BRR Blog - 1 December 2025
The BRR team at Hockley Woods Cross Country
Hi there Road Runners
Mud, mud, glorious mud! There was great fun to be had at the second race in this season’s South Essex Cross Country competition. Maybe not quite so much so for the fast runners who were sent the wrong way due to malicious tampering with an arrow sign and ended up running quite a bit extra. I might have cried if it had affected me!
Now we have a bit of a gap until the next Chingford League race: the return trip to the Velodrome at the Olympic Park on 10 December - I can’t wait! But if you’ve been waiting since last week for the relevance of the ‘digital ratio’ photo, all is revealed later in the blog.
Orienteering Opportunity
If you enjoyed Greg’s point to point at Hainault Forest, how about having ago at a ‘proper’ orienteering event?
Chigwell and Epping Forest Orienteering Club has been in touch to ask us to publicise an orienteering event in Epping Forest on Sunday 4th January 2026.
Orienteering is an exciting and challenging sport, and can be a next step for active people and runners looking for that bit more adventure. Epping Forest is a fantastic area for the sport, and is close to home. Entry to the event is only £7 per person on beginner courses.
As a special offer, for any newcomer who enters the event using the attached flyer will receive a year’s free membership of the orienteering club and and British Orienteering, worth £30, which includes access to club training, discounted entry to events, coaching and advice from experienced orienteers, social events, access to British Orienteering resources. Sounds worth a go!
To enter the event and access the free membership offer, use the QR code on the picture.
Zahra’s Uni Unload
As the cross country season continues , the weather continues to worsen with wetter days and a colder breeze. To stay safe in the cold you need to do the right things. Winter running requires layers which typically consist of a base layer , a mid layer for insulation and an outer layer to protect you from the wind and rain. Don't overdress but make sure you have layers that can be easily taken off as your body will warm up quickly once you start. A good thing to wear are sleeves that you can take off as soon as it gets too warm. Your hands and feet are the first things to get cold so wear gloves and a good pair of socks. If it's raining , waterproof shoes can help you be a bit more comfortable. Your face is also very exposed so a headband or perhaps a BRR 40th anniversary buff can be worn on your face or your head to keep you warm. To avoid overheating, a good rule is to dress like it's 6-11 degrees warmer than the actual temperature.
Darren wrapped up warm in a BRR buff
Make sure you hydrate; just because you don't sweat as much in the winter doesn't mean you don't need hydration . Some water or electrolytes will help you but you may need less electrolytes than in the summer if you don't sweat as much.
Finally warm up. Cold muscles are much more likely to hurt or get injured. Warming up gets your muscles ready so that you’re less likely to sustain an injury.
Not so Superfly?
A US runner, Heather Cerney, has filed a lawsuit against Nike, alleging that its Alphafly 2 running shoes caused a severe foot injury that ended her competitive career. Cerney, who ran track and cross-country for the University of California, Berkeley, claims she suffered a fracture to the sesamoid bone in her left foot after wearing the shoes during the San Francisco Turkey Trot in November 2023.
According to the complaint, Cerney purchased the shoes for nearly $300 and wore them for the first time in the race, where she placed first in her age group. Shortly afterward, she experienced intense pain, which medical tests revealed was due to a fracture requiring invasive surgery.
The lawsuit claims product liability, negligence, failure to warn, and breach of warranty. Cerney argues that Nike failed to disclose the risks associated with the shoe’s carbon fibre plate (CFP) technology, which is designed to improve running efficiency and reduce fatigue. While CFP shoes have been credited with performance gains of up to 4%, research cited in the complaint suggests they may alter foot and ankle mechanics, increasing the risk of bone stress injuries.
Cerney alleges the injury has left her with a permanent partial disability, affecting her daily life and earning capacity. Nike has not yet commented but is expected to defend the safety of its product, citing studies that support its effectiveness.
The case highlights growing concerns about “supershoes” and their potential link to injuries, raising questions about whether performance-enhancing designs come with hidden health risks.
