Author: wrwlondon

10-14 September 2012 Running Info…

Hello everyone,

Thank you so much for continuing to welcome our new runners.  We are still getting to know each other and sorting out pace “packs” within our larger group but it will happen! Everyone hang in there, keep coming out, keep running and things will settle into a routine soon.

Calling all mid-paced runners….
In an effort to help our mid-paced ladies identify other similarly-paced runners, we’ll be heading down to Hummingbird Bakery in South Kensington on Wednesday (12 Sept).  We’ll run between an 11:15-12:15 min/mile pace and have lots of opportunities to rest as it’s mostly street running (hopefully lots of red lights!!!).  You’ll have the option of running 4, 5 or 6 miles or running less than that by starting with us then taking some sort of transport to meet us at the bakery.  If you run around that pace or are new to long distances and want to slow down your pace a bit to extend your mileage, come join us!

Beginner Runner Overload…..
A note about this year’s beginner running group, it’s time to stop recruiting!  We have 33 women in the group.  There are a few who will be trying out the MWF groups this week and we always lose a few over the first couple of months.  Handling more than about 25 is tricky.  I will never say no to anyone wanting to join – I can’t make myself do it, but we definitely can stop recruiting beginner runners.  Thanks a million!!

Functional Movement Assessments….
I’ll give one more nudge here for you to set up an appointment with Christian for a functional movement assessment.  I promise I’m not getting any kickbacks!  It’s a great time of year at the beginning of our season to have a “tune-up”.  Christian can help you get everything in balance so as we start increasing mileage you’ll be ready for it.  His contact information is under the “Our Experts” tab on the website.

Physio….
I’ve heard from several of you that Victor’s schedule is booking up and the next available appointments are weeks away.  If you need to see a physio, consider going to APPI.  Victor is fabulous (and that’s why he gets booked up), but it can be difficult to get an appointment. APPI is a team of physios led by Glenn Withers.  It’s easy to get in and they are very good. They also offer sports massage, pilates classes and other services. Their contact info is on the website.

Bike Path Etiquette….
To avoid falling in the canal or having a head-on collision with a biker, we’ve always said to put the bikers closest to the water.  Legally we should go to the left, but most of the information on canal/footpath/towpath usage suggests that people use their common sense and just be considerate of other path users.  It should not be necessary that someone in the group scream “bike”.  That can be helpful, but we need to all be alert and watching for bikers.  If we all agree to always jump into a single file queue away from the water, then the bikers can easily get around us. By all moving in the same direction, we send them a signal that says “We’re going towards the wall, you go towards the water”.  Pedestrians do have the right of way on paths but that doesn’t really matter when a cyclist runs into us.  We have had a runner “fall in the drink”.  It can happen and that water is nasty!!!  So everyone, pay attention, just stay in a single file line if the bike traffic is heavy.  Your conversation can wait until the end of the run.

Our Routes this Week

Monday, 10 September
Teddington near Hampton Court (22 miles) – see the route description below.  We’ll do the run to Kew but then keep on going to Kingston-on-Thames and then Hampton Court and Bushy Park.  Just like last week, we’ll be setting the pace based on Patricia’s HR once we past Kew so I don’t really know what pace that will be.  Sometimes we’ll speed up, sometimes we’ll slow down.  Join us if you want if you are prepared to be very flexible with the pace!

Kew (10 miles) – run with the group to Hyde Park, do the northern boundary heading west then head down towards Kensington Palace.  In front of the palace, we’ll head out Kensington High Street to Hammersmith then on over the river and out west.  For those new to this route, you take a train home from Kew Gardens.  I don’t make you run home as well….  I’m not that mean!!!

Hyde Park loop (8 miles) – run with the group to Hyde Park (we’ll be taking Lisson Grove then Seymour to enter at the NE corner of the park), then turn right or west to run along the northern boundary, turn left or south to reach Kensington Palace, then continue to follow the full perimeter of Hyde Park and return to St. John’s Wood via Baker Street or Gloucester Road.

Serpentine loop (6 miles) – run with the group to Hyde Park (we’ll be taking Lisson Grove then Seymour to enter at the NE corner of the park), then turn right or west to run along the northern boundary, turn left or south at Carriage Rd then run alongside the road over the bridge.  Immediately after the bridge, turn left to follow the water edge back towards Wellington Arch.  To shorten this loop, cross back over the Serpentine near the café and head on a diagonal back to Speaker’s Corner.  To lengthen this run, either go past Carriage Road and cut south by the Albert Memorial or do not cross over the Serpentine at the café – instead carry on down to the far SE corner of the park, then run up to Speaker’s Corner and home via Baker Street or Gloucester Road.

Speaker’s Corner loop (4-5 miles) – run with the group to Hyde Park, once we’ve entered the park do a small loop keeping to the north side of the Serpentine.  Head back to SJW either up Seymour/Lisson Grove or by the US Embassy then up Baker Street.

Wednesday, 12 September
Hummingbird Bakery in South Kensington (4, 5 or 6 miles – your choice) – Let the fun begin…  I’ll be leading a group down to the best cupcake bakery in London (we can debate that on our way there).  We’ll be running at a gentle pace somewhere between 11:15 – 12:15 min/mile pace.  There are tons of streetlights/road-crossings so we’ll have plenty of opportunities to catch our breath on the way there.  Come join us – I promise it will be fun.  There are quite a few ladies who have said they are not sure where they belong in our group (in terms of pace).  Let’s figure it out together on this run.  There will be no pressure to run fast – it’s more about meeting other runners who are in your general pace-range.  Bring your Oyster card and some cash.  We’ll go home from the South Kensington tube station or jump in cabs if you prefer.

Notting Hill (6.5 miles) – For our quicker paced runners, we’ll repeat this route again so our new runners can learn it.  If you are wanting a tempo run, once you hit the canal…. Go for it.  It’s a perfect place to stretch your legs.  You also have the option of not turning off the canal and running Notting Hill.  You could tempo run out the canal and turn around and tempo back.  Use the bit between Starbucks and the canal to warm-up and/or cool-down.

The canal (any distance) – join the group and head down to the canal.  Run half the distance you want and turn around and head home.

Friday, 14 September
Everyone heads up the hill!  Yeah!  It’s hard but you’ll feel great at the finish.  You have lots of choices in terms of distance – see below:

The Heath – old route (8 miles) – we’ll take a quick vote on Friday morning to see what people prefer – the old route or the western route.  They are both 8 miles.

The Heath – western route (8 miles) – this route is even prettier than the old route but to me it seems a bit harder.  If we decide to do it, you can tell me what you think – maybe it’s not really harder, it’s just less familiar.

The Darcy route (6-7 miles) – some of you are on to me!!!  I have no idea about the specifics of this route.  Darcy (Fautz who it’s named after) explained it to me this past week but you’ll have to ask her exactly how it goes.  While we’re talking about Darcys, here’s a shout out to the new Darcy.  Wow girl!  You can run!  No more talk about “can I or can’t I keep up”!  I’ll ignore that talk in the future.  You did very well!

