Contents
Coming Events:
Nov, Dec 07 & Jan 08. 2
Attendance Scheme/ Club races – 2007 details: 3
Fell Races: Nov 07 to end Dec 07. 6
West Yorkshire Winter League 2007/8 season. 8
Christmas Do 2007 Saturday 8th December 07 at
8pm. 10
6th Annual Sewage Works Surprise Club Handicap
Race: Sunday 16th December at 10am. 10
Thursday Nights Run for All 11
Chevin Chase 7 mile off road race. 12
Monthly Website Competition. 12
Yorkshire & Northern Cross Country Championships
– confirmation of details. 12
Yorkshire Vets X Country Championships. 13
Club Records & Hall of Fame Records. 13
Yorkshire Vets Races 07 & 2008. 14
One Cold Morning of My Life. 14
Events in bold indicate a ‘club’ event which members are encouraged to run.
|
Date |
Event |
|
Sat 24th Nov 07 |
Wesham 10k, Near
Preston. 11am. Rural course. Race fills so need to enter ASAP. |
|
Sun 25th Nov 07 |
Leeds Abbey Dash,
see below. |
|
Sun 25th Nov 07 |
Rivock Edge Fell Race.
BM. 11.15am. 10m/1500’ Registration from
Bridge Inn, Silsden. Nr Keighley. |
|
Sun 2nd Dec 07 |
2nd WYWL cross country hosted by Dewsbury Road Runners.
See below. All club needed to run. |
|
Sat 8th Dec 07 |
Idle AC Christmas
Party. See below. |
|
Sun 16th Dec 07 |
Sewage Works
Surprise 4 mile handicap race. See below. |
|
Wed 26th Dec 07 |
Chevin Chase. 7m
(Approx) multi terrain race. 11am. Get your entries in. |
|
Wed 26th Dec 07 |
Leyland 10k, Lancs,
11am. |
|
Sun 30th Dec 07 |
Ribble Valley 10k,
Clitheroe, Lancs, 11am. |
|
Mon 31st Dec 07. |
Auld Lang Syne fell
Race. BM. 11.30 am. 6miles/900’ from
Penistone Hill Country Park, Haworth. |
|
Sun 6th Jan 08 |
3rd WYWL cross country hosted by Pudsey Pacers. See
below. All club needed to run. |
|
Sun 13th Jan 08 |
Yorks Vets Cross
Country Champs,Keighley. See below. |
|
Sun 20th Jan 08 |
Brass Monkey Half
marathon, York. RACE FULL. |
|
Sat 26th Jan 08 |
Northern Cross Country
champs, Leeds. See below. |
|
Sun 27th Jan 08 |
4th WYWL cross country hosted by Stainland Lions. See
below. All club needed to run. |
Top 25 Club Races for 2007: 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 prize 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.
October’s Attendance award is Chris Smith.
The Club races for 2007, where points can be earned are as follows.
|
Date |
Race Details |
Comments. |
|
February 11th Sun |
Liversedge Half Marathon, 12.00 noon. |
6 hardy souls ran this tough
½ m including Gary who was very near to his PB. |
|
March 18th – Sun |
Spen 20mile, 10am. |
Tough conditions with gale
force winds & hail stones but good runs from most of us, especially
Adrian, Gary & Tim and an F50 CR from Ana. |
|
March – Sun 25th |
Ackworth half, 10.30am. |
Dave Lewis flew the Idle
flag & was only seconds off his pb. |
|
April – Tues 3rd
|
Bunny Run (1) 3miles, 7pm. |
13 of us were
tempted by the allure of chocolate!! |
|
April –Sat 14th |
Meanwood Valley Trail Race, approx 7m. |
Jo, Hannah, Julie &
Simon ran this scenic trail course. |
|
April – Sun 29th
|
Rothwell 10k. |
Only Maria
& Ana attended this race which was soon full. Maria set a new F35 club
record. |
|
May – Wed 2nd |
John Carr 5k, Esholt, 7.30pm.
