THE HARRIERS HERALD
No.
148, June 2005
Editorial
On Sunday June 19th,
Sue
Thurs 2nd Mo
to lead
Thurs 9th Ridgeway Relay Leg 7 practice run (Martin F will email details
Thurs 16th Sue to lead
Thurs 23rd Pete
to lead
Thurs 30th Boundary Run & Walk
Thurs 7th Martin
to lead
Thurs 14th Dick
to lead
Thurs 21st Susanne to lead
Thurs 28th Vicky to lead
Correspondence received by
Secretary, February 2005
Abbreviations: BCAA =
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Correspondence received |
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Sender
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Subject matter |
Action |
|
Abingdon Amblers |
Entry forms for |
Notice-board & Mo |
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UKA |
Contributions requested
for next UKA rule book |
Notice-board File |
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|
Entry forms for Half
Marathon |
Notice-board & Mo |
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SEAA |
|
File |
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Bearbrook Joggers |
Entry forms for 10K |
Notice-board & Mo |
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Thame Runners |
Entry forms for 10K |
Notice-board & Mo |
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AAA |
Meetings to discuss future
of athletics in |
File |
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Post-graduate sport
qualifications |
File |
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Entry forms for 10K Sam
Run & 5K run |
Notice-board & Mo |
Hairy Legs Challenge (5k Run, 20k Cycle, 5k Run),
Goring, 8th May
(Sue’s notes in standard
type and Mo’s in italics)
For a couple of years, I had considered having a go at the Hairy Legs Challenge. Now, living in Goring, there was even more reason to have a go at our local event. The three stages (run, bike, run) could be done either by individuals, or by a team of two or three. Having persuaded a slightly reluctant Mo that he’d like to do the cycle section, Team SuMo was duly entered.
When
Sue suggested we should enter the Hairy Legs as a team, I wasn’t at first
over-enthusiastic with the idea, but she assured me that she would do the
running and I could concentrate on the cycling part. My initial apprehension was nothing to do
with the 20k distance … a minor hop for one of my cycling ability! … it was
more to do with the fact that my ‘Apollo cross track’ is more suited to road conditions
rather than the rough and tumble of the Ridgeway terrain, and my recent “double
puncture” experience when cycling the second half of the Compton 40 route.
However,
as Sue seemed to be so keen I agreed … and then began my quest to minimise the
chances of getting a puncture. New
tyres, new tubes and an instant repair kit + a new pump … there, that should do
it, but still I wasn’t completely happy until I spotted the ideal solution
whilst browsing in a cycle shop … a set of plastic inserts filled with “green
slime”, designed to fit between inner tube and tyre to protect against the
intrusion of nails, glass, thorns, flints etc … in fact everything you are
likely to encounter off-road along the Ridgeway. So finally, I was all set for the big day.
Race day arrived, sunny spells, but quite cool when the wind picked up. Our warm-up was the 1k trip from our house to Sheepcot playing field. We were surprised at how many other competitors there were – about 80 teams and 125 individuals.
Now
I don’t normally get too excited on race day, but twice in the toilet before
leaving home … that’s ridiculous … there must be something in this team
thing! Well, I finally arrived at the
start-finish area with my well-prepared cycle and proceeded to the cycle racking
area to install my bike ready for the hand-over from Sue after the first of her
5k runs. The racking was set at the
ideal height for me to lightly depress the spring suspension on the saddle so
that I could jam the bike in an upright position under the top rail ready for a
very quick getaway … ingenious I thought as nobody else had apparently adopted
this clever idea!
Those of us who were participating as teams rather than as individuals, were given our instructions on handing over in the run/cycle and cycle/run transition areas, before I lined up for the start of the first 5K run. The run route was tough, but the scenery and varied terrain made it enjoyable. We started on a fairly narrow road, so the first 1K was quite crowded. Not a bad thing, I thought, as I didn’t want to be starting too fast on this first run. We soon spread out as the road turned up a steep hill to skirt around Hartslock Wood. Once at the top, we had a short stretch of private road with good views of the river, before turning off to enter Great Chalk Wood, all very well marked and marshaled. This part was fantastic – 1.5K of gentle downhill on meandering woodland paths. I found myself behind the leading lady, Ali Taylor of Reading Roadrunners, who I know to be a very good triathlete who was bound to be doing all three stages as an individual. Seeing as I was going to have a good hour’s rest while Mo was cycling, I thought I should be aiming to beat Ali on the run, so I pushed on out of the woods, up the steep chalk hill and then made the most of the final downhill across Sheepcot field, where the ’Mo’ part of Team SuMo was waiting in the transition area.
