BRR Blog – 24 June 2024

The BRR team at the EERR Midsummer 5k

Ciao, Road Runners!

I hope you are enjoying the more seasonable weather. Of course, now is the time when we go from complaining about it being too cold to complaining that it is too darn hot to run! Better make the most of it; we are already past the summer solstice and it will be autumn again all too soon.

In the meantime, this week’s blog looks at hydration, the old but new superfood to add to your summer salads, and the resident who will be remaining at No.10 whatever the result of the general election. And don’t forget we have the next summer handicap on Thursday 27 June – it might actually feel like summer this time!

Hydration

Runners are always being reminded of the importance of hydration in warm weather, but how important is it during shorter races like 5k or 10k? There was controversy at the recent European Athletics Championships where no water was provided during the women’s 10,000 and several dropped out. Water was provided at the subsequent men’s A and B 10,000, but very few availed themselves of it, not wanting to lose a few valuable seconds to veer off the racing line to pick it up.

UK Athletics rules for road races require organisers to provide water for races of 5k and upwards, with more water stations being required the longer the race distance. It can certainly make a race seem more comfortable, particularly in warmer weather, but the advice is that taking on water during shorter races is only really necessary if you are already dehydrated before you start running, or if the race lasts for more than an hour.

According to a study in the journal ‘Medicine and and Science in Sports and Exercise’, the average runner sweats out 46 percent of their total fluid intake during a 10K; this means they’re still benefiting from 54 percent of their fluid intake, assuming they are 100 percent hydrated before the race starts.

But that doesn’t mean you should gulp down loads of water just before you begin running; your body won’t have a chance to properly absorb it and you risk it sloshing around in your tummy uncomfortably or needing to stop for a wee enroute.

The key is to drink little and often in the day before the race, and early on race morning. Your body will then have the chance to properly utilise the fluid.

Failure to hydrate properly can lead to hyperthermia, an umbrella term referring to several serious conditions that can occur when your body’s heat-regulation system can’t handle the heat in your environment. But leaving your hydration to race day and over-consuming water on the run – particularly without replacing electrolytes like sodium, magnesium, and potassium - can result in your blood becoming too diluted (hyponatremia). Mild symptoms include a decreased ability to think, headaches, nausea, and poor balance. Severe symptoms include confusion, seizures, coma and… death.

So, as always, balance is the answer: hydrate properly the day before a race, drink during a race if you feel thirsty, and hydrate again when you’re done, but don’t feel you must guzzle down cups or bottles of water at every water station.

Speed Play

Getting bored with your training runs? Why don’t you mix them up and introduce some fartlek (i.e. speedplay)? For an unstructured fartlek you can simply pick landmarks along the route as you go along e.g. run fast to the first land mark (e.g. lamppost/tree/litter bin/bench) then recover to the next. If you prefer something more structured – and challenging - how about this:

After warming up, run fast for 20 strides (counted on both legs), then recover for 20 strides; the 30, 40, 50 etc, all the way up to 100 strides, then cool down. You can build up to this over a number of training runs, if it feels too hard in one go, but at least all the stride counting will take your mind off the pain!

Cress is more

The humble watercress - nasturtium officinale

 If you want to make your summer salads more interesting while getting a health boost, add some watercress. It is full of nutrients including iron, calcium, and the antioxidant vitamins A, C, and E. In fact, it is so nutrient-dense that the US Centre for Disease Control has awarded it a perfect 100 out of 100 score as a powerhouse vegetable. The health benefits have been known for centuries, with the ancient Greeks, Romans consuming the peppery leaves for medicinal purposes.

In Victorian Britain, the growth of the railways allowed the large quantities grown in Hampshire to be transported to London’s Covent Garden market on ‘Watercress Line’ trains. Street sellers sold bunches of what became known as ‘poor man’s bread’ in paper cones to be eaten as a snack, jazzing up an otherwise plain diet. These days, egg mayonnaise and watercress sandwiches are always on the afternoon tea menu at the Ritz Hotel, while the poor man is more likely to be eating - slightly less healthy - fried chicken!   

UK Athletics Championships

Promo picture for the 2024 UK Athletics Championships

The 2024 UK Athletics Championships are happening in Manchester on Saturday 29-Sunday 30 June. This could be the last chance for home athletes to earn a place in Team GB & NI for the Paris Olympics. The event is sponsored by BBC Sport, so hopefully there will be some TV coverage.

 Greg’s Race Report

Race No 3 this week at the Olympic Park Stratford for Barking Road Runners. The 5k race hosted by East End Road Runners was well attended by BRR with 26 members running.

BRR’s father and son duo of Paul and Joseph Grange took 1st and 2nd place. Joseph finished 1st in 16:00 with dad Paul just one second behind in 2nd place.