The Betsy route (5 miles) – join Betsy if you would like a drill sergeant insisting you not walk one step!!!  (just kidding).  Betsy usually does this route so join her if you’re interested in a lovely 5 mile route.  It’s actually perfect because you get a lot of hill running, you get to see some of the heath, then you head back to SJW. 

Hampstead tube station (4 miles) – this is a great route to do if you’re short on time or are new to running “the hill”.  Head up to the Hampstead tube station with the group then turn around and head back home.  That’s it! 

I hope to see you running this week,

Paula

3-7 September 2012 Running Info….

Hello everyone,

We’ve had a great start to our running season!  Thanks so much for making an effort to get out and get into a routine right away.  Thanks as well for welcoming all of our new runners into our “pack”.  I really, really appreciate the very welcoming nature of our group.  Most of us can remember what it feels like to be new to London or new to the running group.  It’s tough!  Remember feeling like maybe you’re holding people back, or that everyone seems to know everyone else, or that everyone seems to know all the routes.  It doesn’t take long to realize that none of us know anything (just kidding – it’s only me that doesn’t know anything)!!!  We’re just out running and having a great time.  So anyway….  Thanks again!  I know we can be an intimidating group just due to our numbers – thanks for helping me reach out to new runners and not scaring away new additions.  That being said; please continue to send people my way.  I’m happy to chat with them and help them figure out which group they might most enjoy.  You girls are the best!!!

Before we get to routes, here are a few announcements:

Group Half-marathon:  Our yearly half-marathon trip will be to Bratislava, Slovakia this year.  The date is 24 March, 2013 so put it in your calendars!  I hope this choice is OK with you.  It’s tough choosing a race.  After sorting through the calendar avoiding school events, holidays, there are only three weekends that we could race.  After narrowing down dates, we need to find a race that meets all of our criteria.  I think Bratislava will be perfect!  The weather should be very similar to London (possibly a bit more chilly) so we won’t have to fight the heat like we did in Lisbon, Turkey and Cyprus in prior years.  I will create a page on our website dedicated to race/travel logistics and post information there for easy access.  Race registration is not open until 10 January so for now nothing needs to be done…. Except, of course, run!!  One very important note – the half-marathon trip is for runners only.  No husbands, no kids, no non-runners.  I’m happy to explain the “why” some day when we’re running, but for now I just wanted to get that out there.  This way everyone knows what the deal is early on in the process.

Functional movement assessments:  If you have a history of injuries or are keen to prevent injury, consider setting up an appointment with Christian.  He can do a one hour assessment of how you are moving functionally and give you advice and/or exercises to improve your situation.  He also offers blocks of sessions to work on functional movement.  It’s not a bad idea to start off your training from a good position!  Attached is a flyer with more information and Christian’s contact details can be found on our “Experts” page of the website.  Christian also offers powerbag classes which are good fun.  I’ll attach that flyer as well.

Weight management:  Anyone wanting help with weight loss/management, consider contacting Anne-Marie.  She is offering a four week program including nutrition advice, recipes, wellness coaching and practical cooking tips for £350.  Anne-Marie will tailor the program to meet your needs;  for example, it could include training sessions if you choose.  Annemarie’s contact information is on our “Experts” page of the website.

Social activities:  I’ve asked Kelli Montanaro to help organize some social functions for our group, so expect to see some emails from her.  We’re trying to keep things fun!

Website updates:  We’re getting there…..  I’ve figured out how to link our website to files containing our training programs so they are easier to read.  So far I’ve only done the training program for the half-marathon in the fall.  If you look at that page you’ll see a new link that hopefully will open a non-fuzzy version of the program.  Let me know if it works (or doesn’t!!!).

                                                                                                            xo,

                                                                                                            Paula

Monday, 3 September

Hyde Park loop (8 miles) – we’ll head over to Lisson Grove, run down to Hyde Park, then turn right or west to run along the north edge of the park.  The full perimeter of the park is an 8 mile loop back to SJW.

Serpentine loop (5-6 miles) – if you prefer less mileage, run with the group to Hyde Park, turn right or west with us, run along the north edge of the park until you reach Carriage Rd.  At that point we’ll keep going straight but you’ll turn left or south to run along Carriage Rd.  Cross over the Serpentine then turn left or east just past the bridge.  Run alongside the water until you reach the pedestrian bridge that takes you past the park café.  Then head back towards Speakers Corner and return to SJW either up Seymour/Lisson Grove or by the US Embassy then up Baker Street.

Speakers Corner (4-5 miles) – run with the group to Hyde Park, once we’ve entered the park do a small loop keeping to the north side of the Serpentine.  Head back to SJW either up Seymour/Lisson Grove or by the US Embassy then up Baker Street.

On Monday, Patricia and I will be running with the group around Hyde Park and cutting off at Kensington Palace to do a longer training run through Richmond Park and down to New Malden.  You’re welcome to join us but we will be doing some very specific heart-rate range work which means you may not be happy with the pace.  The route is gorgeous but there are not a lot of transport options between mile 7 and mile 18.  I’m not trying to discourage you – I just want to explain how it will work.

Wednesday, 5 September

The Wall (6 miles) – this route is a little bit boring, but it will be good for our new runners to get familiar with it.  We head down towards Regents Park then get to the canal and run east past Camden.  Just before Islington the canal is blocked so we call it “The Wall”.  We then turn around and run back to SJW.  This is a great route to a tempo run.  Go for it ladies!

The canal (any distance) – join the group and head down to the canal.  Run half the distance you want and turn around and head home.

Friday, 7 September

Everyone heads up the hill!  Yeah!  It’s hard but you’ll feel great at the finish.  You have lots of choices in terms of distance – see below:

The Heath (8 miles) – we’ll run this route again on Friday so people can start to learn it.  It’s great to know this route as we often get pretty strung out in the heath.  Once this route becomes familiar to most of us, then we’ll throw in the western heath route from time to time.

The Darcy route (6-7 miles)

The Betsy route (5 miles)

Hampstead tube station (4 miles)

Running this week 30 Apr – 4 May 2012

Hello Runners,

Let’s start with some updates from last week’s email:

The London Marathon:
Our girls rocked!!!!  Congratulations Kelli and Patricia on a fabulous run and a “shout-out” as well to Laura Mosedale, who’s on our distribution but rarely gets to join the group, and to some of the husbands of our runners.  It was a gorgeous day for us spectators (albeit maybe a bit warm for you runners?).  Ladies, thank you so much for joining me to go down and watch the race.  The weekends are busy and I know many of you wanted to go but had other commitments (so no guilt-trip here!!!!), but this is one thing I love about our running group.  We truly support each other.  It meant a lot to the girls running to see us in the crowd cheering them on.  Our next marathon runners are Kathy Schlageter in Prague mid-May and Lynn Gilbert and Kathy McMahon in Edinburgh end-May.  Let them know we’re wishing them well.  Maybe we should have arranged some travel for the fans!