As
the time for the start of my 20k cycle leg approached, I ambled over to the
team hand-over area, carefully eyeing up the opposition and then almost before
I was ready, Sue came haring down the hill from the direction of the Great
Chalk Wood handing over to me in second team position … wow I’ve never been so
highly placed before … an exceptional effort will be needed from me now! I ran to the racking area, grabbed the bike
and away I went … a perfect changeover.
It wasn’t long before I was heading along the track past the Swan Hotel,
Streatley, with several other cyclists in hot pursuit. I held most of them off until reaching
As the race progressed off-road up the Ridgeway from
By the time I arrived at the Four Points, I was up
behind the riders who passed me up Apple Pie, only to see them go away from me
once more as we passed the Aldworth church heading out towards the Ridgeway for
the final time. As I reached the
bluebell wood it was time to prepare for the final eyeballs-out descent down
towards Warren Farm and return to
By now, the end of my 20k leg was fast approaching
as I came back over the Thames bridges on the main road towards Goring village
centre … then up ahead of me there was a major pile-up as one cyclist clipped
the rear wheels of another and bikes and riders flew into the air, landing
painfully in the middle of the road in Goring high street. Luckily, spectators and marshals were on hand
to provide immediate assistance, so apart from dodging my way through the
carnage there wasn’t much else I could to do but to high-tail it for the finish
area and hand over to Sue for the final 5k leg of the event … and we were still
fairly well up in approximately 26th position … my mission
accomplished!
While Mo was off cycling I amused myself
by watching the very popular children’s obstacle race, icing my slightly dodgy
knee ligament, eating a few raisins, and lightly stretching and jogging around
to keep warm. Some 50 minutes after I’d
finished my first 5K, I joined the other final-stage team members in the
transition area, waiting for our cyclists to come in. We watched in awe as the leading individual
competitors hopped off their bikes then sped off on their final run section,
looking pretty fresh. We team members
all had the same concerns. There was a
feeling of excitement, mixed with apprehension.
The cyclists’ run-in to the finish was only 50 metres, so we had to be
ready to go at short notice; did we take our sweatshirts and leggings off now
and risk getting cold or did we leave them on and get caught out? Was there time to go to the toilet
again?! Mo had reckoned on 60 - 65
minutes for his cycle. As time ticked
by, I hoped that he wasn’t going too fast downhill, or that his special slime
inserts had failed him! Andy Bayley, who
had cycled over from
I crossed the line and Team SuMo was
safely home. We proudly put on our
finishers’ sweatshirts. By this time,
Sarah and Lincoln had turned up with my niece and nephew.
Mo and I both really enjoyed the event and would certainly recommend it. It was well organised, friendly, catered for all abilities, and the race routes were challenging but enjoyable. And there’s that extra feel-good factor about taking part in a team event, especially with your spouse! We both felt on a high for the rest of the day. When we received the results a couple of days later we were really chuffed to see that Team SuMo finished 9th out of 80 teams (35th out of a total of 205 teams and individuals).
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Name |
5K Run |
20K cycle |
5K run |
Overall time |
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1st Man |
Kieran Williams |
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49:33 |
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1st Team |
Koala Brothers |
|
54:51 |
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9th Team |
Team SuMo |
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1st Lady |
Julie Dunn |
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24:18 |
|
Susanne
I received an e-mail from
someone, I cannot remember who, saying your last chance to enter this
race. I suggested to Elo why do I not
run it and then afterwards you can row me around in the small boats you can
hire in Oxford while I am getting my breath back - hoping it would be a
romantic day out. But no, Elo wanted to run it as well, and doing both things
on one day might have been a bit much to ask for.
Advised in the program to
leave you car at the Park and Ride and take the bus, we were dropped off only a
few minutes walk from the start, but by this time we were a bit late and the
queue for the ladies was rather long so I thought I would go out and find that
bush, but where do you find one in a park where nobody can see you? I ended up doing like Paula - when you need
to go you need to go. Before heading off
to the start we threw our bags in the bag storage tent where you also had the
chance to change your clothes on your return.
The bags were all numbered up with your race number by some very
friendly old ladies and on your return they assured you they would only hand it
out providing you showed your number.
Anyway, there were only a
few minutes for warming up, Elo said he did not need to do a warm up so we
agreed to meet up again after the race.
Lucy and Martin represented
the Harriers at
Kintbury 5M Road Race, 30th
May
Mo and I took part in this race for the third
successive year. Race organiser Dave
Wright was once again blessed with fine sunny weather, although there was quite
a cool breeze at times. Arriving at the
race car park, we spotted many familiar and friendly faces including runners
from Newbury, Pewsey and
A whistle-blow from Dave’s wife Julia, and a slightly
out-of-synch whistle blow from his young son Sam, started the race. The route was as in previous years – a lap of
the sports field, then a long drag on the road up Blandy’s Hill to the
outskirts of Inkpen, before turning off to follow wide woodland tracks and
quiet private estate roads back to Kintbury.
