(TLDR. For those short of time…. On Tuesday night we’re doing a club run to Knaresborough and on Thursday night we’re heading down to Pannal – both leaving the Hockey Club at 7pm. On Saturday, we’ve got a Guy Fawkes 10 recce run in the afternoon, and Captain Dazzler’s pub night at the Roosters brewery in the evening. On Sunday you’ve got fell championship points available at the Castle Carr Half, and road championships points are up for grabs at the Abbey Dash 10k. Other news follows about the Guy Fawkes 10, the cross-country championship, a committee meeting, and a quiet mental health appeal. Oh yeah, and some wise words…).
Right, here we are. Sorry about the technology issue last week, and thanks to Daz for stepping in at the last minute #teamworkmakesthenidddreamwork. The computers have been fixed (well, I say that, more that the old computer has been thrown out and I am typing this on one that takes less than half an hour to power up). It’s nice to be back, thanks to the ICT support team here at Nidd Valley House. Let’s not hang about as we’ve got a lot to get through, and I can think of no better place to start than with the week ahead.
The Week Ahead
And so we kick start another week with another club run on Tuesday. We’re going to be running to Knaresborough, heading off from the Hockey Club at 7pm. The route takes you round the back of the school, down Kingsley Road and onto Knaresborough Road. We’ll run through Starbeck, down the hill, down Waterside, heading back to the club over Forest Moor and past Mozzas. Come along, why don’t you? You might enjoy it.
On Thursday we’ve got ourselves another club run and, if I may say so myself, it’s been a long time since we went to Pannal. Leaving the club at 7pm, we’ll head out round the Stray, past St Aidan’s and down to M&S corner. From there, head down Leeds Road to Pannal, coming back up Church Lane, up Green Lane and back to the club. There’s the chance for a pint and a chatter in the bar afterwards for those with nothing better to do.
As ever, with the club runs, the route is just a suggestion. Feel free to amend, lengthen, shorten or adapt as you see fit. So long as you enjoy yourself and don’t leave anyone behind then that’s good enough for us. #bemorenidd
On Saturday afternoon, I’ll be leading the first of the two Guy Fawkes 10 recce runs. Meet at 1pm at the carpark at Ripley, and we’ll take the ten mile jaunt as steadily and as slowly as we need. Everyone is welcome and we won’t leave anyone behind. This will be a great opportunity for a steady run out, and also to acquaint yourselves with the course and your marshal spot for the big day if you are a bit unsure.
On Saturday night, Captain Dazzler has organised a trip for us to Roosters Brewery. No particular reason as far as I can see, other than it will be nice to head out for a few scoops. We’ll be in position from about 7pm so, if you can tear yourself away from Strictly, why not come and say hello? It would be lovely to have you join us.
On Sunday, we’ve got another race in the road championships, and this will be the Leeds Abbey Dash. Entry is a bit steep at £24 for a 10k – if you want my unsolicited opinion – but this is a fundraising race for Age UK so it’s all for a good cause, if nothing else. Entries are still open, and you can do your thing just here: https://tinyurl.com/38xpbjdj.
If you’re after something a bit cheaper and a little more muddy, how about a look at the Castle Carr Fell Race on Sunday? This is an eight quid entry race, and the penultimate counter in this year’s fell championship. You can’t beat a bit of mud, if you ask me, especially when you’re with some of your filthy black and gold brethren. Get involved: https://tinyurl.com/3d88587t.
Results
Sue Ball has been in touch to let me know she has been down in Peterborough to run the Great Eastern Run. Didn’t know it was a thing, myself, but it sounds like a grand day out, especially for Sue who worked her way around the half marathon course in 2:06.56. And I must say, doesn’t she just look like she belongs in black and gold? Very well done, Sue.
Leaving the south, the next stop on the results train finds us in York at the Yorkshire Marathon. Kev Clark (3:11.36) was the first to show for the team, looking strong as he tore up the tarmac in his ever-colourful and ever-familiar Odd-Balls fundraising outfit. Luke Scorer, if you hadn’t noticed, has been running increasingly well over the recent months, and so his outstanding time of 3:18.30 must have felt like the icing on the athletic cake. Lloyd Brown also nailed it with a brilliant time of 3:26.37, followed by Laura Francis (3:48.31). I hear on the committee grapevine that James Coulthard pulled up in the Yorkshire Marathon. I hope he won’t mind me giving him the mention and giving him some kudos for giving it a go. A marathon – as anyone who has attempted one, or knows anyone who has attempted one, will know – is a significant undertaking and getting to the start line is an achievement in itself. Regardless of your result on the day, you all did Nidd Valley proud. Well done and thanks for flying the flag for us.
