Hello Runners!
Another glorious week of London lockdown weather! Our photos show that many of you are getting out (as much as allowed!) to enjoy the sun and get a little running in. The posts, photos, and notes I see are such a highlight of every day– I’m so glad everyone is staying connected, and so thankful for this supportive community.
Race Around the World. Thanks to everyone for getting behind our group-wide virtual run around the world! And enormous thanks to Devy Schonfeld, who is now tracking miles totals and managing our route and our progress. Once all the numbers were in from the past five weeks since lockdown began (in London), we had tallied…drumroll… 10,077 miles (16,217 km) already run! How amazing is that? Below is the first version of the map she has created for us– some of you may be surprised to find yourselves (and your approximate locations) on there, as we just did a quick, back-of-the-envelope inventory of WRW ladies along the route! Please send any corrections to me at [email protected], and also let me know if you’d like to be added to the map! We’ve also created an alumni tracker if anyone out there reading this wants to join in to record and contribute miles– here’s the link, just jump in and add your name and your miles. We’ve also decided to include other types of exercise at the rate of 10 minutes = 1 mile, for those who are limited, perhaps by lockdown circumstances, in the actual running they can get out to do. Be sure to give your updated mileage by Sunday evening each week, so your pace leaders can pass it on to Devy. Can’t wait to see where we get to next week– California, maybe?
Running this Week. In a normal world, tomorrow would have been the 30th Virgin London Marathon! We had FIVE strong WRW runners who would have been running it; Kate Ballbach, Laura Beal, Megan Marine, Bridget Perry, and Mariya Treisman. And we would have, no doubt, organised a big cadre of WRW supporters to cheer them on with silly posters, pom-poms, bright hats, ambitious transport plans to get us to multiple viewing points, and cheering voices that would have made all the other runners and spectators turn and stare! Running a marathon is such a big commitment, and we are disappointed for our friends who had geared up mentally and trained quite a bit already by the time the event cancelled. But in true WRW spirit, these ladies have found a way to put a positive spin on the day, despite social distancing rules! These five runners will do a 26.2(ish) relay tomorrow morning as part of the 2.6 Challenge to help support the charities who have lost much of their funding through the cancellations of multiple fundraising events such as the Virgin London Marathon (which alone raised £66.4 million for thousands of charities last year).
Starting at 8:30am tomorrow (Sunday), each will run a circuit beginning at their own house and ending at the home of the next runner– approximately 5.25 miles for each, mostly in the St Johns Wood/Maida Vale/Primrose Hill area. I’m not sure if I have their permission to include the routes (!), but I’m going to do it, in case anyone wants to slip out for a socially distant bit of cheering! These ladies all happen to be in the 9s pace group, if that helps at all with figuring out what time they might reach a given point on the route. We can also send an update to the Pace Leaders as each leg begins, so if you want to be kept in the loop, just ask them to relay that information to your chat. We hope to see them run in the official marathon, now rescheduled for October, but for now we will be cheering (virtually and IRL) for them tomorrow!
Shoutouts and Annoucements. So many of you have managed to hit the half-marathon mark on solo (or duo) runs! A big congratulations to everyone for that! We’ve also heard that some ladies have run multiple solo (or duo) half marathons in the last five weeks. I realise it’s entirely possible I will miss someone, but I still want to shout out huge kudos to the ones I know about. Meredith Snizek (6), Kelly Willis (6), Bjorg Fridbjornsdottir (5), Miki Neant (?) and Perla Greenup (3), Marigold Dooley (2), Karen Hough (2), Wiebke Liu (2), Janelle Meyer (2), Carmine Najjar (2) and Lauren Young (2). Well done, ladies! If I’ve missed anyone, please send me an update so I can give you a shoutout next week!
On a more somber note, Jess Browne has asked me to pass along her thanks to all of you for the love and support you have shown her and her family in the last couple of weeks, since the loss of her son, Ignacio. Jess is one of the most loving and giving people I’ve ever met, and she has given so much to WRW and to each of us, for some as a coach and a mentor, and for all as a friend. Our hearts will continue to be with you, Jess.
Our community has grown steadily in numbers over the last several years. But I would venture to say it has grown exponentially in depth over the last few months. Regardless of where we all are physically located, our connections with one another are for many a support and a source of joy. Dinae sent a note from Philly the other day talking about a study that shows how spending time with our female friends is one of the best things we can do for our health. Apparently, our time together releases serotonin, which combats depression, among other things. And we women further have the ability to handle stress not just with “fight or flight” but with “tend and befriend.” Even when we can’t be physically together, we can “tend” the relationships that nurture us. Thanks to you all for this! Sending lockdown love and best to all!
xx Micki
