July highlights

A few events to look out for in July

The July club handicap is on Saturday 1 July. All standards are welcome and there's no need to enter in advance. If you haven't run a club handicap before, you can read all about the race here and if you're not planning to run but can offer to help, please email the handicap team. The Outlaw Half Holkham on Sunday 2 July is also the 2017 club middle distance triathlon championship, and the third Summer League of the year is also on Sunday 2 July, this one in Dulwich Park, with proceedings starting with a 5-mile race at 9:30am. The Summer League is a competition between a select group of London running clubs. There are 5 fixtures located in parks around Greater London. You can enter as many or as few as you like. There are age-graded prizes up for grabs, and everybody who takes part scores points for Serpentine's standing in the league, so you are welcome whether 10k will take you 35 or 95 minutes. The entry fee is included in your club membership, so you can just turn up and race on the day, with your Serpie top.

There will be a club committee meeting on Monday 3 July. If you would like to raise an issue or agenda item with a member of the committee prior to this, please contact us. On Tuesday 4 July, it's the next of the Tuesday Tens at the Lee Valley Velo Park - excellent 10-mile cycle time trials throughout the summer with no need to sign up in advance; and also on Tuesday is a Woodford Green with Essex Ladies open track & field meeting. There will be plenty of Serpies running for work teams at the JP Morgan Corporate Challenge on Wednesday and Thursday 5 & 6 July. There's a mid-week Silverfit aquathlon in Hyde Park on Wednesday 5 July and the fourth Assembly League race of the summer will be on Thursday 6 July at the O2. 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's a wide standard at Assembly League races and all Serpies, including our juniors (U13+), are welcome – the more the merrier.

On Friday 7 July, there's the monthly Ealing mile. The English Schools National track & field championships are at Alexander Stadium, Birmingham on Friday and Saturday, 7 & 8 July. Saturday 8 July is the date of the third Southern Athletics League meeting of the summer, this one to be held at Stevenage. After an excellent, and very closely fought match at Croydon, we need another good performance to move out of the relegation zone, so the team captains will be happy to hear from anyone interested in finding out about taking part. Officials or helpers who can offer to come along to help and support the team are also very welcome: contact athletics@serpentine.org.uk if you would like to offer your help. Also on Saturday is a Guildford Circular social trail run, distance about 10 miles. And on Saturday evening it's the Serpentine Summer Party. This year there is no charge for the ticket, but you are still asked to sign up if you're planning to come as we have a limit on numbers. There will be a cash bar, and food will be available to buy during the evening.

The 2017 club Olympic distance triathlon championship is the Thorpe Park Olympic triathlon on Sunday 9 July. Sunday is also the date of the British 10k and the North Downs Way marathon. Battersea Park is the venue for a Sri Chinmoy 5k on Monday 10 July, while on the same evening there's a Blackheath & Bromley open track & field meeting.

The first of the 2017 summer Serpentine Grand Prix races is the club championship 3000m, which will be held at Paddington Track on Tuesday 11 July. The grand prix comprises 1k & 5k road races and 1 mile & 3000m track races. Each race is part of the overall club championship series and counts towards that, but the series of four also has its own trophy for the fastest man, woman and age-graded Serpie. All the races are free to enter (although you may need to pay a track fee at Paddington - to be confirmed), there's no need to sign up in advance and all are open to Serpies only. More details will be sent out closer to the date. Also on Tuesday 11 July is another of the Tuesday Tens at the Lee Valley Velo Park.

The next track & field meeting in the Southern Counties Vets League will be on Wednesday 12 July at Perivale. This will be the last event before the final: if you're interested in taking part, please contact the team captains. There's another chance for a mid-week aquathlon at the Tooting Bec aquathlon on Wednesday 12 July.

The second 2017 summer Serpentine Grand Prix race is the club championship 1k, on the infamous downhill course in Hyde Park on Saturday 15 July; and on the same day our junior athletes will be competing at the Middlesex Young Athletes League at Allianz Park. Sunday 16 July is the date of the fourth Summer League of the year, which will be in Regent's Park. Also on Sunday are Ironman UK in Bolton, the Harry Hawkes 10-mile, plus a weekend social trail run - this one around Berkhamsted on the "Windmill" route via Cholesbury, which is approximately 15 miles.

