Ciao, Road Runners!

We counted seven Barking Road Runners out, and we counted seven Barking Road Runners in; Greg’s GPS orienteering event at Hainault Forest on Sunday was a great success. If the winner had been the person with the most scratches/stings on their legs from brambles, holly bushes, stinging nettles, and various other random undergrowth, I would have won hands down. Never mind; can’t wait to do it again anyway!

Josh Kerr is maybe thinking the same thing about running the Magic Mile. After breaking the World Record on Saturday in a time of 3:42:66, he has already hinted that he thinks he can go even faster. In the meantime, it gives us something to aim for at Rob’s quarterly mile sessions at track.

Greg’s Race Report

Barking Road Runners had round 03 of the Summer Handicap series this week. The race was won by Richard Dudman. Richard came third on the night, but first finisher Tia was setting a handicap time because it was her first event, and George H who finished second was a guest.

Louise Chappell took part in the Ridley Round Half Marathon, starting at the Compass Inn, Chelmsford. This is a self-navigation trail race using a written route description, issued on the day, with no markings or marshals. As a result, Louise ended up running 14 miles, but enjoyed the meander through Essex countryside, visiting pubs formerly run by Ridleys Brewery along the way.

BRR had a Smartphone Orienteering event at Hainault Country Park at the weekend. The course set out using ten of the Permanent marker posts in the forest making a 5k course as the crow flies. However, as none of the members could actually fly the winner would be decided by who covered the least distance rather than time. In first place was Emma Paisley who managed to complete the course in 6.9k, second place was Dawn Curtis 7.3k, with Alison Fryatt 7.9k in third.

The intrepid orienteers at Hainault with organiser Greg

Barking parkrunners

Barking - Tom Matthews 21:04, Dominic Herring 21:14, Jack Stanford 21:18, Joshua Ezissi 21:43, James Sheridan 28:04, Barry Rowell 28:14, Joyce Golder 28:19, Paul Manson 29:28, Steve Colloff 32:56, Martin Mason 36:25, Dawn Curtis 37:10, Nikki Cranmer 37:24 and Alan Murphy 43:35.

Alison celebrates her 500th volunteering stint, with Sian and Lizzie-Beth, at Barking Park

Basildon - Martin Page 22:37.

Bournemouth - Mark New 25:17.

Chelmsford Central - Gary Harford 30:19.

Gunpowder - Paul Ward 25:51.

Harrow Lodge - Rory Burr 22:08 and Chandru Thayalan 26:55.

Raphaels - Darren Graham 35:55 and Belinda Riches 35:57.

Denise, Belinda and Darren at Raphael parkrun

Roding Valley - Paul Withyman 33:04.

Sixfields Upton - Owen Wainhouse 21:52.

Thorney Bay Beach - Ron Vialls 23:59.

Thurrock - James Lowndes 20:52.

Valentines - Kevin Wotton 25:35 and Andrew Gwilliam 37:12.

Highest BRR age gradings this week were Joyce Golder 62.27% for the women and Ron Vialls 77.69% 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 21 July - Speed Work. Jim Peter’s Stadium, Mayesbrook Park. This week I will be taking the session, which is called ‘Reducing Recovery’, for reasons which will become obvious!

Three sets of:

60 secs run, 60 secs recovery
60 secs run, 50 secs recovery
60 secs run, 40 secs recovery
60 secs run, 30 secs recovery
60 secs run, 20 secs recovery
60 secs run, 10 secs recovery
60 secs run, 2 mins recovery

7.00pm, Thursday 23 July - Summer Handicap #04. Barking Park. It’s still not to late to join in! We’ve has a different winner at every handicap so far, so it really is true that anyone could win.

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

Naughty but Nike?

If you think Nike’s latest carbon‑plate shoes are pricey, wait until you hear about these. A pair of handmade Nike steeplechase prototypes from 1968 — crafted by Bill Bowerman himself — is currently being auctioned with a starting bid of $250,000 (around £187,000). They are being sold as part of Sotheby's Summer Sports Classic auction, which is scheduled to close early morning 21 July, UK time.

Bowerman built the spikes for steeplechaser Bill Norris, personally tracing his feet and hand‑cutting every piece. The open‑mesh upper was designed to drain water after each splash‑landing.

