Winter running

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It’s always harder to be motivated in winter. Less daylight creating shorter days. Harsher weather. Choice on TV. All the seasonal snacks appearing on shelves.

All these things and more can create obstacles for getting outdoors, whether that be to run or just to enjoy our surroundings in the daylight. So find some tips below for what we enjoy of winter running.

Sunrise autumnal mornings make for real variation of what can be well trodden paths. With sunrise being a bit later means you don’t have to set an early alarm to capture the beauty

Sunrise on Tooting Common

New paths with lockdown meaning plans are on pause, take that time to explore your local area, what new delights can you find? Exploring trails in parks whilst it’s still light. Or sticking with urban streets by street lamp light.

Tooting Common

Going further if you’ve dropped your commute with working from home or have some extra time at weekends can you explore further afield? Where have you always wanted to explore? Where have you not yet gotten to, yet intended to? Maybe switch up your legs for wheels to take you on new adventures 🚴‍♀️🚴‍♂️

Richmond Park

Alternate views are you missing getting away? Mix it up, take a break from your usual route and explore something new. Maybe you frequent your local common or park… switch it up, run or cycle to a river, find a local feature and discover it.

Thames path

Interval sessions mix up your run with intervals, we share a session weekly on our instagram stories try it out for something different, see if you like it, no obligation to join, but we’ll be welcoming when restrictions lift!

Pre-lockdown!

What are your tips for staying motivated through the winter months or for our Clapham Runners in the Southern Hemisphere how do you get out in the heat?? Share your tips with us in the comments or tag us in your training on Twitter and Instagram

Happy running. Stay safe

Franks soggy, eccentric marathon – Run for the Lifeboats

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The 40th London Marathon was certainly different, an unsupported solo event thanks to Covid and my slowest, soggiest, most socially isolated so far. I had 24 hours to complete it so what’s an hour or two? The official app shows 14:47:40 and an active time of 5:31. I can’t argue with either even if my tracker doesn’t agree.

Orage Alex forced a rethink on my ‘Here to Shere’ route which would have ended with a pub lunch with friends. Instead I opted, starting at midnight, for London streets under ‘lockdown’ with foxes, the homeless and the occasional addled group up to something nefarious.  One ghostly trainer footprint on a dry stretch of pavement but not a single other runner – after all who else would be crazy enough to run a marathon distance in the dark and rain?

Ready….
…and go!

Out into the night
True to the forecast it rained throughout the 24 hours. Dodging standing water added hazard, time and distance, especially facing the torrents and pooled water on stairs in the dark to cross the bridges between Battersea and Tower and back (17 times in all). Ankle deep puddles almost had me sending for the Lifeboats. 

Prune-like at 4:30am and 33km later I needed a hot shower. With my clothes set to drain I was ready for bed but my legs didn’t let me sleep. To leave something on the plate was the plan as it hadn’t been my intention to complete the distance in one go – I lacked the strength of will anyway That might have been a better plan for my legs though.
Still raining at 2:00pm Geoffrey came out to support me for stage 2 and we ran the remaining distance ‘doodling’ or dawdling round Clapham Common. There were plenty more virtual marathon runners around in daylight.

Setting out for stage 2 & the last 800m

*Fund raising for charities is an essential part of the London Marathon as it is the largest single money raising event/day worldwide. This year’s cancellation meant that charities rely on this virtual event. Please think about giving generously to the RNLI or to your preferred charity to boost their activities. https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Frank-Elston1

Apres la deluge
July round up

July round up

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A busy July for Clapham Runners near and far, our July round up takes us from local parkrun milestones to international ultras and everything in between.
Marie-Anne completed her 200th parkrun, celebrating this milestone at our local Tooting parkrun complete with Kieran’s famous Guinness cake and Tooting Common parkrun friends.

Read more →

It’s our 10th birthday!

It’s our 10th birthday!

