(TLDR. For those short of time…. On Tuesday we have some intervals on the hill by the Gardners Arms and a club round Bilton and Knox Estate. Both leave from the Hockey Club at 7pm. On Thursday, we are doing the supermarket sweep for our club run, with drinks in the bar afterwards. Sunday is the annual club trip to Bridlington, but entries have closed now and if you snooze you lose…).
Evening folks.
Right, given the slimmed down emails of the past two weeks, we’re back to full steam ahead aboard the good ship HMS Nidd Valley. So with a sea shanty, a heave-ho, and a drunken sailor, let’s hoist the anchor and haul away to the week ahead.
The Week Ahead
The nights really are drawing in now so, if you choose to join us on any of the evening club runs (and yes, indeed, why wouldn’t you?), please think about wearing a reflective/hi-viz top or donning a head-torch. Anything that will help you be seen when out pounding the streets will help.
On Tuesday, Emma and Babs are leading another interval session. Be at the Hockey Club and good to run for 7pm, or outside the Gardeners Arms on Bilton Lane for 7.15pm. This will be a hill session, and as you’ll be out on the lane then you’ll need the hi-viz and the headtorch . Again, this is for all ages and abilities, so do come and join in. I for one really like the camaraderie that you get in a group training session, and I’m sure you will, too.
If you just fancy a steady run on Tuesday, there will also be a run from the club at 7pm. In the absence of any better ideas, might I suggest reacquainting ourselves with the delights of Bilton? We can head over the iron bridge with the interval-team and then head over round Woodfield Road and down Tennyson Avenue. From there, you can work your way towards the Knox pub, and then up the hill to Skipton Road. Turning at the Little Wonder Roundabout, then it’s back up Ripon Road and into town, before turning back for the club. It’s about 10km when all is said and done, so feel free to extend or shorten as the mood takes you.
We’ve got another club run lined up for you on Thursday and – oh! – this is a beauty. We’re doing the supermarket sweep. Excellent. We’ll leave the club at 7pm and head along the railway line to ASDA, up through town, past Waitrose and up to the Stray. We then head for the showground, either taking the direct line over the Stray and Oatlands Drive or extending via Leeds Road and M&S. Once in the showground, pass Sainsbury’s and head onto Forest Lane, heading through the Dalby Estate to Mozzas, and then up Knaresborough Road back to the club. We’ve had plenty of people come for post-Thursday run pints recently, and it would be lovely if you’d like to swell our numbers yet further. You’ll find us upstairs in the Hockey Club. The bantz is quality and the tunes are banging. Innit.
On Sunday, we have our annual club trip to Bridlington Wetherspoons. Sorry, I mean the Bridlington 13.5 mile trail race. Entries have now closed and you’ve got to be in it to win it, so if you’ve not got your shizzle together then we’ll be sorry to miss you. The bus leaves the Hockey Club carpark at 6.30am, so you’ll need to stay out of the pub on Saturday night to make sure that you are up with your bright eyes and your bush tails. It’ll be a great day. Always is, to be honest.
Results
It’s coming home, it’s coming home, the mob match trophy is coming home! The glorious Black and Gold were out in force at the Bishop Monkton Beckbusters 10k and tamed the Knaresborough Striders with a decisive win in our annual mob match. Don’t listen to what anyone else might tell you – each and every one of you counted in this competition, and this victory belongs to all of you. And why not celebrate what you achieved? Billy Fox (39.15) has clearly got ideas above his station by calling himself ‘William Fox’, while Captain Dazzler (39.42) was knocked off his ‘First Nidd’ perch. Still, it stops him thinking too much of himself, I suppose. Andy Todd (39.49) is a Nidd we don’t see half as much of as we should like, so it was lovely to catch up with him. Our Kevlar (40.51) managed to hold Steve Newbould (41.02), Martin Lofthouse (41.32) and Fingers Harris (43.13) at bay, while Andrew Iddon (44.32), Nigel Scaife (45.32) and Jon Easton (46.00) were hunted down by the ever-speedy Babs (46.13).
