The June club handicap is on Saturday 1 June. All Serpies are welcome, whether a handicap regular or a newbie – there’s no need to sign up in advance. The meeting point is the Boathouse in Hyde Park. If you haven’t run the handicap before and want to find out more, see the details on the website. The first Summer League fixture of 2013 is on Sunday 2 June in Dulwich Park (close to Queen Mary’s Gate/children’s playground). There’s no need to enter in advance and the 10k senior race starts at 10.30am. There are also shorter races for juniors and a relay for all it would be great to see lots of Serpies, no matter what age or ability, taking part in the Summer League races this year. Also on 2 June it’s the Swashbuckler middle distance triathlon in the New Forest, which is the 2013 club middle distance championship.

On Thursday 6 June, starting at 7.30pm, the third Assembly League race of the season takes place on a 5k course in Dulwich Park. Assembly League races are open to all Serpies, with no need to enter in advance. On the same night, Highgate Harriers are staging the first Night of 10,000m at Parliament Hill track. There are several Serpies on the start list and the A race in particular should provide a great spectating opportunity.

The weekend of 8 & 9 June will see 60 Serpie runners heading to Wales for the annual Welsh Castles Relay, where we have 3 teams taking part: an open team, a ladies team and a vets team. On Sunday 9 June, a little closer to home than the Brecon Beacons but still with plenty of hills, there’s the South Downs Marathon. Several Serpie triathletes will be competing at one of the Blenheim triathlon races over the same weekend.

Monday 10 June is the start of a week packed with track & field, with the Vets track & field meeting in Hillingdon on that night; the Rosenheim League at Tooting Bec on Wednesday 12 June and the third fixture in this season’s South Athletics League on Saturday 15 June in Dartford. For those who prefer trail running, there’s the South Downs Way 100 on 15 June and for those for whom 100 miles is a bit too far, there’s a social Serpie trail run on Sunday 16 June in the Cotswolds, passing through the grounds of Blenheim Palace, with a choice of 13 or 22 mile routes – contact trail@serpentine.org.uk if you would like more information.

The second Summer League fixture of the season is on Sunday 16 June at Headstone Manor in Harrow; and there are bound to be a number of Serpies racing at Windsor triathlon on the same day.

The club’s Grand Prix series of races kicks off on Thursday 20 June with the Club Championship 5k in Battersea Park. All four Grand Prix races are organised by the club and are for Serpies only (with occasional guests). There’s always a great atmosphere as you get to race your training partners or cheer them on if you’re not running. The standard is very wide so don’t be put off if you think you’ll be too slow. See more details

On Saturday 22 June there will be a few Serpies competing at the Dambuster triathlon at Rutland Water and another group of triathletes will be taking to the water, bike and road at the Dartford Bridge Olympic triathlon on Sunday 23 June. 23 June is also the day of the North Downs 30k, which has 14 Serpies taking part, according to sign ups on My Events.

The club’s home match in the Vets track & field league is on Monday 24 June at Battersea track, starting at 6pm. As well as athletes, we need as many people as possible to help out organising the event – qualified officials and helpers – to make it happen. Contact officials-coordinator@serpentine.org.uk if you can help out. The following evening, Tuesday 25 June, it’s the second club Grand Prix event – the 1 mile Club Championship race. This will probably be at Paddington track (venue to be confirmed closer to the race date). The third race in the Grand Prix series – the ever-popular downhill Club Championship 1k in Hyde Park – is on Saturday 29 June.

More details about lots of these events are on the Serpie events planner.

Sally Hodge
communications@serpentine.org.uk