BRR Blog – 2 September 2024
A selection of BRR participants in the Big Half 2024
Howdie Road Runners
Meteorological autumn began on 1 September. I wish someone had told the weather, as it felt hotter for the Big Half on Sunday than it usually does for the Marathon des Sables (I may be exaggerating slightly). Apologies to anyone I worried by saying that I had collapsed afterwards, though at the time I was doubtful I would be able to stand up again (I needed Steve’s help to drag me to my feet).
While a lot of us were running/plodding round the Big Half course, Dee Spencer-Perkins was enjoying a chat with our Hainault Forest-dwelling friend, Dottie Dear. Seems like Dee isn’t the only person to have been chatting to her. I am now suspicious about all those Strava runs that Rob posts…
Dottie Dear’s Almanac for September: Fitness
Image from Repic Studios on Pixaby
It had been a biscuity sort of a morning in Dottie’s tree-house, and she was looking forward to a Prosecco and Lemon Drizzly sort of an afternoon, what with the nice weather and all. Her friend was due to come round, and they were planning a jolly time looking through the M&S website for new T-shirts (Relaxed Fit), with a bit of chatting, nibbling and quaffing thrown in.
It was all going to plan with the cleaning and tidying up and whatnot, when who should turn up at the base of the rope ladder but Squire Jonty – leader of the Hainault Mummers Side of Morris dancers. He hefted his way up the ladder, and slumped into Dottie’s (sustainable) bamboo settee looking like a man with troubles to share. Indeed, he was a bit vexed. Apparently, the Side had been looking a bit ragged lately, and some of them were definitely a little broad across the beam. For a start, they were having some difficulty with their Forry Capers. Their leaping was a bit half-hearted, and their footwork was definitely less than nifty. The Belly to Belly cross-over manoeuvre had led to some embarrassing bumping and occasional toppling over, and their Hocklebacks left a great deal to be desired. And it wasn’t just a question of style. Too much flabby footwork or limp leaping might result in someone getting a kick in the Quantocks – an eye-watering outcome that nobody wanted.
There was clearly a bit of a fitness issue to be addressed, and Jonty was not too proud to include himself in this. It was time for a Significant Intervention, but Jonty had decided it was probably not a good idea to revisit the Norwegian Training Method, which had been a bit too drastic (see Almanac for December 2023). Instead, he had opted for the good old two-pronged strategy of diet and exercise, and he had set to on Google to research the best options.
In the diet department, he had come up with the deceptively simple expedient of counting the calories whilst at the same time reducing the amount of saturated fat in the calorific intake. In practice, this involved a shedload of avocados and plenty of dollops of low-calorie cottage cheese. Yummy!
In addition to the diet, Jonty had instructed the Side to run or walk a gentle two miles during the week, and he had given them each a posh watch so they could all link to the great GPS Strava system in the sky to record their achievements, what they had for breakfast and all that malarkey. So, they were to post their route maps to the Morris WhatsApp at the end of each week, and there would be a weigh-in at the start of Practice every Friday.
It was all very organised and straightforward. The posting of the Strava maps would inject a bit of competition into the process, and Jonty reckoned that in a few weeks they would be executing their Upright Capers with aplomb. Their Hooklegs and Shuffle Backs would be performed with elegance and panache. They would be a Side to be proud of once more. Make the Hainault Morris Side Great Again! Yay! (On reflection maybe better not go there….).
Anyhoo, that had been three weeks ago and the Mummers had all gone very quiet on him. Jonty knew that they weren’t visiting the pub quite so often (he had checked with the landlord), and the Strava maps were being posted to the WhatsApp group on Fridays as per instructions, but nobody seemed to be losing any weight, and their performances were getting even more ragged and clumsy. He had come to Dottie as a last resort to see if she could bring a fresh perspective.
First things first. Review the Strava results.
Now it has to be said that Jonty wasn’t exactly a technophobe as such, but in reality he knew diddly squat about GPS mapping. He was OK driving when the Bossy Lady on the Route Planner thingy in the car gave out the instructions (….in 200 yards turn left towards Kidderminster, that kind of thing), but he was actually not in the habit of studying maps very closely.
Dottie was not that much better, but she could spot a dodgy Strava map when she saw one – and what a collection they were. The first one looked reasonably OK, starting and ending at the Global Café at the Forest – a nice little two-mile loop. No problem there. It recorded a time of 41 minutes and 20 seconds, a bit slow - well, more of an amble than a run - but walking was allowed, and this was only to be expected from someone who was more used to leaping up and down waving a hanky than doing some serious running.
