Archive for December 2008
The Week Ahead - 29 Dec
29/12/2008 by Dick.
Tuesday’s sessions are the last of Chris’s month and feature a choice of 20 bursts of 2 minute speed/1 minute recovery or 12 bursts up Hospital Hill (burst come, burst served eh? - those cracker jokes don’t get any better).
And Thursday marks the first of Lou’s month in charge with the ever-popular Tour of our beloved Town. Yes it is New Year’s Day: all the more reason to get out and start the year as you mean to go on.
And reminders of a couple of deadlines looming. Get your Dinner/Dance menu choice and payment to Suzie Shepherd by 7 Jan and save £11 per couple. And Andy O is waiting for your nomination for Most Improved Runner (last day 8 Jan). Andy is also eager to hear your marathon time by 4 Jan so he can get on and calculate the 2008 Club Championship results.
Club Kit Prezzies from John!
23/12/2008 by Dick.
I’ve just taken delivery of the recently ordered Hoodies & Fleeces, which I’ll be handing out tonight after training.
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Dick Finch - Blue (S) Hoodie & Red (S) Fleece.
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Bill Savage - Blue (S) Hoodie & Blue (S) Fleece.
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Bram Fischer - Red (M) Hoodie & Blue (M) Fleece.
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Gill Stott - Blue (XS) Fleece……..
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Jeanine Allen - Blue (XS) Hoodie.
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Becca Lane - Red (XS) Hoodie.
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Anthea Gair - Red (XS) Hoodie.
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Sian Griffith - (XS) Hoodie.
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Anne Masters - Red (XS) Hoodie.
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Roberta Havers - Blue (M) Hoodie.
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Pete Hutton - Red (L) Fleece.
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Chris Rees - Blue (M) Fleece.
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Mark Harvey - Blue (S) Fleece.
Hoodies £15
Fleeces £17
Cash or Cheques made payable to Chepstow Harriers.
Cheers
John
Ps Merry Xmas & Happy New Year
The Week Ahead - 22 Dec
22/12/2008 by Dick.
The final S Bridge 5k on Tuesday and a great opportunity to post your best time of the year. And a good speed sharpener for the Caldicot Boxing Day run.
After the Time Trial don’t forget it’s our pre-Christmas drink. Some will be going to the usual haunt, the Coach & Horses in Welsh Street, but there’s also a breakaway group who will be using the George by the Arch.
I hear the Leisure Ctre’s closed for some reason on Thursday, but it will be interesting to see how many diehards assemble on the steps at 7pm for the Tour of the Town.
On Sunday Steve Hill and his band of helpers are laying on a Hash Run from the Leis Ctre at 10.30. Follow the floury trail, take the false dead-ends a few times, and try to be first to the mystery finish line, which I guess will be a pub somewhere in the Chepstow area? There’ll be a free drink and food for all.
On Sunday morning on TV (C4 7.30 ‘Adrenalin Rush’) one of our newer members, Tom Gibbs, will be featuring in coverage of his company team’s triumph in the World Team Challenge, which ‘blends outdoor sports with strategy, intelligence and teamwork’. Congrats Tom - sounds like it’s worth watching.
Xmas Pudding Results + Team Prize
18/12/2008 by Lou.
The results of Merthyr Mawr Xmas Puddding Race are now up - link to results
http://www.brackla-harriers.org/forms/Pudding%20archive/Pudding%20results%202008.pdf
Well done to everyone who made it up the dune and then completed the race and congratulations to our Marianne, Niki and Esther on winning the team prize - those witches had the best brooms and were flying high - fabulous.
Love from Sarah ?!?
Club/Race Kit Amnesty
17/12/2008 by Dick.
A message from John Wright to all members currently holding in their possession any equipment belonging to the club that is used for race/training events.
I have taken over responsibility for all Club equipment and am compiling an inventory of items. It would be helpful if you could let me know of any equipment you may be holding. They can then be held in our Caldicot lock-up and be available for use by all members.
Cheers
John
Merthyr Mawr Pudding 10k by Ivan
16/12/2008 by Lou.
14-12-08
A gaggle of Harriers turned up at Candlestone car park on the edge of Merthyr Mawr ready to put their off road skills to the test. I don’t think Andy Creeber covered running up sand dunes in his summer school, he was obviously saving that little bit for himself and his assault on the club champs, unfortunately he sustained an injury and wasn’t able to run. So he let all of the harriers in attendance into his little secret on how to avoid the bottle neck at the top of the Big Dipper!