Dorking Race:
Would you mind letting me know if you are either considering the Dorking race or have already made your arrangements to go?  I’ve had something come up that weekend that  I’m considering attending (but if a bunch of you have planned on going to Dorking I’ll RSVP my regrets).  I’ve heard from some of you that you’ve already signed up for the race and others have booked and paid for non-refundable hotel rooms.  It would be helpful to know if you’re coming or if you’re thinking about it, etc.  Thanks a million!

Now for new business…. next year’s race.  We will definitely, 100% be doing another group half-marathon next spring.  I’ve got it narrowed down to a couple of weekends that are viable time slots avoiding bank holidays, ASL functions and other known conflicts.  I’ll let you know as soon as I know – I promise!  Several of our runners who have moved from London, or will be moving, have expressed interest in joining us.  Please do!  I think it’s a great way to keep in touch and keep everyone running/training no matter where they are living.  So let’s get the word out to everyone once we decide when/where we’re going.  For next year, I’m hoping to do a better job of promoting some other race ideas.  I love the idea of small groups getting together to do other races throughout the year.  We have a base of about 100 ladies on this distribution – there’s no reason for everyone to have to wait for the yearly half-marathon trip to do a race.  If you find a race that you’re interested in doing, sign up and find some other runners to join you.

Last of all, it’s that time of year again!  If you know of any ladies who may be interested in joining the beginner group, send them my way.  I start corresponding with them before everyone leaves for the summer (which is just weeks away – yikes!!!!).  As always, I try to find ladies who have never, ever, ever run before in their lives – it’s better for the group dynamics if everyone is starting from the same place.  That being said, we always have ladies who have a bit of running history but prefer the beginner group which is fine.  In those cases, sometimes they “find their legs” after a couple of months and decide to move up to the next level in the running group.  So if you have any friends interested, have them call or email me.  Assure them that this really is a beginners running group – they don’t have to do anything to prepare for it.  We’ll start probably on Thursday, 30 August.  For the first few sessions we’re out for about 35-40 minutes.  We begin with 1 min slow jogs followed by 2 min walking breaks (doing that 10 times initially).  It’s very gentle but still can be overwhelming for those new to running.

That’s it for this week.  The routes are below.

I hope to see you next week,

Paula

Monday (30 April):
To Iver (20-25 miles) – Out the canal west past Wormwood, past the North Circular, past Wembley, past Greenford, past Hayes-Harlington, left on the canal extension towards Iver and a return by train from Langley.

Greenford (10 miles) – Greenford is a nice 10 mile run along the canal west.  Let me know if you’re thinking about this route but aren’t sure where to turn off the canal.  I can bring some streamers to tie from a tree at the turn-off like we did a few months ago.

Notting Hill (6.7 miles) – If you want to hang with the group on the canal for awhile, this is a perfect idea.  You would start with the group – we’ll being running out the canal west and you would turn off at Ladbrook Grove to follow the normal Notting Hill route.

Canal run (x miles) – A run of any distance could be easily done by running out the canal and turning around and returning to SJW.  You would start with the group, run out the canal until you’ve done half of your desired mileage, then turn around and retrace your steps.  For any ex-beginners wanting to give Mondays a try, this or the Notting Hill route might be interesting options.

Wednesday (2 May):
Dollis Valley (10-15 miles) – This is one of my favorite routes.  It’s a bit of an adventure run (translation – there are sections where we’ll be reading a map and running at the same time).  This route constantly changes with construction/diversions.  It’s a tough climb up to Hampstead then down through the Heath Extension.  We’ll navigate our way through Big Wood and Little Wood, then get on the Dollis Valley Way which is a lovely path that winds it’s way up through North London along a small brook.  I’ll be doing this run at Susan and Darcys’ pace (10:45 to 11:15 depending on the terrain/incline).  Join us if you can!  I promise it’s a fabulous route.  There are options to grab a bus at 5 miles on Finchley Rd at the North Circular, or take a train from Totteridge/Whetstone at 10 miles.  There are also options of 7.5 miles at Finchley Central and 8.5 miles at West Finchley but run with a map if you want to do those distances.  The stations are about .5-1.0 miles from the Dollis Valley Way (so you’ll need to navigate your way from the path to the station).  If you do this run, you might think about not running hills on Friday.  I’m thinking of running to Borough Market on Friday (mid-morning) – join me if you want.

I’m not sure what else to offer up here as route suggestions for Wednesday.  You are all well versed in the mid-distance options of Notting Hill, Hyde Park, Green Park, St. James Park, the shopping route, the canals, etc.  So group yourselves up and have a great run!

Thursday (3 May):
Whole Foods Kensington (5.5-6 miles) – Give me some feedback here ladies!  I know some of you are joining the MWF runners so are doing some hills.  I’m suggesting this route because there are 2-3 of good hills along the way which we can practice together.  If you don’t want to run hills, just say so!  We can do a different route or different destination – no worries.  If we do this route, we’ll go out the canal west, turn off at Ladbrook Grove, do a little zig-zagging through Notting Hill, run up Notting Hill (it’s called that for a reason!!!), run UP to Holland Park and do a loop in there, then finish at Whole Foods Market on Ken High St.  If you don’t like Whole Foods or want another really big, bad hill – we can finish at Clark’s on Kensington Church St.  Your choice!

Friday (4 May):
You have all the normal options for hill runs (see below) or consider joining me for a run to Borough Market if you aren’t interested in hills (or if you did the Dollis Valley run on Wednesday).  I’ll be leaving Starbucks at 9:45, heading down to the market, grabbing a coffee, doing some shopping and coming home on the Jubilee Line.

Full Heath Route (8 miles)

The Darcy Route (7 miles)

The Betsy Route (5-6 miles)

Hampstead/Haverstock/Adelaide loop (5 miles) – Run up to Hampstead tube station, then down Rosslyn/Haverstock Hill to the Chalk Farm tube station.  Turn right on Adelaide Rd and run towards Swiss Cottage.  Turn left onto St. John’s Wood Park and head back to Starbucks.

Hampstead Tube Station (3.8 miles) – Up to the Hampstead tube station, turn around and run back to Starbucks.  This is a great run for anyone new to hills.  It’s just under 2 miles of torture running uphill, then you get to coast back down again.  It’s a great way to learn/practice hill running.

