Weekly Update: A Christmas Carol? No, it’s a Nidd Valley Carol…

Far from ghostly, this week couldn’t possibly have gone unnoticed,  and saw Nidds out in force in relays, on the fells and on the roads.

The Danefield Relays saw our lovely “Nidd Valley Carol” (Morgan) and hubby Simon Franklin, along with his club Horsforth Fellandale host the Danefield Relays in Otley and encourage 11 Nidd comrades over to take part. We entered 4 teams and I must make mention of Catherine Barber, who put together an excellent spreadsheet and organised the teams.

Now off-roading really isn’t my thing, and not off road hills, but over I trotted regardless, how hard can 2 miles be… very hard indeed as it turned out! Now to be fair Carol told me before we started that I should save something for the end as the last 3/4 of a mile was steep, flat and then steep again, she was right, at one point I told a marshall I was going to cry, he told me to save it until the top corner and it would look like I worked harder… good advice! Nidd Valley Mike’s Marauders ( me, Steve Newton and Mike Deacon) had plenty of making up time to do after my rather steady first leg! I enjoyed it though and that, as ever, is the main thing.

Plenty of great running though on the night, teams results are here.

Nidd Valley Dream Team – 34th
Sam Fugill – 24.30  Matt Wilkinson – 21.35 (not even Otley Chevin can stop this man!) Carol Morgan – 24.51 Total time 1.10.56

Nidd Valley Runners – 45th

Andy Harris – 22.33 (despite losing a shoe) Fiona Deacon 27.17  Ben Baird – 24.17  Total time – 1.14.07

Nidd Valley Mike’s Marauders – 83rd

Sarah Hughan – 30.54 (all too much for me!) Steve Newton 26.29  Mike Deacon 25.42  Total time – 1.23.05

Nidd Valley Elite Women – 109th

Rachel Prince – 32.14  Catherine Barber 29.35 Sarah Chalmers 34.25  Total time – 1.36.14

Catherine Barber,  Sarah Chalmers, Sam Fugill and Carol M had barely time to get showered and changed before donning the gold and black NVRR colours again for the Stirton Fell race, joined by a hardy bunch of fell running chums from Nidd Valley, they navigated the 9 km (5.6mile) course with its 360m (1181ft in Dickensian terms) of climb with ease.

(Tiny) Tim Harvey (he isn’t tiny really,  I’m just using that to fit with my Charles Dickens theme, sorry Tim) was the first Nidd home,  41.34, Alan Davidson 48.17, Simon Franklin (running in his Fellandale vest but we will mention him anyway) 48.23, was followed home by  Sam “Scrooge” Fugill in 50.11, Andrew Peagram 51.47, Mark David 52.29, Dave Prince 59.33, Dave Seaman, 1.01.40, just pipped Catherine Barber 1.01.49 to the line, Debbie Gibson 1.03.40. A big cheer to Hannah Peagram 1.16.18 for her first fell run and Sarah Chalmers, 1.16.53 also gets a cheer for helping Hannah round and finishing everything off rather splendidly at Stirton!

This turned into a good old pub run, and the food at the end was lovely! We had earned it though as the Burton Leonard isn’t the easiest of routes with all sorts of terrain to deal with on the way round. I would say that the pub was the best bit for me but then nothing changes there. Oh i did like the bit as well where we got slightly lost with about 2 miles to go and couldn’t find the turn for home… wont happen on the day though will it, not now we have had a practice. Don’t forget Monday 11th is the last day to enter so do it if you haven’t already. www.burtonleonard10k.co.uk 

We can’t finish our chapter on The Week Just Past without a mention for Sue Simpson or Mark David with some great results from last weekend. Mark entered the Oakworth Haul and was the 6th person home in 48.30 and Sue sped round the Kirkstall Canter Half Marathon and was 2nd lady home in 1.50.35, Sue also points out the course was 13.37 miles, but never mind that Sue, still a great result for you and as i always say, its all good training!

And so  we move on to our next chapter with Great Expectations, not to mention great excitement, as is the norm here at Nidd Valley House  – other running clubs should take note!

Fell Running Phil took part in the Addingham Gala Fell Race  – the official results aren’t yet out, but Phil’s own watch gave him a time of 62.49 which seems accurate enough to me – he described it as 6 miles with 1000ft of climb which is tough, so very well done Phil.

Leeds 10k saw Nick (Nicholas Nickleby) Smith, Jane Hill, Michelle Smith and Michelle Dinsdale raring to go… Nick 53.59, Michelle Smith 58.22, Jane Hill 59.47 and Michelle Dinsdale 1.04.12. Great running all of you. Neil Wright also took part for charity and finished in 57.06 well done to you too.

parkrun results maketh the weekend for so many, so here they are…

Harrogate: Although declaring to me before we set off that he didn’t feel mentally prepared for parkrun, Martin Lofthouse was first Nidd home in 19.00, (goodness knows what he would have managed if he had prepared properly), just beating Andrew Harris and Jack the dog home 19.22, followed by Jonathan Easton 21.31.

