Hi Everyone,

Another great week of running! Thanks again to Kathy for writing our Shaun the Sheep route – it was lots of fun!

I’m looking at the calendar and it’s hard to believe we only have 5 more weeks of official routes before our summer holiday. I know this time of year is so busy, but try to give yourself a break from everyday stuff and schedule the time to run. We have some fun runs on the calendar, join us!

This Monday we have a great run to Brick Lane Coffee and the Beigel Bake. Great bagels and coffee in a funky, cool neighbourhood – what more could you ask for? (Make sure you check out the slightly inappropriate, but funny posters and sayings on the walls at Brick Lane Coffee.) Also, take a minute to look at the route because we wind through East London to get to Beigel Bake. We’re doing an old favourite, Notting Hill, on Wednesday and back to the Heath on Friday.

Trying a new thing- 9:15am start option?

I know we have some members who can’t make it to the 8:15 start for a variety of reasons. Leah Neenan has agreed to be the contact person for any runners who would be interested in joining a WRW group that starts running at 9:15am. The plan would be that the 9:15am group would do the same routes as the main group. At this point, we’re trying to measure the interest and see if we have enough runners at a similar pace to make a group. Can you email me and Leah ([email protected]) if you are interested? Also if you have a friend that may be interested, please let them know to email Leah. Thanks so much!

Save the Date

Monday 18 May- South Kensington Whole Foods via Brompton Cemetery

Friday 22 May- Borough Market

Wednesday 27 May- Canary Wharf or The Wall

Wednesday 3 June- Happening Bagel via the Greenway

Friday 5 June- “Sights of London” run and Leavers Coffee at Richoux

Monday 8 June- Big Ben

Wednesday 10 June- Last official run of the year

Are you moving this summer?

If you are moving this summer, or you have a good friend that is moving, can you let us know?  We want to make sure that we can properly recognise you at our Leavers Coffee on June 5. (We’ll miss you!)

Keep running,

Jane

ROUTES

Monday, May 11th

Brick Lane Coffee/Beigel Bake  5.7 miles

This is a fun and funky destination run!  We will head out in the same way as though we are running to The Wall and Canary Wharf. [Canal east to the Wall—go up ramp to Muriel Street, take a right and then an almost immediate left up a path that winds between the apartment buildings.  Keep going straight on the path and it will become Maygood Street.  When you get to the intersection of a main road (Barnsbury Road) turn right.  Run until you make the second left onto Chapel Market.  (There is a metal archway saying Chapel Market and a zebra crossing at the intersection.)  Follow Chapel Market until the end.   Turn right at Liverpool Street to the major road Upper Street.  Cross Upper Street and turn RIGHT  (NB:  Angel Tube Station is to your right if you are going home from here.)]  Go past Angel Tube Station and then go LEFT on City Road.  We will take City Road all the way into Shoreditch, going past the Old Street Tube [the Silicon Roundabout for those of you techies!], heading onto Great Eastern Street from the Roundabout and then crossing Shoreditch High Street to get to Bethnal Green Road before turning right on Brick Lane.  Brick Lane Coffee and Beigel Bake are both on your right.  They are FUNKY so bring your cool attitudes!

To get home, walk down Brick Lane [it is an interesting street!] and turn right on Hanbury Street.  Proceed past [or through] Spitalfields Market to Bishopsgate, turn left and head to Liverpool Street Tube Station.

 

Wednesday, May 13th – Notting Hill 6 miles

Channel your inner Hugh Grant/Julia Roberts as we head to Notting Hill.  Run out the canal to the west and exit at Ladbroke Grove.  Run to Elgin Crescent and make a left.  Continue to Ledbury and go right and then left at Westbourne Grove.  Run down Westbourne Grove over Bishop’s Bridge and down the steps into Sheldon Square.  Go back along the canal and out where you entered and back to Starbucks.

 

Friday, May 15th – The Heath!

It’s Friday [again!], so everyone up Fitzjohn’s.  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.

4 miles:  A great way to ease into running the hill.   Run up to the Hampstead tube station and back.

