BRR Blog – 24 February 2025
Some of the Hadleigh 2012 Legacy 10k Team.
Hi there, Road Runners,
There were no official events for BRR this weekend, but it still seems to have been very busy with lots of different races; there is a summary in Greg’s race report below. I renewed my love-hate relationship with the Hadleigh 2012 Legacy 10, running it for the tenth time. This year’s new course seemed to take in a lot of the Benfleet 15 route, but with the flat bits removed! Certainly, a challenge, but all our runners seemed to enjoy it – once it was finished!
February Committee Minutes
The minutes of the February Committee meeting can be found here.
High5 Offer
The High5 bundle offer.
High5, the sports nutrition company, are offering a 300g tub of their Isotonic Hydration Drink and a 500ml HIGH5 Sports bottle, worth £12.98 in total, for just £3.99 to cover the shipping. You do need to sign up to their mailing list to take advantage of the offer. If you say you are a member of Barking Road Runners, the club gets a small donation too. More details at: High5 Bundle Offer.
London Marathon Water Station
We’ve already filled over two-thirds of our 90 volunteer spaces for the London Marathon Mile 15 water station. If you or your family/friends would like to help out and enjoy a busy but very uplifting day, please don’t waste any time signing up at the London Marathon this year. If you have volunteered previously in the last couple of years you will already be on the LM Events Volunteer Portal database, and we can just add you to the ‘live’ list. New volunteers, or those who haven’t volunteered for several years, will need to register via the following link – make sure to put down that you are volunteering for the MILE 15 water station, or you could be posted anywhere. https://londonmarathonevents.rosterfy.eu/invite/prwA4eAwqPe8FPzVWE6gbuB6a3GxNKHqbcCJMEZ3bSGVzzH7U2DMwNr5Zbep -
Tracksmith 100 Days to London – week seven
This Sunday (2 March) Tracksmith is organising a 17-mile training run on part of the London Marathon course. The meeting point is Mouse Tail Coffee, a few minutes’ walk from Canada Water Station (next to Decathlon - https://maps.app.goo.gl/kJh2snm1s3ubhVNm8). and the route will take you back to the Tracksmith shop near Baker Street tube. Arrive by 9.15am for a 9.30am start. For more details and sign-up see https://ti.to/tracksmith/100-days-to-london-2025
Tip of the Week
Take the fitness stats generated by your running watch or app with a pinch of salt. We all know that distance data is sometimes a little inaccurate, but studies suggest other data - often based on algorithms - can be less than reliable too. It’s best to regard data like calories burned, recovery time etc as an indication, rather than the gospel truth.
Detraining? Don’t Despair
It is awful having to miss runs due to injury, especially if you are training for a specific event. But taking a few weeks off running might actually be better for your long-term fitness than struggling on and risking a worse injury.
In a recent study, researchers followed a 53-year-old triathlete with thirty years of experience to measure the impact of 12 weeks detraining and a further 12 weeks of retraining.
During the first 12 weeks he completely stopped structured training but remained minimally active, walking twice per week for 30 minutes and doing light core work. Then, over the next 12 weeks, he gradually ramped up his activity, reaching 100% of his normal training volume (10-12 hours a week) by week seven.
The researchers found that, by every measure, the athlete was fitter after taking time off and then ramping back up to his previous training volume.
During the detraining period, his VO2 max dropped by 9% but increased to 6% above pre-detraining levels with retraining. His peak power output declined by 10% after the detraining but recovered to 3% greater than baseline after retraining. It appeared that retraining after a detraining period resulted in a ‘supercompensation effect’ i.e. higher fitness levels than before the break.
So, don’t despair if you miss a few weeks of running due to injury or life just getting in the way – provided you follow a SENSIBLE retraining programme (building up gradually to previous training volumes) you may come back stronger than before.
How Do You Fuel the Day Before the Marathon?
Easy-to-digest carbs like white rice are best just before a marathon.
In the lead-up to the marathon, you should have be eating a balanced diet of macronutrients i.e. protein, complex carbohydrates, and good fats. But the day before you can focus on carbs that will give you plenty of easily accessible energy for the race. Top food tips are:
Stick to what you know. Eat exactly what you have been eating the night before your long runs during your marathon training, no new foods! If this means you must bring a Tupperware full of pasta, do so. You don’t want an unwanted surprise of gastrointestinal distress the night before or, worse, the day of the race.
Don’t over-eat. Again, we want to avoid tummy trouble, so eat enough, but not until you are stuffed. If you get hungry later, eat a simple carb-rich snack to top off your glycogen stores and stop your stomach from rumbling before bed.
Eat simple carbs. This means avoiding those fibre-rich complex carbs that we are normally told are good for us e.g. choose white bead, pasta, and rice rather than their brown/wholewheat counterparts.
