(TLDR. For those short of time…. On Tuesday we have intervals on Slingsby Walk and a club run round the Hookstone Chase and the Stray, both leaving the Hockey Club at 7pm. Thursday is a club run up Cornwall Road and Harlow Moor Road, leaving the club at 7pm and returning for drinks at 8pm. Nothing in the champs this weekend, but a few important notices below about the Guy Fawkes 10, some up and coming races, and the new club song…).
If you listen very carefully tonight – very carefully, indeed – you can hear a very special sound. And that sound is one of ambitions fulfilled, demons conquered, and of missions accomplished. Yes, indeed, our London Marathon Crew are heading home. We’ll celebrate their results in due course but, while they walk gingerly up the front steps of Nidd Valley House, let’s have a look at the week ahead.
The Week Ahead
Tuesday brings – and, yes, I wonder if you too detect a theme – more intervals. We’ll be heading out to do some intervals on Slingsby Walk by the Stray. Let’s meet at the Hockey Club for 7pm, and we can head out along Claro Road and past the hospital. Rachael Prince and Denise Allsop are your hosts for the evening, and they’ll be ready and waiting to give you a brutal and punishing workout (hang on, sorry, I meant to say that they will give you a workout which will be motivating and tremendously good fun). Well, as they say, if you aren’t complaining then it ain’t training. So there’ll be lots of training, then.
If running intervals isn’t your bag, then there isn’t any need for stress as we’ll have a steady club run on the cards for you on Tuesday evening. Leave the club house with the interval-runners and continue along Slingsby Walk, turning onto Oatlands and then down towards M&S on Leeds Road. From there, why not turn back towards town, taking in more of the Stray if that suits you, and then work back towards the club from there.
On Thursday, anyone fancy a run up Cornwall Road? We’ll leave the club house at 7pm, and head down through town. From the bottom of Valley Gardens, we’ll go up Cornwall Road and take the right turn to take us to Otley Road. From there, you can head down to the Stray and back to the club or, if you want something a bit longer, you can push up to Beckwith Road, Green Lane, Leadhall Lane, and make your way back from Leeds Road. We’ll be heading for a drink and a chat in the bar afterwards and it would, as it always is, be lovely to see you.
As ever with the club runs, keep an eye out for others and don’t leave anyone behind. Maybe even be super brave and say hello to someone you don’t know. It could be the start of something beautiful. Oh yeah, and remember your hi-viz tops, head torches, solar flares, that kind of thing. Nights drawing in and all of that.
With all the racing that’s been going on, it’s probably a relief that we have a weekend without any championship racing. That said, if you’re heading out for a run and fancy a bit of company, why not send an email out via the group mail or post a Facebook message. There’s always bound to be someone daft enough to go for a run, I suppose.
Results
For some reason, searching for Nidds on the London Marathon results website only gives me the results for Phil Ventress and none of the rest of you, so I’m going by memory here. If I have missed anyone out, I can only apologise. Anyway, first home for the glorious Black and Gold was our very own newbie Steve Newbould who clocked an incredible 3:04.27, raising a sack load of cash for Together for Short Lives in the process. Cath Barber stormed the gig in a glorious 3:49.10, showing that those long training runs round Nidderdale were all worth it in the end (and the video of her trying to walk afterwards was also very funny). Phil Ventress (3:54.12) deserves special mention for getting alongside Babs and pacing her towards the finish, but we all know that he’s most pleased about being able to get off the road and back into the hills with his beloved Brian.
Never far behind Babs and Phil, Damien Handslip slipped in under four hours with 3:55.27, this time earning a great amount of money for Macmillan Cancer Support. I know that’s a charity close to Damien and Debbie’s hearts, so that makes his achievement all the sweeter. Just the other side of the four hour barrier, and raising yet more money for Dementia UK, Susie Mallet finished the world-famous course in a brilliant 4:00.58. Rounding things off, Alex Leslie (not seen him around much and was beginning to get a bit worried, but I suppose we now know he was out training) smashed a brilliant race in 4:36.11. In many respects, London is THE race to do and the pressure can be immense. Well done to you all for keeping your heads, for keeping going and digging deep. You’ve done yourselves, and Team Nidd, very proud.
