wrc

July Newsletter

Download the July Club Newsletter in Word or Acrobat format

Running in Finland

The Finn of my memory is Lasse Viren who won the 5k and 10k at both the Munich and Montreal Olympics. (He won little between the two and even in those more innocent days questions were asked). The statue in the town we stayed, Turku, however was of a runner from an earlier generation, Paavo Nurmi. Turku has another claim to fame. As George ought to be able to tell you, 46 days after Roger Bannister ran the first four-minute mile, the Austalian John Landy, running in Turku, took 1.4 secs off Bannister’s time.

The manager of the newspaper in Turku was a runner and had some tips to which the committee might like to give consideration. Firstly that after a run you should have a sauna. I said that running dehydrates you and I would have thought that a sauna would make it worse. He said it helped to have a beer in the sauna. I said that we had a couple of pints after running, but he seemed to think this excessive. He added that the sauna should be warm, not hot, and that 15 minutes after running had the same beneficial effect on the leg muscles as a massage. Secondly he thought we should do a mix of training combining running with cross-country ski-ing.

Ian Ashcroft

Running in Zagoria

I’d never heard of this part of Greece either until friends went last year. The few tourists go to walk the gorge and the medieval trade paths. My fear when I started running was of the hills but this was quickly overtaken by the dogs. Walkers are advised to take a stick and ‘tap’ any dogs that come too close, this isn’t really practical when you are running. Having been diverted from my chosen route on the first day I sought local advice, throwing stones at them was said to be effective. Second day I carried a few stones but did not use them frightened, faced with a dozen snarling dogs, that throwing stones would turn snarls into attack. In the end I did find a solution based upon discretion in choice of route and bending down and picking up a stone as they approached, they backed-off, presumably based on past experience.

The dogs are to look after packs of sheep and goats. But whereas over here the main role is to herd them, in Zagoria it is protect them from the bears and wolves (I saw neither). Some assist the shepherd and are under a degree of control but often there are herds supervised solely by a pack of semi-wild dogs.

Ian Ashcroft

Nick Bishop - June

Close one for Runner of the Month of June, with Stuart Parrott and Jane Clarke major contenders. In the end Nick Bishop going over with Tony to Switzerland to race tipped the balance in his favour.

The Great Bakewell Pudding Race

Sunday June 27, Approx 7 miles

You just cannot beat races which involve food afterwards and what better than getting a giant bakewell pudding for your efforts (and warm too). You certainly earnt it too after this super trail race which starts in Bakewell town centre and climbs up the hill overlooking the town where you wind through woodland before descending back down. A heavy downpour the night before meant the going was distinctly heavy and plenty of nasty nettles were lurking in the undergrowth, but we’re all used to that with Tony’s summer training runs.

Colin Fray and myself turned up from Wilmslow and both enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere and lack of pressure from any other Wilmslow runners. Colin gained an early lead on me up through the golf course and maintained it pretty steadily all the way to the finish.

For those of you who fancy it, the race is always run at the end of June and is another where you can find the date in the annual directory of fell races (many of which aren’t proper fell races such as this). Oh yes, and you can happily bring the other half with you too. By the time mine had taken our young baby for a walk around the town and look at the shops, I was back again!

6th: Colin Fray 44.57
9th: Jim Pendrill 45.30
201 finishers

Jim Pendrill

Other July Race Results

Shining Tor Fell Race

Wednesday 26 May 2004, 10oC, 5 miles, 1500 feet of ascent, perfect conditions

15 Ian Smallwood 43.26
29 Tony Hulme 45.42 3rd MV50
116 Trevor Faulkner 59.03
(140 finishers)

Tittesworth Reservoir

Thursday 3rd. June, 12oC, fine rain.

6 Michael Halman 27:59
10 Bill Heaton 29:06
15 Graham Taylor 29:18
20 Jim Pendrill 29:56
49 Tony Hulme 32:04
94 Jane Clarke 35:02
125 Paul Ayres 37:22
136 Roy Pownall 38:27
150 Angela Lee 39:48
154 Trevor Faulkner 40:03
185 Ron Reed 42:54
(209 finishers)

Wincle Trout Run

Saturday 5 June 2004, 17oC, 9km, with only 500 feet of ascent, more like a hilly X/C. Delightful race and village fete, in wonderful scenery, with a tasty trout for tea!

