Paul and Steph with a very unusual medal at the Copenhagen Half

Hi there Road Runners

This week carries a note of sadness for BRR, with Rob’s funeral taking place on Friday. Although I’m very sorry to miss it, I know those attending will honour him in true BRR style. And in the way Rob always encouraged us to do, the club keeps running strong: the weekend brought excellent performances across the board, captured in Greg’s race report below.

Greg’s Race Report

Joyce Golder and Maysen Davies took part in the inaugural Saucony Run Shoreditch Half on Sunday 20 September 2026. The race started and finished in Shoreditch Park, with runners passing through Hoxton, De Beauvoir, Newington Green, Stoke Newington and around Clissold Park. Maysen finished with a new Personal Best in 2:03:39, with Joyce close behind in 2:05:33.

Further afield, Paul Manson and Steph Rashbrook took part in the Copenhagen Half Marathon. The race doubled as the World Athletics Road Running Championships. Paul finished in 2:07:10, and Steph finished in 2 hours and 54 minutes, despite a foot injury.

Alison Fryatt was orienteering again, this time with two ‘Street Orienteering’ sprint distance races in Thamesmead and Southmere, South London.

Alison in Thamesmead for her orienteering events

BRR parkrun results

Barking parkrun - Shantelle Keech, 23:47, Jason Li, 29:27, James Hall, 29:46, Trevor Cooper, 30:01, Sian Mansley, 31:18, Cristina Cooper, 31:19, Faye Spooner, 31:52, Amanda Heslegrave, 36:16, Nikki Cranmer, 38:40, James Sheridan, 41:29, Alan Murphy, 49:07, Trevor Parkin, 1:03:18

Hackney Marshes parkrun - Stephen Colloff, 32:29, Belinda Riches, 32:30

Belinda, Steve C and friend at Hackney Marshes parkrun

Harrow Lodge parkrun - Rory Burr, 23:00

Thornbury parkrun - Thomas Shorey, 28:12, Clodagh Shorey, 35:19

Thorney Bay Beach parkrun - Ronald Vialls, 25:08,

Valentines parkrun - Kevin Wotton, 25:30, Martin O’Toole, 29:57, Andrew Gwilliam, 52:04

Weymouth parkrun - Gary Harford, 31:41

Winchester parkrun - Mark New, 26:13

BRR Diary - September/October

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 Runnerswebsite: https://www.barkingroadrunners.org.uk/calendar.

7.00pm, Tuesday 22 September - Speed Work. Jim Peter’s Stadium, Mayesbrook Park. Jess will be taking the session this week. You have the option to do less reps if desired:

Option 1 - 10 × 3 mins with 90 secs rest

Option 2 - 8 × 3 mins with 90 secs rest

Option 3 - 6 × 3 mins with 90 secs rest

7.00pm, Thursday 24 September - Training from the May and Baker Social Club. Dagenham Rd, Dagenham, Romford RM7 0QX. This is the option to join the cross-club training session led by Rob Sargent. This week’s session is:

1 x 1000m with 2 min recovery
2 x 600m with 90 sec recoveries
4 x 400m with 90 sec recoveries

Nige may also be leading a road run from the Castle Green Centre in Gale Street. Look out for details on WhatsApp.

10.00am, Sunday 4 October - Southend 10k (GP07). Southchurch Park East, Lifstan Way, Southend on Sea, Essex SS1 2XD. A nice route along the coast to Shoeburyness, then back to Southchurch Park, with the stinger that you have to go past the park turning and double back on yourself. I forecast fish and chips and an ice cream afterwards. Sign up here: Southend 10K 2026 | njuko.com

10.00am, Sunday 11 October - Tiptree 10 (GP08). This is the last race in the 2026 Grand Prix series. It is also an Essex Championships race. Sign up at : Tiptree 10 Mile.

7.30pm, Wednesday 14 October - Redbridge Cycle Centre (Hog Hill) 5k (Chingford League 01). Redbridge Cycle Centre, Forest Road, Hainault, IG6 3HP. Taking place on the cycle track, most of teh race is run in darkness, with just the ambient light for illumination. Women go first, then the men, so it’s great for spectators. The race is free to BRR members, so why not give it a try. I’ll be taking names of people who want to participate soon. More information available at: https://chingfordleague.co.uk/

Russia v Seb Coe

World Athletics president Sebastian Coe may have been basking in the success of the Athletics Ultimate Championships, but it seems not everyone is happy with him. Russia's athletics federation has launched a legal challenge at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), arguing that Coe is personally responsible for keeping Russian athletes excluded from international competition.

The dispute centres on the continued World Athletics ban on Russian and Belarusian athletes, which was imposed following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Russian officials claim Coe has turned the issue into a personal crusade after saying he would attend the CAS hearing himself to defend World Athletics' position.

