Howdie, Road Runners!

Two races into the 2024 East London fiVes Interclub Series (ELVIS), and I’m wondering if we will actually get any decent weather this year, although at least the rain held off until after the Havering ’90 Joggers 5-mile last Tuesday. However, I expect Rory was very happy to have cooler weather for the Southend Half on Sunday; in previous years we have had runners collapsing in the heat. See Greg’s race report, below, for the results.

Thank you to everyone who made their opinions known on the BRR 40th anniversary memento issue. The Committee discussed it at the June meeting, as you’ll see from the minutes. There will be more information soon but, in the meantime, don’t miss the drinks we have planned at the end of the month – the BRR diary has the details.

D-Day Quiz

We have been commemorating the 80th anniversary of D-Day, but what does the ‘D’ in D-Day stand for?

Answer at the bottom of the blog.

June Committee Minutes

With thanks to our Club Secretary, Isabel, here are the minutes of the BRR Committee meeting in June.

Safety First

If, like me, you’ve enjoyed the TV programmes and podcasts of Michael Mosley, you’ll have been saddened by his untimely death. I guess more details of what happened will emerge over the coming days and weeks. But it hammers home, yet again, how important it is to carry a mobile phone if you are out running or walking by yourself, particularly if you are off the beaten track. I’m not saying, in Michael Mosley’s case, that it would have saved his life, but it could have led to him being found more quickly and shortened the anguish his family suffered of not knowing what had happened to him.

In fact, I wished I’d had my phone with me on Sunday afternoon when I managed to fall over backwards in my garden whilst trying to dig up some rather persistent ivy, and bashed my head on the patio. As I hoisted myself up, I found myself wondering how long I might have lain there before Chris came looking for me, if I had been more badly injured. Probably until he started wondering where his dinner was…

Athletics in the News

In a summer of athletics, this weekend it was the European Athletics Championships in Rome, an important event for athletes as they build up to the Paris Olympics. There were some encouraging performances from Team GB and NI, though we have to remember that there were no US or African athletes to challenge them. By the end of Sunday, we were third in the overall rankings, only hosts Italy, and France with two golds, three silvers and two bronzes (France had one less medal than us, but one more gold):

HM, women’s team – Gold
100m, women - Gold, Dina Asher-Smith
1500m women - Silver, Georgia Bell
3000m steeplechase women - Silver, Elizabeth Bird
5000m men – Silver, George Mills
100m men - Bronze, Romel Glave
HM, women – Bronze, Calli Hauger-Thackery

Stone the Crows

There have been reports about people in south-east London being violently attacked by crows while going about their everyday business, with residents advised to carry umbrellas for protection. A girl was left bleeding after one attack, and a mother with a pram was also targeted. Two birds were filmed chasing a cyclist down the road.

Crows are known to be very protective at this time of year, as it is fledgling season and their young are starting to leave the nest. There have been no reports of attacks in east London yet, but there are plenty of crows in our local parks, so take care when out running

Redbridge Lido

There has been a lot of publicity in the media this week – including the BBC – about the first new lido to be built in London for decades, which will be in Valentines Park. Proposals for the lido received approval from Redbridge Council’s planning committee last week. Apparently, eight residents opposed the plans on the basis that building on a green space used for ‘walking and observing nature’ was unacceptable, but their objections were overruled.

Construction is expected to begin this year with the lido opening sometime after autumn 2025. The new pool will be close to the site of the original lido in the park, which operated between 1923 and 1995. There will also be a café, children’s splash and dance studio. If only the Splash Park in Barking Park could be replaced by a lido too, we could have a BRR sprint distance triathlon!

The original Valentines Lido. Photo courtesy of Redbridge Museum and Heritage Centre.

Greg’s Race Report

Barking Road Runners competed in round 2 of this year's East London fiVes Interclub Series (Elvis). The series consists of 8 races of either 5 miles or 5k over cross country or tarmac. This week it was a 5-mile race at Raphaels Park hosted by Havering ‘90 joggers.

Belinda Riches (39:48), Sian Mansley (45:07), Louise Chappell (47:14), Alison Fryatt (51:19) and Dawn Curtis (1:01:44) represented BRR for the women and Stuart Mackay (33:00), Tom Brennan (33:49), Mark Odeku (34:36), Owen Wainhouse (34:36), Daniel Plawiak (36:23), Craig Chappell (37:33), Adrian Davison (38:16), James Sheridan (41:33), Martin O’Toole (43:19), Jason Li (44:43), Ron Vialls (44:58), Stephen Colloff (45:58), Mick Davidson (47:54), Gary Harford (48:37), Martin Mason (50:45)and Dennis Spencer Perkins (1:01:43) for the men.

The BRR team at the H90 Joggers ELVIS race. This photo is 100% not fake.

Rory Burr ran the Southend Half Marathon at the weekend finishing in a time of 1:53:38. The 13.1-mile route was made up of two laps, starting and finishing at East Beach, Shoeburyness, taking runners through the Garrison before picking up Southend seafront to the Sealife Centre and back.

BRR parkrunners

Barking - Adrian Davison 24:39, Rosie Fforde 24:45, Ricky Narwal 24:59, Louise Chappell 28:28, Andy Hiller 29:29, Martin Mason 30:34, Dennis Spencer Perkins 32:26, Les Jay 36:06, Nikki Cranmer 36:24, Dawn Curtis 39:16, Cristina Cooper 43:22, Micky Ball 50:54 and Alan Murphy 52:45.

Dennis at Barking parkrun, popping out of a pop-up.

Bournemouth - Belinda Riches 25:04.

Chelmsford Central - Mark New 22:56, Stephen Colloff 27:57 and Gary Harford 29:33.

Gary, Steve C and Mark N at Chelmsford Central parkrun

Gunpowder - Paul Ward 25:06.