Nailed it.
STOP PRESS – yes, I know I forgot Matt Wilkinson in the email for the results for the London Marathon. I’ll get the preemptive apology in now. Matt completed the course in 3:29.13 and, for the avoidance of doubt, we think he’s just as great as those I remembered to include in the first write-up…. Sorry, Matt!
Right, elsewhere I note that Martin Luxton ran the Redcar Half Marathon as the sole Nidder up near the ‘Boro. Martin completed the course in 1:53.something, and claimed the first MV70 prize in the process. Always nice to have a bit more of the bling thing here at NVH, that’s what I say. He’s posted a photo on Facebook of him with his mate from his second-claim club. I know, I don’t understand why someone else would want to run with a club other than the Black and Golds but there we are. Well done, Martin!
Playing away?
Back in Yorkshire, we had a fair old contingent of Nidds up to run the Bridlington Multi-Terrain Race. It had been billed as 13.5 miles, was reported to be 13.75 miles, but in the end clocked in at 13.1 so they could have called it a half marathon but there we are. Still, it was a tough old course, with a few nasty climbs, some slalom tracks through woodlands and a few paths which took runners precariously close to the cliff edge and a short mis-step to sudden death on the rocks below. Still, we all avoided that fate, and returned safely to the line and with some cracking times to boot. Congratulations to Captain Dazzler (1:30.25) who claimed first MV40, and to Kevin Clark (1:30.37) who brought sweets for everybody on the bus. Well done also to Martin Lofthouse (1:35.07), James Knapp (1:35.15) and Nigel Scaife (1:45.47). Simon Cocker (1:47.32) managed to open up a five minute lead over yours truly (1:52.59), while John Beaumont (1:53.41) was clearly traumatised from a diversion from his beloved road running. Richard Evans (1:55.24) managed to stay ahead of Helen Gregory (1:59.38) as she claimed a spot-prize of beer for being the finisher closest to the two-hour marker. Jim Cook (2:01.12) was the next to finish, just ahead of Jess Harby (2:04.36).
You might be surprised to see Sam Heathcoate (2:04.37) further behind in the results than his usual speedier top-spots. Now, Sam will tell you that he was being all chivalrous and lovely and team-spirited by supporting Jess on her run. Quite. Of course, this has nothing to do with the fact that he had been out on the lash, drunk lager, a few beers, some fizz and several pornstar martinis on Saturday night and had to be sick on the bus on the way to the race. Sam would never do that. He’s a proper athlete, and we’re a proper running club.
Back in the land of the sober, Debbie Gibson (2:07.57) brought home the bacon with the prize for first FV60, while Dave Seaman (2:11.47), Rachael Prince (2:17.54) and Chris Morris (2:18.37) followed with their own celebrations. Jeremy Leggings (2:18.50) was just ahead of Sue Ball (2:19.50), Sarah Fabron (2:22.15) opened up a lead over Jeff Walker (2:27.26), and Fingers Harris (2:34.03) struggled home with a calf injury. Michelle Smith (2:41.16) and Chris Nelson (2:42.51) rounded the show off for us, and then we all headed for fish and chips, a spin in the arcades, a bit of shopping and a cheeky pint. A great job all round, I think.
Just what is Chatty doing?
Before we leave Bridlington (and normally one can’t get away soon enough), I should celebrate the results of our juniors who never fail to make my day. So let’s big it up for Sam Crebbin (12:00) who paced his teammate Chloe Beaumont (also 12:00) round the one mile course. A great result, a great bit of teamwork. Makes me proud to be a Nidd, does that. That isn’t the last we’ll hear from Chloe in this email, either. Read on, my lovelies.
