CaptainSlog July/August 2015
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Hi everyone,
Hope you are all having a great summer and clocking up those Arrows-on- Tour photos! Captains have been taking a bit of a break, so you get a bumper double issue newsletter this month...
It's been a really exciting summer with our Invitational 5k event which saw runners from DRR, GVH, Watford Joggers and the odd Strider join us for a timed run round Rothamsted /Nickey Line followed by a sumptuous feast of cakes and other yummies, Thank you to all the Arrows who gave up their run to marshal, time, organise the catering etc: we had nearly 30 people involved and still had enough Arrows running to make it a great evening. The feedback from the clubs has been very positive and they are looking forward to coming back next year!
This was followed by the Thunder Run - we raved about it last year (and the year before!) and this year it was even more amazing. (For those who may have missed out on the hype, this is a 24-hr, cross-country, 10k team relay with camping/bbq and lots of camaraderie thrown in). We fielded a team of 8, 2 teams of 5, 3 pairs and 3 solos and everyone did brilliantly well with many of us discovering hidden stamina and running further than we imagined possible (see below for a race report). The entries for 2016 are expected to open in October - and will fill up within a few hours - so if you want to join in the fun, let us know.
Lou and Speirsy
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Club 5k:
20 runners and 7 marshals gathered for the run on a clear July evening - perfect running temperature. We had a fantatsic 8 first timers - welcome! - we hope you enjoyed it. Congratulations to Joanne White who came in first - even after her Thunder run exploits - great running. Two PBs, by 1 minute and 1:01 for Mathew Davies and Djerk Geurts. Thank you marshals - mostly made up of tired Thunder Runners.
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Parkruns:
It's getting a bit hard to keep track of PBs now that people are doing parkruns all over the place, as we can only really monitor St Albans, so apologies if we have missed you. Congratulations for recent PBs to: Claire Price (22:11), Steve B (17:34), Paul Hill (21:15), James Izzard (19:08), Scott (20:58), Victoria (26:14), Taras (20:55), Alex S (17:54), Laura (22:13), Ben (21:50) and David W (20:17)..
All you have to do is register in advance at http://www.parkrun.org.uk/stalbans. They email you a barcode, which you bring with you when you turn up at any of the events anywhere. Don't forget, it is FREE, there is no pressure and you can go every week if you want!
PS Jen C has set up an invite to Tring parkrun on the 5th, and Louisa to Aldenham on the 19th if you fancy a change...
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Race results.....
Thunder Run: this is an event that really isn't about the time or the winning; it is about pushing yourself to try something different and to see what you can do. Whether it is running in the middle of the night when you are tired, slipping around in the mud, stepping in to run laps when your team mates are injured, just seeing how long you can keep going for, or (if you are so inclined) how steadily you can run each lap, each participant has their own personal goals and yet everyone works as a team.
That said, Harpenden Arrows did amazingly well and we have to shout a bit about that: Ammon and Patrick ran 24 laps and took 3rd place in the men's pairs, Hannah was 1st female solo with 16 laps, and Andy J not only came 1st in the men's solo but broke the course record by 2 laps with a staggering 22 laps (220 kms!). Roger met his target of 100 miles with 17 laps; Louise and Pierre-Louis hoped to do 16 laps, but managed 18 to come 7th in the mixed pairs; Steve B and Darren clocked up 7 laps each when their team mates got injured and averaged 52 mins per lap; David and Simon T ran 19 laps; the mixed team of 5 covered 26 laps; but the team of 8 reflected the true spirit of thunder running - they were only 6 on Sat morning so Amanda Busby and Jo White stepped in to run laps, Ben and Connie ran whilst crewing for the the solos/pairs, Jon had to leave early to go to a wedding so put in 4 laps before 6am, Patricia ran 5 laps and together the team covered 24 laps.
Other news: James Izzard and Chitra did well in the NSPCC Milton Keynes Half Marathon; we didn't manage to field any Arrows teams in the Luton Series this year, but Helen continued the sole Arrow presence by doing great in the Luton 10k. This is a lovely summer series, so let's see a few more getting along next year.
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Race Reports
Please see those below and send your race reports to captains@harpendenarrows.co.uk (if you don’t send them, we are likely to have missed someone! ).
We'll also try and make sure we get press coverage when we can - send to the captains or post on facebook and we'll see what we can do. Needs to be by Sunday evening in order to to write the copy and get to the various Sports Desks.
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Lots of potential races and events on the Arrows website. Some are listed below (Club League races are highlighted in red). http://www.harpendenarrows.co.uk/web/index.php/race-list
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27th Aug: Club 5k
Our last outing on the Nickey Line for this year, so come and get that SB. Run or Marshall - 5 points for the Arrows League. We meet a bit earlier at St George's to sign in and give food orders, then walk over to the start on the Nickey Line (down the steps on Hollybush Lane and along to the railway arches). This is a handicap race, so everyone can win!