EERR Midsummer 5k race winner Joseph Grange - Champ!

Joseph and Paul were followed by Stuart Mackay 19:42, Tom Brennan 20:19, Mark Odeku 20:26, Owen Wainhouse 20:35, Jess Collett 21:49, Craig Chappell 22:42, James Sheridan 24:25, James Hutton 24:35, Belinda Riches 24:53, Adrian Davison 25:13, Tom Shorey 25:34, Martin O’Toole 25:57, Sian Mansley 26:05, Jason Li 26:14, Stephen Colloff 27:25, John Lang 27:57, Louise Chappell 28:16, Emma Paisley 28:33, Barry Rowell 28:47, Clodagh O’Callaghan 30:09, Dennis Spencer Perkins 30:36, Alison Fryatt 30:36, Dawn Curtis 31:41, Rob Courtier 36:04.

Gary Harford ran in the Friday night Pleshey 5 mile race organised by Springfield Striders, finishing in a time of 49:52.

Mark New 37:00 and Alain Cooper 41:48 ran in the 5k John Clark memorial fell race organised by Orion Harriers, the only category A fell race within the M25.

BRR parkrunners

Barking - James Sheridan 24:00, Adrian Davison 24:15, Rosie Fforde 24:31, Joshua Ezissi 25:00, Jason Li 27:02,  Martin O’Toole 27:40, Sian Mansley 28:19, Barry Rowell 28:35, Joyce Golder 28:39, Martin Mason 30:07, Nikki Cranmer 32:58, Les Jay 36:01, Alan Murphy 50:45 and Micky Ball 51:48.

Brockwell - Rory Burr 26:27 and Steve Colloff 30:09.

Cyclopark - Mark Odeku 20:51.

Marecchia, Rimini - Alison Fryatt 31.25

Máxima, Utrecht - Ricky Narwal 23:22.

Pegwell Bay - Robert Courtier 30:45.

Raphael - Doug King 25:55.

Southend - Ron Vialls 25:40.

Valentines - Peter Jackson 20:57 and Kevin Wotton 23:46.

BRR Highest Gradings this week were Rosie Fforde 60.98% for the women and Ron Vialls 70.45% for the men. 

BRR Diary – June/July 

7.00pm, Tuesday 25 June – Speed Development Session. Jim Peter’s Stadium, Mayesbrook Park. This week Greg is taking the session is three times:

4 minutes at 5k pace (about 7 rpe) 2 minutes recovery,

2 minutes at 8 rpe, 3 minutes recovery.

7.00pm, Thursday 27 June – Summer Handicap 04. Barking Park. Another week away from Castle Green. Barking Park. On the parkrun course. Just £1 to enter with the chance of winning a crispy tenner, plus trophies for overall first, second and third in the competition. If you are not running, please help Greg with the results.

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.

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

7.30pm, Wednesday 10 July - Newman Hilly 5 (ELVIS 04). Hainault Forest, Foxburrow Road, off Romford Road, IG7 4QN. Organised by Ilford Athletics Club, a two-lap hilly course, one big lap followed by a slightly smaller lap around Hainault Forest. Enter at https://www.entrycentral.com/newmanhilly5

10.00am, Saturday 6 July. Orion Forest Five. Race HQ, Orion Harriers clubhouse at Jubilee Retreat, Bury Road, Chingford. NOT an ELVIS race, but a chance to practice the course for the ELVIS/Grand Prix race taking place in August. Enter at https://www.entrycentral.com/Orion_Forest_Five_Race_2

7.00pm, Thursday 18 July – Summer Handicap 05. Barking Park.

Cracker Corner

What does a house wear? Address

What is a flea’s favourite way to travel? Itch hiking

Which birds always stick together? Vel-crows.

Boom! Boom!

 Quote of the week

“Kindness is the ability to love people more than they deserve.”

Joseph Joubert

And finally…

Larry the No.10 cat ‘oh no, who do I have to put up with now?’

We may all be looking forward to a change at the General Election (or not, depending on your politics) but spare a thought for Larry the No.10 cat. Since being adopted from Battersea Dog and Cat’s Home to deal with rodents, he has had to put up with five different bosses (David Cameron, Theresa May, Boris Johnson, Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak). Some of the working relationships have worked better than others. He got on well with Cameron and May but wasn’t so keen on Johnson or Sunak, both of whom brought dogs onto his territory. Liz Truss probably wasn’t there long enough for him to make up his mind. If Keir Starmer becomes the next Prime Minister, Larry should find it interesting; Starmer has a pet hamster.

 The BBC has a 15-minute documentary on iPlayer called ‘7 times Larry the Cat Caused Mischief’ which is worth a look if you are a cat lover, and like to see politicians upstaged. https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0020gb8

 Happy running!

Alison

 

Chair, Barking Road Runners