Fast, flat course. |
22 for this
local 5k. Loads of PB’s, including Gary who'd just run London. Clare S was 3rd
F35 got a pb & set a new F35 CR. New M50 CR for Steve Little. |
|
May -Sun 13th |
Ripon 10m. Part of Black
Sheep series. |
M50 Club record from Steve Little. F35 Club record &PB from Julie
Parker. |
|
May – Sun 27th
|
Melmerby 10k. Part of
Black sheep series. |
M50 CR from Steve and a fast race from Kay which was close to her PB. |
|
June – Wed 6th |
Chevin Fell Race, AS, 3.5m/900’. 7.30pm. |
No one ran this mid week
event this year. |
|
June – Thurs 7th |
Bronte 5, 7.30pm. Hilly
two lap course. |
F35 club record for Amnuay at this local event. |
|
June – Sun 10th
|
West Yorkshire Fire 5
2pm. Hilly & rural. Free food!! |
Gary, Lisa, Andy & Ana were tempted by a hilly rural run (or was
it the free food??). |
|
June – Wed 13th
|
Otley 10. 7.30pm. |
14 ran this very popular event. First club race for Shaun & Phil.
F35 club record for Ammy. |
|
July –Sat 7th
|
Oakworth Haul Fell Race,
BM, 5m/650’. 3pm. |
No one went to this event. |
|
July – Wed 11th |
Stirton Fell Race. BS.
5.5m/1200’. 7.30pm. |
Dave Lewis & Phill Routh flew the Idle flag. |
|
July –Sun 22nd
|
Pudsey 10k, 10.45. |
Rhea was 6th woman & won a bottle of wine. Gary, Andy,
Jo, Davina, Edward & Ana all ran. |
|
Aug – Sat 25th |
Burnsall 10 &/or fell
race |
Awaiting results |
|
Aug
–Mon 27th |
Spofforth 10k Trail. 1.30pm. |
Adrian & Ana enjoyed the trail race. |
|
Sept – Sun 2nd |
Sandal Castle 10k |
4 Idle vests turned out for this trail 10k |
|
Sept – Sun 9th |
Yorkshireman Marathon or Half, 10am. |
Chris Stubbs was 5th in the Marathon. Shaun ran his
debut. Dave L ran in the half |
|
Sept – Sun 30th |
Horsforth 10k, 10am. |
PB times from Laurence, Maria & Andy M. |
|
Oct –Sun 21st |
Withins
Skyline Fell Race, BM, 5m/800’ 11.30am. See below list. |
Laurence
was the sole Idle AC member at this local fell race. |
|
Oct – Sun 28th |
Holmfirth 15mile. 10.30am. |
All time club records from Simon, Julie & Ana. A current Club
record for Lisa Hall & pb’s for Andy M & Gary. Not a bad effort!!!! |
|
Nov – Sun 4th |
Guy Fawkes 10mile 10.30am. |
Julie & Ana were obviously inspired with their Holmfirth
success so did this off road 10 the following week. Well done. |
|
Nov - Sun 25th |
Abbey Dash 10k, 9.30am. |
All time club records from Ammie & Denise plus
current club records for Laurence & for new member Vicky Hudson. |
Withins Fell Race,21/10/07 7m/1000'
91 Laurence
Doddy 57.15
Holmfirth 15 28/10/07
43 Simon
Bellwood 1.43.53 M45 CR
Plus all time record. PB.
80 Gary
Naylor
1.52.57 PB
107 Tony
Brayshaw 1.58.21
140 Lisa
Hall
2.03.39 Female CR. PB.
214 Julie Parker
2.29.59 F35 CR Plus all time record. PB.
215 Andy
Moakler
2.29.59 PB
219 Ana
Lincoln
2.34.19 F50 CR. Plus all time record. PB.
See website: www.flamingphotography.co.uk
for Holmfirth 15 pics.
Guy Fawkes 10 4/11/07
653 Julie
Parker 1.37.23
775 Ana
Lincoln 1.46.22 There
were 828 runners.
Abbey Dash 10k 25/11/07
Laurence
Doddy 41.10 Current Male C/R.
Denise Frost
43.15 Current F50 C/R. All time F50 C/R. 3rd F50 in
race.
David Hudson 43.41
Richard Raistrick 45.13
Amnuay Scott 46.55 Current F40 C/R. All time
F40 C/R.PB.
Martin Burnside 51.07
Vicky Hudson 52.11 Current
Female C/R.
Ana Lincoln
57.28
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.
SUN
DEC 9th CALDERDALE WAY RELAY. 8am, 50miles/12000’ in six stages from Old
Rishworthians RUFC, Copley, Halifax. £48 per team of 12. Limit of 100 teams.
