(TLDR. For those short of time….On Tuesday, we have a club run up to Harlow Carr and round Birk Crag, and on Thursday we have an away from club run up at the Deacon’s. All lovely stuff. No championship races this week. Read on for news on up and coming events, though.).
Good afternoon, and welcome aboard this flight with Nidd Valley Airlines. Please ensure that your running kit is safely stored in the overhead lockers, that your seat is in the upright position, and that your tray table is folded away in preparation for take off. I’m joined on the flight deck by my co-pilot Captain Dazzler and the cabin crew, ably led by Chief Steward Sylvia, will shortly be passing through the plane. Please pay full attention to their safety briefing. We are just completing our final checks and awaiting clearance from the tower, and then we will get airborne to our first destination: the week ahead.
The Week Ahead
On Tuesday, we’ve got an absolute beaut of a club run lined up for you. Get yourself to the Hockey Club and be good to go for 7pm. We’ll head down into town, and up the Valley Gardens. From there, we can continue up through the Pine Woods as far as Harlow Carr. Turning right, we will work our way back through the woods and to the back of the Duchy Estate. Heading back along Kent Road, you can head straight for the club house through Coppice and onto Kings Road, or you can extend down through Oakdale for a little more off-road running. If you want something shorter, feel free to peel off after Valley Gardens or Harlow Carr and make your way back along by the Stray. As ever, keep an eye out for others and leave no one behind.
Thursday brings much excitement as we have another away from club run. This week we are heading up into Nidderdale to run from Mike and Fiona Deacon’s rural idyll. Seriously, it’s like an episode of Countryfile up there. Lovely stuff. Anyway, we’re meeting at 6.30pm and will be running from 6.45pm (to get the best of the light). We’re parking in the field behind the house, and it will be marked with the Nidd Valley flag. The address is: Stripe Cottage, Stripe Lane, Hartwith, HG3 3EY. Mike and Fiona have organised a four mile and a seven mile route, and I’m reliably informed that road shoes will be fine. They’re looking forward to seeing you, and so am I. See you then.
There will not be a run from the Hockey Club on Thursday.
No races in the calendar this weekend, either. Fancy that, hey? Still, we’ve had a bit of a rush of them recently so a weekend off won’t do you any harm. If you are heading out for a trot, why not let us know via the email and Facebook group? There’ll be sure to be a few others up for joining you.
Results
I start the results this week with Fingers Harris, who set himself the slightly deranged challenge of trying to reach the height of Everest Base Camp by doing reps of Otley Chevin. Quite why anyone would do this to themselves is beyond me, but there we are. Anyway, Fingers did 25 reps of the Chevin, clocking an impressive 14,688ft and 36.85 miles in a time of 10:47. Well done to him, and well done to all of you who went to support him.
Very possibly my favourite ever Nidder.
In other news, Strava dot-watchers will have been avidly following Kev Nicholas as he continues on Lands End to John O’Groats cycle ride. Well, yes, I know that he is on a bike and I know we are a running club and I know that you are the very definition of pedantry itself. However, this is Kev, and he is one of the nicest people on Planet Earth, and so it would be remiss of me not to update you. Yesterday, Kev finished day six near Shap in Cumbria, and so I expect that he is now over the border and approaching the half-way point. Hopefully we’ll be able to celebrate his successful completion by next week. Keep going, Kev!
And so to the more conventional results, and we start with those from the Sessay Swift. Adam Kirk (21.12) was the first to complete the six kilometres of running hell, while Captain Dazzler (21.45), Kevin Dalton (22.18), and Andy Todd (22.20) all put in epic performances. If you can hear someone shouting, then that is because I cannot too loudly sing the praises of Steve Newbould (22.52), Kevin Clark (23.11), Martin Lofthouse (23.18), Sam Heathcoate (23.41) and Andy Iddon (25.15). And then, get this, Babs came home in a spectacular 25.34, claiming the prize for third overall lady, while John Beaumont (25.39) slipped in just ahead of Sarah Staiano (25.54), Richard Evans (25.59), Fiona Deacon (26.31), Simon Cocker (27.04) and Helen Gregory (27.20).