Running this week 9 – 13 Jan 2012

Hello everyone,

No pressure, really, but just thought you may be interested……  from Monday, it’s 76 days until 25 March 2012.  That’s just under 11 weeks to race day!  Yeah!  We can do it!  If you are planning on participating in the half-marathon, now is the time to decide how you are going to do it.  I don’t mean “how” as in “OMG, how am I ever going to run 13 miles”, I mean “how” as in….  What is your goal?  Do you want to run it in a certain time?  Will you run it solo or is there someone in the group you want to run with?  Is your goal to just finish with dignity intact?  How to you plan to fuel your race?  I am more than happy to help you work through those decisions – let me know if I can help.
We will now begin to increase our mileage for the long runs and hopefully do some fun and different routes.    Here’s what I would suggest for next week:

Monday 

Please read the route details for Monday – it’s a change to our normal routine!
  • Distance Runners – 10 miles –  I’m up for something fun this week!  How about we try a new route out to Wimbledon?  We would run the most direct route possible through Hyde Park then down through South Ken/Chelsea/Fulham to Putney.  Then we’ll cross over the river at Putney Bridge and run up to Wimbledon Commons and take the train home from Wimbledon Station.  It’s about a 30 minute ride home including a transfer at Vauxhall.
  • Pace Setters – 8 miles – For those of you fast girls, consider the Wimbledon run.  It will mean slowing down.  We’ll have to stay together as one pack and this will be at a considerably slower pace than you are used to.  But it will be fun!  If you’re up for some endurance training, come with us then do some serious tempo work on Wednesday.  You have 8 miles on your schedule this week for your long run, but the 10 to Wimbledon would be OK as the pace will be slower.
  • Flex-runners – 9 miles – Think about trying the run Wimbledon.  Here’s the deal – we’ll have to stay together in one pack as it’s a new route and there are a million turns.  We’ll be running between a 9:45 and 10:45 pace.  If you can’t keep up with that pace, consider doing your long run on Tuesday with the EBR group or Wednesday with the Mid-level group.  For those of you new to the running group, this is not the norm!  Usually we wait for people, but for this specific run – we need to make sure the faster girls also get in a good run.  You have 9 miles on your training schedule this week for the long run, if the 10 to Wimbledon is too much you’ll have the option of going home from Putney (7 miles).
  • Mid-level (7 miles) – How about following the other runners down to Hyde Park?  We’ll be going down Sussex Gardens and entering the park near Bayswater.  The Distance/Pace-setter/Flex-runner groups will then take a diagonal through the park.  Don’t follow them!  Instead, turn right and do the perimeter around the park and come home either via Baker St. or Lisson Grove.  Either way, back to SJW will be about 7 miles.
  • EBR – if you want to do your mid-distance run on Monday, join the mid-level group on the shortened to Hyde Park loop route.
Tuesday – Ease Back into Running Group (8 miles) – We will be heading down to Battersea Park then running through Pimlico, by Victoria and finishing at the Westminster tube station.
Wednesday –
  • Distance Runners, Pace-setters and Flex-runners – 6 miles – The Wall – If you are wanting to do a certain time in Lisbon, it’s time to get serious about these Wednesday tempo runs.  For those of you not interested in time, run to The Wall and turn around and come back.  For those of you wanting to go a bit faster, do it.  We are a social running group, but everyone understands.  They won’t be offended if you take off like a rocket.  Try to position yourself in the front of the pack as we leave Starbucks.  We’ll go over to The Star then head down Charlbert to the canal.  Jog at a gentle pace (but be in the front of the pack) to the canal.  Once you get to the canal, take off!  Make note of your time from “take off” back to that spot again.  We’ll do this route again in a few weeks so you can see if you’re getting faster.  For those of you new to tempo-work, try to run the last half of the route faster than the first half.  If you have a heart-rate monitor, wear it and make note of your average HR for the canal part of the run.  A few tips for running faster – swing your arms forward and backward (if they come across your body they slow you down), relax your arms/shoulders by shaking out your hands (don’t keep your hands in fists), think about increasing your foot turnover instead of just running faster.  Don’t think about lengthening your stride, just think about picking up your foot faster (like the hot potato game).  Keep your chin up and shoulders back (hunching over compresses your lungs which decreases your oxygen intake ability).  Have fun!!!
  • Mid-level (9.5 miles) – Canary Wharf – woohoo!!!  I love this run.  Bring some water and a gel.  I’ll carry some extra gels in my backpack.  We’re ready!  We can do it! We’ll tube home on the Jubilee line.
  • EBR – if you want to do your mid-distance run on Wednesday then join the group and run to The Wall.
Friday – Everyone up the hill to Hampstead or the heath.  We’ll decide on the day which route to follow.  We have a bunch of interesting routes for each group this week – people may be in the mood to run the routes they know by Friday.
Happy Running,
Paula

Running this week 2 – 6 Jan 2012

Hello everyone,

I hope you had a fabulous holiday season.  I can’t believe it’s almost over.  We will ease back into our running next week – each group’s long runs are a bit shorter than what you were doing before the break.  The following week will be back to normal and then we’ll be on a steady program getting ready for Lisbon.

Monday (last of the holiday runs – we will meet at Starbucks at 9:00am) and it will be a mixed group.  Most of you who do your long runs on Mondays have 8 miles on your schedule.  I would recommend the Hyde Park full perimeter loop (one more time!!!) as that is a very easy route to shorten.  I promise our routes will be more interesting the following week.

Tuesday (back to the regular 8:15 start) – Ease Back into Running Group (7 miles) – down to Hyde Park then on to Wellington Arch, over to Green Park then home via Baker Street or Mayfair.  We’ll take this run at a gentle pace then get back to normal the following week.
Wednesday –
Distance Runners – Notting Hill
Pace Setters – Notting Hill
Flex-runners – Notting Hill
Mid-level (8 miles) – Wembley (tube/train home from Wembley Central station)
EBR – if you want to do your mid-distance run on Wednesday, 1) run out the canal with the group when they turn off the canal, turn around and run back to SJW 2) run the Notting Hill route but finish at Paddington

Friday – Everyone up the hill to Hampstead or the heath.  I won’t be there so let’s follow the old route.  I would love to get the new route established as a valid alternative over the next few weeks.  It’s nice to be able to mix it up.

In an effort to provide a bit of “new year” inspiration, I’ve attached pdf versions of the running schedules for the EBR, Mid-level and Flex-runners groups.  The Distance Runners each have their own programs as does the Gentle Runners group.  The Pace-setters are those ladies who are not wanting super-long distances but would prefer to run fast.  For those of you Pace-setters training for Lisbon, your long runs are stable at 8 miles during Jan then start ramping up (beginning on Monday, 2 Jan you have the following long run mileage – 6, 8, 8, 8, 8, 10, 6, 9, 9.5, 10, 11, 8).  I would encourage you (and any of the Flex-runners wanting to push their pace) to break away from the group and go for it.  The 8 miles runs throughout January will give you a great opportunity to run fast, push your pace and see what happens.
Happy Running,
Paula

EBR Lisbon Schedule.pdf

Running over the holidays – Dec 2011

Happy Holidays!