Social afterwards at the Engineer - all welcome!
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2nd, 16th, 30th Sept: Hatfield 5k Series
Starts next week - this 3 race series is dead flat, so good PB potential. The first one is the Herts County Senior Champs and the Vets Champs is on the 16th. There are separate race and series prizes for individuals and teams (we need 4 men for a men's team and 3 ladies for a ladies team); for the individual series prizes it is best 2 out of 3 races; for the team it is all 3 races that count, but it does not need to be the same people in the team each time. Enter here.
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5th Sept: St Albans Stampede 12-hr enduro event
Bit short notice, but if you've been tempted by Thunder Run, but would like to practise first, why not try this event? It is a solo or team relay based in Heartwood Forest and Nomansland, no camping, no travelling and mostly in daylight (9am to 9pm). Details here and the main site St Albans Stampede.
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6th Sept: Maidenhead Half Marathon
"A great opportunity to run on closed roads on a fast, flat course! Voted 3rd in the 'PB Potential' category in Runners World Races of the Year 2013". It is a two-lap course starting in the town centre and taking a scenic route through the surrounding countryside.This is an optional Club League race and several Arrows are already entered. Info here. (Note 09:30 start).
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13th Sept: Dunstable Challenge
Half Marathon, 20 and 26 miles distances with points per mile for each event contributing to the Arrows League. It is off-road and has the odd hill, so not a PB course, but it is very enjoyable and a good training run for those autumn marathons. Entries here.
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4th Oct: Standalone 10k
This is a lovely race with great organisation, friendly marshals, a good route & pretty good support. It is reported to be slightly undulating, but nothing too taxing. Entries here (it is an optional Club League event).
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11th Oct: Herts 10k
As local as it gets (starts and finishes in Rothamsted Park) and a Club League event for runners and marshals, so get this one in the diary and let's see a mass turnout. There is a technical T-shirt this year (at last!!). Enter at www.herts10k.com.
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18th Oct: Arrows Away Event - Palma
You aren't too late to join in with this year's away event - Arrows are off to Palma where there is a marathon, half marathon and 10K. You can fly from Luton and there is a wide choice of accommodation. The weather may be a little warm, so why not make a mini holiday of it and bring the family? Enter here
Quite a few Arrows are already signed up and these are always really enjoyable events. -great support throughout the training and the race itself, so a lovely introduction for first timers.
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The Sunday Cross Country League
Dates are out and we'd love old timers (to the cross country not just those in the higher age categories) and anyone new to the club to come a check at least one out. We need 8 ladies, 13 men to get both A and B teams. The ladies swept the board last year so will need to keep up standards this season.
More details to follow - but some guidance here for last season and please consider the following dates for your diary. All on Sundays starting at 10:30am:
18th Oct CHESHUNT
22nd Nov TRENT PARK
6th Dec STEVENAGE
17th Jan WATFORD
14th Feb ROYSTON
NOTE: the clash with the Palma away event for the first one, so please make a special effort to come if you can as this determines how many teams we can count for the rest of the season.
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25th Oct: Love Luton Half Marathon
It will begin at Stockwood Athletics Track and will run through Luton on closed roads taking in the beautiful Luton Hoo estate (running past the iconic mansion house) and finish in the heart of the town centre. Enter here.
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14th Nov (Sat): Dirt Half
If you were unlucky with St Neots entry, why not try this instead near Leighton Buzzard? The race follows the canal towpath north to Stoke Hammond with stunning views, climbs through beautiful countryside to Great Brickhill then passes through the scenic Stockgrove Country Park before following the Greensand Ridge back to the start via the canal towpath. Details here
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15th Nov: St Neots Half Marathon - * extra places *
It filled up within hours of opening, but the website says they are opening up another 500 entries on 1st Sept, so it may be worth getting on the waiting list now at St Neots Half. You can also do official transfers up to the 1st Nov by emailing keith@nicetri.co.uk.
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29th Nov: Hatfield 5 Mile
Another PB potential course - it is 1 lap of five miles and is flat and is on predominately quiet lanes and pavements including part of the Alban Way. See here for details.
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The 2015 Club League
Hannah remains at the top of the League, but Roger has moved up into 2nd place and Chitra into 3rd place which just goes to show how quickly it can all change . Still a lot to play for, so everyone is in with a chance. Go have a look at your plans for the rest of the year and see which events you can enter.
A full list of the 2015 League races is on the website Club League 2015 and League races are highlighted in red above. Most will be set up as Arrows facebook events, if they haven't already.
Please enter as "Harpenden Arrows" and, if you do unofficial race swaps, you must inform the captains no later than a week after the event or they cannot count for either party.