Website: www.halifaxharriers.co.uk
SUN
DEC 16th THE STOOP. BS. 11.30 am. 5 miles/800’ from Penistone Hill Country Park,
Haworth. £3 on day. All finishers receive a Cadbury’s Curly Wurly. Free coffee
& biscuits. All prizes are “Christmas Related”. Dave Woodhead event.
MON DEC 31st THE 14th BRISCOE’S BREWERY AULD LANG SYNE RACE. BM. 11.30 am. 6miles/900’ from Penistone Hill Country Park, Haworth. £3.50 on day. All finishers receive a bottle of beer. Free coffee & biscuits. All prizes are beers, ales, ciders etc. Dave Woodhead event.
Currently
waiting for 2008 Fell Race Fixture list. Watch this space.
In the
first event, hosted by Idle in Buck Woods a record 224 took part, including 73
women. Idle's contribution was 29 runners - half the Club. Whilst we lie in 6th overall, we are less than
100 points from fourth, and over 200 clear behind. I know our full
strength team will be in a strong position to challenge Baildon and Stainland
at Dewsbury's event on 2nd December.
This is the main league that we encourage members of Idle AC to run.
This
will be Idle AC’s sixth year in the WYWL and it’s important that as a club we
all try to commit to running in all 5 fixtures if at all possible as these are
TEAM events. In past years we have
proved that we can field a fairly strong team when the whole club runs. This
year we have many more members who will be a real asset in these events. Please
all take the opportunity to ask the Committee (and other members) any questions
about the WYWL, particularly if you are new to cross country running. The League, whilst competitive, is
friendly and encouraging to all levels. It would be great to have some of our newer
runners giving the WYWL events a go. I’ve (Davina) done over 15 years of League
races and I’m the worst off road runner ever so please don’t ever feel that you
aren’t ‘a good enough runner’ as its never stopped me!!
To count for individual awards you must complete all five events, and your scores will be added together. At the end of each race each individual is given a tag which denotes their points scored in the race. This works as follows: The first male runner gets 200 points, second gets 199, third gets 198 and so on. The first female runner gets 100 points, second gets 99, third gets 98 and so on. So in addition to the team positions, individual results are available after each event and individual and category winners are presented with individual trophies at the Presentation Evening held at the end of the season (great bash).
There
are 8 clubs
that form the WYWL: Idle A.C, Pudsey Pacers, Skipton A.C., Leeds & Bradford
Tri, Dewsbury Road Runners, Baildon Runners, Stainland Lions and St. Bede’s. The fixtures for 2007/8 are confirmed
as follows:
Date Host
club Venue
1.Nov 11th Idle AC Slightly
amended course in Buck woods area.
2.Dec 2nd Dewsbury
Dewsbury.
Fancy dress/silly hats.
3.Jan 6th Pudsey Pudsey.
4. Jan 27th Stainland Lions Stainland
5. Feb 24th Skipton Skipton.
All will be 11am starts. Full details will be circulated to club
members prior to each event.
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 in March 07. Further details will be circulated
prior to each event. This year’s presentation night (March 08) will be hosted
by Baildon Runners (Details to follow nearer the time).
This year we are hosting an event on 11th November (see
above) so we will not only need everyone to run we’ll need everyone’s family
and friends to marshal. Let Chris/Davina know who is available to marshal.
Any questions please speak to Chris as he is not only Secretary of the WYWL but he is the only runner to have run all 75 consecutive races in the past 14 years (Davina has slacked and has only run 73!).
This month we again welcome 2 new members: David Carroll and Denise Frost. David
has been running for a great many years and has joined us after running the
2007 Idle Trail race. Denise has
left her first claim club, Horsforth Harriers, after recently moving to Idle. Welcome.
We have booked the Christmas Do
on Saturday 8th December 07. This year we have booked the ‘Sporting
Lodge’ on Highfield Road, Idle. There will be a hot buffet and a live band (Idle
Pop), a raffle and the London Marathon Draw. The price is £15 per person
(regardless of whether you eat or dance!) and all members, their partners and
friends are invited. Please pay your £15 (per person), or your remaining £10 balance to me. The main thing is that EVERYBODY
comes to the do. Any cheques need to be payable to Idle AC. In addition I’m wanting raffle prizes (decent, except for the
mucky looking, previously orange, shorts!) - Davina
As members may be aware December 02 saw the start of a yearly
tradition for Idle AC – the annual Sewage Works Surprise club handicap
race! The race is open to all members and will be run
as a 4 mile Handicap race from the Stansfield Arms Pub at Apperley Bridge, starting at 10am
on Sunday 16th December 07. Fancy dress is optional but it all adds
to the fun and entertains passing motorists!! There is a special annual trophy for the winner, which was won last
year by Hannah Peacock. Jane Lewis finished in second place with Nick Thorp 3rd.