Most of you are not in London over the holidays, but for those of us in town – what do you think of the following schedule?  We could run Mon, Wed, and Fri each week and usually people group up sometime on the weekend for a run.  Let’s change our start time to 9:00am.
Usually we continue to run up the hill on Fridays, so it’s really only the Mon and Wed runs to consider.
Some nice holidays routes could be:
  • Notting Hill (6.5 miles)
  • Shopping route (6-6.5 miles) through Regents Park, down Marylebone High St., at Oxford St. turn left then take New Bond St. down to Piccadilly.  Turn right and head back to Hyde Park then home via the US Embassy
  • Hyde/Green Park loop – (6-7 miles) down Lisson Grove to Hyde Park, down to Wellington Arch, over to Green Park, down to Buckingham Palace, then up the steep hill at the edge of Green Park next to the Ritz, then wind your way home through Mayfair
  • Borough Market – (6-ish miles) the market is open every day from 10-5 for the holiday season except from the 25th-28th.
  • Battersea Park (10 miles) this is always a nice route is anyone is wanting a long run.
  • Hyde Park loop – (8 miles) the full perimeter of the park
  • Green/St. James Park loop – (8 miles) down Lisson Grove to Hyde Park, down to Wellington Arch, over to Green Park, down to Buckingham Palace, then into St. James – do the full perimeter of St. James Park, then up back into Green Park – finish the full perimeter (so go up to the Ritz and run along the north edge of the park), back to Hyde Park then home via the US Embassy.
It’s the holidays!  Do whatever you want!  Email me back if you want to be put on the holiday email distribution list.  I’ll create a group listing so the rest of you don’t have to read all the chatter over the holidays.  Also that way you will all know who else is in town and if anything changes you can communicate more easily with each other.
xo,
Paula

Running this week 12 – 16 Dec 2011

Hello everyone!

You’re fabulous!  I asked you last week to consciously think about your individual training programs for Lisbon and Boom!  Like magic,  you’ve done it!  Thank you.  For those of you who are new to the running group, this will be our last week of a “normal” schedule.  The two weeks over the holidays are a bit more relaxed and a ton of fun.  The groups continue to meet at 8:15am at Starbucks.  We’ve found that is easier than trying to communicate a change in time.  Someone always misses the message and ends up sitting at Starbucks waiting for people to show up!  Of course if that time doesn’t work for you, arrange yourselves separately.  I’ll send out some basic route suggestions next weekend that will cover us for two weeks.  We usually have a mixed group of runners so we settle on a mid-range pace and enjoy getting in some mileage.
Also I wanted to let you know that I was not selected to run with the Olympic torch.  Truly, I’m not disappointed.  To me it was just as much of an honor to be nominated as it would have been to actually run with the torch.  You ladies were so sweet to think of me and take the time to write the nomination letter.
Monday – Canary Wharf (9.5 miles)  Everyone loves this route and it will feel great to leave town on a high note!
  • Distance Runners (10 miles on your schedule) – so either run to Starbucks, run around in circles at Canary Wharf, or just do the 9.5 miles and call it close enough!
  • Pace-setters (8 miles on your schedule) – Your call.  Mile End (on the Central Line) is 7.5 miles or you could do “The Wall” plus a bit of mileage in Regent’s Park or Primrose Hill or you could just go for it and join us all the way to Canary Wharf.
  • Flex-runners (10 miles on your schedule) – You’re flexible!  9.5 is close enough to 10!
  • Mid-level (7 miles on your schedule) – I would suggest “The Wall” with an extension.  Run to “The Wall”, turn around and run back to Camden market.  Come off the canal there and run up Camden High Street (NW direction toward Belsize).  When you get to the Chalk Farm tube station turn left on Adelaide Rd.  Run to Swiss Cottage then come down St. John’s Wood Park to Starbucks.  That route would be just under 7 miles.
  • EBR – Your mid-distance run this week should be 5 miles.  If you are wanting to do it on Monday, you could consider running to “The Wall” which is 6 miles or just turn around a bit early if you want to stick to 5 miles.
  • Gentle Runners (5 miles on your schedule) – “The Wall” or if you want to stick to 5 miles, turn around where the railroad tracks cross over the canal – that’s 2.5 miles from Starbucks so 5 miles round-trip.
Tuesday – Ease Back into Running (8 miles).  Wow!  We’re getting up there!  Last week’s run was amazing.  Everyone did extremely well.  This week we’ll be running one of my favorite routes up to the Finsbury Green Belt.  We will do a little loop in Finsbury Park to get the mileage we need.  It’s a tough run up to Hampstead then on to Highgate, but it’s worth it.  The green belt is beautiful.  We’ll finish at the bakery, grab a coffee and pastries (they also have great pita bread) and head home on the tube.
Wednesday –
  • Distance Runners (6.5 miles on your schedule) – How about the Hyde Park/Green Park/Home through Mayfair route?  Lisson Grove/Seymour down to Speaker’s Corner in Hyde Park then straight down to Wellington Arch.  Cross the big round-about into Green Park and run down to Buckingham Palace, then up the hill to the Ritz then cross Piccadilly St.  Go north on Half Moon St. then left on Curzon then right on Audley.  Audley turns into Baker St. so take it all the way back to SJW.
  • Pace-setters (6 miles on your schedule) – same as Distance Runners
  • Flex-runners (6 miles on your schedule) –  same as Distance Runners
  • Mid-level (10 miles on your schedule) – What do you think about running to Kew?  This is a lovely route and it’s mostly flat.  I thought about suggesting the Finsbury green belt then over to the river Lea, but that’s a tough run getting up there.  This will be our longest run this year so I think Kew might be a better option.  Is everyone happy with that?
  • EBR – Your mid-distance run this week should be 5 miles.  If you are wanting to do it on Wednesday, you could follow the Distance/Pace-setter/Flex-runners but come home from Green Park instead of running all the way back to SJW.
  • Gentle Runners (8 miles on your schedule) – We have a few options – (1) You could run behind the mid-level group but come off the river at Mortlake (precisely 8 miles) and train back into Waterloo.  Mortlake is about 1/2 mile past Barnes Bridge rail station (which sits just beside the river).  You stay along the river past Barnes Bridge rail station for about 6 minutes of running.  Turn left just before the Stag Brewery and in about 150 meters you reach the center of Mortlake.  The station sits near the middle of the village.  (2) If Mortlake sounds more complicated than it’s worth, the entire route around Hyde Park and back to SJW is 8 miles.
Friday – Everyone up the hill!
  • Distance Runners (8 miles on your schedule) – We can decide on the day whether people prefer the old route or the new route.  No worries!  Both are 8 miles.
  • Pace-setters (7 miles on your schedule) – Either route can be shortened to reduce the mileage.
  • Flex-runners (8 miles on your schedule) – Either route can be shortened to reduce the mileage if you’re not wanting the full 8 miles.
  • Mid-level (5 miles on your schedule) – The Betsy Route is a great 5 mile run.  Let me know if you need an route description.
  • EBR – Your mid-distance run this week should be 5 miles.  If you are wanting to do it on Friday, you could follow the Betsy Route into the heath.
  • Gentle Runners (6 miles on your schedule) – The extended Betsy Route works or you could do the regular Betsy Route but instead of cutting through Belsize on your way home keep running straight down Haverstock Hill to Adelaide Rd.  Turn right on Adelaide, run back to Swiss Cottage then turn left on St. John’s Wood Park and finish at Starbucks.
That’s it!  An update on the Lisbon trip will follow either this afternoon or tomorrow.  The trip is all coming together nicely.
Happy Running!
Paula

