(TLDR. The Headlines: On Tuesday we have a club run up the Greenway to Killinghall, and Cath B has also organised a recce of the Round Hill Fell Race. On Wednesday, we have the club committee meeting. Thrilling. Thursday brings us a ladies-only hen-do run for Jemma Escreet, while the rest of us shall enjoy a club run down the Gorge. On Saturday we have our parkrun takeover, and on Sunday we head to Timble to compete in the Roundhill Fell race…)
Well, it’s all go here in the Parkrun Department at Nidd Valley House. Not only are we celebrating a new PB in the very home of PArkrun itself, but we’ve just finished clearing up from Fingers’ post-250th Parkrun Party. We had cake, jelly and icecream, party games, and everybody went home with a party bag. We’ve just finished hoovering up the cake crumbs and getting grubby handprints out of the furniture. But it was worth it, and you hardly need me to tell you that everybody had a lovely time.
So while we clear away the last of the party hats, let’s take a look at the results from the week that was.
Results from the Week That Was…
It seems from Strava that a few Nidds have done the James Herriot 14k race today (Roger Duckworth, Theresa Oldroyd and Martin Lofthouse, we’re looking at you, among others), although the results aren’t yet available. I’ll hopefully have them with you by next week.
Oh I notice that Phil and Reb Ventress were joined by Brian Hainsworth today to run the Outside Hope Valley Round. Doesn’t like it was actually a race but, as they have officially completed the challenge, they got a free hot drink, slice of cake, and a Montane Buff when they got back to the start, so they can be very happy with that. Well done, folks.
In parkrun, we have got to celebrate with Craig Mills who got a new PB at Bushy Park Parkrun when he had a run out with Karen. Being the first ever parkrun, Bushy is on everyone’s parkrun hitlist. Religious pilgrims have their holy sites, and parkrunners have Bushy Park. It’s like that. It’s very much our spiritual home. In addition to the usual throngs at Harrogate (where Fingers Harris got his 250th run in – well done, Fingers!), Fountains and Conyngham Hall, we had Kev “Triathlon Man” Nicholas at Woodhouse Moor, Sue Ball in Huntingdon, the Malletts and Mrs Robinson in Wetherby, Adam Kirk and Lisa Gibson in Heslington, Ian Doughty in Wendover Woods (no, me neither) and Alan Davidson was in Alderford Lake (not in the lake itself, I assume). Sylvia Morten was on her regular home turf of Chevin Forest, Sam Fugill and Jane Evans were darn sarf at Tidworth yah, and Martin Luxton was flying the flag at Wynyard Woodland. Should this be the itch for your particular kind of scratch, you can have a look at the full results here: https://tinyurl.com/47nsmxd6.
Got some news to share? Go on, then, tell us about it: chair@niddvalleyroadrunners.co.uk
The Fixtures for the Week Ahead
On Tuesday, Cath Barber will be leading a recce of Sunday’s Round Hill Fell Race. Yeah, I know, she’s brilliant isn’t she? Anyway, we will need to start early, so get yourself to the carpark west of Timble Village (the what3words ref is absorbs.saturate.regard, if this helps). Like the race, the run will be about nine miles long, and a chance to practice those nav skills from Cath’s recent map reading lesson in the pub…
If a fell run doesn’t sound like your bag, then fret ye not, for Tuesday also provides ample opportunity for another club run. Get yourself to the Hockey Club with double knots in your shoes, because at 7pm we’re heading up the Greenway. As usual, this takes you over the iron bridge, over the viaduct, and then down towards Killinghall. From there, you can come back to the club up Knox Mill and through Bilton.
Thursday provides a couple of options, but the first options is a ladies only run. To celebrate Jemma Escreet’s upcoming marriage to Ali King, Karen Mills has organised a hen-do run round the reservoirs. If you are female and fancy a cluck as you run, then you’ll need to get yourself to the Swinsty Reservoir carpark (the one with the mini beach and the picnic tables) and be good to run for 7pm. There’ll be a couple of distances on offer, including a 5k-ish walking option from the still-injured Jane Evans. Please bring some snacks to share and a little drink to toast the bride-to-be.
There’ll still be a normal club run from the Hockey Club on Thursday night. Be good to go with your best wriggle on for 7pm, and we’ll take ourselves for a trip down the gorge. The route is a familiar one: head over the iron bridge and drop into the gorge after Bilton Crossing. You can come back out on the path back to the Gardner’s Arms or you can run the full length to come back up (the now surfaced) heartbreak hill. From then it’s a straightforward run back along Bilton Lane to the club bar where we’ll regroup for a pint. Rumour does tell that Chief Stag, Ali King, will be in attendance so feel free to buy him a drink or handcuff him naked to a lamppost, whatever it is one does on these such occasions.
On Saturday, we head to the Stray for our much anticipated takeover of the Harrogate parkrun. The final rota is here: https://tinyurl.com/5423ea6t. Thanks to everyone who has volunteered. Please get yourself to the Stray for 8.30am if possible, and check in with Run Director Sarah Staiano. Please remember to wear club colours if you’re volunteering. You can never have enough black and gold, that’s what I say.
Even if you are not volunteering, place turn up and run with us. It’ll be great to see you.
We have the next notch in the bed post of the fell championships with the Round Hill Fell Race on Sunday. This race – which is being run in reverse this year, this apparently being the proper and fitting way to mark the twentieth anniversary of a race – starts and finishes in Timble and covers some great ground over Blubberhouses Moor. The distance is about nine miles with a smidgen over 1,000ft of climb, and entry is only £5 EOTD. More details here: https://tinyurl.com/4j4nxxt5.
Further Ahead & Booking Now Open
It seems like fell races are a bit like buses as well don’t have one for a while and then suddenly two come along, one shortly after the other. We have got the Kings Challenge Fell Race (https://tinyurl.com/y6ct6ymu) on Thursday 10th August 2023. This is a 10km evening fell race from Silsden near Skipton, and it has it all: farm land, open moor, winding trail, rocky descents, a bowling green (don’t ask), and a band stand.
On 3rd September 2023, we have the Tholthorpe 10k in our road championships. This race six mile beauty will cost you only £16.50. This is a flat and fast race, so there are PB-opportunities as well as championship points on offer. If you’ve got a spare few minutes, why not get yourself entered? Here’s the place to do it: https://tinyurl.com/sy9ze67u.
Committee Meeting: 02 Aug 2023
Sorry, I should have mentioned this last week but forgot (and almost collapsed exhausted after the longest results write-up in living memory). We have our committee meeting this Wednesday evening. Although we’ve already got our provisional agenda, if there is anything that you would like adding for us to bring our collective wisdom and deliberations to bear, please let our secretary Jonathan Kay know. He’s normally found lurking at the other end of this email address: me@j-kay.co.uk.
Sylvia’s Relays: 22 Aug 2023
Thanks to those early dogs from the traps who have already entered the relays. Remember this is only a bit of silly fun (and so, appropriately enough, we’ll be offering joke prizes as well as prizes for athletic prowess), and the lap is only 1.5 miles long, so well within the grasp of all Nidders. You’ll need a team of four and you can register yourself via this link: https://tinyurl.com/uw6bwhr6.
Word to the Wise
This week’s reflections come from Karen Mills, who had significant difficulty in explaining the logistics and meeting point for Thursday’s run when she messaged me last week.
“It’s a good job I’m not in a dogging club, what with my inability to describe car park locations…” – Karen Mills, who needs to remember that she can achieve anything if she puts her mind to it.
And so from Karen, from me, and everyone else at Nidd Valley House, have a lovely week. See you soon.
Chairman Sam x