S W A L E D A L E
ROAD RUNNERS
October 2004
Chairman’s Report
The Great North Run is over for another year. Those who wish to run next year’s event should keep their eyes open for the entry forms. This year’s race was full within weeks of the forms being available. I was going to remind you to get your entries for The Brass Monkey Half Marathon which is held in January but the ‘race full’ signs were in place less than three weeks after the first entry forms were made available. Talking of full races the Richmond Castle 10k is full. Again, anyone who is not running and can help on the day please let Peter Richardson know as soon as possible as it does take time to organise the marshals.
The dark nights are here again so please remember to wear your fluorescent vests. It would probably be a good idea to carry a torch to show the way on dark paths and to give added visibility. Remember it is each individual’s responsibility to be seen.
To develop the club it would be sensible for club members to be trained as coaches. The club would be willing to cover the cost of the course. If you are interested please contact me. It would be more enjoyable if two or three people were on the course at the same time.
Hopefully it will not be too long before Eric Nutter is back running on club nights as he seems to have successfully put the health service to rights!
Enjoy your running
John Hunter
Snape 10k and a bit!
Congratulations to Alex Brown for winning her first trophy as first senior lady in this race. We know Alex is getting faster by the week but we were unaware she had done so well, and the look of shock and delight on her face when she was announced winner was priceless.
This race is called the Snape 10k but the 10k marker is some way from the finish line which combined with the off road terrain of most of the course made times a bit irrelevant for comparison
Alex negotiated the course in 49.05 some 12 places ahead of me in 51.16 (my days of finishing ahead of her seemingly gone for good). Sharon Morrison ran her first race for the club and finished strongly in 55.01. Helen and Sue Smith cursed the race director as they both passed the 10k marker in their hoped for sub 60 mins but posted official times of 60.55 and 61.53 respectively.
Pete Richardson
Harrogate Theatre 10k
Having arrived at Valley Gardens in plenty of time I was relieved to see a familiar club vest when Marian and John turned up. The weather was ideal for running, although a bit chilly for hanging about at the start. The fun runners set off about ten minutes before hand and then the 10k runners took their place at the start. There was a bit of a delay due to the number of people registering on the day.
The course, which consisted of two laps, started off going uphill through Valley Gardens and then onto the road. There were several hills, one of which I felt like giving up on second time round, but fortunately for me my seriously stubborn streak kicked in and would allow me to do no such thing. There was a short off-road section and the course finished with a fast and downhill section - a welcome relief at the end.
I finished in a time of 48.01 minutes and Marian came in at 56.59 minutes. John meanwhile was handing out entry forms for the Richmond Castle 10k to unsuspecting prospective entrants.
Overall I found the race to be enjoyable with a varied and interesting course. One I would take part in again.
Alex Brown
Gold Panning
When Lin Gossage joined the club way back in April we were chat chat chat chatting away as I do with new members and I was trying to find out what her husband did. Everyone knows what I am like and if there’s a chance of getting two for the price of one I will always try and rope the other half in as a runner or marshal. She told me he was fairly busy with his own sport of gold panning and I thought “what’s this odd game…. she’s having a laugh” So I decided to delve a bit deeper. I found out that Mick is a top panner in his category in the world classes and had just got back from the World Championships in Slovakia with a BRONZE MEDAL. He goes all over the world panning and is on the rules committee for the World Gold Panning Association. Until recently he was the president of the British Gold Panning Association and he and Lin help to run the British championships in Scotland every May. Lin tells me they keep all the gold they win in competitions and any they pan in the rivers of the world so I immediately thought “I’d like a bit of this”.
Next thing is Lin had arranged a trip to Scotland to initiate me into this new world of gold. So I asked my left and right hand men Andy Broadley and Mike Taylor to come up with me but when the date arrived these two reprobates had decided to clear off to Austria walking. So as my granddaughter Coral collects rocks she was over the moon to come with me. Mick collected us on the Friday after work and as we travelled up the M6 and A74 I wasn’t really sure where we were going, I just knew it was Scotland! Within minutes of leaving the M6 we were looking at this beautiful scenery that took my breath away.
We reached the village of Leadhills that is 26 miles north of Dumfries. This is where Lin and Mick got married and where they used to spend most of their spare time (till Lin took up running). Lin had booked us into the local inn called the Hoptoun Arms and Coral and I settled in for an early night.
