The darker evenings and consequential closure of the park gates at 8pm has triggered the swap of the park-based training sessions to the winter arrangements.
PLEASE NOTE Some of the sessions will be meeting in the same place each week but the meeting points for the Tuesday 7.30pm sessions and the EHM recce runs (Thursday mornings) in particular will be moving around from week to week to accommodate the range of training. Please keep an eye on the list of sessions for the week (link also sent to you with email newsletter).
** Monday and Wednesday 7.30pm club runs **
The summer club run routes go through the parks which mean that we cannot continue to use them when the parks close earlier with the darker evenings. Therefore, from Monday 2nd September, we will be switching over to the winter club run routes, still meeting at Ealing Green with a choice of two distances (3.75miles / 5.5k or 4.75miles /7k) but avoiding the parks. Please see the club run route page for the route details.
HOWEVER, please note that the offer of these sessions requires the availability of volunteers to be leaders and tail runners. The coached sessions require input from qualified coaches / leaders or experienced runners but anyone who is willing to help out and run at a gentle pace can tail a run (and make use of the time to have a recovery run, to work on your running form and to get to know other people in the club). If you have made use of the club training sessions, please play your part in making the club training sessions possible.
** Forester club run on Wednesday 4th September **
On the first Wednesday of the month, the club social will be taking place at the Forester’s and so both club runs will start on the other side of Northfields Ave from the Forester’s at Occupation Road W13, West Ealing with a bag drop at the Forester’s.
The Forester long club run (7.5k / 4.7miles) will be the same as the normal long club run route but meeting and finishing at Occupation Road. You can see more details of the route here.
The Forester short club run (5.5k / 3.5miles) will follow the long club run route along Warwick Road but will turn right on Ascott Avenue (so cutting off the section along the north circular), drop down to Popes Lane and then follow the long club run route around to Occupation Road and the Forester’s. You can see more details of the route here
** Runandtalk on Wednesday 25th September **
As part of 7.30pm club run, an opportunity to #runandtalk meeting at Ealing Green - have a chat with friends, family, colleagues or other runners; a chance for people to talk about mental wellbeing, share experiences and help break down the stigma surrounding mental health - followed by a social in the Kings Arms focusing on Men and Mental Health. More information on the facebook event page.
** Hill Sessions on Thursdays 7:30pm West Walk **
Training on hills
· prepare you for the hills in a race;
· build muscle (improve leg strength while still working aerobically – strength = speed); and
· teach your body to run fast when you’re struggling for oxygen (if you did that type of speed work in winter on track – short reps – you would pull a muscle).
All standards are welcome – everyone stays in the same place. Meeting place is West Walk off Hillcroft Crescent
** Tuesday options at 7.30pm**
UPDATE It has been decided to offer a track session also on Tuesday 10th September.
7.30pm sessions on Tuesdays 3rd, 10th, 17th and 24th September will be at Osterley track (120 Wood Lane, Isleworth, TW7 5FF). Steady pace or easy training runs are done at an aerobic pace, i.e. not too out of breath. This builds up the heart, lungs and legs but will not adapt the body fully to run at a faster race pace. Interval training trains up the different energy systems used in racing at different distances. These energy systems range from anaerobic running at mile pace or faster to ½ marathon training run at around threshold pace using the Frank Horwill 5 pace system system (used by Seb Coe etc). To race at any distance you need to do intervals at race pace and faster and slower than race pace sessions. Also most club runners do a variety of distances and need sessions to train for these.
Each week will be a different session lead by a qualified Eagles run leader. Track fee of £3.05 (discount for Eagles so please bring proof of membership – EA card or confirmation email from club) payable at reception before coming on the Track. Lockers available for a refundable £1. Bring a bottle of water, a snack for afterwards and enough layers to keep warm when you're not running. All standards are welcome – everyone stays in the same place.
** Daytime sessions **
Mondays at 10am
UPDATE Mondays 9th, 16th and 23rd September 10am will be intervals session in Lammas Park near the Clovelly Road entrance. (Monday 2nd will be self-led and Monday 30th will be after EHM)
Go for a run on Thursday morning
Long runs for Eagles available during the working day and advertised on the club website are often arranged on Thursday mornings
In 2019, there may be three groups of daytime Eagles wanting to train for EHM
· Beginner graduates or others at the 5 to 6k level (5k to HM)
· Those who regularly run 5k and have done several 10k runs (regular 5k to HM)
· Those who have run at least one HM and are currently close to 10miles endurance (Intermediate)
In addition, beginner graduates or others who want to stay at the 5 to 6k level but don’t want to run more than 10k may want to train on Thursdays
Wei Hei will aim to propose a week in advance a route for each distance so that Eagles can easily arrange to meet up – those taking part in runs at different distances will need to decide on a start time. All runs will be self-led (unless you happen to be running at the same pace as Wei Hei)
Tuesdays and Fridays at 10am
Tuesdays and Fridays 10k at 10am –self-led runs - please check the relevant Facebook group for arrangements.