Strangely, the next example was astonishingly different. This person had completed a giant 10-mile loop along the Forest pathways in only 1 hour 32 minutes and 5 seconds. Perhaps the Hainault Mummers had a closet Olympian in their ranks. Not impossible – but a bit of a mystery.
However, things started to look really suspicious with the next one, which consisted of a series of crazy loops and circles all over the place on the the hill by the Cafe, and a fourth example in which the line started on the lakeside path, but actually crossed directly over the lake at the point where the geese normally congregate, emerging on the other side near the fishing point. The watches were waterproof, but why would you add a swim to some exercise that you didn’t want to do in the first place? Finally, there was a series of rather questionable-looking images that were, how shall we say, curiously anatomically correct. (How did they get all that detail in, Dottie wondered.)
Suspect or what?
Dottie suggested that investigating the scene might be a spiffing idea, to give themselves more of an idea of what the Morris Side had been up to, and when they arrived at the Global Cafe who should they meet but Side member Eli, who Dottie thought was looking a bit sheepish. He had let his dog Rufus off the lead for a bit of a run around the hill, but he didn’t seem very keen to call him back. Rufus was having a silly old time running around in circles, but when he saw that Eli had company, he came gambolling back to greet them all, no doubt hoping for a tasty treat like a bit of sausage. Being an amiable sort of a creature, Rufus came up for a quick slobber over everyone, and it didn’t take many minutes for Jonty to spot the GPS watch that Eli had attached to the dog’s collar.
Bang to rights! Eli had to admit that Rufus had actually been clocking up the mileage for him, and some of his lollopings had also been used by other Side members – which explained several of the weird shapes on the Strava record. However, they couldn’t blame the capricious canine for that super-impressive 10-miler, or for those cheeky little tours around the nether regions of Hainault Forest.
Eli had no choice but to spill the beans. It turned out that having read about Strava Jockeys – (people who are paid to run secretly for someone else, see BRR Blog for 29/7/24), one or two Side members had done a few little deals with a couple of likely young runners who had been happy to post their results to Strava in return for some Sports Direct vouchers and a trip to McDonalds.
Ha! Sneaky!
Jonty looked crestfallen. It seemed that his troupe had decided that the only good six-pack was the one in the fridge. Dottie felt obliged to offer him some comfort, and in the end, they just went back to the tree house and polished off the Lemon Drizzle Cake. The friend turned up with another bottle of bubbly and Jonty didn’t resist, so they had a nice afternoon getting all philosophical about fitness regimes, leading Dottie to conclude that:
You can lead your dancers to a GPS watch, but you can’t make them run;
Strava jockeys are a better bet than dogs if you want to pull a fast one but…..
be careful who you give the job to because…..
some people will do anything for a freebie and anyway
…..there are some situations where only cake will do.
Image: by Midora on Pixabay
Parkrun Pilgrimage
Some of the crowd at the 1,000th Bushy parkrun
It is estimated that around 6,000 people tuned up at Bushy Park in south-west London on Saturday to mark the 1,000th event at the birthplace of parkrun. The results had still to be posted at 9.00pm on Monday.
Organisers thanked the "record number" of 128 volunteers for their support marshalling the route and performing other tasks at the event.
One runner, Richard Steeden, wrote on Facebook: "Bonkers morning in Bushy Park for Bushy parkrun number 1,000. I finished in 3,312 place, and I reckon there may have been as many behind me, I usually finish something around 780th."
I confess, I can’t think of anything more horrendous; while I don’t mind the occasional mass-participation event like the Big Half on Sunday, I like parkrun to be a small-ish community affair and I really can’t see the attraction of a parkrun with thousands of other participants. And, of course, it isn’t chip-timed so those at the back will have had several minutes added to their time as they waited to get across the start line. Give me Barking parkrun any day!
Running Mistakes
Tom Watson on the Marathon Handbook website listed the five mistakes that beginner runners are most likely to make. However, having looked at them, I think a few of us experienced runners make the same mistakes. Here they are, in reverse order:
#5: Ignore Running Form
Many runners simply go running without considering how they’re running, and whether it can be improved. We each have our own unique running style, and it is probably counter-productive to try and fit into the ‘ideal’ mould, but taking some small steps (pardon the pun) to improving your running form can decrease the probability of getting injured and improve your running economy. Here are some tips on what you should focus on:
· Keeping your eyes up and chin down so your head is neutral and facing straight ahead.