2 Malcolm Fowler 37.12
30 Ray Noble 46.22
30? Mike Hall 46.22?
53 Kate Ayres 49.55 1st FV40
116 Trevor Faulkner 57.28
177 Ron Reed 67.08
(196 finishers)

Rainow 5

Wednesday 9 June 2004, 750 feet of ascent 19oC Dry.

2 Tom McGaff 34.25 1st MV40
6 Colin Fray 36.22 2nd MV40
16 Tony Hulme 37.55 2nd MV50
50 Kate Ayres 42.40 2nd FV40
85 Trevor Faulkner 48.18
93 Leanne Ayres 49.42
(118 finishers)

Glossop 10

Sunday 13 June 2004, 225m ascent, 20oC. Pleasant low-key road race around reservoirs in the Longdendale valley.

62 Trevor Faulkner 83.32 2nd MV60
77 Sean Barry 90.32
(98 finishers)

Boars Head Hill Race

Wednesday 16 June 2004, 21oC. About 7.5 miles, with 354m ascent. It is now about half a mile shorter, with slightly less ascent, than when I last ran this in 2000.

1 Malcolm Fowler 45.54 1st MV40
36 Jason Stott 57.53
69 Kate Ayres 61.46 3rd LV40
84 Paul Ayres 63.53
99 Trevor Faulkner 69.19
(124 finishers)

Kinder Trog

Sunday 20 June 2004, 10oC. Variously described as 15-18 miles, with 3250 feet of ascent. An extra 280 feet of ascent was added this year, to avoid a ‘no go’ area. The race ascends Lantern Pike from Hayfield, then moves over to Kinder Downfall and the ridge at Chinley Churn before returning to Hayfield. Conditions were good, and I ran slowly before going off route off the last hill, and had to run an extra 1.5 miles along the road to get back, feeling rather stiff.

2 Darren Dunn 2.01.30
5 Tom McGaff 2.08.40 1st MV45
32 Jason Stott 2.31.40
81 Trevor Faulkner 3.19.45
(85 finishers 5 non-finishers)

Warrington 10k

Thursday 24th. June, 12oC and windy.

4 Mike Halman 34:46
6 Stuart Parrott 36:12 1st.MV40
9 Ray Noble 37:09
11 Mick Fairs 37:28 1st.MV50
14 Tony Hulme 39:37 2nd.MV50
17 Gavin Mendham 40:17 3rd.MV50
20 Richard Parris 40:24
41 Roy Pownall 45:02
51 Trevor Faulkner 46:48 1st.MV60
53 Kate Sutton 47:03
66 Angela Lee 48:28
(98 finishers)

Thanks to Trevor for all these results

Chester Half Marathon

Sunday 23 May 2004 19oC

6 Mike Halman 1.13.54
544 Ian Ashcroft 1.43.25
792 Trevor Faulkner 1.48.58
920 Simon Poyser 1.52.05
(1874 finishers)

Trevor Faulkner

Man v Horse 2004

This years event was the 25th running of the race, consequently there was a strong field of runners (330) and relays teams (88) striving to beat the horses (50). Wilmslow was represented by Ian Smallwood and Andy Watts who tried their hardest to win the £25,000 prize, but somehow during the race Mr Huw Lobb (and a few others!) got past us in the charge for the finish. The result was

- Ian Smallwood 25th runner out of 330, beating 36 horses and 71 relay teams in a time of 2 hours 47 mins.
- Andy Watts 78th runner out of 330, beating 30 horses and 63 relay teams in a time of 3 hours 8 mins.

Based on these results I recommend that Tony takes up training horses for the Grand National as he is obviously doing a good job with humans.

Ian Smallwood

PS Huw Lobb did beat the first horse by about 2 minutes and won the £25,000. He completed the 22 mile course in 2 hours 5 mins. He also finished 19th in this years London Marathon in 2 hours 15 mins.

YMCA 5 mile

Hough End, Saturday April 24

- 3, Mike Halman, 27:01
- 68, Ian Ashcroft, 35:48
- 69, Roy Pownall, 36:13
- 84, Simon Fenton, 37:23
(175 finishers)

Computer problems delayed the results and given that Simon was credited with knocking-out the miles at an average of 29 seconds I suspect they were not entirely resolved.

I was disappointed, almost a minute slower than the Chester 5 a few weeks earlier, despite feeling that I had run better. However this was a small beer compared with the triumph of overtaking Roy half a mile from the finished as we climbed the Parkway towards the now demolished Princess Hotel. I won a shirt, I’m sure for supreme athletic achievement, but Roy tried to denigrate it as a spot prize.