And so our progress continues north to Scotland, where Team McNidd had dusted down their sporrans to compete in the British Fell Relays in the Carnethy Hills at the weekend. Babs and Andy Iddon stayed in the van, while the rest of us decamped to a classy 1980s-vintage hotel in Peebles. Floral carpets, anaglypta and woodchip wallpaper a-plenty. Before I get to the results, I must mention the porridge. Most of us, as you’d expect, had opted for the full fry up. Fingers Harris and Helen Gregory, for reasons known only unto themselves, had opted for the porridge. Well this porridge had been cooked with so little liquid as to be essentially inedible. “We battle on”, remarked Fingers, adding yet another splash of milk from the tea jug and a portion of jam that came with the toast, anything he could do to make it more palatable. Helen worried that if she were to stop chewing then it would cement her jaw together. If in thousands of years to come, archaeologists and anthropologists are trying to unpick and reconstruct the life of the recently discovered ‘Peebles Woman’, they’ll be basing their findings on the nearly perfect dental records of Helen Gregory.
Anyway, to the race and to a field in Broughton Heights, where the great and good of fell running gathered for their annual showdown. We had only two teams out: male and female, as our Men’s V50 team had not made the draw for places. To the accompaniment of a bagpiper knocking out some Caledonian bangers and clangers – Scotland the Brave, Oh Flower of Scotland, that kind of thing – we gathered at the start. Yours truly and Emma Kicks kicked things off for the teams, heading up onto Hammerhead, a brilliant descent for a flyby through the race village before heading up onto Geordie’s Wall before technical descent through bracken back to finish.
Alex Robinson and Fingers headed off for the men on the first paired leg, as Helen Gregory and Amy Sheppard lost their relay virginities with their debut for the team. The third leg was, as always, the navigation leg, and it fell to Babs and Jane to keep the flag flying for the ladies, but they did so brilliantly. Brian was obviously very upset that his beloved (and now V50) Phil Ventress hadn’t made it up to Scotland – it just isn’t the same to get north of the border and find that one has to toss one’s own caber, is it? – but paired up with Andy Iddon and together they made easy work of the navigation. With the accumulated ascent nearing 8,000ft and the weather turning for the worse, we brought out the big guns with our two very own legends of the hills, Sarah Chalmers and Fell Running Phil, who stepped up for the final solo leg and made their way up onto Geordie’s Wall and into the mist. It wasn’t long until all were safely back in, and with some impressive times to boot. Of the 181 teams to compete, the men clinched 142nd place in 5:29.43, while the ladies had it nailed on in 6:31.41, clinching 169th place. Given the competition, which really was fierce, those performances are nothing to be sniffed at. Well done all!
While I’m at it, I couldn’t let the moment pass without a quick word of thanks to Fell Running Phil In terms of getting us entered, getting us prepared, and getting us in the start line and facing in the right direction, it must have been like thanklessly herding cats. Thanks, FRP!
As ever, we’ve had parkrunning Nidds sharing the black and gold love far and wide. What was Chris Morris doing in Shepton Mallet and, talking of mallets, why had John Mallet travelled to York for his 5k fix? What is so attractive about Dulwich to compel our very own Tony LC to race there? And why on earth was Martin Luxton in Sedgefield? I’m afraid I haven’t got the answers to those questions (you’ll just have to ask them yourselves), but if you need to know their results then there is only one place you need to be, and that place is right here: https://tinyurl.com/4cbrfjde.
Got a result to share? Go on, give me a tinkle: samfugill@gmail.com.
Further Ahead & Booking Now Open
On Sun 30 Oct 2022, Chairman Mike will be leading the second of the two Guy Fawkes 10 recce runs, meeting at Ripley village carpark at 9am. Fancy a run? Need to see your marshal spot for real to believe that the magic is really happening? He’s like Walt Disney, that man, and he’d love to see you.
