.  Pop in for a quick coffee/tea or stay for the whole time.

That’s it from me.  Next week’s email will come from Lynn.  Please keep on running!!!!  If you need some inspiration, listen to the song written specifically for the Trans-alpine Race in this video – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJxHFmsQz8w  It says keep on running, keep on fighting while you’re broken, keep on laughing while you’re crying, ‘cuz you’ll make it any way.  I loved that race and I love that song.  It’s true – running can be hard but you just have to keep putting one step in front of the other.  You can do it!  Thanks a million for all the fun times we’ve had together.  I’ll miss everyone!!!!  Keep on running…..

Routes this Week

Monday, 6 May
Monday is a bank holiday so we’ll probably have a small group.  Some of the ex-beginners want to run the hill to Hampstead.  Join them or consider running this route.  We will be meeting at 8:15am as normal.  Some of the runners with small children want to run then get back home to family.  

 Hyde Park Serpentine Loop (6.25 miles) – This is an efficient, 6+ mile route down to Hyde Park.  Take Lisson/Seymour to enter the park at the NE corner.  Run west along the northern edge of the park crossing over Carriage Rd.  At the Italian fountains, turn left and run south following the water’s edge.  Run under Carriage Rd, pass by the Lido cafe, then cross over the Serpentine bridge at the eastern edge of the water.  From there, take a diagonal path towards the park exit at Brook St.  The map to the left shows the route following Upper Grosvenor but we normally take Brook St by the US Embassy.  Run back to Starbucks in SJW via Baker St. or Gloucester Place.

 

Tuesday, 7 May
Some of the ex-beginners will be doing a 45-60 minute run – route of their choice.

Wednesday, 9 May
Whole Foods Cafe on Glasshouse St. and Choccywoccydoodah (7 miles) – Why not????  Let’s run to the Whole Foods Cafe on Glasshouse St (near Piccadilly Circus).  That location has some tables outside.  Hopefully the weather will be nice and we can have coffee al fresco.  After coffee, I’m walking up to Choccywoccydoodah – it’s about a 5 minute walk up to Foubert’s Place.  Have a look at this website (http://www.choccywoccydoodah.com) and you’ll be tempted to come with me.  They are famous for their cafes and chocolates.  The route goes out the canal to “the wall” then down Farringdon to the river Thames.  We’ll follow the Embankment towards Westminster then turn right at Northumberland.  After running through

Trafalgar Square, we’ll take Haymarket up to Piccadilly Circus.  Just north of Piccadilly Circus, there is a little cut-through to reach Glasshouse St. (see map below left). The Whole Foods Cafe is on that street.  After having coffee, I’ll walk up Lower John and Carnaby St to reach Choccywoccydoodah.  Join me if you have time.  It’ll be worth the walk – I promise!

 

Thursday, 9 May

I will not be running on Thursday but here’s an interesting route to try – it’s something different.  You could shorten it by running back down Finchley Road to SJW instead of NW on Hendon Way.

West End Lane and Shoot-up Hill (6.5 miles) –
From Starbucks, head north of St. Ann’s Terrace then turn left on Acacia running by the SJW tube station. Carry on across Wellington Rd and at Abbey Rd turn right.  Run up Abbey Rd/West End Lane to Finchley Rd. where you will turn left.  At Hendon Way, veer left then after about 1/3 mile turn left on Cricklewood Lane.  Run about 2/3 mile to Shoot-up Hill.  Turn left and run down about 1.5 miles to Quex Rd.  Turn left to cut across to Abbey/West End then retrace your steps to Starbucks in SJW.

Friday, 10 May
On Friday, I won’t be running but I’ll join you for coffee/pastries at Cafe Richoux around 9:30-9:45am.

The Heath – old route (8 miles) – It’s hard to give directions as most of this run is in the heath.  The route is on the map to the left but you’ll probably need to follow other runners if you don’t know the way.

The Heath – Western route (8 miles) – This is the route we did yesterday. Again, it’s difficult to give directions in the heath (turn at the 2nd big tree on the left????) but hopefully seeing this map will help give you an idea of where we were.

The Darcy route (6-7 miles) – We probably need to quit calling this one the Darcy route because she rarely does it anymore.  If you need details about the route, Darcy can explain it to you.

The Betsy route (5 miles) – Betsy is out of town but this is the route she was doing in the fall.  It’s lovely.  Ex-beginners – this is basically what we did together in our hill running “lesson” (see map to the right).

Hampstead tube station (4 miles) – This is a great route to do if you’re short on time or are new to running “the hill”.  Head up to the Hampstead tube station with the group then turn around and head back home.  That’s it!

Happy Running,

Paula