After the first few minutes, I found myself running with
a small group including Newbury’s Erik Smith and Geoff Anderson. Running with a them made the time seem to
pass more quickly. They set a good even
pace and acted as a good windbreak in places!
Although they pulled away from me up the final hill, they had dragged me
along in a time very close to last year’s time (30:49), as first lady. Iain finished close behind in around
31:30. Gill was pleased to beat her 2004
time by 20 seconds to achieve sub-36 minutes, and Vicky was just behind
her. Tom finished just outside of the
40-minute mark, and Mo ran 45:48. The
race was won in a fast time of sub-26 minutes.
Everyone received a commemorative Kintbury coaster upon
finishing and, soon after the last finisher crossed the line, the presentations
were made to category winners who all received some Tesco vouchers and their
choice (or, in my case, Mo’s choice) of bottled beer. It was great to see an unsuspecting Gill
receive her first ever race prize for being second veteran lady.
Mo and I decided to
join Tom and Maggy for a pub lunch but, finding that The Crown & Garter was
only serving big Sunday lunches, they kindly invited us back to Malt Cottage
for a light lunch, which nicely rounded off a pleasant Bank Holiday Monday
morning.
IAH
Sue F
Despite a
lower team entry and fewer spectators this year, the relay still turned out to
be an enjoyable and successful event.
Even the rain held off, and conditions were quite pleasant for running
and for the barbecue. Thanks to all
those Harriers who helped out on the day.
Mo’s Excel spreadsheet to calculate the results worked perfectly, and
meant we could do the announcing and presentations within 20 minutes of the
race finishing.
Fastest
individual times were as follows. Men:
Martin Fray (
Full results can be found on
the Harriers Website (see link on the front page).
The date for the full
Boundary Race (8.5M) is set for Thursday 30th June. I am thinking about having the start slightly
later than usual (e.g.
Website
update…
http://comptonharriers.cjb.net/
Mo
For a
change this month, I have downloaded a very interesting article on surviving
the pains and trauma commonly experienced by most regular runners. Before I go on with the actual article,
originally written by Runner’s World journalist Martha Schindler, I must
explain how the idea came about … it was as a result of going through an
extremely painful experience myself.
Last
Tuesday (31st May 05) I decided with Sue to carry out a recce of the
trails around Whitchurch Hill for the following Thursday run. We cycled approximately 3 miles to the Sun
Inn then exactly 6 miles around the proposed course back to the Sun, had a
refreshing pint and then returned the 3 miles back to Goring. On our return, Sue decided to it was time to
plant out the runner beans so, to show that the efforts of the day had little
effect on my super fitness and prowess, armed with a bean stick in one hand and
Now
on to that article: -
The Runner's Survival Guide
Sometimes,
running is the simplest of activities. One foot follows the other, taking you
from point A to point B by the shortest, most straightforward route. But other
times, it can be fraught with discomforts ranging from the mildly annoying to
the downright dangerous. Here’s our list of the more common pitfalls, and ways
to avoid them once and for all.
Lightheadedness
Every
runner wants feet as light as feathers, but what if you're getting that
ethereal sensation at the other end of your body? Dizziness is often a sign of
dehydration or oncoming heat illness, according to sports doctor David
Jenkinson. "Even slight dehydration immediately impacts performance,"
he explains. "It is a danger even in the colder winter months."
Dizziness
can also be caused by a shortfall in nutrients, especially carbohydrates.
Ironically, feeling dizzy can even be a sign that you’re over-hydrated.
"This isn't nearly as common as dehydration," says Dr Lewis Maharam,
medical director of the New York City Marathon, "but it can strike a
novice who grabs three or four cups of water at every drinks station during a
long race, or who chugs too much water on a long training run."
Now
what? If you're far from home when dizziness strikes, make a phone call that’ll
get you a lift home. At this point, you're probably so dehydrated, or otherwise
off kilter, that it'll take an hour or two until you're feeling normal again.
If you're still feeling dizzy when you get home, or if the feeling becomes more
extreme, call your doctor.
Never
again! Drink appropriately, which means 150-350ml of fluid – preferably a
carbohydrate drink – for every 15-20 minutes of running. To do this, take your
favourite drink on the run, or stash it along your route. And sniff out all the
available water along the way – and use it.
Side Stitches
Of
course, it's just a tiny cramp in a minuscule muscle. But when you get a
stitch, it's easy to imagine being torn asunder like some medieval saint.
