(TLDR. The Headlines: On Tuesday we have a club run up through Valley Gardens and on Thursday we have the Harrogate Homeless 5k fundraiser. Both of these are from the Hockey Club. On Sunday, we have the Knaresborough Crag Rat Run in the road championships. Read on for other irrelevant witterings on about up and coming events and, unfortunately, some sad news.)
Well, it’s all go here at Nidd Valley House. We had the committee sleepover and pyjama party last night. Dave brought his favourite movies to watch (he is a big fan of Love Actually and Bridget Jones), Sylvia brought everyone some snacks, Dazzler cracked open the chardonnay, and Nick and Jonathan did each other’s make-up. They looked quite the picture, I don’t mind telling you. The two Sarahs are particularly grouchy this morning, but that’s what you get when you don’t settle down to sleep until five in the morning. It’s early to bed tonight, that’s for sure. Anyway, while they tidy up and put things back in order, let’s have a look at the results from the past week.
Results from the Week That Was…
Well, it turns out that I missed a couple of results from the One Foot in Gargrave last week. I’m happy to include them here and – given that last week’s results were calculated from Strava – I might as well publish them in full. So, upon completing the 23 mile roaming picnic, we can congratulate Brian Hainsworth, Rebecca Ventress and Phil Ventress who ran as an athletic ménage à trois in 5:24, and Sarah Gore and Susy Rhodes who finished in 7:23. Well done to you all.
While we are on the subject of missed results, let’s revisit a cracking effort from Nick Crebbin who took part in the Reservoir Dogs Ultra in Wharfedale last week. Nick completed this challenging – and hot! – run in a brilliant time of 6:46.32. Well done, Nick.
Continuing the theme of missed results, Anna Bullock competed in the Great North Run last week, and did so in a remarkable time of 2:22.09. Well done, Anna. That’s a great time.
For a bit of silliness, we had the final Pop-up Parkrun in Valley Gardens on Friday evening, bringing the season to a close. The final results are now in, and Moira McTague takes the prize for first lady, while Carolyn Jones comes home in the coveted seventh place. Jane Evans takes third from last. For the men, Steve Newbould tops the leaderboard, Nigel Scaife was seventh, and Fell Running Phil and Richard Evans are tied on third from last. Andy Harris’ hound, Jack, takes first prize in the canine category. All winners get a £10 voucher for Starling Bar & Cafe (apart from Jack, who will probably be getting a tin of Pedigree Chum), and we’ll get these to you in due course. If you want a look at the full results, you can see them here: https://tinyurl.com/4sdttet2.
We have a great result from Amy Shepphard who donned her fell shoes yesterday and headed over to the Lake District to complete in the brutal Three Shires Fell Race. Clocking over 4,000ft of climb over a distance of 12 miles, Amy put in a sterling effort and was rewarded with a time of 3:39. She described the race as “hard, hot, super hilly but (mostly) lots of fun!”. Well, if that isn’t an advertisement for fell running then I don’t know what is.
Also in the fells, Roger Duckworth put on his big boy pants and tackled the challenging Great Whernside Fell Race yesterday. Roger got up and down that massive hill in a brilliant 1:07.54, so well done to him. A great effort!
Up in Northumberland – and the home turf of his Chairman, no less – we had flour intrepid Nidds take part in the Northumberland Coastal Run. Phil (1:49.24) and Rebecca Ventress (2:05.10) were the first two to finish the iconic course with a finish on the beach at Alnmouth, and we also had some great results from Christine Jones (2:05.39) and Nick Smith (2:12.55). Congratulations to you all.
At the Beckbusters 10km this morning, Kev Clark (41.11) was the first Nidd to draw blood for the squad, with Jeremy Scott (49.49) just sneaking under the 50 minute barrier. Debra Jenkins (51.20) was just ahead of Roger Duckworth (58.45) while Debbie Dilasser – yes, we don’t often see her racing, I know – finished in a brilliant time of 1:03.11. Well done to you all.
I’ve hung on as long as I could for the Wetherby 10km results but they aren’t yet showing, so I’ll get them to you next week. It was great to see you all running from my vantage point in Kirk Deighton, especially to see the Juniors Jack, Josh and Harry effortlessly leading the field. Well done everyone!
As you’d expect with parkrun, we had the usual big numbers at Harrogate and Conynngham Hall, but we only had two runners at Fountains (Any Todd and Matt Wilkinson, if you’re interested). Rebecca and Phil Ventress jumped on the bandwagon and went to suss out the new course at Thorp Perrow, Kat Woodhead was at Pavillion Gardens in Buxton, Susy Rhodes was up the Chevin, and Mollie Mitton ran at Peel. Having found that Vogrie Parkrun was cancelled, Mike and Fiona Deacon hot footed it over to Oriam in the quest to complete their parkrun alphabetti-spaghetti challenge. Carolyn Jones ran at Millfield, and Martin Lofthouse and Kev Nicholas went for a run round Middleton Woods. Matt Rickard was at Sherwood Pines (nope, me neither), Jillie Townend ran at Rutland Water, Sylvia Morten ran at Colby, Fiona Robinson was at Wetherby, and Sue Ball ran at Ferry Meadows. A few more for the MallettMap there, then. You can read up on the full result here: https://tinyurl.com/47nsmxd6.
