Evening team,
I’ve just noticed that in Wales there is a race on Sunday called the Fan-Y-Big Fell Race. We’ll have to put it in the championships one year. Any race with a name so delightfully filthy and full of suggestion has to be worth the 241 mile drive from the Hockey Club. Someone get me Fell Running Phil on the phone. But before I do that, there’s a lot to share with you: the first pub run of the season, a special centenary, a sweary mummy, and an impressive smattering of PBs. Sit tight, kiddies, here we go!!
Results
Really, if you want to know your shortcomings, you would struggle to find anyone more helpful than Jane Hill. Within seconds – and I mean seconds, she must have been waiting, finger on the mouse and breath baited – of last week’s dispatch, she quickly reminded me that I had forgotten her time at the Humber Bridge Half Marathon. I apologise wholeheartedly for both my omission and the lack of mind-reading skills, and am happy to set the record straight: Jane (2:14:03) raced back and forth over the world’s seventh longest single span suspension bridge (see, you learn something every week at Nidd Valley House) in an excellent time. Well done. If you too would like your results included, then why not send them to me before I send the email?
Talking of delayed results, I have also had my knuckles rapped by Men’s Captain Martin Lofthouse for failing to mention his performance at the Freckleton Half Marathon a couple of weeks ago. This race was – so I’m told – part of a Civil Service Championship, so we can safely assume that the whole affair was a light-hearted laugh-a-minute affair with more volunteers than competitors. Anyway, Martin (1:25:08) got himself round the costal route in an impressive time, so it’s big congratulations there.
It was all eyes on the opposition as lined up at the start line of the Ripon Handicap in the pouring rain on Tuesday. Yours truly (35:06) was hunting you all down to secure the rare glory of first Nidd home, having just found Jane Hill (50:33) and Neil Wright (47:17) on the turn in for the line. Matt Wilkinson (32:49), Paul Manning (40:50) and Ian McLeod (39:21) were next to finish, soon followed by Catherine Barber (45:06), Rob Snow (40:42) and Martin Lofthouse (33:21). Alex Patrickson (34:05) was next to get his hands on a finishers’ bottle of beer, before Debbie Gibson (44:39), Jon Easton (37:42) and Steve “I didn’t start ahead of my scheduled time, honest guv!” Newton (40:25) joined him on the line. Who’s this? It’s Ewa Scott (49:06) with another of her trademark sprint finishes, just managing to keep Ben Baird (37:06), Warren Lowcock (32:08) and Matt Rickard (35:39) at bay. Rachael Prince (46:49), Fell Running Phil (42:25), Sarah Hughan (44:28), Moira McTague (44:07) and Jenny Manning (44:10) flooded the finish line with more black and gold, with Michelle Smith (51:43), Hannah Peagram (45:44), Alison Iles (41:46) and Fingers Harris (34:48) never far behind. Dave Seaman (43:28) pushed it hard to the line to sneak a couple of extra places, joined by Carol Morgan (36:30) and Michelle Dinsdale (55:32). And how nice it was to see the team performance rounded up by the one we all love so much: Dan Eagling (37:06).
Keen to get enough qualifying races under his belt for the 3 Peaks next year, Alan Davidson headed up to Tebay on Wednesday night to compete in the Tebay Fell Race. I wonder how long their planning committee took to come up with that name. Anyway, Alan (1:51:09) completed the 9 mile route in cracking time, coming 69th in a strong field of 97 runners. Well done, Alan.
Adam Kirk (1:09:48) got himself a new PB at the Eccup 10m Run earlier today, so everyone at Nidd Valley House is, as ever, hugely impressed and very excited. He was joined in this feat by Simon Franklin (1:13:56), Jim Cook (1:18:56) and Ladies Captain Michelle Smith (1:43:06). Well done to you all.
