(TLDR. Tuesday’s intervals are on West Park, both at 6pm and 7pm, and our 6.30pm run on Thursday is round Leadhall Lane and Pannal. We have Roundhay PECO XC in the championships on Sunday. Read on for up and coming events, the AGM, the bed race, and a wise word…).
Well, what a weekend that was. As the championships got started at the weekend, we had the opening ceremony on Saturday evening at the Nidd Valley International Stadium. You couldn’t help but feel proud as all the athletes paraded in carrying black and gold flags before we enjoyed a thrilling show telling the history and achievements of Nidd Valley, complete with live music, a light show and fireworks display. Of course, the highlight for many was when Alan Harby arrived from Nidd Valley House by helicopter before parachuting into the stadium to gasps of astonishment from the spectators below. He then took his seat to rapturous applause, while the committee and assembled guests looked on, and declared the 2025 Championships official open. What a night. What a weekend. And what a year ahead of us.
Results from the Week That Was
You know Kevin Clark, right? He’s like The Stig of Nidd Valley. An absolute speed machine and never one to pass up on the opportunity to race. Incidentally, you might be interested that he also shares with the The Stig a love of the trashy romantic novels of Barbara Cartland. Yes, and you thought it was motivating and punchy music in those headphones that are permanently attached to his head. Well, now you know. It’s Barbara Cartland audiobooks all the way for our Kev. Anyway, he was back out racing at the Winter Solstice Run on Wednesday night in Bingley, and finished in sixth place with a time of 45.56. Well done, Kev.
In other news from the parish, on Saturday Jim Cook headed down to Hebden Bridge, which I read is apparently the lesbian capital of the UK. Well, who knew? More details here: https://tinyurl.com/y7d6aktx. Anyway, Jim was down there for other reasons (so far as I know), specifically to run the Wadsworth Trog, which is a soul destroying 19.3 mile fell race over unforgiving Pennine moorland. Jim did what he always does best, dug deep and ploughed on, and got round to the line in a great time of 4:37.33. That’s an impressive achievement, Jim, so a massive congratulations to you.
Now, I wonder what the following words and phrases have in common: “arse”, “find” and “both hands”. You might do well to ask Nigel Scaife who, having negotiated nearly ten miles of moorland at the Cod Beck Canter Fell Race yesterday, managed to take a wrong turning with less than half a mile to the finish line. It’s a wonder that we let him out without a couple of carers these days, it really is.
Still, it was a cracking opener to the fell championships. Once the first two mile climb was in the bag, we emerged out of the woods and the North York Moors stretched out before us in the bright and crisp winter sun. Couldn’t have been happier. Despite some cursing behind gritted teeth as we hauled up through the bracken, the mile long drop at four miles made it all worthwhile, before climbing back up to take the path to the reservoir, the final climb, and then the frantic dash through the woods before the right hand turn (that’s right hand turn, Nigel) back to the finish.
Fell running being fell running, there aren’t any official results out on t’interweb just yet and it’s likely that this will continue to be the case for the foreseeable future. So you’ll have to settle for the finishing order from my somewhat patchwork memory. Captain Dazzler was first to finish for the squad, and took home a bottle of wine for his efforts in the MV50 category. He was then followed by Martin Lofthouse and the loveable little scamp that is Fingers Harris, while Amy Sheppard – having sparred with Brian Haninsworth for much of the race – extended her advantage and denied him fourth place. Brutal. She got herself a bottle of wine in the prize giving, too.
Phil Ventress was the next to appear at the finish line while Carl Read made easy work of the final descent and it wasn’t long until he clocked his finishing time. Nick Crebbin and I were the next to finish and, despite being locked in a tussle back and forth for most of the race, Nick had the final burst of energy that left be in his dust and fighting off an assault from Emma Kicks who was getting menacingly close (dear reader, she didn’t beat me).
Particular congratulations to Girish Patel who completed his first fell race for the club. He was full of enthusiasm at registration, until Fingers and I explained the principles of fell running. “It’s like this, Girish”, I began, “you only get injured in fell running when your body is in contact with the ground. Therefore, the safest way to run down a big hill is to take the longest strides you can so that you spend as much time airborne as possible.”. “Oh, absolutely”, agreed Fingers, nodding sagely. Nick asked if we actually understood how science works, but we just ignored him and shepherded Girish, face now paling, towards the registration desk, where he exchanged £8 in exchange for a number, a fistful of safety pins, and the promise of muddy joy.
Well, he had a lovely time. He came speeding down the last hill to the finish line, arms out fell-runner-style, and with a massive grin on his face that would have brought tears of joy to FRP’s eye. Deffo a new recruit for the squad, that’s what I say.
It wasn’t long until Nigel Scaife, Russell Geraghty and Bev Aspin soon appeared, with Bev particularly pleased to have brought proceedings home in under two hours, before Phil Robinson and Sarah Chalmers finished their races and we all headed back over the road to the village in search of a cup of tea (Phil and Bri went to the pub, but what can you do?).
Not fancying the full ten miles of the Cod Beck Canter, we had a few Nidds head over to Appletreewick to take part in the Runners and Riders Fell Race. This has always been a favourite in the club and has made the cut for the championship several times, possibly because of the novelty of racing against mountain bikes, but more likely because everybody decamps to the barn afterwards for mugs of tea and slabs of cake around the fire. Again, and true to the traditions of fell running, we’ve got no actual results for you, but you can direct your heartiest of congratulations to our quartet of competitors who were, in order of finishing, Andy Iddon, Kat Woodhead, Jane Evans, and Dave Prince.
