Subject:                                     V S Update - Diary; Tuesday and Thursday training; Yorkshire Vets Race; Bradford Millennium Way; VSFC table; Duathlon report

 

Sent: 08 May 2015 00:30

Regarding last week’s V S Update with lots of race reports, if it got stuck in your spam folder or you only got part of it, it’s still available to read at www.valleystriders.org.uk/up150430.htm

 

Diary includes…

·         Monday 4 May to Friday 8 May – London Marathon ballot open – note that if you do get a rejection, please keep the information as you will need this to get a better chance of one of the 4 club places in our club ballot later in the year.

·         Thursday 7 May to Sunday 17 May – Kate McIntyre running the “Brathay 10 in 10” – she’s running the route of the Windermere marathon every day for 10 days, the final day being the race itself – good luck Kate http://www.brathaywindermeremarathon.org.uk/blog/kate-mcintyre.aspx

·         Saturday 9/16/23/30 May – Templenewsam parkrun in Leeds Race Series www.leedsathletics.net

·         Sunday 10/17/24/31 May - Templenewsam junior parkrun in Leeds Junior Race Series www.leedsathletics.net

·         Sunday 10 May – Leeds Half Marathon – VSGP – normal meeting place afterwards is Becketts Bank / Wetherspoons on Park Row, so unless there are contradictory posts in the VS Facebook group before Sunday, I’ll see you there

·         Tuesday 12 May – training at GSAL and Leeds Met – see below

·         Tuesday 12 May – Jack Bloor Fell Race – VS Fell Championship

·         Wednesday 13 May - The Ay Up in Eccup – organised by Strider Jason Praill - www.countrytrailraces.co.uk

·         Wednesday 13/20 May – Esholt 5k - VSGP www.saltairestriders.org.uk/site/johncarr/

·         Tuesday 19 May – VS junior mile and VS club handicap – see below

·         Monday 25 May - Ilkley Trail – popular race for Striders so it’s in the VS Grand Prix and the VS Fell Championship

·         Thursday 28 May – Apperley Bridge Canter - VSGP and Leeds Race Series

·         Saturday 30 May – Eccup Beer Festival at Lineham Farm – 12noon to 10pm (overnight camping and Sunday breakfast also available)  For information see www.eccupbeerfestival.co.uk  and http://www.linehamfarm.co.uk/ .  I’m hoping to get some free tickets, so email me if you’d like one.

·         Tuesday 23 June – Yorkshire Veterans Race at Leos – 40 marshals needed – see below

·         Sunday 28 June – Bradford Millennium Way Relay – see below

·         Saturday 11 July - Leeds Junior runs (this is the replacement for the junior runs that used to take place alongside the Leeds Half).  However the finishers are not being recorded so this won’t be in the VS Junior Grand Prix.

·         Sunday 19 July - Endurance Officials Course in Leeds – learn about course design, risk assessment, course set up, marshalling, etc.  Full day course 09:00 to 16:00 by England Athletics tutor. Your course fee paid by Valley Striders, all you need to do is give up your Sunday.  I went on the risk assessment module a few years ago and found it very interesting and useful. Email [email protected] if you’d like to go and/or need more information.  NB may sell out fast as this is the first course of this type in Leeds for over 3 years. 

·         Sunday 6 September – save the date - Leeds Country Way Relay – 72 Striders wanted to make 6 teams

·         Sunday 20 September – Vale of York half marathon VSGP – entries opened last weekend and already 660 of the 1500 places have been taken

 

Tuesday Evenings

 

Tuesday 12 May

·         6pm juniors and beginners/improvers at Grammar School at Leeds (confirmed)

·         7pm intermediates and experienced runners at Leeds Beckett University, Headingley

·         Links to maps and meeting places in the training section (bright green) on home page of www.valleystriders.org.uk

 

Tuesday 19 May – training sessions replaced by VS club races

·         Juniors and beginners/improvers 1 mile meet by Eccup reservoir 6:10pm

·         Adult club handicap (5 miles) meet by Eccup reservoir 6:45pm

·         Full details in the training section (bright green) on the home page of the website, all club members welcome, guests too