Raphaels - Doug King 24:24, James Hall 25:51 and Jason Li 27:14.

Jason and James H at Raphaels. But where is Doug and the pop-up, boys?

Southend - Ron Vialls 26:55.

Southwark - Alain Cooper 26:16.

Valentines - Kevin Wotton 24:22 and Andrew Gwilliam 41:19.

Highest BRR gradings this week were Belinda Riches 68.55% for the women and Ron Vialls 67.18% for the men.

BRR Diary – June

7.00pm, Tuesday 11 June - Speed development work. Jim Peter’s Stadium, Mayesbrook Park. It is Jess’s turn to take the session this week and we have a descending ladder:

1 x 2 mins, 1:30 rec;
2 x 1:40 mins, 1 min rec;
3 x 1:15 mins, 45s rec;
4 x 1 min, 30s rec;
5 x 45 secs, 30s rec;
6 x 30 secs, 30s rec

Be afraid, very afraid! Not really; it sounds like a fantastic session.

7.30pm, Wednesday 12 June – Crown to Crown.

7.00pm, Thursday 13 June – Summer Handicap 03. Barking Park. On the parkrun course. Just £1 to enter with the chance of winning a crispy tenner, plus the chance of winning a trophy if you are first, second or third in the overall competition. Note: there will be no Thursday night run from Castle Green/Jo Richardson School.

7.30pm, Thursday 13, Friday 14, and Saturday 15 June - The Wedding Singer. Kenneth More Theatre, Oakfield Road, Ilford. The latest show from Barking Music and Drama, of which BRR member Faye Spooner is a leading light. Always a good fun night out (there is also a Saturday matinee performance at 3.00pm). Information and tickets at https://visionrcl.org.uk/event/the-wedding-singer/

10.00am, Sunday 16 June – High Easter 10k (GP04). High Easter Village Green. The fourth race in a grand prix competition. Sorry, sold out.

7.30pm, Tuesday 18 June – East End Road Runners 5k (ELVIS 03). Olympic Park, Hopkins Fields (near the Velodrome). Sign up at https://events.kronosports.uk/event/289 NOTE: there will be no Tuesday track session, but…

7.00pm, Thursday 20 June – Replacement Track Session. Jim Peter’s Stadium, Mayesbrook Park. You’ll have to wait until next week to see what horrors a treat we have in store for you.

7.30pm, Friday 21 June – John Clarke Memorial Fell Race. Race HQ Orion Club House, Jubilee Retreat, Bury Road, Chingford. Annual mid-summer 3-mile Category A Fell Race with 250m of climb, taking different several ups and downs around the low point Yardley Valley. The finish is on Pole Hill with great views over the Lea Valley to central London landmarks. Supposedly you can enter in advance via Spond (group codes OYPHU for non-members and code FIKIN for members) at the price of £5, but I can’t work out how to do it! Entry on the day is also available but you must arrive before 7.00pm. Note that it is a good 15-minute walk to the race start. Post-race refreshments at the clubhouse.

7.00pm, Thursday 27 June – Summer Handicap 04. Barking Park. Another week away from Castle Green. I’ll be away for this one, so I’m sure Greg would appreciate a hand if you don’t want to run.

3.00pm, Saturday 29 June – 40th Anniversary Drinks. The Acorn, 201-203 Longbridge Road, Barking, IG11 8UF. Join us for a drink or two to celebrate BRR’s 40th anniversary. First drink courtesy of BRR (unless you order a bottle of Crystal champagne).

10.00am or 1.00pm, Sunday 30 June – SITC Summer Samosa Run. The car park of Mulalley & Co Ltd, Teresa Gavin House, Southend Road, IG8 8FA. There is a half marathon, marathon or ultra starting at 10.00am or a 10k starting at 1.00pm. The race takes place on loops of roughly two each, with quite a lot of uphill involved in each lap, but at least it means you get to visit the refreshment station each lap. Medal, T-shirt and – of course – samosas for all finishers. Enter at: https://www.evententry.co.uk/sikhs-in-the-city-summer-samosa-ultra-2024

Cracker Corner - the restaurant edition

A gentleman sitting in a restaurant called to the water and said ‘waiter, my coffee tastes like mud.’ The waiter replied ‘well, it is ground coffee, sir.’

A gentleman sitting in a restaurant called to the water and said ‘waiter, what is this fly doing in my soup?’ The waiter looked and replied ‘it looks like backstroke, sir.’

A gentleman sitting in a restaurant called to the water and said ‘waiter, there’s no chicken in this chicken soup!’ The waiter replied "That's all right, sir. There are no cottages in our cottage pie, either."

Boom! Boom!

Quote of the week

“Words create reality. Keep them positive and they will provide the power to transform the quality of your existence.”

From an old Irish proverb

And finally…

Oh no! I am suffering from Runner’s Arm, or should that be Garmin Arm? It is a disease caused by wearing a running watch 24/7, to make sure you don’t miss even a second of potentially valuable data about your heart rate, sleep quality etc. Sadly, there is no known cure. Stop wearing the watch all the time? I have never heard anything so ridiculous in my life…

Happy running!

Alison

Chair, Barking Road Runners

Quiz answer: In Britain, we say the ‘D’ in D-Day stands for Day. This coded designation was used for the day of any important invasion or military operation (with ‘H’ being used to designate the hour). For military planners, the days before and after a D-Day were indicated using plus and minus signs: D-4 meant four days before a D-Day, while D+7 meant seven days after a D-Day. However, not everyone agrees with this definition. The French maintain the D means “disembarkation,” while the Americans argue that “any amphibious operation has a ‘departed date’; therefore, the shortened term ‘D-Day’ is used.”

BRR Blog – 10 June 2024