Hello Runners,
Happy Saturday, and well done on a strong week of running!  Monday’s Canada Water run was a fun way to get another long one done and dusted, and it’s also great for our photo library, with those Tower Bridge views from both sides:)  But with a sunny Friday run, and a celebrity-sighting on Wednesday, we were spoilt for choice on photos once again.  

Running this week.  Monday we will repeat the new 9-mile Battersea to Big Ben route.  Directions and the map are below, as always.  Wednesday we are doing a 6+ mile Notting Hill loop that will end at The Elgin in Maida Vale for an All-WRW Coffee!  The Elgin is at the corner of Elgin Ave and Lanark Rd, near the Maida Vale tube station, and we will be there from about 9:30 to 11:30.  So even if you can’t make the run, please do stop by the pub (I’m so sorry to warn those of us among the injured that the function room is upstairs… but you know you will have all the assistance you might need– or maybe more than you need– from all of us!).  This is also a chance to meet some of the Beginners’ Group, so be sure to introduce yourself and make them feel welcome!  Friday?  We’re going to the Heath again, of course. 

Prague update.  I know it’s very hard to wait for news and decisions when the whole world is responding to the COVID-19 virus, but that is the space we’re remaining in for now.  You all will have received an e-mail from RunCzech on Thursday with their current status and thinking, and they set an expectation for an update on Monday afternoon.  Our plan at the moment is still to go if the race is on, but we are considering it from many angles, taking in all the new recommendations, and carefully watching all new developments.  Carolyn continues to be in touch with the race organizers, the hotel management and the restaurants to gauge their flexibility, and we are factoring both of those inputs into our thinking as well.  Please bear with us as the situation continues to develop.  And meanwhile… if you haven’t sent in your photo directory google survey yet, please do so!!

Shoutouts and Announcements.  We had several women run the Vitality Big Half in London last weekend, and I missed a few in the shoutouts!  So here’s another try… congratulations to Laura Beal, Jess Browne, Veena Gopal, Alysia Hoyt, Axelia Larsen, and Charlotte Sinclair!  Well done, ladies– and what a great day for running!  As I sit here sincerely hoping I haven’t missed anyone, it feels like a good time for me to remind you to let us know at [email protected] if you or a friend are running a race– we love to give shoutouts, and it’s completely free!!  
Send out a happy birthday wish for our founder, Paula Mitchell, as we do our lovely run around Battersea Park on her birthday Monday!  Many of us would not be running if it weren’t for her– myself absolutely included!  

And finally, I really, really hate to ask this question… but it’s the time of year when we start to think about who will be leaving us at the end of the school year.  Please let us know if you will be moving away from London, so that we can include you in our plans to give the fondest of farewells.  You can drop us an email (again, [email protected]) or speak with Megan Marine, myself, or your pace leaders.  And if you’re not quite sure and you want us to keep it quiet for now, just let us know that as well!

Looking ahead.  Don’t forget to come to the all-WRW Coffee on Wednesday morning at the Elgin after the run!  Spread the word amongst your pace groups and to anyone who doesn’t read the e-mail!
Our last long run before the scheduled half will be Monday, March 16 to Kew Gardens for 11 miles.  It’s a great run, so mark your calendars and try not to miss it!  After the half marathon, we will send out a new list of noteworthy runs to work your schedule around– we always do lots of fun ones in the Spring, so there’s plenty to look forward to!
Tomorrow is International Women’s Day, and I just want to tell you all how inspirational I find your strength, your solidarity with and support for one another, and the deep well of joy and gratitude within each of you despite whatever big or small issues you’re dealing with in life.  You are amazing, individually and collectively!  Raise a thought, or even better a glass, to yourselves and one another sometime on this day!  Looking forward to seeing you at Barclays Monday morning, as always…
xx Micki

ROUTES
Monday, 9 March – Battersea Park to Big Ben (9 miles)

Start out from Barclays to Hyde Park, along the eastern edge of the park, and head towards Sloane Square down Sloane Street the usual way.  Cross Sloane Square onto Lower Sloane Street (which turns into Chelsea Bridge Road), then over Chelsea Bridge to the south bank of the Thames.  Turn right into Battersea Park and run along the outer perimeter of the park.  The park paths will meander some but that’s the fun of running in a park!  Once you make your way around the park and back to the Thames, run along the river path back to Chelsea Bridge.  For the final part of the run head back over the bridge and run along the north side of the Thames along the Embankment all the way to Big Ben and Westminster tube station. 

Wednesday, 11 March – Notting Hill to The Elgin  (6.3 miles)
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 Blomfield Rd. Run along the street sidewalk and cross the Westbourne Terrace Road bridge. Turn right after the bridge, follow the sidewalk along Delamere Terrace, and join the canal path heading west at this point. Run to the Ladbroke Grove exit then run down Ladbroke Grove to Elgin Crescent and make a left. Cross Portobello Road and continue on what is now Colville Terrace until it meets Ledbury Road where we turn right and then left at Westbourne Grove. Run down Westbourne Grove to the top of Bishop’s Bridge, then left down the steps into Sheldon Square (across from the Paddington Station entrance). Stay left along the canal until you can cross the blue bridge at Westbourne Terrace Rd. Run along Blomfield, left on Randolph Rd, left on Randolph Ave, right on Sutherland, and left on Lanark until you reach Elgin Ave and The Elgin.

Friday, 13 March – The Heath (8 miles)
It’s Friday which means everyone up to the Heath. You can pick your distance and whatever you choose, there will certainly be someone else interested in running that distance. All of these routes are on the website.

Run down Circus Rd past Starbucks to the end and turn left on Townshend Rd. Turn right on Acacia then left on Avenue. Cross diagonally over Adelaide Rd to run past the Swiss Cottage tube and proceed up Fitzjohn’s Avenue. Run up the hill to the Hampstead Heath Tube. Continue up Heath St (to the left of the Tube) all the way to the stoplight at E Heath Rd. Cross at the light, continue past the roundabout, and enter the Heath at the first trail entrance on your right. Follow this major trail down past Lime Avenue and other smaller trails, fields and forested areas. As the trail starts to veer right, take the sharp left to run up Parliament Hill. Enjoy the spectacular vista (and catch your breath before continuing down the other side of the hill), keeping left when the path splits and taking a sharp left at the bottom of the hill. Run past three ponds on your right, turn right after the third pond and up the rise to a wide gate (loos on your left here). Go through the gate and turn left along the eastern edge of the Heath. Follow the path downhill then up until you reach the gate on the left that marks the entrance to the Kenwood House grounds. Enter the grounds, turn right to run past Kenwood House, then right again through the gate onto a gravelly path. Follow the path through a gate, and stay on the path as it bears left and passes a wooden bench on the left. Keep your eye out for a small clearing ahead on the left with another bench — when you see it (but before you pass it!) take a hard right down a steep path that crosses a small bridge and heads uphill again. Turn right at the main trail intersect (this is the same trail you ran down at the beginning of the Heath, in the opposite direction) and run back up to where you entered the Heath. Turn left on Spaniards Rd and retrace your steps all the way back to SJW and Starbucks.

If you are not up for a hill run, no problem. 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 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.