Running for the next two weeks 21 Nov – 2 Dec 2011

Hello Runners,

I have some good news and some bad news….  let’s start with the good news.  For most of you, we are using the week of Thanksgiving as a recovery week – a chance to cutback on your mileage and allow your body to rest a bit.  Now for the bad news….  I’m away for the next couple of weeks (that part could be good news for some of you!!!) so the routes will be a bit boring.  I am SO predictable.  I always send everyone on boring routes while I’m away just to make sure I’m missed!
A couple of things about the Lisbon trip – the price of the flight is creeping upwards.  The last I heard someone paid £217.  As I understand, there are no frequent flyer seats available unless you have a higher-tiered card (silver or gold).  Also, the cost of registering for the race goes up after 1 December (I think it’s maybe from €33 to €44).  There still is no pressure – the race won’t over-subscribe, and the hotel has plenty of room.  This is just a cost notification!
Monday (21 Nov)
  • Distance Runners – most of this group is away or we’ve sorted out your runs individually.  For Kelli and Patricia, you could consider The Serpentine Loop or “The Wall” – both of those routes are 6 miles.
  • Pace-setters – (6 miles) The Serpentine Loop down to Hyde Park, west to Carriage Rd, then south along the road crossing over the Serpentine bridge, then down to the Lido running east, then back to SJW via Baker St.
  • Flex-runners – (8.1 miles) the full Hyde Park perimeter.
  • Mid-level – (6 miles) The Serpentine Loop.  I’ve given Michele and Darcy this route description in more detail.  So at Starbucks, just look for them and try to group up.  They will set the pace and lead the group for the next two weeks.
  • Gentle Runners – (4 miles) how about Big Ben?
Tuesday (22 Nov)
  • EBR – (6 miles) – The Serpentine Loop.  I’ve given Beth Dierker and Gayle Walsh the details of this route.  They will lead you and set the pace for the group.  If you’re the type who is tempted to push the pace, try staying behind Beth and Gayle.  I think pace is going to be key for the EBR group.  From most of you I’m hearing that when the pace is restrained, you are happier with the run.  So try to keep it slow and steady!
Wednesday (23 Nov)
A fun run for all!!!  Usually during holiday periods, we have a much smaller group running and despite the pace differences, the group hangs together and does something fun.  We continue to meet at the same time, 8:15am, at Starbucks.  You could consider the shopping route which is down through Regent’s Park, down Marylebone High Street to Oxford Street.  East along Oxford to Bond Street then down Bond Street to Piccadilly.  Turn left (or east) and run to Piccadilly Circus then up Regent St. all the way to Regent’s Park then back to SJW.  This entire route is just under 6 miles but there are endless options to shorten it.  Have fun!
Friday (25 Nov)
Everyone up the hill to Hampstead or the heath.  Again, a lot of our runners will be away for the holiday, but we will meet at the same time, 8:15am, at Starbucks.  Group up however you feel comfortable depending on who’s there and run whatever distance you prefer.  Do pat yourself on the back as the rest of us are probably sitting somewhere, not running, suffering from the-day-after-Thanksgiving sluggishness!
Monday (28 Nov)
  • Distance Runners – most of this group is away or we’ve sorted out your runs individually.  For Kelli and Patricia, I would suggest the Notting Hill loop.
  • Pace-setters – (6.5 miles) – Kelly Ezickson will lead you on a speedy route through Notting Hill.  These ladies will probably be getting warmed-up running with the group down to the canal.  Once they hit the canal, they’re taking off.  If you’re not wanting a fast pace, let them go and try not to get sucked into their wake.
  • Flex-runners – (8 miles) an extended Notting Hill loop.  I’ve asked Kathy McMahon to lead this group – she’s traveling and I haven’t heard back from her.  I tried to time it perfectly when she would be sound asleep in the US.  So, we’ll just assume she’ll say yes (fingers crossed!!!).  This route follows the normal Notting Hill run but after about 4.4 miles you break off at Chepstow and head to Hyde Park.  If you’re wanting to do this route, just look for Kathy at Starbucks and she’ll take good care of you!
  • Mid-level – (6.5 miles) Notting Hill.  Darcy and Michele will lead you – I’ve given them a more detailed route description.  There are a lot of turns so don’t worry if you get a bit lost.  The pace is more important than the exact route.  Try to keep it steady and not too fast.  You can see that there are other runners following this route.  Try to group up together at Starbucks so you don’t find yourself miles into the route running with the super-fast girls.
  • Gentle Runners – (4-5 miles) I have a couple of suggestions.  You could go out the canal towards Notting Hill running at a pushed-pace once you get on the canal.  Run out about 15 minutes (start the clock once you’re on the canal), then turn around and jog much more slowly back home along the canal.  Another idea would be to run out the canal towards Notting Hill, come off the canal at the A4207 (just before where that skateboard park in the old pool is on the canal).  Cross over the canal and run to Harrow Rd.  At that major intersection of the A4207, Fernhead Rd., Harrow Rd, Elgin Ave, and Walterton Rd., take Walterton Road to Shirland.  Turn right on Shirland for less than a block then turn left on Kilburn Park Rd.  Run to Carlton Vale where you turn right heading back to SJW.  Run up to Abbey Rd., turn right and run along Abbey Rd., then take Grove End back to Starbucks.  That route is 4.25 miles.
Tuesday (29 Nov)
  • EBR – Beth Dierker will lead the group again – Gayle won’t be running that day.  The route is 6 miles in total.  You run out the canal past Camden to “The Wall” then turn around and come back the same way you ran out.  Beth has the specifics on the route but basically it’s like we ran to Runner’s Need except you don’t come up off the canal at “The Wall”.  This will be a very tough run.  There are no street crossings – you get no breaks at all.  So watch your pace!  Keep it slow, very slow.  Don’t be disheartened if you have trouble.  It should be hard.  Get the pace right and you’ll be fine.  You can complain when I get back!!!
Wednesday (30 Nov)
  • Distance Runners – most of this group is away or we’ve sorted out your runs individually.  For Kelli and Patricia, you have 9 miles on your schedule.  Maybe the Hyde Park loop (that’s 8 miles) plus a little 1 mile loop either in Hyde Park or Regent’s Park?
  • Pace-setters – (6 miles) The Wall
  • Flex-runners – (8.1 miles) The Wall
  • Mid-level – (8 miles) Hyde Park full perimeter loop.  Again for this week, I’ve given Michele and Darcy this route description in more detail.  The speedsters are heading out the canal east so you’ll be on your own going down to Hyde Park.  This is a great route to work on finding your natural pace.  Instead of running fast, think of trying to keep an equal speed all the way around the park (as though your body is stuck in gear 2).  Just steady, steady, steady.
  • Gentle Runners – (5 miles) Your choice – maybe the canal east stopping at the railway bridge short of “The Wall” or down to Hyde Park adding a 1 mile loop from Speaker’s Corner (take one of the diagonal paths down to the Serpentine, run through the holiday carnival area, then back up to Speaker’s Corner).  Then return to SJW by the US embassy and Baker Street home.
Friday (2 Dec)
Everyone up the hill!  The mid-level, EBR, and Gentle groups are shooting for 5 miles so the Betsy route is a good option.  Most of the rest of our runners will be doing the old route in the heath which is 8 miles in total.  For those of you joining us in Hampstead or along the way, you’d be getting in 6-7 miles.
I’ll see you in a couple of weeks.
Happy Running,
Paula