5 miles: The Betsy Route

6-7 miles:  The partial Heath route

7.5 miles: The Highgate route

8 miles:  The full Heath route

Click here for maps of all of the Heath routes

Hi Runners,

Congratulations to our amazing London Marathon runners – Adela, Darcy and Mee!  We are so proud of you!  Thanks to all the WRW members who were the cheering section on the day!  Adela, Darcy and Mee were so appreciative of your support and they loved seeing all those bright yellow hats along the course! I know many of you were inspired by what they accomplished. Are you thinking about doing one yourself? Next year the London Marathon will take place on Sunday 24 April 2016. The ballot for the 2016 race opens on Monday 4 May and will close on Friday 8 May at 17:00. (This year they are extending the time to apply for the ballot.) Directions for how to apply will be on the main London Marathon website starting on Monday.  https://www.virginmoneylondonmarathon.com/en-gb/

Running this week- Shaun the Sheep route on Wednesday!

Monday is a bank holiday so we’re not setting official routes.  If you’re in town, plan to meet at 8:30am on Monday and we can decide on the day where we want to run. Wednesday is a fun day – Kathy has made a route for us (Thanks!) to see the Shaun the Sheep statues throughout town.  As she says, it’s going to be “EWE-NIQUE.”  Make sure you take a look at the route. Friday we’re back up the hill.

Save the Date – Upcoming Runs

We have the following runs on the calendar for the end of the year. Notice the theme of good coffee and good food!

Monday 11 May- Brick Lane, Bagel Bake

Monday 18 May- South Kensington Whole Foods via Brompton Cemetery

Friday 22 May- Borough Market

Wednesday 27 May- Canary Wharf or The Wall

Wednesday 3 June- Happening Bagel via the Greenway

Friday 5 June- “Sights of London” run and Leavers Coffee

Monday 8 June- Big Ben

Wednesday 10 June- Last official run of the year

That’s all for now…Keep running!

Jane

ROUTES

Monday, May 4th—BANK HOLIDAY!

Our first Bank Holiday of May means a lie-in—anyone running today, show up at 8:30 [and enjoy that extra 15 minutes of snooze time].  This is a DIY run, so group up and pick your favorite route—Hyde Park, the Wall or one of your design.

Wednesday, May 6th—SCAVENGER HUNT!  [5miles or 8miles]

Today we are headed out on a EWE-NIQUE SCAVENGER HUNT to find nine of the Wallace & Gromit Shaun the Sheep sculptures currently gracing London [through May 25th, that is].  These sheep sculptures have been created by artists, designers and celebrities and will ultimately be auctioned off to raise funds for children’s hospital charities.  [If you want more information or info on other character sculptures elsewhere in London, go to www.Shauninthecity.org.uk.]

First head out to Regents Park, cutting straight through the Park to the Broadwalk, take a right on the Broadwalk and work your way to the southeast exit of the Park by Park Square East.  Cross Marylebone Road and head down Regent’s Street, past Oxford Circus.  Take a left on Great Malborough Street [a great view of Liberty as you go by!] then right on Carnaby Street.  Look for (1) “BAA-BUSHKA” before taking a left on Broadwick Street where you spot (2) “RULE BRITANNIA.” Re-trace your steps to Carnaby Street, make a right and then take a left on Foubert’s Place to get you back to Regent’s Street.

Head left on Regent’s Street and check out (3) “RAM of the MATCH” before trodding down to Piccadilly Circus, staying on the upper side of Piccadilly Circus when it turns into Coventry Street [at the junction of Haymarket for those of you in the know]. Here you seek (4) “GRUFFALO SHAUN”. 

Continue to Wardour Street and take a left up to Gerrard Street [Chinatown!] where you turn right and take it all the way to Newport Place where you turn right and discover (5) “JINGTAIL”.  Continue down Newport Place until it ends near Leicester Square; a quick right and left takes you to the perimeter of Leicester Square, where you run past the Odeon Cinema to the bottom of Leicester Square, going right and taking in (6) “WOOLLY JUMBO” and (7) “MOSSY BOTTOM.”

Continue to Wardour Street/Whitcomb Street [of course it changes its name!], make a left and take this to its end at Pall Mall East [by the National Gallery], turning left to reach Trafalgar Square, where you run to the bottom and find (8) “NELSON” at the St. Charles Roundabout.

