(TLDR. On Tuesday, we continue our stamina building interval sessions on St Catherine’s Road, with sessions at both 6.15pm and 7.15pm. We are doing the supermarket sweep club run on Thursday night, meeting at the Hockey Club for 7pm. There is anything in the club championships this weekend, although the Stanbury Splash is a popual local fell race which comes round again this Sunday. Read on for more information on the forthcoming committee meeting, awards night, AGM and that kind of thing…)
Afternoon,
So how the first week back after the Christmas break? Not that bad? Nah, of course it wasn’t. But if you’re feeling miserable doing your dry January or knocking up another batch of kale and sawdust smoothies, why not come out for a run with us? It might be cold, it might be dark and it’ll probably be raining, but pounding the streets is much more enjoyable when you’re with your friends from Nidd Valley House. Let’s have a look at the week ahead, there is sure to be something to pique your interest.
The Week Ahead
Tonight (Monday), Jeremy Scott (you know the one, he’s the one in the epilepsy-inducing leggings) will be leading a headtorch run from Ripley. It’ls 7.4 miles and is all off-road, so some grippy shoes and a headtorch are essential pieces of kit. The pace will be social and you’re guaranteed a lesson in local history. Meet at the main car park in Ripley Village and be ready to run for 7pm.
On Tuesday, we continue with our second set of intervals and this week we will be heading down to St Catherine’s Road for a stamina-building session. Meet at the Hockey Club for 6pm or 7pm, where there will be a gentle jog down to the session, when the warm-up will begin at quarter past the hour. Remember to wear that hi-viz and, if you meet us there, to do your own warm up jog before you get there. Sarah Chalmers and Jane Evans will be your hosts for the first session, while the second session will be led by Brian Hainsworth and Lynsey Barraclough. Not that it’s a popularity contest or anything.
On Thursday, we have a club run round the supermarkets. So if you need to get a few bits as well as a few miles in, then this is the run for you. Meet at the Hockey Club at 7pm and we will run to the Iron Bridge and along the railway past ASDA, then up Station Parade and past Waitrose. From there, you can head directly over the Stray and for the Showground and Sainsburys, or you can add Leeds Road and M&S to your list. From Sainsburys, head past the tip, through Panhandle Park and to Morrisons, before heading up to the club. We cater for all paces and distances, so feel free to amend any route to suit and to go as fast or as slow as you feel. Please don’t leave anyone behind. That’s not the done thing. After the run on Thursday, we’ll regroup for pints and chat in the Hockey Club bar after. Why not come and join us? It would be lovely to see you.
Although not in the fell championships, on Sunday we have the Stanbury Splash, which is a popular and accessible fell race. It starts in Penistone (stop it!) Country Park near Keighley, and you’ll cover 6.7 miles of mud and enjoy 1,200ft of ascent. Entry is only £5 (yeah, I know), and you get coffee and biscuits at the end. I can’t think of what there isn’t to love. The race starts at 11:30am and you can find out all of the entry details here: https://tinyurl.com/3tdzau7b.
Results
I start off this week with an apology. This week’s apology goes to Emma David who I rather unceremoniously left out of the results from the Chevin Chase last week. Oh! The shame! And to think she is on the committee, too. I shall never live this down. Anyway, Emma finished the race in 1:04.56. I hope that sets that record straight, Emma. Well done. We love you really.
So the main event on Saturday was the Yorkshire XC Championships at Lightwater Valley, and we start with the results for the Nidd Valley Ladies. Fiona Deacon (44.49) was the first of the ladies to finish for Team Nidd, followed by Emma David (50.51) and Philippa Thompson (53.34). Sarah Chalmers was the last home for the ladies, finishing in a strong 1:04.34. Well done to the four of you.