Running this week 14 – 18 Nov 2011

Hello Runners!

I’ll apologize for what will be a very long email….. sorry!  Our running group is growing and we have such a wide range of paces/abilities/goals.  It’s fabulous!  I am trying to see how we can best organise ourselves to meet the needs of the group.  I keep tinkering with it so it’s not your fault if you can’t figure out what’s going on.  Just as soon as you get the hang of it, I change something.  I’ve always been hesitant to assign people to groups or dictate training programs.  As a result, we have a lot of flexibility, but maybe not enough clarity in how our schedule works.  Over the years we have become quite focused on long-distance running.  I’m hearing from some of you that you would love to do the half-marathon, but more as a “one-off” and you would prefer to run shorter and faster.  Some of you want to run very long at a more gentle pace.  Some want short and slower paced.  Some of you are less focused in your training and would love the flexibility of just deciding week by week if you feel like running long or doing a mid-distance run.  So… I’m proposing that we start to label these training groups just so we can more easily identify other people who may have the same goals as you do.  If you’re not sure where you fit in, send me an email and we’ll figure it out together.
  • Distance Runners – approx. 10:00 min/mile pace for very long runs
  • Pace-Setters – This new group wants to run faster but not crazy-long distances (until late Jan when their long runs will increase to 9/10/11 miles to prep for the half-marathon).
  • Flex-runners – This group likes to run long (usually not over 10 miles or so) at about a 10:30 pace (so faster than the Mid-level runners but slower than the Distance Runners).  Most of this group is not terribly interested in pushing the pace but enjoy running long-distances.
  • Mid-level – These ladies run long distances on Wednesdays at about 11:00-11:15 min/mile.
  • EBR – This group is getting back into running or learning to run longer distances.  Their long runs are 5-6 miles on Tuesdays and those will be gradually increasing in distance from now until the half-marathon.  This group runs an approximate 11:00 pace – no faster!  We’re running at a steady pace but not super-speedy.
  • Gentle-runners – This group is the place to be!  They are training for the half-marathon and like the Pace-setters, they aren’t interested in running extremely long distances yet.  The long runs will build very gradually until mid-March (this week is 7 miles).  The group runs at about a 12:00-12:30 pace.
For anyone unsure of how you should train for the half-marathon, I would suggest you run 3-4 times a week doing 1 long run, 1 mid-distance run, and 1 hilly run.  If you ran a fourth run, it could be fun – whatever you want to do.  The long run is the most important run of the week – if you only have time for one run in a week, it really should be your long run (if you are hoping to do the half-marathon).  This is our long run schedule:
  • Mondays – Distance Runners, Pace-setters and Flex-runners
  • Tuesdays – Ease Back into Running (EBR) group
  • Wednesdays – Mid-level group and Gentle-runners
  • Thursdays – Beginners group
I would encourage you to chose the day you want to do your long run and stick with it.  If you get yourself into a routine, then you’ll usually be doing your long run with the same people and most likely you’ll end up running the race with the same ladies.  I’ve attached a little schedule so you can more easily see what everyone is doing each day.
So after all of that blah, blah, blah – here are our route suggestions for the week.  I run with a different group each day.  I highlighted my runs in red so you’ll know whether to follow me or not.  Some of you have told me you thought you were supposed to run wherever I ran every day and that didn’t always work out so well!!

Monday –

  • Long distance option – 16 miles – along the canal east towards Canary Wharf but exiting the canal at Victoria Park then running beside the River Lea to Ponders End (train back to Liverpool St. then tube home).  I’ll be doing this run at a steady pace after leaving the canal (after 7ish miles) so if you’re interested in doing the full 16 miles but are not sure you can maintain the pace, give me a call or email and we can talk through the options.
  • Pace-setters – 6 miles – to “The Wall” and back.  For any new runners, this is a great route to push your pace.  You would start on the canal with the main group, run 3 miles to what we call “The Wall” (the canal is bricked in and you are forced to go up a ramp onto the street – stop at the wall, turn around and run back alongside the canal the way you came.
  • Flex-runners – 9.5 miles – Canary Wharf (tube home on the Jubilee line).  If you don’t know the route, please pair up with someone who runs your pace (preferably beforewe meet at Starbucks).
  • Mid-level – 6 miles for your medium-distance run – “The Wall” is an easy route to navigate and you would get to run with a lot of ladies as most of the groups are heading in that direction.
  • Gentle – 5 miles – for your medium-distance run – if you wanted to run towards “The Wall” once you go under the train tracks that’s about 2.5 miles – then you could turn around and run back to SJW.

Tuesday –

  • Ease Back into Running group – Our long run this week is between 5 and 5.5 miles.  We’ll be doing a route along the canal (no traffic lights!!!) then down through the city (praying for the “red men” at street crossings) finishing at Runner’s Need in Holborn.  Many of you have been asking about carrying water on our long runs so this will give you the opportunity to buy water bottles that slip over your hand, or tiny backpacks, or waist belts with water bottles.  This store also has a lot more merchandise (running tights, jackets, tops, etc.) than the Camden location.  So bring some money/credit card and your Oyster card.  There are endless options to shorten this route if you don’t want to do the entire 5-5.5 miles.
  • Beginners – Our newest runners group up and do their medium distance run on Tuesday mornings.  Please don’t crash their party!!!  I intentionally leave them on their own as it’s important that they learn to pace themselves, they get to know the basic routes through London, and most important – they learn that Syma, Bonnie, Becky and myself aren’t magic.  They start to get it – they can run on their own or in small groups.  Their confidence grows and their running improves, so let’s leave them to it.  Thanks a million for understanding.

