DPR February Newsletter
However long your relationship with running, there are always new ways to reignite the spark, lots of ideas for that below. But first, you can now get your tickets here for the most sought after invite of the year, the DPR Annual Dinner – 14th March, 730pm at the Lordship! Great food, dancing, medals and drinks and not a pair of shorts in sight.
And the same date is the start of our wonderful beginners’ courses where so many of us found our love for running! There are two courses, one that runs twice a week for 8 weeks at 8am and 9am, and is for absolute beginners and returners after injury or a long absence and aims to introduce running in a safe environment. Please note it ends on 2nd May which is Spring Bank Holiday weekend. The second course runs for 5 weeks and is for those who are already confident at 5k – that starts on the same day, March 14th at 10am. All sessions are supported by more experienced runners – yes that’s DPR members! Please think about being a run buddy for the courses. You don’t need to commit to more than a week at a time to chat with the Beginners as they run, for the usual rewards of the satisfaction of giving back and helping people into running, and the cooked breakfast at a local café after the final session! Just turn up in good time for the job spec and route plan before each session.
Applications are open here – please spread the word using the leaflet. You can ask questions by emailing beginners@dulwichparkrunners.com, or talk with Susan or Di. The courses are free to DPR members, so a great way of rekindling your passion – just mark your application ‘member’.
A resounding victory for DPR over Crystal Palace Fun Runners in the Home Mob Match last weekend where we won 58-21, so 1-1 after two fixtures with the next planned for August. Thanks to everyone who ran, volunteered or supported! Other notable achievements in January were Will Blackmore who ran his first ever 10k race at Regents Park and Carlisle King who set a PB at Battersea in the half marathon.
Welcome to our new members who have joined in the past month – Leona, Tisun, James, Finn, Katy, Kian and Jamie who have added to our current ranks of 248. We hope you have a wonderful DPR journey ahead!
Some of us have been taking advantage of the rainy weather with cross country runs galore at Oxshott, Beckenham, Wimbledon Common for Dash for the Splash and the Bedgebury Forest 10 miler.
If you’ve missed the mud and are keen to get back on it, it’s your last chance to run in the free Surrey League this Saturday at Lloyd Park – the women run at 1pm, the men at 2pm – everyone welcome and there will be a picnic and drinks afterwards! Join the what’s app groups for more details.
Upcoming Races
Sunday 15th February – London Winter Run 10k
Sunday 8th March – Paddock Wood Half Marathon and our Club Championship with 45 members entered so far. There are only about 150 of the 3000 places remaining and you can claim a £13 subsidy for this race by sending your receipt and bank details to chair@dulwichparkrunners.co.uk, treasurer@dulwichparkrunners.co.uk and races@dulwichparkrunners.co.uk. Join the what’s app group here
Saturday 9th May – 5k Club Championship at Dulwich Parkrun
Tuesday 19th May – 1 mile Club Championship in Dulwich Park in place of the normal Club Run
Sunday 4th October – 5 mile Club Championship will be the DPR 5 mile open race in Dulwich Park
The 10km Club Championship will be one of the Summer League dates, and the 10 mile Club Championship will be the Cabbage Patch 10 in October (date TBC with places likely to go live on 1st April). The Cross Country Club Championship will be one of the Autumn Surrey League events. For our Marathon Club Championship, all marathons in the calendar year are included. Please let Lucy Ross know if you are running a marathon.
Sunday 6th September 2026 – we’re delighted to say that the Club has been allocated 30 £25 Community places for this race which is excellent considering that it has already sold out and that the original price was considerably more than £25! If you would like one of these places (and are serious about running the race) please contact Lucy Ross via what’s app or email (lucy.ross@gmail.com). Places will be allocated on a first come first served basis.
To get you ready for those races, remember our trusty coaches are always around to support members who would like general help with their running, to increase their weekly mileage, or specific race training plans. For coaching advice of any kind please contact them (Susan, Tom, Katia or Zach) at coach@dulwichparkrunners.co.uk More specifically the next Coaching Surgery is planned for Tuesday 3rd March after the Dash. Look out for the sign up rota on what’s app.
Another way to fire up your running could be to join the free Thursday Improvers Sessions, if you’re running more than 10 miles per week. For February we continue with two sets of sessions running alongside each other. One will be technical with hills and few miles, the other less technical, less hills, more miles. Both are good for getting back into the continuity of routine, as that’s where you’ll see results. These sessions are good preparation for the on-going cross country season, for strength and increased speed over any distance, and for encouraging a 3rd run a week for those looking to increase their mileage. Think of them as preparation for the spring 5 miles or 10k races, and for longer races such as 10 miles and half marathon. If you have any questions, would like to join us, or would like general coaching advice, please email coach@dulwichparkrunners.co.uk
Our Sunday Social runs continue throughout February. A super relaxed way to get some miles in, we meet each week at 9.30am at Dulwich Park Café with an invitation for coffee after. We have a rota of 8k – 10k route suggestions, and whatever route we choose each week, shorter or longer versions are also available. All speeds & levels of fitness are catered for & equally welcome – we always have at a least a couple of people who will very happily run / jog / trot as gently as required – nobody runs on their own! On Sunday February 15th we have our next DPR member designed and led run, with Club Coach Susan Smith. Susan describes this as “…a raspberry jam flavoured run in that it’s got some straight runny bits, and some unexpected lumps that take you on little unexpected detours, and some seeds (for thought), all sweetly packed into a safe 5-mile container…” More details about this (Susan’s description gets even sillier!), and each week’s Sunday runs, are all on WhatsApp – so do ensure you’re added to the DPR Sunday Social Run group! And a big thank you again to Faheem Rokadiya for sharing his fandom route, featuring the back street(s) boys in January – pic above.
