Contents
Coming Events: January, February & March. 2
Attendance Scheme/ Club races – 2006 details: 3
Race results: Various races. 5
Fell Races: Jan to end March 06. 5
Baildon Boundary Way- 2nd April 8
West Yorkshire Winter League 2005/6 season. 8
WYWL Fourth Fixture at Baildon: 9
London Marathon 2006 - 23rd April 10
4th Annual Sewage Works Surprise Club Handicap
Race: Sunday 18th December: 10
What 2006 has to offer Idle AC. 13
Black Sheep Brewery Race Series 2006. 14
Keswick to Barrow event: Saturday 6th May 06. 15
Events in bold indicate a ‘club’ event which members are encouraged to run.
|
Date |
Event |
|
Sun 8th Jan 06 |
3rd WYWL event - Neutral event jointly hosted by LBT
& Pudsey Pacers. Bramley Falls Park ALL club required. See below. |
|
Sat 14th Jan 06 |
Yorkshire
X Country Champs, Rotherham. See below. |
|
Sun 22nd Jan 06 |
Brass
Monkey Half Marathon, York. Race full no late entries. |
|
Sun 29th Jan 06 |
4th
WYWL event at Tong Park, Baildon. ALL club required. See below. |
|
Sun 5th Feb 06 |
Dewsbury
10k, 9.30am. Flat out & back course. |
|
Sun 12 Feb 06 |
Liversedge
Half marathon. 12 noon, hilly course. |
|
Sun 19th Feb 06 |
Final
WYWL event at Stainland. ALL club required. See below. |
|
Sun 26th Feb 06 |
Huddersfield
10k 11.15 am. |
|
Fri 10th March 06 |
WYWL
Presentation Night, hosted by Stainland Lions. |
|
Sat 11th March 06 |
Dentdale
Run, 14.3 miles, Dent, Cumbria. 1pm. |
|
Sun 12th March 06 |
Spen
20. 10am. A must for those running Spring marathons!! |
|
Sun 19th March 06 |
South
Leeds Stadium 5 mile.10.30am. |
Top 25 Club Races for 2005: Handicap/ Attendance Scheme - 10 out of 25 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.
November 05 Attendance winner was
Richard Lyons and the 2005 year attendance winner was Gary Naylor.
The Club races for 2006, where points can be earned, are as
follows:
|
Date |
Race Details |
Comments. |
|
February 12th Sun |
Liversedge Half Marathon, 12.00 noon. |
|
|
March 12th – Sun |
Spen 20mile, 10am. |
|
|
April- Sun 2nd |
Baildon Boundary Way Half, 10.30am. |
|
|
May – Wed 3rd |
John Carr 5k, Esholt, 7.30pm.
Fast, flat course. |
Club race 2006 |
|
May-TBA Sun. |
Leeds Half Marathon, 10am. |
|
|
May 3rd - Wed |
Hare & Hounds Fell
Race, Lothersdale. 3.6m/690’. BS. |
|
|
May -Sun 14th |
Ripon 10m. Part of Black
Sheep series. |
|
|
May
TBA– Sat |
Eldwick & Gilstead
Gala Fell Race. |
|
|
May – Sun 28th
|
Melmerby 10k. Part of
Black sheep series. |
|
|
June- Sat 3rd |
Kirkby Malzeard 10k. Part of Black sheep series. |
|
|
June TBA– Thurs |
Bronte 5, 7.30pm. Hilly
two lap course. |
|
|
June- TBA Thurs |
Apperley Bridge Canter
race. 7.30pm. Approx 10k. |
|
|
June TBA –Sun |
Harewood House 10k |
|
|
July 1st –
Sat |
Burn Valley Half. Part
of Black Sheep series. 2pm. |
|
|
July 1st –
Sat |
Carr Lane Challenge. 5
mile trail race. |
|
|
July 12th –
Wed |
Stirton Fell race. BS,
7.30pm. 5.5 miles/1200’. |
|
|
Aug 12th –
Sat |
Arncliffe 4 mile Road
race at 1.30pm and/or 1.8m fell race (443’) AS, 3pm. |
|
|
Aug 28th –Mon |
Spofforth 10k Trail.