Next morning raring to go we all went down to the Mennock Pass to start panning. You need to see this place to believe it. It’s better than the Lake District for beauty. Lin and Mick park their caravan on the pass and pan all day. There is a river called the Mennock at one side and amazing hills either side and the road runs between from the village of Wanlockhead to the town of Sanquhar. Mick told me that Lin always runs up and down here when they are parked up. I would like to do that sometime too. Wanlockhead is the highest village in Scotland at 1500 feet above sea level and also is the home of the mining museum where the championships are held. We all got togged up in waders and boots and Mick issued us with our equipment of pans and trowels. After half an hour or so I gleamed 2 little specs of gold in my pan and did a 4 minute mile up the pass to Mick shouting “GOLD GOLD”. He calmed me down and showed me how to get the gold out of the pan and into a tiny little bottle and I carried on panning. The weather was superb with warm sunshine. Everyone found gold, I had 12 bits and Coral had 6. We left the river and went to the mine museum where Coral brought rocks and we had a good look round the shop. We got back to our rooms tired out but happy with our gold fever and had another early night ready for another go the next day.
There was only the three of us on the Sunday so we got down to some serious panning and I got my collection up to 33. Coral got 36. She’s a natural Mick reckons and he’s hoping he can get her to compete in May in the juniors.
A good alternative to running!!!!!!!
Mick will give a talk at the clubhouse on a Tuesday after we run, during the winter. He and Lin will provide food, probably nuggets (!!) and sandwiches and then we will organise a trip for next spring so you can all experience my experiences.
I’M SUFFERING FROM GOLD FEVER
Norman Bell
A Great North Run Experience
I keep a running log and every single run, no matter how short, is written up as soon as I finish while I’m still in ‘run mode’ so as not to forget the moment but with The Great North it’s unlikely I will ever forget one second of that amazing day.
We boarded the coach at 6.45 am with anticipation of the day to come. The journey was good and before I knew it we were in Newcastle. We piled off the coach, waved it and our bags goodbye and joined what seemed like a million people all walking along the same roads as us. I found it quite overwhelming that nearly 40,000 were all going in the same direction, for the same reason - that we all shared the same aim which was to complete 13 miles one way or another.
As we stood on the motorway at 9.00am nothing had prepared me for the sheer scale of things. There was a sea of heads in front of me and a sea of heads behind. I have never been in a situation concerning so many people before and felt the emotion that only an event of this scale can bring. I’ve watched it on TV every year and after only running since 2002 I never in my wildest dreams thought I would ever be a part of it. BUT I WAS THERE.
There was music over a loudspeaker, laughter excitement, mass dancing some people sitting on the ground and some standing. And still they kept coming up the outside to join the back of the mass. Kelly Holmes and Matthew Pinsent came down the centre waving to us, Matthew to run and Kelly to start us off.
Then at 10.40 the gun went off and we moved an inch. 5 minutes later we had moved 10 inches and then suddenly we all ran, cheered, stopped and ran again. Sue, Alex, Pete and Helen all went off like rockets and were soon swallowed up in the crowd. Barbara, Jo (McMahon) Liam, Blaise and all the other club members had all started from elsewhere along the road. Jo Richardson and I stuck together for the first 6 miles till I needed a pit stop. It was the most frustrating 8 minutes I have ever known, queuing at a porta loo and watching a coloured mass of people fly by at what seemed an alarming speed. I thought I would surely be the last person to cross the finish line, but when I finally rejoined the runners there were still hundreds behind me. I just couldn’t come to terms with the sheer amount of people and kept giggling to myself with euphoria.
People lined the road and cheered and clapped and smiled at us. There were bands at various points and the variation of music was uplifting. Everyone was so happy, ladies handing out sweets, kids with hoses to cool us and St John ambulance folk holding out Vaseline for us. There were wheelchairs pushed by runners. Mr Men and Mrs ran alongside angels, teddy bears and Elvis.
Miles 7, 8 and 9 passed without too many problems but by 10 my old legs turned into lead and wood and I started to do the shuffle step. So we had a very stern word with ourselves…something along the lines of “ Stop moaning about heavy legs, everyone is doing the same route so pick up those feet and …Go Granny Go…”
The weather couldn’t have been better, not too hot, dry, slightly cloudy and a tail wind.
