Saturday 21 March – Roundhay parkrun

 

Kathy tells me that many of her beginners/improvers group will be at Roundhay parkrun this Saturday, for some it will be their first parkrun, so let’s have lots of Striders there!

 

Also just to remind you that this this is your penultimate opportunity to gain Leeds Race Series points at this event see www.leedsathletics.net

 

Tuesday 24 March - Liz Wood’s yoga session

 

Liz emailed me …  I'm not sure if my paragraph made it very clear, but my thinking was that runners could join in on the mats straight after their session, as an alternative to their usual stretches, before they go & get showered. They don't have to stay & do a full 20 mins, just as much as they like. V informal & plenty of chance to ask about yoga/massage/training etc and how these can aid their running success.

 

So if you’re now reassured that you don’t have to be a yoga expert, email liz.wood74@gmail.com to book a place.  More information on website www.downdogdays.com.

 

Meanwood Trail – Saturday 18 April

 

We’re now at nearly 200 entries for the Senior Race – at this rate we will have a record entry and maybe not be accepting entries on the day.

 

We have 30 junior entries, but so far only 2 junior Striders entered, we hope to see a lot more of you.

 

We have about two-thirds of the marshals needed, and in the next week or two will be allocating people into teams, so if you have a preference for job or location, please let us know email help@valleystriders.org.uk  

·         Beer labelling (Friday evening)

·         Car parking

·         Entries & results at Leos

·         Start and finish team by Leos

·         Marshalling team 1 near Leos

·         Marshalling team 2 from Alwoodley Cricket Club to Seven Arches (meeting point Leos)

·         Marshalling team 3 from Seven Arches to Ring Road (meeting point Ring Road LS16 8EZ)

·         Marshalling team 4 northern part of Meanwood Park (meeting point Ring Road LS16 8EZ)

·         Marshalling team 5 southern part of Meanwood Park and water station (meeting point Meanwood Park car park)

 

See maps www.valleystriders.org.uk/trail.htm

 

If you’ve not yet volunteered but are definitely or probably available, please email help@valleystriders.org.uk  and check you’re on the list at www.valleystriders.org.uk/vsmarshals.htm

 

If you’d like to run, then please say “Would Like to Run” on your email, but note we need to fill all the marshalling positions first.  (or if you can provide a family member or friend to marshal for you)

 

Meanwood Valley Trail Recce Runs

 

·         Tuesday 31 March – one lap of the junior route will be included in the juniors training session at 6pm

·         Sunday 5 April – jogging the route, putting up signs

·         Tuesday 7 April – recce run of senior route – replaces normal senior session

·         Tuesday 14 April - recce run of senior route – available as alternative to track session

 

Marathons – who’s running where?

 

Let’s find out who’s running where (and who you might meet on the start line) – just reply to this email to let us know, and a list will be updated at www.valleystriders.org.uk/vsmarathon.htm  

 

Membership

 

Just a reminder to check www.valleystriders.org.uk/vsmemreg.htm

 

RESULTS

 

Peco Relays

 

We had two teams in the junior relays with great results.

 

Sam Hollis 8:56, Alex Irvine 9:40 and Joe Sherman 8:07 finished 4^th overall and 2^nd boys team.   Joe’s was the fastest time by any runner.

 

Imogen Idle 9:59, Ceara Sexton 9:33 and Tally Diamond 9:44 finished 7^th overall and 1^st girls team

 

We had just one Valley Striders team who finished 25^th out of 35 - Sarah Ord 32:51, Richard Irvine 22:32, Andy Pagdin 22:30.

 

Dan Fisher ran 17:58 in the final leg for the Peco M Open representative team and passed his West Yorks Winter League counterpart for a team win. 

 

Rachel Mackie ran 23:01 for the Peco F40+ team who beat the WYWL team, and Sue Sunderland ran 24:54 for the Peco F50+ team who beat the WYWL team.

 

In the M40+, M50+ and F Open teams, WYWL beat Peco so the inter-league match result was a draw.

