Hi there Road Runners,

Well, there’s another Grand Prix race out of the way. I remembered too late why we call it Great Baddy, rather than Great Baddow - those hills! Well done to our other runners too - hope your courses were as ‘undulating’ as Great Baddow. All the details in Greg’s Race Report, below.

Also in this week’s blog I’ve included the details of the ELVIS races that are currently open (and a couple that aren’t yet) - don’t get caught out by the race filling up before you have entered.

Greg’s Race Report

Nikki Cranmer and Rob Courtier travelled to Westley Heights Country Park, near Laindon, to take part in the Crown-to-Crown 5k off-road race organised by Pitsea Running Club.

Round 3 of Barking Road Runners Grand Prix series this week was a hilly 10-mile race at Great Baddow.

A good number of BRR members competed in this race on a tough course with Martin Page being their first finisher in a time of 1:16:58 followed by Cristina Cooper 1:24:03, Belinda Riches 1:26:30, Ron Vialls who finished first in his age category 1:26:55, Paul Ward 1:29:55, John George 1:33:22, Joyce Golder 1:33:52, James Sheridan 1:37:07, Tom Brennan 1:38:49, Paul Manson 1:43:06, Emma Paisley 1:45:00, Barry Rowell 1:47:43, Louise Chappell 1:48:54, Alison Fryatt 1:58:43, Dawn Curtis 2:07:52, Stephanie Rashbrook 2:08:05 and Dennis Spencer Perkins 2:08:10. At the same event Darren Graham ran the 2-mile race

Maysen Davies ran in the Chester Half Marathon finishing in a new Personal Best time of 2:04:42.

Derv Bartlett competed in the Ashling Murphy 4-mile road race in Tullamore, Ireland, finishing in a time of 25:35.

Barking parkrunners

Billdalsparken parkrun, Sweden - Rory Burr 23:21, Belinda Riches 27:18, Darren Graham 39:12 and Denise Graham 54:21.

Rory, Denise, Steve, Belinda and Darren at Billdalsparken parkrun

ARU Writtle - Louise Chappell 49:55.

Bournemouth - Mark New 25:56.

Chelmsford Central - Gary Harford 29:28.

Dover Waterfront - Rob Courtier 33:01.

Gunpowder - Paul Ward 25:19.

Jersey Farm - Dennis Spencer Perkins 43:20.

Mile End - Sian Mansley 35:05.

Raphaels - Faye Spooner 35:42.

South Oxhey - Belinda Riches 26:15, Darren Graham 41:54 and Denise Graham 52:32.

Darren, Denise, Belinda, and Steve C at South Oxhey parkrun

Thorney Bay Beach - Ron Vialls 23:49.

Valentines - Tom Mathew 20:48, Richard Dudman 24:38, Kevin Wotton 25:25, Stuart Burr28:07 Nikki Cranmer 39:11 and Andrew Gwilliam 47:37.

Highest BRR age gradings this week were Belinda Riches 67.17% for the women and Ron Vialls 78.24% for the men.

BRR Diary - May/June

The highlights of the coming weeks are listed below but you can see the full diary of BRR events on the TeamUp app. Simply 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 .

7.00pm, Tuesday 19 May - speed session. Jim Peters Stadium, Mayesbrook Park. This week I’ll be taking the session and it will be “2,1,1,1” - in other words:

7 x (2 mins run, 1 min recovery, 1 min run, 1 min recovery)

Those who are taking part in the D88 race the next day should try and take it easy.

7.30pm, Wednesday 20 May - Dagenham 88 5-miles. Eastbrookend Country Park, the Chase, Romford, RM7 0SS. First race in this year’s East London fiVes Interclub Series (a competition consisting of 5k or 5-mile races between clubs based in East London). Toilets and refreshments at the Discovery Centre. Online entries are closed but you can enter on the night for £15 - best arrive promptly in case they sell out.

