BRR Blog - 13 July 2026
Hi there, Road Runners
It has been a busy few days of sport, and I don’t just mean the football! I’ve become quite exhausted on my holiday just reading about it.
Rob hasn’t been enjoying the week so much, lying in his hospital bed. But we can all agree it was the best place for him, in the circumstances. I just hope he got some decent blood in his transfusion and will be up and running around with the best of us asap.
Greg’s Race Report
Another busy week for Barking Road Runners with round 5 of the ELVIS series and plenty of individual events.
Round 5 of ELVIS was the Newman Hilly 5 mile trail run at Hainault Forest hosted by Ilford AC.
Thirteen members competed in this round with Rory Burr being first finisher for the men followed byy Martin Page, Ron Vialls, John George, Kevin Wotton and Gary Harford.
Jean Bridgeman was first for the women. Jean was followed by Joyce Golder, Belinda Riches, Debra Jean Baptiste, Nikki Cranmer, Louise Chappell and Dawn Curtis.
Belinda Riches and Emma Paisley competed as a pair in the Spitfire Scramble 24 Hour race at Hornchurch Country Park.
The race involves team members each doing laps of the five-mile course trying to complete as many as they can in 24 hours.
The duo, competing as ‘Barking Mad,’ completed 19 Laps of the course in total.
There were several other BRR runners ( e.g. Kevin Wotton and Louise Chappell) competing in various mixed teams with other clubs.
At the RunThrough Queen Elizabeth Park 10k, five BRR runners competed, with Dominic Herring being their first finisher in 45:46 followed by Joshua Ezissi 46:38, Jack Stanford 46:59, Shantelle Keech 48:31, Jason Suddaby 49:27 and Ben Suddaby 56:09.
A few BRR runners ran the Saucony London 10k: Maysen Davies 56:59, Joyce Golder 57:23, and Jason Li 1:04:17.
Cristina and Trevor Cooper took part in the swim the Arctic Circle event which was a 2000m challenging open water swim from Sweden across the international border to Finland, with Trevor completing the swim in 28:00 and Cristina in 37:17.
BRR parkrunners
ABU Writtle - Martin Page 22:37 and Gary Harford 31:44.
Barking - Mark Odeku 23:04, Paul Manson 28:57, James Sheridan 34:17, Dennis Spencer Perkins 35:43, Nikki Cranmer 38:26, Martin Mason 39:39 and Alan Murphy 52:39.
Charlton - Barry Rowell 30:23, Belinda Riches 33:13, Steve Colloff 34:01, Darren Graham 38:27 and Denise Graham 53:08.
Gunpowder - Paul Ward 23:56.
Moors Valley - Mark New 26:09.
Ormeau - Martin Brooks 44:15.
Roding Valley - Paul Withyman 37:44.
Thorney Bay Beach - Ron Vialls 25:45.
Tooting Common - Rory Burr 22:47.
Valentines - Richard Dudman 26:07.
Highest BRR age gradings this week were Belinda Riches 53.09% for the women and Martin Page 77.08% for the men.
BRR Diary - July/August
The highlights of the coming weeks are listed below but you can see the full diary of BRR events on the TeamUp app. Just download the TeamUp app to your phone, then enter the calendar key: ks67p21gt8p5gzdo66 when prompted. 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.
7.30pm, Tuesday 14 July - Speed Work. Jim Peter’s Stadium, Mayesbrook Park.This week Zahra will be taking the ‘Flamingo session’:
30 sec hard / 30 sec rec
1 min hard / 45 sec rec
90 sec hard/ 1 min rec
2 min hard/ 1 min rec
3 min hard / 90 sec rec
4 min hard/ 2 min rec
3 min hard/ 90 sec rec
2 min hard / 1 min rec
90 sec hard/ 1 min rec
1 min hard/ 45 sec rec
30 sec hard / 30 sec rec
Flamingos gather, lift off, cruise, before returning to the lagoon.
Please wear as much pink as possible.
7.00pm, Thursday 16 July - Summer Handicap #03. Barking Park. It’s not too late to join in. Just £1 to enter, and you could win a tenner and/or have the chance of winning a series trophy.
9.30am, Sunday 19 July, Greg’s Orienteering Event. Car park near the Global Cafe, Hainault Forest (Fox Burrow Road). Can you navigate Greg’s devilish course? Pairs are fine.
7.00pm, Thursday 23 July - Summer Handicap #04. Barking Park. Details as above, and it’s still not to late to join in!