For the men, the lesser-spotted Alex Patrickson (46.49) made one of his rare appearances at a race for the team. He should be on some critically endangered list or something like that. David Attenborough could make documentaries about him. Anyway, he was chased round every turn on the muddy course by Captain Dazzler (47.10) and Matt Wilkinson (47.52). Martin Lofthouse crossed the line in an impressive 49.12, with Andy Todd (49.35) fresh from his own parkrun ablutions. Kevin Nicholas (50.29) was on top form – and, yes, I know you wouldn’t expect anything else from him – and was soon joined by the ever impressive Kev Dalton (52.02), Sam Frankland (53.53) and Jim Cook (1:00.02). Fell Running Phil clocked in at 1:04.09, with Roger Duckworth rounding off proceedings in a beautiful 1:05.11. Well done to all who competed in gruelling conditions against a stellar field.
A quick glance at parkrun tells me that Adam Kirk and Iain Scott ran at Roundhay, Karen Mills was out at New Earswick, Niamh Baxter was at Erskine Waterfront and Sylvia Morten was up on the Chevin. As you’d expect, we had the usual suspects at Conyngham Hall and Harrogate, and the numbers at Fountains Abbey were swelled by those who headed up to support the #RunEqual Campaign and get soaking wet in the process. You can see all of the results right here: https://tinyurl.com/47nsmxd6.
If, like Emma, you have been omitted from the results and have never been so offended in your entire life, or if you have raced and want your name in lights, then please do let me know. You can email me here: samfugill@gmail.com.
Further Ahead & Booking Now Open
On 22 Jan 2023, we’ve got the third in the PECO XC series, and this one will be held at Beckett’s Park in Leeds. I imagine those of you who wish to PECO have entered already and have run one of the two races we have completed so far, but if you haven’t yet got round to it and the allure of the mud is too great to resist, you can find out more here: https://tinyurl.com/538wpj2v.
Woe to you, oh earth and sea / For the Devil sends the beast with wrath / Because he knows the time is short / Let him who hath understanding reckon the number of the beast / For it is a human number / Its number is 666! For the XC championships, we’ve got the St Aidan’s Beast near Selby on 29 Jan 2023 and it’s 6.66 miles. And coming after the Awards Night, it’ll be a sure fire way to sweat off the food and booze. Entry varies between £12 and £17, and further details can be found here: https://tinyurl.com/34d3kj5f.
Also on 29 Jan 2023, we start the 2023 fell championships with the Runners and Riders fell race at Appletreewick. You’ll be lining up against other fell runners and mountain bikers to see who can negotiate the Wharfedale course in the fastest time. It’s a great race, very silly and very much good fun. Entry is £10 and you get to warm up round the fire with tea and cake in the barn afterwards. It’s always well attended, and you’ll enjoy yourself – I promise. Come and give it a go: https://tinyurl.com/59yxna4c.
Committee Meeting: 18 Jan 2023
We’re having our last committee meeting next Wednesday. Yes, I know. #totesemosh. If there are any things you would like us to discuss or to think about, then please let club secretary Philippa know. She’d love to hear from you (well, maybe. You know what we mean): pwilinson79@hotmail.com.
Awards Night: 28 Jan 2023
We have now sold out for the Awards Night, as Nadene needs to get the final numbers to the caterers. You may have read in the local press and on social media that The George Hotel – our anticipated hosts – are closing at the end of January. We don’t think that this will affect our booking, and that the night should go ahead as planned. We’ll update you with further information as soon as we have it. Otherwise we might be making contingency plans for the Nidd Valley Awards Picnic. Anyway, hope you won’t mind me putting a shout to Nadene who has done a load of organising for this in the background. It is a hell of a lot of work, so remember to say thanks to her when you see her.
Annual General Meeting: 23 Feb 2023
Formal notification will be coming out in the next week or so, with instructions on how to submit motions, nominate people for positions, that kind of thing. For now, please just get this date in your diary and try to be available. We’ll meet in the Hockey Club after the run, and we need a certain number of you there to be able to conduct business and pass motions. The bar will be open so you can have a beer if you need one to get your through the whole thing.
Word to the Wise
No wisdom from me or from anyone else this week, so I’ll sign off now. Have a good week and hope to see you running sometime soon.
Look after yourselves.
Sam x