There was a lot of moving and shaking at the Rivoli Ballroom last weekend with the blurry pic giving an indication of the amount of fun had! Expect more fun socials to come and if you have ideas get in touch with Lynne and Alex. There are also still tickets available for Darren’s show Learning How to Dive including on Valentine’s Day if you need a last minute plan! Get your tickets here.
Our AGM
Our club AGM will be taking place on Tuesday 24 February at 8pm, venue TBC – it would be great to have lots of you there. Papers for the AGM will be circulated in advance of the meeting.
Amongst other things, at the AGM we will be electing a new committee for 2026-2027. Being a committee member is a great chance to influence the club’s direction and development, and to give back and contribute to the club’s success. You will be supported in post by other committee members and (of course) a wonderful membership, and the time commitment involved is less than often expected.
Members are encouraged to nominate themselves for any committee post they would be interested in. However, we would particularly welcome nominations for the posts of co-chair and club secretary. James as co-chair will be standing down from the committee as he expects to move away from the area later in 2026, while Emma as club secretary is standing down after a successful 3 years in post and a stint as kit secretary before that.
If you would like to submit yourself for a committee post, you need to notify Emma as club secretary at secretary@dulwichparkrunners.co.uk , and ask two members of the club to propose and second your nomination by one week before the AGM (i.e. 17 February).
In addition to committee posts, there are a number of important roles outside of the committee which members take on to contribute to the running of the club. With thanks to incumbents who have filled roles over the past year, we will be looking for help with the roles of Summer League Co-organiser, Parkrun Ladder Coordinator, Website Editor and Second Welfare Officer. Please let a member of the existing committee know if you are interested in one of these roles.
More details on committee and non-committee posts are here: https://www.dulwichparkrunners.co.uk/committee/ . Please do speak to one of the committee or incumbent post holders if you have questions.
London Marathon Marshals
DPR will again be providing a squad of marshals for London Marathon on Sunday 26 April. This is a fantastic chance to be involved in one of the world’s biggest sporting events and cheer on DPR entrants. Marshalling is a full day, but no experience is necessary and you are provided with marathon clothes, plus we will get a marathon place available just for marshals.
We need to confirm a squad of 30 marshals by the end of the month – if you have questions or are interested, please email Oghene on oghene_aaron@yahoo.co.uk
Meet a DPR Duo
Rosemary and Dave, with 40 years of marriage, 30 years of DPR membership, and a load of medals and club records between them, are DPR icons! Here they kiss and tell about their running career highlights and their secrets for a long and happy athletic marriage!
When did you start running?
D: I remember my first run.
I was working in Tel Aviv, about 23, and a friend suggested we go to a keep fit class. After a few exercises, we went out for a short run, maybe 5k. I was good at it (not so good at the other stuff) and I was hooked.
So I’ve always run after that. Once, twice a week, all distances up to marathon.
R: My first time was in my early 30s when we were about to go to Nepal on a trek and Dave made me run up to Crystal Palace (high enough, I thought!) I’ve run regularly since then but I only joined Dave at the club in lockdown after DPR kindly included me in virtual runs. The club is great – full of lovely, friendly people and offering lots of different running opportunities and fun at social events.
Do you run better alone or together?
D: Definitely better together. At the beginning… R: Well we start off together…. (but the run does seem shorter if we stick together!)
What are you most proud of in each other?
D: Rosemary is both a great runner, a great supporter of DPR, and a great cheese scone maker! R: Dave is always enthusiastic and supportive and doesn’t care where he comes in a race (only about being disqualified – not that he’s bitter… )
Tell us more about this disqualification Dave
D: It was at a recent cross country fixture and I was disqualified on two counts: 1) Not having club kit – I had my club kit – DPR hat. Proof in the photos. I took it off as it was too hot. It was down my trousers! 2) Having bone transmitting earphones in – I didn’t hear the instruction at the start, not because I had my ear pieces in (as was claimed) but I was right at the back and I heard nothing as their speaker system is so poor. I was extremely contrite and was happy to apologise and not repeat at the next event, until I was told I would probably be disqualified. Even then I wasn’t rude and didn’t shout but I was extremely cross – all that running for nothing.
Poor Dave.
Tell us your tips for a long and happy running marriage
R: Do completely separate activities for most of your lives!