Contents

Coming Events: February, March and April 2

Attendance Scheme/ Club races – 2004 details:. 3

Isle of Man Marathon and Half 2004- 15^th Aug. 5

Mens 12 stage and women’s 6 stage road relay championship on Saturday 3^rd April at Lister park, Bradford. 5

Race results: Male club record smashed! 6

Fell Races: Feb-End April 04. 6

New Members. 8

Blackpool Marathon/Half: Idle AC Club race 2004. 8

Black Sheep Brewery Race Series 2004. 9

West Yorkshire Winter League – 4^th Race Sun 8^th February at Pudsey. 9

Annual General Meeting – Thursday 22^nd April 04. 11

The Vets Bill 11

From the Coach…... 12

Coming Events: February, March and April

Events in bold indicate a ‘club’ event which members are encouraged to run.

Date	Event
Sun 1^st Feb 04	Dewsbury 10k, 9.30am. C/D 17^th Jan, no entries on day.
Sun 1^st Feb 04	Roundhay Romp 10k and 5k , 11am. Traffic free.
Sun 8^th Feb 04	4^th WYWL Cross country hosted by Pudsey Pacers, 11am.
Sun 15^th Feb 04	Liversedge Half marathon, 12 noon.
Sat 21^st Feb 04	National Cross Country Championships (Leeds). Idle to submit and men’s and women’s teams. See Chris for details.
Sun 22^nd Feb 04	Final WYWL Cross Country hosted by Skipton AC, 11am.
Sun 7^th March 04	Baildon Boundary Way. Off road half marathon. 10.30am. Event full.
Sat 13^th March 04	Dentdale 14. 1pm. Scenic road race. Free buffet.
Sun 14^th March 04	Spen 20. 10am. Hilly course but good marathon training.
Sun 21^st March 04	South Leeds Stadium 5k (10am) and 5 mile (11.15am).
Sun 21^st March 04	Stainland 7. 10am. Hilly course, free t-shirt.
Sun 21^st March 04	Doncaster Half, 10am.
Sun 27^th March 04	Meanwood Valley Trail race, 10.30am. Approx 7 ½ miles. Free bottle of beer to all finishers.
Sat 27^th March 04	Coniston 14, 11am. Scenic road race.
Sun 28^th March 04	Ackworth Half, 10.30am. National Championships.
Sun 3^rd April 04	Men’s 12 stage and women’s 6 stage relay. We hope to enter teams in each. See below for details.
Sun 4^th April 04	Wakefield 10k, 10am. Fast, flat course, attendance points race.
Sun 4^th April	Oldham Half Marathon, 11am. A single loop town and country road race. Entries available on the day.
Tuesday 6^th April	Bunny Run 1. 3 mile fell race, Guide Inn, Harden Moor, 7pm. Attendance points race.
Sun 11^th April 04	Guiseley Gallop 10k, 10.30am, off road, local event. Attendance points race.
Sun 18^th April 04	London Marathon. Martin, Simon, Pete H and Matthew flay the flag for Idle.
Sun 25^th April 04	Rothwell 10k, 11am. Fast course. Entries on day if 650 limit is not reached.

Attendance Scheme/ Club races – 2004 details:

Top twenty Club Races for 2004: Handicap/ Attendance Scheme - 8 out of 20 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. January’s Attendance winner is Simon Bellwood.

The Club races for 2004, where points can be earned, are as follows:

Date	Race Details	Comments.
January- Sun 25^th	Brass Monkey Half marathon, 10am.	18 Idle AC runners, many PB’s. Donna set a new Female club record with 1.35.14.
February - Sun 16^th	Liversedge Half Marathon, 12.00 noon.	10 Idle AC runners including 2 pbs. See results below.
March- Sun 7^th	Baildon Boundary Way Half, 10.30am.
March – Sun 14^th	Spen 20mile, 10am. Ideal for those planning to run a marathon in 2004.
April- Sun4^th	Wakefield 10k, 10am. Fast, flat course.
April- Tues 6^th	Bunny Run1, 3 mile ‘Fell’ race, 7.00 pm.
April – Sun 11^th	Guiseley Gallop 10k, 10.30am.
May- Sun 9^th	Fountains Abbey 10mile. Part of Black sheep series.
May- Sun 16th	Leeds Half Marathon, 10am.
June – Thurs DNK	Bronte 5. Hilly two lap course.
May - Wed –5^th	John Carr 5k, Esholt, first race. Fast, flat course. Good local event.
June - Sun 20^th	Blackpool Half or Full Marathon, 9am. 2004 club race/weekend away.
July? – Sun DNK	Harrogate 10k.
Sept – Sun DNK	Kirkstall Abbey 10k.
Oct – Sun DNK	Horsforth 10k, 10am.
Oct- Sun DNK	Bridlington Half marathon
Oct – Sun 31^st	Roundhay Romp 10k.
Nov- Sun DNK	Guy Fawkes 10mile, 10.30am.
Oct/Nov – Sun DNK	Holmfirth 15mile.
Nov- Sun DNK	Abbey Dash 10k, 9.30am.

