Sent: Wednesday, July 12, 2006 11:39 PM

Subject: V S Update - please read the first 4 items urgently

Leeds Country Way (Sun 3 September) - please reply by Tuesday 18 July to guarantee your place

Places are filling fast, at the last count we had 24 men and 5 wimmin, so we now need just 19 to make up our 4 teams. Paul and I will be meeting next Tuesday to try and fit the names into teams so we really need replies from everyone before then - please say whether you are a definite yes, a probable, a possible, or a definite no.

Yorkshire Vets Relays (Sun 23 July) - must reply by Friday 14 July 9pm

We have 2 men V40 (Drew and Simon) (need 2 more), 2 men V50 (Bob and Alan) (need 1 more) 1 man V60 (Geoff) (need 2 more) 1 woman V45 (Sylvia) (need 2 more). The absolute closing date is this Friday, I need to send an email before 9pm to reserve places, I realise the Pudsey 10k is the same day and Grand Prix points are at stake but if you would like to defend the honour of the VSV's (Valley Striders Veterans), please email me. The entry fee is only £2, in fact if you've entered Pudsey I'll pay your £2 myself so you've lost nothing and gained a run round Esholt water treatment works.

Lineham Farm Summer Fayre - this Sunday 16 July 11am - 3pm

After you've run Eccup*, why not go along and visit Lineham Farm for their big open event of the year. You'll be able to look round the farm, see the animals, stroll the woodland and wetland walks, test the food and generally see where the £7,000 that Valley Striders have raised in the last 5 years has gone. www.linehamfarm.org.uk for more details.

* or in fact when you get to the 8 mile marker at Eccup you can call in, the run goes past Swan Lane which leads to the farm.

Help Wanted - this Sunday 16 July

One volunteer required please to stand at the end of the Eccup 10 from 10:50 to 11:50 and hand out Harewood 10 entry forms - please.

Just an update that the hole now has a concrete base ready for the gas tank but work has not yet started on the bathroom.

We have had 13 replies so far (thank you), and all but one has concluded that the increase of subs by £5 is either the best option and/or the most practical option. Some thought it a bit unfair to charge everyone the extra £5, but all of these said that the subs even at £17 (£15 for prompt payment) was good value for money. Other suggestions were (a) to organise another race (b) to take some money from our existing races (c) to organise a sweepstake (d) to sell shower season tickets (e) to invite donations from those more wealthy and/or regular Tuesday users. Mostly these suggestions were a way of bridging the £600 that we would raise from the Sept 2006 subs levy to the £1000 we need to pay Leos.

I would welcome feedback on these options - picking one or two of these extra options would mean that subs could revert to £12 (£10 for prompt payment) for Sept 2007. I would be pleased if there was a volunteer to collate and summarise these responses.

Hyde Park 5k Result
GP pts Pos Time

Brian Hanley           100    3 16.31
Tracey Morris           99    5 17.05
Drew Taylor             98   15 18.07
Jonny Harrison          97   19 19.03
Roy Flesher             97   23 19.10
Richard King            96   27 19.29
Eric Green              95   29 20.05
Mark Hunter             94   47 20.53
Paul White              93   50 21.09
Carole Schofield        92   51 21.12
Paul Sanderson          91   54 21.23
Erica Hiorns            90   60 22.16
Matt Watkins            89   85 25.34
Anne Mccaffrey          88   91 28.06

Points will also be up for grabs at the other two Hyde Park races, the first Wednesdays in August and September, best time to count.

Lyke Wake Race
Start Finish Race

Valley Striders team

Pam Baird 05.45 14:59 9:14 *
Sara Dyer 06.15 16:24 10:09

Simon Vallance       08.15   14:46    6:31 *
Mick Loftus          08.30   15:01    6:31 *
Mick Wrench          08.30   14:40    6:10 *
Ross Anderson        09.00   15:56    6:56

res: Brian 05.45 14:59 9:14

Team Total (3 men, 1 woman) 28:26

Chapel Allerton Team

Dave Nicholls 07:30 14:57 7:27

Steve Todd 08:00 15:18 7:18

Naomi Ferguson 08:00 14:57 6:57 *

Mark Arrowsmith 08:45 15:47 7:02 *

Alison Bogie 08:45 15:25 6:40 *

Mike Robins 09:15 15:54 6:39 *

res: Dave Tynan 7:45

Team Total (2 men, 2 women) 27:18

I admit it would have been nicer to be the sole winner but I'm content to share first place. I guess it was the LWW equivalent of a sprint finish! It is good to have the trophy back at the club.

It was a VS team effort for me to regain that trophy. From the organisation and support of Alan and Bob, the initial recce run with Ross, reviewing the route beforehand with Mick, Simon and Ross to pick 'short cuts', the navigation of those 'short cuts' with Mick, keeping the pace going to the Lion Inn with Mick and Simon, support at the Lion Inn and then Simon keeping the pace going with until the last couple of miles. If it had not have been for all that I would not be on cloud nine like I am now. Thanks.

Captain Alan writes

It was great to have a Valley Striders team take part in this long established 42 mile annual race over the tough and challenging North York Moors. The organisers give the runners different start times and our wimmin were off at 5.45 am and 6.15 am (well done Sara for setting off at this unearthly hour, I know you didn't want to), and the men went off between 8.15 and 9.00. I ran the first 6 miles with our first off Simon, before turning back to the start in order to drive around the various check points to offer support, drinks etc. The first part of the run is the most scenic and also very hilly as it winds along the top edge of the Cleveland Hills. It then turns east and traverses the moors in an endless slog to Ravenscar. Fortunately the weather seemed favourable not too hot and sunny but the driest conditions under foot for many years apparently.

Our team performed brilliantly all completing the race and looking remarkably well afterwards considering the distance. We had excitement at the finish as we waited for the last runner to set off to come in because Mick Wrench's time was so far recorded as the fastest of the day in 6.10. Just as we all congratulated him I saw through my binoculars the figure of this runner (who has won the event several years over) appear on the top of the hill. He absolutely sprinted down the hill and into the finish and unbelievably got awarded exactly the same time as Mick's 6.10 to share joint first. This takes nothing from Mick's outstanding performance and a big well done. Mick gets to hold the coffin shaped trophy and I'm sure will bring it in to show the club.

Just as an observation the trophy contains the Valley Striders names of Steve O'Callaghan, Harry Bates and Mark Hoon (1990) in a fantastic time of 5.31 and then one year later Steve O' again with Jeff Coulson in one of the fastest times ever recorded of 5.04.

Chapel Allerton made worthy team winners particularly with the exceptional performance of Alison who told me she had knocked 1 hour 9 minutes off last year's time. But be scared, be very scared, because if we can persuade Tracey Morris to run in our team next year ...

Also a big thanks to non-Strider Pam Baird who stepped in to make up our 6th team member running with her friend Brian, they finished strongly in 9.14. Pam does these sort of events almost every weekend. She thought it was a little short for her liking!

New Strider for 2024 - Rob Liddle writes

My wife Gardie gave birth to a baby boy on 20th June 7lb 14oz and we have called him Pieter.

Congratulations to the three of you from all Striders!

Good Luck to everyone running one some or all of

But how are we going to have time to fit in any training?