Parkrun Adventures Club captain Juliette Westbrook will be reaching the impressive milestone of 100 parkruns tomorrow at one of the flattest and fastest courses in North London. If you would like to bump up your mileage you can meet a Talacre of Chasers at Highgate Station at 8am on Saturday the 24th. Let them know you are coming here Marathon Season is coming There are a few big marathons coming up. On Sunday Rahul is running the Berlin Marathon. Good luck Rahul!!! Deadline for Dagenham Cross Country Date: Sat 1 October 2022 Time: 11:00 Chingford League, Sponsored by East London Brewing Co. is a winter athletics league for N & E London organised in accordance with UKA rules and affiliated to England Athletics. Races are a mix of cross country and tarmac surfaces, over 5miles or 5k. The league offers serious competition for fast athletes combined with an inclusive ethos to encourage newer runners to give it a try. To take part, you must be a member of Mornington Chasers and have signed up in advance of the race- no on the day entries. Races are free to enter for runners- you get one bib for the entire season so you can sign up for the first race even if you cannot make it. Sign up deadline is this Sunday the 25th London Marathon Cheer Squad Date: Sun 2 October 2022 Time: 08:00 Please come and support the Chasers who are running this year's London Marathon! As we do every year, we will be gathering near Tower Bridge at the 13 mile/22 mile point. It is a great feeling to hear the cheers both when you're feeling awesome at 13 miles and when you're feeling awful at mile 22! Those of us supporting bring food and cakes and there is a real party atmosphere. The precise location of our cheering point is on The Highgway near the junction with Cannon Street Road opposite the BP garage and drive-thru McDonald's. Sign up here After the race there will be a party at the Pineapple Pub starting at 6pm. Runners, come and show off your medal! Save the Date – Christmas Party Your social committee are busy organising an awesome party to finish off 2022 in style. Please keep the date of Friday the 2nd of December free. Further details to come! Sarah’s Words of Wisdom Marathon tip #11: Don't expect to run 26.2 miles How's that maranoia coming along? One way that I have distracted myself in the past has been to get out excel and start formulating a more precise race plan. I calculate where I should be and when if I: 1) negative split, 2 ) pace evenly, or more likely 3) positive split. Whether you do or don't go down this math rabbit hole, an important thing to expect is that your fancy GPS watch is not going to tell you that you ran 26.2 miles on the day. Even if there is a blue line and you follow it exactly, your watch may show you running anywhere from 26.4 to 26.8 miles or may even try to convince you that you didn't run a marathon at all (mine from London last year showed 26.19). This means that during the race, the best way to know your true pace is to keep track of mile markers and your time; a pace bracelet or temporary tattoo can really come in handy. Now it all isn't down to the GPS and wacky Russian satellites. You will inevitably run a bit more due to crowds and not being able to take the tightest tangents. You can help yourself out immensely by staying calm at the beginning, accepting that your pace will be a little slower and staying as straight a course as possible. Weaving in and out of people to try to keep to pace will only cause you to run further and wear you out sooner. Enjoy the calculations! (and thank Coach Lauren for reminding me of this tip) Race Report – Eamon   Chiltern Wonderland Saturday 16 September 2022 This race consists of a single 50 mile loop in the Chiltern countryside starting and finishing at the riverside village of Goring on Thames.  With 5600ft of elevation and a 13 hour cut off it is a challenging day out.  There are five well stocked food stations along the route with a cut off time to be met at each ensuring you keep focused on constantly moving forward.  I never sleep before a big event and particularly as this was my first 50 miler this year I was happy to get out of bed at 04:30am. After feasting on porridge, banana, toast and jam I was out the door to get the tube to Paddington for the 06:30am train to Goring and Streatley.  I had another banana and sugar waffle on the train and sipped a high calorie drink throughout the journey to ensure I would start off with plenty in the tank.  