1.30pm. |
|
|
Aug TBA- Sat |
Burnsall 10m road race
and/or 1.5 m fell race. |
|
|
Sept 10th- Sun |
Robin Hood Full & Half
marathons, Nottingham 10.05am |
|
|
Oct TBA– Sun |
Horsforth 10k, 10am. |
|
|
Oct TBA-Sun |
Bridlington Half marathon, 12 Noon. |
|
|
Oct – Sun 29th |
Holmfirth 15mile. 10.30am. |
|
|
Nov TBA– Sun |
Guy Fawkes 10mile 10.30am. |
|
|
Nov TBA Sun |
Abbey Dash 10k, 9.30am. |
|
Chevin
Chase 7 mile – Boxing Day:
105 Simon
Bellwood 49.42
133 Donna
Edmondson-Booker 50.33
134 Chris
Smith 50.34
167 Adrian
Trevelyan 52.14
183 Richard
Lyons 52.47
192 Phil
Routh 53.19
228 Dave
Lewis 54.22
262 Richard
Raistrick 55.30
388 Dexter
Wright 59.31
410 Jo
Belcher 1.00.34
453 Laura
Brook 1.02.00
494 Alison
Garlick 1.03.18
574 Davina
Smith 1.05.41
807 Jane
Lewis 1.17.57
846 Claire
McConnell 1.25.37
There were 855 runners. Dave Currie is missing from the results.
Auld
Lang Syne Fell Race – 31st Dec:
6.5m/1000'
256 Phil
Routh 61.55
279 Dave
Lewis 62.55
285 Tony
Blythe 63.20
290 Simon
Blackburn 63.54
369 Michael
Masleczko 69.57
413 Laura
Brook 76.12
There were 432 runners.
Please
note that many races require that competitors carry waterproof clothing, map
and compass for the competitor’s safety. Failure to comply with a race
organiser's requirements will mean that you will be barred from taking part in
the race. Competitors should arrive at races prepared to carry any or all of
the following equipment: Windproof whole body cover, other body cover
appropriate to the conditions, map and compass suitable for navigating the
course, whistle, emergency food (long races). This equipment is mandatory at
all Cat A Long and Medium races.
If this
is the first time you have considered fell racing select a race distance well
under the distance you normally run on the road.
If you
retire during a race you MUST notify the officials at the finish.
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.
SAT
JAN 7th GREG HOUGHTON
MEMORIAL OVENDEN FELL RACE. BM. 11.30am 8m/1200’ from Ogden reservoir, Causeway Foot, off
the A629 Halifax-Keighley road. Memorial race for Greg Houghton who lost his life on the
Cuillins of Skye. All proceeds to Skye Rescue Team. Website: www.cvfr.co.uk
SUN.JAN
22nd THE 23rd SOREEN ‘STANBURY SPLASH’. BM. 11.30 am. 7 miles/1200 feet from Penistone Hill Country
Park, Haworth. £3 on day. All finishers receive a Soreen Malt loaf, free coffee
and biscuits.
SAT
FEB 11th WADSWORTH HALF TROG.
BM. 10
am. 9m/1500’ from the Old Town Cricket Club, Hebden Bridge. £5.50, closing
date: 6th Feb. No entries on day. Website: www.cvfr.co.uk
SAT
FEB 11th WADSWORTH TROG.
BL. 10.10
am. 10m/4000’ from the Old Town Cricket Club, Hebden Bridge. £5.50, closing
date: 6th Feb. No entries on day. Website: www.cvfr.co.uk Full body cover, map, compass, whistle and emergency food
must be carried for either events above. No kit, no run.
