Happy Sunday, Runners!
As we roll through another week, I hope this finds you all in good spirits and finding silver linings in this strange season.  In fact, one of the legacies of the lockdown might be that we have gained a strong new skill set in finding (or creating) the positives in any situation.  As I think about the updates I’m getting from people in various pace groups, as well as the Facebook posts and Whatsapp chats, I’m struck by the creative energy going into staying connected, staying active, and having fun together from a distance.  I’ll give you a ‘run-down’ (ugh, sorry!) on all the pace groups this week…

Ex-beginners, Class of 2020.  The Globetrotters created and played a new running BINGO game this week!  Amber Borst put together different Bingo cards for each person in the group– including a special custom one localised for Canan, who is currently running in Turkey– and these ladies took off across the city, documenting their Bingo hits with photos.  My personal favorite is the square that requires a picture of Nidhi looking out her window– it must have been a busy day on the pavement in front of her building!  Some other Bingo photos are included amongst our other photos this week.

Rainbows & Unicorns/ Sole Sisters.  The 11s continue to chat, support and share on Whatsapp.  They’ve had some socially distant runs going as well, including a re-run of the Winter 10k route, which was reportedly gorgeous and probably a lot less chilly than the usual event!  I can’t possibly hope to observe everyone’s birthday in these e-mails, but I did happen to hear that one of the runs this week was a birthday run for Shahka… so happy birthday!

Perfect 10s.  The 10s recorded a few more half marathon completions and some fun themed runs like the Florence Nightingale homage by Rebecca (in Mayfair area) or the (maybe inadvertent?) baby animals run by Carolyn (elephant statues and real ducks).  Several 10s also got to give distant greetings at a street ‘concert’ in the Loudoun Rd area on Saturday.

Naughty 9s.  Likewise, a few more 9s ran half marathons this week (some were repeats), and some made it back to running or hit new milestones after time off for injuries.  Nines coach and fun-mentor Dinae sent a lip-sync challenge from the U.S. to liven up the chat, and some States-based alumnae popped in to the conversations.  Megan continued to find statue (and topiary) ‘running buddies’ that none of the rest of us have ever noticed, this time running up to Hampstead.

Crazy 8s.  These ladies are covering a lot of miles, both on foot and on bike; and they are continuing to discover stunning lockdown sights, including some new graffiti.  A few of them biked to Lewisham this week for some of the graffiti artwork included in our photos.  Though it would make for a long out-and-back run, Marissa suggests one could run partway and (armed with hand sanitiser/wipes) take a Santander Cycle the rest of the way.  These ladies also sent one of the happiest Zoom screenshots I’ve ever seen– clearly they are enjoying their ‘get together’!

WRW Race Around the World.  You keep putting in the miles, and Devy keeps moving us along the map!  This week we made it to San Francisco, Bakersfield, Manhattan Beach, San Clemente, San Diego, Phoenix and Boerne, TX!!  Sending up a virtual fist-bump to Yianna and Kathy A, Jenn, Kathy M, Carol, Shan, Robin, Libby, MaryLee, and Claire!  And popping a confetti cannon as we roll into Boerne to greet our WRW creator, Paula Mitchell!  What a great week for miles– we are now at a staggering 19,325 recorded together since lockdown.  Here we come, Chris Roberts, blowing through Atlanta this week!  If we haven’t already passed you, there’s still time to add yourself to the itinerary, distant friends.  And on that note, another thank you to Devy Schonfeld for tracking miles, adding destinations, and keeping us from getting lost!

Announcements and Shoutouts.  Amy Grace has turned Miki’s City of London scavenger hunt run (from last week’s e-mail) into a bona fide route with directions and a map, and then popped it onto our website!  Check it out under the heading Quarantine Quests on our website.  We will keep working with the suggestions you’ve already sent, and do feel free to send us any cool new sights to find!

Carolyn and Sue have been working out the details of what, how much, and how to get refunds to you for the portion of the Prague trip expenses we could recoup.  We are happy to say that we will be able to give back a good portion of what you paid back in February, if you were going on the trip.  Look for an e-mail soon with details on the refunds and how we plan to execute them under current circumstances.

And finally, don’t forget to save the date for a virtual year-end WRW celebration, Sunday, June 7– late afternoon or early evening.  We are still working on the format, but it will be fun, colorful, and it will feature the (must-see) annual WRW film created by the incomparable Megan Marine!  Please let us know if your end-of-year plans have changed and you are now leaving London (or if you were leaving and are now staying!). 
Have a great week, ladies!  Keep running, keep smiling, and most of all, keep taking care of yourselves and one another!  This may seem like a long road, but we know how to keep going, mile after mile.  Another joke, another story, maybe a tear and then some encouragement.  But always just one foot in front of the other, as we do.  Sending lockdown love…

xx Micki

P.S.- Thank you for my WRW mask, Tamar!  Isn’t it cool?