 

Spen 20 – incorporating Yorkshire Championships and Yorks Vets Champs

     1 John Hobbs          1:59:30 (Yorkshire Champion & M35 YV)

     4 Andy May            2:00:42 (M40 Y.Vets bronze)

    15 Jon Pownall         2:06:38

    47 Gary Mann           2:18:12

    48 Myra Jones          2:19:16

    64 Simon Vallance      2:24:58

    93 John Batchelor      2:33:51

    94 Tom Button          2:33:51

   118 Adam Parton         2:41:07

   151 Jenny Hall          2:53:48

   161 Bob Jackson         2:57:56 (M60 Y.Vets champion)

   209 Malcolm Coles       3:20:47 (M70 Y.Vets champion)

 

Some great results for Striders here as John Hobbs took the lead at 19 miles and won the Yorkshire gold medal, and together with Andy May and Jon Pownall won the team prize.  Last year Myra took Yorkshire bronze in 2:28, this year she improved by 9 minutes but this was only sufficient for 4^th place – a very good quality ladies field.  I was more fortunate, last year there were five in the M60 category, and three ran sub 2:50, this year there were four of us and I edged in 90 seconds ahead of the second in category (having said that, he was from Hartlepool, so wouldn’t have qualified for Yorks vets unless born in Yorkshire).

  

Locke Park 20 

     9 James Tarran        2:12:29

    29 Hannah Corne        2:23:10

 

This was a 20 lap race, and the race organisers in the promo on the website were quick to point out the advantages

·         You will pass the water station every mile

·         You will pass toilets every mile

·         No long lonely roads - your personal support crew can shout you on at several points during each lap!

 

Oulton Park Sprint duathlon ITU World Championship qualifying race – from John and Sarah Shanks

 

Course is windy and undulating but great to race on smooth tarmac and traffic free, especially at the start of the season when you're a bit race rusty.

Huge car park too so no faffing about, definitely recommend the Autumn event there for a group outing. Downside is there's a very long transition zone as they use the pit lane, same for everyone I suppose.

 

A lap of the circuit is 2.7miles, both runs were one lap and the cycle was five. It was an early start (set off from Leeds at 6am!) and I felt tired & heavy legged when starting. So I was a bit shocked to run a 5min first mile! Combination of a very fast pace setting group and it being a steady downhill caused that.

 

I got on the bike and my transition was ok, but mounting the bike needs more practice as I immediately lost 4 or 5 places from folk that were slicker at it. I also lost another 6 places on the bike to guys riding TT speed machines. This course is made for bike power, not so much skinny runners. I averaged just under 22mph which is lower than my target of 24mph so a bit of work needing done there.

 

Bike to run went well & smooth with no lactic and I picked off some of those wattmonsters that smoked me on the bike. Happy that run 2 was only 34s slower than run 1, considering that ridiculous first mile.

 

Overall pleased with the run but disappointed with the bike. I know where gains can be made and will practice again next week at Clumber Park with the aim of refining the week after at Stirling.

 

R1 - 14:50, T1 - 0:58, B - 36:59, T2 - 0:56, R2 - 15:24, Total - 1:09:08, finished 22nd - 4th in category

 

Sarah’s Report

Yep, just a little early on a Sunday morning with a 5.15am get up. Was a shock to the system! Still a good start to the duathlon season and a race to compare our form to last season.

Unlike John I was pleased with my bike but had no energy on the run. Transition went a lot better than I thought and I enjoyed going on my new bike's first outing with my sonic the hedgehog helmet. Still a fair bit to improve on-

R1 - 18:57, T1 – 1:11, B – 43:30, T2 – 1:15, R2 - 19:29, Total 1:24:24, finished 95th - 2nd in category

 

Flower Scar Fell Race Saturday 7 March – from Steve Dixon

 

An AS counter in the 2015 FRA English Championship and also the 2015 Yorkshire Championship for seniors and u23's.- 5.5 miles and 470 metres ascent.

 

From Tod Harriers web site - This is a gem of a race with steep climbs, rough moor and fast paths, typifying all that’s best about South Pennine fell running. Starting close to Todmorden town centre, this race will take you to the parts of Tod that other races don’t reach....  It was very muddy too!

 

Quality of the field was phenomenal with the likes of Ian Holmes and Rob Jebb having to settle for double figures in the placings! The high quality of the field went down the age groups too, Tom McGaff 1st M60 in 48 mins and Kieran Carr 1st M70 in 58 mins. I enjoyed every minute of it even though 20th M60 out of 23. Amazed there are still so many of us old blokes running up and down these hills!

 

1          Simon Bailey     M         1          Mercia Fell RC               38.39

298       Stephen Dixon  MV60    20         Valley Striders AC         64.56

325 finished and 3 DNF's

 

The women's race started 90 mins before the men and it's possible Sarah Smith will provide a report but.......

1          Annie Conway   F          1          Ambleside AC               44.23

128       Sarah Smith      FV45    24         Valley Striders AC         73.00

148 finished and 3 DNF's