Hannah received the special trophy, presented to her by Chris, at the
presentation afternoon at the Symposium.
After last year’s brilliant bash we have secured the same hot buffet
deal (£5/£2.50 children) at the Symposium (Pay on the day).
A reminder that we have booked Horsfall
Track (near Odsal roundabout) on the first two Tuesdays in November &
December (this will replace the normal Tues session). Despite a turn out of
only 8 for the November session all those who went had a good, hard workout. We’d
encourage ALL to come to the next Horsfall Track session on Tuesday 4th
December at 7pm for a coached session. The cost will be £2 per runner but the
Thursday night will then be free.
We started our first ‘Run for
All’ (first Thursday of each month) on Thursday 4th Oct and it proved to be a huge success. Like the October date the November date
again proved to be a very popular night. We all stayed together as a group with
lots of running back for the front end runners and a pace that would be
suitable for ANY member. Please continue to all come along as it’s a night when
we encourage members of all abilities to attend the club (7pm). It would be especially good to see members
of the Wednesday Group there. The next Run for All Night is on Thursday 6th
December.
December is a busy
month for us all, with the second cross country fixture on the 2nd at Dewsbury
(Fancy dress & silly hats!!), the Track night on 4th, the
Christmas Do on the 8th, and the Sewage works Surprise club Handicap
Race on the 16th. As
Christmas Day falls on a Tuesday there will be NO CLUB on 25th
December. Alot of the club are likely to run the Chevin Chase race on Boxing
day and therefore no Wednesday club. There will be a club as normal on Thursday
27th December. There will also be no club on Tuesday 1st
Jan 08. All other training days around the Christmas & New Year holiday
weeks will remain as normal. We will have our usual ‘Christmas Lights’ run on
Thursday 20th Dec (19th for the Wednesday group) when we
hope to find a selection of decorated houses which show festive spirit.
Afterwards there will be mince pies. Last year we started a new tradition of
sherry with our mince pies so we’ll keep that alive again this year & have
it on Wednesday and Thursday. Hopefully we should have a good turn out for the
Chevin Chase 7 mile race on Boxing Day at 11am. For those wanting a run on New
Years Eve you could run the Auld Lang Syne Fell race!! This is a ‘B’ Medium
fell race which starts from Penistone Hill Country Park at Haworth at 11.30 am.
The race is 6 miles with 900’ of climbing (speak to Chris if you want to know
more details about the course) it’s only £3.50 to enter (on the day only) and
all finishers receive a bottle of Briscoe’s Brewery ‘Auld Lang Syne’ beer. All
prizes are beers, ales, ciders etc. There is also the Jolly Holly Jog 10k from
Ripon which I can highly recommend, though it fills early.
Enjoy the Christmas lights as you
run this December.
Thanks to all the members for their contributions and support
during 2007. Let’s make 2008 a better year!!!.
The Chevin Chase
entry forms are now available on Airecentre Pacers website: www.airecentre-pacers.co.uk (you can also enter
online) or at www.ukresults.net
This scenic off road
race starts at 11am on Boxing Day from Aireborough leisure centre, Guiseley. As
it’s a really popular race I'd advise sending entries in ASAP.
There are also copies
at the club.
Congratulations to Richard who won
the October website Competition (See Chris’s coaching page on the Idle AC
website which is sponsored by Market Town Taverns. Each month members have the opportunity to win drinks
(Wine/beer/lager/soft drinks) from the Symposium in Idle. See Chris’s
page for the November competition, and send him an email.
1. Yorkshire
cross country championships: May well be Saturday 5th Jan 08 (the
day before a WYWL event- priority must to given to WYWL). The likely details are as follows:
women 6000m at 1.30pm and men 11,000m at 2.15pm. Please let Chris know if you
want to be entered. No late entries.
2.
Northern Cross Country Championships: Definitely
on Saturday 26th January 08 at Roundhay Park, Leeds. The distances and
times are: women 8k at 12.25pm and men 12km at 2.00pm. Let Chris know if you
want to be entered no later tan 10th December 07 as there are no
late entries. The cost is £3.50 per member. Club vests MUST be worn.