·         Both races start on the reservoir “towpath” nearest the lodge on Goodrick Lane (this is the steep hill that goes down to the reservoir from Alwoodley Lane), postcode LS17 7RW

·         Or see map http://valleystriders.org.uk/hcap10k.jpg for start point NB this is NOT the race route as the reservoir dam is still closed

 

We have already agreed with the parents of juniors that there won’t be “early” food that evening, and as normally there are fewer than 10 takers for “late” food, the current view is not to put this on either.  However if we can get sufficient numbers we will put food on, so if you’d like food after the Handicap please email [email protected] by TUESDAY 12 MAY.  I’ll let you know in the next V S Update whether there were sufficient numbers

 

Tuesday 26 May – normal sessions at Leos

 

Tuesday 2 June – normal sessions at Leos … and food.

 

Tuesday 23 June – Yorkshire Veterans race at Leos

 

This will be the seventh year that we have hosted this event.  We have a 2 lap course that does a big circuit of the woods around Leos see http://valleystriders.org.uk/Yorks_vets_2014.jpg .  Usually there are about 250 runners and we receive £1 per runner, which after costs of consumables (plastic cups, red and white tape etc) gives us a profit for club funds of over £200.

 

Mick Tinker and myself will be setting up the course during the afternoon but we then need

·         A few people to help butter and fill sandwiches at 6pm and/or bring cakes, they could run the race if they want

·         4 senior marshals to run round at about 6:00pm and check the marking and then to take the marshals to their places at 6:50pm.

·         6 people to help with car parking from 6:00pm, they may then run the race or marshal on the route

·         30 marshals at 6:50pm (it’s the usual Striders technique of marshalling every corner to avoid problems if pieces of tape are deliberately moved)

·         6 people – timekeepers, recorders and funnel marshals - for the finish line at 7:15pm

·         A few people to tidy up afterwards, they could have run the race

 

Please email [email protected] if you’re available to help, let us know what job you’d like to do and what time you’re available to arrive, also whether you’d like to run if we have sufficient marshals. (Note that although it is a veterans race, under-35’s may run as “guests”).

 

Thank you in anticipation!

 

Thursday Training Sessions

 

We’re still continuing with two groups on a Thursday

·         experienced runners (faster than 50mins for 10k) from Scott Hall at 6:45

·         improvers and intermediates – various locations

 

The locations for improvers/intermediates and route maps for both groups are posted on the Valley Striders A C Facebook group see https://www.facebook.com/groups/291402584033

 

Thank you to Mike Higgins and Deborah Fraites who have been leading these groups for the last few months.  And when you next see them, you can congratulate them as they have recently become fully qualified (and insured) “Leaders in Running Fitness”.   (Note to anyone seeing the legal claims ads on TV, prior to them qualifying, our sessions were covered by EA insurance covering all our club activities)

 

Note that training information is always on the home page of the website

 

Bradford Millennium Way relay (nowhere near Bradford) on Sunday 28 June

 

In a recent V S Update I asked for runners and there was also a post in the Fell Runners Facebook group. So far we have just 4 acceptances.  So I’ll try again, and use last year’s blurb, as that seemed to work!

 

We are looking for teams for the Bradford Millennium Way Relay on Sunday 28 June.  This is teams of 5 pairs, total 50 miles, all within Bradford City Council boundary, but nowhere near Bradford, details at http://johncarr5k.org.uk/site/bradford-millennium-way-relay/.  Route starts and finishes at Bingley Rugby Club, and goes via Marsh (near Oxenhope), Laycock, Silsden and Ilkley.

 

We entered 2 teams last year and it would be great if we could do the same this year.  The first 10 who apply get a guaranteed place.

 

We won the mixed team prize from 2002 to 2005 and the vets in 2006 so maybe this can be the year we get back on the prize list again...

 

Please email [email protected] if you’d like to run.

 

Last year we had 2 teams – our men finished 9th and our ladies 30th.

 

Facebook

 

We have a number of Facebook pages and groups, click on the Facebook icon on the top bar of the website to get a list.