Mike, by the way, was taking it easy, he had a race the following day.

Ian Ashcroft

Summer Series - now 5 races!

Two significant changes:-

Given the larger number of races this year it is the best of five races. Graham’s table (click on picture left) shows the results after 6 races (Blackpool Beach), but with the rank order based on best five results.

The Macclesfield Half has been excluded because of a potential clash.

5 races to go:-

Thu. July 29, Shuttlingsloe 7:30pm
Thu. August 12, Rudyard Lake 7:15pm
Sun. August 22, Birchwood 10k
Sun. October 3, Chester Zoo 10k
Sat. October 30, Langley 7

Graham

Roaches - Staff's Moorlands

Roaches Race 7 Staff's Moorlands Summer Series.

Excellent conditions prompted most people to don their mountain bear fell shoes (even Tony was noticed wearing the new blue model). The race got off to a very casual offyou go, and upwards we headed. Parts of the course were very slippery and some under water,the farm being very dirty. All six entrepid voyagers arrived back in reasonable health, three turned ankles, one blooded shin, one very sore calf (a limping Kate Ayres). Nothing compared to last years injuries. Jane found she could overtake dozens on the descent and politely excused herself in doing so. Julie finished with "that was a bit hard" but well ahead of more seasoned behind her. Paul won the Ayres family battle not for the first time, Kate was struggling at the end looking for soft grass to run on. Tony was very cautious on the slippy stuff, wise with his hamstring. Tony and Kate were both 1st in relative fields nothing new there. All in all still my favorite race in the calendar.

6th S Parrott 3rdV40 40.54
34th T Hulme 1stV55 45.48
70th J Clarke 4th L 50.19
88th P Ayres 12V45 52.45
98 K Ayres 1stL40 53.47
147 J Lucas 5thL40 65.05

Stuart

Gossip

Latest news on Summer Series, looks like there will be very few Group 1 runners for Race 7 at Shutlingsloe. Good opportunity to grab some points!

Graham

Bowdon 5K 10th June

Not a summer series event, but part of a series co-arranged by Altrincham and Spectrum Striders (the series also includes Dunham Massey 5k). A good evening for racing, race HQ being the Stamford Arms ……………happy memories of a mis-spent youth, or perhaps well spent !

Sixteen from Wilmslow ran, additionally Cecilia , currently the topic of more transfer speculation than Wayne Rooney .

The course was through leafy Bowdon over two laps and included a 400-metre stretch across parkland. First runner home was Tim Dickinson from Blackheath Harriers in a time of 15.11. Club results were;

22 Stuart Parrot 17.05
24 Nick Bishop 17.08
45 Chris Potter 18.02
48 Mick Fairs 18.07
55 Mike Halman 18.36
(63 Cecilia Greasley 18.57)
66 Tony Hulme 19.01
69 Steve Smith 19.10
71 Richard Parris 19.13
103 Chris Mayfield 20.37
108 Jane Clarke 20.55
113 Paul Ayres 21.30
125 Kate Sutton 22.30
135 Trevor Faulkner 23.31
138 Angela Lee 23.45
140 Ron Reed 24.19
147 Julie Lucas 25.32

162 finishers.

Mike looked to be well placed in a group just behind the leaders, before pulling something at the end of lap one, forcing him to jog lap two. Close run thing between myself and Stuart, until Stuart unleashed a dramatic surge for the line. A fine run by Chris Potter just ahead of Mick.

Cecilia showed that Running Bear is a non-hierarchical organization by finishing just ahead of the boss. To add insult to injury, as third lady vet Cecilia won ‘ Up and Running ‘ vouchers!

Chris Mayfield ran a sub l0 second split over the last l00 metres. How can that be done!

Everyone placed well and Julie Lucas continued to improve coming in just behind Rocket Ron.

Festivities concluded in the Race HQ, the Stamford Arms. On walking back to the car the gentry of the area were spotted playing croquet on carpetlike lawns ………. but it was Bowdon!

Nick Bishop

Buxton Hilly

This was Race 3 of the Staffordshire Moorlands summer series, a 4.5 Mile XC.

Race start delayed due to England playing football!! That meant that all stripped and raring to go everyone froze on top of Grin Low and had to huddle together. Very pleasant location, fantastic views with two loops around Solomons Temple.