The last result of the week is from Helen Trevisani, who was down in Chester to runt the metric marathon (26.2km rather than 26.2m), which she did in 2:57.17. I’m sure you’ll agree it’s a great time and , if you ask me, her running has come on leaps and bounds since she put on that Nidd Valley vest. Well done, Helen, that’s a brilliant time.
In the happy world of Parkrun, last week we had Karen Mills in St Albans, Emma Kicks in Ayr, Miamh Baxter in Linwood (no, I’ve not heard of it either), Alan Ward in Workington, Katharine Morton in Rutland, and John Mallett at Barclay (I’m saying nothing and stand by every word). We’ve also had the usual suspects in all the usual haunts of Harrogate, Fountains and Conyngham Hall, and the full parkrun results for the club can be found here: https://tinyurl.com/4cbrfjde.
Further Ahead & Booking Now Open
On 23 Oct 2022, the next in the road championships will be the Leeds Abbey Dash 10k. This is one that sells out quickly, so you’ll need to be the early athletic bird to catch this worm. Entries are here: https://tinyurl.com/38xpbjdj.
Not wanting to prove the point that fell and road runners are different breeds, the next in the fell championships – the Castle Carr Half – is also on 23 Oct 2022. It should actually be called the Castle Carr Quarter as it is only six and a bit miles, but it’s a lovely day out near Hebden Bridge and FRP would love to see as many of you as can make it. Plus, it only costs £8 so that is a win all round. Here is where you need to be: https://tinyurl.com/3d88587t.
London Marathon 2023
Let’s be honest, the chance of getting a place in the London Marathon is not dissimilar to being struck by lightning while simultaneously slipping on some rocking horse poop. However, as a club we normally get one or two places to distribute to the membership, which we allocate through a draw of our own. There are a couple of preconditions to getting into our ballot, however, and these are:
- You have entered the main event ballot and have a rejection email or letter, and
- You have not had a Nidd Valley club place before.
We do it this way to give as many people to enjoy what really is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
Entries for the main London Marathon Ballot close on Friday at 21:00. You can enter here: https://tinyurl.com/yc63pb8p.
Guy Fawkes 10: 06 Nov 2022
Chief Marshal Debbie has sent out the marshal plan by email today, so please take the time to have a look and get back to her if you have any questions, want to change places so you can be next to your best friend, or if you have an unimaginably good excuse and won’t be available to help out. In addition to the race day on Sunday, we’ve got a goody-bag packing session on the Saturday morning in Ripley after parkrun, so your help there would be also much appreciated. I’ll send out more details about this.
As a thanks for your help and support and time, the club lays on pizzas at the Hockey Club on the Sunday evening, as a chance to have a couple of cold beers and have a bite to eat, catch up with one another and celebrate what will have been, hopefully, another successful year. I know many of you have already replied via Facebook but, if you are not into this social media malarky and would like to come, please do let me know via email: samfugill@gmail.com (this includes letting me know if you have whatever new fangled dietary fad is in vogue this year).
Club Song
Now, on the bus on the way home from Bridlington, are much esteemed and admired captain in battle, Captain Dazzler, who was quite possibly several pints to the good, came up with a Nidd Valley song. Sung boisterously to the tune of ‘Robin Hood, Robin Hood, riding through the glen’, the words go as thus:
Nidd Valley, Nidd Valley, in their gold and black!
Nidd Valley, Nidd Valley, there’s no holding back!
Giving our best!
For the glorious vest!
Nidd Valley! Nidd Valley! Nidd Valley!
Please commit these words to memory. They shall be sung from the terraces for many a year to come.
Word to the Wise
At Bridlington yesterday, Chloe Beaumont was waiting to cheer her dad John over the line. Being the kind, inclusive bunch we are, we asked her how her junior one-mile race had gone.
Me: How was the race, Chloe?
Chloe: Yeah, it was good.
Me: Did you win?
Chloe: No…. [PAUSE]… Did you?
I was owned by an 11-year old. The shame.
Showing her dad how it is done!
Have a lovely week.
Sam x