Swaledale Road Runners

Members are politely reminded that dogs should not be brought on club runs on a Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday night. For informal runs organised at the weekend, please check with the organiser to see if it is appropriate to bring your dog. Please note that dogs must be kept under close control when using countryside routes. For further information see the Natural England webiste.

Jess

We're delighted to announce the Swaledale Road Runners Alternative May Ball!!!!!

Keep Saturday May 19th free, and dress up (or down!) to come and move and groove to '13 Cities' on their one-date only world tour, kindly sponsored by Addisons Estate Agents.

Get yourself to Kirkby Fleetham Village Hall (note change from original venue) 7.30, bring and share buffet, bring your own drink. We'll also have a second attempt at a club anniversary photo (the ones from the ceilidh didn't come out very well!)

There's no charge whatsoever for this, just a willingness to buy raffle tickets (and donate the odd prize). Partners welcome. Further details from Oonagh, Jackie or any of the committee.

4.38. Okay, now that I've got that disappointing and shameful bit (brief mention of that later) out of the way after the impressive times our members achieved in the London Marathon, I'd like to report on this new road marathon that took place north and south of the Wear at the weekend.

I had been thinking about having a go at some of the Esk Valley Fell runs since last year as I thought it would be my type of running. Jackie has always said how good they are and Neil and Roz did a few last year and said I would enjoy them. The first race in the Summer NEHRA series was the Carlton Challenge on 2nd May 2012. I was a bit dubious about doing this first race as it had been the Fountains 10k on the Sunday and the first Midweek League at Ilkely the night before,  but Mike had been encouraging (baiting!!) me to do it. Having had a good and enjoyable (if very wet) run at Fountains and a terrible run at the Midweek league I thought I would go and have a go anyway, with no pressure, to see what it would be like. Mike drove us and I have to say I was getting a bit nervous as we drove up Carlton Bank and saw the steepness of it. We parked right next to the start, registration was held in the organizer's car, very relaxed and informal, £6 per race with the same number used for all the races. There was a good turn out of Swaledale runners, myself, Mike, Jackie, Jess, Derek, Jonathan and Louise. For most of us this was our third race in four days.

Having run the Lakeside Way Marathon on the hottest day of a very warm March, it seemed fitting that I should run my next marathon on one of the wettest days of the wettest April since records began. I don't like running in hot weather, so I wasn't too daunted by the forecasts of persistent heavy rain and strong winds. Ignoring all the runners in vests and shorts I donned full winter gear and left a complete set of warm dry clothes in the baggage tent. The young cadets who were manning the tent didn't seem to have much of a system going as we handed over our bags, but I assumed they would have plenty of time to sort them while we were running.

In the Gisborough Moors fell run on Sunday 15th April Mike Jeffreries was 62nd in 105.08, despite having run 22 miles at the Wensleydale Wander the day before.Tracey Hunter was 152nd in 121.20 and Claire Stewart 170th in 125.52. In all 223 runners took part. There is just one race left now in the NEHRA winter fell series.