Club News and Other Mailing Lists

The club has a mailing list system, fully integrated with our website, which is the primary method of disseminating 'official' club information. These are one-way mailing lists that only a limited number of organisers within the club will be able to mail to, so you will not receive any spam.

These lists are separate to the yahoo egroup that we use for unmoderated member to member chat.

What lists are there?

The mailing lists you can choose from are as follows.

Club news

General club announcements, important race results, brand new trainng sessions to be launched, awards, information about volunteering opportunities, parties, trips and other social events. We are very careful to keep email volume to this list to a minimum.

Racing - running (cross-country, track & field, etc)

Information about road races, cross-country, track and field meetings, weekend relays, club championships etc.

Racing - other (triathlon, duathlon, aquathlon, CTT etc)

Information about triathlon and other multi-sport races, cycling time-trials, cyclosportives, triathlon andmulti-sport championships

Training - running

Information about regular and ad-hoc training sessions for running and athletics: road, track and field.

This mailing list will include regular weekly reminders about Serpie training sessions. If you do not wish to receive regular reminders then do not subscribe to this list. You can use the weekly training planner to remind yourself of club sessions or monitor the mailing list digest.

Training - other

Information about all other training sessions: cycling, swimming, brick, pilates, spin classes, etc.

Trail and ultra distance running

Information about trail runs, both training runs and races that Serpies are attending, plus ultra running.

Social news

Information about social events: Meal of the Month, summer party, Christmas party, etc.

This mailing list will include regular weekly reminders about Serpie training sessions. If you do not wish to receive regular reminders then do not subscribe to this list. You can use the weekly training planner to remind yourself of club sessions or monitor the mailing list digest.

How do I sign up?

To sign-up to (or sign-off from) a list, please log into Serpiebase, and click on 'Email preferences'. On that page you can tick/un-tick the boxes next to the list that you want to receive emails from the club. You can also select whether to receive email in plain text or html format (with graphics).

The email address used for the list is your primary email address as listed on your profile in Serpiebase so you will need to keep your email address up to date. You need to be a club member to sign-up to the lists and note that anyone whose membership has expired for more than 6 weeks will be automatically removed from all lists so make sure you renew your membership promptly!

Is there a digest version of the mailing lists?

Yes - it is online, and displays all of the messages sent through the mailing list for the last 7 days. Click on the 'News' tab in the top right hand corner of this page, and then select 'Mailing list digest' from the left hand menu.

Silver medals for our women's team and fourth place for our men at Parliament Hill.

Sports Masseurs, Personal Trainers, Pilates Teachers & Other Therapists

The prime purpose of massage is to help alleviate stress and tension that can build up in the body’s soft tissues (muscles, tendons and ligaments). In sport, this work takes on a special role in helping to enhance performance and prevent injury, by promoting recovery and monitoring the condition of the tissues. As well as the general therapeutic value of massage, it can also safely and effectively treat many minor soft tissue injuries. Most injuries in sport are of an overuse nature and the cause of this overuse needs to be identified and remedied, otherwise the injury is likely to recur.

Treatment using the Bowen Technique aims to support and boost the natural healing capabilities of the body. Bowen therapists believe that the body has the ability to adjust, adapt and heal itself.

Reflexology is a holistic therapy where the therapist uses a specific pressure technique applied to the feet or hands, where all the internal body structures, glands and organs are mirrored in miniature. By pressure on these reflexes, the therapist can treat the whole body. Reflexology helps the body to maintain a state of homeostasis and enhances energy flow, which encourages the body to heal itself and the systems of the body to work in harmony.

A number of specialists have been recommended by Serpie members (names in bold) and they are listed below. Members with additional recommendations are invited to email them in the same format.

Note that neither Serpentine RC nor its members may be held responsible for any diagnosis or treatment. Before engaging the services of any specialist, members should satisfy themselves as to training, experience and insurance. If in any doubt you should consult your GP.

It is strongly advised that you double check the cost with the specialist before commencing treatment.