Now some firsts will always stick in your mind. Your first day at school. Your first kiss. Your first house. I wonder if Heval Turel (46.26) will remember his first race in a Nidd Vest. With a time like that, I should hope he does. Damien Handslip (46.31) was enjoying the benefits of his London Marathon training, while Simon Cocker (46.44) inched forward to claim the advantage over yours truly (47.26). Richard Evans (47.31) was menacingly close behind for much of the run, his heels hotly pursued by John Beaumont (47.32), Fiona Deacon (47.39), Andrew Croft (49.24) and Helen Gregory (50.13). Let’s have a big cheer for Christine Holleran (52.51), and a few kind words for Fell Running Phil (52.49) as he got his head round that new-fangled tarmac. Karen Mills (53.31) was just ahead of John Mallet (53.38), whereas his Lordship (53.52) could not quite catch Helen Cook (53.44). Stewart Douglas (55.43) was the next to cross the line, followed by Roger Duckworth (55.48), Jonathan Kay (55.54), Chatty McChatface (56.02), Sue Ball (56.43) and Dave Seaman (57.22). Chris Nelson (57.20) had a right fight on to keep Nadene Wilkinson (57.55) from overtaking him, while there was not much to separate Jeremy Leggings (57.45) and Guy Parker (57.59) was they headed for the line.
It wasn’t too long until Ewa Scott (58.24) came crashing through the beck, with Nick Smith (58.46), Katie Coppack (59.07), Angela Pattinson (59.19) and Sarah Fabron (59.30) the next to get their feet wet. It’s never anything but a total delight to see Moira McTague (1:00.26) out running, and we can’t do anything but celebrate the results from her and from Emily Wighton (1:02.04), Yvonne Skelton (1:03.59), Philippa Thompson (1:07.57) and Michelle Smith (1:07.50). The famous four to round up proceedings for the team were no other than the indefatigableLiz Ahmed (1:08.13), Jill Hornsby (1:12.10), Sylvia Morten (1:12.18) and Mrs Robinson (1:23.54). Massive congratulations to you all and thanks for bringing the trophy back to Nidd Valley House. #missionaccomplished.
Now it isn’t all about the boring world of the grown ups. If you look at what our very own Nidd Valley Juniors achieved in the 2k run at Bishop Monkton, then it will blow your mind. Eleanor Easton (08.08) swept round the course to claim first female position. Amelia Dalton (09.30) was following in her dad’s speedy footsteps, while Fraser Dobinson (10.33) and James Wilkinson (11.11) have given us no shortage of things to cheer about. With times like this, the future of Team Nidd is in the safest of hands, as I’m sure you’ll agree.
A couple of days before the Mob Match, a few Nidds turned out to run the Evensplits York 5k Series, and it would be remiss of me not to put their names in shining lights. Adam Kirk (16.56) shaved a few seconds of his personal best, but I’m more than happy to shout from the rooftops the following results: Fingers Harris (17.43), Captain Dazzler (17.53), Martin Lofthouse (18.54) and Lloyd Brown (19.00). Matt Wilkinson (19.17) was the next to finish, and soon to be joined by Nigel Scaife (20.53), John Mallet (24.20), and Nadene Wilkinson (27.48). Debbie Burrett (27.48) is the first of our finishing trio, ably joined by Sylvia Morten (32.43) and Fiona Robinson (39.15). Great results, everyone!
I was a bit peeved to miss yesterday’s Romald’s Romp due to having to take the car for a service, but sometimes life gets in the way. Still, there is plenty to celebrate in the results for this next instalment of the fell championships. Brian Hainsworth (1:18.18) was the first of the pack to complete the eight mile course, while this route over Ilkley Moor proved no great hardship to Jane Evans (1:24.12) and Emma David (1:25.04). Fell Running Phil (1:26.44) was as happy as, well, a fell runner in mud, and let’s have big cheers for Debbie Gibson (1:37.55) and Christine Holleran (1:38.15) who claimed the prizes for first FV60 and FV50 respectively. Yes, yes, I know, you would never have thought it. Sarah Chalmers concluded matters in an impressive 1:56.17. Again, very well done to you all.
