Wanted

 

• Runners for Parkrun mob run on Saturday 1 May. The idea is for running clubs to get as many runners there as possible.  You need to register in advance and print a barcode http://www.parkrun.org.uk/leeds/Home.aspx .  Then just turn up 08:55 Saturday morning … and run!

 

• Runners for Rothwell 10k on Monday 3 May.  This is the fifth race in the Abbey Runners vs. Valley Striders challenge.  Striders lead 3 – 1 at the moment.  All runners score points.  Enter at www.ukresults.net (no extra charge for entering online).

 

• Marshals for Leeds Half on Sunday 9 May.  We’ll have the Striders banner up in Meanwood and need 12 marshals in this area.  We have 9 so far.  Email me if you can help.

 

• Marshals for Meanwood Valley Trail on Saturday 15 May.  We need 75 marshals and only have 34 so far.  Email me if you can help.  It’s a few years since we had any runners going off-course, but with so few marshals we do risk losing runners.

 

• Runners for Bradford Millennium Way Relay on Sunday 13 June.  Teams of 10.  We have 13 wanting to run so far.  We have 9 men so need 1 more for a team, 4 women so need 1 more to run with 5 men for a mixed team, and 9 vets so need 1 more for a team.  At least 7 more runners required.

 

If you’ve signed up for Leeds, Meanwood or BMW, please check at www.valleystriders.org.uk/vslists.htm

 

Good luck to runners in

 

Three Peaks Race this Saturday

 

Including Amanda Seims who is raising money for Upper Wharfedale Fell Rescue http://www.justgiving.com/amanda-seims

 

Read more at  http://www.grough.co.uk/magazine/2010/04/21/students-three-peaks-race-will-raise-cash-for-rescuers There is a picture of Amanda in this feature but I doubt whether this will help you recognize her as she is on top of a mountain and wearing about 8 layers of clothes!

 

London Marathon this Sunday

 

Liz Wood emailed "I'm doing the London Marathon and am hoping to raise as much money as possible for the Jane Tomlinson Appeal.  All the money raised goes to children's and cancer charities both locally and around the UK.   If any Striders would like to make a donation, they can do it on my Just Giving web page at www.justgiving.com/londonliz. Thanks very much for your support!"

 

Max Jones Trophy and Run

 

At the recent committee meeting, we decided to

• Have a trophy in Max’s name which will be awarded to the best age-graded performance in the calendar year in a road race by a first claim Valley Strider
• Have an annual run on the nearest Thursday to Max’s birthday (3 June) and run several of Max’s 1.9 mile training lap.  In 2010, June 3 is a Thursday, and we will meet at Oakwood Clock at 6:45 instead of Scott Hall

 

Lyke Wake Walk and Run – from John Wallace

 

The Lyke Wake Walk and Run is on Saturday 10^th July – it’s 39 or 42 miles (depending on which guide you read) and is available as a team event of 6 members, 1 of whom must be female, best 4 (1 of whom must be female) to count to overall time. Starts in Osmotherley on the west of the N York Moors and finishes at Ravenscar on the east coast. The start times are staggered, slowest going off first, between 4 am and 10.30am, and there is a maximum time of 12 hours. For supporters the Lion Inn at Blakey is a lovely pub on the Moors about half way into the route – you can have a meal and a drink whilst waiting for your team to hobble by! Valley Striders have entered teams in the past but not for a few years – is anyone game this year?  RSVP John Wallace

 

http://www.lykewakewalk.co.uk/

 

Oxenhope Straw Race – from John Wallace

 

Slightly easier is the Oxenhope Straw Race on Sunday 4^th July. This involves teams of 2 carrying a bale of straw 2.5 miles down a hill into Oxenhope and then up a hill out of Oxenhope, whilst drinking beer at 5 stops along the way (this is a requirement of the race!). It’s a huge fun day out with lots of teams and spectators in fancy dress (the Village People are my particular favourites), raising funds for charity, and can involve some post race drinking as well. Details on the attached and some excellent photos on the Haworth Village site (I’m on page 3(!) of 2005)

 

http://www.strawrace.com/

http://www.haworth-village.org.uk/events/haworth-events/more.asp?event=Oxenhope%20Straw%20Race

 

Fell Championship Results

 

Report from Steve Webb

 

The first Bunny Run clashed with the club handicap, so no real surprise to find an absence of  Striders.  For Bunny Run 2 we had an encouraging turnout.  Dave and Eileen Woodhead deserve an "unsung heroes" award for their ability to get 334 people of all ages running like mad around Penistone Hill on a cold Tuesday evening.

 

Results as follows (with provisional VSFC points):

 

 43 Steve Webb      18.10  (75.1)

 65 Holly Williams  19.03  (84.5) (ran as K&C?) 

 67 Tom Button      19.07  (71.4)

 82 Jerry Watson    19.36  (69.6)

129 Ollie Watson    21.00  (Leeds Carnegie)

190 Tony Haygarth   22.39  (60.3)

194 Malcolm Coles   22.43  (60.1)

207 Paul White      23.26  (58.3)

224 Dave Jones      23.55  (57.1)

 

Jerry Watson was the only Strider at race 3 where he improved his time to 18:45 (72.8 points)

 

BR4 is on 27 April so there is a final opportunity to get a score on the board, or to run faster and improve your existing score. Of course if the current fastest winning time is improved then the above scores will be eroded somewhat!

 

Coming up soon is the Three Peaks, for which we have an impressive entry, and then the Jack Bloor race on Ilkley Moor.

 

The website will be updated soon for the current state of play in the Fell Champs. 

 

Grand Prix Results

 

Marathons

 

No marathons run by Striders in the first 3 months of the year and then 4 come along all together:

 

Two Oceans Marathon in South Africa is actually 56k so 8½ miles over the standard marathon distance - Jonathan Brownbill  5:31:45 (marathon reached in 3:56:10).

 

Lochaber Marathon - Eric Green  43rd  in 3:09:00.

 

Paris Marathon - Alistair Smyth 2707th in  3:15:46.

 

Brighton Marathon - Gwil Thomas 27th in 2:54:11.

 

So Gwil now leads the “Any Other Marathon” category of the Grand Prix.

 

Improved website

 

Take a look at www.valleystriders.org.uk  Welcome to the freshly designed site (inspiration from Richard Adcock, perspiration from Bob Jackson).  Hope this is much easier to navigate.  Please email me with your comments!