And to parkrun. I can’t tell you what Ben Baird (24:00) was doing at Chadderton Hall or what Rob Snow (22:19) was doing at Mansfield, so you’ll just have to settle with being suitably impressed by their times. Adam Kirk (19:25 – PB) was seventh home at Harrogate, getting himself his second PB of the weekend. Lucky boy. He was joined in his celebrations by Steve Newton (22:29), Alison Iles (22:53), Moira McTague (24:41), Dave Prince (24:49), Jim Cook (25:40), Sarah Hughan (25:52) and Nick Smith (26:06). Ewa Scott (27:05) was never far behind the leading pack, with Tony LC (27:10) and Rosemary Thompson (27:14) hunting her down at each turn. There was very little to separate Debbie Dilasser (28:11) and Rebecca Ventress (28:12), while Jeff Walker (31:49) and Jenny Manning (33:47) concluded proceedings on the Stray. Well done to you all.
The big parkrun news was, however, Fiona Robinson’s big centenary (that’s a 100 parkruns, by the way, she isn’t 100 years old and looking remarkably good for it). Anyway, where else better to celebrate such a happy occasion than up at Fountains? Fiona (31:37) was joined by the loveliest running club in town in her celebrations, starting with a trio of sub-19s: Martin Lofthouse (18:38), Fingers Harris (18:52) and Andy Todd (18:59). Fiona Deacon (22:08) led hubby Mike (22:29) home, joined by Christine Holleran (23:16), Phil (23:27) and Alex Robinson (23:43), Dave Seaman (23:53) and Emma David (23:54). Afterwards, it wasn’t a long wait to see Neil Wright (26:36), Jane Hill (29:54), and Michelle Dinsdale (30:23) finish, before everyone then trooped back up the hill to the cafe for coffee and bacon.
Give Eddie Ventress (12:17) a big whoop whoop for his performance at the junior parkrun this morning, where he managed to get himself a new PB! I’m sure his mummy Rebecca was f***ing proud of him. But save some breath for a big cheer for junior parkrun regular Thea Stewart (9:42) on another cracking performance – all incredible stuff.
In light of all the recent developments in parliament, we thought it would be sensible to have our own cabinet reshuffle here at Nidd Valley House. As a result, we have decided to promote the gin and Glenfiddich, and have decided to lay off the vodka. Keep your elected representatives updated: chair@niddvalleyroadrunners.co.uk.
The Week Ahead
On Tuesday evening, we’ve got the Danefield Fell Relays held up on Otley Chevin. You need a team of three – either single or mixed sex – and you can turn up on the night and enter your team for only £9. Each lap is only a couple of miles or so, so it is comfortably within the grasp of all of you, and you’ll get lots of hilly and muddy fun for your £3. Cath Barber has been revising the spreadsheets here in the Logistics Department and slotting people into teams, so give her a shout if you want to run but are in need of a couple of mates and we’ll try and slot you in. I can’t think of few more enjoyable ways to spend a summer’s evening, but that says more about my social life than anything else. More details here: http://www.fellrunner.org.uk/races.php?id=4125.
If tearing round Otley Chevin doesn’t do it for you, then we’ll still be hosting a club run from the Hockey Club on Tuesday. For those of you that like to know what is occurring, this week’s run takes you up from the club, up the cycle track, over the viaduct and down to Ripley. From there, you turn for Killinghall, and can either take the road or the cross county alternative over the fields, back into Bilton, and up to the club. It’s a great run for a stretch out, with some nice views. You wouldn’t want to miss it, so get yourself to the Hockey Club and be ready to run for 7pm.
Then on Wednesday, we turn our attention to the fell championships again with the Stirton Fell Race. This was the first fell race I did, and I can remember turning up with my shiny new fell shoes (they’ve never been that clean since) and feeling terribly out of place among all the seasoned mountain goats. I needn’t have worried. This race, held just north of Skipton, is short, grassy and not too high, so again is well within your grasp. It’s a really enjoyable run out for which the sun always shines, and entry is only £3. It’d be great to see you there. All the relevant gen: http://www.fellrunner.org.uk/races.php?id=4454.
