May 2003
Contents
Coming Events
May, June and July 03
Extra
‘Informal’ Training night on Wednesday’s
Club ‘Away’
Races during June 03.
Blackpool
Marathon: Idle AC Club race for 2003.
We
are promoting this series for Idle AC members as they are local races of 5k
distance and therefore accessible to all. The races are on Wednesday 14th,
21st and 28th May 2003 at 7.30pm on an almost traffic
free course around Esholt and are hosted by St. Bede’s AC. Postal entries closed on 5th May
but entries are accepted on the nights. Entries forms are available via the
club or check out St.Bede’s website ate www.stbedesac.org.uk. The first event saw a positive stampede of
Idle members, With Horsforth, Keighley and Bingley we were the joint biggest
club entry with 16. Results were as follows:
Dave Lewis - 71 18.59, Steve - 73 19.01, Chris Smith
83 19.19, Donna 96 19.33
Edward 99 19.46, Matt 100 19.48, Peter H 118 20.39, Peter V 126 20.55
Kay 134 21.22, Trevor 142 21.39, Amnuay 159 23.18, Michael 161 23.22
Martin 179 25.04, Sue 201 29.52, Davina 202 29.53, Janet 203 29.53.
Events in bold indicate a ‘club’ event which members are encouraged to run.
|
Date |
Event |
|
21st May 03 |
John Carr 5k race, Race 2, Esholt,
7.30 pm |
|
25th May 03 |
Melmerby 10k, (Black Sheep Series).
11.30 am. Entries close 17/5/03. |
|
Sat 31st May 03 |
WYWL Canal Relay, 5pm. All needed to run/support. |
|
28th May 03 |
John Carr 5k race, Race 3, Esholt,
7.30 pm. |
|
1st June 03 |
Goole Riverbank Challenge, 1/3 of a marathon, 11.30am. |
|
Wed 4th June 03 |
Chevin Fell Race, 7.30pm, 4.5 miles. |
|
Sat 7th June 03 |
Kirby Malzeard 10k, (Black Sheep
Series). 2pm. |
|
Sat 7th June 03 |
Pen y Ghent Fell Race, 3pm, 5.5 miles. |
|
Sun 8th June |
Middleton Moor 7km Trail Race, Ilkley.
10.50 am. New event. |
|
Sun 8th June |
West Yorks 5 (Birkenshaw), 2pm. |
|
Thurs 12th June |
The Full Bronte 5 mile race. Haworth.
7.30pm. |
|
Thurs 19th June |
Beckett Park 3.2 miles. Women’s race. |
|
22nd June 03 |
Blackpool Half/Full Marathon, 9am.
Main club race 2003. |
|
22 June 03 |
Harewood House Chase 10k. Women 10.30 am, Men 11 am. |
|
Wed 25th June 03 |
Otley 10mile. 7.30pm. |
|
29th June 03 |
Rainton 10k, (Blacksheep Series),
11.45am. Entries close 21st June. |
|
29th June 03 |
Settle Hills Race, 12.45pm, 7 miles. |
|
29th June 03 |
Humber Half marathon, 11am. |
|
Weekend Fr 4th, Sat 5th, Sun 6th July |
Wharfedale Triple T (Tarmac, Trail & Tussock). Fri short road uphill race, Sat ‘A medium’ fell race, Sun ‘A Short’ fell race. Camping available. |
|
Sat 5th July 03 |
Burn Valley Half Marathon, (Black
Sheep Series). Masham 2pm. A demanding but scenic
race with a free tea. |
|
6th July 03 |
Skipton 10k, 12 noon. Flat and fast. |
|
6th July 03 |
Stainland 7, 10.30 am. Fast start, scenic, rural but some big hills. Free T-shirt. |
|
6th July 03 |
Pudsey Pacers 10k Challenge. Part off road. |
|
13th July 03 |
Pulse Race 5mile, Roundhay Park, |
|
Sun 20th July 03 |
Eccup 10 (Leeds). 11am. Mixed terrain. |
|
Wed 23rd July 03 |
Widdop Fell Race, Hebden Bridge, 7.15
pm, 7 miles. |
|
27th July 03 |
Burton Leonard 10k, (Black Sheep
Series). |
|
27th July 03 |
James Herriot Trail Run, 9 miles, 11am. A scenic route over moorland tracks and paths. Traffic free. |
|
27th July 03 |
Bingley Relief Road 10k. 11am. |
Top Fifteen Club Races for 2003: Handicap/ Attendance Scheme -6 out of 15 possible races to count. Please don’t forget to sign in the book each time you attend a club session (but only pay once per week) as each attendance at a club training session is worth 1 point and to be eligible for a trophy members must accumulate at least 30 attendance points during the year. Each attendance at a “Club” designated race earns you 5 points (see below). 50% of the required points must be achieved by attendance at training sessions.
