East London Runners Public Info Page

'It’s not every day you get to do that!'

We’re thrilled to announce that the East London Runners Elvis Valentines Park 5K is now live.

📅 Save the Date: 7:30pm, Wednesday 16th July 2025

You asked, we listened — this year’s race will take place on a beautiful summer evening! Expect perfect running weather, golden hour vibes, and an unforgettable atmosphere. 🌞🏃‍♀️🏃‍♂️🤞

🧁 Our famous cake stall will be there to treat you post-race — because what’s a 5K without a sweet reward? Proceeds, along with race surplus, will go to YES, a fantastic organisation supporting youth clubs, sports charities, and safe spaces for young people across East London. 💖

❗Please note: There won’t be a children’s race this year due to the later start time.

📲 Registration is NOW LIVE! Don’t miss out — grab your spot, lace up your trainers, and join us for a summer’s evening of community, cake, and great running energy!

East London Runners - Valentines 5K We are proudly inclusive of all members of the LGBT+ community and we welcome entrants as female, male or non-binary.  UKA rules dictate that only male and female runners qualify for ranking purposes, however all non-binary times will be captured in the overall race results. You can read more in UK...

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Congratulations to Paul Watkins - ELR Club Runner of the Month for September 2024.

Paul has had an incredible month of running, culminating in an impressive 3.33.31 in the Berlin Marathon on Sunday.

Paul joined the club in January last year and has quickly thrown himself into all aspects of club life, including regularly leading club runs.

He began the month by running two legs of the Essex Way relay followed by fish and chips by the sea in Harwich. Those fish and chips powered him on to run a 2-minute PB of 1.34.39 in the Great North Run a week later.

Over the summer, Paul was a regular throughout the ELVIS series, including with a 5k PB of 20.09 at the Barking race on August bank holiday, a 5 mile PB of 33.41 at the Ilford Hilly 5 earlier in the season and volunteering at the ELR race in Valentines park.

In addition to all that, he’s a great person to be around and always brings a laugh. Great to have you as part of the club, Paul!


Having fun promoting East London Runners to the amazing Sparkle Walkers for Haven House Children's Hospice

Chris Phillips on X The Southend 10k is underway

Congratulations to Shahib Ali - Our Club Runner of the Month for July 2023.

July has been a very successful month for Shahib. He has enjoyed a purple patch in form and succeeded in smashing three of his long standing PBs. First to go was at the ASICS London 10k, where he finished in a time of 39.14 - his first 10k under 40 minutes in 12 years! This was followed up just six days later at Bushy parkrun where he ran a PB of 18.50, dipping under 19 minutes for the first time and beating his previous best of 19.04 at Valentines Park back in 2011 - the same year he joined the club! The hat trick was completed on Saturday 29th July at the Battersea Park Half Marathon where Shahib recorded his fastest ever time for the distance, completing the race in 1.27.58 and knocking nearly a minute off his previous best of 1.28.50 at the Roding Valley Half Marathon in 2012! He has also been a regular at the ELVIS series and was a scorer for ELR at the recent Harold Wood 5K (ELVIS 5), finishing in 19.40.

Shahib is an avid parkrunner, rarely missing an event and is also a very keen marathon runner. He has been a regular competitor and supporter of the club at races and events over many years, often accompanied by his wife Samia and their children. Shahib is a talented runner and an important part of the team, as well as a very friendly face around the club. It is great to see him reaping the rewards for all his hard work in training.

Shahib summed up his achievements as follows: ‘what an epic, unforgettable month of running, long-term targets at 5K, 10K and HM all met in one calendar month. It needed something of this magnitude to miss a parkrun for! Will now relax and enjoy the lead up to the Berlin Marathon’.

Shahib with Samia at the ASICS London 10k.

ELR BBQ, a great night of food and drink. After the run of course

What a great turn out at ELVIS last night, don’t know about ELVIS head over to our website for details.

http://m.eastlondonrunners.org.uk/

Congratulations to our Club Runner of the Month for June, Karan Gadhia. Karan has been smashing PBs left, right and centre since coming back from a long injury. Karan came first place in the Sikhs in the City 22km this month in an incredible time of 1.40.07 despite the 30C heat. He has also run PBs in both 10km and 5 miles in the last month: 5 miles in 29.52 at the second ELVIS race in Raphael Park and a 10km in 37.32 at a RunThrough event in Battersea Park.

In May, Karan ran an amazing half marathon PB of 1.20.39, also in Battersea Park. Afterwards, he said, “As I crossed the finish line I couldn’t believe my time and to be honest, it still hasn’t sunk in. I was dreaming about days like this whilst on the (physio) therapy table last year and it’s a PB that I’ll cherish for a long time. I’m so happy to be back running, injury free, but also back at my best!”

This is an incredible comeback for Karan, who struggled with a hamstring injury for most of last year. Starting last October, he began running again from scratch, starting with run/walking, and building up to running cross country races through the winter.

Karan also gives back to the club in many ways. He is joint Winter League captain with Michael Wilson, volunteers whenever he isn’t running and – most crucially – is an AMAZING baker. He brings cakes to die for to cross country fixtures, which – given that as a club we’re known for our cake eating – makes him extremely popular! Finally, he’s a lovely bloke who takes as much interest in everyone else’s running as his own.

Well done again Karan - we love you (and not JUST for your baking)!

It’s this time of year some ELR travel to Bedfordshire, to do the Colworth marathon challenge. 3 races over 3 days adding up to 26.2 miles. A few silly ones even add a parkrun in on the Saturday morning. Sun fun camping parkrun and great company. ELR at its best.