For
those of you that can’t get enough cross country with the WYWL & above
events you might want to consider running the Yorkshire Vets Cross country
championships on Sunday 13th Jan 08. They are held at Greenhead
School and Cliffe Castle, Keighley. The distance is 5k for women plus 70+ men
and a 10k for men aged 50-69, both starting at 1pm. There is also a third race
which starts at approx 2pm and will be a 10k for men 35-49..Please let Chris
know if you want to run no later than 31st December 07.No late
entries. For teams it’s 3 to score in men 35-39, 50-59, 60-69,women 35-44,45+
and 4 to score men 40-49. £4 per member and club vests must be worn.
Congratulations
to Pete Helliwell who was one of the few runners in Yorkshire who completed in
all 9 Grand Prix races during 2007.
Ana Lincoln also ran an impressive 8 out of the 9. Pete finished in
overall 7th position in the M40category (best 6/9 races), and Ana
finished 6th in the F50.
We should soon have full details of the 2008 Grand Prix list which
starts in Feb 08.
The All time (Hall of Fame) records are now available to view on our website and it includes the fastest times in all age categories for both present and past members. From 1st October we therefore have two sets of records, as follows:
· One for current club members which includes a few ‘available’ records for current members to aim for. This list will be kept updated & published in Idle Gossip & on the website. Each time a current club record is broken a ‘modest’ prize will be awarded. Records will be deleted from the current list when a member resigns.
· In addition there will be another list ‘Hall of Fame’ records. This will include past members who currently hold records. Each time an ‘All time’ record is broken a prize will be awarded. The ‘Hall of fame’ records will be published on the website & in the yearly record cards.
· Club records can only be set by first claim members.
See list below as loads of current record & an all time record were broken during October & November 07. We now have a big box prizes for ‘All time’ & ‘Current Club records’, so members get the opportunity of choosing their own prize.
The final Grand Prix race, due to
be held on 17th November was unfortunately cancelled. Medals for
2007 are now therefore being awarded for best 6 scores from 9 races. Check www.yvaa.org for final places.
Idle AC will be once again
affiliating the club to the Yorkshire Veterans Athletic Association (YVAA) in
early 08. The first grand prix race of 2008 will be held on Sunday 3rd
Feb at Horsforth at 10am. After the race there will be the prize presentation
for 2007 and the AGM. Further dates will be circulated once we know them.
I write this in the haze of my usual post-long-run
headache, and after a bath to warm myself up during which I pondered just how
desperately I need to clean the bathroom tiles.
Last night, I rang Tony Wimbush to ask if he would mind
changing the plan for today. We
were meant to be running 31 miles round Bradford but, unfortunately, most of
the interested people were unable to do the entire route today, although quite
a few could fit in part of it, so we have postponed that for now. So you don’t get out of it that easily!
Instead, we decided to run about twelve miles from
Haworth this morning, taking in the beginning and end sections of Wuthering
Hike. As this was more accessible,
I phoned round and sent some texts but did not garner much of a response. Leon was too lazy (we know already
Leon!), Andy M would see me at the Xmas do, Chris Stubbs was doing Harriers v
Cyclists, Phill was still fitting a kitchen, Tony B was tapering, and Shaun
wouldn’t make it to work in time.
Tim told me it was forecast to be cold and wet and that he would be
thinking of me, gloating. (If any
of you I didn’t contact would like to be included on future futile invitation
lists, give me your phone number).
Before dawn, I picked up faithful comrades Chris Smith
and Jo and drove to Penistone hill to meet Tony. It was perishing and windy up there so we wore more
clothes than normal. I was okay
once we got going but Jo was really cold and couldn’t run. In the end, Chris took her a more
sheltered route back to the car while Tony and I carried on.
As you know, the moors are bleak and dreich. But I quite like that. There was a bit of a problem though, in
that we couldn’t run on the flagstone path because it was too slippery so we
had to run on the grassy hummocky bits on the peat at the side. My gloves were soon wet from hanging
onto the rushes (I think they’re called rushes anyway (?)). We looked forward to the path changing
to a more runnable track but that too turned out to be slippery. The rocks were slippery, the frozen mud
was slippery, and the ice everywhere was slippery. Some bits of gravel weren’t slippery and it was sometimes
possible to run in the rivulets on the path, unless the water happened to be
flowing over ice, in turn covering slippery rock. Lucky for me, Tony was a short way ahead of me so I could
see him sliding all over the place and adjust my path accordingly and only fell
over once. By now I was wet
through and my sodden pants were so heavy with water that they were stretched
so the crotch was really far down my legs.