The April standings are as follows:
|
Name |
April |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Apr |
Apr |
|
|
1 |
3 |
8 |
10 |
15 |
17 |
22 |
24 |
29 |
Races |
Totals |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Adrian
Trevelyan |
1 |
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
|
1 |
5 |
8 |
|
Amnuay
Scott |
|
1 |
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
|
|
2 |
|
Brian
Heaton |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
0 |
|
Chris
Marshall |
|
1 |
1 |
|
|
|
|
1 |
|
|
3 |
|
Chris
Smith |
|
1 |
1 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
5 |
7 |
|
Chris
Stubbs |
|
1 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
|
2 |
|
Dave
Currie |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
0 |
|
David
Lewis |
|
|
1 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
10 |
11 |
|
Davina
Smith |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
0 |
|
Donna
Edmonson |
|
1 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
10 |
11 |
|
Edward
East |
1 |
1 |
1 |
|
1 |
|
|
1 |
1 |
10 |
16 |
|
Glen
Pinkney |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
0 |
|
Holly
Brassington |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
0 |
|
Ian
Fisher |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
0 |
|
Janet
Burnside |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
0 |
|
Joanne
Belcher |
|
|
1 |
|
|
|
|
1 |
|
5 |
7 |
|
John
Cummings |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
0 |
|
John
Nellist |
|
1 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
|
Joseph
Marjoram |
|
|
1 |
|
|
|
|
1 |
|
5 |
7 |
|
Kay
Gambles |
|
1 |
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
|
|
2 |
|
Laura
Taylor |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
0 |
|
Martin
Burnside |
|
|
|
|
1 |
|
1 |
|
|
5 |
7 |
|
Matthew
Coles |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
1 |
|
2 |
|
Mel
C |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
0 |
|
Michael
Masleczko |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
0 |
|
Neil
Jackson |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
0 |
|
Peter
Helliwell |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
5 |
5 |
|
Peter
Vickers |
|
1 |
1 |
|
|
|
1 |
1 |
|
|
4 |
|
Richard
Raistrick |
|
|
1 |
|
1 |
|
|
|
|
10 |
12 |
|
Simon
Bellwood |
|
1 |
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
|
10 |
12 |
|
Steve
Bottomley |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
0 |
|
Steve
Britton |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
0 |
|
Steve
Little |
|
1 |
|
|
|
|
1 |
1 |
1 |
|
4 |
|
Sue
Elliott |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
0 |
|
Susie
Jollie |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
0 |
|
Tony
Blythe |
|
1 |
1 |
|
|
|
|
1 |
|
5 |
8 |
|
Trevor
Hooley |
|
|
1 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
|
|
2 |
12 |
10 |
0 |
3 |
0 |
4 |
11 |
5 |
85 |
132 |
Well done to Edward, who is April’s
Attendance winner. The Club races, where points can be earned, are as follows:
|
Date |
Race Details |
Comments. |
|
February - Sun 16th |
Liversedge Half Marathon, 12.00 noon. |
8 members ran. 3
club records broken: Male, Female & M40. 5 pb’s. |
|
March - Sat 22nd |
Coniston 14, 11am. |
Sue Elliott flew
the Idle AC flag. |
|
April
- Sun 6th |
Wakefield 10k, 10am. |
Chris Smith,
Martin and Jo Belcher ran. Jo set a new pb in a time of 46.01. |
|
April* - Sun 6th |
Baildon Boundary Way Half, 10.30am. |
6 runners at the
Baildon BW: Joe Marjoram 1.41, Dave Lewis 1.42, Adrian 1.43, Donna 1.45,
Edward 1.46 and Simon 1.50. |
|
April* - Sat 12th |
Meanwood Valley Trail 8, 10.30am. |
Two club records
were set at this 8 mile race: Simon set an M40 record in a time of 60.38 and
Richard set a Male record in 61.03. |
|
April* - Sun 20th |
Guiseley Gallop 10k, 10.30am. |
6 runners in this
local event: Richard 46.25, Dave Lewis 46.30, Donna 48.03, Tony 48.46, Edward
49.17 and Pete Helliwell 51.00. |
|
April- Tues 1st |
Bunny Run1, 3mile ‘Fell’ race, 7.00
pm. |
9 runners at the
first Bunny run: Kay, Jo, Amnuay, Chris, Tony, Donna, John, Richard &
Simon. |
|
May - Sun 11 |
Leeds Half or Full Marathon, 10am. |
6 runners in the
Half, many of whom obtained pb times, including Pete V who took 8 minutes off
his previous best. |
|
May - Wed 14th |
John Carr 5k, Esholt, first race. |
|
|
June - Sun 22nd |
Blackpool Half or Full Marathon, 9am. |
|
|
Aug -Sat 9th |
Arncliffe Gala Road and/or Fell race. |
|
|
Aug - Sat 23rd |
Burnsall Classic 10 mile road race. |
|
|
Oct – Sun 5th. |
Horsforth 10k, 10am. |
|
|
Nov-
Sun (DNK) |
Guy Fawkes 10mile. |
|
|
Dec- Sun (DNK) |
Abbey Dash 10k. |
|
Next chance to get points is by running at Leeds on 11th or John Carr race on Wed 14th May.