Alfie Willis was the first Nidd to finish the Dewsbury 10km yesterday, finishing in 35.06. Unbelievable, right? He was soon followed by Adam kirk (35.26), Josh Bryer (37.39), Kev Clark (38.05) and Andy Todd (38.32). Laura Francis had it all wrapped up in 45.32, and was joined by the ever-remarkable Kev Nicholas (46.09), Katharine Dolman (51.50) and Rachel Capstick (57.21).
Andy Bryer doesn’t appear on the Nidd results for the Dewsbury 10km as he had clearly entered the race before he saw the light and joined the glorious Black & Gold (let me hear you give me a Hallelujah! Amen, brother!), but son Josh sent me a message yesterday afternoon to let me know his dad had finished the race in a cracking time of 58.44. Well done, Andy, and well done to all of you who raced.
Adam Kirk did his parkrun at Rothwell this weekend (finishing in tenth place, if you’re taking notes). I’ve no idea what Phil and Fiona Robinson were doing in Stamford Park, so you shall have to ask them when you see them if you need more information. Ian and Emily Wighton headed over to Cliffe Castle for their parkrun, Owen Dart was over at Brotton to enjoy the hilly delights of Marshall Drive, while Sam Wheeler was our stand-in-Sylvia up at Chevin Forest.
Andy Todd was at Millfield (no surprises there), a few Nidds were at Conyngham Hall, a few more were at Fountains Abbey, and about six billion Nidds were at Harrogate. All the results are right here, eager to be read: https://tinyurl.com/47nsmxd6.
Through the darkness, hear it call to us all / And stir again / This beating heart / Come to care: chair@niddvalleyroadrunners.co.uk.
The Fixtures for the Week Ahead
On Tuesday, we have the fourth of our stamina building intervals. We’ll be meeting up at West Park and, as you’ve come to expect, we have sessions at both 6pm and 7pm. Meet on West Park, opposite the Prince of Wales Roundabout (///stick.common.solve). Again – and we cannot say this enough – please get there on time to take part in the warm-up before the session proper gets started or, if you can’t, then make sure you turn up to the session having got in at least a ten minute steady jog. The racing season is just getting started, and I cannot be doing with you moping around Nidd Valley House with a cob on because something went twang and left you unable to race.
What would you like to do on Thursday? A run to Pannal? Okay, that’s fine by me. Meet at the Hockey Club and be good to bounce for 6.30pm. Obviously, Pannal is one of our longer runs, but don’t get yourself worried as there is an easy option if you want to cut short. Head out from the club and past the Granby Care Home and the Hospital, round the Stray and down past St Aidan’s School. Turn right and head up to M&S corner. If you want to take the shorter route, continue straight ahead down Leadhall Lane and, if you want the longer route, head down Leeds Road, to Pannal, and come back up Church Lane.
Both of these routes come back together at the bottom of Green Lane, so we head up that road, and cut back to the club behind Rossett School and down St George’s Road, before picking up the usual route along York Place. Please join us in the bar afterwards, where we will have a couple of pints and become accidentally engrossed in the latest murder or scandal at Emmerdale Farm.
On Sunday, we have the penultimate PECO cross country race. Starting at 11am for the seniors, this one is at Roundhay Park and is a sure favourite among Nidders. Unlike previous races where men and women go off separately, we enjoy a mass start at this one. I promise you that you’ll feel like a Viking warrior during the first charge down the hill, lamenting only that you haven’t a horned helmet on your head and aren’t waving an axe in the air. Still, you’ll have no time for any rape and pillage as it’s a sharp right turn and onto the killer hill before the race gets going proper. It’s an absolute classic. I cannot wait, and I know that you feel the same way. Chaaaaaaaaaaaarge: https://tinyurl.com/5bbncdn5.
Further Ahead & Booking Now Open
Just a reminder that we have Chevin Forest Parkrun in the cross-country championships on Saturday 22nd February 2025. You obviously don’t need to do anything in advance, but only turn up on the day with your running shoes and a barcode, but it’s worth getting the date in your diary if nothing else.
The Snake Lane 10 is on Sunday 23rd February 2025. Not only does this launch the road championships, but it has already sold out. Places for transfers are coming up on social media so please keep an eye out, and you might get lucky.
AGM: Tuesday 25th February 2025
Okay, folks. The AGM. Indeed there are many other things that you’d probably do on a Tuesday evening. Crapping into your cupped hands and giving yourself a round of applause, for example. Still, we are where we are.
Please make all effort to get to this, as we need as many of you there as possible in order to carry business and to vote in the committee. If we don’t get enough in the room, then the meeting can’t go ahead and we’ll need to reschedule. Trust me, nobody wants that.
I hope to have some pizzas ordered so at least you an munch your way into a carbohydrate-induced coma while Sylvia takes us through the finer details and nuances of the financial report. If you do have any particular allergies or preferences food-wise, then please let me know. And by this I mean actual dietary requirements, and not the debate about whether pineapple belongs on a pizza (which, incidentally, it does). You know where I am: chair@niddvalleyroadrunners.co.uk.
Knaresborough Bed Race: Saturday 14th June 2025
Captains Emma and Dazzler are taking expressions of interest for the Knaresborough Bed Race this year. Tempting as it may be to specify the team you want to run with, they’re going to try and prioritise people who have not had the chance previously (the race doesn’t come cheap, to put it mildly) and will need to assemble teams of people who can run at a similar pace. So if you are interested – and I’d encourage you to be interested, as it really is a race and a day out like no other – then please let Emma know. Her email: ekicks@hotmail.co.uk.
Word to the Wise
This week’s wise word has something of a prophetic touch to it, and comes from our very own Nigel Scaife as he made his preparations on Saturday for yesterday’s fell race.
“There’ll be a number of Nidders never seen again looking at the nav for tomorrow. Myself included!…” – Nigel Scaife, and how alarmingly on point he was.
Okay, that’s your lot. Have a great week and I’ll see you soon.
Chairman Sam x