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The Clapham Runners is 10 – and to celebrate all Clapham Runners past, present and future are invited to a celebratory afternoon picnic on Saturday 4th July. Partners and children also invited. Bring your Clapham Runners t-shirt for a group photo! RSVP to claphamrunners@gmail.com

10th birthday balloonMarker: Clapham Runners – Teardrop banner + Gazebo from about 1.15pm

Food: Bring something  three others will want to share – or more if you are happy to take excess away
Drink: Soft – BYO. Harder stuff available at the Windmill of course

Parking: In demand but possible on Windmill Drive – try Narbonne Avenue (across Clapham Common Southside).

Entertainment: Silly games/races encouraged – bring any accessories/equipment required – children (of all ages) might enjoy the playground but it gets crowded.
Weather outlook : Current forecast 25ºC sunny periods but 14mph SW wind.

Club Colours have arrived!

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Be the envy of other runners wearing the latest Clapham Runners club kit! The latest order has arrived – all vests, t-shirts and long sleeved t shirts will have the Clapham Runners logo on front and back, at very reasonable prices (around £10 per top) – there are a couple of spares, speak to Frank if you missed the main order.

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Club member discount at MoreMiles.co.uk

Club members can now get 30% discount on More Mile kit (club code as sent via email). As well as 30% off for you, using this code gets the club 10% of the spend under the code to use on with more miles on club kit etc.

We are back!

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I think it might be time to say we are back, consistently back!

We’ve loved seeing those familiar faces back after our lockdown hiatus and welcoming new smiling faces to our team.

Thursdays on Clapham Common 7pm

We’ve been hardy through the rain and been making the most of the sunshine, running together again and ultimately enjoying each other’s company.

Tuesdays at Battersea track 8pm

If you are looking for some friendly faces to keep your motivation ticking over, be with a group as the evenings draw in, build some speed or strength, or just enjoy some friendly company then pop along to one of our sessions and see if you like it.

Look forward to meeting you soon 🏃‍♀️🏃‍♂️

Green Belt Relay Challenge 2020

Green Belt Relay Challenge 2020

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On the weekend that would have been our Green Belt Relay organised by @stragglers_running_club we set out on our own 220 mile challenge.
25 runners, 5 countries and 250 miles later looks what we’ve created.
Fi even managed to fit in most of the glory leg on the official Green Belt Relay Route! And Lizzy visited another stage close to home.

We might have missed getting together and the challenges of coordinating and navigating around the Green Belt but at very short notice letter routes were planned and executed – see our results below!
A great example of how our team can come together and deliver a great team event.
Excellent running by all and great to bring everyone together (virtually) with amazing cheer leading from those who couldn’t run. 
Thanks team – for getting organised and joining in. That was fun what’s next?
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To the official Green Belt route – we’ll see you in 2021
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April 2020

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Whilst our group sessions have been postponed we are still in touch with John to keep our solo efforts going.  This can certainly be testing on motivation however our team are still getting out there all be it alone to keep the training up ready for when we can come back together again.

Working from home gifts us the flexibility to run as we feel which means we have been treated so some beautiful spring sunrises & sunsets, blossoms and also wonderful clear views with the sunniest April

26th April 2020 was set to be Charli’s first Marathon attempt taking part in the VLM, sadly this is currently postponed however still motivated as ever Charli got on out there and hit a PB 13.1 miles!

Charli’s PB inspiring more running with David heading out in the rain to secure his 10km PB

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At the start of lock down Frank started his own little alphabet project and sent us this motivating message to keep us going to the end of the month…. STAY ACTIVE – created from his local alphabet street work!

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Clearly inspired Ken has started his own challenge…. still waiting on B!img_6555

And if you are running around Tooting Common keep a little eye out for these messages to brighten up your walk / run… I believe there are 125 in total!

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March 2020

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Over in New Zealand George kicked off our month by completing his first  ironman 70.3, what a great achievement and example of if you go for it you’ll absolutely achieve what you want to.