7.00pm, Thursday 21 May - Club road run. Castle Green Centre, Gale Street, Becontree. I won’t be organising a run due to the race the day before (my poor old legs can’t take it), but please feel free to meet up if you wish.

10.00am, Sunday 24 May - Thameside 10k. A scenic route from Thameside Nature Discovery Centre along the Thames Estuary, with wonderful views of the Thames, Kent, and towards Southend. This year there is a fantastic squirrel design medal for all finishers. Enter at: Phoenix Striders Thameside 10/5/1 2026 Races - EntryCentral

11.00am, Monday 25 May - Hatfield Broad Oak 10k. Hatfield Broad Oak Village Green CM22 7HH. Held in the medieval village of Hatfield Broad Oak near Bishop’s Stortford and organised by the local school PTA the race is held on country roads which are closed to traffic but with no barriers in place. Enter at: Active Training World : Hatfield Broad Oak 10k

10.00am, Sunday 31 May - Orienteering Trial Session. Thorndon Park North (Visitor Centre, Thorndon Park North, The Avenue, Brentwood CM13 3RZ. Fancy a run with a difference? HAVOC (Havering and South Essex Orienteering Club) are offering orienteering training based on the Thorndon Park permanent orienteering course as part of the Thorndon Park outdoor activity day. Perfect for beginners and anyone curious to give orienteering a go. Dogs welcome (with their owners, of course!). Find out more: https://www.britishorienteering.org.uk/event?event=88330

7.30pm, Tuesday 2 June - Havering 90 Midweek 5 (ELVIS 02). See below for details.

7.30pm, Wednesday 10 June - ELR Valentines 5k (ELVIS 03).

See below for details.

And don’t forget…

The Summer Handicap Competition starts on Thursday 18 June!

Well, it’s One for the Money…

The first race in the East London fiVes Interclub Series (ELVIS) - the Dagenham 88 5ish - takes place on Wednesday. There are eight races in the whole series and most of the others are now open for entries. Some sell out quickly, so don’t delay if you want to take part. Remember, we have our own internal Club competition (see the Club Rules on the BRR website for details), and you also get points towards earning one of our Club guaranteed London Marathon places for 2027.

7.30pm, Tuesday 2 June - H90 Midweek 5. Raphaels Park, Raphael Park, RM2 5PA, Romford. Enter at: krono:sports - Entry System & Race Timing Solutions - Havering '90 Joggers Midweek 5 ELVIS #2. TRACK CANCELLED.

7.30pm, Wednesday 10 June - ELR Valentines 5k. Valentines Park, Valentines Park, Melbourne Road Entrance, IG1 4LG. Enter at: krono:sports - Entry System & Race Timing Solutions - East London Runners - Valentines 5K

7.30pm, Tuesday 23 June - EERR Olympic Park 5k. Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.Enter at: krono:sports - Entry System & Race Timing Solutions - East End Road Runners - Olympic Park 5K ELVIS #4. TRACK CANCELLED.

7.30pm, Wednesday 8 July - Ilford AC Newman Hilly 5. Hainault Country Park, Fox Burrow Road, off Romford Road, IG7 4QN. Enter at: Newman Hilly 5 - Elvis #5 - EntryCentral

7.30pm, Wednesday 29 July. Harold Wood 5k. Harold Wood Park. Entries not yet open.

10.00am, Saturday 1 August. Orion Forest 5. Race HQ Jubilee Retreat, Bury Road, Chingford. This is also a Grand Prix race. Enter at: Orion Harriers Forest Five Series 2026 Race 3 ELVIS - EntryCentral

10.30am, Monday 31 August. BRR Phipps (August Bank Holiday) 5k. Entries not yet open. BRR first claim members get 50% discount on the entry fee. Equal marathon points awarded for running or volunteering.

