Sent: 09 December 2007 00:33
Subject: V S Update - Cross country (final reminder), Dec 11 training,
Xmas do (final reminder), London marathon, Harrogate ringway, Abbey Dash,
Columbus marathon
Yorkshires
at
Northerns at
In
particular I can recommend the Northerns as the best value race you’ll get in
2008. There should be about 3,000 runners across the 8 races, come along
and join them! Great atmosphere!
Let me know
if you want to enter by Tuesday 11 December 11pm at the very latest.
Other cross country dates
Sun 23 Dec –
2nd race in Sport Direct league at Ackworth – details to follow
Sun 13 Jan –
3rd race in Sport Direct league at Crossgates – details to follow
Sun 13 Jan –
Yorks Vets Cross Country at Keighley – entries must be with us by Thursday 3
January at the latest
Sun 17 Feb –
4th race in Sport Direct league at Otley Chevin – details to follow
Sat 23 Feb –
English Cross Country Champs at
Sun 9 Mar –
5th race in Sport Direct league at Thackley – details to follow
Tuesday 11 December -
training at Leeds Met Carnegie track at Headingley
Meet at the
indoor sports centre 6:50 – 6:55 to get changed or 7:05 ready to run.
Arrive a few minutes early because there may be a queue to pay.
Directions on the website. Afterwards at the Three Horse Shoes.
Xmas Meal and Presentation
Night - Friday 14 December – final reminder
The Valley Striders Christmas Party is to take place at Leos
as usual on Friday 14th December 2007, 7pm for 7.30pm. An excellent evening
with excellent food is guaranteed all for the knock down price of £9 per
person.
Please let me know if you wish to attend. Let me know
if you require vegetarian food so that I can ensure there is plenty on offer.
Hope to see you there.
Steve O’Callaghan, mobile 07721 611330, email - [email protected]
Bob Says
With a week to go, over 50 have signed up. Having had
record attendances at the summer Anniversary events, it seems that another
record will be broken!
Please send me your nominations for the Marathon Trophy and
the Also Ran Trophy which will be presented on the night.
Christmas / New Year Handicap
– Sunday 30 December
We’ll meet
down by the Res at 10:45, first runner off at 11:00. 5 miles round the
Res, almost to Eccup (there will be a marshal to tell you where to turn), and
back. Fancy dress optional. Grand Prix points available. Back
to Leo’s afterwards.
We have two
unallocated places for the London Marathon.
If you were
rejected but still want to run, let me know by Friday 28 December.
We’ll put the names into the hat and draw two names for these places at the
Xmas Handicap. We’ll also draw one name for a guaranteed place in 2009 so
someone can start training early!
We already
have three teams
- Nat Crossland, Bob Jackson, Andrew Cutts , Sylvia Watson , Paul Hunter- Erica Hiorns, Jonathan Brownbill, Greg Skerrett, Patrick Barrett, Dan Murray- Helen Priest, Neil Fairburn, David Cusack, Eric Cusack, Jonathan Cocker
And we have
two more towards a fourth team.
Get
yourselves together in teams of 5 – you must have at least one woman, one over
40 and one over 45.
Or if you
want to be part of a team, let me know.
Did I
mention that the sausages and giant Yorkshire pudding are brilliant at the
Yorkshire Lass in Knaresborough? There’s a veggy version too!
John Hallas tells
me he organises an occasional handicap race on the Leeds Liverpool canal near
the City Centre, The next one will be Wednesday 23 January, so put it in
your diaries and I’ll give you more details later (or email John [email protected] )
Abbey Dash Results
Four names
that I missed in the last email brings the number of first claim Striders who
ran up to 41
Chip
Chip G.P Gun Gun
Pos
Time Pts Pos Time
1974 Anne Worrall
0:49:48 65 2064
0:54:39
2023 Sarah Gordon
0:50:02 64 2105
0:54:53
3822 Matt Watkins
0:59:34 61 3978
1:07:35
4051 John Whitehead 1:01:17
60 3666
1:05:02
And here are three more runners currently considering
joining Striders
369
1846 Maureen Coffey
0:49:11 1421
0:50:24 6th W55
3163
Kathly Poon
0:55:35 3256
1:02:06
Well, Jonjo and I did the
So let's get the usual start line excuses out of the way.
Two weeks before Jonjo was out training on Ilkley Moor (ba't
at - without his hat), despite me telling him some weeks before to stay on the
roads, and the inevitable happened. He turned his ankle on a rock and ended up
with a very bruised foot and did not run again until two days before the race.
As for me, I have for quite some time now had a
condition that manifests itself every so often. My back tweaks, the
left groin hurts, my thigh goes dead and the sciatica
returns with a vengeance. The whole leg feels like it does not want to
work. The Saturday before flying out it happened again! Four miles
to get home and only 8 days before the race.
On the Monday my Doctor referred me to a private sports
injury specialist, Martyn Speight, a very successful fell runner (3rd in
the 3 Peaks) and he diagnosed Lumber Spinal Stenosis. What the hell
is that? A narrowing of the spinal canal which places pressure on the
spinal cord. If you want any of the details, have a look on the web "The Bonati
Institute Glossary: Spinal Stenosis". In my case the nerve between the
compacting vertebrae is that which goes to the left leg.
I did not think it was possible but two treatments including
acupuncture, and a series of exercises got me to the start line. We had a
jog around part of the course on the Friday without any after effects. Loaded
the pasta and jells and on a gloriously sunny morning we set off at 3.30
pace. The terrain is dead flat. The longest straight road is 6.5 MILES
long and the atmosphere at the start and finish beats
How did we do? Let's get the excuses in again.
We were on our schedule (half way in 1.43.49) until about 19 miles when
Jonjo said "Dad, I've got a stone in my shoe". I told him to pull to
the side of the road and get it out before it caused any damage. I slowed
down to await his return and when he did, I could not pick up the pace.
He stayed around until the 21 mile point and pumping himself up with aggressive
arm shakes and "Come on
Me? I just watched the road and concentrated on moving
forward! The weather was hot with the relentless sunshine but the crowd
support was fantastic and before I knew it I was at 25 miles, then 26, one
final turn and downhill to the finish. Jonjo was waiting just beyond and
the treasured memory is of the emotional embrace and "We did it
Pops".
Our times were Jonjo, 3.43.54 (debut) and me, 3.46.48.
Having led the O/60s at the half way point I finished 3rd. I did not know
it at the time but I suppose it puts my effort into prospective for an old
un. I had no problems with the pre-injury. Just a little cramping
from 8 miles onwards and some enormous blisters on 3 toes. The winner did
2.31 which is slower than my Piccadilly time all those years ago. Age is
a bummer isn't it?
We spent the following week touring
A month has gone by and our sponsorship of Martin
House hospice has reached £700. Still more to collect.
The front of the vests had the names of Alan and David on
the shoulder traps. The backs had our names, the Union flag surrounded by
the words "The Brits are Coming", and "Remembering Alan and
David". This I did in remembrance of two great friends, Alan
Robershaw and David Fossati from Sale Harrier days who passed away during
the last few years. Alan was my coach from when I started running aged 14
and David was a close friend I covered many a mile with. As long as
I have the ability to run, I will do something each year wearing this
vest. Next year? Maybe the 3 Peaks or