Isle of Man Marathon and Half 2004- 15^th Aug.

Peter has had a lot of interest in these races, which are run on 15^th August 2004 and is in the process of sorting out a weekend away for club members departing on Friday 13^th and returning on Sunday 15th. If anyone else is interested please let Pete Vickers know.

Men’s 12 stage and women’s 6 stage road relay championship on Saturday 3^rd April at Lister Park, Bradford.

We hope to enter a men’s and women’s team in the above event. The men’s event is as follows:

4 stages x 5 miles (1-4-7-10) and 8 stages x 2.5 miles (2-3-5-6-8-9-11-12) starting at 11.30 am in Lister Park, Bradford.

The women’s event is 6 stages of 2.5 miles.

The closing date for the club to enter is Monday 15^th March therefore please let Chris know ASAP if you are not available to run.

Race results: Male club record smashed!

Dewsbury 10k 1^st Feb 04:

Doug set a new male club record when he ran the Dewsbury 10k in a time of 36.48. In addition Katy, Mandy and Jane all achieved pb’s. The results were:

61 Doug Briggs 36.48

166 Dave Lewis 41.08

226 Edward East 43.06

539 Katy Ostick 55.16

649 Mandy Keenan 68.26

653 Jane Lewis 70.09

There were 657 runners and Idle were 9^th female team and 22^nd male team.

Liversedge Half Marathon Sunday 15^th February 04:

10 runners ran this hilly half marathon. The results were:

106 Simon Bellwood 1.35.47

110 Matt Coles 1.36.49

157 Edward East 1.40.40

158 David Lewis 1.40.41

164 Michael Masleczko 1.40.59

202 Peter Helliwell 1.44.03

218 Jo Belcher 1.45.29

247 Amnuay Scott 1.49.23

277 Vicki Hawker 1.52.19

301 Martin Burnside 1.55.01

Fell Races: Feb-End April 04.

If you like the idea of fell running and would like to have a go please speak to Chris.

All fell races are given a grade indicating length and difficulty. Difficulty is indicated by:

A, no less than 250 feet climb per mile, not more than 20% on roads, at least 1 mile in length (NASTY);

B, not less than 125 feet climb per mile, not more than 30% on roads (FAIRLY NASTY);

C, not less than 100 feet of climb per mile, not more than 40% on roads and contain genuine fell terrain (NOT VERY NASTY) .

Length is indicated by: L, 12 miles or more; M, 6 miles and over but less than 12 miles; S, under 6 miles.

SUN FEB 29^th CLAY BANK EAST. BM. 10.30am. 6m/1000’ from Clay Bank carpark, near Stokesley, North Yorks. £4 on day. Website: www.middlesboroughathleticclub.org

SAT MARCH 13^th. IAN ROBERTS FELL RACE. BM. 2.30pm 7m from Marsden Cricket Club. £3 on day.

SAT MARCH 13^th. WUTHERING HIKE (Haworth Hobble). BL. 8am. 31m/4400’ from Westfield Lodge, Moorside Lane, Oxenhope. £16 teams of 2 or £9 solo. Refreshments on route., hot meal at finish, showers/changing. Website: www.keighleyandcraven.co.uk

SAT MARCH 20^th MIDGLEY MOOR FELL RACE. AS. 11am. 5m/1250’ from Booth Cricket Club, Booth, Halifax. £3 on day. Website: www.cvfr.co.uk

SAT APRIL 3^rd. PENDLE FELL RACE. AS. 2pm. 4.5m/1500’ from Barley Village Hall, Barley, near Burnley, Lancs. £2.50 on day. Website: www.clayton-le-moors-harriers.co.uk

SUN APRIL 4^th 27^TH GUISBOROUGH MOORS RACE. BL. 11am. 12.5m/2600’from Guisborough Rugby Club. £8 on day. Website: www.middlesboroughathleticclub.org

TUE APRIL 6^th BUNNY RUN 1. CS. 7.00 pm. 3 miles/300’ from the Guide Inn, Harden Moor. £2 on night. All finishers receive Cadbury’s Cream egg plus a special bottle of beer (Bunny Run one only). All prizes in Bunny Run Series are Easter Eggs. Three races to count out of four for overall awards. Idle AC attendance points race.

TUES APRIL 13^th BUNNY RUN 2 .CS. 7.15 pm. As above.

SUN APRIL 18^th WEST NAB FELL RACE. AS. 12.45pm 5.9 m/2000’ from Lathes Farm, Calmlands Road, Roud Edge, Meltham, Huddersfield. £3.50 on day.