Consciously relaxing your shoulders and arms, but maintaining a straight spine and tight core.
Focussing on taking shorter, more frequent steps to avoid overstriding and ensuring your upper body is aligned with your legs at each footstrike.
Think about these tips next time you are doing the drills at track, or during one of your training runs.
#4: Lack Structure In Training
If you are just running for fun, or to de-stress, it doesn’t matter so much if you don’t have a structured training plan. But if you want to progress or improve, and definitely if you are taking part in races, you should have a plan, even if it is not written down.
This will allow you to gradually increase your training load by adding in longer and faster runs and also make sure you schedule the necessary rest days needed to recover (a BIG FAIL for a lot of us).
#3: Skip Cross Training
Cross-training is any form of exercise that complements running training, and it’s probably the number one thing most runners ignore. You should try and complete at least one cross-training session per week in their training plans as good cross-training can make you a more effective runner. Cross-training includes things like cycling, pilates, swimming, and yoga. One or two strength sessions, targeting your hips, glutes and core, will also help.
#2: Run In Old Shoes
Running in old, unsupportive, shoes can increase your risk of running injury. Running shoe manufacturers recommend replacing your running shoes every 300-500 miles – well, they would, wouldn’t they? But you can usually tell when a pair of shoes is past its best by how they feel, or by comparing them with a pair of new shoes. If they’ve lost all their bounce and form or show significant signs of uneven wear on the soles, it’s time to get a new pair.
#1: Don’t Fuel Correctly
Proper fuelling prior to any race or training run is important, particularly for longer runs. The emphasis should be on carbohydrates, which your body can easily convert into energy. How much, and the types of carbs, will depend on the type of run and what your stomach is comfortable with. For a longer run/race the carb-loading might have to start the week before, for a short run a quick snack might do. Some people can eat just before running, others have to leave a couple of hours for their tummies to settle. For the same reason, it is usually recommended to avoid carbs with lots of fibre e.g. wholemeal rice and pasta, that make your guts work hard, too close to a run, to avoid disastrous consequences.
Athletics in the News
There were few GB athletes taking part in the latest Diamond League meet in Rome on 29 August. Best performances were third place in the women’s 200m for Daryl Neita in 22.46, and sixth place in the men’s 400m for Charlie Dobson with 11.75.
The penultimate Diamond League meet of 2024, in Zurich on 5 September is going to be more exciting, especially with a full capacity crowd. And, of course, there is the 100m challenge between Mondo Duplantis and Karsten Warholm.
Greg’s Race Report
Round seven of Barking Road Runners Grand Prix series was the Big Half marathon in London this weekend. The course covered part of the London Marathon course in reverse, starting near Tower Hill and finishing at the Cutty Sark in Greenwich.
It was quite hot during the race and fortunately the forecast thunderstorms never materialised although I’m sure the runners would have enjoyed some rain to cool things down a bit.
Thanks to Sikhs in the City running club, BRR had over 30 runners registered for the event and, with relatively few dropouts for injuries, there was a large squad of runners.
Chris Travis 1:26:06 and Jess Collett 1:42:14 were first male and female finishers for BRR. They were followed by Belinda Riches, Cristina Cooper, Joyce Golder, Isabel Pinedo Borobio, Louise Chappell, Sian Mansley, Emma Paisley, Alison Fryatt, Clodagh O’Callaghan and Dawn Curtis for the women and Paul Withyman, Peter Jackson, Mark Odeku, Tom Brennan, Nehal Patel, James Sheridan, Mark New, James Hall, Sunny Bulchandani, Tom Shorey, Jason Li, Steve Colloff, Dennis Spencer-Perkins and Nabeel Akram.
More BRR Runners at the Big Half
And even more BRR members at the Big Half
Derv Bartlett was also competing over the half marathon distance in Ireland, completing the Tullamore Half Marathon in a time of 1:33:24.
Derv during his HM
BRR parkrunners
Barking - Ayoyinka Obisesan 19:31, Joe Stacey 20:50, Adrian Davison 22:11, Rosie Fforde 23:42, James Hall 24:42, Barry Rowell 29:30, George Hiller 30:20, Martin Mason 31:15, Les Jay 35:34, Nikki Cranmer 37:46, Faye Spooner 40:15, Micky Ball 48:20 and Alan Murphy 48:26.
Chalkwell Beach - Mark New 24:32 and Ron Vialls 25:21.
Mark and Ron at Chalkwell Beach parkrun
Gunpowder - Paul Ward 26:34.