In the international division, we had James Forster out racing in Berlin where he took part in the Berlin Marathon. James completed the PB-course in an impressive 4:38.48. Gutt erledigt, James!.
We conclude this week’s results with a little bit of crag-rattery where, having trounced them in the Mob Match, the Black & Gold Massive took part in the Knaresborough Striders’ Crag Rat Run, again showing our superior running strength. Adam Kirk (29.18) was at the front of the charge, claiming fifth place overall, with reinforcements coming in the form of Captain Dazzler (30.57), Kevlar (31.16) and Fingers Harris (31.35). Martin Lofthouse (32.02) was the next to return from battle, while Steve Newbould (32.29), Nigel Scaife (34.51), Simon Cocker (36.18) made easy work of the hilly course. Captain Sarah (37.34) claims top points as the first Niddette to finish, while Katherine Morton (39.19), Karen Mills (41.34), and Jeremy Leggings (42.14).
On the subject of Jeremy, you might not know that our Jeremy has recently qualified as a Leader in Running Fitness. He has a certificate and everything, you know. So if you choose to go out on one of the many runs he kindly organises, you’ll be in the safest of possible hands. Well done, Jez!
Back to the results, where Helen Cook (42.42) held her advantage over Hannah Kempson (43.31), Guy Parker (44.13), Katie Coppack (44.31) and Chatty McChatface (44.36). Nadene Wilkinson (44.53) and Dave Seaman (44.53) were locked in a fight for the line, soon joined by Sue Ball (45.01), Philippa Thompson (45.59), Nick Smith (46.06) and Moira McTague (46.50). Good Lord, it isn’t often we see Dave Prince (46.55) as she was chased down by wife Rachael (47.13), with Debbie Burrett (46.56) just sneaking in between them, A rose between two thorns, and all of that. Here are the last of the bunch, and there is indeed much to celebrate. Well done to Emily Wighton (47.37), Lilian Hayton (51.45), Michelle Smith (53.43), Graham Hyde (54.47) and Sue Rogers (54.59). Well done, everyone!
London Marathon
Obviously, the big event this weekend is the London Marathon and we’ve got a good contingent of Nidds heading down to the capital to take part. Good luck to Cath Barber, Susie Mallet, Matt Wilkison, Damien Handlip, Alex Leslie, Steve Newbould, and Phil Ventress. I think this is all of them, so if I have missed anyone out then I apologise. I also know that some of them are fundraising for charity, so here are the fundraising links if any of you could bung them a few quid for a good cause.
Susie Mallet is fundraising for Dementia UK, and would love to see some of your money head towards this important cause: https://tinyurl.com/5ykxhnhj.
Steve Newbould is trying to drum up support for Together for Short Lives, and if you could spare some change to help terminally ill children, then Steve would value any help you can give: https://tinyurl.com/mpk384wh.
Damien Handslip is in a last push for cash for Macmillan Cancer Support, a cause which I know is close to his heart. If it is close to your heart, too, then your support would be so very much appreciated: https://tinyurl.com/5erz5vrk.
Further Ahead & Booking Now Open
On 23 Oct 2022, the next in the road championships will be the Leeds Abbey Dash 10k. My idea of hell, to be honest with you. But there we are. This is one that sells out quickly, so you’ll need to get logged on and registered ASAP. You can do that right here: https://tinyurl.com/38xpbjdj.
For the fell champs, we’ve also got a race on 23 Oct 2022, and that is the Castle Carr Half. It’s actually a half of a half marathon, so is six and a bit miles (we can be this vague as it is off-road running). It costs only £8 and will be a stunning run round the Castle Carr Estate near Hebden Bridge. I should hate you to miss out. Here is where you need to be: https://tinyurl.com/3d88587t.
Guy Fawkes 10: 06 Nov 2022
Like I said, please keep this date free. Chief Marshal Debbie will be in touch in the next week or so and, as ever, we’ll need all the hands to the athletic pump.
Word to the Wise
At last week’s Mob Match, we were subjected to a rather vigorous warm up routine by some fitness instructor or other. And this prompted these wise words from none other than Roger Duckworth.
“Never mind a race, this might be the first time that I do a DNF in the warm up…”
Have a great week.
Sam x