Author Archive
Sunday’s Cross Country - Correct Directions!
12/03/2010 by Dick.
Please note that we’ve been giving wrong directions for Sunday’s LCL Cross Country.It’s at HIGH CROSS JUNIOR SCHOOL, NOT Rogerstone Primary.
Postcode NP10 9AB. M4 J27 third exit towards Risca. Take first left by petrol station into High Cross Lane. After about 600 metres, take 2nd right into Ebenezer Drive. School is at end of the road. We ran the final xc there last season.
Ivan has now put correct map on LCL XC page. Even this is a bit confusing! The balloon showing High Cross Junior School is above some private houses on the main road.Please follow the directions to Ebenezer Road, and I guarantee you’ll get there.
Apologies for confusion. Not webmaster’s fault.
The Week Ahead 8 March 2010
08/03/2010 by Dick.
Only 3 weeks to the FoD Half and what training you decide to do is important in optimising your race performance.
The Severn Avenue session on Tuesday will give you just under 500 metres of fairly flat (but a testing little slope at the end) speed per loop with a slow jog recovery between each of the 8 or 10 efforts. Last time some of us found that we were taking it too fast at first, but then controlled our pace better: and control of pace is what you need in racing.
The alternative Hospital Hill aims to give you more strength – in your legs and upper body as you drive up the hills within the 40 secs effort. It should improve your running efficiency in general, and specifically your ability to glide effortlessly (!) up the slopes in the FoD course, and then push off the top with strong legs.
A good chance on Thursday to put in a ten-mile pace run with the over the Severn Bridge and back course.
Plenty of time after to change and get yourself down to the Bellhanger for CURRY NIGHT!!!
A call to arms for Sunday. The final LCL cross-country at Rogerstone, Newport is a vital race for Chepstow. Our men’s team are only a couple of points behind the leaders, so a good turnout could just get us success. Our women need a good performance to clinch first place. Come along and be part of a great Club experience. There will be cakes!!! And a pub visit!!!
MEET AT LEIS CTRE 9.45 TO SHARE CARS
The Week Ahead 1 March 2010
01/03/2010 by Dick.
Ivan starts his stint as March’s Coach of the Month by offering us another go at his Beech Grove (gentle) hills session on Tuesday. Just round the corner from the top of the Link Road, it’s 3 or 4 sets of four 40 second hills with a jog back recovery.
He’s also given us the option of four laps of the Thornwell Loop.. This is a very effective session, but as Thornwell is a good two miles from the LC SOME RUNNERS MIGHT WANT TO THINK ABOUT DRIVING DOWN OR AT LEAST GETTING A LIFT BACK. There’ll be a chance to make that decision before we leave at 7.
With both sessions the recoveries are longer than last month’s to encourage a faster pace in keeping with March’s dedication to peaking for the FoD Half Marathon.
Thursday’s run will be the Hayesgate route which can be viewed on the Training & Coaching page.
The final Gwent League cross-country on Saturday is just over the Bridge at Blaise Castle in the north Bristol suburb of Henbury: less than a half-hour drive. We’re meeting at the LC at 11, with the men’s race at 12 and the women’s just after 1. Blaise is a very family friendly country park with an adventure playground and café.
And finally…you will have seen the email advertising the recce on Sunday morning of April’s Club Champs race, Mynydd Troed. This will be a gentle jog round the course which is seven miles long with three ups and downs in the heart of the Black Mountains. We’ll be based at a very nice pub, the Castle Inn at Pengenffordd into which we may slip after the run
It is classed as an A medium fell race which shouldn’t put anybody off. It will be marked by tape and friendly marshals.
Bryn Bach Beckons!!!
24/02/2010 by Dick.
All Harriers who turned out for the Club at Piercefield last Sunday are called to arms again for this Sunday’s race at Bryn Bach Country Park, just off the Heads of the Valley road near Tredegar.
Our women’s team needs a good turnout to consolidate the lead, while our men have climbed from bottom at the first race to equal second after three races.
And we have individual category leaders in Berta, Lou and Sue, and top three-ers in Nikki, Vanessa, Marianne, Rob, Laurie & Dick.Meet at our Leis Ctre at 9 to drive up country in force.
It’s a good course round the Park with hot showers and hot food afterwards … and before if your name’s Kevin !
The Week Ahead 22 Feb 2010
21/02/2010 by Dick.
A brand new session and an old favourite, both over in Tutshill, are your options on Tuesday.
Ivan has devised, and will be leading, the Severn Avenue speed session. It’s a 480 metre flat road to be run at your 5k race pace. The recovery is a 280 metre jog back to the start. Choose between eight and ten reps.
Chris will be leading Elm Road which is about the same length as Severn View but is of course an up and down route. Choose four or five each way.
With either session, choose your group carefully according to your 5 or 10k race time. Don’t be afraid to drop down a group if you’re struggling, or miss out a rep and come back renewed.