Andrew placed 35th in the Riverside 20 trail run 15th March organised by the Clapham Chasers – completing his 20 miles in 20hr 20mins!

“Awesome 20 mile out and back race along the Thames. Stuck with the 7min/mile pacer group, dropped off at 17 miles but caught them with 100m to go”

Well done Andrew!

Social distancing became the norm in March and as a club we quite quickly made the decision to no longer meet on Tuesdays or Thursdays (or any other day) to run together – we continue to share our sessions each week as its important to stay connected even when training moves into a solo activity.

With solo sessions becoming a little more normal its allowed us to run at different times of day and appreciate some wonderful sunrises and sunsets outside of our working hours, for those who are out of London some of the views are a wonderful change from our usual paths.

With the London Marathon off Rob didn’t let that deter him from achieving Spring Marathon goals, by completing a solo 26.2 in Battersea Park!  And without support from cheering crowds and no matched pace from other runners he also got a PB!!!

What an incredible time for starters but also running those same laps that many times, with no enthusiastic crowd to carry you, we applaud you!

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Feb 2020

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Clapham Runners take on New Zealand to kick February off to a flying start – Steph & George met up (pre social distancing) to complete Cornwall parkrun together, well done guys.

Parkrun attendance continued throughout Feb with Clapham Runners both running and volunteering at their local and new parkruns… looking forward to our 9am Saturday fix returning!

February brought an array of storms Storm Ciara and Dennis did not stop our Tuesday training sessions or Amanda, Marikje & Charli powering through their miles still preparing for spring marathons

And the training continues to pay off for Katy, who has now achieved her 10km PB at the Battersea Park runthrough event… how many PB’s is that now?!?!

Marathon training for Phoebe meant miles in Miami – in slightly different weather conditions to our stormy month here.

 

Stormy Tuesdays

Jan 2020

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This is coming to the press a little late (very late) but there has been lots going on and now even more!

So taking us back to less confusing times it was clear how people were kicking off their 2020, with a New Years Day parkrun! Or recuperating from New Year’s Eve… or a combination of both!

Ken, M-A, Kieran + friends went all out and completed doubles visiting both Peckham & Tooting Common

Completing the double also earned Ken his 200th parkrun outing – the reward will be his t-shirt with the new big number on!!! Great work Ken!

Our first social of the year took its form in the Kebab run organised by Rob a great team outing and loved the free Kebab to finish off a Sunday morning of activity.

Marathon training also kicked in (with our team so unaware that these miles would have to be saved) ….  Phoebe, Tom W, Frank, Marikje, Jessica, Damian, Ellie, Rob, Charli keep those legs moving, appreciate enforced recovery and come back stronger!

 

 

November & December

November & December

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Winter well and truly hit our Tuesday sessions, we did prevail… possibly one week our smallest ever captured on camera Katy, Jarred & Rob showing full commitment!

Over in Athens temperatures were kind to Anneka getting her sub-4 at Athens Marathon, ft. Super fan helping the motivation at the finish line 🙌🥇

Emma was also back on it with a 10km race in November with friends

Ken travelled further afield to join the Tribe Run for Love team in the Azores, a half marathon up and around a volcano… that’s a new one! Well done.

December brought us the run up to Christmas and still finding time to fit in our training… we even got fed on our final session Jon’s suet soup!

 

Rob hit all the right notes not trading in training for festivities and completed Advent Running, being active everyday through to Christmas 🙌

Rob was also selected in the club London Marathon Ballot so another name to cheer come April!

Towards the end of the month Ken hit 2019 in 2019 to break his 2018 mileage record, what can be achieved in 2020?!

And best of all 2 of our Clapham Runners Abroad team met up for New Year in Sydney. Our Clapham Runners Abroad team continues to grow. Cheers to Rachel & Steph, stay safe downunder!

A very happy new year to everyone.