Subject:                                     V S Weekly Update - Anniversary report & results, parkrun wins, Pudsey 10k, Northumberland report

 

Sent:                                           27 July 2012 08:22

 

Events

 

Sun 29 July - Yorkshire Vets at John Smeaton www.yvaa.org

 

Tue 31 July – back to normal with training sessions at 6pm and 7pm from Leos (see website)

 

Sat 4 August – Round Hill Fell Race (more a trail race) approx. 7 miles – VSGP AND VSFC. http://otleyac.org.uk/round-hill-fell-race/ and yes it is a Saturday (it always used to be a Sunday)

 

Tue 7 August – training sessions (including fell training) to be confirmed (see website next week), followed by lasagne, book to [email protected] by 10pm Sunday 5th saying whether you want meat or veggie lasagne and whether or not you want apple pie.

 

Wed 15 August – Hyde Park 1 mile – V S Grand Prix – note entry limit of 150.  Entry information on www.ukresults.net

 

Also Wed 15 August – Sports first aid course at Leos, probably 7pm to 10pm.  This course normally costs £30 but Leeds Athletics Network are funding half of this and Valley Striders will fund the rest (providing you are or will be a frequent volunteer for at least two of our three races each year) – email me [email protected]  to “book”.  So it’s free but if you book and then don’t turn up, you will have to pay as someone else could have had the place.  Book early, filling fast.

 

Sun 2 September, Leeds Country Way see previous emails for details, [email protected] if you want to run.

 

Lots of race information on www.ukresults.net, no point me listing it all here!

 

Valley Striders Anniversary

 

We received birthday wishes via email from club founder Stuart StJohn and by facebook from one of our leading ladies from the late 80’s / early 90’s Yvonne Bissitt (now Ambler).

 

The festivities started with the 1 mile junior race which was contested by 11 juniors, 3 slightly over-18’s and 1 toddler, Lucy Adcock (age 2) who completed the route in just over half an hour.  The race was won in a new record of 6:23 by Nathan Brady, and Eleanor Ford was first girl.  This was the third time the mile race had been contested and most of the runners dipped under their previous times.  See http://valleystriders.org.uk/vsgp12j.htmPictures on Facebook from Andy Stoneman.

 

We had special Valley Striders 30th Anniversary race numbers for the junior race and for the club handicap.  77 of them were used, so you can determine that there were 62 runners in the club handicap, beating our previous best of 54 set in the 25th Anniversary race.  Handicap winner was Sarah Harper with Tomas Mildorf and Tosh Akhtar finishing fast but not quite fast enough to overtake Sarah.  Fastest on the night was Rob De’Giovanni, with Paul Kaiser and Richard Balshaw only a few seconds slower.

 

Thanks to our marshals – Mary Egan at Goodrick Stile, Paul White on Eccup Moor Road, Peter Lambert & John Umpleby in Eccup, Andy Settle & Sylvia Watson at Emmerdale, Sharon Tansley at the Water Treatment Works and Ken & Kathy Kaiser & the whole of John Shanks’ family between w.t.w. and the lodge on the dam.  Also thanks to Mike and Eileen for timekeeping and Pat Umpleby and myself for recording.

 

I presented Sarah with the cup and then made a presentation of Honorary Life Membership to Peter Lambert.  His wife, Joyce, was made a Life Member 5 years ago as club number one supporter, and since then, Peter has referred to himself as “The Apprentice”.  Peter has now qualified!  Peter marshals at most of our own races and is also to be seen spectating at other races.  If, halfway through a race, in the middle of nowhere, a man shouts “Come on Striders” to you, it is probably Peter.

 

Back at the club, a superb barbecue was served to 80 Striders and friends (another record), followed by fairy cakes made by Carole Schofield and a Valley Striders T-shirt cake made by Sarah Howell – thank you both.

 

I presented a slide show “30 years of Valley Striders in less than 10 minutes”.  (Here I must thank Louise Purdy who just happened to have her laptop and a memory stick with her so when I couldn’t make connection to the projector with my laptop, I used hers instead)

 

And then I presented John & Pat Umpleby with Honorary Life Memberships.  Both help out at nearly every event, marshalling, holding keys, recording, handing out beer, handing out water, making sandwiches, moving tables and more.  John presented the V S Handicap Trophy in 1988 which has now been contested nearly 100 times.  I thought he’d never won it, but in fact he did in 1989!