It will be interesting to see how this pans out, but I think we all know that you should never wear a brand new pair of shoes for a race without first trying them in training, and any type of shoe can cause discomfort or injury if it doesn’t suit your particular requirements. The outcome of the case could therefore have significant implications for the running shoe industry as a whole - imagine if you could sue every time you got an injury!
A-Z of Running
Episode sixteen in the A-Z of running, and this week it is brought to you by the letter ‘P.’ Perfect!
Pace - Speed at which you run, usually measured in minutes per kilometre or mile.
Pacer - A runner who helps others maintain a target pace during races. They can be really helpful if you are trying to set a Personal Best.
Peak - The point in a training cycle where you reach maximum fitness before tapering. Plan your cycle so peak fitness aligns with race day. You do have a training cycle, don’t you…
Peak Mileage - The highest weekly mileage in a training cycle. If should usually be a week or more before the race you are training for; the longer the race, the greater time there should be between your peak mileage and race day.
Periodisation - Structuring training into cycles (base, build, peak, taper). You should include recovery weeks every 3–4 weeks to prevent burnout.
Plantar Fasciitis - Inflammation of the tissue under the foot, causing heel pain.
Tip: Use supportive shoes (and avoiding walking bare foot) and strengthening and stretching calves regularly can help.
Plyometrics - Explosive exercises (e.g. jump squats) to improve power and efficiency. Make sure you warm up thoroughly before plyometric drills.
Post-run Stretch - Gentle stretching after a run to aid recovery. Hold each stretch for 20–30 seconds focusing on hamstrings, quads, calves, hips.
Postural Alignment - Maintaining correct posture while running for efficiency and injury prevention. Keep shoulders relaxed, core engaged, and avoid leaning too far forward or back.
Prehab - Exercises designed to prevent injuries before they occur. Try and do prehab exercises at least once a week.
Progression Run - Workout where you gradually increase pace throughout the run, which is great for endurance and mimics race day activity. But remember that every run doesn’t need to be a progression run.
Protein - Macronutrient essential for muscle repair and recovery. You should try and consume 20–30g of protein within 30–60 minutes post-run.
Psychological Strategies - Mental techniques like visualisation and positive self-talk. This can include mantras such as “strong and steady” during tough runs.
Greg’s Race Report
Barking Road Runners had their South Essex Cross Country League round 2 race this week. The approximately 5 mile race at Hockley Woods was hosted by Rochford Running club.
Steve Philcox was BRR’s first finisher on the day followed by Tom Brennan, Martin Page, Nick Gorman, Gary Harford , Steve Colloff, Dennis Spencer-Perkins and Nabeel Akram. For the women, first BRR’s finisher was Belinda Riches followed by Alison Fryatt and Zahra Akram.
BRR parkrunners
Barking - Chris Muthaka 25:11, John Lang 31:24, Martin Mason 34:18 and Alan Murphy 51:30.
Battersea - Joe Stacey 19:47.
Chelmsford Central - Gary Harford 29:00 and Louise Chappell 29:43.
Gary and Louise at Chelmsford Central parkrun
Edenbrook Country - Owen Wainhouse 22:07.
Greenwich Peninsula - Stuart Mackay 22:23, Mark New 26:08, Chandru Thayalan 26:49, Belinda Riches 27:09, Barry Rowell 30:22, Sian Mansley 34:47, Steve Colloff 34:49, Rob Courtier 36:21, Darren Graham 43:42, Dennis Spencer-Perkins 44:01 and Denise Graham 51:08.
The gang at Greenwich Peninsula parkrun
Harrow Lodge - Rory Burr 24:07.
Keswick - Rosie Fforde 24:16
Raphael - Doug King 26:22.
Severn Bridge - Nikki Cranmer 28:50 and Dawn Curtis 35:46.
Dawn and Nikki at Severn Bridge parkrun
Valentines - Kevin Wotton 25:20.