Physiotherapists

Physiotherapy is a profession dedicated to restoring and maintaining physical function of the body. Many runners end up needing to see a physiotherapist at some stage in their running careers.

Ideally, you should see a physiotherapist with an interest in sports injuries, and preferably particularly in running (better still if they are a runner). Some will treat the symptoms of a running injury, without seeking to address its underlying causes, and it is important that any advice you get is related to the fact that you are a runner. It is also important that your physio should understand your desire to get running again, and should be able to make a sound judgment about when and how it is safe to do so.

A number of specialists have been recommended by Serpie members, past and present, (shown in bold) and they are listed below. Members with additional recommendations are invited to email them in the same format.

Note that neither Serpentine RC nor its members may be held responsible for any diagnosis or treatment. Before engaging the services of any specialist, members should satisfy themselves as to training, experience and insurance. If in any doubt you should consult your GP.

It is strongly advised that you double check the cost with the specialist before commencing treatment.

Other web resources on running injuries

• Runner's World (US) avoiding injuries
• The Sports Coach - Brian Mackenzie
• Sports Injury Clinic
• PhysioFirst for UK physiotherapists

Osteopaths

Osteopaths focus on the musculo-skeletal system (the bones, joints, muscles, ligaments and connective tissue). Osteopaths diagnose and treat faults which occur because of injury, stress or perhaps disease, to enable the musculo-skeletal system to work as efficiently as possible, allowing the body to restore itself to normal function. They have a highly trained sense of touch, using manual techniques both to discover underlying causes of pain and to carry out treatment.

A number of specialists have been recommended by Serpie members (shown in bold) and they are listed below. Members with additional recommendations are invited to email them in the same format.

Note that neither Serpentine RC nor its members may be held responsible for any diagnosis or treatment. Before engaging the services of any specialist members should satisfy themselves as to training, experience and insurance. If in any doubt you should consult your GP.

It is strongly advised that you double check the cost with the specialist before commencing treatment.

Chiropractors

Depending on your injury, you may want to see a chiropractor. Chiropractors primarily practice manual therapy, with an emphasis on manipulation of the spine.

Specialists that have been recommended by Serpie members (shown in bold) are listed below. Members with additional recommendations are invited to email them in the same format.

Note that neither Serpentine RC nor its members may be held responsible for any diagnosis or treatment. Before engaging the services of any specialist members should satisfy themselves as to training, experience and insurance. If in any doubt you should consult your GP.

It is strongly advised that you double check the cost with the specialist before commencing treatment.

Podiatrists

Depending on your injury, you may want to see a podiatrist. They diagnose and treat disorders, diseases, and injuries of the foot and lower leg. A podiatrist can also help with maintaining the condition of your feet, such as by removing calloused or hardened skin and treating blackened or thickened toenails.

A number of specialists have been recommended by Serpie members (shown in bold) and they are listed below. Members with additional recommendations are invited to email them in the same format.

Note that neither Serpentine R.C. nor its members may be held responsible for any diagnosis or treatment. Before engaging the services of any specialist members should satisfy themselves as to training, experience and insurance. If in any doubt you should consult your GP.

It is strongly advised that you double check the cost with the specialist before commencing treatment.

The Summer League

The Summer League is an inter-club competition of five races between June and August at various venues around London. The clubs in the league this year are Dulwich Park Runners, Metros, Ealing, Southall and Middlesex, Mornington Chasers, Serpentine RC, Sudbury Court, Ealing Eagles and Queens Park Harriers.

The main event is a 5 mile or 10km race which covers all standards and is based at a park local to the host club. Following the main event there is a shorter'tenderfoot'(1.5-2km) race suitable for children, runners returning from injury and runners who prefer to run a shorter distance. Finally there 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 on the day in your Serpie vest/shirt, the entry fee is paid by the club. All levels, new and regular runners welcome, although you must be a Serpentine club member. The events are family oriented so do bring children, they can also participate in the tenderfoot race and/or the relays. 

Lunch, in the form of sandwiches and cakes, is provided by the hosting club. Trophies are awarded at the end of the year for individuals in their age categories based on their best three performances in the five races.