Harrow Lodge - Rory Burr 27:13.
Lordship Recreation Ground - Rob Courtier 32:06, Belinda Riches 32:11, Stephen Colloff 32:11, James Sheridan 32:12, Rachel Sharples 35:55 and Dennis Spencer Perkins 38:33.
Dennis, Belinda, Rob, James, Steve, Rachel and Rachel's sister at Lordship Rec parkrun
Rushmoor - Owen Wainhouse 20:54.
Valentines - Kevin Wotton 23:41.
Highest BRR age gradings this week were Rosie Fforde 63.08% for the women and Adrian Davison 74.23% for the men.
BRR Diary – September
7.00pm, Tuesday 3 September – Speed Development Session. Jim Peter’s Stadium, Mayesbrook Park. This week we will have the 5k race simulation session:
4 x (1:10 min fast, 1:00 min recovery)
4 x (3:00 min fast, 1:30 min recovery)
4 x (1:10 min fast, 1:00 min recovery)
This is preparation for the track session the following week – see below.
7.00pm, Wednesday 4 September – Crown to Crown 5k. Westley Heights Country Park, rear of the Miller & Carter (Crown) Public House, Langdon Hills. A mixed terrain route on bridleways and some tarmac. You can enter on the night, or online in advance at https://www.entrycentral.com/Crown-to-Crown
7.00pm, Thursday 5 September – Club run. Jo Richardson School/Castle Green Centre. Usually around 4-5miles, all abilities welcome.
9.30am, Sunday 8 September – Club run/hill training. Meet for a 9.30am start in Barking Park, followed by a gentle run to Mayesbrook Park, then the hills by the railway line (or the road outside if wet, followed by a run back to Barking Park via BRR Rovers football trainees.
7.00pm, Tuesday 10 September – Speed Development Session. Jim Peter’s Stadium, Mayesbrook Park. This week we have the Predicta 5k, otherwise known as the Naked 5K, as you run it without your watch (I know, you may need counselling afterwards). How it works: you give us your best estimate of your 5k time, then run the distance on the track. The winner is the person who gets closest to their predicted time, not the first person across the line.
9.30am, Sunday 15 September – Pleshey Half. Pleshey Village Hall, Pleshey, Chelmsford, Essex, CM3 1HA. Not a club grand prix this year, but a nice run through the Essex countryside (if a HM can ever be a ‘nice run’!) Entries at https://springfieldstriders.org.uk/pleshey-half/ OR
10.00am, Sunday 15 September – Dunton Demon 5. Langdon Nature Discovery Park, Lower Dunton Road, Basildon, SS16 6EJ. Organised by Pheonix Striders. Again, not a club race, but who can resist a race called the Demon? Info and sign-up at: Dunton Demon 5 | phoenixstriders
10.30am, Sunday 22 September – East London Runners Valentines 5K (ELVIS 08). Valentines Park, near the Melbourne Road entrance. The last race in the East London fiVes Interclub Series. We usually go to the Great Spoon of Ilford for post-race brunch afterwards. https://events.kronosports.uk/event/192
Future Diary Dates
Don’t forget to mark these on your social calendar. More info to follow:
7.30pm, Thursday 24 October - 2024 Annual General Meeting. Jo Richardson School.
7.00pm, Friday 25 October – ELVIS Presentation/BRR 40th Anniversary. Dagenham and Redbridge Football Club. Party time!
Cracker Corner
I’m reading a book about glue at the moment. It’s so good I can’t put it down.
I had a weird dream last night where I was making pancakes whilst driving. I was tossing and turning all night.
What’s the difference between an American dog and a British dog? The American dog pants while the British dog trousers.
Boom! Boom!
Quote of the Week
“Despite all the work I put in to create a certain outcome on race day, I’ll ultimately never know what I am capable of until the gun goes. Sometimes I will get what I feel I have earned, and sometimes, cruelly, I won’t.”
Verity Ockenden
European 3,000m Indoor Championship Bronze Medallist
(just to show it doesn’t always work out for elite athletes either).
And finally…
Dennis' post-run foot. Ouch!
Even seasoned runners struggled to get around the course in the hot and humid conditions at this year’s Big Half. I’ve never seen so many people along the wayside needing urgent medical care. Dennis’ toenails were close to falling off. My big left toe is now actually more blister than toe. So, of course, what were we talking about after the race? Our plans for doing it next year, of course! I don’t know if that means we are very committed, or very stupid…
Happy running!
Alison
Chair, Barking Road Runners