Following a request to have an
additional informal training night, a small group have been meeting on a
Wednesday and this will continue during the summer.
Wednesday is of particular benefit to
members/prospective members who were new to running, coming back after
illness/injury etc and all the runs will be at a slow, easy pace and a short
distance. Davina will act as an initial
contact for this informal session, which will be free and will be run from
Hepworth & Idle Cricket club at 7pm (outside the ground on match nights). However as most members are running the John
Carr Races then the Wednesday group will not meet on 14th, 21st
or 28th May. Please contact
Davina for further information.
The first race of the Black Sheep
series saw 6 Idle AC line up for the start at the Fountains 10miler on Sunday
11th May, the same day that we also had 6 running at Leeds. The testing hilly course saw Steve, Chris,
Edward and Pete H running slightly steadier times than usual. However, despite
the terrain Amnuay showed her real talent for hilly runs by running a really
respectable time, setting a pb, and as usual coming in with a huge smile on her
face. Kay was equally proud of her race running 1.31. The next Black Sheep Series race is Melmerby
10k on 25th May.
It’s great that so many members have taken part in the Bunny Run series of fell races during April and especially to have the following teams in the Bunny Run Relay on 29th April: 1. Ist female fell race team with Kay setting off on the first leg, followed by Amnuay and then Donna on a final leg. 2. M45 team which consisted of Dave Lewis, Trevor and then Tony and also a mixed team of Chris, Jo, Richard (guest) and Simon.
The overall Bunny results were as follows:
1st April
1.
82nd Chris 24.02, 2. 90th
Richard 24.17, 3. 101st John 24.38 4. 121st Tony 25.20 5.
133rd Donna 26.14, 6. 157th Simon 28.00, 7. 196th
Kay 29.41, 8. 208th Amnuay 30.44, 9. 21st Jo 31.05. There
were 239 runners.
8th April
1. 79th Chris 22.44, 2. 116th Tony 24.09, 3. 122nd John 24.26, 4. 130th Donna 24.26, 5. 137th Dave L 25.29, 6. 196th Kay 27.46, 7. 205th Amnuay 28.20, 8. 211th Jo 29.25.
15th April
1.
92nd Donna 24.11, 2. 2. 98th Tony 24.22, 3. 130th
Simon 26.21, 4.157th Kay 27.26,
5. 171st Amnuay 28.39, 6. 196th Jo 32.37, 7. 197th
Chris 32.40, There were 207 runners.
22nd
April
1.
61st Richard 22.38, 2. 78th Joe M 23.29, 3.79th Tony 23.33, 4. 98th Dave L 24.15, 5. 125th Simon
25.24, 6. 157th Kay 27.33, 7. 175th Amnuay 30.17, 8. 176th
Jo 30.18. Overall Women in series: 14th
Donna !!
Bunny
Run Relay: 28th April
33rd
Idle 30 something’s: 1. Chris 17.10, 2. Jo
20.28, 3. Richard Griffiths (guest) 15.41
36th
Idle Vets: 1. Dave Lewis 17.11, 2. Trevor 20.08, 3. Tony
16.50.
53rd
Idle Girls: 1. Amnuay 20.59, 2. Kay 20.41,
3. Donna 17.28.
There
were 69 teams.