One more to go!  Head briefly down The Mall, turning left on Cockspur Court before Admiralty Arch to reach Spring Gardens where you discover our last Shaun—(9) “ME LLAMO SHAUN”.  Now, the easy part.  Head back down to The Mall, turn right and run down to Green Park, turning right at its edge to reach Green Park Tube Station.  Those happy to stop at 5 miles can pop their Oyster cards and head home on  the Jubilee; anyone wanting more leg-time can leg it home from here which will add about 3 more miles [8 total], going the normal way back.

BONUS:  If you want to discover a secret Shaun, dip into St. James Park and run along the Mall side of the lake—there is a ‘royal’ surprise to your right hand side.  Then you can exit the Park near the Palace end and proceed to Green Park Tube.

 

Friday, May 8th—THE HILL!

Congrats to our ex-beginners on their first Heath run last week.  Don’t lose your momentum because it is Friday [again!], so everyone up Fitzjohn’s.  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.

4 miles:  A great way to ease into running the hill.   Run up to the Hampstead tube station and back.

5 miles: The Betsy Route

6-7 miles:  The partial Heath route

7.5 miles:  The Highgate route

8 miles:  The full Heath route

Click here for maps of all of the Heath routes

Hi Everyone,

We’ve made it to spring break! If you’re in London this week we’ll plan to meet at Barclays at 8:30 and decide our route on the day. The plan is to maintain fitness by doing 6-mile runs. If you’re unable to run this week because you’re in the middle of the jungle or the ocean, you’ll still be fine for the race. Any type of cross training (2-3 sessions over the week) will be a bonus. If you’re really pushing for your best time during the half marathon, you may want to use the runs this week to practice your race pace or faster. One option would be to run your race pace less 30-60 seconds. That will be a good work out!

Looking ahead, our first official day back after the break will be next Wednesday 8 April. The plan that day will depend on how much you’ve been able to run over the break. If you’ve been able to run over the break, we’ll plan to do the 8-mile Hyde Park loop. If you’re just back to running, you may want to do a shorter route. If you have been running and are really pushing for your best time, you may want to do a longer run, maybe to Kew Gardens or another route of your choice.  

Padua Photo Book

A gigantic THANK YOU to Amy Grace for offering to compile a photo book for those attending the Padua race. Please get your answers to Amy ASAP. She says she may make up answers for anyone she doesn’t hear from – you’ve been warned!  You can send your answers to our gmail account – [email protected].

Padua Health Form and Run Card

The race director has reemphasized that you must have a completed health form and run card in order to run in Padua.  If you’re trying to find the run card in your inbox, you’re looking for an email from “[email protected]” with the subject “Ecco la tua Runcard.” Attached to the email should be a PDF file with a photo of the run card with your name and birth date on it. Also the link to the health form is on the WRW website on the half marathon page, if you need another copy.

Keep running,

Jane

Hi Everyone,

We’ve made it to our longest training run of the season – 11 miles to Kew Gardens!  I hope the photo above inspires you. Once again our route takes us to a beautiful part of London as we run along the Thames. Don’t forget your Oyster card, water and gels. This is a perfect run to try out a water belt or anything else you expect to wear or use during the race. Please take a minute to read the route and especially note the directions for entering and exiting the Thames path.  (If you are away and can’t run on Monday we do have some groups who are planning to do the run either next week or the week after.  Just let me know and I can link you up with a group.)

Good Luck Racers!

Good luck to Amy Grace, Vicky Timbers, Lisa Noel, Meg Stone and her daughter Alex and Shan Mercer and her husband Jamie who are running the Richmond Half Marathon on Sunday.  This will be the main race for Vicky, Meg and Amy because in Padua they will be leading the women in the Beginner Group. (Thank you!) We hope you all have a great race!

Padua – New directions for health form

When you fax or email the health form to the race directors, please also send in a copy of the Runcard or your Runcard confirmation. We’ve had a few women who sent in the health form and then got an email saying that they needed a Runcard when they had already bought one. It seems like the info systems in the race office are not amazing.  Basically if you send in both forms together it will save you from going back and forth with the race office about the Runcard as well. If you have already sent in the health form, you’re probably all set but make sure you have a copy of the Runcard with you at the race expo in Padua.

