(TLDR. For those short of time…. On Tuesday we have 6pm and 7pm intervals down by the Knox Arms in Bilton, and on Thursday our 7pm club run will be from the Hockey Club and round the Duchy Estate. We’ve got the Evensplits 5k in York on Friday evening and the Tadcaster 10 on Sunday morning. I’ve also thrown in information about the London Marathon draw and some guaranteed places for the Brass Monkey Half Marathon. Certainly worth a look.).
Sorry for the late email, folks. Just had a big family party this weekend and have only got back from Northumberland. So let’s not waste any more time and let’s get straight to it. And that, as ever, means starting with a look at the week ahead.
The Week Ahead
Oh, what fresh hell is this? Yes, on Tuesday it’s yet more intervals on yet more hills. This week, we’ll be down in Bilton to run the Knox route. As ever, we’ll be running two sessions, one at 6pm led by Rachael and Babs, and one at 7pm led by Brian and Bec.. You can meet at the club and jog down (meeting at 6pm or 7pm), or meet down by the Knox Arms. The choice is yours (although if you do meet us down there, make sure you’ve had a little warm up jog to get yourself match fit).
On Thursday, we’ve got ourselves another club run and, according to the Locality, Orientation, & Shortcuts Team here at Nidd Valley House (that’s L.O.S.T., to you and me), we’re running the Duchy. For the uninitiated, this means getting to the Hockey Club for 7pm, running down Claro Road, Kings Road and Coppice Drive onto Ripon Road. From there, it’s a run along Duchy Road to Harlow Moor. Turning left, head over the top of Valley Gardens, before turning left again on Otley Road and heading along the Stray and back to the club. As ever, feel free to extend or adjust as the mood takes you. Just don’t leave anyone behind. That’s not the done thing. Oh yeah, and we’ll probably be having a cheeky pint and a bag of crisps in the bar afterwards. If you’d like to come along then that would be just lovely.
On Friday, we’re back to York University for the final evening round of the Evensplits 5k, and the penultimate chance for race points in the road championships. You know the deal by now: line up on the start and rev your engines for five laps of pain. I’m sure you’ll have a lovely time. Anyway, if you want to be in on the action, you’ll need to get be a shuffle on and get entered: https://tinyurl.com/5cpdzvxc.
Will someone please keep an eye out for Captains Sarah and Dazzler? They’re going to be in a right old state on Sunday as the road championships come to the end at the Tad10 in Tadcaster. They’ll be totes emosh as they work their way round the flat and fast ten mile course. Entries are still open but won’t be for much longer and, if you want to part with some hard earned cash, you can be £17 lighter by getting entered just here: https://tinyurl.com/sknjjra6.
Results
Now I’m not sure how I feel about this, to be totally honest with you. It seems that Phil Ventress is not listed as a Nidder in the results from the Hardmoors Goathland Half Marathon. I know, awkward, right? Anyway, Phil was out with his bestie Brian Hainsworth (2:54.51), who was registered as a Nidder, following him in a very respectable 2:54.55 on their Saturday morning run. Well done to you both.
Fell Running Phil had a bit of a lump in his throat as he oversaw the last race in the 2022 fell championships at the Litton Birks Loop Fell Race yesterday. He always finds it hard to hang up his racing shoes for another year. Still, his mood lifted somewhat when we showed him the results from the race. Fingers Harris (49.20) held a two second advantage over Andy Iddon (49.22) on the five mile challenging course, both of them putting some clear distance ahead of Martin Lofthouse (46.24), Nigel Scaife (49.21) and Amy Sheppard (54.16). Babs (54.56) was never too far behind Amy, before FRP himself (1:01.17) appeared to follow Laura Francis (1:01.16) to the line in what I think will be her fell-racing debut. Emma David (1:03.01) was the next to show ahead of our trio of finishers: Chatty McChatface (1:11.35), Liz Ahmed (1:17.44) and Sarah Chalmers (1:25.17). Excellent running, everyone!
