Archive for July 2009
Track Extravaganza, 30th July 2009
31/07/2009 by Ivan.
Thursday’s training saw the return of last years ‘Track Extravaganza’ giving the opportunity to test yourself out against your peers over a number of distances, and also introduced this year …. a couple of field events!!
First up we stuck to the plan and had repeat of last years 1500m steeplechase, after some of the juniors had removed their spikes !!! , the race got underway, with a bit of water bucket assistance everyone managed to get suitably damp on each lap!
The original plan was to have the two field events, high jump & javelin (!!!!) happening at the same time as the various distances, however after the steeple chase was over - EVERYONE headed over to grab spears & test out their high jump prowess, and it was at least half an hour before we were able to drag ’some’ of them away for another race - the 400m.
After the 400m, and a short break with more throwing and jumping, ‘most’ were dragged over to have a go at the mile - after our pacing was called into question, the tape measure was collected to find the suitable start line for the 1609metres to commence.
Once the mile was completed, and the javelin & high jump was finished it was time for the those that remained to take part in the ulitimate one chance shootout - the 100m sprint - after a bit of measuring (again!) to check the 100m track wasn’t a 110m, and foraging around for extra timing implements - the two races took place & the win was taken by one of our Junior members.
Well done to everyone who took part - i think everyone enjoyed themselves, and seemed to enjoy the opportunity to do something different. Thanks for coming.
Thanks also to everyone who helped out, much appreciated.
Andy C - for turning up a few hourse before erecting and filling the water jump (paddling pool). Syd, Jane B, Geoff B, Bill B for doing all the timing, something i didn’t have to think about and just left them too it. Sian for organising the high jump and keeping everyone in line. James for doing most of the work in organising the javelin - just leaving me having to ‘dodge’ the javelins in doing the measuring - the only person who nearly got me was Izzy - thanks for missing! Thanks also to anyone else i have missed out.
Finally - a really big thankyou to the chap who upon Lou’s pleading (thanks Lou) kindly re-marked the track for us on thursday afternoon. This was much appreciated - without this - the mile may have been a little bit off - Thankyou.
All the results can be found here : Track Extravaganze 2009 results
The Week Ahead - 27 July
27/07/2009 by Dick.
If you’ve just read young Beth’s blog about the Juniors’ fine performance on Saturday you will be interested to hear that these fine young athletes have been invited to join us in Thursday’s Track Extravaganza. We’ve told them that our Seniors haven’t a clue about high jump or javelin, but if you fancy you can show ‘em a thing or two about track & field, let’s see you turn it on.
Don’t forget Tuesday is the 4th LCL race hosted by Caerleon. Meet at 6.30 at our LC to share cars. If you have to make your own way, the race venue is in Llanhennock, a village a mile along the Usk Road from Caerleon. This link will direct you: http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=NP18+1LT&sll=52.696361,-3.515625&sspn=3.196207,27.46582&ie=UTF8&ll=51.642205,-2.935925&spn=0.006392,0.053644&z=14&iwloc=A Postcode is NP18 1LT
Please park where directed in the field opposite the pub. Parking in the pub car park is strictly forbidden. The race finish is in the pub car park for starters.
On Sunday at 10.30 we have the next Club Championship race, the Brecon 10. It’s also one of the East Wales Championship series so a double reason for having a go. A nice road race that starts with a long downhill but remember what goes down etc. Entry form on http://www.brecon10.com/ There’s also a 2 mile fun run.
I hesitate to mention it but there is a minor hill race you might be interested in on the Saturday, organised by our Head Coach. It’s based at the Llanthony Show and is free to all showgoers. About 3.5 miles with a little climb up to the ridge. The show opens at about 10, and the race starts at 12.15. There are also flat races for all ages in the show arena including a beery obstacle race, a three-legged race and all the fun of the fair. Just don’t blame me if the hill race ruins your legs for the Club Champs. Coachy is also looking for a couple of volunteers to man checkpoints up the hill, payment for which is a pint of beer or equivalent… If you’ve never been to Llanthony it’s the prettiest location for a show you’ve ever seen.
