Sent: 12 August 2010 00:12
Subject: V S Update - AbbeyValley arrangements, Thurs curry, LCW reserves, Harewood date change, WYXC entries, Vicky wins, Striders pass 100 for parkrun

 

Abbey Valley Handicap and BBQ – Tuesday 17 August – Final Reminder

 

For the third year running we are hosting Abbey Runners for a Team Handicap race over the 5 and a quarter mile route that we used for our “summer monsoon” handicap three weeks ago.

 

Please Arrive for 7pm Prompt

 

The format will be the same as the last 2 years - all runners (from both clubs) will be divided into 5 ‘pools’ (A – E) based on 10K race times. Each team of 5 will consist of 1 runner from each pool (names drawn from a hat), and will therefore comprise a mixture of Abbeys and Striders.  Club rivalries will be suspended for a few hours!

 

You’ll get a few minutes to meet your new fellow team members and discuss tactics (ha!)

 

Pool E (the slowest) sets off first (probably about 7:15pm) , pool D 5 minutes later, then C, then B then A.  Each pool is its own mini race with the winner scoring 20 points, second 19 etc.  Then we add the points for each team member to find the winning team.

 

While the points are being calculated, Tony and his team will be serving the barbecue back at Leos.

 

Important Notes re Food and Race Entry

 

The BBQ will cost £6.50 per head (meat and vegetarian options available); book as usual to [email protected] by 10pm Sunday 15 August.  If you book but don’t turn up you will be liable to pay the £6.50.  You can book food even if you don’t want to run.

 

You must pre-enter to run, this really is the only way we can sort out teams for the night.  Use the same email address [email protected] , again by 10pm Sunday 15 August, if you want to run and please let us know your best guess for a 5k or 10k road race.  If you are running but not stopping for the barbecue there will be a charge of 50p on the night. 

 

If you haven’t pre-entered and turn up on the night, you’ll be allowed to run and allocated into a pool to race but not as part of a team.

 

You can check whether your entry and food order has been accepted by looking at http://valleystriders.org.uk/avfood.htm

 

Note that the “odd” 50p’s will cover cost of prizes and partial subsidy of food for our timekeepers and marshals.  NB if you forget to pay the 50p on the night and your team wins, I will drink your prize!!

 

Thursday training

 

This Thursday (today or yesterday by the time you read this) is the normal 7 mile “steady” run from Scott Hall

 

“Next” Thursday (17 August) will be the third Tuesday in the month so it must be curry night.  John Wallace informs me this will be at the Arti right in the centre of Chapel Allerton.  Ideally John would like numbers in advance, you can contact him at [email protected]

 

LCW – Sunday 5 September

 

I’m really pleased to see so many recces have taken place already.  Those of you running for the first time will know that navigating is not straightforward.  On some paths there are yellow arrows and green owl signs, and on other paths … nothing!  If neither you nor your partner have run the leg before then 2 recces are recommended.

 

If you’re running (check http://valleystriders.org.uk/vsteams.htm ), then you should have had an email letting you know the other 9 Striders on your leg.  If you’ve not seen this email, let me know!!

 

We’re down to our last 3 reserves, so if you’re available on 5 Sept and you’d like to run if there’s a vacancy, please contact me on this email address [email protected]

 

Harewood 10 – Sunday ? October

 

Having moved our Harewood race from its normal weekend of the first Sunday in October to the second Sunday because the first race in the West Yorks XC was on 3rd October …

 

… the entry forms for WYXC appeared last week with the first race on 10th October.

 

We’ve had a couple of ad-hoc committee meetings and discussed the options in detail

  • Leave as is, let Striders race in WYXC – implication is risk having not enough marshals and a low entry for Harewood race
  • Leave as is, set limit (6 men, 4 women) of Striders in WYXC – implication is disappointed Striders and a low entry for Harewood race
  • Cancel Harewood Trail – disappoint many runners, still a lot of admin with no benefit to anyone
  • Move Harewood Trail to another date – Striders get to run WYXC, we get more entries (but disappoint a few), we have enough marshals, but LOTS of admin

 

We’re going for this last option and plan to move the race to 3 October.  The website will be updated over the weekend.

 

We now need your help

 

Two key areas that have been identified

  • If you’re in running shops, sports centres, or anywhere(!) and see entry forms with 10 October, please pick them up, then contact me and I’ll arrange to re-stock
  • There are several local races at the end of August and during September where we need a couple of Striders to stand at the end of the finishing funnel with a stack of new entry forms, saying quite loudly “Harewood Trail – new date”.  Races include Spofforth Trail on Aug bank hol Monday, various legs of LCW on 5 Sep, Wetherby 10k & junior race on 12 Sep, Rombalds Romp on 18 Sep, Kirkstall trail on 19 Sep, Horsforth 10k on 26 Sep.  Can you help on one of these dates?

 

And of course we need marshals on the day – email me if you can help [email protected]

 

And if we have “too many” marshals this will allow some Striders to run – first to volunteer to marshal will be given the option to run.

 

West Yorks XC

 

The dates have now been announced for the “Complete Runner West Yorkshire Cross Country League” to give it its full title, henceforth known by us as WYXC.

 

Race 1: Sun 10th October @ Nunroyd Park, Guiseley  

Race 2: Sat 30th October @ Fartown , Huddersfield  

Race 3: Sat 20th November @ Bramley Fall Woods, Leeds

Race 4: Sun 5th December @ Thornes Park, Wakefield 

 

Entries for the first race are required by Thursday 9 September.  There are no entries on the day.  It costs £8 whether you enter one race or all four (not bad £2 per race!), so it would help our admin if you entered now even if you can’t run the first race.

 

To enter, please email a special address  [email protected]

 

Results

 

Askern 10 – another victory for Vicky

 

No other Striders, so I’ll just report the ladies 1-2-3

 

19 Victoria Whitehead   Valley Striders  62:16

30 Faye Banks           Pontefract AC    64:56  

39 Jennie Guard         Leeds City       66:44

 

Parkrun

 

No winners to report this week but with the help of 4 new parkrunners – Paul Hunter and Meryll Cripps at Leeds and Steve Webb and Sara Dyer at Bradford we’ve now passed the 100 mark and moved up to 25th place in the league table.

 

There are a two more more clubs just ahead, but we need another 20 new runners to break into the top 20, and if we do we will also become the biggest Striders club in parkrun – currently “Striders of Croydon” lie in 19th place!

 

For details, as always, see www.parkrun.com

 

And Finally

 

A Tuesday record with 5 first-timers at the track session this week – they all seemed to survive with a smile (or maybe it was pain) and I hope they’ll all join.  And two solo runners (one from Salford and one from Bingley) ran the 4 reps, maybe we’ll see them again as 2nd claim Striders.