Members who took part in any Bunny Run Race in April will be eligible for a ‘Level 1’ fell race certificate. Chris is recommending the following ‘course’ of fell races, which, gradually increase in difficulty. To those first time fell runners who indicate an interest and who progress on the course, certificates will be awarded as follows:
Level One: Single Bunny Level Two: Multiple Bunny
Level Three: Bunny plus Hare and Hounds Level Four: Bunny, Hounds, Chevin
Level Five: Bunny, Hounds, Chevin, Widdop, Arncliffe
The course is as follows:
1. Bunny Run (1st, 7th, 15th, 22nd April). A good turn out for all these races.
2. WED MAY 7th HARE & HOUNDS FELL RACE. BS. 7.30 pm 4.5 miles/600’ from the Hare & Hounds, Lothersdale near Skipton. £3 on night. Again a strong turn out from both men and women who ran this race.
3. WED JUNE 4th CHEVIN FELL
RACE. AS. 7.30 pm. 3.5 miles/900’ from Otley Town Centre. £2.50 on night.
Bottle/can beer to all finishers.
4. WED JULY 23rd WIDDOP FELL RACE. BM. 7.15 pm. 7miles/1200’ from the Pack Horse Inn (The Ridge) Widdop, Hebden Bridge. £3 on night.
5. SAT AUG 9th ARNCLIFFE GALA FELL RACES. AS. 3pm. 1.8 miles/443’ from Arncliffe Village Green, near Skipton. £2.50 on day. Also Gala road race (see list above).
Please see Chris if you are interested.
Chris was the first runner home in the Ikley Moor Bah't'at 40k on Sunday 4th May in a time of 3.24. This is the first year that this walk has been opened up to runners and next year we hope to work with the organisers to promote the event which offers three trail race distances of 10k, 20k and 40k.
Now that the Bunny runs have finished and we’ve had a successful night at the track Tuesday nights are now back to normal, 7pm at Hepworth & Idle Cricket Club, for the usual coached sessions involving speed and hill work.
West Yorkshire Winter League Canal
Relay – Saturday 31st May 2003 with a 5pm start.
A date for the Winter League Canal Relay (Leeds
to Riddlesden approx 18.8 miles in total) has been agreed for Saturday 31st
May 2003. We will therefore be hoping to select runners to run in pairs over
this 5-leg event. The team has to include at least 2 vets and 2 women. If we
have enough interest we will submit more than one team. Chris has put one proposed team together:
1.Chris Smith and Steve; 2. David and Richard;
3. Pete V. and Edward; 4. Donna and Tony; 5. Kay and Amnuay.
He hopes to put a further team together when he
knows exactly who’s available. Please just
volunteer – it’s not about speed, but taking part. The race will start at Granary Wharf in Leeds
at 5pm and will involve the following change overs:
1st Change – Bridge over canal at Pollard Lane,
Newlay (off Leeds/Bradford road).
2nd change – Swing bridge at Apperley
Bridge on Apperley Road.
3rd change – Dock Lane swing bridge,
Near Dockfield Road.
4th change – Junction of canal road
and Newland Road (off A650 Keighley Road).
The presentation of the canal relay trophy will
be awarded in the Marquis of Granby pub at Riddlesden.
Millennium Way Relay, hosted by
St.Bede’s AC - Sunday 15th
June 03. 8am start.
This is also run in pairs over 5 legs with 10
runners per team and is limited to a maximum of 50 clubs. Due to the category requirements we have
decided to only enter a men’s team. This
will cost £6 per runner but that includes a T-shirt to all runners and
refreshments at the finish. We hope, if possible, to select as fast a men’s
team as we can and that all members who are unable to run will support the team
members who are running. Chris will put
a proposed team list together and then contact members to check availability.
The legs will need to be recced beforehand.
We will be organising a number of ‘away’
training runs during the summer but prior to then we hope to get club members
to do the following races, instead of training at the club:
1. The Full Bronte 5 mile race at
Haworth (Old Sun Hotel) on Thursday 12th June at 7.30pm. The race also incorporates the Yorks Vets 5 mile
championship. As many of you may be aware this was the first race that Idle AC
did as an affiliated club last Summer and therefore it would be good to revisit
the race in greater numbers and with Idle AC vests. Afterwards we will go into the Old Sun for a
drink in celebration of our first year as an affiliated club.