The Art of Not Getting Tired

Being able to run further - and faster - without getting exhausted is all about building stamina. Last week we looked at how slowing down your runs can help you run further - and faster over time. Here’s the next top tip for running further without getting tired:

#2 - Follow a Training Plan

Following a training plan can provide motivation and make running more fun

If you want to build endurance without burning out, the smartest thing you can do is follow a training plan that matches your current fitness level. A good plan increases distance and intensity gradually, giving your body time to adapt while keeping injury risk low. Without that structure, it’s easy to fall into two common traps: pushing too hard, too soon, or not running often enough to see real progress.

Ramping up long‑run distance too quickly, or skipping rest days, can lead to overtraining, fatigue, and the kind of niggles that can easily turn into full‑blown injuries. On the flip side, heading out for just one run a week won’t build the consistency needed for distance running. Your body improves through regular, manageable stress — not occasional heroic efforts.

Beginner runners especially benefit from a plan designed for newcomers. It ensures you run often enough to build fitness, but not so often that you feel overwhelmed. This doesn’t mean running every day; it simply means having a balanced schedule of easy runs, rest days, and gradual progression.

A well‑chosen plan keeps you motivated, protects your body, and helps you build endurance steadily — the perfect recipe for stronger, happier miles.

Perfetto Pesto

We haven’t had a recipe in the blog for a long time – I hope you are not starving! I saw this recipe for pistachio* pesto on the Burnt Butter Table website and thought it sounded tasty. Pistachios are one of the highest‑protein nuts and also contain vitamin B6, potassium and magnesium, so they are a good swap for the traditional pine nuts in pesto for runners looking to get their electrolytes. The parmesan can be swapped out for a non-diary alternative if you want a vegan version. Remember you should only add the pesto to your pasta/gnocchi when you have taken it off the hob – it is supposed to be eaten raw and fresh. It also means you preserve the antioxidant benefits of the olive oil, which are reduced by heating. Just make sure your nearest and dearest eat the pesto too, as the raw garlic may otherwise drive them away!

Ingredients

2 garlic cloves
40g shelled pistachios
30g basil leaves
20g flat leaf parsley
50g Parmesan cheese (or vegan substitute), finely grated
100 ml olive oil
1-2 tsp lemon juice
salt to taste

Instructions

Add the garlic, pistachios and a big pinch of salt to a food processor. Pulse until the pistachios are broken down but still have some texture.
Roughly chop the basil and parsley, add to the processor and pulse until just incorporated.
Transfer the mixture to a bowl, add the parmesan and mix well with a spoon.
Drizzle in the olive oil and mix until you have a smooth, spoonable consistency. Add 1 teaspoon of lemon juice, then taste and add more if needed.
Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Use straight away or store in the fridge with a thin layer of olive oil on top.

*If you go to Italy and fancy a pistachio ice cream, they pronounce the ‘chi’ as a hard k sound i.e. pee‑STAK‑kyo. “Un gelato al pistacchio in cono, per favore.” Yum!

Quote of the Week

“When you recognize that failing doesn’t make you a failure, you give yourself permission to try all sorts of things.”

Lauren Fleshman

Cracker Corner

I’ve been working hard to create the perfect breakfast cereal. It contains yeast and shoe polish. It’s called rise and shine.
I was offered a job in my local greengrocers where I would be paid in vegetables instead of cash. It turned it down - I couldn’t live on that celery.
What goes Ha Ha Bonk? Someone laughing their head off.

And Finally…

Garmin Forerunner 55 - good enough for Sawe

Sebastian Sawe wore all the state‑of‑the‑art kit when he won the London Marathon and smashed the two‑hour mark. But the watch he wore while doing it was the Forerunner 55, Garmin’s entry‑level model. The 55 doesn’t have the bells and whistles of Garmin’s premium watches, but it tells you your pace and distance, which are arguably the only metrics that matter when you’re trying to break a record. And perhaps the biggest factor in Sawe choosing it over other models was its weight: just 37g. When you’re operating at the absolute limits of human performance, even a few grams saved on the wrist can make a difference — the perfect example of how marginal gains add up to major results. Alas, I think it would take more than a lighter watch to help me to a record-breaking performance…

BRR Blog - 18 May 2026

Hi there Road Runners,