 

Junior 1 mile results

 

   1  Nathan Brady         6:23  (11) new record

   2  Joe Sherman          6:51  (9)

   3  Joe Irvine           7:35  (9)

   4  Ben Redshaw          7:41  (7)

   5  Eleanor Ford         7:58  (12)

   6  Theo Giddings        8:24  (7)

   7  Sarah Brady          8:59  (8)

   8  Emily Stoneman       9:30  (8)

   9  Abe Giddings         9:32  (11)

  10  Abigail Stoneman    10:28  (7) 

  11  Amanda Lea-Langton  11:23  (>18)

  12  Maya Lea-Langton    12:52  (9)

  13= Mandy Sherman       13:21  (>18)

  13= Harry Lea-Langton   13:21  (>18)

  15  Lucy Adcock                (2)

 

Trail Handicap approx 5.1 mile results

 

Race                       Race      Hand-    Run       Pts

  Pos                      Time      icap     Time

    1  Sarah Harper       0:53:35   0:12:20  0:41:15     55

    2  Tomas Mildorf      0:53:50   0:17:30  0:36:20     70

    3  Tahir Akhtar       0:53:52   0:21:15  0:32:37     91

    4  Steve Dixon        0:53:55   0:15:00  0:38:55     58

    5  Joel Giddings      0:54:15   0:23:00  0:31:15     97

    6  Keith Sexton       0:54:24   0:19:15  0:35:09     80

    7  Ronan Loftus       0:54:28   0:16:15  0:38:13     62

    8  Sarah Smith        0:54:30   0:14:15  0:40:15     57

    9  Amanda Seims       0:54:32   0:17:00  0:37:32     63

   10  Laura Clark        0:54:34   0:19:00  0:35:34     76

   11  Simon Vallance     0:54:36   0:22:15  0:32:21     94

   12  Richard Irvine     0:54:40   0:19:45  0:34:55     81

   13  John Batchelor     0:54:41   0:21:15  0:33:26     89

   14  Joe Hanney         0:54:57   0:19:30  0:35:27     77

   15  Julia Leventon     0:55:01   0:21:00  0:34:01     86

   16  Laura Goodson      0:55:07   0:19:15  0:35:52     71

   17  Gary Mann          0:55:11   0:22:30  0:32:41     90

   18  Rob De'Giovanni    0:55:25   0:25:45  0:29:40    100

   19  Dusan Svoboda      0:55:28   0:23:00  0:32:28     93

   20  Roy Huggins        0:55:30   0:23:00  0:32:30     92

   21  Paul Kaiser        0:55:31   0:25:45  0:29:46     99

   22  Sue Sunderland     0:55:35   0:17:15  0:38:20     61

   23  Kate Brady         0:55:37   0:07:00  0:48:37     46

   24  Andy Stoneman      0:55:39   0:22:00  0:33:39     88

   25  Jenni Kerr         0:55:41   0:18:30  0:37:11     65

   26  Richard Balshaw    0:55:43   0:25:45  0:29:58     98

   27  Graham Jones       0:55:45   0:20:00  0:35:45     72

   28  John Marsham       0:55:47   0:21:30  0:34:17     85

   29  Liz Reddington     0:55:52   0:11:30  0:44:22     52

   30  Gillian Felton     0:55:53   0:11:30  0:44:23     51

   31  Hayley Nancolas    0:55:55   0:19:00  0:36:55     66

   32  Simon Redshaw      0:56:12   0:21:30  0:34:42     82

   33  Nick Barnes        0:56:15   0:19:00  0:37:15     64

   34  Bob Wilkes         0:56:16   0:11:30  0:44:46     50

   35  Iain Currie        0:56:19   0:17:45  0:38:34     60

   36  Dan Murray         0:56:23   0:21:45  0:34:38     83

   37  Clive Bandy        0:56:24   0:24:30  0:31:54     95

   38  Myra Jones         0:56:25   0:20:45  0:35:40     74

   39  Sarah Howell       0:56:30   0:12:30  0:44:00     53

   40  Ged Coll           0:56:38   0:17:45  0:38:53     59

   41  Alistair Smyth     0:56:40   0:21:00  0:35:40     74

   42  Graham Ford        0:56:56   0:16:00  0:40:56     56

   43  Mick Loftus        0:57:00   0:23:00  0:34:00     87

   44  Jeremy Ladyman     0:57:01   0:25:15  0:31:46     96

   45  Paul Sanderson     0:57:07   0:21:30  0:35:37     75

   46  Rob Bumstead       0:57:30   0:22:15  0:35:15     79

   47  Alan Hutchinson    0:57:47   0:21:00  0:36:47     67

   48  Elaine Craiggs     0:57:56   0:07:00  0:50:56     44

   49  David Bass         0:57:57   0:21:30  0:36:27     69

   50  Chloe Hudson       0:58:03   0:12:30  0:45:33     48

   51  Alan Brydon        0:58:05   0:22:45  0:35:20     78

   52  Liz Wood           0:58:09   0:21:30  0:36:39     68

   53  John Shanks        0:58:32   0:24:00  0:34:32     84

   54  Anne Jones         0:59:24   0:05:15  0:54:09     42

   55  Helen Gill         0:59:28   0:07:00  0:52:28     43

   56  Kim Knowles        0:59:58   0:05:15  0:54:43     41

   57  Mel Murray         1:00:04   0:02:00  0:58:04     40

   58  John Bucktrout     1:00:07   0:14:45  0:45:22     49

   59  Grace Thomas       1:00:23   0:12:45  0:47:38     47

   60  Maggie Horgan      1:00:42   0:10:00  0:50:42     45

   61  Emma Johnson       1:02:26   0:01:00  1:01:26     39

   62  Rob Hamilton       1:04:48   0:22:30  0:42:18     54

 