TUES APRIL 20^th BUNNY RUN 3 .CS. 7.30 pm. As above.

TUES APRIL 27^th BUNNY RUN 4 .CS. 7.30 pm. As above. Free buffet to all finishers plus presentation of overall series awards. Three races out of four for overall awards.

Note: A full list of local fell races for 2004 is now available at the club or via the website. Chris also has a copy of the new FRA calendar.

New Members

This month we welcome 2 new members: Laura Brook and Dexter Wright. Laura has been running for 20 years and now wants to get faster. Dexter says that whilst girlfriend Laura makes him run, he too wants to get fitter and faster. As both are vets we look forward to welcoming them into team events, particularly the cross-country races.

Blackpool Marathon/Half: Idle AC Club race 2004

We have 18 entries so far off for the full and half marathon, including a women’s marathon team for the first time! It’s not too late to enter but please send entries direct to the organiser. As with last year we hope that many members will make a weekend of it - we have details of camping/ caravan sites (see Martin) and B & B accommodation in Lytham/St Anne’s (see Chris or Davina).

Black Sheep Brewery Race Series 2004.

There’s still time to enter the Black Sheep Brewery Race Series, which is a series of 6 separate running events organised in towns & villages in scenic North Yorkshire. The objective is to complete 4 out of 6 races, 3x10k plus the half marathon or 10 mile race. Runners who complete 4 out of 6 are awarded a silver plaque, with a gold plaque presented to runners who complete all 6 races. In addition category winners are determined by points gained in each race, and are based on your 3 best 10k’s plus your best long race. Points are awarded to the first 10 in each age category. There is then a presentation later in the year (at the Brewery) with prizes and trophies awarded to the 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd male and female, plus the first three in each age category. All races can be entered individually as well as part of the series. The closing date for the series is 30^th April 04.

The races in the series are as follows:

Fountains 10mile: Saturday May 9^th, from the village of Grantley near Ripon. Melmerby 10k: Sunday 30^th May, from the village just off the A1 near Ripon. Kirkby Malzeard 10k: Saturday 5^th June, the village is between Ripon & Masham. Rainton 10k: Sunday 27^th June, the village is on the opposite side of the A1 to Melmerby. Burn Valley Half: Saturday July 3^rd, from the market town of Masham. Burton Leonard 10k: Sunday 25^th July, the village is between Harrogate & Ripon.

West Yorkshire Winter League – 4^th Race Sun 8^th February at Pudsey.

We had 29 runners for the 4^th WYWL event at Pudsey. After four events the team results are as follows:

Men		Vets
Pudsey	5254	Baildon	1842
LBT	5094	Pudsey	1828
Idle A C	4817	Stainland	1826
Stainland	4706	St.Bede's	1772
St.Bede's	4387	Dewsbury	1760
Baildon	4168	LBT	1623
Dewsbury	4110	Skipton	1577
Skipton	3905	Idle A C	1541
Women		Overall
Baildon	1124	Pudsey	6332
Dewsbury	1119	Idle AC	5935
Idle A C	1118	Stainland	5755
Pudsey	1078	LBT	5575
Stainland	1049	Baildon	5292
St.Bede's	676	Dewsbury	5229
Skipton	591	St.Bede's	5063
LBT	481	Skipton	4493

We currently lie in the runner up position after 4 events and if we remain in that position then we are eligible to send a team to the National cross country league final to be held on Sunday 21^st March 04 at Beeston, Nottingham. Whilst we don’t want to count our chickens please keep the day free just in case!! Further details to follow.

Each year two very special trophies are presented to individuals - these are for the most improved male and female runner who has completed all 5 events. The most improved male runner receives the Dave Turpin Memorial Trophy and the most improved female runner receives the Paul Dowson Memorial Trophy. Through these trophies we remember two well known league competitors who both died suddenly, indeed within days of each other, during the 1999 -2000 season. After the fourth event Jo heads the table for the Paul Dowson trophy with 11 points followed by Kay on 7 points. The Dave Turpin memorial trophy table shows what great improvements everyone is making at each event. Stephen Edwards is at the top with 40 points closely followed by Pete Helliwell on 40 points and Edward East in third with 38 points.

The final fixture is as on 22^nd Feb 03 hosted by Skipton AC, 11am.

The presentation night will be held on Friday 19^th March at Idle Working Men’s club starting at 7.30pm, proceeded by an ‘ Happy Hour’ in the Syposium at 6.30pm. Please add your names to the list at the club if you are going so we can have idea of numbers for catering. The cost is £5 per person paid on the night.

Annual General Meeting – Thursday 22^nd April 04.