I had also carb loaded on Thursday and Friday and made sure I drank lots of water all week.  I might not have trained properly for the race but my fuelling was not going to let me down.  After a ten minute walk from the train station to the village hall for registration, collecting my race bib and having the tracker taped on to my race vest, I left my drop bag and joined the other 202 runners to make our way to the start by the river Thames.  I was not selected for a random kit check but I had all the mandatory kit in my race vest - phone, space blanket, base layer, waterproof jacket, two head torches and a whistle.  I packed a few high calorie snacks too and with the 1.5l of electrolyte mix in the race vest bladder I was keen to get going, start drinking and lighten the load on my back. The weather was perfect for running with temperatures forecast not to exceed 16 degrees with bright sunshine and only light winds.  I wore shorts and tee shirt leaving arm sleeves in my pack ready to be pulled out if I got too slow and/or cold.  With the recent dry weather and no rain forecast I wore a pair of hybrid trail shoes with plenty of cushion and moderate sized lugs. After a fairly flat start following the Thames Path National Trail the climbing soon started as we made our way to Whitchurch then joining the Chiltern Way to Mapledurham and on towards Sonning Common.  From there we got to experience the most breathtaking scenery the Chiltern have to offer.  On to Bix, Stonor Deer Park and the picture postcard village of Turville a popular filming location - think Goodnight Mr Tom, Midsomer Murders, Lewis, Marple, Foyles War, Vicar of Dibley and even Little Britain.  Leaving the village I took out my poles for the very steep climb up to the Cobstone Windmill where Chitty Chitty Bang Bang was filmed. Early in the race a runner spotting my Chaser livery asked if I knew Rebecca Taylor.  I ran a bit with Billy an ex colleague of Rebecca’s but I was too slow to keep up with him for long.  Another runner proudly told me he was a Chaser in 2002 but as he could not name any Chasers when tested I did not ask his name.  As is usual in ultras I met and chatted with many runners along the trails some of whom were attempting their first 50 miler having progressed from marathons and 50k’s.  Centurion requirement to enter is only that you have completed a marathon within the cut off time.  I also ran a good bit with the Mud Crew race director Jane Stephens who tried to convince me that entering the Arc of Attrition would be a good idea!!!  I might be a bit mad but come on... The third checkpoint near Ibstone at mile 26 was welcome after the big climb to the windmill.  Centurion had 55 volunteers on the course, mostly fellow ultra runners who are rewarded with free entry to future events for their services.  And they are absolutely the best knowing exactly what we need.  They cheered us in to the checkpoints and filled our water bottles while we hit the buffet.  The food is fantastic and when I turned my nose up at a cheese and marmite sandwich a lovely lady made me a real cheese sandwich.  I also collected banana, peanut butter and jam sandwiches, crisps and biscuits at most checkpoints and ate as I walked out with the marshals shouting encouragement.  Many ultra runners struggle with nutrition but I guess I am lucky.  Or maybe I am so slow that my body can handle all I stuff myself with. We carried on the Chiltern Way to the highest point on the course at Christmas Common and then had some good downhill to Watlington Common where we joined the Ridgeway and on to the fourth aid station at Swyncombe at mile 33.  Usually in ultras I enter the pain cave somewhere between 30 and 40 miles.  At this point my body begins playing the entire back catalogue of injuries on repeat.  My strategy is always just aim to get to the last checkpoint.  Fifty miles is too much to think about but forty is ok.  If I get there within the cut off I know that I will make it to the finish even if its on my hands and knee’s.  The last checkpoint was at Grims Ditch at mile 41.  With tired legs and fading daylight it was important to keep an eye on the terrain which was full of tree roots.  Word was out amongst runners that the guy we had seen on a seat at an earlier checkpoint was on his way to hospital with a broken arm. The sun set around 8pm and it was head torch on for the last five miles some of which were in very dense woods and along narrow unlit lanes.  