2013 Dates

The dates of the Summer League are also listed in the Serpentine Planner.

Contact

summerleague@serpentine.org.uk

Technique Sessions at Orchard Lisle

Thursday 8.00pm to 9.00pm

Location:Orchard Lisle Pool, Guys Hospital, London Bridge.

This is freestyle (crawl) training led by a coach overseeing two lanes. It is a technique teaching session with a maximum of 12 people per 8 week block. Cost is presently £80 for the block of 8 sessions. The coach will take you through the basics of front crawl over the 8 weeks with the aim to improve your technique, efficency and ultimately speed through the water.

You need to be a current member of Serpentine Running Club to sign up for this session.

Please note:

• The sessions at Orchard Lisle Pool are organised by Serpentine, and we pay for coaches from Love Swimming, so all payment and enquiries should be directed to the Serpentine swimming co-ordinator and not to the coaches.
• Payment must be made online in advance.
• The cost covers pool hire and coaching fees.
• We only charge to cover costs, so when pool hire fees are occasionally revised we have to increase the cost to Serpies.
• The next sessions start Thursday 7th March 2013 and runs every Thursday until 25th April 2013 and is aimed at beginner swimmers who can swim but are looking to learn front crawl or for those that can swim a couple of lengths but struggle with breathing.
• Please note this course is not for intermediate swimmers (the next intermediate course starts in May 2013)
• Please think carefully before signing up as there is a policy of no refunds, transfers to another course or exchange of your place with another swimmer.

Tuesday Interval Sessions at the Dome/02

On Tuesday evenings we hold an interval session for distance runners along the flat and fast riverside path near the O2 (formerly known as "The Dome") on the Greenwich peninsula.

Coaching is by Karen Hancock 

Over the winter the session will usually be at lactate threshold (LT) pace to help you improve your speed-endurance. As spring approaches we will start to introduce a little more speed to help sharpen you up for the spring racing season. Combined with a broad endurance base, this type of training will make you a faster runner at distances from 10k to marathon.

Where and when?

We meet at 7:00pm on the Thames Path near the high flats in the Millennium Village, about a ¾ mile walk/jog East from North Greenwich tube station. Some runners usually congregate at the top of the escalators at 6:45pm to chum newbies to the rendezvous point. Please arrive in warm-ups/ready to run and make sure to bring your own stopwatch. A stopwatch with a multiple lap timer would be ideal for these sessions. See the Dome/O2 page for further details. Please book online if you would like to attend, as I need to limit numbers of health and safety reasons. The sessions have become very popular, and we only take bookings up to 7 days before each session; no block booking is allowed. Please remove your name promptly if you change your plans to free up your spot for others.

Who are the sessions for?

The sessions are targeted at endurance runners and triathletes who take part in running events throughout the year on any type of surface. Ideally, you should have built up a good base of stamina and endurance before you start to introduce faster-paced work. LT work is the best form of speed training to do over the winter to supplement your aerobic conditioning work before you start to sharpen up your speed after the New Year in preparation for your spring target races. If you are in doubt, get in touch with Karen.

What is the format of the sessions?

The sessions last about one hour and consist of a ½-mile jog warm-up, around 30-40 minutes'-worth of repetitions, and a cool-down ½ mile jog. Because of time constraints we cannot include work on technique/drills. We cover around 6 miles in total in these sessions (including warm-up/cool-down). Future sessions are shown below.

The purpose of the sessions in winter is to increase your lactate threshold – i.e. the pace at which you start to experience accumulation of lactate in your tissues. Push up your LT and you will find your race pace at all distances from 10k and upwards improves (when combined with improving your endurance). An additional benefit of the sessions is that they teach you good pace judgement.

How do I know what my lactate threshold pace is now?

There are 3 ways:

By perceived effort:

"A hard but sustainable effort"– about the level of effort you would expect in a race lasting about 60 mins (between 10 mile and 10k pace for most people). It should feel "comfortably hard", but you need to concentrate to keep it going.