On Monday 17 July there's another Sri Chinmoy 5k in Battersea Park, followed on Tuesday 18 July by the third 2017 summer Serpentine Grand Prix race - the club championship 1-mile, at Paddington Track. Also on Tuesday is the last of the Tuesday Tens in 2017 at the Lee Valley Velo Park. The following evening, Wednesday 19 June, there's the next Rosenheim League track & field meeting of the summer, this one (the last before the final) is at Tooting Bec 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 to 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, and please wear your club vest.

The Soar mile will be held on Friday 21 July at Battersea Track. Battersea Park is also the venue for the Sri Chinmoy 10k on Saturday 22 July. Also on Saturday are a Herne Hill open track & field meeting and the London triathlon, which continues on Sunday 23 July. Sunday is also the date of the Outlaw Ironman.

There's another Sri Chinmoy 5k in Battersea Park on Monday 24 July; and a Dartford Harriers open track & field meeting on Wednesday 26 July. The final 2017 summer Serpentine Grand Prix race will be the club championship 5k in Battersea Park on Thursday 27 July; and there's also an Assembly League race in Victoria Park on Thursday. The July Harbour Club Last Friday of the Month 5k will be on Friday 28 July.

The various Swissalpine races in Davos, Switzerland, which this year are on Saturday 29 July, are often popular with Serpies, and other Serpies will be cycling Ride London Surrey 100 on Sunday 30 July. July comes to a close with a Sri Chinmoy 5k in Battersea Park on Monday 31 July.

Looking forward to early August:

  • a Silverfit aquathlon in Hyde Park on Wednesday 2 August;
  • the Ealing mile will be on Friday 4 August;
  • the August handicap will be on Saturday 5 August;
  • the North Downs Way 100-mile is also on Saturday 5 August.

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

Opportunities to help

If you would like to help the club, volunteers are needed during June at the following events:

Handicap - Saturday 1 July in Hyde Park

If you want to volunteer and share the unique experience of an early morning in Hyde Park please email handicapper@serpentine.org.uk. You'll need to be at the Boathouse at 8:30am, you'll have fun and get a thank-you cup of coffee and the temporary loan of a fluorescent bib!

Southern Athletics League - Saturday 8 July in Stevenage

Qualified track & field officials gain valuable points for our team by helping at our SAL matches, but we also need willing but unqualified helpers. You may be raking a long jump pit, retrieving discuses or waving flags at relay changeovers. There will be people there to show you the ropes and you'll have a great day out. If you can help, please contact athletics@serpentine.org.uk

Club championship 3000m - Tuesday 11 July at Paddington Track

We're looking for volunteers to help with a range of duties from timekeeping and lap counting to results recording. No experience is required and it's a great opportunity to cheer your clubmates on. If you are available to help, or would like some more information, please contact Daisy on races@serpentine.org.uk

Club championship 1k - Saturday 15 July in Hyde Park

We're looking for volunteers to help with a range of duties from timekeeping to marshalling and results recording. No experience is required and it's a great opportunity to cheer your clubmates on. If you are available to help, or would like some more information, please contact Daisy on races@serpentine.org.uk

Middlesex Young Athletes League - Saturday 15 July at Allianz Park

Qualified track & field officials are very welcome, but we also need willing but unqualified helpers to make sure our juniors' events go smoothly. If you can help, please contact juniors@serpentine.org.uk

Club championship 1-mile - Tuesday 18 July at Paddington Track

We're looking for volunteers to help with a range of duties from timekeeping and lap counting to results recording. No experience is required and it's a great opportunity to cheer your clubmates on. If you are available to help, or would like some more information, please contact Daisy on races@serpentine.org.uk

Club championship 5k - Thursday 27 July in Battersea Park

We're looking for volunteers to help with a range of duties from timekeeping to marshalling and results recording. No experience is required and it's a great opportunity to cheer your clubmates on. If you are available to help, or would like some more information, please contact Daisy on races@serpentine.org.uk

Harbour Club Last Friday of the Month 5k - on Friday 28 July in Hyde Park

Help is needed with course marshalling, in the finish area and to keep an eye on the runners' bags. If you can help out, please either email lfotm5k@serpentine.org.uk or add your name to the Serpie Planner.

Sally Hodge
communications@serpentine.org.uk

Submitted: 30 June 2017

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