Harrison Isles (22.14 PB) sped past Steve Newton 22.18 on the way to the line to get his fantastic PB. Well done Harrison. Mum Alison Isles soon followed in 22.44. Mark Armstrong 23.16, Sue Simpson 23.19, Christine Holleran (my personal mentor) 23.56 with me chasing her home 24.11, Moira McTague 24.41,  Hannah Peagram completed a great week of running with a new PB 24.53 – it’s a 24 Hannah a 24!! Well done! Ben Baird 25.44 was pacing the 26 minutes gang home, Fiona and Ellie Deacon both finished in 26.19, Jim Cook 26.36, Tony LC 27.02, Stuart Hatfield 27.49, David Rushton made a welcome return finishing in 28.04, Emma Edgar 28.26 and Jeff Walker 29.40.

Over at Fountains, Andy Todd was the first Nidd back, 19.42,  Matt Rickard 20.44, Mark David 22.04, Sue Reast 28.42 and Michelle Dinsdale 31.26.

Junior parkrun saw Thea Stewart grab a great new PB 9.05, and a special mention to Eleanor Easton who gets a gold star and a fab new PB – 11.30 well done!

and now for Chapter 3, the final installment –

Remember wherever you are heading this week it is Yorkshire Show week so allow extra travel time!

I suggest running from the hockey club to Knaresborough – head to the cycle track via the iron bridge,  turn right at Bilton Lane down past the Gardeners Arms and down the Beryl Burton cycle path, then you could come straight back to club, or could add on a bit extra by running along waterside and back round Knaresborough. You can then head back by any number of routes, I seem to remember running over some fields the last time from Bilton Hall Lane at the top of the Beryl Burton track but I can’t rememebr the details! It may just be easier to retrace your steps back to be honest.

Wednesday 13th 7pm  – Golden Acre Relays, Golden Acre Park, Leeds www.abbeyrunners.co.uk/golden-acre-relay/

“(A) Nidd Valley Carol” reminded us last Tuesday, it is the Golden Acre Park relays this Wednesday.

I ran these last year and really enjoyed them, it is off road but not so hilly as the Danefield relays, and a touch shorter at 2.75 miles. Teams of 3 again and it is a steal at only £10 per team.  I will be there! I would suggest your trail shoes, bring your safety pins and some water.

Get in touch with Catherine Barber on NVRR facebook to get a place on a team as she is again doing a great job in compiling a spreadsheet. If i can do it, you can!

Not done enough with your beloved club comrades this week? No of course you haven’t and we have much more to offer! There is more than “gruel” on offer here with a pub run round the reservoirs at Swinsty and Fewston led by Treasurer Dave. Food will be at the Sun Inn afterwards, so order before you run to save time later. Let Dave know by email or NVRR facebook if you want to go so he can book the table at the pub.

It is Men’s Captain Martin Lofthouse’s birthday and to celebrate we are running Harrogate parkrun and then going to Miller’s cafe in Starbeck for breakfast, everyone welcome! You never know there may even be a balloon dance in the offing, if you have never witnessed this, then you have to see it for yourself. This Saturday 9am, the Stray!

Sunday 17th July – A tale of Two cities (well towns really) NVRR Harrogate take on Knaresborough Striders, at the Burton Leonard 10k. 

This time next week we should be rightly holding the mob match trophy aloft before displaying it in all it’s glory in the trophy room at Nidd Valley House! We need to win this trophy back for the sanity of our esteemed Chairman if nothing else. Come on Nidd Valley we can do this, but you need to turn up and run.

Again the website to enter and all the key details is here www.burtonleonard10k.co.uk and you will get your £10 back from Treasurer Dave when you turn up on the day and run.

The excitement doesn’t stop after you have raced. You will then have the opportunity to spend your refunded £10 at Wetherspoons in Kanaresborough (it used to be The Crown) and you will get plenty of drinks for £10 in a Wetherspoons I can assure you.

We are meeting there for post mob match celebratory drinks with Striders at 3pm. The celebrations will be all NVRR of course!

The countdown to the big day is on.

Over dinner on Thursday, Edoardo Piano was talking about the Bed Race beds….

Edoardo: “That’s a thought, do they do anti-doping tests at the Knaresborough Bed Race? Maybe we should just get a few Russians in the team?!”

In the words of Dickens, Tiny Tim (Harvey) to be exact –  God Bless us, every one!

Have a great week,

Sarah H x