** Sunday 10 miles **
Meet Ealing Green Informal 10 mile (16.1k) self-led run taking the route through the parks to the river, along to Richmond and back via Syon Park. Because of refurbishment works on Richmond Lock Footbridge scheduled until the beginning of December 2019, you will need to cross the river at Twickenham Bridge which is the next bridge along – a diversion of about 0.5mile (0.7k). Alternatively, with EHM approaching, some Eagles are thinking of doing long runs on the EHM route. Please shout up on Facebook if you are planning to do a long run and would like company.
** Ealing Half Marathon **
The final recce run offered to the general public will be on:
· Sunday 15 September (8.45am meet in Lammas Park by the drinking fountain for 9am start) – full 13.1miles
If you know the route, please wear an Eagles vest so that people know to be able to follow you (and email coaching@ealingeagles.com with your expected pace unless you have already advised on fb). If you don’t know the route, please wear something other than an Eagles vest as there may be non-Eagles around looking for someone to follow.
The route of the self-led Sunday ten mile run seems to swap over to sections of the Ealing Half Marathon route as race day approaches. Please keep an eye on Facebook for arrangements.
Day time sessions on Thursdays will focus on EHM
Thursday morning Go for a Run in September –(see above)
** Preparation for Cross-country XC **
The benefits of XC are set out in this article. https://www.startfitness.co.uk/blog/importance-cross-country-running/
The undulating terrain and hills means you are using more muscles than in any other type of running, in turn strengthening the legs. The uneven ground stabilises lower leg muscles and develops them into great ‘shock absorbers’, whilst the changes of pace help improve the cardiovascular capacity of runners. Furthermore, contrary to some suggestions which state cross-country running increases the chance of injury, if done properly it’s arguably less stressful on the leg joints as the impact from the earth tends to be much less than on other surfaces.
There are plenty of XC races in the Eagles calendar http://www.ealingeagles.com/cross-country
In preparation for XC, the following events have been organised
· Wed 18th Sept 8.30pm (after club run) XC and wine gathering meeting at Crispins (opposite Ealing Green) - Everything you've always wanted to know about cross country! Why every runner should do XC, the leagues (and extra races) we compete in, the gear you will need, and of course what pubs we will end up in after every fixture.
Runners of all speed and experience levels are welcome! Many of our experienced XC runners will be on hand with spikes in tow to share their own experiences.
Hosted by your captains Kieran Santry and Hayley Kandt, this event is open to EVERY eagle and we encourage everyone to come and learn what this amazing field of running is all about!
Sat 21st Sept 10am (90mins session) Preparation for XC with Mara meeting at the car park right next to Horsenden Farm, which is at the end of a short road off Horsenden Lane North, just north of the canal. Where you turn off Horsenden Lane North into the small road, there is a sign which says Horsenden Hill Visitor Centre. There are toilets and a children's playground near this car park, but no cafe. If you would like to attend, please join the facebook event page or email coaching@ealingeagles.com by 18th September
** Improvers **
Improver sessions are for people who are able to run 5k and want to continue running, in particular for those wanting to increase their distance to 10k for Osterley 10k on Saturday 7 December https://osterleypark10k.co.uk/.
More details to follow – the first sessions will be as follows:
· Mon 30 Sep 10am Introduction to the Mile in Lammas Park and meet for a workshop afterwards to plan your training – details tbc
Weds 2 Oct 7.30pm join the club run and meet for a workshop afterwards to plan your training – details tbc
** Run / Walk programme - CPD with Mara on Wednesday 18 September**
The club offers a run / walk programme free to the local community to progress people from not running very much to running 5k or more without walking breaks (so that they can join the evening club runs). The run / walk programme attributes its success (145 people graduated through the run / walk programme in the period October 2018 to July 2019) to the support and encouragement provided by the volunteers. If you are happy to run at a relatively gentle pace (7 to 8min/k or 11 to 13min/miles though some people will be faster and a few may not be so fast) and encourage beginners while doing so, then please think about contributing to the club and the running community in this way. Running at a more gentle pace is also a good way of working on your own running form (running gently does not mean running lazily or sloppily). For more information, please join the volunteers facebook group or email beginners@ealingeagles.com
The next run / walk programme will be for nine weeks starting Wednesday 9 October at 6.30pm or Thursday 10 October at 10am. If you would like to volunteer over the next year, there will be a CPD session with Mara on Wednesday 18 September at 6.30pm meeting in Lammas Park. If you would like to attend, please join the facebook event page (in the volunteers group) or email beginners@ealingeagles.com by 15th September
Healing Eagles are very welcome to join for part or all of the run / walk programme if they have been advised to do some run / walking and would like some company. Please email beginners@ealingeagles.com to check the level at which the programme is operating when you are thinking of joining.