Category Archives: General News

Week Ahead – Sunday 9th June 2019

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Afternoon All
It would be totally wrong of me not to start this weeks email with a huge congratulations to all the Nidd Valley Road Runners who took part in yesterdays Great Knaresborough Bed Race.We had our four teams who created fantastically decorated beds, ran, pushed and swam with all their strength in challenging conditions.
Congratulations too to our junior and senior club members representing other beds, everyone did a fantastic job!
We had a great turn out of supporting Nidders which was good to see and I’m sure helped the teams up the final stretch of bed race hill.

The week ahead is a busy one with a lot of information and things to note so I’ll press on.

The Week Ahead. 

Tuesday 11/6/19 Note. The planned fell session has been postponed due to our busy week. A new date is yet to be confirmed.

Hockey Club. Social Run.Sarah Chalmers will lead a run with a combination of road and off road. She will need support from other run leaders so please step forward on Tuesday.
Route.Kingsley Road, Morrisons, Stonefall Park, Great Yorkshire Showground, through the woods with a number of options from this point.1. Turn right along the path to the squash club, Hookstone Road, through Saints area and across the Stray back to the club2. Extend to Hornbeam, Raleigh Road and the Stray to the club3.Even further carry on to Fulwith Mill Lane, Leeds Road to the Stray and back to the club.The shortest route would be 5 to 6 miles..

Wednesday 10/6/19 Otley 10 mile road race. This is a club championship race. Please check the race website for further information. I believe there may be an option to enter on the night but please check first.

Thursday13/6/19.
The Hockey Club is closed there are no facilities.

Annual Almscliffe Crag Run.
Please read the brief from Dave and Sylvia.
On Thursday night we will be doing our annual Almscliff Crag run. Basically we catch the train to Weeton (Huby), jog steadily up to the crag and then run back to Harrogate with a couple of options as to the distance run.
I suggest that those who want to do a longer run should park and catch the train at Hornbeam Park, though there is nothing to stop you getting on at Starbeck or Harrogate if that is more convenient. If you want a shorter run, you can drive to Pannal, catch the train there, and run back to your car.  Distances are Weeton Station (Huby) to the crag  1.6 miles  – to Pannal  4.7 miles (TOTAL)  – to Hornbeam Park  6.7 miles (TOTAL) Train times are Starbeck 18:40 (single fare £6.20)   Harrogate 18:46 (single fare £4.50)     Pannal 18:57 (single fare £2.70)      18 :59. For those of you who prefer not to run back to Hornbeam Park or indeed Harrogate, Sylvia has offered to lead a shorter run that will still take in Almscliffe Crag.
It will go on to North Rigton and then cut across the fields back to Weeton to pick up the train back to Harrogate.The run will be about 4 miles at a steady pace. There is also parking at Weeton station for those not able to get the train.
Train Travel.Remember if two of you are travelling to and from the same stations at the same times you can get a duo ticket where one travels for half price!
Social.Those craving their Thursday night beer and a packet of crisps will regroup at the Swan on the Stray later in the evening.
This is a great run at a social pace. Check out the group photo at the bottom of this email. 
 As the club will be closed and its our Almscliffe Crag run there will be no official club run planned from the Hockey Club. That said, if anyone wants to meet there and organise a casual run there’s nothing stopping you. 

Pacing Groups.

Group 1. – Approx 8 to 8.30 minute mile pace

Group 2. – Approx 9 to 9.30 minute mile pace

Group 3. – Approx 10 to 10.30 minute mile pace

Group 4 – Approx 10.30 to 11 minute mile pace

Group 5 –  Social, recovery run with no pace in mind but a chance to chat as you jog, going as far as you want.

Health and Safety Briefing.

Warm up and cool down correctly.

Buddy up where possible and always with any new members.

In the event an injury does occur please remember to inform the welfare officer using the on line form on our club web site.

Best Wishes, ChristineNVRR Chair.

Week Ahead – Sunday 2nd June 2019

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Afternoon All

Its June already and we have a busy time ahead of us with lots of running, training, racing and of course the highlight of the month with the Great Knaresborough bed race.

We have 4 teams entered this year! Good luck to each and every one of you. Have fun, race well and know that we are all  supporting you.

The month started well with a fun social evening last night. Huge thanks to Nadene for organising this.

The monthly newsletter with its official title is attached so there’s lots to read this week. Thanks again to Kevin for producing this. Please remember to send him details of PB’s, anecdotal stories or significant achievements. Download, Issue 3, of The Gold and Black now.

The Week Ahead.

Tuesday 4/6/19

HDSRL. Ripon.

This is the second of the evening league races. Check the web site for full details of start times and parking. You must bring your number and wear your club vest.

Sarah Chalmers and Martin Lofthouse will be there to hand out numbers to those yet to collect them.

Hockey Club. Social Run.

Alan Harby is kindly opening the hockey club so there’s an option to run from there for those not running the evening league. There is some essential maintenance work taking place at the club so there will be no shower facilities.

Thursday 6/6/19.

Options.

Bed Race Training.

This is possibly the last training session before the big day on Sunday 8th June.

If you’re thinking of joining the teams please liaise direct with team captains and check email and Facebook messages.

Social Run. Knaresborough.

Kingsley Drive, Knaresborough Road, Boroughbridge Road, Stockwell Lane, Briggate, Forest Moor Road, Morrisons and Kingsley Drive. Approx. 7 miles.