S.E. Wales League - Aberdare Meet - by Beth
27/07/2009 by Lou.
Hi everyone,just wanted to say well done to those who took part in the Aberdare competition on the 25th july.
Thanks for cheering me on in the 800m. I didn’t come last , there were a couple behind me. In the long jump but my best jump was 3.06 m, sadly I missed my last jump as i was still doing the 800 m, but I’m still pleased with my 8th place out of 13.
Thankyou to Dick, James, Stuart, Linda, Ivan and anyone else who helped, you did a great job.
Well done, some good results from Izzy who came 1st in the 800m and 3rd in the 300m. Cobi 1st in the 100m, 2nd in the 200m and 3rd in the long jump. Rhys came 2nd in the 800m. Arran came 3rd in the 400m.
A good effort from everyone who took part.
Beth
East Wales Champs - results after race 2
23/07/2009 by Ivan.
East wales championship so far…. bit early to comment on the individual performances, but in the overall team series we are looking good so far…..
Ladies table after 2 races
Mens table after 2 races
Team table after 2 races
Well done harriers - keep it up, the next race in the series is the Brecon 10, which is also a club champs race.
Technical Training Tops
21/07/2009 by JohnW.
Hi everyone,
The eagerly awaited Technical Training tops so many of you asked for are now available for purchase. A picture will be uploaded to the website soon.
Short sleeve £13:50
Long sleeve £16:00
Cheers
John
Magor Marsh 10k (2009) report by Matt
21/07/2009 by Ivan.
The July championship race yielded a good turn out of 24 harriers. Perhaps they were all enticed by the prospect of a quick time on one of the flattest, fastest courses about. That is if it’s not windy…
The race included the British Masters Athletic Federation 10k championship, which brought some of the quickest vet runners from around the country to our corner of SE Wales. This made for a quick start, and a competitive run with people all around to race against.
The route comprised parts of the Rose Inn course so familiar to us harriers. Which meant we knew all about the wind headed our way. A stiff headwind between 3 and 5 k slowed most of the field down, and it was a case of sticking with the group you were in.
Then after about 20 mins the heavens opened. It rained, a lot. Which was good as I was just starting to get a bit hot at that point.
Leading the harriers home was Mark Harvey. Kath Matthews was first female harrier who grabbed herself a bottle of wine for a top 10 finish.
Well done to all the other harriers who ran, too many to list individually, especially those who ran PB’s. I gather there was a few despite the weather.
And finally a huge thanks to Bill and all his helpers, and the hardy supporters/photographers, especially those who stood out in the rain for long periods of time.
Full results can be found on http://www.chepstowharriers.org.uk/marsh.htm
Links to uploaded photo’s will also be added in due course, if anyone out there has theirs uploaded to flikr / picasa or other website, please send through the link and we will be happy to add it to the race page.
For now - some pictures can be found here : http://www.flickr.com/photos/jemcowen/sets/72157621560584087/
For the Harriers that ran - club champs points will be added in due course to the ‘champs’ page once processed by AC.
The Week Ahead - 20 July
20/07/2009 by Dick.
A brand new session awaits us on Tuesday. Ivan has laid on a different sort of hill session at Tutshill, on the Windmill Hill by Mopla. Instead of us slower runners having to puff up to the top where the fast lot are already waiting and getting their breath back, we will all run up for 1 minute and then run back down at the same pace for 1 minute, ready to start the next up. Ivan will blow his whistle to signal each turn.
You may have already noticed that we have started to run most sessions on a time rather than distance basis. It means that we all put the same training effort in, and we get a nice, warm, clubby feel by staying together and finishing together.
Thursday heralds the annual Tintern Trot race. First thought of and organised by Ian Wade, then carried on by Gareth Jones, and now managed by Geoff Cram, the TT has become a well-liked and supported race in the off-road calendar. You will by now have had your instructions from Geoff if you volunteered to help, but he would still be delighted to hear from anyone else who fancies assisting. Or why not run? £5 pre-entry or £6 on the night buys you 6 miles of scenic running and a free drink at the finish. There will also be pre and post race tea and cakes for sale at nice prices at Race HQ in the Village Hall.