Our monthly visit to the Severn Bridge 5k on Thursday. A good tempo run will set you up nicely for Sunday’s LCL cross-country at Bryn Bach Country Park.
How many of the 36 Chepstow runners who competed at Piercefield Park this Sunday will make the journey to the scenic delights of Bryn Bach? We need as many as poss to keep up our challenge for the LCL titles. Meet at 9 at our LC to share cars.
Fancy a cross-country race this Wednesday afternoon?
16/02/2010 by Dick.
We posted these details a couple of weeks ago. Local club members are invited to join in the race and the buffet afterwards. It’s mainly the Oasis LCL course, but starts/finishes halfway round in the school field by the roundabout opposite County Hall/Police HQ. We’ll need to be leaving Chepstow at about 12.30. Please post a message below if you’re planning to come.
“The 21st ‘Adrian Ellis Memorial Cross-country Run’ will be held at Police Headquarters, Croesyceiliog, Cwmbran on Wednesday 17th February 2010 commencing at 2pm.This race will incorporate the meeting of the Midlands Police crosscountry league together with the Welsh Police cross-country championships.
The men’s race will be approximately six miles, consisting of four laps and the women’s approximately three miles, a two-lap race.For the Midlands Police League both men and women are required to run the four laps. As in previous years, for the memorial run, females can score in the team event if they so wish by completing the full distance (4 laps).For the Welsh championships and the police league, females are only required to complete two laps.
The course is run over parkland and is suitable for spikes. Scoring for the memorial run will be the first six runners’ home to count.
Limited parking will be available within the car parks of County Hall, which is adjacent to Gwent Police Headquarters.NB – Having located a parking place within the County Hall car parks you will need to attend at County Hall reception to obtain a token for the exit barrier.
There will be light refreshments and a presentation at the Croesyceiliog Cricket Club, The Highway, Croesyceiliog, Cwmbran after the race. “
The Week Ahead 15 Feb 2010
14/02/2010 by Dick.
Tuesday’s sessions continue the theme of faster-paced work with longer recovery periods.
1. Our monthly visit to Thornwell for four loops with drills and speedplay down the Link Road.
2. Or 4 X 4 minutes on the S Bridge with a long recovery between each. The faster members of each group should turn back during the jog recovery to regroup with the back-markers.
On Thursday we’re extending the Tour of the Town to include a detour into Tutshill across the old Wye Bridge. Or there’s the usual 20 mins out/20 mins back along the Link Rd and the S Bridge. And I daresay the off-roaders will be ready with torches and grippy shoes.
All hands to the pumps (whatever that may mean) on Sunday when the LCL cross-country in Piercefield Park is also the second Club Championships race. Starts at 11 in the middle of the park so allow plenty of time to get there from the LC. Make sure you wear your number – see Syd if you don’t have one. Rich and Stuart are setting up the course (more help welcome), but all Harriers are needed to take down the tape afterwards.Then we need to get changed and into the bar to host our home-made cake party. Please get baking on Saturday - there’ll be lots of hungry mouths to feed!piercefield-xc-course-210210.pdf
D/D Gill’s Photos
08/02/2010 by Dick.
Enjoy this photo gallery all captured by newly-appointed club snapper, Gill.http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/apgstott/ChepstowHarriersDinnerDance2010#
The Week Ahead 8 Feb 2010
07/02/2010 by Dick.
A hilly theme this week. On Tuesday you can choose either:
1) the gentle hill of Beech Grove. We go a little faster this month, but for 40 secs instead of the 50 last month. And the recovery jog back is longer - 80 secs instead of 70. And there’s a longer rest of 2 minutes between sets. Do 3 or 4 sets according to your schedule and how your body feels.
2) the bigger gradient of Steep St (prize for first reader to guess how it got its name). Here again choose 3 or 4 sets. Each set consists of a short, a long, a short and a long hill.
The Shirenewton run on Thursday. One of our longer outings, and why not in your preparation for the 13.1 miles of the FOD Half? But don’t take too long getting round and getting changed: for the 2nd Thursday of the month is CURRY NIGHT!!!
Or the 20 mins out and back on the Bridge may fit in better with your plans. Or again the Off-Road gang is growing weekly and new members are nursed along so nicely.
And finally on Saturday it’s the next Gwent League at Brecon. Always excellent training and a good Club occasion, come and join the fun and enjoy the cakes and sweets after. Junior races start at 12, senior women at 12.50, and senior men at 2.20. No fee, no numbers, no registration - just tell the Club Captains you’re coming and get there early enough for us to put your name down.
Revised Dinner/Dance Bus Timetable
05/02/2010 by Dick.
By popular request we’ve increased the number of stops and delayed the timing to give everyone more time to titivate themselves (actually the Chief Coach couldn’t get an early hairdresser’s appointment and always nicks himself if he has to rush shaving his legs). Tutshill 5.55. Leis Ctre steps 6.10. High Beech R 6.20. Pwllmeyric Layby 6.25. Caldicot X 6.40. Arrive at Dewstow 7.00. Return at midnight
