BRR Blog - 26 August 2025
Most of the BRR team at supporters at the Phipps (August Bank Holiday) 5k, 2025
Hi there, Road Runners
Another Phipps (August Bank Holiday) 5K successfully organised. We may have lost a few entries due to being the last race in the ELVIS (East London fiVes Interclub Series) competition this year, or perhaps it was due to the wonderful weather. However, 288 entries/266 finishers was a pretty good turnout, making for a great race. The kids’ 2k fun run also went well, with 23 runners.
I can’t single out individual people for praise or thanks, as everyone who either ran or volunteered (or, in some cases, did both) was an essential part of the well-oiled machine that made the race a success. We genuinely couldn’t do it without you. If you have any suggestions for how we can improve things next year, do let us know.
The race was too late in the weekend for Greg’s newspaper story, so you will have to make do with the Club photo and wait until next week to see the write-up in the blog. But there was plenty of other racing action over the last few days for Greg’s race report. You can find it, plus the usual ‘bloggy’ stuff, and the return of an old friend, below Enjoy!
August Committee Meeting
With thanks to Club Secretary, Isabel, here are the minutes of the August Committee meeting.
Orienteering Trial
You may remember, a few months ago, Louise participated in an orienteering race. Orienteering is a sport that challenges you to navigate between checkpoints on a map, either individually or in a team. The winner is the person or group who navigates their way around the checkpoints most quickly.
Greg has been developing an orienteering event for the Club, but we are starting with a trial first; if we don’t lose too many members in the trial, we will do a ‘proper’ event! The trial will take place in Hainault Forest on Sunday, 31 August, starting from the car park by the Global cafe at 9.30am. Please come along and join in the fun.
Talking about Hainault Forest, today sees the welcome return of our forest-dwelling friend, Dottie Dear. For those who don’t know her, Dottie is an eco-warrior who lives in a tree house in the darkest depths of Hainault Forest. She’s been away for a while (that is not a metaphor for being in prison), but now she is back, and it seems she has been chatting to an online friend about Barking Park…
Dottie Dear’s Almanac for August: Unicorns
Unicorns on the Magic Unicorn Lake, Barking Park. Image: Dennis Spencer-Perkins
Dottie is online….
#LibraryLass: Hello there, Dottie!
#DottieDear: Hello Connie. How are things with you today?
#LL: Well, I have been a bit concerned about something lately and was wanting to ask your opinion.
#DD: OK, fire away.
#LL: Well. You know those weird unicorn boats on the lake in Barking Park?
#DD: The ones that look a bit creepy?
#LL: That’s it.
#DD: And they’re still creepy even though they’ve all got deceptively playful names like Lilly Bell or Sparkle?
#LL: Yes they have! Sneaky, that!
#DD: And you feel like you wouldn’t want to come across them on a dark night….
#LL: You’re amazing, Dottie, yes!
#DD: …… but no-one has ever seen anyone actually going for a ride on one..
#LL: Ooh, now you come to mention it, I’ve never seen a unicorn sailing across the water, no….
#DD: ….and they have a collective stare like they want to hypnotise you and maybe swallow you up and spirit you away to who knows where..
#LL Yes, yes!
#DD ….but you can still feel their spooky presence even when you’re not looking at them.
#LL: It’s a bit of a worry……
#DD: Or maybe they can erase your memory for some nefarious purpose best known to themselves.
#LL.. you’re scaring me now, Dottie….
#DD: So yes, I do know those unicorns, Connie. What about them, then? Why did you bring them to my attention?
#LL: I think it was….it could have been…..do you know I can’t quite remember.
#DD: Ha! I rest my case. They may have messed with your mind already.
#LL: Eeek! So what shall I do, Dottie?
#DD: I’d avoid eye contact if I were you, but better still I’d keep away from Barking Park lake from now on.
Together Alone?
I wandered lonely as a blob…
Do you like the loneliness of the long-distance runner? Or, for you, does teamwork make the dreamwork?
Both running with a group and running alone have their benefits and drawbacks. Running with others can give you motivation, support, and a sense of belonging. It’s also a good way to make friends and stick to your plans, since people are expecting you to show up. Being in a group can help with safety, especially if you’re running in desolate places, in bad weather, or at night. But you’ll also need to fit in with everyone else’s timetable and make sure the speed matches everyone’s ability, which isn’t always easy (our practice of looping back for the slower runners helps).