5th, S Parrott, 30.04 (2nd V40 )

141 Runners

Stuart

Sale Sizzler (Race 1 of 4)

19, M Halman, 16.50
20, S Parrott, 16.52 (2nd V 40)
51, R Noble, 18.08

291 Runners

Good race on an otherwise pleasant evening, the course record being broken with a respectable 14.45

Stuart

Blackpool Beach 10K, Sunday 11th July

Well, a few of us turned up for this not so local summer series. I was certainly moaning a bit but I needed the points!

The event was fairly popular with 287 odd (some very odd) runners….well have you been to Blackpool recently?

The beach was windswept. With no route map, Mike reckoned “we just run to the far pier and back” how wrong he was. The start was delayed as the strong onshore wind meant part of the course was still underwater and they hadn’t finished marking the course! We debated what shoes to wear, a mixture of fell shoes, trial shoes and road shoes were all tried, someone suggested we might need flippers!

Off we went. The sand was firm at first and we all took advantage of the following wind. Those at the front had the advantage of virgin sand and the lead car tyre tracks. Mike’s far pier was passed after only 7 minutes. The course started to meander a bit, well how else do you make a 10K beach race interesting!

Actually the race started to feel more like a cross country course, I was enjoying it. We started to pass through a lot of streams, puddles and wet sand. It was still runnable but where is the half way point? The lead car now a distant flashing amber light just kept going, on and on and on. Not a member of public in sight.

Finally halfway, turned to come back bang, straight in to a head wind. This was tough. The sand seemed to be getting softer or was that my legs, the puddles deeper or was that my legs, the return journey longer, or was that my legs. As we passed under the piers again, new challenges awaited us. 3 year olds and donkeys!
The 3 year olds and their sand castles required deft footwork but the donkeys had now churned the firm sand in to leg sapping mush. Finally the finish line appeared with much relief.

It was different!

4, Michael Halman, 37:04
5, Graham Taylor, 1st MV40, 37:37
9, Stuart Parrott, MV40, 39:04
20, Tony Hulme, MV55, 41:14
47, Kate Ayres, 1st FV45, 44:29
137, Amanda Hynes, 51:12
195, Ron Reed, MV75, 57:04
201, Ken Smart, MV65, 58:16

Graham

Ladies Forest Park 5k

I ran the Ladies Forest Park 5k on Wednesday 7th July and managed to
get a PB of 22:45. Quite pleased with that as it was very windy and I
wasn't feeling very enthusiastic at the start.

There were quite a few teams participating so I was a bit
disappointed that I was the only Wilmslow runner there. I came 27th out of
198 and received (like all of the runners) flowers at the finish. Hope to
see more of our ladies there next year.

Amanda

Member's e-mail addresses

If your e-mail address has changed, please let Andy Watts know either by e-mail, or by posting a comment on this site.

Thanks
Andy

Summer Series 2004 Race 6

Attached is the new league table after completion of the sixth race of this years summer series.

Full race results from Blackpool Beach 10K can be found at the following link.

Future Summer Series Race Fixtures
(Race 10, Macclesfield Half Marathon may be changed)

Race 7 Thursday, 29th July, 7:30pm Shuttlingsloe
Race 8 Thursday, 12th August, 7:15pm Rudyard Lake
Race 9 Sunday, 22nd August Birchwood 10k Cheshire Grand Prix
Race 10 Sunday, 3rd October Macclesfield Half Cheshire Grand Prix
Race 11 Sunday, 17th October Chester Zoo 10k Cheshire Grand Prix
Race 12 Saturday, 30th October Langley 7

Regards
Graham

Summer Series 2004 Race 5

It is with some reluctance that I issue the results of Race 5 of this years Summer Series.

For those runners whose unpatriotic support was clearly the cause of England demise and nothing to do with the fact they were rubbish, here is your reward. (Click on the picture to view).

Full race results from Birchwood 10K can be found at this link.

Future Summer Series Race Fixtures

Race 6 Sunday, 11th July, 11:00 am Blackpool 10K
Race 7 Thursday, 29th July, 7:30pm Shuttlingsloe
Race 8 Thursday, 12th August, 7:15pm Rudyard Lake
Race 9 Sunday, 22nd August Birchwood 10k Cheshire Grand Prix
Race 10 Sunday, 3rd October Macclesfield Half Cheshire Grand Prix
Race 11 Sunday, 17th October Chester Zoo 10k Cheshire Grand Prix
Race 12 Saturday, 30th October Langley 7

Regards Graham