SUN
FEB 26th ILKLEY MOOR FELL RACE. AS. 11.30am. 5m/1260’ from Wells
Road, Ilkley. £3 on day. Website: www.ilkleyharriers.co.uk
SAT
MARCH 4th NOON STONE FELL RACE. AM. 12 noon. 9m/2300’ from Brisk Inn,
Lumbutts, Todmorden. £3.50 on day. Website: www.todharriers.co.uk
SAT
MARCH 11th. HALF TOUR OF PENDLE. AM. 11am. 9m/2250’ from Barley
Village, near Burnley. £2.50 to organiser by 4th March. Website: www.clayton-le-moors-harriers.co.uk
SUN
MARCH 12th. IAN ROBERTS
FELL RACE. BM. 11.00pm
7m from Marsden Cricket Club. £3 on day. Website: www.holmfirthharriers.com
SAT
MARCH 11th. WUTHERING HIKE (Haworth Hobble). BL. 8am. 31m/4400’ from Westfield
Lodge, Moorside Lane, Oxenhope. £18 teams of 2 or £10 solo. Entry on official
entry form. Full kit to be carried. Bring mug for drinks en route. Hot meal at
finish, showers/changing. Website: www.kcac.co.uk
SAT
MARCH 11th TINA HORN MEMORIAL “WINDMILL WIZZ” BM. 11.30 am. 6 miles/800’ from Ogden Reservoir,
Causeway Foot, off A629 Halifax-Keighley Road. £4 on day. Website: www.halifaxharriers.co.uk
SAT
MARCH 25th MIDGLEY MOOR FELL RACE. AS. 11am. 5m/1250’ from Booth
Cricket Club, Booth, Halifax. £3.50 on day. Website: www.cvfr.co.uk
The
greatly loved (free cream egg and prizes of Easter Eggs!!) Bunny Runs from
Harden Moor which usually take place the 4 Tuesdays in April will NOT take place in 2006. This is
because the pub (Guide Inn) is not available for registration and
prizegiving. This is really sad
for the fell fixture list as these have been well attended local races which
were accessible to all levels, and these races have been lovingly organised by
Dave & Eileen Woodhead for many, many years.
This
race is now full to runners but hopefully you all got your entries in?? If not,
try the Ackworth Half on the same day. Entry forms at the club.
The third event at Bramley Fall woods saw 34 runners from
Idle AC, which is more than half the membership!
Ian
Fisher won the race, and the men’s team packed well to push back Stainland.
Donna Edmondson-Booker claimed third for the women, with new girl Hayley tenth.
Idle have now climbed to 4th place in the overall team positions. The overall team results after three
races are:
|
Men |
|
|
Vets |
|
|
Pudsey |
3913 |
|
Dewsbury |
1429 |
|
LBT |
3857 |
|
LBT |
1361 |
|
Dewsbury |
3733 |
|
Pudsey |
1355 |
|
Idle
A C |
3574 |
|
St.
Bede's |
1267 |
|
Stainland |
3527 |
|
Idle
A C |
1238 |
|
St.
Bede’s |
3073 |
|
Stainland |
1227 |
|
Baildon |
2936 |
|
Baildon |
1198 |
|
Skipton |
2325 |
|
Skipton |
1023 |
|
Women |
|
|
Overall |
|
|
Dewsbury |
887 |
|
LBT |
4695 |
|
LBT |
838 |
|
Pudsey |
4655 |
|
Stainland |
803 |
|
Dewsbury |
4620 |
|
Idle
A C |
797 |
|
Idle
A C |
4371 |
|
Pudsey |
742 |
|
Stainland |
4330 |
|
Baildon |
724 |
|
St.
Bede’s |
3770 |
|
St.
Bede’s |
697 |
|
Baildon |
3660 |
|
Skipton |
451 |
|
Skipton |
2776 |
The remaining fixtures are:
Date Host
club Venue
4. Jan 29th Baildon Runners Tong Park, Baildon.
5. Feb 19th Stainland Lions Possible
new course from Heath Rugby
Club.
All are 11am starts. Full details will be circulated to members prior to
each event. The WYWL Presentation Night, hosted by Stainland
Lions will take place on Friday 10th March. Further details to
follow.