Greg’s Race Report
Several Barking Road Runners members took part in the Hadleigh 2012 Legacy 10k on a tough course with plenty of hills. First finisher for BRR was Rory Burr with a time of 55:42 followed by Tom Brennan 1:00:26, Belinda Riches 1:00:27, Steve Colloff 1:09:11, Dennis Spencer Perkins 1:15:01, Joyce Golder 1:15:43, Alison Fryatt 1:24:40 and Rachel Sharples 1:34:01.
Rory with his Hadleigh 2012 Legacy 10k medal. Sadly, there is no photographic evidence of Tom falling over in the mud.
Emma Paisley ran in the Olympic Park Half Marathon and recorded her personal best for the distance with a time of 2:09:03.
Emma having run a new PB at the Olympic Park HM
Also, at the Olympic Park George Hiller ran the10k finishing in a time of 1:01:00.
George and his Olympic Park 10k medal
Isabel Pinedo Borobio ran the Runthrough Regent’s Park 10k event finishing in a time 58:40.
Isabel with her Regent’s Park 10k medal.
Sunny Bulchandani took part in the London Winter 10k managing to beat his personal best by 36 seconds finishing in a time of 49:00. Alain Cooper volunteered at the event.
Sunny with his London Winter 10k medal.
In the Tunbridge Wells Half Marathon Jonathan Furlong managed to finish in under 2 hours with a time of 1:58:46.
Jon with his Tunbridge Wells HM medal.
BRR parkrunners
Barking - Joshua Ezissi 22:09, Jonathan Furlong 24:39, Mark New 25:05, Daniel Plawiak 25:07, Stuart Burr 25:45, Jason Li 27:23, Robert Courtier 29:47, James Sheridan 29:48, Joyce Golder 32:36, Les Jay 37:15, Nikki Cranmer 38:54 and Alan Murphy 53:42.
Burgess - Rory Burr 23:53,
Dartford - Mark Odeku 27:05.
Mark O at Dartford parkrun.
Eastbourne - Owen Wainhouse 20:57.
Harrow Lodge - Doug King 27:50.
Hockley Woods - Belinda Riches 26:53, Ron Vialls 28:18, Steve Colloff 31:10.
Belinda, Steve C, Darren, and Ron, with Belinda’s sister at Hockley Woods.
Maldon Promenade - Gary Harford 30:54.
Gary at Maldon Prom parkrun
Raphaels - Steve Philcox 17:42 and Julie Gillender 38:45.
Reading - Faye Spooner 41:10.
Valentines - Kevin Wotton 24:20.
Highest BRR age gradings this week were Belinda Riches 64.79% for the women and Steve Philcox 89.83% for the men.
BRR Diary – February/March
To see the full diary of BRR events on the TeamUp app. Just download the TeamUp app onto your phone, then enter the calendar key: ks67p21gt8p5gzdo66 when asked. If you don’t want another app on your phone, you can also find it under the ‘events’ tab on the Barking Road Runners website: https://www.barkingroadrunners.org.uk/calendar.
22-28 February – Virtual Handicap 04. It’s already underway – don’t forget to post your result on the Handicap WhatsApp group before Midnight on Friday.
7.00pm, Tuesday 25 February – Speed Session. Jim Peters Stadium, Mayesbrook Park. This week John Lang will be taking the session:
Three sets of:
3 minutes running, 1 minute recovery
5 minutes running, 2 minutes recovery
The running sections should be at 5k race pace.
7.00pm, Thursday 27 February – Road Run. Castle Green Centre, Gale Street, Dagenham. Usually between 4-6 miles.
11.30am, Saturday 8 March - Chingford League relays. Wanstead Flats, Harrow Road Pavilion, E11 3QA (parkrun start/finish area). We will be looking for male and female teams (sorry, no mixed teams) of four people, each to run a two-mile leg. Thank you to everyone who has already put their names forward – it looks like we should be fielding some strong teams.
8-14 March – Virtual Handicap 05.10.00am, Sunday 23 March - Brentwood Half Marathon (GP01). Sawyers Hall Lane, Brentwood, Essex CM15 9DA. The first race in this year’s Grand Prix competition, and a great training session if you have a spring marathon (if your coach tells you otherwise, ignore them!). There is still time to sign up at https://www.brentwoodhalf.org/
22-28 March – Virtual Handicap 06.
Cracker Corner
My friend was rushed into A&E on Saturday covered in camouflage paint. He’s still waiting to be seen.
I started a new dating app for chickens, but I’m struggling to make hens meet.
I’m furious with Chris. He’s put down a deposit on a new car with no reverse gear. Now we can’t back out.
Quote of the Week
‘Being active every day makes it easier to hear that inner voice.’
Haruki Murakami
(let’s hope the inner voice isn’t saying ‘when are you going to take a break from being active?’)
And Finally - Spice up Your Life
According to research in the Central European Journal of Immunology, runners who did six weeks of intense training while taking a powdered ginger extract showed 18% lower markers of inflammation. This will reduce the painful side effects of hard exertion. The research didn’t say whether eating ginger biscuits has the same positive effects…
Keep on Running
Alison
Chair, Barking Road Runners