I had a GPX course uploaded to my watch but still had a few minor navigational issues and had to back track occasionally.  Most of the last ten miles were on my own but I did get a surprise at mile 45 when Billy appeared behind me.  Apparently his navigation awarded him with a bonus mile.  We walked and jogged chatting for a while but he soon took off and left me to complete the death march to the finish where they had bacon sandwiches and hot tea waiting for us.  I met up with some runners that I had chatted to during the race including two who had finished the distance for the first time and one who had come back for a second and this time successful attempt to complete.  Having refuelled and changed into warm clothes I trudged off to the train station for the journey home arriving at midnight.  Despite not having slept since Thursday night, I spent Saturday night fully awake.  Pain, adreneline and perhaps all the sugar I had consumed kept me awake.  But I was a happy man and will return to this event again for a fifth time.  Three days later I am able to walk again and I also somehow seem to be on the waiting list for the Arc of Attrition 2023 - don’t worry though, only the 50 mile version. The stats: 203 starters 189 finishers 177th place in 12:42:59 First lady 7:55:08 First man 7:00:02 Calendar Here's whats happening over the next few weeks other than our usual Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday runs. You can find our full calendar on the website. 10/10/2022 Committee meeting 25/09/2022 Berlin Marathon 02/10/2022 Loch Ness Marathon 01/10/2022 Chingford League Dagenham XC Sign up to run - deadline 2022-09-25 12/10/2022 Chingford League- Lee Valley Velopark 5km Sign up to run - deadline 2022-10-02 15/10/2022 Met League XC- Fixture 1 - Claybury Sign up to run - deadline 2022-10-14 02/10/2022 London Marathon Elite drinks volunteering 02/10/2022 Mornington Chasers Regents Park 10K 16/10/2022 The Cabbage Patch | Chasers Club Championship 02/10/2022 Post Marathon @ The Pineapple Coming! - deadline 2022-10-01 02/10/2022 London Marathon Cheer Squad Join 27/09/2022 Volunteer with beginners VOLUNTEER (3 of 5 left) We are also currently taking names for the following events. 12/11/2022 Met League XC - Fixture 2 - Wormwood Scrubs Sign-up to run 03/12/2022 Met League XC - Fixture 3 - Uxbridge Sign-up to run 11/02/2023 Met League XC - Fixture 5 - Trent Park Sign-up to run 22/10/2022 SEAA Cross Country Relays - Wormwood Scrubs Sign Up to Run 29/10/2022 North London XC Championships - Greenford SIgn up to run (deadline 12 October) Results If you want to upload a photo or your results are missing, log in to our website and update your picture and Power of 10 ID. Harray Half Marathon (Harray), 11/09/2022 HM Phil West 2:15:03, 36 (8) [58.39%] NEW PB Great North Run (Newcastle upon Tyne), 11/09/2022 HM Christopher Leslie 83:50, 450 [69.64%] NEW PB   Fiona Carr 1:49:20, 5822 (843, 142) [60.23%]   Rosie Hargreaves 2:25:16, 23461 (7823, -) [44.88%] NEW PB Parkrun 17/09/2022 Antrim Kevin Gormley 20:44, 7 (1) [64.71%] Barking Dawn Curtis 36:53, 66 [42.25%] Bethlem Royal Hospital Lizzy Muggeridge 35:02, 105 [46.15%] Bexley Christopher Leslie 19:06, 3 (1) [67.98%] Centennial, AUS Stephen Nash 21:11, 24 [67.58%] Coldham's Common John Bickley 42:08, 281 [40.23%] Finsbury Park Rafaele Lamour 24:59, 160 [66.84%]   michele griffiths 28:14, 270 [63.34%] Gladstone Alex Renton 21:58, 23 [64.19%] Hampstead Heath David Thorne 21:43, 28 (1) [67.92%]   Sarah Funderburk 27:53, 177 [54.39%]   Gary Homewood 28:12, 189 [55.73%] Highbury Fields Fiona Russell 22:16, 72 (-, 1) [76.72%]   David Renton 22:38, 84 [64.65%] Huddersfield Ben Bond 33:23, 411 [39.74%] Linford Wood Daisy Wooller 25:54, 45 [57.01%] Mallards Pike Rebecca Howarth 25:05, 11 (2, 1) [58.87%] Oak Hill Nicola Payne 19:36, 7 (1, 1) [75.34%] Peace Valley, USA Rachel Rosenthal 20:55, 1 [70.92%] St Peters, AUS Stephen Nash 23:37, 45 [60.62%] Sunny Hill Juliette Westbrook 27:09, 16 [54.39%]   Andy Davies 27:09, 17 [47.88%] Wormwood Scrubs John H Grigg 39:26, 100 (1) [64.88%] Chiltern Wonderland 50 (Chilterns), 17/09/2022 Other Eamon Byrne 12:42:59, 177 Marlow 10 (Marlow), 18/09/2022 10M Tilly Franklin 1:37:50 (1:37:41), 11 (-, 4) [57.45%] NEW PB Links Send your stories to newsletter@chaser.me.uk. 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