Whilst
the League does offer individual trophy positions, its primary objective is team
competition. The five team scores are added together
to decide the following team trophies:
1st Combined Team, 2nd
Combined Team, 3rd Combined Team.
1st Male Team.
1st Female team.
1st Vets Team
(combination of male/females).
A club team is the first seven men to cross the line (which
must include 2 vets), and the first three women (including 1 vet), in each
event.
The vets’ team is the 2 male and the one female counting
vets added together.
Different runners may score in different races - it’s
just first past the post on the day.
The first Combined Team can enter the National Cross
Country Final and the 2nd Combined Team can enter the Plate Race at
the National Final which will take place at Nottingham on 19th March
06. Further details will be
circulated prior to each event.
The
fourth WYWL race is hosted by Baildon Runners at 11 AM on 29TH
January 2006. The venue is at Baildon Rugby club direction details as below.
There
are changing rooms, shower facilities and car parking.
Afterwards
there will be food available.
The race
start is about 5 minutes run from the club so please allow time to reach it.
At the Rugby & Cricket Sports Club, Baildon, not far
from the village centre. From the
roundabout in the centre of the village go uphill passing the Malt Shovel pub
on the right and take the first right, after the Co-op car park, into Jenny
Lane. The entrance to the Sports
Club is 300m on the left as the road sweeps right. The course is approx 8k all off road.
Adrian
Trevelyan and Stephen Edwards were the worthy winners of the draw for the
club’s two London marathon entries. They will join Laura Brook, Jo Belcher,
Simon Bellwood and Davina Smith who also have London entries.
Congratulations to
Pete Helliwell who was recently presented with a trophy after finishing 2nd
M40 at the 15 mile Yorkshire Veterans championship race which forms part of the
Holmfirth 15 mile race. Well done Pete.
|
Position |
Name |
Mile |
3.75
Mile |
Start
|
Time |
Actual |
|
|
|
|
Handicap |
|
|
|
|
Champ! |
Jane
Lewis |
9.71 |
36.43 |
0.00 |
35.29 |
35.29 |
|
2 |
Chris
Stubbs |
6.00 |
22.49 |
14.10 |
36.05 |
21.55 |
|
Top
Nun! |
Amy
Harrison |
9.48 |
35.57 |
0.52 |
36.10 |
35.18 |
|
2nd
Nun! |
Kay
Gambles |
9.48 |
35.57 |
0.52 |
36.15 |
35.23 |
|
3 |
Richard
Lyons |
6.23 |
23.38 |
13.03 |
36.15 |
23.12 |
|
4 |
Gary
Naylor |
7.04 |
26.39 |
10.02 |
36.24 |
26.22 |
|
5 |
Peter
Hilliard |
6.43 |
24.09 |
12.20 |
36.31 |
24.11 |
|
6 |
Amnuay
Scott |
7.42 |
27.82 |
8.36 |
36.36 |
28.00 |
|
7 |
Adrian
Trevelyan |
6.23 |
23.38 |
13.03 |
37.26 |
24.23 |
|
8 |
David
Lewis |
6.27 |
23.52 |
12.56 |
37.35 |
24.39 |
|
9 |
Ana
Lincoln |
8.03 |
30.12 |
6.19 |
37.54 |
31.35 |
|
10 |
Tracey
Stoneman |
7.65 |
28.68 |
7.45 |
38.00 |
30.15 |
|
11 |
Steve
Little |
6.43 |
24.09 |
12.20 |
38.05 |
25.45 |
|
12 |
Dave
Currie |
7.19 |
26.96 |
9.28 |
38.10 |
28.42 |
|
13 |
Davina
Smith |
7.65 |
28.68 |
7.45 |
38.37 |
30.52 |
|
14 |
Dave
Dewhirst |
7.95 |
29.83 |
6.36 |
39.12 |
35.36 |
|
Ex
Champ! |
Stephen
Edwards |
6.35 |
23.81 |
12.37 |
39.31 |
26.54 |
|
16 |
Peter
Helliwell |
6.20 |
23.23 |
13.30 |
40.00 |
35.00 |
From The Champ….