Off Road.

An off road run through the beautiful Nidd Gorge.

Pacing Groups.

Group 1. – Approx 8 to 8.30 minute mile pace

Group 2. – Approx 9 to 9.30 minute mile pace

Group 3. – Approx 10 to 10.30 minute mile pace

Group 4 – Approx 10.30 to 11 minute mile pace

Group 5 –  Social, recovery run with no pace in mind but a chance to chat as you jog, going as far as you want.

Health and Safety Briefing.

Warm up and cool down correctly.

Buddy up where possible and always with any new members.

In the event an injury does occur please remember to inform the welfare officer using the on line form on our club web site.

Best Wishes, Christine

NVRR Chair.

Race Report: The Kinder Downfall, 28th April 2019

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This a fell race from Hayfield in the Peak District taking in 600m of climb and Kinder Scout along its 15.4 kilometers.

Kinder Downfall View

This race has been on my list ever since I started running, I used to take part in the junior races as a kid, but as a senior I’d never made it to the start line for various reasons. This year the day dawned dry but over cast.

The race starts, as all good fell races do, by casually blocking off the main road through the village, listening to a short briefing before a bloke shouts ‘GO’ and we all head of up the road and off across the fields. We passed ‘Twenty Trees’ a small copse of …19… trees and then pick up the Snake path to the bottom of William Clough where it kicks up to Ashop Head. This is a particularly poignant part of the race because it is the route of the Mass Trespass of 1932.

If you’ve not heard of this, look it up, it’s an important part of the social history of this country, but in brief… Historically, average Joes like thee and me did not have unbridled access to the countryside. On the 24th of April, 1932, two groups of ramblers organised a wilful trespass onto the slopes of Kinder Scout to highlight the fact that walkers in England and Wales were denied access to areas of open country. This act of civil disobedience is argued to have been the catalyst of events that resulted in the passage of the National Parks legislation in 1949 and the CRoW act in 2000, both of which secure our access to open green spaces today.

I’m confident it is not a coincidence that this race, along this route, is held close to the anniversary of this event.

As we climbed, my thoughts were with those trespassers of 87 years ago, some of whom faced jail time for their efforts. Without them we’d not be able to enjoy places like these, it also took my mind off the relentless drag on up, which I was really just a means to an end.

As Kinder Scout is a Plateau, once you’re up, you’re up! Which is my kind of race, all flat and downhill from here, the sun had even put in an appearance… weeee! The route hugs the western edge with cracking views of the Kinder reservoir below. Crossing the Downfall marks about half way and then the route wends its way over swine’s back down to the final checkpoint at Edale Cross, a medieval boundary marker. After this it bounds off for home across Tunstead meadows. This is a fabulous bit of downhill running, smooth grassy fields allowing for full windmill and striding out. Unfortunately it all rather crunches to a halt as you hit the road for the final flat mile which was quite the trial and hard on tired legs, but I trundled over the line in 2 hours dead, happy as a clam with my day out on the hills of home.

Report by Cath Barber

Week Ahead – Sunday 26th May 2019

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Afternoon All

Evening League.
Well, didn’t we have a lot of runners at the first evening league race? I hope you all enjoyed it particularly those new to evening league events. Harrogate Harriers did an excellent job hosting the race and I’ve received a special thanks from their chairman for Cath Barber who volunteered to do all the race signage. A huge task for which they didn’t have anyone qualified. Well done Cath, showing once again what a friendly club we really are.

Nidd Valley Road Runners. Social Evening.
Let’s celebrate our running successes and welcome the summer with a fun night out! Revolucion de Cuba. 7.30pm Saturday 1st June 2019. Nadene Wilkinson has kindly organised this. Please let her know if you’re attending, and if you’re eating food or not. There is an email and a face book event with full details for this.

The Week Ahead.

Tuesday 28/5/19

Fell / Off Road Session No. 2. Technical.
Cath Barber and Emma Kicks will be leading a fell / off-road technical session on Tuesday. Please note the emphasis is on the technical aspects of off-road focusing on technique. Of course there will be a chance to run up the odd hill too! 7pm. Hookstone Woods. Hookstone Wood Road. Parking at the Scout hut.

Club Social Run.
There is the usual option of a run from the hockey club.

Bed Race Training.
Liaise direct, or watch out for email message and Facebook messages regarding bed teams and their training.

Thursday 30/5/19. Social Club Run.

Options.

Supermarket Run.
Along the railway path to Asda, through town to Waitrose, Stray Rein or Oatlands Drive, Showground, Wetherby Road, Freeman’s Corner, Forest Moor Lane, Morrisons, Kingsley Drive. Approx. 7 miles.

Off Road.
An off road run through the beautiful Nidd Gorge.

Pacing Groups.
Group 1. – Approx 8 to 8.30 minute mile pace
Group 2. – Approx 9 to 9.30 minute mile pace
Group 3. – Approx 10 to 10.30 minute mile pace
Group 4 – Approx 10.30 to 11 minute mile pace
Group 5 – Social, recovery run with no pace in mind but a chance to chat as you jog, going as far as you want.

Health and Safety Briefing.

Warm up and cool down correctly.
Buddy up where possible and always with any new members.
In the event an injury does occur please remember to inform the welfare officer using the on line form on our club web site.

Best Wishes, Christine
NVRR Chair.