The fell champs is approaching is toe-curling and breathlessly ecstatic climax (okay, maybe not) with the Litton Birks Loop fell face on Sun 13 Nov 2022. This is the last chance for points in the fell championships, and you even get a chip butty for your troubles. What isn’t there to like about that? Information about entries and all of that kind of thing can be found here: https://tinyurl.com/2p8jfpjf.
Entries are now open for the Tad 10, which is on Sun 20 Nov 2022 and is the penultimate race in the road championships for the season. It’ll be emotional. Captain Dazzler is heartbroken that things are coming to the end, the poor thing. Can’t stop sobbing. There’s no consoling the poor love. He’s already paid up and entered, and hopes you’ll be able to join him as he puts a brave face on things and turns that frown upside down: https://tinyurl.com/sknjjra6.
I know I am getting ahead of myself here but, if you want a place in the Chevin Chase on Boxing Day (and it’s in the cross-country championships this year), you might want to get a wriggle on as it sells out and sells out quickly. It’s always a bit of a laugh, lots of people with moderate hangovers and questionable fancy dress heading out for a muddy run. So, if you too would like to clear your head and burn off some roast potatoes while dressed like an absolute pillock, then this is where you need to be: https://tinyurl.com/mvnmnx8f.
Guy Fawkes 10: 06 Nov 2022
It’s full steam ahead at Guy Fawkes HQ. We’ve sold out, the tee-shirts have been ordered, I cannot move for chocolate, and delivery couriers came turning up at the door with parcels of this and parcels of that. Chief Marshal Debs has sent out the marshal plan to the club and, if you have not responded to her, then please do so. The success of the event depends completely upon people stepping up and being part of it, so she really needs to hear from you.
I’ve listed the details of the recce runs above. Come along to one of them, if you can. It’d be great to have you join us. We might even go for a cup of tea afterwards.
The other important date is Sat 05 Nov 2022, when we’ll meet at Ripley Village Hall at 10.30am for an hour of goodie-bag packing. We’ll have about 4000 bars of chocolate to get packed up, so I’d be really grateful if you could get involved and coming and lend a hand. It normally takes us an hour, certainly not much longer. Many hands make light work and all of that.
Thanks to those of you who have confirmed that you are coming to the post-race pizza party at the Hockey Club. The club will lay on some take away pizzas for you to enjoy with your drinks on the Sunday evening. If you want to come and have not let me know, then please do so: samfugill@gmail.com. Please also let me know if you’ve got any specific dietary requirements (and no, fussiness is not a dietary requirement and, yes, pineapple does indeed belong on a pizza).
Cross-Country Championships 2022-23
If you want to get some dates in your diary, the provisional listings for the 2022-23 cross country championships have now been published. Some of the dates aren’t yet finalised, but the general structure is there. Oh yep, all the joy is there – some PECOs, some muddy parkruns, some trench foot. All good stuff. Be informed: https://tinyurl.com/bdcnacne.
Committee Meeting: 26 Oct 2022
Liz Truss fights for her political survival and Xi Jinping has been met by enthusiastic applause at the third Chinese Party Congress of his never-ending premiership. But they’re not the only political milestones this month. Oh no. We’ve got the committee meeting coming up. If you’ve got something to which you’d like us to bring our collective consideration and deliberation, please let Plippy know. She loves hearing from you: pwilkinson79@hotmail.com.
Nidd Gorge Death
You might have read in the news that a body has been found in the river beneath the viaduct this weekend. A heartfelt plea: if you’re struggling, then please reach out to others. An equally heartfelt plea: if you’ve not seen or heard from a friend for a while, or something just doesn’t seem right, give them a ring or send them a message. Further help is also available here: https://www.samaritans.org/.
Word to the Wise
So a couple of weeks ago, I mentioned young Chloe Beaumont in the write up for her time in the Bridlington Half Marathon, and we also enjoyed her savagely burning me in her debut word to the wise. Rather carelessly, I had failed to mention that Chloe’s older sister and fellow-junior Jessica had also run. And so it falls to Jessica to file the second junior word to the wise, relayed by her dad John:
“Morning Sam, Chloe was over the moon with your write up, thank you! Although Jessica said you’re a loser for missing her off the junior Brid result…”
She knows me so well.
Have a lovely week, folks.
Sam x