I can’t begin to tell you how good it is to be leading from the front
Paula Radcliffe style instead of staring at people’s bums all the way round a
race.
That is what makes a handicap race such fun – it is the only
time the slowest person and the fastest person are competing on a level playing
field – or a hilly sewage works tour in this case!
I’m not known for being upfront and strident in my athletic career so
it was with great astonishment and joy that I managed to snatch the toilet seat
trophy from under the bottom of the mighty Chris Stubbs by thirty seconds.
I’d done a recce the week before because I’d never attended the
Christmas handicap race before and had no idea where it went. I knew I would be
setting out first because hey – there is no-one slower than me! Although
I had been told there would be marshals on the course I was still really
worried I would get lost.
I completed the circular route in 39 minutes, so having the Lewis
name yet again on the trophy was looking somewhat a pipe dream, especially when
I learnt on the morning of the race that Chris had me down to do it in 36
minutes.
However, my friend Liz had made me a Mother Christmas outfit and I
was determined to give it a blast no matter what – although I was
wittering that the rain might dampen my fluffy fur trim if not my spirits! So I
lined up with all the other maniacs on that freezing cold morning a week before
Christmas Day.
As I was running down The Avenue past the sewage works I met a few
people walking their dogs and shouted out Good Morning. They looked a little
startled to see a lone Mother Christmas being strangled by a cape that was
already spinning round and tightening its bow around my neck, but nonetheless
cheerily returned my greetings.
As I turned right up the track through Gill Wood I took it very
steady. Hills are not exactly my forte! I always look like a Christmas toy that
has had its battery plucked out by a curious toddler, so I was pretty certain I
was going to get overtaken up the hill.
However, I had a couple of fast-living nuns panting behind me so I
kept my head down and just ploughed on. I felt flushed with success having
reached the top of the hill and negotiated the bend still at the front.
However, as I started the long descent down Apperley Lane the lead was snatched
from me by Amy, the promising 17 year-old from the Wednesday group. It was like
a starting gun had gone off in my head. I kicked back and ran like a demon all
the way down the hill without daring to look back.
Halfway down the hill Trevor met me on his bike and I almost leapt on
it, but resisted the temptation and carried on unable to speak – or
barely breathe at this point!
Trevor spurred me on shouting “It’s not far now – there’s quite
a gap – it’s not far now!”
Actually Chris was closing up the gap with an astonishing turn of
speed down that hill and I had absolutely no idea. I think his extra large
orange shorts were propelling him along.
Chris Smith had worked out his timings well as the fastest person and
the slowest person were battling to cross the finishing line first. I had to
charge like a demented rhino and make myself feel sick to knock a minute off my
expected time and sniff the (sweet!) success of claiming that toilet seat.
However, it was a great feeling as I know I don’t have a chance in
hell of ever winning a race again. The only trouble is – where am I going
to put the damn thing!
- The ‘Champ’, Jane Lewis.
Just a reminder that
although we have race entry forms at the club (race entries folder) a quick way
of getting entry forms (and results) is via the UK Results site. This is an
excellent site run by John Schofield which contains loads of useful running
stuff. The website address is: www.ukresults.net. Alternatively follow the links from
our website: Go into events and results page, current events, click on the
‘full uk results service’ at the bottom of the page.
Once again we achieved a huge amount in 2005.
We hope to build on our success and continue to offer a great deal in
2006. We will continue to build up
the club in terms of the numbers, the ethos, and in the support and enthusiasm
that we can all provide to one another. We will continue to offer weekly coached seasons on
Tuesdays,
offering hill and speed work. In addition we now offer additional monthly
coached sessions on the 1st Wednesday in every month (at
6.30pm). We will continue with the
Attendance and Handicap Scheme and Steve will again be offering the vets the
delights of the Vets League plus other events. We will hold our fourth Annual General Meeting in
April.