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Arrow of the Month for July was Richard Moreton and you can see his profile along with previous profiles here. We think that Richard might be the most tech focused Arrow among us - he'll have uploaded his times before he's collected his goodie bag! See also where he's out running below in the new Slog feature on fave routes.
August's Arrow of the Month is Dee; a regular at club nights (although been injured recently) and Pilates instructor, Dee is one of the few people who look as good after a run as before!
If you think of someone you would like to nominate - please do let the Captains know.
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Training tip of the Month
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Holiday training tip
It's likely a number of us will have been away over the summer. For Speirsy, it means fewer hours in bed than the night before would warrant, but typically it's out on whatever routes he can find to explore the area he's in. With a charged smartphone and Strava maps giving a trace of where's he's going and been, he cannot get lost. Here though are a few more tips from the experts:
http://www.worldrunning.com/articles/training-on-h...
Happy running! Send us your pics for "Arrows abroad" or post on Facebook
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Where are Arrows out running???
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Something new for the Slog. This month we've asked Richard Moreton to tell us about one of his training favourite routes. Do you have one and would like to make sure everyone knows about it..? Please let Lou or Speirsy know! Thanks for your words and mapmyrun trace Richard.
So in his own words.....
My favourite route would probably be a composite which I haven't run the whole of... so many bits to choose from... Anywhere through Heartwood or Lea Valley or any wood - Nomansland is usually nice.
Falling back to those I have run and in Harpo I would plump for the one I did this morning - I think its an old Aro 10M route.
10M round Harpenden loop [Ed: let's call it Richard's Run]
http://www.mapmyfitness.com/workout/1124298129
I find this to be a good route as it is mostly off-road and takes in both the Nickey Line and Lea Valley/Swan Walk but it is a reasonable distance (for me) and has a few decent hills.
It can be as challenging as you choose to make it without breaking you or making you walk, it's also a flexible route that you can easily add more to or cut shorter as desired. Two laps of this route makes for a good long run if doing marathon training ... note to self for next spring.
When the nettles aren't too high (like now - OUCH - wear long compression socks!) you can run the beginning of the Ver Valley Walk, and if desired you could stay on that route over the fields next to the river to Snorbans and back through Batchwood....and Heartwood.
Alternatively for a longer route running from Harpenden to Brocket Hall along Lea Valley/Swan Walk but keep on going - and go up Cromer Hyde and follow the paths back to Wheato and on to the pathways through Amwell and the back of the golf course
Oh I did not mention that in the right season - the blackberries at the top of Westfield road are a welcome snack before the Nickey line last up... (But don’t tell Lou or she will get there first).
[Ed: the other alternative is to turn left once over the bridge by the ford in Redbournbury and make your way right at the gate, following the tracks to Hammond's End lane to the Redbourn road or skirt the golf course and either down back to the Nickey line or to the rugby club. Either way - good for running with dogs as can be let off the lead]
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Specials and circuits
- Tues 8th Sept: Summer Southdown Special - a chance for the slower running group to get out into the countryside. Meet outside the Co-op for prompt 7:30pm departure.
- Tues 29th Sept: 5-mile Slow Run Special from St George's leaving earlier than usual at 7:20pm.
Socials
- Thurs 27th Aug - Engineer after the Club 5k
- Tues 15th Sept - Cake night after the run
- Thurs 24th Sept - back to the Engineer again.
- Sat 30th Jan - Arrows Annual Party and Awards incorporating the AGM. It's at OA's - details to follow, but get the date in the diary now!
Arrows Kit
If you want Arrows kit please download an order form from here and hand it in to Colin with your payment. We have vests, T-shirts, hoodies, hats and caps, but if you have some suggestions on other kit you'd like, contact the captains or Colin.
If you want some white iron-on letters for your race kit then Louise has them (contact Ladies Captain). There are some in stock and we will re-order from time to time (cost 13p each and full instructions provided).
Supporters' flags
We have 2 large red Arrows flags - great for spectators contact Ladies Captain if you wish to take them to an event.
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Happy running,
Louise and Simon captains@harpendenarrows.co.uk
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Chevy Chase 20 mile Fell Race 4th July 2015 - Roger Montgomery
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(pictures mostly from an earlier recce on a sunnier day)
.At 10.20am 177 runners left the shelter of Wooler Youth Hostel and lined up in the rain on Common Road. The pre-race briefing included an encouraging lightning warning with the advice to throw away all metal objects and abandon the race, not through the retirement points as the marshals would also flee in the event. No-one found much reassurance in the organisers' stating that they'd pick up discarded items, given that the approx 20 miles of Chevy Chase is largely trackless fell and bog with a free choice of route between the 7 checkpoints.
At the off we charged up the street towards Wooler Common and I made an immediate decision to remove and stash the rain jacket. Just after the 1st mile we said goodbye to tarmac and hello to the sharp rise of the Common.