Running with a group is great for beginners because it provides motivation and support as you start out. Even experienced runners can enjoy group runs—they’re a good way to try new routes or workouts and keep things interesting.
On the other hand, running alone gives you the freedom to choose your own pace and schedule. It’s a great way to relax, clear your mind of the problems of the day, and focus on your personal goals. Many runners find solo runs peaceful, almost like meditation. Or you can enjoy your favourite music or podcasts without worrying about seeming antisocial.
In the end, the best choice is to find a mix that works for you. Try running with a group for the extra motivation, but don’t be afraid to head out on your own when you need some quiet time or your schedule is tight. Both group runs and solo sessions have their benefits. By mixing both, you can make your running routine more fun and motivating.
The A-Z of Running
Episode two in the A-Z of running, and this week it is brought to you by the letter ‘B.’
Bandit - Jargon for any individual who participates in all or some of a race without officially entering. Generally regarded as bad form, especially if the bandit takes water or other supplies intended for paying participants. Can result in future disqualification if the organisers recognise the bandit.
Base Mileage - Base mileage is the average number of miles (or kilometres) you run weekly before beginning a specific training plan or starting to incorporate speed workouts into your schedule.
Bib - The paper with an entrant's race number, which the race organisers use to track a runner's finish position. Always pinned on your front, so it is visible when you cross the line (important if your timing chip fails).
Body Glide - Body glide is the original brand of anti-chafing skin-protectant lubricant that you apply to areas of your skin prone to chafing or blisters, such as nipples, inner thighs, underarms, and toes, to prevent rubbing.
Bonk - Another word for “hitting the wall,” used in endurance sports to describe a sudden, dramatic drop in energy due to glycogen depletion. Taking on board carbs during a long run should reduce the risk of ‘bonking.’
Butt kicks - A running drill in which you bring first one foot then the other to your backside, to mobilise your quads and activate your hamstrings. It can either be done standing still or running forward. To replicate the running motion and work your upper body, pump your arms at right angles while performing this motion.
Greg’s Race Report
Plenty of Race action for Barking Road Runners this week, especially the ladies.
At the Runthrough Women’s Run Series London Evening 10k, in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, three members competed. Finishing together were Zahra Akram 1:32:11, Alison Fryatt 1:32:11 and Belinda Riches 1:32:13.
Alison, Zahra and Belinda at the Women’s London 10k
Several BRR members ran in the inaugural LDNX 10k at Wembley. First finisher was Belinda Riches 53:59 followed by Faye Spooner 56:50, Jason Li 1:02:05, Steve Colloff 1:08:40, Alison Fryatt 1:08:58, Dawn Curtis 1:19:04 and Rachel Sharples 1:21:40.
BRR members at Wembley LDNX 10k
John Furlong ran the Helsinki Marathon, narrowly missing out on a sub- four hour run, finishing in 4:02:04.
Dawn Curtis competed in the Runthrough 10-mile race at the Lea Valley Velopark finishing in a time of 2:10:29.
Dawn, with friend, after her 10 mile race
BRR parkrunners
Barking - Alain Cooper 25:59, George Hiller 29:38, John Lang 30:18, Joyce Golder 32:27, Martin Mason 34:46, Nikki Cranmer 38:41, Les Jay 41:35 and Alan Murphy 50:38.
Bushy Park - Paul Withyman 19:40, Ron Vialls 24:59, Belinda Riches 29:55, Steve Colloff 31:16, Dennis Spencer Perkins 34:44, Denise Graham and Barry Rowell 57:54.
The BRR gang at Bushy Park parkrun
Chelmsford Central - Gary Harford 28:55 and Louise Chappell 33:56.
Gary and Louise at Chelmsford Central parkrun
Foots Cray Meadows - Rob Courtier 32:47.
Harrow Lodge - Rory Burr 25:51.
Rory and friends at Harrow Lodge parkrun
Mile End - John Mitchell 33:12.
Mount Edgecumbe - Rosie Fforde 27:57.
Raphael - Doug King 26:27 and James Sheridan 26:54.
Sheringham - Paul Ward 29:16.
Valentines - Mark New 24:02 and Kevin Wotton 25:54.