10.15am, Sunday 26 July - Dunton 10k. Langdon Hills Nature Discovery Centre, Lower Dunton Road, Basildon, SS16 6EJ. A brand new race, organised by Phoenix Striders. The route goes around the challenging paths and trails that make up part of Langdon Hills. There are early bird prices until 14 July. Enter at: Dunton 10k - EntryCentral
7.30pm, Wednesday 29 July - Harold Wood 5k (ELVIS O6). Harold Wood Park, Harold View, Harold Wood, RM3 0LX. The race will be run on a 1 lap multi-terrain course of 5k in and around Harold Wood Park and Pages Wood, Harold Wood. Changing facilities, toilets and bar will be available. Enter at: Harold Wood Running Club 5K ELVIS #6
10.00am, Orion Forest 5 (ELVIS 07/GP). Chingford Plain, Bury Road, Chingford. Give parkrun a miss for once. If you are chasing a Club trophy, you get double bubble for this race, as it’s an ELVIS race a a Grand Prix race too. A nice 5-miler around chingford Plain and Epping Forest. Just watch out for the cows. Entries at: Orion Harriers Forest Five Series 2026 Race 3 ELVIS - EntryCentral
Football Focus?
If you’re not a football fan, you may be glad the World Cup is coming to an end soon. But there is a lot for runners to learn from footballers: Canadian Running Magazine recently highlighted how different football positions develop different athletic qualities—many of which can benefit runners too.
Goalkeepers: Balance Matters
Goalkeepers rely on balance, mobility and quick reactions. While most runners don't spend much time working on these qualities, adding simple exercises such as single-leg stands, hip mobility drills or yoga can improve stability and potentially reduce injury risk.
Defenders: Strength Is Your Friend
Defenders need strength and power to accelerate, change direction and hold their position. For runners, strength training can improve running economy and help maintain form when fatigue sets in. Hill sprints, squats, lunges and calf raises are all simple additions that can make a noticeable difference.
Midfielders: Build the Engine
Midfielders are the workhorses of football, covering huge distances during a match, which requires a strong aerobic base. For club runners like us, that means regular easy runs and tempo sessions remain the foundation of successful training.
Forwards: Learn to Change Gears
The explosive pace of the best forwards Davies shows the importance of being able to accelerate quickly when the moment demands it. Runners like us can develop this ability by incorporating short intervals or strides into otherwise steady runs, teaching the body to switch from cruising pace to race pace with confidence.
The takeaway is that footballers don't just train one quality, and neither should runners. A balanced programme combining endurance, strength, mobility and speed will help you become a more resilient and adaptable athlete. So next time you're planning your training week, think a little less like a runner—and a little more like a footballer.
That said, there is one football habit we probably don't need to adopt. If another runner accidentally brushes your elbow, try to resist launching yourself three metres across the path, clutching your face and demanding a VAR review. Leave the dramatic tumbles and miraculous recoveries to the footballers - we'll stick to getting up and carrying on towards the finish line.
End Mozzie Mayhem
A mosquito bite is such a small, almost laughable injury — a tiny welt, a dot of red. But these vampires can turn a peaceful evening run into an itchy, swollen torment. Sometimes you hear the high-pitched whine but are powerless to stop them. Other times, you only know you have been feasted upon the next morning, when you find bites in places you didn’t even know mosquitoes could reach.
Which? Magazine persuaded some volunteers to test which mosquito sprays actually work, by applying the product and then putting their arm in a box of mosquitoes for three minutes every half hour for nine and a half hours (rather them than me).
The most effective mosquito repellents (lasting the full 9.5 hours):
DEET-based: Superdrug Buzz Off Extra Strength Insect Repellent, and Jungle Formula Maximum Aerosal Insect Repellent. DEET remains the gold standard for long-lasting protection, but has a strong smell and can irritate sensitive skin and melt plastics.
Picaridin-based: Autan Insect Repellent. A great alternative if you want strong protection without the downsides of DEET. It doesn’t dissolve plastics, including nail varnish.
If you prefer a natural product look for ones that contain PMD (lemon eucalyptus oil): Lifesystems Expedition Natural Spray and Incognito Anti-Mosquito Spray offer solid, plant-derived protection without the synthetic chemicals.
Unfortunately, there is no evidence that citronella-based repellents repel mosquitoes effectively, although they smell nice. And, sadly, repellent bracelets are more fashion accessory than functional defence.
Quote of the Week
“The only limit to our realisation of tomorrow is our doubts of today.”
Franklyn D Roosevelt.
Cracker Corner
I once did 100 metres in ten seconds. I fell down a lift shaft.
My uncle has retired after 50 years as a toolmaker. It was a bit of a wrench.
My friend is looking for a new job. She was a trapeze artist but they let her go.
And Finally…
The running world was shaken a few weeks ago as former half‑marathon world record holder Kibiwott Kandie received a seven‑year ban for multiple anti‑doping violations. It’s one of the toughest sanctions ever handed to a high‑profile athlete.
Kandie, once celebrated for his 57:32 HM record and other amazing achievements, refused to provide a sample to a doping control officer in March 2025, and later submitted a forged government certificate to try to lift his provisional suspension. The fact that he later confessed shaved a year off the ban, but he will be 36 when it ends, to all intents and purposes ending his elite career.
Perhaps the real secret to faster times is turning up to track on a Tuesday and doing your reps. No banned substances there - unless you count the biscuits…