We will be encouraging members to support the
charity Keswick to Barrow 40 mile event in May. In addition we’ll continue to
encourage members to race at a variety of distances, especially the races that
form the 2006 club race listed events. Once again we hope to support the Black
Sheep Series and the John Carr Series.
In addition to running events there will be
‘social’ events such as the WYWL Presentation evening on 10th March
hosted by Stainland Lions (details later).
However the highlight of 2006 will be our
hosting of the 2nd Idle Trail race on Sunday 16th July.
We will need the whole club (plus family and friends) to make it a success-
please ensure everyone is available.
Finally, we will, of
course be competing in the West Yorkshire Winter League This is just a tiny number of
things that Idle A C will be offering in 2006. If you want something done - see a committee member: Davina
Smith, Martin Burnside, Chris Smith, Steve Little or Kay Gambles
This month we welcome 2 new members – Hayley Atkinson-Windsor and Hannah Peacock. Hayley lives locally and met the club at the Apperley Bridge Canter last summer. She hopes that by joining a club she’ll become a more competitive runner and triathlete.
Hannah started running with the Wednesday night group after hearing about the club from Partner Sam who occasionally joins the Tuesday coached sessions. Hannah runs first claim for Otley AC but is keen to join in club activities. Both Hayley and Hannah joined the 34 strong Idle team for the cross country at Bramley.
The Black Sheep
Brewery Race Series is 6 separate running events organised by towns and
villages in scenic North Yorkshire. The objective is to complete 5 out of 6
races, 3 x 10k's plus the 10 mile and 1/2 marathon. Runners who complete the
required races will be awarded with a personalised plaque including their name,
total time and position.
Category winners will be presented with Age Group Plaques plus prize vouchers.
Prizes and plaques will be awarded to
the first five Male/Female runners overall, plus the first 3 in the following
age groups:- MO/40, MO/45, MO/50, MO/55, MO/60, MO/65, - FO/35,
FO/40, FO/45, FO/50, FO/55, FO/60,
FO/65.
THE RACES
Ripon 10 mile: On Sunday May 14th, from Ripon Cricket Club.
Melmerby 10k: On Sunday May 28th, from the village of Melmerby.
Kirkby Malzeard: On Saturday June 3rd, from the village of Kirkby Malzeard.
Rainton 10k: On Sunday June 25th, from the village of Rainton.
Burn Valley Run: On Saturday July 1st, from the market town of Masham.
Burton Leonard 10k: On Sunday July 23rd, from the village of Burton Leonard.
All races can be entered
individually as well as part of the series. Entry forms available at the club but closing date (series)
is 14th April 06 or when the series limit of 220 is reached. For
news and results visit: www.blacksheeprunners.co.uk
The Black Sheep series is highly recommended by members of Idle AC. Lots of
the events involve fun runs for the children and are generally good days out.
The Keswick to Barrow Walk is a 40 mile sponsored stroll
through some of the country’s finest landscapes. The route starts on the
southern side of the Lake District town of Keswick and winds its way through
some of the most beautiful scenery to the Victorian town of Barrow in Furness
on the coast of the Irish Sea. Some of my work colleagues did it last
year & thoroughly enjoyed it. I think it is something that could be
done by members of Idle AC as a change from runs like the Blackpool
event. It’s a long way I know but you do not have to run it all, after
all it’s classed as a “walk”.
It is essentially a “sponsored walk” but there is no
minimum amount of sponsorship demanded & there is no entry fee! The
idea is that you get a team together of up to 10 people & between you raise
some money for a given charity. The size of the team isn’t important nor
is the amount of cash raised. There are checkpoints along the way with
food & drinks available (at a small cost). Alternatively we can have
someone with a “support vehicle” with sandwiches & energy drinks etc if
there’s interest & a willing driver amongst us.
As a guide, last year there were 1008 entries with the
slowest time being 16hrs 40mins. If you do manage to run it all you will
get inside the top 50 with a time of around 6hrs 45mins. The winning male
last year did it in a time of 4hrs 42mins & the winning lady’s time was
5hrs 50mins. I believe that Idle AC could attain some very good results
& end up with a good team prize to boot.
