Archive for the Leisure Centre League Category
The Week Ahead 30 Jan 2012
30/01/2012 by Dick.
Elm Road is Tuesday’s workout. An ideal session on a quiet road with an up and down on each lap – great for leg speed and leg strength.
Then it’s that old favourite, the Tour of the Town, on Thursday.
And finally, the next round of the Leisure Centre League cross-country series. Up at Parc Bryn Bach, with its mixture of mown grass, moorland and tram road bed, there’s never a dull moment on this circuit. Hot showers and hot drinks in the Visitors Centre afterwards make this a great running experience. Be there!
Meet at 9am to share cars.
The Week Ahead 9 Jan 2012
10/01/2012 by Dick.
Beachley Loop session Tuesday. Some may prefer to drive down as it ‘s a fair way. Or maybe set off earlier if jogging down.
The Boughspring runs on Thursday. Distances to suit all tastes.
And finally, the next LCL Cross-Country will be at Pontllanfraith near Blackwood at 11 on Sunday. Meet at LC at 9.30. It’s a nice varied course with lots of varied terrain.
The Week Ahead 31 October 2011
30/10/2011 by Dick.
On Tuesday Andy Meek-Welsh starts his stint as Coach of the Month with a return to Hospital Hill. Sunday’s cross-country at Pontypool Park will suit runners who have a good hill session under their belt.
Thursday’s run is to Beachley and back including the diversion round the Wyebank estate to make it a good long workout.
Yes it’s the second LCL XC on Sunday at Ponty Park. Meet at the LC at 9.45 for 11.00 start. See Syd if you haven’t got a number.
Phew What a Cross-country Scorcher!
03/10/2011 by Dick.
A cross-country in Piercefield Park with a water hazard – but no frozen feet. Runners stopping under trees to cool down in October. What’s happening?
The first LCL of the 2011/12 season saw 112 runners racing round Paul and Joc Dodds’ marvellous course.
Well done to Matt Collins (Fairwater), Sean Taylor (Griffithstown) and Mark Jennings (Fairwater) – first three men; and Jane Horler (Chepstow), Jenna Roberts (Fairwater) and Angela Jones (Islwyn) as first three women.
Provisional results have Chepstow as first men’s team ahead of Fairwater and Lliswerry; and Chepstow as first women’s team followed by Islwyn and Griffithstown.
In the Leisure Ctre afterwards the recent LCL road series trophies were presented. Many thanks to Martyn and Jeanette Jenkins for processing the results so promptly after every race, and for organising the prizes.
Another marvellous series and a new one just begun. Next LCL cross-country in Pontypool Park on 6 November. If you can’t wait till then, the first Gwent League is at Bridgend next Sunday 9 October. It’s also the East Wales Champs and the selection event for representing the Region at the Inter-Regional on 11 December at Builth Wells.
The Week Ahead 26 September 2011
26/09/2011 by Dick.
Autumn draws on dear ladies – and gentlemen – and as well as the change in underwear we have the darkening evenings to contend with.
On Tuesday we’re going to try to race that wicked Mr Dusk with a 20/20 session on the field. The plan is to get on the field and incorporate the warm-up in the first 5 of the 20 mins out. That means all the fast people staying behind the safety car until he/she blows the whistle whereupon we let slip the dogs of war for the final 15 minutes. The whistle is blown again and we all turn round and run lickety-split for 20 minutes in the opposite direction. Can we do it? The Hell we can! Yes we can, I hear you say.
Likewise on Thursday. We’ll run over to Tutshill and make a start on the Gloucestershire Way, but when we hit the road again near Netherhope, we’ll give Mr Dusk his due and finish on the Boughspring Runs routes. But bring a headtorch and you can do it all off-road eh?
Either way it behoves us all to wear our reflective tops from now on. We’re getting a new supply for sale at cost price to those needing one.
And finally, dust off your cross-country shoes for Sunday over Piercefield Park, the first LCL of the new season. We’re putting it on under Paul Dodd’s direction, so you can choose between helping to set up the course at 9am – meet at the LC top car park by the field; OR help to take it down after the race. Either way it’s just a few sticks and bits of tape.
