January highlights

A few events to look out for in January

There are some changes to the regular Serpie training sessions at the start of January, which are listed on the online timetable.

The new year will get off to a great start for 699 runners on Sunday 1 January at the Start Fitness Serpentine New Year's Day 10k. A good number of you have already signed up to help on the day, but more are welcome to ensure we can make this race a great success for all - if your plans now mean you can help on the day, please come along to Hyde Park on Sunday morning and we will find a role for you.

The Serpentine year will kick off with a new members' evening at the Seymour Centre on Wednesday 4 January, where new Serpies are invited to find out what the club can offer them and how to get involved.

Serpie runners are welcome to start their running year off at the January club handicap on Saturday 7 January in Hyde Park. On the same day, for those Serpies who have already pre-entered, are the county cross country championships for Essex, Surrey, Kent and Middlesex; and also the SEAA U15/U17 indoor track and field championships, which continue on Sunday 8 January. Serpie entries for the National cross country championships will close on Saturday 7 January.

There will be many Serpies starting to get into their spring marathon training and the Tadworth 10 on Sunday 8 January could be a good one to add to the programme - places are currently still available. Also on Sunday is the first Regents Park 10k of the year, plus a QEOP Velopark duathlon. Serpie social trail runs are proving to be very popular and Catharine Sowerby is hoping to organise a 6-8 mile social trail run in the Chilterns or Thames Valley area on Sunday 8 January, which may also include a longer option of 13-15 miles - watch out for more details to be sent out on email shortly.

The first club committee meeting of 2017 is on Wednesday 11 January. If you would like to raise an issue or agenda item with a member of the committee prior to this, please contact us.

The fourth Start Fitness Metropolitan cross country league race of the season is on Saturday 14 January in Trent Park. There's no need to enter in advance and we hope to have a big Serpie turnout, with our men and women in a strong position to potentially move up in the league standings. There are usually a few hardy Serpies starting their ultra year off with the Country to Capital, which this year takes place on Saturday 14 January. Also on Saturday is the first of the 2-day SEAA U20/senior indoor track and field championships.

Sunday 15 January offers another enter-on-the day cross country event: the Sunday League cross country in Watford, where all Serpies are welcome, no matter what standard. For the brave amongst you, there's the Winter Tanners on the same day, an excellent walking and running trail event, organised by the LDWA in Surrey.

Coach David Chalfen will be running a marathon seminar on Monday 16 January at the Seymour Centre. This session will help guide your current and future marathon preparation and racing. It will thoroughly cover what you would expect a marathon coach to cover. It should be of use to anyone in a range of 2:20 to sub 3:30 and has been presented on behalf of England Athletics to groups of coaches/runners in that sort of range. Sign up here.

There was a Serpie male and female 1 & 2 on the podium at the 2016 Box Hill Fell Race, and there are 35 Serpies signed up for this year's race, which is on Saturday 21 January, so watch this space! On Sunday 22 January there's the Fred Hughes 10 mile in St Albans, the Canterbury 10-mile and, closer to home, a Victoria Park 10k which currently still has places available. Also on Sunday is the London Indoor Games for U17 athletes.

The second marathon seminar of the year will be presented by coach Andrew Reeves on Monday 23 January at the Seymour Centre. This seminar is aimed at those preparing for their first marathon, or for more experienced marathoners aiming to finish in between 2:45 to 4:00. Whilst there will be some overlaps with the first seminar, the aim of this seminar is to develop a clear understanding of the fundamentals behind successful marathon training and how the training sessions on offer at the club can help with this. Sign up here. On Wednesday 25 January there's a Newham indoor sprints meeting. The first Brooks Last Friday of the Month 5k of 2017 will be on Friday 27 January.

On Saturday 28 January it'll be time to get (very) muddy for those Serpies who pre-entered the South of England cross country championships (the Southerns) at Parliament Hill. On Sunday 29 January are the London Indoor Games for senior athletes plus (still to be confirmed) a beginner-friendly trail run of 3 miles, with optional loop taking it to 5 miles, in Richmond Park. On the same day there will also be a longer trail option of approx 15-20 miles - location to be announced nearer to the date.

Looking forward to early February, the club handicap will be on Saturday 4 February and the hilly Watford half marathon on Sunday 5 February.

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

Sally Hodge
communications@serpentine.org.uk

Submitted: 30 December 2016

Back