Meanwhile, Chris and Jo were in Ponden Mill, shopping and
drinking hot chocolate, with Jo wearing a borrowed fluffy pink dressing gown
and her pants drying on the heater.
Back in the real world, a fell runner overtook us and I
think Tony would have liked to have sped up too but I was too slow. I finally recognised this cow shed
place from Wuthering Hike where you have to wade through loads of
mud/shit. We weren’t that far from
the warm car containing my dry clothes, but since I was wet through and
completely numb anyway it didn’t really matter. I looked at some birds but felt a bit dizzy looking up. Also I thought I saw Tony on the other
side of a wall but it was just a fence post. Tony gave me some reviving chocolate and we soon passed the
part in Wuthering Hike where I’d had tea and a donut in spring. That van wasn’t there today but it did
mean we could run on the road for a while, albeit uphill. However, this led to an especially
slippery path. One choice now was
to tentatively attempt the skeleton bob route and fall over everywhere. The other was to cut across through
chest high rushes and risk falling into a boggy hole, never to be seen again
until being mined out as fossil fuel – far preferable, and a more
romantic end I think – so that’s what we did.
Eventually the reservoir was in view – yay! And then we just ran up the road to the
car park where Chris and Jo were waiting, warmly ensconced in my car so I had
to get naked in the cold grey concrete toilet block and put on some dry clothes
before driving the freeloaders home again.
So. We are going to do this again. I hope I have sold it to you
sufficiently so you’ll come next time.
We say thank you and sorry to Tony for taking us out.
- Lisa Hall
A couple of weeks ago the IAAF ratified Haile
Gebrsellassie’s world marathon record.
On 30th September he recorded 2:04:26 at the Berlin Marathon.
It’s a pretty flat course like most city marathons, but the speed and
consistency is awesome. He recorded
2:05 a couple of years ago in
London, and is an endurance runner in every sense. I was a spectator at the Durham International Cross Country
fully 15 years ago to watch him skip over the mud and win in style.
It must have felt good to be in the same race, even as a
recreational runner coming in two or three hours after. Certainly I was impressed when in
Amsterdam I found that I had crossed the line (some time) after the second
fastest time of the year, and seven men who had beaten 2:10. Equally I was disappointed not to be
behind Paula Radcliffe in London for her world record run. I watched on
television what I consider to be the greatest competitive distance run of all
time. She ran with no pacemaker
and no meaningful competition from the start to the finish of the full 26.2
miles. Every mile she ran in the second half of the race was faster than every
mile in the first.
It’s an opportune time to consider the subject, as the
rejections (like mine) and the acceptances (possibly like Davina’s) from London
begin to hit the doormats, and as the draw for the two club entries
approaches. Several members will
begin their own dark winter journey towards that famous finish line, whilst
more will be left contemplating other endeavours.
The London Marathon is the clearest and most universally
understandable recurring ambition in our sport, and major marathons can
punctuate our lives in an iconic fashion.
Don’t tell anyone, but Dave Lewis will next year run the Paris Marathon
on the very day of his 50th birthday. Yet the elements which are brought together in such huge
efforts are within us and can be nurtured in much smaller and commonplace
ways. Our distance running
is always, if loosely, concerned with some kind of measurable achievement. It may be a small 10k race run more
quickly than last year, a new distance conquered in a race, or just a week of
running every other day. In any
case, despite the push provided by a clubmate on the shoulder in a speed
session, or a fellow competitor in a race who won’t be shaken off, the
competition is principally with ourselves. Can we achieve more than we previously achieved? Can we
maintain our level, against the ravages of age and injury? Can we accept a new challenge? Can we silence that harshest of
critics, the clock?
Each time we step out of the door to run it is a small
conquest – the assertion of willpower and the desire to achieve,
essentially in the most important comparison - with ourselves. Each time another building block is put
into place, so that we can work towards our own chosen finish line, perhaps a
few minutes, maybe hours, after the leading competitor’s victory. What remains most important though, is
that we can honestly justify our time and our position to ourselves.
-Chris.