That sounds like a nice week ahead to me!
Gill Gets Greedy for Gottles of Geer!
19/07/2009 by Dick.
Not content with winning her age group bottles of beer at Pen y Fan on Saturday, Stottie returned to the Beacons today and this time won two bottles of wine (she thinks she won just the one prize and asked me to collect it when she left early to fulfill a social engagement, but she also won a bottle for being a member of the winning team. I’m hoping she doesn’t read this as I’m hoping to guzzle one of the bottles to comfort me for a rubbish run).
I haven’t seen the results nor spoken to Mr Stott, nor Mr & Mrs Ashton so I can’t comment on their performance, but I shared a car with Matthew L who reckoned he had a good run, being 8th at the summit and finishing a creditable 13th.
I do know that Colin P wasn’t content with a mere 10 miles and decided to add another 4 to make it worthwhile, by improving upon the organiser’s set route and including a premature recce of the Brecon Beacons race course!
Dick’s Dashing Double (by Stottie)
18/07/2009 by Dick.
Just three club members stood at the line up for the Pen y Fan Fell Race this year. The turnout was quite good though, some runners coming from as far away as Cambridge, making a weekend of the two events (Fan y Big tomorrow). Although billed as a ‘short’ fell race – only 3.5 miles and 1930 feet climb - the mountain certainly looked bigger and further viewed from the start. Old timers gave advice about the grassy and slippery descent down into the bog, commenting that the route was ‘up to you’- worrying if you hadn’t done it before. Substantial ravines nestled menacingly at the bottom, filled with streams engorged by the storm a couple of days earlier.
Dick, in his new superman style, sped off, Andy in front and Gill padded behind, trying to hang on to Dick’s shirt tails. The ascent up to Corn Du was littered with walkers who obediently moved to one side as we huffed and puffed up to the top. The views would have been fantastic, had we cared enough to look….but we were too busy trying to make the summit of Pen y Fan.
The descent wasn’t quite as treacherous as people made out but a few runners found their legs gave way under the strain and it was possible to pick a few of them off. Nice run into the finish – all over in about 50 mins! Andy trotted in first, followed by Dick, then Gill.
At prize giving Dick won M60, Gill W50 and then, much to Dick’s amazement, a second team prize was given – Andy, Dick and another MDC runner. Prizes were from the local Brecon Brewery. Dick commented in the car that he only sipped beer and might not finish the FOUR bottles he had. So if you’re feeling thirsty – you know where he lives. They also won £10 Cotswold clothing vouchers.
The event, hosted by Mynydd Du was well organised, inexpensive to enter and prizes sponsored by the brewery and Cotswold Camping. Nearly every runner was able to nab a bottle of beer. Local Mary’s bakery provided free rolls and delicious flapjack. We felt we had got our money’s worth. If anybody is up for it, there is a £400 reward for any man who can break the current record of 30 mins, yet only £100 for the female record of 38 mins. Huh!
Colin’s Wentwood Wander
17/07/2009 by Dick.
Thanks Colin from the hardy members who made the journey to Wentwood for a run round the woods and a freshly mixed glass of Pimm’s No 1 cup, with at least three varieties of fresh fruit.
Maybe the rain put off some, but a few carfulls set off from the reservoir car park for what turned out to be dry overhead but muddy underfoot. There was plenty of nature (fallow deer) and history (Tudor village, prehistoric stone circle) as well as healthy exercise.
The rain came on at the end and we had our picnic under the big shelter, but it was fun with beer as well as the Pimms.
These away runs are just what’s needed while the Summer lasts, and we’ll do some more before we lose the light. Niki’s Cleddon run is next on Thurs 13 Aug.
Thanks again Col for a well-planned route and a tasty picnic.