Idle AC’s second AGM will be held on Thursday 22nd April at 7.15pm at the Baptist church, Bradford Road, Idle. This is your big chance to air your views on the club’s present and future policy and activities. Please note that there will be no club training on this date. An agenda will be available to all members in early April and members are now invited to submit any agenda items to any committee member no later than 1^st April 2004. Members are also reminded that subs will be collected at the AGM when a membership form will need to be completed.

It would be appreciated if all subs could be paid by the beginning of May as the North of England subscriptions are due to be paid in May 2003.

The Vets Bill

The second in the cross-country trilogy was the Regional Cross Country Championship race at St Helens on Saturday 24^th January. Here was typical cross-country weather: sun, wind, rain, hail and snow all in one event. First away was the Women’s 8k race with our evergreen Vets of Amnuay Scott (169th) and Kay Gambles (189th). In the Men’s race over 12k were Steve Little (484th) the “Young Vet” Michael Masleczko (603rd) and Pete Helliwell (625th).

The next day Sunday dawned bright, sunny and cold at the Brass-Monkey ½ marathon in York with a massive turnout of Idle AC Vet’s. Steve Little finished 1:32:10 using a positive split technique approved by club coach Mr. C. Smith. Simon Bellwood timed at 1:35:27 set a new personal best, followed by Trevor Hooley in 1:41:46, Michael Masleczko 1:43:46, Amnuay Scott 1:48:04, Davina Smith 1:50:37, Peter Helliwell with Kay Gambles in 1:56:56 (first home in the club’s three-legged race championship) and Martin Burnside in 2:01:15.

February 1^st saw the Dewsbury 10k with a husband and wife team of Dave and Jane Lewis finishing in 41:08 and 70:09 (PB) respectfully.

Also on that day was the first Yorkshire Vets Grand Prix race at Horsforth, flying the Idle AC flag were Tony Bythe and Steve Little. There are no details yet of the other GP’s so watch this space.

With the demise of the Leeds Marathon this year it reminded me of the other local races which have been lost. There was the Bradford Boars Head Marathon which seemed to run from a different venue each year it ran. Then there was the Bradford to Leeds 10M race.

Who remembers the Calverley ½ Marathon that started and finished at Sainsburys in Greengates or the Bradford T&A ½ Marathon at Ainsbury Avenue in Thackley. In the 1987 race incidentally ran a very youthful Trevor Hooley!

What about the Bingley ½ Marathon or the Bob Smith 6M on New Years Day or the Beckfield 10k, the list goes on and on.

The prize for the most obscure race must go to the 1984 High Royds Fun Run of 7.3 miles in aid of the patients of the mental hospital at Menston. It only ran once and was open to staff and patients as well. Unfortunately rumour had it that quite a few of the patients didn’t finish the race and were seen running “Forest Gump” style into the distance.- Steve Little

From the Coach…

I wasn’t over sorry to see the end of the cross country season. Cross country provides strength, but there’s something definite missing once the winter wears on and the ground gets really soft.

What’s missing is rhythm – one thing that the distance road runner needs to develop and apply. Cross country is designed to challenge of course by denying the luxury of rhythm, but with loss of rhythm comes loss of speed.

The next stage then is clear. Davina recalled enjoying parts of the ‘National’ cross country course because ‘you could run’. She meant that you could get going, open up, and develop a coherent stride pattern.

This led me to a consideration of what is an effective stride pattern. The best marathon runners are sometimes described as having a metronomic pace. The meaning of the word in this context is constant and relentless. By definition also, the runner emulates a metronome, the device which ticks regularly at a selected rate to mark musical time. I was led to realise that we unconsciously apply a variety of musical terms to running. The rhythm already mentioned is a type of structure. That is, it concerns a set period between specific movements. Where cross country denies this, we can actively seek it on the road. Here the distance runner can begin to emulate the action of the metronome – to seek an effective cadence, or a form of movement which can most efficiently be continued – that is with the minimum outlay of effort and vital fuel. Indeed, through the adoption of an economic cadence, or running rhythm, the road distance runner can run further, faster.

Runners in the London marathon will tell you how the tempo of their running can be affected as they pass a band or an outside pub disco. It’s easy to pick up the pace to the tempo of the music, and only when it quietens down does the runner return to the tempo of their internal music.

I felt I had achieved great harmony with my own ‘internal music’ at the Spen 20 two years ago, when I had achieved a highly efficient metronomic pace, getting well under 7 minute pace for the first 13 miles. In fact I was rather pleased with myself as I crossed the M62 road bridge at Cleckheaton, studying my watch hard to continue observing my strong and effective pace. It was then that the music suddenly stopped, as I crashed heavily into a lamp-post, and I found myself on my back, looking at the sky.

Matthew Coles will confirm that whilst it’s harder to achieve rhythm in cross country, hitting the ground doesn’t hurt half as much as it does on the road.

Chris