On Thursday, we’re reviving the much loved Nidd Valley tradition of a Pub Rubs (drinking and running, what isn’t to love?) with a reccie of the route for the Burton Leonard 10k (more below!). I’ll lead a quicker group, and Sarah C will keep an eye out for all the steadier runners, so don’t worry about getting left behind. We’ll get some food and/or a drink at the Royal Oak in Burton Leonard after the run, so you might want to turn up a bit early so you can get your order in before your run if you’re planning to eat. If you are planning to join us for food, can you please let me know in advance as the pub would like numbers in advance so they can save us space? Whatever you do, get those orders in and be ready to run for 7pm from outside the pub. Culinary inspiration can be found here: http://royaloak-burtonleonard.co.uk/.
There a few fell races at the weekend, if the mood takes you. On Saturday, you’ve got the Addingham Gala (http://www.fellrunner.org.uk/races.php?id=4185) and Sedbergh Sports (http://www.fellrunner.org.uk/races.php?id=4441), both of which are quite short but seem to have a bit by way of cheeky climbs. Enter at your own risk.
On Sunday, Emma D is leading a 14 mile cross country bimble from Pateley Bridge back to Killinghall. She has promised that the pace will be steady, so that is a relief all round for us mere mortals. She’s planning to get the 24 bus from Killinghall at 9:14 in the morning, so you’ll have to be up with the cock if you want to get in on the action. If you want to find out more, don’t pester me. Pester Emma instead: ekicks@hotmail.co.uk.
Burton Leonard Mob Match: 17 July 2016
Given the news over the past week, I’m loathe to resort to anything that can be interpreted as vaguely nationalistic, but I couldn’t help myself…
What General Lofthouse has called the Battle of Staveley is over. The Battle of Burton Leonard is about to begin. Upon this battle depends the survival of athletic civilisation. Upon it depends our own Nidd Valley life, and the long continuity of our institutions and the Hockey Club. The whole fury and might of the Striders must very soon be turned on us. The Crag Rats know that they will have to break us in this race or lose the war. If we can stand up to them, all Harrogate may be freed and the life of the running world may move forward into broad, sunlit uplands. But if we fail, then the whole world, including the gorge, including all that we have known and cared for, will sink into the abyss of a new dark age made more sinister, and perhaps more protracted, by the lights of perverted new running shoes. Let us therefore brace ourselves to our duties, and so bear ourselves, that if the Nidd Empire and its Juniors last for a thousand years, runners will still say: this was their finest hour!
Nidd Valley expects that every runner will do their duty: http://www.burtonleonard10k.co.uk/enter-2016.html.
Pub Runs 2016
With the Evening League soon to be a distant memory, we’re now turning our attention to the pub runs. These are gentle and social runs and we’ll often break into groups so everyone gets a good run out before reconvening for food and a drink afterwards. They are always well attended and I hope this year will be no exception. You’ve already got the details for this week up at Burton Leonard, but you want to get these dates in your diary:
- Thursday 14 July – Reservoirs and Norwood, led by Dave S
- Thursday 21 July – Hampsthwaite, led by Sam F
- Thursday 11 August – Birstwith and Burnt Yates, led by Moira M
- Tuesday 23 August – Bishop Thornton or Staveley, led by Sarah
- Thursday 1 September – Plumpton, led by Sarah H
Hope to see you all there.
Word to the Wise
It’s time for another of our happy fellowship to lose their WTTW virginity this week. I only hope Adam was using protection….
“3 PBs in one weekend! Its weekends like this that make me so happy I’ve put my running shoes back on!” – Adam Kirk, showing off.
There’s always one.
If you too would like to experience a runners high just like Adam, then why not pop on your running shoes back on and join us for some running this week? Together we’ll achieve great things, I promise. Have a beautiful week, and I will see you soon.
Sam x