Hello Runners!

I can’t believe we will hit November this week!  A good-sized group of us had a great run to Hampton Court Palace this past week (photo above).  I even heard that several runners were so energetic they tacked on a a couple of extra miles just for fun?  Amazing, you strong ladies!  (… but maybe we’ll add a mile marker to the route instructions for where the bridge is next time!)  Anyway, hopefully everyone had a great week of running, whatever alternate routes you may have taken.  

Running this week.  This Monday we are keeping it local with the Morningside Crescent loop because we have a destination run on Wednesday.  And then Wednesday’s run is our annual Halloween Costume run to Whole Foods via Brompton Cemetery.  Finding or creating a costume to run in can take a little extra creativity, and we’ve had some great ones in the past!  But you can also keep it simple with a headband, a skirt, or a tail.  Can’t wait to see what everyone comes up with!  As for the run itself, the Brompton Cemetery we’ll pass through opened in 1840, and 205,000 people are buried there (including the suffragette Emmeline Pankhurst).  The beautiful 39-acre space was designed to be a garden for recreation, as well as a burial space– so we should be respectful as we run through, but it is meant to be open to passers-by.  Be sure to look at the route below, so you can find your way to Whole Foods for a Halloween coffee and any last-minute treats.  Finally, Friday we run back up to the Heath, with a swing through the lovely Pergola on the 6+ mile route.

Announcements.  Yesterday you should have received an e-mail with a link to the Prague RSVP form.  Please do fill this out if you haven’t yet!  Carolyn’s team is putting together dinner plans, and we’ve got other logistics to manage, so it is important for us to have an idea how many runners are joining us.  The largest number we’ve ever had on a race was last year’s 120 women in Milan.  Because of venue and restaurant limitations, we need to cap this year at 120 runners on the trip as well.  After we reach that number, we will keep a waiting list.  So please, please, get yourself included in the count!
Save the Date.  Our calendar list keeps getting shorter as we move through the semester, but we still have lots of great runs ahead!  Following are the ones you might want to mark your calendar not to miss:
Nov. 11 (Mon) – Remembrance Run
Nov. 25 (Mon) – Crazy Tights Run (Holland Park to St James’ Park Benugo Cafe)
Dec. 4 (Wed) – Christmas Lights Run (early morning tour of the city lights before sun-up)
The Fall has flown by, and we are another week stronger!  It’s going to be another great week to get out and run together, especially after a couple weeks of school-related breaks and interruptions.  I’m really looking forward to seeing you all at Barclays and out on the pavements this week!
xx Micki

ROUTES

Monday 28 October – Camden/Morningside Crescent/Regent’s Park (5 miles)

Head to the canal going eastbound to Camden Lock, where we cross the small, cobblestone bridge, exit the canal and turn right onto Camden High Street (alternatively, turn right just at the bottom of the bridge and go through the opening between the buildings to get to Arlington Road). At the first intersection with Jamestown Road take a right after crossing Jamestown Road and then the first left onto Arlington Road. Run straight down Arlington Road, make a slight right onto Mornington Crescent, follow it around and turn right onto Hampstead Road. At the first intersection, turn right onto Granby Terrace and the second left onto Stanhope Street. Continue down Stanhope until we reach Trinton Square. Turn right and run between the office buildings at Regent’s Place, past the nice fountains, to the end of Trinton Street. Use the pedestrian crossings to cross Osnaburgh Street and Albany Street. Head left to the intersection of Euston Road, where you take a right and run briefly along Euston Road. At Park Square East, turn right through the gates towards Regent’s Park. We enter the park at the Outer Circle intersection and stay on the path on the far right (east side) of the park, cross the Broad Walk at the ornamental fountain and head along the path with the Zoo to our right. Turn left onto the Outer Circle, past the Avenue Road exit, and right at the second exit (where we usually enter for the canal or park). Run up Charlbert Street to St John’s Wood Terrace, make a left, and head back to Starbucks.

Wednesday 30 October – Whole Foods via Brompton Cemetery (6.5+ miles)  HALLOWEEN RUN!Today we’ll earn our post-run treat by ending at Whole Foods on the Kensington High Street!  Bring your shopping list if you want.We start out the normal way to Hyde Park.  Once you enter the park, turn left and run along the east side of the park.  At Hyde Park Corner turn right and run along the south side exiting at the gate we normally use at William Street [next to the French Embassy].  Cross the street, take a right.  Turn left at Brompton Road (just past the tube) and take Brompton all the way (admiring Harrods as you pass) until Fulham Road.  Veer left on Fulham Road and continue to Brompton Cemetery.  Turn right to enter the Cemetery.  Run through the Cemetery then exit and turn right onto Old Brompton Road, then turn left onto Earls Court Road. Cross Cromwell Road, then turn right onto Cromwell Road and then turn left onto Marloes Road. Continue north on Marloes making your way through the streets to Kensington High Street.  Whole Foods will be to your right.  

Friday 1 November  – The Heath Pergola (6.3 miles)Head out from Barclays to Avenue Road, then up Fitzjohn’s per all the Heath routes.
Continue past Hampstead Tube Station all the way to the roundabout just beyond Whitestone Pond. At the roundabout, use the pedestrian crossings to cross counterclockwise over to New End Way to Jack Straws Castle (now a personal training gym) and continue past the parking lot entrance and past the bus stop to turn left onto a small street called Inverforth Close. A short way down, there is a trail to the right with a green barrier gate and a sign that says “The Hill Garden.” Here are pictures of the trail:

Follow this trail until you come to an entrance on the left for “The Hill Garden and Pergola”, enter it and go to the right around the big bushes. You will see a beautiful reflecting pool. Run alongside it and up the stairs-you are on the Pergola! Run or walk the length of the Pergola.  Don’t forget to look at the beautiful views, admire the flowers and take a pic or two. Please be considerate and don’t run if others are walking the Pergola. When you have finished with your Pergola time and reached the far end, take the stairs down and turn left to run on the wide trail back to New End Road, turning right to run by Jack Straws Castle and crossing left at the pedestrian crosswalks by the roundabout to put you back on the standard Heath route. Turn left from the crosswalk and then right to enter the Heath. Run the wide path as usual but don’t turn left to run up Parliament Hill. Instead, veer right at that juncture and follow the trail across the ponds. After the ponds, the trail veers left and shortly after there is an opportunity to take a right turn on the intersecting trail that heads towards E. Heath Rd (taking you next to the fields used for the Art Fair, parking etc at different times of the year). Cross E. Heath Rd at the pedestrian crossing, then run on Downshire Hill Rd to Haverstock Hill Rd. Turn Left on Haverstock Hill, running home the usual way (turn right on Belsize Ave, left on Lancaster Grove, right on Crossfield, right on Adamson, then cut through the Swiss Cottage public area by the Hampstead Theatre, turning onto Fitzjohns to St Johns Wood Park Rd to St Johns Wood Terrace and then to Starbucks).

And of course there are always the other Heath routes if you prefer:

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 OR Pergola route
7.5 miles: The Highgate route
8 miles:  The full Heath route

Click here for maps of all of the Heath routes.