It is rumoured that a number of Harriers had also gone down in previous weeks in order to check out the course……. The one thing we discovered from our recce…. starting to run straight up the big dipper with no warm up is not a good idea, half way up oxygen debt kicks in and you think you’ll never reach the top let alone the finish….. So onto race day……
We made sure we got to candlestone suitably early in time for a good warm up. The race start was delayed for 15minutes and for some reason everyone set off up the dipper for a warm up – and one final check of the alternative ’sheep track’. A quick jog back down and the pre-race briefing began, then hurtling down the dipper arms flailing in a mad panic came Niki, Esther & Lou, just in time for the starting horn to run back up again!
Up the dipper….It doesn’t get any easier! Not sure if the warm up made any difference, about 50m from the top walking as quick as possible I saw James run past me, kept my head down and then found myself leaning on someone – it turned out to be Mark. Upon reaching the top of the first crest I discovered that my knees were no longer functioning correctly and I had the distinct impression that they were not going to support me much longer. Trying to figure out how to keep moving in a straight line in totally forgot about the ‘alternative’ route and just followed the line of runners heading up a sandy path. Reaching the top of this path I once again tried to start running – somehow my legs kept me upright – rumours are this wasn’t the case for everyone.
After the descent we headed back towards the car park and hit the road (aah nice tarmac – lovely) for a mile when I finally rediscovered the proper use of my legs and managed to start moving forward through the positions chasing James and then Mark.
The course crosses a footbridge, jumps a wall, crosses a field and another footbridge before heading for the next big ascent up a lane to run around the perimeter of the golf course.
We then reached the drinks station, the marshal’s just told me to go straight on down the valley; for some reason they didn’t offer me their mulled wine and sherry, I would have been very tempted!The route then follows a really fast steady descent down a small valley back down towards the road/river. From here a quick jaunt over the bridge and looping in through the sewage works (…nice…) you then run alongside the river (I just hope it was mud down there) before heading for the old dried up stream bed. Just before the finish you get the chance to clean your shoes off with a quick few stream crossings (icy) before a final sprint to the finish.
I really enjoyed the course and the race and would like to thank the Brackla Harriers (organisers) and all of the marshals for a great job. And thanks for the christmas pudding.
There were a few non-running harriers out on the course: Matt; Andy; Sam; Matthew & Rueben… possibly others, thanks to them for all of the support.
I’m not going to try and list all of the harriers running as I know I didn’t see everyone, but well done to all of you. We all now wait with baited breath for the race results & championship results tables to be produced.
Finally following the race Lou & Rob kindly offered everyone to come back to their house afterwards, after we all admired Lou’s newly decorated christmas tree we tucked into some fantastic Chilli drank a bit of wine/beer, ate cake and talked over the various tactics employed throughout the day.
The Week Ahead - 15 Dec
14/12/2008 by Dick.
Coach of the Month, Chris Rees, has given us a good choice of sessions on Tuesday.
You can try the new Kenyan Hills workout in the new estate on the other side of the A466. This is a continuous 40 minute session at a constant effort either side of a gentle (ish!) hill. Ideal for improving your performance in races with ups and downs.
Or a 6 X 800 metre speed session with a difference on the Link Road . You’ll have to try it to find out what that difference is.
Thursday’s is the Beachley Run, which can be just straight down to the Ferry Inn and back OR a more effective longer run including the Wyebank estate. Best get the miles in I say before the seasonal excesses!
Post Pudding Race Chilli
12/12/2008 by Lou.
All Chepstow Harriers are welcome to come back to 45 Laurel Park, St. Arvans for a chilli after our final Club Champs race. We are meeting at 8.45 am at the Leisure C. to share cars to Merthyr Mawr. If you would like to come please let me know, either via the list on the Bulletin Board, or email summers363@btinternet.com.
Lou
The Half Week Ahead
11/12/2008 by Dick.
OK we’re late this week….
Still time to remind readers about the pleasures of the anti-clockwise Boughspring runs - so different to the delights of the clockwise versions.
And then the other Thursday treat - still not too late to book your seat in the Mughal Spice after the run. All you can eat for £15. Niki’s still waiting to hear from you.
Finally, meet at Leis Ctre Sunday at 8.45 for car-sharing to the Pudding Race.
That’s two good half-weeks on the trot …
London Marathon Club Places
06/12/2008 by Dick.
With our increased membership the Club received a record four places for next April’s London Marathon for members who were rejected and had helped at Club races during the year.
Six qualifying members went into the draw and the lucky winners were Jan Morris, Suzie Shepherd, Gareth Creed and Andy Blackmore.
The reserves are Roberta Havers (1st) and Phil Scriven (2nd), who can substitute if any of the first four are unable to run by close-off date 13 Feb. Club places cannot be held over till 2010.
Syd