Wednesday –

  • Distance runners – If you ran long on Monday, you might consider doing the Green Park loop (down to Speaker’s Corner, then to Wellington Arch, a loop around Green Park, then home via Baker Street).
  • Pace-setters – 5-6 miles at a good clip!  I would suggest running down to Hyde Park and doing the Serpentine Loop (west from Speaker’s Corner to Carriage Road, then south along the road, cross over the Serpentine on the bridge, then head back east along the water, then back towards Speaker’s Corner and home via Lisson Grove or Baker Street).
  • Flex-runners – If you ran long on Monday, you might consider the Green Park loop.
  • Mid-level – 8.5 miles to Wandsworth Common – This route is a blast!  We’ll head down through Hyde Park, through Sloane Square to the river, along Battersea Park, then head south along the high street of Wandsworth which is packed with cute little shops, restaurants, boutiques, cafes, etc.  We will finish at the Wandsworth Train Station and train/tube home.  Bring your Oyster card and some money (I’m not 100% sure that we can use our Oyster cards from that station).
  • EBR – Some of the EBR group has been doing their mid-distance run on Wednesdays (some on Thursdays).  You have your email distribution list now so group yourselves up for Wed or Thurs. This week’s mid-distance run should be 4-4.5 miles.  An idea would be to run down to Hyde Park, do a very small loop up in that NE corner of the park, then run home by the US Embassy and up Baker Street.
  • Gentle – You have 7 miles on your schedule for your long run this week.  I would suggest hanging behind the mid-level group on their route until they head south from Battersea Park.  You could come back over the river Thames, run back to Sloane Square and tube home from there.  If you don’t like that idea you could do the Green Park loop.

Thursday –

  • EBR – Some of the EBR group have been meeting up on Thursday mornings for a medium-distance run.  See the route suggestion above.
  • Beginners – long run

Friday –

  • All groups head up the hill to Hampstead or the Heath.  I think you know the different route options now, but let me know if you need any further clarification or directions.  We have runners doing everything from 4 miles to 8 miles so you can definitely find someone to run with.
Again, sorry for the length of this email.  Please give me your suggestions on how we can make the group work for everyone.  I promise I won’t have my feelings hurt if you say this or that is a crummy idea.  I just want to make it work.  Thank you so much for being incredibly flexible.
Happy Running,
Paula
PDF-Weekly schedule.pdf

Running this week 7 – 11 Nov 2011

Hello Runners,

I’m happy (just thought I’d share that!).  Ladies, you are amazing.  What a fabulous and inspiring set of women we have in our running group.  It has been such a pleasure to see so many new faces, make new friends and get in some great runs.  Thank you all for being so welcoming to our new runners and so flexible in terms of our routes and pace.  I love that people feel free to show up and join in.  The more the merrier!!
This week on Wednesday, we’ll finish our run in SJW and have coffee at Cafe Richoux at 10:00am instead of Starbucks. We have so many ladies running in different groups now – this will give us all a chance to sit down and relax before the holidays are upon us.  We’re not fitting comfortably into Starbucks, so the room upstairs at Cafe Richoux will allow us to all be together.  Whether you run that day or not, come and meet some of our new ladies, compare training programs, chat about the Lisbon trip and have a chance to say goodbye to Randi who will be leaving London for New Jersey this week.  It would be helpful if you could let me know if you think you may join us.  Cafe Richoux doesn’t need an exact headcount (so I won’t hold you to it) – we just need to give them an estimate.
Monday – We’ll be heading out to Richmond via Lisson Grove, through Hyde Park, out Kensington High Street west to Hammersmith, then over the Hammersmith Bridge and along the river to Richmond.  We’ll take home a tube or overground train back to St. John’s Wood.  Some options:
  • 13 miles – Richmond
  • 10 miles – Kew (and train/tube back) or run to Hammersmith and turn around and run back to SJW
  • 7 miles – Hyde Park – down through the park on the diagonal with the group then instead of heading west on Ken High St. just do a loop around the outer perimeter of the park
  • 6 miles – Serpentine loop
  • 4 miles – Down to Hyde Park, a little loop by Speaker’s Corner, then back to SJW
Tuesday – The Ease Back into Running group will be doing a 5 mile route finishing at Whole Foods in Kensington.  Many of you requested this route after hearing the beginners went down there last week.  We’ll be doing a longer route than they did with a bit more street running.  You will have endless options to shorten the route.  We’ll finish upstairs for coffee (if you have time) then head home (or grocery shop then head home) from the Kensington High Street tube station (or take a taxi if you’re in a hurry).
Wednesday – When one of our runners is leaving London, we try to do a “Sights of London” route.  We have so much turnover in the group that it’s not always possible, but this week it looks like it will work.  We do an approximate 7 mile loop running by some of the touristy highlights of the city.  For those of you wanting a good, 7 mile, steady, training run – this is not for you.  It’s mostly street running and we’ll probably be stopping for a few photos.  After the run, we’ll be having a coffee upstairs at Cafe Richoux at 10:00am instead of Starbucks.
Thursday – Our beginners will be running and I think some of the Ease Back into Running may be grouping up to do a 30-35 minute steady run (maybe in Regent’s Park?).
Friday – Everyone up to Hampstead and/or the Heath.  Some options:
  • 8 miles – Old route – I think it might be a good idea to do the old route this week.  We have several shorter options which start with this route, so we could begin together then split off into different routes and pace groups.
  • 7 miles – Stay on sidewalk up to Kenwood House, go into heath running along NE edge by Highgate ponds, then to the track exiting the heath over the railway bridge, up past Royal Free hospital, then through Belsize home.   Or stay with the group but after Parliament Hill go home by the track, then by Royal Free, then through Belsize back to SJW.
  • 6 miles – The “Betsy” route (see below) plus Parliament Hill.  Instead of exiting on Devonshire Rd, head up and over Parliament Hill, then down to the track and home via the 7 mile option above.
  • 5 miles – The “Betsy” route – I have no idea who created this route (maybe Syma?) but I call it the Betsy route because she recently showed it to me.  It’s up to the Hampstead tube station then Well Walk into the heath, exiting onto Devonshire Road, then home through Belsize.
  • 4 miles – Up to the Hampstead tube station and back home the same way
Please be assured that you are not required to do these long distances to run with the group.  Everyone runs with an Oyster card and some cash so you can put in whatever mileage you want, then grab a bus/tube/taxi home.  No worries.  When we have new runners join the group, it reminds me of how unusual our training is.  You will often hear someone saying, “Oh, I have a meeting, I just want to do 6 miles” or “I only ran 5 miles yesterday”.  Those are long distances!  So let me know if distance isn’t your thing.  I’m happy to help you find some races, talk to you about training for different distance events, or help you develop a plan to get ready for a race.  We don’t all have to be long distance runners.  I’ll still love you!!!
Hope to see you out running this week,
Paula