For further info look at their excellent website at: http://www.keswick2barrow.co.uk/home.asp
As the race is on the Saturday you will need to be there
very early or better still stay overnight in or near Keswick. There’s a
good camp site called Castlerigg Farm that charges £12 per night. Their details
can be found on http://www.castleriggfarm.com/
I’m just trying to establish whether there’s any interest
at this point so if anyone is remotely interested in “having a go” then drop an
email to:- martin@idleac.co.uk
This is not a commitment to go but I would like a rough
idea of numbers at this stage.
If anyone wants any further info & can’t find it on
the website, then again drop me an email & I’ll find out for you – Martin.
There is definite interest in this event from club
members. Please write your name on the notice board at the club if you are
interested.
Kent’s Gymnasium can be a depressing place. At the times
when I can go, there are rows of empty machines, and the writhing semi-naked
female dancers on the giant screen pout at rows of absent members. I was making a feeble attempt at a
speed session on a stationary bike last week, when a man climbing the stairs
caught my eye and kept looking, in the way that people do when they recognise
someone. He came towards me.
“You
don’t remember me, do you?” he said.
I wasn’t sure, but I suspected he was a carpet fitter. “I used to run with you at Eccleshill a
few years ago.” He asked about the
club, and I told him the tale of Idle AC.
He sounded keen, and said he only lived on All Alone – quite
handy. I encouraged him as I
always do in such situations, and asked what he did for a living. “Oh I’m a floor layer, a carpet
fitter,” he responded. He’s
diversified. I remembered him
– he gave us a decent gas heater for the old clubhouse, but his work
prevented him from continuing.
They get bad knees, carpet fitters.
It occurred to me that there are many people who leave,
and then come back to running. The
urge to run must be preset at birth, and inescapable through life, for certain
people. So after eighteen years on
the local circuit, I’m meeting again people who started running in the boom of
the eighties, and who were around when I affiliated Eccleshill Road Runners in
1989. One shining example is Peter
Hilliard. To many he may just seem
to be a promising new member, but we have photos of him completing the old
Thornton Bradford Half Marathon fully fifteen years ago in Eccleshill colours
in a highly respectable time. At
about the same time a certain Tony Blythe gave us £10 for a club vest, got
injured, and stopped running. We
owed him that money for seven years, until a mutual friend asked if he might
have it back. Both have seen their
running careers reborn, though Tony’s current vest cost a little more.
Therefore it is obvious that a distance runner is a type
of person, who is born, not made.
Yet in the departure and return of the natural runners among us, we see
the swing of work-life balance.
It’s lately become a commonly used phrase, and I guess we are lucky in
comparison with our ancestors in that we can discuss it at all.
The point I intend to reach is simple (for once!). We have a sport – an activity or
pastime, which will wait patiently for us whilst we work horrendous hours at a
new and exciting career; it may
fade into insignificance when we discover that the person that we have fallen
in love with is more important than anything in the entire known universe; it will remain in the background whilst
we start families and raise children;
it may not seem so important when we become disaffected or injured, or
angry that some people bring politics into everything. Yet at the very moment when our
situation changes, and time will always see priorities shift, it is there, and
gently reminds us that we should start again.
Conversely, if we choose at any stage to concentrate on
it, to apply ourselves for a spell in our lives, then it will pay us back in
terms of personal achievement which is directly related to personal
effort. My belief is that our
sport is unique in that respect.
If at any time we choose to run more, and run more quickly than we did
before, then the mental and physical benefits are inevitable. If I were to put a similar effort into
a technical sport like table tennis or golf, then the effects would be
negligible – I just don’t have the talent or the mentality. Yet in distance running I can quite
simply make my heart and lungs more efficient, I can control my bodyweight and
tone my muscles in the most natural way possible, since human beings are
designed to run. Furthermore, I
can positively influence my mental state through the release of endorphins, the
exercise induced chemicals which produce a natural high.