Victoria Dock - Jess Collett 23:26.
Walthamstow - Stuart Mackay 21:33.
Wimpole Estate - Martin Brooks 28:03.
Zuiderpark - Peter Jackson 21:11.
Peter at Zuiderpark parkrun
Highest BRR age gradings this week were Jess Collett 66.15% for the women and Ron Vialls 73.45% for the men.
BRR Diary – August/September
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 26 August - speed session. Jim Peters Stadium, Mayesbrook Park. This week we have a session we haven’t done for a while - Billat 30:30s:
2 mins warm-up, then
9 x (30 seconds fast, 30 seconds jog recovery)
2 minutes rest
9 x (30 seconds fast, 30 seconds jog recovery)
2 minutes rest
9 x (30 seconds fast, 30 seconds jog recovery)
2 minutes rest
The workout is named after Veronique Billat, an exercise physiologist at the University of Ille in France. Several years ago, Billat set a goal of trying to create workout formats that would allow runners to spend the greatest total amount of time at VO2 max (the maximum amount of oxygen your body can utilise during intense exercise) and have the most powerful boosting effect on running performance and economy.
Billat knew that a runner’s rate of oxygen consumption remains at or near 100 percent VO2 max for as long as 15-20 seconds after he or she stops running at VO2 max, or slows down from this pace. She realised that by running at VO2 max for short bursts followed by short ‘floating’ (jogging) recoveries, a runner could maximise the time spent at VO2 max with less effort.
It can be complicated to calculate VO2 max, and it is different for everyone, so we will be simply running at 8/10 rate of perceived exertion - A very hard effort, the sort you can only maintain over a short interval, like we’ll be doing.
7.00pm, Thursday 28 August - Handicap 08. Barking Park. The grand finale. Just £1 to enter. Which three members will take the trophies, and who will win the final tenner? At the moment, Barry is in the lead with Ron and Darren hot on his heels. But it could all change with the last race, as some runners haven’t yet completed the maximum number of qualifying runs, or maybe have lower points that could be improved by a better finish. So it is still all up for grabs.
9.30am, Sunday 31 August - Orienteering Trial Run. Global Cafe car park, Fox Burrow Road, Hainault Forest. Details as above.
7.00pm, Tuesday 2 September - Speed session at track.
7.00pm, Thursday 4 September - Club road run. Castle Green Centre/Jo Richardson School. A road run, usually around four miles.
10.30am, Sunday 14 September - Pleshey Half Marathon (GP06). Pleshey Village Hall, The Street, Pleshey, CM3 1HA. If you are fed up with the crowds of the central London half marathons, you’ll enjoy this race through the country lanes of Essex. Enter at https://www.atwevents.co.uk/e/springfield-striders-pleshey-and-essex-half-marathon-11528
11.00am, Sunday, 21 September - Ingatestone 5 (GP07). Anglo European School, Willow Green, Ingatestone CM4 ODG. Penultimate race in the grand prix series, and always one of my favourites (not least because of the 5-mile distance). This year is the 40th anniversary. Entry via Entry Central at https://www.entrycentral.com/Ingatestone5MileRoadRace
Cracker Corner
Yesterday I saw my neighbor kicking in his own door. Turns out he's a burglar who’s started working from home.
I’m sad that my obese parrot has died, but it's a huge weight off my shoulders.
As I was sitting drinking my morning cup of tea in my slippers, I thought to myself... I really must wash some cups!
Quote of the Week
“Running taught me not to be scared of things.”
Bella Mackie, author
And Finally…
Ever wait for a break in the traffic and then dash across the road, rather than pause your run at the traffic lights? Ontario, Canada, resident Matvei Malkevich did the same and fell foul of the law. Malevich was running a social media challenge: one kilometre for every 100 Instagram followers, hoping to complete a marathon. On the seventh day, he and his friend, Petr Anisimov, were stopped by police for jaywalking across the street, about 150 metres from a crossing. The incident was filmed and shared online, gathering over 500,000 views. Police explained they broke Ontario’s Highway Traffic Act by not using a ‘marked crosswalk’. After arguing with the officer, Anisimov managed to get himself handcuffed, thrown in the back of a police car, and ticketed. Malkevich posted about the experience and urged police to focus on bigger issues. Perhaps he and his friend should focus on crossing the road properly…