2. Beckett Park (Leeds) 5k women’s only
race on Thursday 19th June. This is a
trail race that should appeal to all female members no matter what pace
you run at. It attracts a fast front end and will therefore appeal to our
speedier women (you know who you are!), equally it’s a race that many women
jog or walk and therefore it may appeal
to those women who are new to running or getting back from injury etc.
Whilst men are barred from the race those who
are not running at the club (resting before Blackpool etc) may want to come
along and cheer us on – Davina.
This
month the hit counter is still going crazy & showing no signs of slowing
down either. It is now over 6100 with
& the trend is almost doubling each month.
|
Month |
Hits by month |
|
January |
263 |
|
February |
452 |
|
March |
748 |
|
April |
1599 |
The busiest days this month have been the 14th
– 16th which were the 3 days following the London Marathon &
accounted for almost 20% of the month’s total hits.
It must
therefore come as no surprise to find the results pages & in particular the
London Marathon results page which contains 10K split times & half way
times in addition to the finishing times.
This effectively splits the race into 4 x 10 K segments. I added Paula Radcliffe’s & Ian Fisher’s
split times for comparison. The
announcements page & club records were the next most popular pages.
Donna Edmondson has found herself back up in the
“Hits Chart” with 5% of the searches being for her name. She was only beaten by “Manchester Marathon”
on 6% & “Wakefield Hospice 10K” at 5.5%.
Blackpool marathon was in 4th place with 4.4%.
Current work ongoing is the standardization of
the site to make everything consistent.
I’ve made a start on the xml conversion using the events page as the
first one. I will spend a lot of time on
this page, as it’s important to use a consistent format. When I’m happy with this page it will be easy
to port it onto the other pages.
I will be using the xml link to test the page
out on the live site. If anyone has any
problems with this page please let me know.
I keep mentioning the photo album & saying
that it is still ongoing, but again I’m trying to get a nice background page
design, with good navigation before I start to add the photographs.
Final point:
"Members' Profiles" – No-one has sent
anything in for me to publish this month ????
Please have a go. That's all for this month - Keep Browsing. - Martin.
Please remember to get your entries in for the Blackpool marathon and half marathon on Sunday 22nd June 2003 if you’re coming on the big trip! We have had a big response from club members and really want to try and get most members running either the half or full. Entry forms are available at the club.
For those of you with caravans or tents Martin has recommended the Gillett Farm Caravan Park, Peel Road, Nr Blackpool that is set in 12 acres and has 76 pitches. Tel: 01253 761676. Many of those with caravans and tents have already booked their pitches. The caravan park is 6.7 miles from St.Annes. Chris and Davina, plus anyone who wants to join them, will be booking into a hotel in St Anne’s for the Saturday night and can now offer the following information:
St.Annes -on-Sea offers a gentler and more peaceful location than Blackpool yet its only 3.5 miles to the Pleasure Beach and 6.2 miles to the marathon start (Hilton Hotel). There is a variety of hotel and B & B Accommodation in St.Annes and Davina has a supply of accommodation guides if anyone wants one. However Chris and Davina are likely to stay at The Lindum Hotel, which is on St.Annes sea front, opposite St.Annes pier. This two star hotel has 80 en-suite rooms, including a number of family rooms. Prices start from £32 pppn for a double room on a bed & breakfast basis and from £37 pppn for a single room. There is also an option of Dinner, bed & breakfast from £47 pppn (£52 single). In addition the hotel has special family rates for 2 adults and children sharing a room for £75 pn.
For details about the hotel log onto their website at: www.lindumhotel.co.uk. We may be able to negotiate discount for significant numbers.
In addition there are of course many other Hotels and guesthouses around the Blackpool area!
Thanks to all members who paid their membership renewals so promptly. Please remember to complete a Membership Renewal form if you’ve not already done so. I still need subs from certain members and it would be good if these could be paid ASAP as the NoEAA membership fees are due by the end of May and we need to confirm if all our current 44 members are to remain members. In addition we need to pay Hepworth & Idle cricket club to enable all members to be social members of the cricket club. Cash or cheques (payable to Idle AC) need to be given to me ASAP, thanks. Davina.
This was a successful night, which included
members having a go at a variety of events, including hurdling.!!
April to all runners means London marathon time,
whether taking part or just watching, all our attention is focused on this
race. Idle AC’s Vets representative was
Peter Helliwell, who overcame all sorts of problems on the day to record a very
creditable 5:03:17 (19250th).