Then haste to the LC bar for drinks and cakes and the LCL Summer League prizegiving. We’ll wait for you if you’re helping to dismantle the course.
LCL Summer and Combined Final Results
17/08/2011 by Dick.
Many thanks to Martyn and Jeanette Jenkins of Fairwater Runners for administering this summer’s LCL road series. The continuing and long-lasting success of the League is very much due to the hard work and judicious guidance of Martyn, Jeanette and the committee members from each club.
Congrats to Fairwater and Chepstow for providing the Men’s and Women’s Team Champions. Our webmaster Ivan will be posting the full results very soon, but may I pick out the individual Chepstow age category winners?
Vanessa Lawson, Jane Green (Horler as was), Brenda Avery, Neal Grant and Dick Finch were first placers.
Esther Barrett, Lou Summers, Sue Ashton won silver, and Paul Lidgett, Gerry Ashton, Syd Wheeler bronze.
Joc Dodd, Jane Bayliss ,Gill Stott, Karen Elvers, Berta Havers, Andy Stott, Matthew Lawson and Steve Caldwell were top five placers.
Now for the Combined Winter and Summer Series. Chepstow provided the Team Winners (triggering a souvenir gift for all who ran or took part in at least six of the ten races - that right Lou?)
Lou Summers not only worked tirelessly as Women’s Team Captain but has also won the Women’s Combined Individual Trophy, ahead of Vanessa Lawson in 2nd place and Sue Ashton in 10th. And well done to Steve Harris, our only man in the top ten.
Congrats to Sean Taylor of Griffithstown for winning the Men’s Combined Trophy.
Trophies are expected to be presented after the first cross-country event.
The Week Ahead 15 August 2011
15/08/2011 by Dick.
The week starts with the final LCL race at Parc Bryn Bach just off the Heads of the Valley road, by Tredegar. Our men’s team are currently in second place, but a final supreme effort could bring them up to the top. So a good turn-out is called for. The race starts at 7.30, so a 5.45 meeting at the Leisure Centre.
On Thursday, Coach of the Month Geoff Bayliss is offering a nice choice. A long steady run along the Gloucestershire Way, or a pyramd session on the grass on the Leisure Ctre field.
And then one of the highlights of our 25th Anniversary celebrations: the Offa’s Dyke Relay, masterminded by Sue & Gerry, and backed up by admin and logistics chiefs, Judith & Allan. This will be a non-competitive fun event starting Friday morning up in North Wales and working its way down the Offa’s Dyke trail to Sedbury Cliffs by Sunday afternoon - as you can see on the spreadsheet linked from the Bulletin Board on our website.
On most stages members will run in pairs, but the final glory leg from Tutshill to Sedbury will be a mass Club run. Come along and join in, starting at 3.40 on Sunday afternoon.
And then to round it off sweetly, Vanessa and Matthew invite all Club members to a celebratory garden party at their house at Sedbury View Villa, Gloucester Road, Tutshill. Bring along some food and drink and enjoy the fun, any time from about 5 onwards.
The Week Ahead 18 July 2011
18/07/2011 by Dick.
The next Leisure Centre League race is on Tuesday starting from Caerleon College campus. You’ll have seen the recent Club email with all the details. Have a good run.
On Thursday Ivan is putting on the Piercefield Park Loop session that was so popular a couple of weeks ago. This is a new session that takes into account the range of abilities, and ensures that we all start and finish at the same time. Ivan has scheduled the Nuns’ Walk run as an alternative, but the P Park Loop is highly recommended.
And a quick word about the Waun Fach fell race on Saturday. As Sue and Gerry the organisers say, it’s one of the best races in South Wales. Race HQ is the Castle Inn at Pengenfford, on the road to Talgarth, just along from Crickhowell. Starts at 2pm, just £2.50, and 7 miles of fantastic views. Or to get a taste for fell running, why not contact Sue and volunteer to marshal? That way you can do a gentle walk, and enjoy the hills without exerting yourself too much!