Other Results

 

Parkruns

 

Two wins at the weekend - Jeremy Ladyman at Roundhay (18:07) (where we also had 6 in the top 10) and Dan Fisher at York (16:33)

 

Pudsey 10k

                                     GP Pts

    4     Richard Balshaw    0:38:05   100

   15     Joel Giddings      0:40:51    98

   32     Tosh Akhtar        0:44:38    97

   41     Gary Mann          0:45:10    95

   49     Richard Irvine     0:45:52    94

   61     John Shanks        0:46:51    92

   66     Laura Clark        0:47:17    91

   67     Alan Brydon        0:47:33    89

   71     Hayley Nancolas    0:47:50    88

   95     Jonathan Brownbill 0:50:15    86

  107     Sue Sunderland     0:50:51    85

  167     John Shanks        0:54:34    83

  198     Sarah Howell       0:57:47    82

  206     Andy May           0:58:18    80

 

Harrogate 10k

 

  160     Paul White         0:45:58

 

The Northumberland Coastal Run – report from Simon Vallance

 

Regularly voted one of Britain’s most scenic runs by readers of Runners World this approximately 14 mile race (depends on whether the tide is in or out) is pretty challenging.  It starts in Beadnell and follows the coast all the way to Alnmouth. In doing so, it cross three beautiful sandy beaches, passes the ruined Dunstanburgh castle and the 18th century fishing village of Low Newton.

 

For this year’s race the tide was on its way out and according to my GPS a mere 13.1 miles long.  However, the shorter distance was more than compensated for by the screaming headwind.  We all gathered on the beach, and without any warning we were off.  The most low key start to a race I can remember.

 

The terrain is pretty flat as you might imagine, but running on the beach gives its own challenges as you run over rippled sand, seaweed and exposed rocks.  Before the race we were warned that the stream we have to cross at a mile and a half would be up to our waists and was running quickly.  If true this would have meant a half mile diversion, and a major delay as runners queued to cross the tiny footbridge upstream. 

 

Thankfully by the time we reached it, the tide was out sufficiently for us to ford it safely, with the water knee high at most.  On, into the wind and across the rest of the bay before leaving the coast to run along the road for half a mile or so to Low Newton and Embleton Bay.

 

Yet more running on soft sand, with the stark silhouette of Dunstanburgh marking the end of the sweep of sand we have to cross.  A little sunshine accompanies a somewhat tentative crossing of the rocks before we climb through the dunes to run below the castle.  From here we run across the salt meadows that climb and then drop into Craster, the smell of smoking kippers announcing our arrival at the approximate half way point.    

 

Once through the village, it’s back onto the coastal path for a short way, before picking up a short stretch of road that becomes a track which seems to go on forever.  Tired legs are made heavier by the flooded sections where the choice is to wade through water or mud before the route’s only real climb out of a stream valley.  I’m feeling OK and pick up a few places as people struggle to adapt to the change of gradient.

 

Not long after this, we re-join the coastal road at Boulmer.  This section is always hard; a slight climb for about a mile is made harder by the strengthening wind.  The road is also dead straight and vanishes over a rise which never seems to get any nearer.  Finally the road starts to drop slightly and I catch sight of the sign informing us that there are only two miles to go.

 

But what a two miles!  The first half mile is in soft sand and is really hard going.  I feel like I’m going backwards as two runners pass me strongly, although my spirits are lifted as I manage to pull back a couple of places slightly further on.  Then we turn the corner and the finish is in sight.  We all seek out the firmer sand nearer to the sea, despite this meaning we have to run further.  The wind intensifies and I dig in to finish.  I’ve been neck and neck with the second lady for almost four miles and she begins to pull away.  But a poor route choice sees her running through a soft patch of sand and I pass her and her companion with about quarter of a mile to go. 

 

I finish in a time of 1.33 in 53rd position, for me a personal best in seven years of doing the race.  I’m pretty pleased with that.

 

One of the nicest parts about the run is that it finishes on the beach, so there is always plenty of support at the end, with deckchair and sandcastles a plenty.  It’s been a while since the kids have voluntarily come to watch me run, so it’s nice for them to have something to do whilst whiling away the time that I’m running (even though this does involve being sandblasted almost continually).

 

I thoroughly recommend the race.  Superbly organised by Alnwick Harriers – entry includes a bus ride from the finish to the start if you need it, a really friendly bunch of runners and of course some of the most beautiful seaside in the North East.  A Striders trip for the future perhaps?

 

For more information see Alnwick Harriers website  http://www.alnwickharriers.co.uk/?page_id=103 

 

Simon