June begins with the ITU World Triathlon Series (Olympic distance) event in Hyde Park on Sunday 1 June, which is the club’s 2014 Olympic Triathlon Championship. If you’re not racing you may want to join the Serpie group heading to the park to cheer on their Serpie club mates. On the same day, it’s the first of the Summer League series of races, over a 5-mile course in Dulwich Park. No need to enter in advance – you can read more details about the friendly Summer League here. Also on 1 June there are eight Serpies signed up on My Events as running Comrades Marathon in South Africa.

On Monday 2 June, there’ll be plenty of Serpies running the Sri Chinmoy 5k in Battersea Park and on Thursday 5 June, the third race of the 2014 Assembly League series will be in Beckenham. There’s no need to sign up in advance for these regular Assembly League events – this one is run over a 3 mile course. Next, there’s the June club handicap, which will take place on Saturday 7 June. Over that weekend there’ll also be three Serpie teams (60 runners) running the length of Wales, from Caernarfon to Cardiff, in the 2014 Welsh Castles Relay.

Evening track & field competition returns on Monday 9 June at Hillingdon, in the form of the Southern Vets League; and on Wednesday 11 June, with the third Rosenheim League meeting of the season at Wimbledon. More details of both of these can be obtained from the team captains (Rosenheim: Richard Taylor; Vet men Andrew Maynard; Vet women: Jan Farmer).

On Saturday 14 June, Battersea Park is the venue for the Sri Chinmoy 10k. The second Summer League race of the year, over a 10k course, will be at Headstone Manor on Sunday 15 June, which is also the date of the Windsor Olympic distance triathlon and Ironman 70.3 UK.

This year’s club Grand Prix series of races will get underway on Thursday 19 June, with the club championship 5k in Battersea Park. The summer Grand Prix is Serpentine’s championship-within-a-championship. Each of the four races (1k, 1 mile, 3000m and 5k) has awards for the fastest man and woman and the best age-grading, and there are also awards for the Grand Prix series winners. There’s no need to register in advance, just turn up. Keep an eye on club emails for full details nearer to race dates. Everyone is welcome to run and if you’re not running, we’d also appreciate helpers and cheerers coming along to enjoy some great Serpie racing. Contact Steph Vaatz if you can help, especially as a timekeeper or track judge.

The third SAL track & field meeting for Serpentine will be on Saturday 21 June in Colchester. All are welcome to take part – contact the team captains for more details (men: Nick Barberis; women: Lisa Pettit). On Sunday 22 June, there should be a group of Serpies running the first Hackney half marathon and another group tackling the North Downs 30k run. On the same day, the Windrush Aquathlon in Brockwell Park is the next event in this year’s London Triathlon League.

There’s another chance for Serpie Vets to compete at track & field on Monday 23 June at the next Southern Vets League meeting at Battersea. On Tuesday 24 June, Paddington track is the venue for the club 3000m championship, which is the second race in this summer’s Grand Prix series. The Assembly League returns to Battersea on Thursday 26 June for a 5k, and the June Last Friday of the Month 5k will be on Friday 27 June in Hyde Park.

The third Grand Prix event – the club championship 1k – will be contested on Saturday 28 June in Hyde Park over the infamous downhill course. There are somewhat longer distance events on Sunday 29 June attracting Serpies: the Mont Blanc marathon, Ironman Austria and Ironman France.

Looking ahead into early July, the fourth Rosenheim League meeting of the season is on Wednesday 2 July at Battersea.

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

Sally Hodge
communications@serpentine.org.uk