BRR Blog - 28 September 2026
Cristina’s tribute to Rob at the Loch Ness marathon
Howdie, Road Runners
It’s been a busy weekend of running, and I’d like to think Captain Rob would have been proud of you all. In truth, he’d probably have been completely jealous — wanting to be on both the start line and the finish line himself! I am still devastated that he won’t get that opportunity again, but it’s a comfort to know you all carried a bit of Rob in your hearts with you, just as those of us training in Hainault did while we followed the paths he ran so many times before.
September Committee Minutes
The minutes of the September Committee Meeting can be found here. You’ve hopefully also got an email about the 2026 Annual General Meeting, which will be held on Thursday 29 October at the Jo Richardson School/Castle Green centre. More details in the BRR Diary.
Greg’s Race Report
Another week with no league or GP races for Barking Road Runners saw the members out and about doing their own events.
Cristina Cooper competed in the Lochness Marathon finishing in a time 4:07:38 this was her 42 Marathon in total. At the same Run Festival Trevor Cooper took part in the Riverness 10k event finishing in a time 52:52 his fastest 10k for four years.
Cristina after her marathon at Loch Ness
Several BRR members were In Westminster this weekend competing in the Westminster Mile and Vitality 10k races. Ron Vialls, Jason Li and Trevor Parkin ran in the Mile event on Saturday. Ron finished third in his age category in a time of 6:53, Jason completed the family mile in 9:22, and Trevor finished his mile in a time of 15:38. Kevin Wotton 53:09 and Jason Li 1:00:42 ran in the Vitality 10k race on Sunday.
Jason Li, Gwyneth and…friend!
Ron with his Westminster Mile medals
Paul Withyman took part in the Hever Castle Sprint Triathlon, finishing the swim, cycle and run in an overall time of 1:41:08.
BRR Parkrunners
Barking - Joshua Ezissi 21:27, Daniel Plawiak 21:49, Shantelle Keech 23:32, Steve Colloff 29:10, Sian Mansley 30:52, Darren Graham 40:13, Belinda Riches 40:26, Nigel Swaby 42:18, Alan Murphy 50:49 and Emma Paisley 60:11.
New Barking parkrun RD, Dawn
Bournemouth - Mark New 26:23.
Harrow Lodge - Rory Burr 22:36.
Torvean - Trevor Cooper 31:29 and Cristina Cooper 34:38.
Valentines - Kevin Wotton 30:18, Martin O’Toole 30:29 and Andrew Gwilliam 54:55.
Leicester Victoria - Tia Sinhall 26:24.
Tia at Leicester Victoria parkrun
Whinlater Forest - Owen Wainhouse 25:55.
Highest BRR age gradings this week were Shantelle Keech 62.89% for the women and Daniel Plawiak 66.54% for the men.
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.
7.30pm, Monday 28 September - Alan M’s birthday drinks. The Three Travellers, Wood Lane, Dagenham. Come along for a BRR night out, and celebrate club stalwart Alan Murphy’s 80th birthday.
7.00pm, Tuesday 29 September - Speed Work. Jim Peter’s Stadium, Mayesbrook Park. This week we’ll be preparing for our quartly timed mile on 6 October:
Tuesdy’s track session
7.00pm, Thursday 1 October - 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:
3 x 800m
4 x 400m
Oooof! Rob usually does static recovery, allowing everyone to regroup (and catch their breath!) before the next rep.
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. Sorry, sold out.
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.
7.15pm, Thursday 29 October - BRR 2026 AGM. Jo Richardson School/Castle Green Centre, Gale Street, Becontree. To elect the club committee, vote on proposed rule changes, and discuss developments in the club over the past year.
Good Vibrations
They’re so commonplace nowadays that even Lidl/Aldi sometimes stock them. I’m talking about massage guns, which have become the must-have recovery gadget for runners, promising everything from looser muscles to faster recovery. But are they worth it?
On the plus side, massage guns can feel great after a hard session. The rapid percussion can help reduce feelings of muscle tightness, improve circulation and provide a quick way to work on those calf muscles that have been grumbling since Tuesday's intervals. They're also portable, relatively easy to use, and far cheaper than booking regular sports massages.
However, despite the marketing claims, there's limited evidence that massage guns dramatically speed up recovery or improve performance. They can also be used as a substitute for the things that really matter: sensible training, good nutrition, hydration and quality sleep.
So, should you get one? Well, if you enjoy the sensation and it helps you feel more relaxed and mobile, then it may be a useful addition to your recovery routine. Just don't expect it to perform miracles.
Your Run, Your Pace
Runners love statistics. A recent analysis from Marathon Handbook found that the average recreational adult runs at around 6–8 mph, or roughly a 9:00–10:00 minute-per-mile pace. Speed varies considerably by age, sex and experience, with many runners reaching peak performance in their late 20s and early 30s before gradually slowing with age.
Pace also naturally declines as race distance increases. For example, a runner capable of a 25-minute 5k may race a marathon at a pace around 27% slower than their 5k pace, according to Marathon Handbook.
But an average describes a group; it says little about where any individual runner should be. Statistics can provide useful context, but they don't know whether you're training for a marathon, recovering from injury, juggling work and family commitments, or simply running for enjoyment.
Success also looks different for every runner. One person might be delighted with a 20-minute parkrun, while another is delighted just to complete that distance, whatever the time; neither is better or worse - both are achievements worth celebrating, as are consistency, resilience and the confidence gained from completing a challenging run.
Chasing someone else's numbers can easily drain the enjoyment from the sport. Instead, focus on the statistics that matter most: your own.
A Brief History of Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park
Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park is one of East London’s newest landmarks, but its story is rooted in the huge transformation that came with the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Before the stadiums and waterways arrived, the area was a patchwork of industrial land, rail yards and forgotten spaces. Part of the space was formerly the Eton Manor Sports Ground, a charitable club founded in 1913 by four old Etonians to give poor boys from Hackney Wick access to athletics, boxing, drama and debating. Eton Manor Running Club is the modern continuation of the athletics tradition that began at the original Eton Manor Sports Ground.
After the 2012 Games, the Olympic Park officially reopened to the public in 2014, with the iconic London Stadium, Velodrome, ArcelorMittal Orbit, sweeping lawns, wetlands and miles of new pathways to explore.
So, although the old Eton Manor sports ground has gone, it lives on as part of a vibrant new park open for all the community to enjoy and exercise in - not just poor boys from Hackney Wick!
Cracker Corner
When I was younger I ran away with the circus, but my mum and dad made me give it back.
Never discuss infinity with mathematicians. They can go on about it forever.
Yesterday I ran into a amppost. Luckily I only sustained light injuries.
Quote of the week
“I could sit at home, watch TV, and go for the odd run. But to be the best, you have to make this sacrifice, keep going away and doing blocks of training in the mountains.”
Mo Farah
And Finally…
Wilfried Köhnke had been running for eight years and living in Berlin for five when the city staged its first marathon in October 1974. At the time he didn’t enter as he had been convinced that the distance was only for specialists. The following autumn he decided to try it anyway and finished in 3:57:05. On Sunday, at the grand old age of 78, he completed the race for the fiftieth time - more than anyone else in the race’s history - in a time of 4:39:39. Sounds pretty special to me…