By Heart Rate Monitor:

Most people's LT if they have a good endurance base will be in the region of 85-90% of their Maximum Heart Rate (MHR) pace. Less well-trained runners will find their LT nearer to 80% of their MHR.

From a recent race performance:

If you use a Garmin or other SDM for training, you can be more precise about the pace you need to achieve in these sessions by putting a recent race performance into a calculator: the pace you want is described as "tempo intervals."

Sessions until 19 March 2013

Saturday Hill Training in Greenwich

Note we will decamp to Oxleas Wood for a session there on the last Saturday of each month until further notice. 

Bring some variety to your training, strengthen your legs and lungs – and even make new running friends – by joining in our tough but sociable coached hill session, held close to the start of the London Marathon on Saturday mornings, all year round. Greenwich Park is London's oldest enclosed Royal Park and includes 73 hectares of grassy hills both East and West of the Greenwich Meridian. And there are inspiring views across the Thames towards Canary Wharf, the Olympic Park, the Millennium Dome and the City of London. This well-maintained park provides an ideal off-road hill training environment. There are ample, clean public toilets, water fountains and a delightful café for post-training refreshments: what more does a runner need?

Where and when?

We gather near our car parked on Blackheath Avenue inside the Park in time to start the warm-up at 10.00am on Saturdays. This is near the Tea House at the top of the main hill near the Royal Observatory (see map below). You can store your gear in the boot at your own risk whilst training. Training is usually over by around 11.30 am. See the Greenwich Park page for full details. Pre-booking for each session is essential. Please sign up using the link on the right.

Aims

We try to provide a challenging and enjoyable session for all standards of runner. If you find yourself being overtaken on hills in road or cross-country races, then these sessions are for you. Even if you never plan to race on hilly courses, hill training makes you faster, stronger and more efficient on the flat. Sebastian Coe, Paula Radcliffe and the Kenyan national squad are all noted for doing lots of hill training!

This type of training builds leg-strength (especially the quadriceps and gluteal muscles – i.e. thighs and buttocks); develops good hill-running technique; strengthens your heart and lungs; increases lactic acid tolerance and – not least – increases your confidence on hills. And it can provide a refreshing change from pavement and track-pounding. You should begin to notice benefits after about 4 sessions.

The sessions are not recommended for new runners, people who don't want to make new friends, and/or those suffering from calf, achilles tendon or plantar fasciitis injuries. If in doubt, ask me for advice (details below).

Results from previous time trials.

What to bring

Bring water or other drinks, fell shoes (ideally), cross-country spikes or your muddiest trainers, and something warm to put on after training. Bring your Heart Rate Monitor too, if you have one.

What to expect

The precise content of the session varies from week to week, but in broad terms you can expect:

1. Social warm-up of around 2 miles jogging, followed by technique drills and strides. Change footwear (although the session can be done in ordinary trainers if you don't mind them getting muddy) and take off warm-up gear.
2. After some brief instruction in good hill technique, we do 3 sets of multiple hill efforts, lasting from 8–12 minutes per set with 3–5 minutes jogging between. The aim is to perform as many surges up the hill as you can in the allotted time, jogging back down as your recovery. You should be experiencing lactic acid in your quads and seeing your maximum heart rate on your HRM after 2–3 efforts.
3. We aim to mix and match the hills to give plenty of variety and reduce the risk of injury. Some hills are longer (around 200m); others short and steep and a real test of your technique. Sometimes we practice down-hill running, or run relays on the final hill for fun and variety!
4. Cool-down jog of up to a mile. Stretch.
5. Total distance to write in your training log: about 5.0–6.5 miles. Count it as a speed/strength session.
6. Adjourn to the Tea House for chat and refreshments (optional).
7. At roughly 6-weekly intervals, we hold a time trial (previous results here) up The Avenue (about 650m) to enable you to monitor your progress.

Contact details

Telephone: 07970 896440 out of office hours

e-mail: karhan90@btinternet.com

Karen Hancock
UK Athletics Level 3 Coach ("Endurance" and "Children in Athletics")

Read Karen's training articles here.