 

RESULTS and REPORTS

 

V S Fell Championship (from Steve Webb)

 

The table has been updated to include Edale, Haworth Hobble, Coiners (huge points scored by Martin Oddy in 5th place), Pendle Cloughs and of course the Three Peaks.  I've been hanging on to see if we had anyone running at Coniston (in the snow!) but those results have still not appeared.

 

Ross has stormed into the lead following his great effort at Three Peaks.  He definitely seems to be the man in form this year.

 

Table now on website, go via the link on the “For Club Members” tab

 

Meanwood Valley Trail

 

In the last V S Update, I listed Kim Spence as 33rd place, but I forgot to mention that she was 1st woman in the race – congratulations Kim!

 

Also in the prize money (but probably only enough to buy a new pair of socks) was Rachel Mackie who was 10th woman.

 

ETU duathlon championships - Alcobendas, Spain – from Howard Jeffrey

 

(In the last update, Sarah Shanks reported from the ETU duathlon championships.  Also there was 2nd claim Strider, Howard Jeffrey.  This is his report)

 

I chatted a while to Sarah and John at the ETU duathlon champs and sent the report below to my first claim club Otley. One or two striders may be interested too.

 

I watched the sprint distance in the morning when the weather was not too bad. The road was wet which made the white paint on the crossings treacherous and I saw many a heavy fall as the wheels just zipped out from under people. Note to self: ride between the white bits.

 

The sprint completed the forecast thunderstorm and winds came on with a vengeance. My start time of 12.20 came and the rain had stopped (temporarily!). Warm up was good and I felt the adrenaline surge to tips of toes and fingers: always a good sign. I expected to finish in around sixth position given the known form of the rivals and a couple of Spanish unknowns who I thought were likely to be good.

 

The 10K run was four laps of an undulating course kicking off up a steep drag. On your marks and go; steady away up the hill then into a nice consistent pace round the four laps (39.58! getting quicker). Onto the bike for four laps of just less than 10k each round an undulating course that took in no less than 22 roundabouts each lap each with an entry and exit of white line crossings. Careful!!

 

Lap one comfortable pace, rain increasing, wind picking up. Second lap rainwater pouring off my sleeves, can’t see for running water blurring my vision. Wind gusts coming thick and fast and buffeting the bike so it seemed like the wheels were loose. End of second lap thinking this is quite tough and noticing a lot of wounded souls waiting for pick up after crashes. Lap three the temperature was forecast for 17 degrees so I only had my long sleeved lightweight shirt on. Hail stones pelting down for a while on the third lap and thinking this actually feels like about 2 degrees and I am cold. Lap four ‘come on Howard you’re doing great ’ I hear from the wayside ‘only one lap to go’. I get half way round lap four and am aware there appears to be no-one else on the bike route. The conditions are as bad as I have ever seen them and I guess people are abandoning. Not Me! Survival of the fittest and all that goes through my mind. I get to the next hill and my thighs are telling me ‘you can’t get up this hill; you’re too cold’…..I am up out of the saddle not so much cycling as grinding my way to the top. Coast down the other side, spinning fast to warm up. I don’t think I can get up another hill it is impossible! No that just takes a little longer!! Get over the brow and coast down pass a GB lady stopping on the next incline and stepping off the bike, unable to pedal. Game Over!  I found out afterwards that upwards of 35 people had pulled out with hypothermia some of them hospitalised!

 

You have to make the start line and then you have to finish to get a time and position. The odds are going in my favour if I finish. No question. I get to the transition, thankfully only 5K to run. Definitely feeling a bit disoriented when I finally get my running shoes on and hit the hills on the run again. You’re not running up these hills my thighs are telling me again and again I ignore them and force my way into some kind of rhythm. Probably not pretty but I got going for the second and final lap to finish in 24 minutes for the 5K which in the scheme of things was OK. One guy got off the bike in transition and the next thing he knew was waking up in the emergency room!!. A couple of seasoned cyclists said they have never been out in such bad conditions so it was good just to finish.

 

There were never the less 10 finishers in my age category (not the Spaniards) a Frenchman first, a GB second and then me, to claim the bronze medal and my first podium finish after seven attempts!! A good work-out for the Keswick half at the weekend and Leeds half after that.