By mile 11 I found my legs lurking at the roadside, picked them up and by 11.5 started to run properly again. By mile 12 I was in my second wind and I belted through the last 10 minutes like there was no tomorrow. I was running not only for my dear departed dad, my hubby, my children and granddaughters but also for ME!!!
And I did it.
As I crossed the finish I had a lump in my throat and tears in my eyes. All the upheaval of recovering from surgery and learning to run again after months of discomfort were forgotten and it made this the best part of my year so far.
Now I’m a real runner and I even have a real injury to prove it (a very sore toe!!!)
I wandered around in a daze for ages and then realised I was supposed to collect my medal so queued up for my goody bag, had a peek to make sure my treasured medal was in there, devoured my cereal bar and fruit biscuit and set off to relocate myself with the rest of the club.
After being carried along with hundreds of people all smiling because they had also done it, I finally found the others at the letter’ S’ site in the reunion area. We had a hug and pat on the back, congratulated each other and as I was now completely in a fog of confusion and starting to shiver I joined Jo McMahon and we walked to the coach to change
We stopped for chips en route and they were the best chips ever, even though they were lard loaded and greasy! Even the fact that South Shields was grid locked for ages and the coach couldn’t get away didn’t spoil the day. I dozed a bit, texted the family and chatted to people on the coach I hadn’t met before, all regulars of the Great North and we shared our experiences. 25 club members had taken part, for some it was an annual event but for many it was the first attempt at the distance. Richard and Erika Johnson were first home for the club finishing in 1:17 and 1:30 respectively. Pete Wicks finished in
1:34 ahead of his training partner Roger Webber 1:41. Eric Nutter was 1:44 and Alex Brown in her first attempt finished in 1:50. Barbara Jones and Pete Richardson finished in 1:56 followed Tony Fava in 1.59, Harry Ellis in 2:00 and Amy Cassar in 2:01. Glenys Nutter finished in 2:09 Liam Gardener, Blaise Ter Haar and Helen Smith finished in 2:15 and Sue Smith in 2:19. Next to finish were Liz Gunning 2:22, Dave Crapper 2:28, Heather Peverell 2.38, Moira Mason 2.39 and Jill Neill 2:40. Jill raised £300 for Swaledale Fell Rescue. Me 2:50 and Jo Richardson 2:50 followed by Jo McMahon in 2:55. Graham Turnbull also completed the GNR, time unknown.
Once finally on the A1 we rattled home at speed and reached Richmond at 7pm.
They say you always remember your first time….. and I certainly will certainly remember mine!!!!
Lin Gossage
The Predictor
Twenty runners took part in the first event of the winter months. As might be expected runners were not back in tune with reality and most people were well out with their predictions. The time way out bar was closely contested but in the end the winner was Sharon Morrison who was 220 seconds under her prediction.
Richard Johnson was the first to complete the long course in a time of 23:05, Steve Hirst completed the short course first in 22:31. Closest to their predicted time being only 10 seconds over was that well known wine winner Ruth Sweetland.
The next predictor will be on Thursday 28th October.
John Hunter
Race Diary
Oct 17th Richmond Castle 10k
Oct 24th Pickering & Moors 10k
Oct 31st Holmfirth 15m YVAA Championship
Nov 7th Guy Fawkes 10m (Ripley)
Nov 7th Derwentwater 10m
Nov 21st Multiple Sclerosis Therapy Centre Road Race (formerly Yorkshire Dragoon Road Race) approx 7m
Nov 28th Leeds Abbey Dash
Dec 28th Jolly Holly Jog (Tues)
Social Diary
Dec 11th Christmas Dinner - Holly Hill Inn
New members
A warm welcome to new member Anne Wilkie
Committee Meeting
The next committee meeting will be on Tuesday 2nd November at the club house after training. If you have a matter you wish to discuss you can either pass it on to a committee member or you are welcome to attend the meeting.
Kingsmill Kit For Clubs
Kingsmill bread are giving tokens with every loaf which can be redeemed for sports equipment for the club. Make your butties out of Kingsmill and give your tokens to Jo, if we collect enough the club will benefit. Officially the tokens will be on bread and bread roll packets until the end of August 2004 but I have noticed they are still about. Can you let me have any tokens you have a.s.a.p.
Jo Richardson
Dublin Marathon
For the third year running cries of “come on Swallydale” will be heard on the streets of Dublin. Good luck to all of you running it.
Thought for the Month
There is nothing as contagious as example!
Cyril Fell