Whatever the standard or speed at which I run, this will
happen to me. And if at any time
in my life I am prevented from doing this, it matters little. As soon as I am able to, I can begin
again, and the positive process will begin again too. If I can retain some element of distance running at all
throughout my life, then I can take comfort in the fact, proved by statistics,
that unlike the rows of absent gymnasium members, I am ten times less likely to
die before my time. –
Chris.
Current Men’s Club Records
|
Distance |
Category |
Name |
Time |
|
5
Km |
Open |
Joe
Marjoram |
17.08 |
|
M40 |
Simon
Bellwood |
18.30 |
|
|
M45 |
David
Lewis |
18:46 |
|
|
M50 |
Trevor
Hooley |
21.22
|
|
|
5
Miles |
Open |
Doug
Briggs |
29:43 |
|
M40 |
Chris
Stubbs |
31.06 |
|
|
M45 |
Richard
Lyons |
33.22 |
|
|
M50 |
Trevor
Hooley |
38.42 |
|
|
10
Km |
Open |
Douglas
Briggs |
36.13 |
|
M40 |
Chris
Stubbs |
38.32 |
|
|
M45 |
Dave
Lewis |
38:57 |
|
|
10
Miles |
Open |
Joe
Marjoram |
1:01:22 |
|
M40 |
Chris
Stubbs |
1:05:14 |
|
|
M45 |
Steve
Little |
1:08:54 |
|
|
M50 |
Trevor
Hooley |
1:20:04 |
|
|
Half
Marathon |
Open |
Douglas
Briggs |
1:18:58 |
|
M40 |
Chris
Smith |
1:24:05 |
|
|
M45 |
Steve
Little |
1:28:38 |
|
|
15
Miles |
Open |
Chris
Stubbs |
1:37:03 |
|
M40 |
Simon
Bellwood |
1:43:58 |
|
|
M45 |
Trevor
Hooley |
2:03:18 |
|
|
20
Miles |
Open |
Chris
Smith |
2:24:00 |
|
M40 |
Simon
Bellwood |
2:17:26 |
|
|
M45 |
Richard
Lyons |
2:34:51 |
|
|
Marathon |
Open |
Chris
Smith |
3:04:12 |
|
M40 |
Simon
Bellwood |
3:02:18 |
|
|
M45 |
Richard
Lyons |
3:36:15 |
|
|
M50 |
Trevor
Hooley |
4:15:08 |
Current Women’s Club Records
|
Distance |
Category |
Name |
Time |
|
5 Km |
Open |
Donna Edmondson |
19:03 |
|
F40 |
Laura Brook |
22.04 |
|
|
F45 |
Kay Gambles |
20.59 |
|
|
5 Miles |
Open |
Donna Edmondson |
34:57 |
|
F45 |
Kay Gambles |
40.03 |
|
|
F50 |
Ana Lincoln |
43.13 |
|
|
10 Km |
Open |
Donna Edmondson |
42:33 |
|
F45 |
Kay Gambles |
47:11 |
|
|
F50 |
Ana Lincoln |
52:39 |
|
|
10 Miles |
Open |
Donna Edmondson |
1:13:00 |
|
F45 |
Kay Gambles |
1:16:50 |
|
|
F50 |
Ana Lincoln |
1.32.38 |
|
|
Half Marathon |
Open |
Donna Edmondson |
1:33:22 |
|
F40 |
Kay Gambles |
1:51:00 |
|
|
F45 |
Kay Gambles |
1:44:44 |
|
|
F50 |
Ana Lincoln |
1:53:27 |
|
|
15 Miles |
Open |
Donna Edmondson |
1:50:54 |
|
F35 |
Amnuay Scott |
2:00:43 |
|
|
20 Miles |
Open |
Joanne Belcher |
3:01:18 |
|
F35 |
Davina Smith |
3:01:01 |
|
|
F40 |
Kay Gambles |
3:02:00 |
|
|
Marathon |
Open |
Joanne Belcher |
3:37.15 |
|
F40 |
Kay Gambles |
4:10:00 |
|
|
F45 |
Laura Brook |
4:07:42 |