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A few uphill miles with stiles and gates took us to the steep descent of Hell's Path and the beginning of the fell proper. By the time I dibbed in at Broadstruther, the front group of runners had gone into the mist and I had settled into a small group making a speed I thought I could probably sustain. In fact by the time we reached the 2nd checkpoint of Cheviot Knee, while a few runners had come past, most of our group had dropped away. I still had enough energy to leap over the deep streams that bisected the path, but the ground was very hard to read and frequently while looking solid gave way completely underfoot. As the gradient increased again I finally dropped into the hands-on-knees walk that saves so much energy on the 25%+ slopes. Following the fence line in what was now very thick cloud I realised that this steepness meant that I was on the final slope of Cheviot. Sure enough the stile at the false summit led to the slippery flags through the legendary peat bog and the viewfinder where after checking in we ran through 20 feet of bog, over a stile and to a blind and wild descent into the Harthope Valley.
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As I couldn't see a single landmark to aim for I decided to risk following someone who looked confident...a mistake as 1) he took far too direct a line and 2) disappeared into the mist. Luckily some other runners appeared also off line and we picked our way diagonally down to the Harthope Burn which seemed far too near, showing how off course we were. This was the descent that I'd been dreading as it was fiercely steep, full of snags, rocks and concealed streams. Sure enough, I fell many times and twice my leg disappeared into a crevice, but mercifully no turned ankles or breakages. Incredibly some sparse bushes and a lone tree emerged from the haze as we finally left the cloud and, at the exact point where I bisected the burn, was my brother Steve waiting with a bottle, having driven to Langleeford and walked up the valley. Although I successfully jumped the burn I had to climb a sheer wall of heather before I could plant my feet.
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Then more desperately steep ascent back into the cloud, fording the upper burn and attempting to pick a better route than I had on my recon about a month earlier. A long slog later four of us were atop the ridge heading for Hedgehope summit. This was without doubt the most difficult terrain, so boggy that every footstep stuck, the crossing of pools and streams usually leading to sinking one or both legs into the mud well over the knee. The pace seemed impossibly slow, but any lack of care or attempt to push on resulted in face-in-mud humiliation. The cloud was so thick that the marshals and summit cairn appeared right in front of us suddenly, the 4th checkpoint, halfway point of the race and the end of serious climbing. Being with other runners kept me from repeating the navigational errors of the recce and the correct line off Hedgehope allowed some reasonable descending. Even better I found the waterlogged track (not a track in any normal sense) across Kelpie Strand and now the verbal directions made sense...taking the 5 bar gate NOT the stile at Long Crags got me heading for the right line to Langlee Crags, checkpoint 6.
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From here I shamelessly followed another runner in order not to go wrong trying to find the most frequently missed checkpoint, Brands Corner. Sure enough he led me there through a meadow of rushes which showed quite a few trampled tracks already and sharp right around a hill in the lee of which was a checkpoint tent and some water, the first time any had been available. Unfortunately my guide proved to be much better at jumping over fences than me and I had to let him go rather than risk a nasty injury after his direct line crossed barbed wire every few hundred yards. I rejoined a very steep path down to the Carey Bridge. This would be an incredibly dispiriting mile to reverse at this stage of the race in the event of a missed checkpoint. The straggly trees and broken rocky ground above the burn had to be traversed with care and it was a surprise to see a lot of people at the bridge cheering us on. This was the 1st time that the route had gone near a place accessible by car. Carey Burn path was hot and as with last time there was a strong headwind funnelling down the valley. It wasn't steep but any ascent on a narrow strand sloping off into the burn felt disproportionately tough
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At last I reached the marshy patch which indicated rejoining the route at Hell's Path, which I walked even though it was the last climb of the day. At the top I felt heartened enough to trot again and reel in a few tiring runners but then, doubting my recollection of the best route over Wooler Common, I held back and decided to stay with the foremost one.
This turned out to be a shrewd move as he found the path back through the gorse and to the road which seemed much longer than it had on the way out. Often at the end of a long race it is possible to produce a kick to beat a rival or race the clock. Not a chance this time, but even the all-over tiredness was a bit different. I was completely soaked, scratched and my shoes were packed with peat but I didn't feel battered or overstrained, I guess because of the soft ground and the snail's pace of the ascents, just as though I'd been completely worked over. After picking up my souvenir bag and water bottle I was handed a printout of my splits and was surprised to find myself in 18th place. For one thing, after the recce I had revised my goal down from trying to get a high place to approaching my cousin's time for the race...then further revised it to not breaking anything...and finally just to not killing myself. Secondly, I had no idea of how many people might have found a better way off Cheviot and up Hedgehope which were trackless and in a white-out. It seems that no-one sneaked by under cover which really surprised me. And while my cousin Ellie's winning F time of 3.51 in 2010 was still intact I was only 2 and a bit minutes slower which satisfied honour all round.
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