These shoes predate the Swoosh era, back when Bowerman and Phil Knight were still operating as Blue Ribbon Sports. They come in a metal box with original laces and historical memorabilia, making them one of the earliest surviving examples of Bowerman’s craftsmanship.

Somehow I don’t think my old running shoes will appreciate in value quite so much…

What Runners Can Learn from Football

We may all be fed up with football for a little while, but footballers and runners have more in common than you might think; the physical qualities that make footballers successful can help us become better runners.

Goalkeepers: Master Balance and Mobility

Goalkeepers spend much of a match reacting to the unexpected. They dive, twist, get back to their feet and change direction in an instant. For runners, this highlights the importance of balance, coordination and mobility. Adding single-leg balance drills, hip mobility exercises and occasional yoga sessions can improve stability and help keep injuries at bay.

Defenders: Build Strength

Defenders need strength, power and resilience. They accelerate repeatedly, hold their position under pressure and must maintain good form throughout the game. Runners can take the same approach by including hill sprints, squats, lunges and calf raises in their training. A stronger athlete is often a more efficient athlete, particularly when fatigue starts to creep in during the closing stages of a race.

Midfielders: Develop Your Engine

If there is one position synonymous with endurance, it's midfield. Midfielders cover huge distances, constantly moving between attack and defence for the full 90 minutes. The running equivalent is a strong aerobic base. Regular easy runs, long runs and tempo sessions build the endurance needed to perform consistently, whether you're targeting a parkrun PB or a marathon finish.

Forwards: Learn to Change Gears

Forwards often spend long periods waiting for an opportunity before suddenly bursting into action. Runners can benefit from the same ability to switch pace quickly. Including short, fast efforts within an otherwise steady run helps train your body to respond when it's time to surge, attack a hill or kick for the finish.

he one thing we don’t need to learn from footballers is the ability to roll around on the floor clutching our faces if someone accidentally kicks us in the shins!

How Long Should Your Longest HM Training Run Be?

Quite a few of us are turning our minds to the Big Half at the beginning of September and worrying that there isn’t time to build up our long runs in advance. The good news is, you don’t need to run the full 13.1 miles before race day.

According to running coaches and training experts, most runners can successfully complete a half marathon with a longest training run of around 10–11 miles. Like for full-marathon training, the goal of the long run is to build endurance and confidence without creating so much fatigue that it disrupts the rest of your training.

For newer runners, a longest run of 8–10 miles may be sufficient, while more experienced runners chasing a personal best might extend that to 12–14 miles. The key is ensuring your long run fits within your overall training load and doesn't leave you too tired for the important sessions that follow.

Remember that on race day you'll have the benefits of a taper (yes, tapers aren’t just for marathons), fresh legs, race-day excitement, fellow runners around you, and a healthy dose of adrenaline. All of these can help carry you through those final few miles.

So if your training plan tops out short of 13.1 miles, don't panic. Trust the process, stay consistent, and save your best half marathon for race day.

Cracker Corner

I have a fear of speed bumps, but I’m slowly getting over it.

I’ve started working with the Dried Fruit Council. My job is raisin awareness.

Yesterday I couldn’t find my shoes. Instead, I wrapped my feet in clingfilm and popped to the shops.

Quote of the Week

“Every run is a work of art, a drawing on each day’s canvas. Some runs are shouts and some runs are whispers. Some runs are eulogies and others celebrations.”

Dagny Scott Barrios

And Finally…

You might baulk at the idea of an Iron Man (3.8 km swim, 180 km bike ride, 42.2 km marathon run), but how about trying an Ironing Board Man?

Competitors in the Iron X Half Marathon run along a stretch of the Western States 100* course, stopping at eight points (including in a river and on top of a wrecked car) to remove a button-up shirt, iron it, and put it back on. You must carry your own full-sized board and battery powered iron. Miss a location or fail to document it, and you take a 10-minute penalty. This year’s winning time was Sean Thon’s 3:54:25, which tells you how much the ironing slows you down.

Personally, I try and avoid ironing at all costs, especially when running…

Happy Running

Alison

Chair, Barking Road Runners

*The Western States 100 is a 100‑mile ultramarathon across the Sierra Nevada, known for extreme heat, rugged mountain terrain, and its status as the world’s oldest and most iconic trail endurance race.

BRR Blog - 20 July 2026