Happy New Year – and a healthy Running 2004!

A busy December saw several activities. We managed to organise a ‘Christmas Do’. Many thanks to all those involved in the arrangements. Last year I started to mention the ‘Xmas Do’ in June. This year just to give us a chance to arrange things to suit ourselves I am starting to mention Christmas 2004 NOW!! Sue Smith already has some ideas for the event but would welcome more so please do see her with your thoughts.

In races over the Christmas period Erika Johnson won the Jolly Holly Jog and was second in the Langdale 10k where Glenys Nutter won her age group. Anthony Ward did well at the Jolly Holly Jog winning his age group. (Did he really have new running shoes?)

The New Year Fancy Dress went well with an excellent turnout (some travelling from Wales). Norman did a wonderful job marking the course and his many helpers made the whole event a wonderful success.

Last month I mentioned the formation of a working group to investigate the kit market and make purchases. Richard and Erika Johnson have taken this on board and would welcome the ideas of other members.

I will soon be starting the planning for the 2005 Richmond Castle 10K, anybody interested in being race director for 2005 please contact me.

I see that the GNR is full- how about running some of the more interesting races in the North, Coniston 14, Haweswater Half Marathon and a whole host of local 10k races.

A quick reminder, the December predictor will take place on Thursday 29^th January.

Enjoy your running

The Panto season is here! A great race but you have to be willing to take the organiser as you find him. ‘Problem? What problem?’ The race started with an outbreak of common sense. I pulled out after the first half mile. The chest infection was hopefully cured by a course of antibiotics. I am still awaiting therapy to get over the attack of common sense. There was a cold wind on the course and this did have some affect on the times. Erika Johnson (39:25) was 2^nd lady or was that 3^rd lady, no the first lady had no number, just like several of the runners who went through the finish. Glenys Nutter 63:37 was 1^st lady over 65. Richard Johnson (35:06) was 6^th, guess how many prizes were given? Eric Nutter (48:09) was very surprised to see me waiting at the finish, changed. This is an enjoyable race, the organiser is a nice person but you have to remember it is the Panto season. (Who were the two marshals at the finish? They looked remarkably like John and Marian Hunter, but then again it is the Panto season).

There are some runs which I want to do again because they went well and I had a great time. This is one I would like to do again because I am sure I could have done better. It was supposed to be a nice relaxed run to finish the year - being a multi-terrain race over an unmeasured distance between 7 and 8 miles I had no particular aims in mind. However as soon as I arrived I spotted some familiar Thirsk ladies and the pressure was on. I set off too fast (again) and was taken by surprise with how tough the rest of the run became. Every section seemed to be either uphill, over a muddy field, into a near gale-force headwind or all of the above. Happy (?) memories of cross-country races came flooding back. I finished in 57.28, behind both Thirsk ladies - never mind, I'll get my own back one day. SOC member Andy Watson, who has occasionally trained with us in the past, finished in just over an hour.

A fine sunny morning with a cold wind greeted a good SRR turnout considering we were in the middle of the Christmas holidays. As usual it was a cold start but by the time we had run up to Studley Royal all our bits were warm, conditions under foot were good for this race, (my opinion based on the event since 1992).

Of special mention were Erica 1st Lady, Richard 4th Male and Tony Ward 1st in his age group -very impressive!

Times were as follows:

Richard Johnson 36:17,Tony Ward 39:52, Erika Johnson 40:55, Angie Went 50:52, Linda Turnbull 51:29, Steve Hirst 51:35, Vic Parkinson 52:30, Pete Richardson 52:40, Marian Hunter 55:33, Andy Broadley 57:37, Dave Crapper 62:21, Barbara Jones 63:37, Jo McMahon 64.36, Jeff Lloyd 66.14, Sue Smith 69.18, Graham Turnbull 73 .08 and Sarah- Jane Graham 73.08.

3 points to remember for next year:

          3. Bring your running shoes, (I arrived with only my ASDA shopping shoes!).

‘You’ll never believe what I’ve seen’ must have been the comment from Richmond locals walking their dogs on the Old Racecourse when they returned home that Sunday. ‘Do you know, I saw Little Red Riding Hood being chased by Uri Geller, The Devil, a Licorice Allsort, two Christmas Trees, a man in his night shirt, and loads of others. That 118 fellow off the telly was even there’.

And so over 20 of the best dressed runners in Yorkshire startled the locals and enjoyed a very

pleasant social run through Coalgarth Valley, up through the woods, back round the Racecourse and in to Roots and Shoots to join up with non running members. Once back in the warm we enjoyed the food and drink before the giving and receiving of our rather belated Christmas presents. The fancy dress Judges had a particularly hard time this year but eventually decided that Marians very original ‘Licorice Allsort’ to be the winner.

Many thanks go to ‘Stormin’ Norman and Angela for again hosting the event, to Cyril ‘the soup’ for serving the soup and to all others who contributed.

Race Diary

Here are a selection of forthcoming races you may wish to run. Entry forms for most of these races are available at the club house.

18th Jan Woodkirk 10k - Leeds

1st Feb RNLI Roundhay Romp 10k

1st Feb Yorkshire Mill Mile 10k - Dewsbury 22nd Feb Snake Lane 10 - Pocklington

7th Mar Haweswater Half Marathon

14th Mar Redcar Half Marathon

27th Mar Coniston 14

28th Mar SRR Keld to Richmond Run. Details will be in next months newsletter.

A warm welcome to new member Jenny Crosier.

Early Spring Paintball

If you would like to organise or suggest any social event please contact Norman or Jackie. A social committee meeting will now be held each month on the Thursday before our monthly meeting at the club house after training. They will be kept as brief as possible, any club member who would like to contribute to the meeting i.e. ideas for future social events/help organise, is welcome to come along. First meeting to be held on Thursday 29th January.

Congratulations to Mel Sadler and Stuart Smith on their recent engagement.

Sport does not build character, it reveals it!