Coe, however, has been clear that the decision is about protecting the integrity and fairness of international competition, rather than politics or nationality. World Athletics has repeatedly pointed to the impact of the war on Ukrainian sport, including the deaths of hundreds of athletes and destruction of sports facilities.

With Coe due to step down when his final term ends in 2027, the case represents one of the defining challenges of his presidency. While the International Olympic Committee has recently taken steps towards re-engaging with Russia, World Athletics has maintained its tougher stance, with Coe remaining one of the most prominent voices defending the ban, and prepared to defend World Athletics' position in person in the courts.

Golden Milk

Chocolate milk has a rival - golden milk. This month’s Runners’ World magazine reports that golden milk is anti-inflammatory and full of antioxidants. Plus, it’s very simple to make (you can vary the ingredient quantities to suit your taste):

Ingredients

1 glass/cup cow’s milk or coconut milk

1 pinch ground turmeric

1 pinch black pepper

1 tsp honey

Instructions

Warm the milk gently in a small pan over low heat.
Stir in the turmeric and black pepper until fully combined.
Remove from the heat and add the honey, adjusting sweetness to taste.

Pour into a mug or glass and enjoy warm. You can also drink it cold, but make sure to blend properly.

Running to the Beat

Spotify has recently introduced a new feature called Running Mode, allowing runners to generate playlists based on a chosen beats-per-minute (BPM) tempo. The default setting is 150 BPM but, according to recent research, that may not be the best choice for many runners.

The idea is simple: match the tempo of the music to your running cadence. Studies have shown that runners often adjust their stride rate to match the beat of the music they're hearing, making music a potentially useful tool for influencing running rhythm.

However, there's a catch. Research suggests that deliberately trying to match your footfalls to a beat can sometimes result in shorter strides and slower running speeds. In other words, a faster beat doesn't automatically make you a faster runner.

Rather than using the Spotify default, you should measure your natural cadence before choosing a BPM setting. Count your steps for 30 seconds during an easy run, double the number, and use that figure as your starting point. If your natural cadence is around 165 steps per minute, selecting Spotify's default 150 BPM could actually encourage you to slow your turnover. The best tempo is often the one that matches your own natural rhythm rather than a one-size-fits-all default.

A Brief History of Hornchurch Country Park

Hornchurch Country Park occupies land once used as Sutton’s Farm Airfield, established in 1915 as part of the London Air Defence Area. Its early role was to protect the capital from German airship raids during the First World War.

After the war the site briefly returned to farmland, but in 1928 it was rebuilt and reopened as RAF Hornchurch. During the Second World War it became one of Britain’s most important fighter bases, home to several Spitfire squadrons. The airfield played a frontline role in the Battle of Britain, launching sorties under intense Luftwaffe pressure and earning a lasting place in aviation history.

RAF Hornchurch closed in 1962, after which parts of the land were used for gravel extraction and landfill. From the 1970s onwards, public authorities began restoring the landscape, gradually transforming the former military and industrial site into Hornchurch Country Park. Today the park forms part of the wider Ingrebourne Valley Local Nature Reserve, combining accessible green space with diverse wildlife habitats. But reminders of its wartime past remain visible in the form of pillboxes and other surviving military structures.

The Spitfire Scramble race takes its name directly from RAF Hornchurch’s legacy as a Spitfire fighter base, where pilots once launched from grass runways to defend London. The park’s open fields and historic landscape make it a fitting backdrop for an endurance event inspired by the grit and teamwork of those who flew from here.

Cracker Corner

A dermatologist told me the main cause of dry skin: towels.

A few months ago my neighbour’s cat ate a ball of wool. It’s just given birth to mittens.

Last night I dreamed I was eating a giant marshmallow. When I woke up my pillow had disappeared…

Quote of the week

"I'm not scared to lose. I don't really care. I'm scared to not do myself justice."

Josh Kerr

And Finally…

Dennis is thinking of taking part in next year’s 10K Night Race Prague. Let’s hope he doesn’t make the same mistake as Kenyan runner Victor Kipruto Kiprono. Kiprono looked to have the race sewn up, only for disaster to strike in the final few metres. With victory in sight, he accidentally followed a TV camera car as it peeled off the course and found himself heading in entirely the wrong direction.

By the time he realised his mistake and rejoined the race, two runners had overtaken him. The eventual winner was Rodrigue Kwizera, representing Spain, who won in 27:15 and set a new Spanish 10km record. Owen Korir Kapkama was second in 27:16, with Kiprono third in 27:18.

Race organisers later apologised and agreed to pay him the winner's prize money anyway, but the result remains unchanged as it is a runner’s personal responsibility to follow the correct course. If Dennis does the race in 2027, fingers crossed he isn’t led astray…

Happy Running

Alison

Chair, Barking Road Runners

BRR Blog - 21 September 2026