Hi Everyone,

I can’t believe it’s almost December! We have some fun runs on the schedule for the next few weeks. I hope you can join us.

Monday we are doing a route going west on the canal, then through Notting Hill, Holland Park, Kensington, Hyde Park and ending at Green Park to take the tube home. We did this route last spring and people really liked it. The entire route is 8 miles but you can shorten it to be closer to 7 miles if you run straight to the tube when you get to Green Park. You’ll be familiar with parts of the this route from other runs, but make sure you look at the directions especially for the turn to get to Holland Park. Wednesday we’re doing a Canal/Regents Park route and Friday we’re back up the Hill.

Looking Ahead – Next Monday 5 December Wembley in REVERSE
Next Monday we’ll plan to meet at Barclays as normal but we’re then going to run to the Maida Vale station and take the Bakerloo line to the Wembley Central station. We’ll then follow the canal back to St. John’s Wood. There are a few benefits of doing the route in reverse. We miss a lot of the bike traffic on the canal and we end at home so we don’t have to take a cold tube ride back. In addition, if you find that you are struggling near the end of the run, you’ll be in familiar territory and could always walk a bit. Plus we can still all meet at Starbucks!

Looking Ahead – Next Wednesday 7 December Christmas Lights Run – 6:00am START
I know it sounds crazy, but it is really worth it to get up early to see the Christmas lights in the dark and without the crowds. We’ll meet at Barclays at 6:00am. Last year I did the 4.5 mile route and took the tube from Bond Street and was home to help the kids by 7:15am. We recommend that you wear some reflective clothing and ideally have a bike light or head lamp. The streets, especially in Regents Park, are very dark at that time of the morning. You may want to purchase or borrow something before the run. (If you’re not up for an early start, or you can’t swing it with your family, there’ll be a group that meets at the normal time as well.)

THANK YOU to Starbucks
The holiday time of year is here and we’ll be organising a gift for the employees at our local St. John’s Wood Starbucks. We’re suggesting a £5-10 donation, but feel free to give whatever you would like. We’ll also be donating some home-baked goodies. Give your donation (in an envelope with your name) to me before Tuesday 13 December. Please email [email protected] if you would like to contribute baked treats. We’ll gather the baked goods on Tuesday 13 December and we’ll give the gift to Starbucks on Wednesday 14 December before the run. Please get your gift to us soon if you would like to participate.

Warsaw Race update
If you are planning to run the Half Marathon in Warsaw, you can now register for the race. All the directions and links are on our website on the “Spring Half Marathon” tab. PLEASE email Jen Skor with your flight details, if you haven’t done it already. We are assuming that anyone who wants to attend the race has already booked a hotel room, but if you still need a hotel room, email us ASAP at [email protected]. Very soon we will be communicating additional Warsaw information only to the people who are attending the trip so it’s important that you make your travel plans and email Jen so we know you should be on that list. Thanks!

Finally, a belated Happy Thanksgiving to everyone. I am thankful for YOU!

Jane

ROUTES

Monday, 28 November – Holland Park to Green Park (8 miles)

We start out the same as our traditional Notting Hill Route [Circus Rd to Grove End, to St Johns Wood Rd to Cunningham, to Blomfield to the Canal, going west past the Westway to Ladbroke Grove].  Once on Ladbroke Grove, run south all the way until it ends at Holland Park Avenue.  Cross Holland Park Avenue, take a right and then a left on Holland Walk [just past Aubrey Road].  Holland Walk is a pedestrian way.  Run up Holland Walk until the first entrance into Holland Park on your right [opposite the Duchess of Bedford Walk].  Run into the park and then turn left on the broad walk which goes the length of Holland Park until it ends at Kensington High Street; turn left and run along Ken High Street.  (For a shorter run, you can leave at the Ken High St Tube which makes it about a 5 mi run).  Otherwise, continue on until you reach Kensington Park, where you enter it at the junction with the Broad Walk [just before Palace Gate road]. Take the Broad Walk to the first path on the right which turns into So Carriage Dr. You’ll run past The Albert Memorial and cross West Carriage Dr at the light. Continue on So Carriage Dr all the way to Apsley House/Hyde Park Corner.   Cross over Piccadilly and run under Wellington Arch, then cross at the light to run along the path to the left of Constitution Hill [the same route we take in going to Big Ben],  At the Mall, turn left to run to the easternmost path of Green Park [again, familiar from other routes], turn left and run by Lancaster House to Green Park Tube. Hop on the Tube back to SJW and meet up at Starbucks

Wednesday 30 November  – Camden Left to Regents Park (6 miles)

Head out the Canal east and exit RIGHT at Camden Market, taking the bridge to cross over the Canal and make a LEFT onto Chalk Farm Hill Road.  [Note the groves in the iron railing of the bridge, made from the ropes pulling the barges.]  Take this road north, past Adelaide, past England’s Lane to Belsize Grove [before the Belsize Tube Stn] and make a left.  Left again on Belsize Park Gardens.  Take this all the way to Primrose Hill Park.  Enter PH Park and follow the north side path until it ends; make a left and continue to the Ormonde Terrace entrance, make a left and zig zag to the other side of the park and back to the main entrance on Prince Albert Road.  Exit PH Park, cross Prince Albert and go across the bridge and across the Ring Road into Regents Park.  Follow the interior path alongside the Zoo and as it curls onto the Broadwalk.  Go right and follow the Broadwalk to just beyond The Smokehouse.  Make a right onto the main path and take it across the park, exiting at the Charlbert entrance.  Head up to St Johns Wood Terrace, make a left and head to Starbucks.

Friday 2 December – The Heath 4-8 miles
We run up the hill on Fridays–it’s tradition! It is hard, but you’ll feel great when you are finished.

If you are not up for a hill run yet, no problem, just let us know.  Every week there are a group of women who prefer to do a flat run.  We can help make sure that you find each other.

4 miles:  A great way to ease into running the hill.   Run up to the Hampstead tube station and back. If you have trouble running up, think about how easy it will be running down!

5 miles: The Betsy Route
6+ miles:  The partial Heath route OR the Reverse Heath route
7.5 miles: The Highgate route
8 miles:  The full Heath route

Click here for maps of all of the Heath routes.