Winner, winner, chicken dinner!
Let’s keep the party going by celebrating the achievements of Jeremy Leggings (27.27), Jim Cook (28.18), Katharine Morton (28.21), Karen Mills (28.30), Jane Evans (28.59), and Helen Cook (29.33). Ian Wighton (31.17) and Katie Coppack (31.43) were the next Nidders to complete the lung-busting challenge, while Guy Parker (32.17) and his better half Moira McTague (32.17) came over the line together. Sweet. Rachael Prince (32.19) was bearing down on them at speed, and she was soon joined by Emily Wighton (32.43), Philippa Thompson (33.10), Sue Rogers (36.31) and Liz Ahmed (36.42). Congratulations to Graham Hyde (37.06), who closed proceedings with our trio of finishers: Jill Hornsby (39.08), Sylvia Morten (41.06) and Fiona Robinson (46.16).
On Friday night, we had Nidds at the York 5k Even Splits series. Sam Heathcoate (19.55) was the first Nidd to finish the 7pm wave, with Sarah Staiano (22.11) and John Mallett (23.49) giving chase. Sue Ball (26.22) had Rachael Prince (26.55) hot on her heels, with Mr Prince (26.58) only three seconds behind her. Philippa Thompson (27.20), Susan Rogers (29.51) and Fiona Robinson (36.51) rounded off matters in style for the team. In the 7.45pm wave , Adam Kirk (17.28) was in speedy form, with Matt Wilkinson (18.40) managing to snatch a 16 second lead over Steve Newbould (18.54). Well done to you all.
Here we have a nice photo of Matt giving the pre-race briefing his full attention.
Nidders in the sun. A beautiful sight.
In the happy world of Parkrun, we’ve had the glorious gold running at all the usual haunts, while some have ventured as far as Whiteley, Burgess, Keswick, Selby and Alnwick. You can have a nosey at the results heret: https://tinyurl.com/4cbrfjde.
Let us be lovers / we’ll marry our fortunes together / I’ve got some real estate / here in my bag: samfugill@gmail.com.
Apology of the Week
This week’s apology goes to Chatty McChatface, whose result I carelessly omitted from the write up of Round Hill Fell Race last week. Well, if anyone deserves their name in bright lights, it’s our Chatty, and I’m happy to report that she tamed the course in an impressive time of 1:42.11, coming 115th place overall. Well done!
Further Ahead & Booking Now Open
The Tholthorpe 10k on Sunday 04 Sep 2022 is your next chance to get points in the road championships, and you’ll need to pre-enter if you want a place. Entry is £14.50 and can be done here: https://tinyurl.com/bdzmnc97.
On Sunday 11 Sep 2022, we’ve got the Vale of York half marathon, which is the longest race in the road championships. For this, we’ll be heading to Selby – not something you want to say every day, if you can help it – but we are where we are. At least it is a flat course. This race is definitely pre-entry only, and it doesn’t look like there are many places left. I’d crack on if I were you: https://tinyurl.com/2s3szy2m.
The week after, we’ve got the all important Mob Match against the Crag Rats on Sunday 18 Sep 2022. We need as many Nidds as we can to turn out and get involved. Every runner earns vital points in what will be a tough fight to retain the trophy for another year. Don’t mess about, don’t delay. Your club needs you: https://tinyurl.com/knu6s9b2.
Word to the Wise
Your dose of weekly wisdom comes from Jess Harby, who was having a right good old moan on our club run to Knaresborough on Thursday evening
“I would like running if it didn’t involve hills….I mean, please say we’re not running up Bed Race Hill. Please. I did it in the race and I think I’ve got PTSD…”
A touch overly-dramatic, no?
Have a great week.
Sam x