Wimpole Estate - Martin Brooks 45:10.
Highest BRR age gradings this week were Belinda Riches 64.85% for the women and Joe Stacey 67.48% for the men.
BRR Diary - December
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 2 December - speed session. Jim Peters Stadium, Mayesbrook Park. After two weeks away, I’m back. You might wish I wasn’t when you see the session:
Four times (32 minutes in total):
four minutes at easy pace
three minutes at 10k race pace
one minute at 5k race pace
There is no rest between blocks, so you need to make sure the four minute intervals really are at an easy pace, so you are recovered enough to blast out the shorter intervals.
7.15pm, Thursday 4 December - Club road run. Castle Green Centre, Gale Street, Dagenham. A social run around the pavements of Barking and Dagenham, usually around four miles long.
7.00pm ‘til late, Friday 5 December - Presentation Night. The Three Travellers, Wood Lane, Dagenham RM10 7DS. Time to celebrate club achievements over the past season, whether you are a trophy winner or not. Do come along for a great social evening with your clubmates.
7.30pm, Wednesday 10 December 2025 - Chingford League 04. Velopark, Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, Abercrombie Rd, London E20 3AB. The second outing on the Stratford Velopark course this year! A three lap, 5k, race on the undulating outdoor cycle track in the Olympic Park. Separate male and female races. Senior Women and U15/17 girls and all U11/13 start 7.30pm, Senior Men and U15/17boys start 8pm. Distances: U15/17/Seniors; measured 5k, U13/11s 2k (approx). Remember to bring your bib number, if you have one!
Thursday 11, Friday 12, Saturday 13 December - Fifty and Fabulous Musical Cabaret by Barking Music and Drama. The Ripple Centre, Barking, Ripple Road, Barking, IG11 7FN. A musical extravaganza featuring our very own Faye Spooner. Thursday and Friday shows at 7.30pm, Saturday shows at 1.00pm and 5.00pm. Book at www.ticketsource.co.uk/barkingmad.
10:30am, Sunday 14 December - Southend Rudolph Run. Adjacent to Ness Road on the Esplanade, Southend-on-Sea, Essex, SS3 9HG. A fun 5-mile run along the Esplanade. Sold out but there is a waiting list. https://www.nice-work.org.uk/e/southend-rudolph-run-9240
Who is this handsome runner from last year’s Rudolph Run?
9.30am, Sunday 21 December - Christmas Royal Parks Run. Meeting at Matthew Parker Street (nearest tube St. James’s Park), Westminster (there is usually a meeting in Barking too). Our annual run through St. James’s Park, Green Park, Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens, followed by lunch in the cafe in St. James’s Park, for anyone who fancies it.
10.00am, Sunday 28 December - South Essex Cross Country League 03. Hadleigh Country Park, Chapel Road, Hadleigh. It’s the one with the water features! Make sure your shoes are laced up tight or you might lose them. As usual, £3 for BRR members.
Cracker Corner
I went to a hotel and a sign on the reception desk said ‘ring for service.’ I pressed the bell and was hit in the face by a tennis ball.
I went to the doctor because I had pain in my foot. He said ‘Gout’. I replied ‘But I’ve only just got here.’
During the war my grandfather served as the regimental Christmas tree. He didn’t see much action but he was highly decorated.
Quote of the Week
“It gave me a natural endorphin high, but it also helped me sleep, so it was perfect. It’s easy to understand how people replace addiction with exercise.”
Eminem
And Finally…
The digit ratio
Believe it or not, your ‘digit ratio’ (DR) may be an indicator of your likelihood of suffering knee problems in later life. A study published in the Journal of Rheumatology found that the lower your DR, calculated by dividing the length of your index finger by the length of your ring finger (the 2D:4D ratio), the higher the incidence of osteoarthritis in the knee. The average ratio for a man is 0.95 and for a woman 0.97. Mine is 1.03, so I either have excellent knees or I am rubbish at measuring…
