6 – 10 March 2017 Running Info

Hi everyone,
A massive CONGRATULATIONS to our Beginner group who ran to Canary Wharf on Wednesday. They started this journey in September by running one minute and walking two and in a few weeks they’ll run a half marathon!  I’m looking forward to you meeting them and celebrating together. THANK YOU to the Beginner coaches Amy Grace, Meg Stone, Stacey Towfighi, Karina Kalb and Melissa Kay. They have done an amazing job!
Congratulations to everyone who ran last Monday. That was a difficult run! We had a major diversion off the canal where we explored the warehouses of London and then we had serious rain and mud for miles. As if running 10 miles wasn’t hard enough! But we did get to practice our mental toughness and find our inner warrior!
We had planned to do Wembley Reverse on Monday, but due to the canal construction and extensive diversion, we’re going to scrap that plan. We have a new route for Monday. We are going to run west on the canal, like we are running to Wembley regular, and turn around at four miles and run back. We are at a key point in the training and it’s important to get the milage, but also non-stop running. So even though this is a bit boring route, it enables us to do the non-stop run and avoid the canal diversions on both the east and west canal routes. Plus Kathy McMahon pointed out that nothing is boring when we have our lovely pace group friends to keep us company! Wednesday we’re doing the Camden to Regents Park route, check out the map below, and Friday we’re recommending the Highgate Heath route, but you can do another Hill route if you prefer.
Warsaw Update
We’re finalising the details for our trip to Warsaw. Make sure you read all the emails and respond to all our requests ASAP. Right now we need your responses for the photo directory and the meal choices. Thanks so much! There will be more information coming soon about the race course and other travel details.
Save the Date – Lululemon yoga
Lululemon is offering a yoga class geared towards runners on Tuesday, 14th March at 8:45am in the Marylebone store (74 Marylebone High Street, W1U 5JW.)  RSVP to Kathy or Stephanie. Please note that if you’ve done yoga before and found it helpful this could be a good way to get an extra stretch. However, if you have never done yoga before, it may not be the time to try something new as we are so close to the race.
London 10-mile race, 4 June 2017
Some of the WRW runners have signed up for the Richmond Park London 10-mile run on 4 June. Check it out, looks like it could be a fun race! https://www.royalparks.org.uk/parks/richmond-park/richmond-park-attractions/upcoming-events-in-richmond-park/london-10-mile
Keep running,
Jane
ROUTES

Monday 6 March – Canal Run Towards Wembley (8 miles: 4 out 4 back)

With the race in sight, it is important to have uninterrupted running on the canal.  Unfortunately, there is SO much construction taking place on the canal some of the sections are closed.  We need to be flexible!  The longest stretch is out towards Wembley so we will run in that direction. We will start out heading west on Circus Road, turn left on Grove End to St John’s Wood Road and go west, turning left on Cunningham then right on Aberdeen to work your way to the canal entrance on Blomfield.   Once on the canal run for approximately 2.5 miles on the canal and turn around and run back to Starbucks.  A hot coffee will be waiting for you!

Wednesday 8 March –  Camden/Morningside Crescent/Regent’s Park (5 miles)

We will run to the canal going eastbound to Camden Market, where we exit the canal and turn right onto Camden High Street. We’ll run down Camden High Street to Mornington Crescent Tube Station and veer right onto Hampstead Road, which we will take down towards Euston Road. Just before reaching the huge intersection at Euston Road we turn right at the Sainsburys/Itsu and run between the office buildings and past the nice fountains. When we get onto Triton Street stay on the right side, cross Osnaburgh and continue to the zebra crossing to cross Albany Street. Run to the corner at Euston Road, take a right and the next right to enter the park. We make the first left onto Outer Circle and run around the loop to the Charlbert Street exit (where we usually enter for the canal or park). We’ll run up Charlbert Street to Allitsen Road, make a left, and head back to Starbucks.

Friday 10 March – The Highgate (7.5+ miles)

Head up Fitzjohn’s, as usual, and continue past the Hampstead Tube and Whitestone Pond to stay on Spaniards Road. Do not enter the Heath at the normal entry point, but stay on Spaniards Road as it wraps around the outside of the Heath, past Kenwood House and past The Bishops Road where Spaniards Road turns into Hampstead Lane. Continue on Hampstead Lane as it edges around the outside of the Heath in a gentle rise until you reach The Grove, where you turn right. [The Grove is a pretty, tree lined street just before the Highgate roundabout]. Run to the first right lane, which is Fitzroy Park and has a traffic barrier across the road.] Pass around the traffic barrier—this is fine! And continue down the road, past lovely homes and a famous allotment on the right side. This road curves downhill to the left and takes you to the entrance of the Heath near a set of bathrooms [and just before Merton Lane to the left]. Enter the Heath, run past the loos and take the path to the left as it runs along a model boating pond, the men’s bathing pond and a third pond. [Due to the construction in the Heath, you may need to take the path on the near side of the first pond.] When the sidewalk dead ends, take a right to run along the exercise fields, track and swimming pool.

Exit the Heath past the swimming pool, crossing over the bridge onto Constantine Road. Take a right, running past South End Rd/Fleet Rd, past the Royal Free Hospital and cutting to the left just past the Royal Free’s entrance driveway to take a short cut to Haverstock Hill. Go left on Haverstock Hill to Belsize Avenue, veering to the left to stay onto Buckland Crescent and take this to Fitzjohn’s. Left on Fitzjohn’s to Swiss Cottage, then scoot over to St Johns Wood Park Road and back to Starbucks.

Posted in: MWF