Come on you target for faraway laughter / come on you stranger, you legend, you martyr, and shine / you reached for the secret too soon, you cried for the moon / shine on you crazy diamond: chair@niddvalleyroadrunners.co.uk.
The Fixtures for the Week Ahead
On Tuesday, we have a beauty of a club run through Valley Gardens lined up for you. Be at the Hockey Club and good to go for 7pm. We’ll head out past Christchurch and down into town to the Pump Rooms. From there, you can run up through the gardens to Harlow Moor Road. Depending on the light, you can turn left towards Otley Road or can push up through the Pine Woods to Harlow Carr. From Otley Road, you can run back towards the Stray and to the club, or you can extend round Beckwith Road and Green Lane. The choice is yours, and we’ll have distances and paces to suit all interests. Come and join us, why don’t you?
Thursday brings us something a little bit different with the fundraising run for the Harrogate Homeless Project. If you can get to the Hockey Club for 6.50pm, then Dave from the project will want to say a few words and then we will jog up to Bilton Crossing. From there, Captain Dazzler has marked out a 5km out and back course along the Greenway. You can pay to enter (all proceeds go the charity) and compete, or you can join us for a social run, there is no pressure either way. If you want to enter the competition and fundraise, then you can do this here: https://tinyurl.com/bddtr8y9.
As per usual arrangements, we’ll probably go for a pint or two in the Hockey Club bar afterwards. You know the kind of thing: a gathering of the ageing and confused to talk about the good old days and how things aren’t the way that they used to be. Come and lower the average age, why don’t you?
On Sunday, we have the next race in the road championships when we go down to Knaresborough to run in the Crag Rat Run. This is a great little event, with a nice mix of road and trail thrown in, not to mention a killer loop around the cricket pitch to finish. Entry is only a tenner, and if you too fancy a little bit of cragrattery, then this is where you need to be: https://tinyurl.com/ycyxy4bc.
Further Ahead & Booking Now Open
The entries for the Bridlington Trail Race close at midnight tonight, so please don’t delay any more if you are after a number. This is on Sun 01 Oct 2023 and is a really enjoyable and scenic run round Danes Dyke and over Flamborough Head. The last mile down to the finish line can feel endless, though. Anyway, get yourself entered. It’s always a good day out, not to mention an opportunity to bag yourself some more points in the road championships. If you want to join us on the bus (and why wouldn’t you?), then you’ll need to pay £6 to Nidd Valley Road Runners, ac no. 12074796, and sort code 40-23-12. Please include a reference based on your name and let Captain Dazzler know that you’re coming on darren.townend32@gmail.com.
At the committee meeting on Wednesday evening, we discussed the upcoming cross-country championships. These will include many of the popular PECO races, plus a few other mud-fests. We just need to tweak a couple of dates, but then hope to have these published soon. Watch this space.
Being Seen
As Leonard Cohen once said, the summer’s almost gone and the winter’s tuning up. As we head out for club runs now, we’re going to be finishing in the half-light and, increasingly, in the dark. Please think about donning your high-viz running tops and vests or bringing a head torch with you, especially if we head away from street-lit roads. We don’t want any accidents or anyone going under a bus. It’s just a lot of paperwork.
A Quick Note on Results
I try to make sure everyone gets included in the results, but occasionally people slip through the athletic net. We don’t get the results sent to us automatically, and we collate them ourselves by searching the main results websites for Nidds. If you want to be included, make sure you enter with Nidd Valley as your club. If you do a fell race or a trail race, results can be a bit more ad hoc, and it would be helpful if you can email your result in: chair@niddvalleyroadrunners.co.uk.
Sad News
I’m sorry to let you know that the bar manager at the Hockey Club, Helen McCallum, passed away suddenly and unexpectedly yesterday. Helen certainly wasn’t a runner and once told me that she couldn’t even run for the bus, but she was a great friend to, and a supporter of, our club. A fixture behind the bar at our socials and after our Thursday night club runs, she referred to us as “my runners”, and she will be very much missed.
The club will be making a donation towards the cost of Helen’s funeral to support Helen’s daughters and, should you wish to do likewise, you can do so here: https://tinyurl.com/cxwdyfmj.
Rest in peace, Helen.
Word to the Wise
Nothing for you this week, I’m afraid. Still, maybe with the above sad news, that’s not all together a bad thing.
So from me and everyone here at Nidd Valley House, have a good week.
See you soon,
Chairman Sam x