April highlights

A few things to watch out for in April

Wednesday April 1 (April Fools Day) is the deadline for payments to be made for 2015-16 England Athletics Competition Licences. There are several opportunities to compete over the Easter weekend including the Maidenhead 10 on Friday 3 April. On Saturday 4 April it’s the April club handicap. If you haven't run the handicap before you can find out more about this regular monthly event, open to all club members. Also on Saturday are the Sri Chinmoy 10k and the South Downs Way 50-mile. The popular summer Regent's Park 10k series starts on Sunday 5 April; and on East Monday (6 April) the 2015 London Triathlon League kicks off with the Thames Turbo sprint triathlon. Our London League captains are keen to get as many Serpies at these events as possible this season.

For our new members, there will be a new members’ evening, giving you the chance to find out about what the club offers, on Wednesday 8 April. Then on Thursday 9 April, in the evening, there’s a perfect opportunity for Serpies new and old to head to Beckenham for the start of this year’s Assembly League. The Assembly League is a series of six races open to all members of the league clubs, with no need to sign up in advance. There are a couple of school athletics clubs who are league members, making these races slightly unusual since adults and juniors race together. There is a wide standard at Assembly League races and all Serpies, including our juniors (U13+), are welcome – the more the merrier.

Over the weekend of 11 & 12 April there will be a reasonable number of Serpies on the move throughout the UK and further afield. A group will be spending the weekend at a social running weekend on the Isle of Wight, whilst our faster runners will be competing in the ERRA National Road Relays in Sutton Coldfield on Saturday 11 April.

On Sunday 12 April, there’s a club-organised training run over the second half of the London marathon route, with those taking part split into pace groups with a pace-group leader. The run is aimed at those doing the London marathon for the first time, however we’re still keen to find more pace-group leaders and helpers - so please think about signing up to help. Also on Sunday are the Brighton marathon, Paris marathon and Rotterdam marathon, plus the Hillingdon half marathon; and for our junior members the QEOP Junior Duathlon.

The next Serpie social trail run is planned for Saturday 18 April. This is a nice easy 11 miles from Berkhamsted on an old favourite route mainly on forest trails, passing the Bridgewater Monument and through ye olde village of Aldbury. This should be good if you want a gentle introduction to trail, or equally if you normally run further but are tapering for the London marathon. You can find out more about these Serpie trail runs by joining the trail running mailing list. On Sunday 19 April there’s the second London Triathlon League event – the Kingfisher aquathlon, as well as the Manchester marathon and Thames Towpath 10.

On Monday 20 April the club’s committee will be holding their next committee meeting in the club room at the Seymour Centre. Any members who would like an item to be added to the evening’s agenda can contact the appropriate Committee member before the meeting. On the same day, there’s the first in this summer’s series of Hillingdon Evening Duathlons and across the pond it’s the Boston marathon.

The April Brooks Serpentine Last Friday of the Month 5k will take place on Friday 24 April, then on Saturday 25 April the 2015 track and field season starts with a Southern Athletics League meeting in Braintree. For Serpies who are new to track and field, or who haven’t competed since school days, there’s information about the SAL on our website, or please contact the team captains if you have any questions about taking part or officiating.

Sunday 25 April will be a busy one. The London marathon usually attracts 100+ Serpie runners, plus a huge number of Serpie supporters. Nearer to the date we’ll send out details of where groups of Serpies are meeting to cheer fellow club members on, plus the ever-popular post race pub. On the same day, are the Hamburg marathon and Madrid marathon, plus the Ful on Standard duathlon, which is the 2015 club championship duathlon & the third event in the London Triathlon League.

Looking forward to early May, on Saturday 2 May it's the next club handicap and for the ultra runners amongst you the Thames Path 100; then on Sunday 3 May, there’s the Richmond Ranelagh half marathon.

There's more information about lots of these events on the Serpie events planner.

Submitted: 28 March 2015

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