Current
Men’s Club Records
|
Distance |
Category |
Name |
Time |
|
5
Km |
Senior |
Vacant |
|
|
M40 |
Simon
Bellwood |
18.30 |
|
|
M45 |
David
Lewis |
18:40 |
|
|
M50 |
Steve
Little |
21.09
|
|
|
5
Miles |
Senior |
Vacant |
|
|
M40 |
Chris
Stubbs |
31.06 |
|
|
M45 |
Richard
Lyons |
33.22 |
|
|
M50 |
Trevor
Hooley |
38.42 |
|
|
10
Km |
Senior |
Laurence
Doddy |
41.10 |
|
M40 |
Chris
Stubbs |
36.25 |
|
|
M45 |
Dave
Lewis |
38:57 |
|
|
M50 |
Steve
Little |
46:28 |
|
|
10
Miles |
Senior |
Vacant |
|
|
M40 |
Chris
Stubbs |
1:05:14 |
|
|
M45 |
Simon
Bellwood |
1:06:54 |
|
|
M50 |
Steve
Little |
1:16:21 |
|
|
Half
Marathon |
Senior |
Phil
Joyner |
1:38:17 |
|
M40 |
Chris
Smith |
1:24:05 |
|
|
M45 |
Simon
Bellwood |
1:22:48 |
|
|
M50 |
Trevor
Hooley |
1:43:29 |
|
|
15
Miles |
Senior |
Chris
Stubbs |
1:37:03 |
|
M40 |
Simon
Bellwood |
1:43:58 |
|
|
M45 |
Trevor
Hooley |
2:03:18 |
|
|
M50 |
Vacant |
|
|
|
20
Miles |
Senior |
Chris
Smith |
2:24:00 |
|
M40 |
Simon
Bellwood |
2:17:26 |
|
|
M45 |
Simon
Bellwood |
2:13:50 |
|
|
M50 |
Vacant |
|
|
|
Marathon |
Senior |
Chris
Smith |
3:04:12 |
|
M40 |
Simon
Bellwood |
3:02:18 |
|
|
M45 |
Simon
Bellwood |
3:07:
03 |
|
|
M50 |
Trevor
Hooley |
4:15:08 |
Current
Women’s Club Records
|
Distance |
Category |
Name |
Time |
|
5 Km |
Senior |
Vacant |
|
|
F35 |
Clare Sweeney |
22:13 |
|
|
F40 |
Davina Smith. |
26:08 |
|
|
F45 |
Kay Gambles |
20.59 |
|
|
F50 |
Ana Lincoln |
27.01 |
|
|
5 Miles |
Senior |
Vacant |
|
|
F35 |
Amnuay Scott |
40.06 |
|
|
F45 |
Kay Gambles |
40.03 |
|
|
F50 |
Ana Lincoln |
43.13 |
|
|
10 Km |
Senior |
Vicky Hudson |
52:11 |
|
F35 |
Maria Furness |
47:07 |
|
|
F40 |
Amnuay Scott |
46.55 |
|
|
F45 |
Vacant |
|
|
|
F50 |
Denise Frost |
43:15 |
|
|
10 Miles |
Senior |
Vacant |
|
|
F35 |
Amnuay Scott |
1:23:29 |
|
|
F45 |
Kay Gambles |
1:16:50 |
|
|
F50 |
Ana Lincoln |
1.32.38 |
|
|
Half Marathon |
Senior |
Sarah Holness |
1:59:08 |
|
F35 |
Jo Belcher |
1:43:29 |
|
|
F40 |
Kay Gambles |
1:51:00 |
|
|
F45 |
Vacant |
|
|
|
F50 |
Ana Lincoln |
1:53:27 |
|
|
15 Miles |
Senior |
Vacant |
|
|
F50 |
Ana Lincoln |
2:35:57 |
|
|
20 Miles |
Senior |
Joanne Belcher |
2:37:11 |
|
F35 |
Davina Smith |
3:01:01 |
|
|
F40 |
Kay Gambles |
3:02:00 |
|
|
F45 |
Vacant |
|
|
|
F50 |
Ana Lincoln |
3.49.32 |
|
|
Marathon |
Senior |
Joanne Belcher |
3:21:31 |
|
F40 |
Davina Smith |
4:02:58 |
|
|
F45 |
Vacant |
|
|
|
F50 |
Ana Lincoln |
4.47.06 |