Representing the Idle AC Vets over the last
month have been as follows:
Ackworth 1/2M Dave
Lewis 1:36:46 (249th)
Wakefield 10K Martin
Burnside 50:46 (607th)
Baildon BW Dave
Lewis 1:42:28 (95th)
Simon
Bellwood 1:50:26 (172nd)
Meanwood 8M Simon
Bellwood 1:00:38 (188th)
Guiseley Gallop Dave
Lewis 46:30 (115th)
Tony
Blythe 48:46 (170th)
Peter
Helliwell 51:00 (217th)
Yorkshires Vets GP Steve Little 39:16
In addition the Bunny Runs were all well
attended by many of our Vets.
The next Yorkshire Vets GP races are on Sunday
11th May at Heslington
near York and Sunday 1st June at Wakefield.
This month’s tip is a departure from the usual
running related ones.
As the cricket season has now started, I think
we should be looking to help our friends at the Hepworth and Idle cricket club
improve their game.
After much observation and thought, if by
combining our running skills and long distance fitness, perhaps they could move
up the league table with these few ideas.
What about moving the wickets from their usual
22yards gap to something like 1 to 2 miles apart. With some distance or
cross-country coaching Hepworth and Idle CC would have the home advantage. This
would mean however that some sort of relay bowling been devised, perhaps with
Chris Smith’s underarm patent baton manoeuvre combined with an overarm bowling
technique, they could win hands down.
N.B. Hands down in cricket should not be taken
literally. - Steve
Little
This month as our 45th member we
welcome Sue Little (Steve’s wife). It’s
great to have Sue on board, especially to assist on Wednesday evenings.
I met an old acquaintance, whom I couldn’t place at first; at the Hare & Hounds fell race last Wednesday. Well we didn’t so much meet, as nod acknowledgement to each other. He was always ahead in the race, a classic Pennine ‘up to the trig point and down to the pub’ fell race. He was a fleeting figure, who came closer when I drove strongly up the climbs in my effort to catch Steve, Tony and Richard, and pulled away from me when I faltered, remembering my age and the 40k race I had run on the previous Sunday. After a while I realised who he was. He’s someone I often remember when I climb a hill steadily but at a run, running hard over the top and beyond, despite the burn of oxygen depletion. Well, it is possible to run at a reasonable pace and still recover from oxygen debt on a descent. I remember him when despite ligaments sore from over racing, I want to train and race some more.
I think he’d approve of my thoughts for an emphasis in summer training. I hope to persuade those who are kind enough to listen to me, that a basic building block of effective distance running across the disciplines is an improving road 10K time. The distance combines the requirement for both stamina and speed, which underpin our training philosophies, and all we hope to achieve. It is achievable by all – the hobby runner can come in minutes after the international athlete, and yet the marathon stars like London winners Eamonn Martin and Paula Radcliffe, come up from the ranks of 10,000m runners.
Looking at the diary of races I have seen ideal opportunities to train for that quick 10k time. Newer runners will be able to aim for a PB. For an old soldier like myself, a realistic aim is a best time in the last two years. The method is simple, and one, which my acquaintance would approve – “ Why train when you can race?” He would say, indeed on one occasion he raced the Ilkley 10k and the Bradford Half Marathon on the same day. My acquaintance, though, knew that he could not hope to improve on personal best times at one distance, without running significantly faster at a shorter race distance; an approach based on that simple maxim: “Under the distance, over the speed”.
There is a once only 10k on 27th July on the new Bingley relief road. In the period before it there are several races at shorter distances. My suggestion is that, in addition to Tuesday speed sessions, which will be 10k orientated, some or all of the shorter races should be used as “tempo runs”. At its simplest, a tempo run is a warm up period, followed by a sustained distance at pace, then a warm down period. The John Carr series of 5k races on Wednesdays May 14, 21 28, are ideal if preceded and followed by a couple of easy miles warm up and warm down jog, as is the Full Bronte 5 mile race and the Chevin fell race. With the correct tapering week, the Bingley 10k race could provide a cluster of “best times” for club members.
But
finally, who was this elusive acquaintance, whom I at first could not
place? Well I hope to meet him again in
the Bingley race, or more realistically just keep him in my sights – he’s just
a younger, faster me from years ago, who thought he could run forever and keep
getting better. He may occasionally nod
in my direction at a race, but vanishes like a ghost at every finish line – Chris.
Website: Visit us at www.idleac.co.uk