Class photo…
Photos suggest that Amy, Laura and Chatty all bagged prizes. I’m not sure what these prizes were, but it’s an extra congratulations to them and I hope that this photo will suffice until you can ask them for the details yourself.
Winner, winner, chicken dinner!
A quick shout out to the ever-speedy Kev Clark who took part in the Alton Towers Half Marathon yesterday. Kev completed the course in a cracking 1:28.03, so it definitely is a case of scream if you want to go faster. Arghhhhh! (oh, and well done, Kev… a great time…).
In addition to the usual showings at Harrogate, Conyngham Hall and Fountains Abbey, we have had Nidders out at Roundhay Park, Workington, Skipton, Wetherby, Chevin Forest and Morpeth. We’ve also had Sue Ball make her way round the Franschhoek Parkrun at South Africa’s Rickety Bridge Wine Estate. Sounds fun. If you want to see her international time, or to see the results from the other domestic showings, then you can inform yourselves just here: https://tinyurl.com/2p86cfh8.
On the lash?
Broken any world records or perhaps just been for a jog? Really, it doesn’t matter and, if you have news to share, then it really is lovely to hear from you. Stay in touch: samfugill@gmail.com.
Further Ahead & Booking Now Open
As the road and fell championships wind down for the season, our attention turns to the cross country championships. The first taxi off the rank will be the PECO X-Country Series, and we have all five of their races in our championships, the first being at Middleton Park on Sun 27 Nov 2022. A season ticket is £15 and will get you into all races, so I can think of no reason not to sign up. Actually, I can, with trudging through mud and icy sleet round a field in some god-forsaken corner of West Yorkshire coming readily to mind. Still, if you’re prepared to overlook a few things or if you just need to get out of the house, then they come highly recommended. All the details are here: https://tinyurl.com/538wpj2v.
On Sat 03 Dec 2022, we have another bite out of the cross-country cherry with the York Yuletide Five Mile Trail Run. Entry is £20, which will get you a medal and a goody bag, and they promise a range of festive treats for all finishers. Fancy dress is encouraged (that’s enough to put me off, but there we are), but not compulsory. If this seems like something that you could get out of bed for, then you can find all further details here: https://tinyurl.com/yf38fren.
A quick reminder that on Mon 02 Jan 2023, we’ll be having our annual Harrogate Ringway Relay event with Knaresborough Striders and Harrogate Harriers. Dave Seaman will be sending out more comprehensive details in due course but if you are free and want to start thinking about pulling a team together, then it promises to be a great event.
London Marathon
Thanks to the twenty or so people who have put their names forward for the club ballot. We haven’t yet had confirmation from the marathon organisers, but we expect to hear from them by the end of month, and expect to secure two places. If you want in on the action, then you need to fulfil both of the following criteria:
- Have entered and failed to gain a place in the 2023 London Marathon, and
- Have never had one of the Nidd Valley club places previously.
If you do, then send me an email with your rejection slip to samfugill@gmail.com and we’ll get you in the draw for a club place.
Brass Monkey 2023
In a similar vein, we have been offered three guaranteed places in the Brass Monkey Half Marathon in York, which will be on Sun 15 Jan 2023. We need to get these processed sooner rather than later, so if you want the chance to secure one of these places (you’ll still need to pay your entry fee), please email me by 9pm tomorrow night (Tues 15 Nov 2022), and I will draw the names from the Nidd Valley hat. You can find me here: samfugill@gmail.com.
Word to the Wise
I wonder if Steve Newbould ever imagined that “he’s been framed”, but here is a little gem from him at intervals last week as he prepared to run back home with his twin sister, Karen Mills.
“We will have to run back the same way as we came, otherwise Strava will look rubbish…”
So from Steve and his tidy strava maps, from me, and from everyone here at NVH, have a wonderful week. See you soon.
Sam x