Hats for Sale

We have extra Padua hats for sale, only £10. Would you like a second hat just in case something happens to the first one? One maybe one for your husband, kids, friends?  If you want one, just tell me or Chris Roberts.  Thanks!

Keep running,

Jane

ROUTES

CONDITIONING LONG RUN  Kew

Monday 23 March

Bring your Oyster or contactless card!

You’ll be feeling exhilarated as we do our 11 mile run to the cute ‘village’ of Kew.  We start out the normal way running to Hyde Park.  Once in the Park, we’ll turn to the left and run down the main walkway as we regularly do, to parallel Park Lane.  At the end of the walk, turn right to follow the main cross route in the park—beware of the bike lane!  When this ends at West Carriage Drive, cross the road at the crossing and continue on the pathway towards the bottom right corner of Hyde/Kensington Park.  We’ll run out of the Park at the Broadwalk, turning right onto Kensington High Street and continue for about two miles until we reach the Hammersmith Tube gyratory.  Run counter clockwise towards the left, ending up on Queen Caroline Street which gets you to St. Paul’s Church green.  Run along the Green to the right, heading to and crossing over Hammersmith Bridge. Exit Hammersmith Bridge Road to your left and run under it onto the Thames footpath.  Now it’s time to enjoy the view as we run along the Thames for almost four miles—it’s beautiful!  We will exit at the Kew Bridge, see photo below:

Run UNDER the bridge and then turn left, past a couple of tiny shops.  It looks like you need to walk through a parking lot until you see the stone steps leading to the top of the bridge.  

 

At the top of the steps turn right towards town (not back over the river) and run along this road [Kew Road] for about a third of a mile until you reach a 3-way intersection.  Here there are two options.  Option 1 is on the route map but option 2 may be easier to remember.  (I’ve gotten slightly lost in Kew village before so I’m hoping this might help.)  The distance is the same.

Option 1 – At the 3-way intersection, veer left on Mortlake Road, then shortly thereafter turn right on Cumberland Road, which will merge into Kew Gardens Road. You’ll do a turn to the left onto Station Approach [follow the Kew Gardens Station signs].  There is a Starbucks around the small bend where we’ll all meet up to congratulate ourselves on such a great run! 

Option 2 – At the 3-way intersection, veer right and follow Kew Road along the boundary wall to Kew Gardens until you reach the first main pedestrian entrance to Kew Gardens, the Victoria Gate.  Across from Victoria Gate, is Lichfield Road (it is only sign posted on the left-hand corner).  Follow Lichfield Road straight into Kew village.  Starbucks is on the left where we’ll all meet up to congratulate ourselves on such a great run! 

TEMPO (or not) RUN  The Wall

Wednesday 25 March

Today we all run to The Wall but it is YOUR CHOICE as to whether you run it ‘steady’ or resume your tempo training by doing Fartlek ‘speed intervals.’  If you choose to do interval sprints, try to pick areas that are less crowded before you turn on your super speed for intermittent speed runs, followed by slow recovery running.  Mix these up as you choose, different interval lengths and speeds are fine, provided you are in control of your body as you run by the grommets, bikes, walkers and other runners.

 Run South on Finchley/Wellington Road to the SJW Church Roundabout, follow the sidewalk to the left and cross Prince Albert Road at the crosswalk just beyond the SJW Church.  Continue east and enter the canal at the Charlbert entrance.  Run east [left], cutting through the Camden Lock Market until you run out of canal path at Islington.  Touch the canal boat tunnel wall—this is The Wall!—then turn around and re-trace your steps back to SJW.  When you come off the canal at Regents Park, take Charlbert to Allitsen to SJW High Street to Starbucks.

HILL RUN  The Heath

Friday 27 March

It’s Friday again, so everyone up Fitzjohn’s.  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.

In addition, 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.
5 miles: The Betsy Route
6-7miles:  The partial Heath route

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

Click here for maps of all of the Heath routes.