May highlights
A few events to look out for in May
May begins with an action-packed bank holiday weekend for Serpies. The May club handicap is on Saturday 2 May. 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, slightly longer, Thames Path 100-mile. The second race in the summer Regent's Park 10k series is on Sunday 3 April, as are the Prague marathon and Richmond Ranelagh half marathon.
Monday 4 May brings more competition opportunities, with the MK marathon and half marathon; and the second in the series of Thames Turbo sprint triathlons. 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 6 May. On the same night, there's a Watford Open Graded track and field meeting, where competitors can turn up on the night to race - see more details.
On Thursday 7 May, in the evening, the second Assembly League race of the year will be over a flat, figure-of-eight 3.5 mile course in Victoria Park, starting at 7.30pm. All Serpies are welcome and there’s no need to enter in advance.
Ironman 70.3 Mallorca on Saturday 9 May probably won’t have as many Serpies competing as in 2014, when it was the club’s Half Ironman championship, but there are sure to be some Serpies competing at this popular event. There will be certainly be a good number racing the Crystal Palace sprint triathlon on Sunday 10 May, which is the Serpentine 2015 sprint tri championship, as well as a London triathlon league event. Also on Sunday are the Hackney half marathon and the Ealing Eagles 10k.
Monday 11 May will see plenty of action in Battersea Park. Firstly, there’s a Southern Vets’ Track and Field meeting, hosted by Serpentine, at the track. As we are the hosts, we need to provide officials and helpers as well as athletes to make sure that the meeting goes well. If you can help out - no experience necessary, as there will be qualified officials who can show you what to do - please contact Steph Vaatz. Helpers will be needed from approx 6pm to 8.30 or 9pm. If you're aged 35 or over and would like to take part, contact men's captain Andrew Maynard, or women's captain Jan Farmer for more details. On the same night, the Sri Chinmoy 5k will be taking place in Battersea Park.
The first of this summer's Tuesday Tens at the Lee Valley Velo Park will take place on Tuesday 12 May. These excellent 10-mile cycle time trials will be on every Tuesday evening throughout the summer with no need to sign up in advance. The following evening is the first opportunity to compete at a Rosenheim League track and field meeting - this one at Battersea track. The Rosenheim League is an inter-club competition for senior & U17 athletes. Each meeting has a wide-ranging track programme covering distances from 100m-3000m and includes 2 jumps, 2 throws & 1 hurdle race. Clubs can have as many competitors as they want and each athlete can take part in as many events as they want (within UKA rules for U17). Entry is free for Serpies but please wear your club vest!
Over the weekend of 16 & 17 May, 44 Serpies plus some additional supporters will be circumnavigating London in the Green Belt Relay. The four Serpie teams are currently full, but a waiting list is in operation and, as people are having to drop out, it's still worth signing up if you would like the chance to take part this year in what's always a fun Serpie weekend of running and socialising. There are seven Serpies on the entry list for Highgate Harriers Night of the 10,000m PBs at Parliament Hill Track, which incorporates the British & English National 10,000m Championships. For Serpies who're not running Green Belt, this is a great event to watch and support. On Sunday 17 May, Run Wembley (formerly known as the Sudbury Court 10k) has been a popular event with Serpies over the years and now offers a 5k and 1k option as well as the 10k.
Hopefully many Serpies will have registered their interest in joining a team for the Welsh Castles Relay before the sign up deadline of Tuesday 21 May, but if not this is your final chance! This year we have three teams taking part - men, women and vets. You can read more about the relay and how to sign up here.
Lanzarote Ironman, this year on Saturday 23 May, is not an event for the faint-hearted, but there are usually a few hardy Serpie souls taking part. For those preferring track and field to the all-day rigours of an Ironman, the first day of the Middlesex track and field championships (seniors, U20 & U17 athletes) is also on 23 May, with day 2 on Sunday 24 May for the U15 & U13 athletes. Also on Sunday 24 May is the Westminster Mile. Another bank holiday weekend means another chance for racing on Monday: the London 10,000, which incorporates the British Championships and is a runbritain Grand Prix event, will take place on Monday 25 May, as will the third in the series of Thames Turbo sprint triathlons and the Sri Chinmoy 5k in Battersea Park.
On Wednesday 27 May it's the second meeting in the Rosenheim track and field League and the Brooks Serpentine last Friday of the Month 5k will be on Friday 29 May.
The last Sunday in May will be another busy racing day. The Outlaw in Nottingham is the club championship 2015 middle distance event, so there will be a good number of Serpies at this sold-out event. On the same day it's the Bristol 10k, which is the third in the 2015 runbritain Grand Prix; and a small group of Serpies will be taking part in the 90th Comrades Marathon. A bit closer to home, the second SAL track and field meeting will be on Sunday 31 May in Hemel Hempstead. The captains welcome enquiries from any Serpies interested in competing in any of the events - contact women's captain Lisa Pettit or men's captain Nicola Barberis Negra for more details. Note that this competition is open to senior athletes, plus U20s and U17s (i.e. you need to be 15 or over on 31 August 2015).
The first Summer League event of the year will also take place on Sunday 31 May in Dulwich Park. The Summer League is an inter-club competition of five races between June and August at various venues around London. The main event is a 5 mile or 10km race which covers all standards plus there's a shorter 'tenderfoot' (1.5-2km) race suitable for children, runners returning from injury & those who prefer to run a shorter distance; and finally there's is a series of optional, light hearted, age graded, 300-400m relays, again suitable for all ages and abilities. There is no need to enter in advance - just turn up and run.
Looking forward to early June, there's the Serpentine home Assembly League race on Thursday 4 June in Battersea Park. We'll be hoping to get plenty of Serpies racing, but will also need helpers to be able to put this race on. If you already know that you can help, please contact Steph Vaatz.
There's more information about lots of these events on the Serpie events planner.
Submitted: 30 April 2015