Stitches strike all runners, from the elite to the novice, but are most common
among new runners or those who are pushing themselves to run further or faster
than usual. They often occur when food or drink in your stomach pulls down on
the ligaments that attach your stomach to your diaphragm. This causes your
diaphragm, which controls your breathing, to go into spasm.
Now
what? When a stitch strikes, concentrate on expanding your diaphragm on every
exhalation, then pull your abdomen and chest in on every inhalation. After four
full breaths, visualise the cramp and try to direct your breath to it, as if
you were massaging it away. If this doesn’t work after a minute or so, slow to
a walk (or stop) and raise your arms over your head for several seconds. This
should help the muscle to relax.
Never
again! Ease into any increases in speed and/or distance. Also, don't run within
two hours of eating a main meal or a large drink. Or at least consume small
amounts of fluid frequently rather than gulping a large drink.
Twisted Ankles
Turning
your ankle halfway through a run has to be right up there with a tax audit on
the list of life's more annoying setbacks. Never mind that it hurts; spraining
an ankle also ruins your training, and sometimes your day. If it’s bad enough,
it can keep you away from running for two weeks or more.
A
twisted ankle can run the gamut from mild to severe, says orthopaedic surgeon
Nicholas DeNubile. "If you turn it with enough force, you'll stretch or
tear ligaments, which produces dramatic, and almost immediate, swelling."
Women are slightly more prone to ankle twists than men because of the sharper
angle between their hips and feet, but almost any runner can turn an ankle. You
can do it by stepping on an uneven surface, or just by not watching where
you're going.
Now
what? First, assess the situation: did you slightly roll your ankle, or did you
slam it over and really do some damage? "If it's very sore and swelling
quickly, you're done for the day," says Jenkinson. Call a taxi. If you
must walk home, be sure to do so gingerly – with both shoes on. "I'm
always amazed at how many people take off their shoe to check the damage, then
never put it back on," Jenkinson continues. "Wearing your shoe will
help keep the swelling down, and should keep you from taking another bad
step."
Never
again! If twisted ankles are a problem, find a podiatrist who can evaluate your
gait and possibly fit you with stabilising orthotics. Add strengthening
exercises to your routine. Try rubber resistance tubing or wobble boards, which
are designed to build balance and strengthen the muscles in your lower leg.
Shortness of Breath
Wheezing
and feeling short of breath are classic symptoms of asthma and its cousin, exercise-induced
asthma (EIA), which affect over a million Britons. Asthma and EIA are more
common among athletes than the general public. (One in four of the athletes at
the 1998 Winter Olympics and one in six at the 1996 Summer Games had some form
of asthma.) EIA is characterised by spasms in the airways in response to
physical exertion, often occurring only in specific conditions (such as cold
weather or polluted environments). Asthma involves bronchospasms plus chronic
inflammation in the lungs. But wheezing is not the sole domain of asthmatics.
Anyone can feel short of oxygen if the conditions are bad enough. When it’s
really hot, or when the air quality is really bad, even top runners will have a
hard time.
Now
what? If you're gasping your way through your run, slow down and cut it short.
Whether it's asthma, humidity or plain old pollution that is interfering with
your breathing, the result is the same: less oxygen is being delivered to your
muscles. And that translates into greater exertion (and longer recovery times)
for the same run.
Never
again! Pay close attention to the weather reports, especially air quality, and
ease back on both the duration and the intensity of your runs on problem days.
Also, be sure to bring your inhaler on every run, and start slowly. Many
runners find that a 10-minute easy warm-up before every run keeps them from
getting attacks.
Stomach Queasiness
There's
nothing like the sensation of fighting with your food long after you've eaten
it – for example, while trying to finish a race or training run. Some runners
have more sensitive stomachs than others, and running has a funny way of
turning those little sensitivities into full-blown crises – and always when
you’re miles away from home.
Now
what? Depending on your tolerance for public vomiting, you might want to take
the shortest route to relief (and take comfort in the fact that you’re neither
the first runner nor the last to lose their lunch). A less dramatic option is
to take a breather and walk for a while. Even sit on a bench or on the ground
for a minute if that helps. Pregnant women have been known to nibble on
crackers to quell morning sickness, and some runners keep an energy bar on hand
for the same reason – a little bit of food can help when nausea strikes.
Never
again! Know your stomach's idiosyncrasies – and obey them. If you're travelling
overseas, stick to familiar foods where possible. Don't skip the pre-run food
entirely. Eat at least a few bites of a bagel, banana or energy bar before
heading out. If you have a bigger meal, eat it at least an hour before you
start your run (experiment to find your own personal cut-off time).
Blisters
While
the medical and sports communities wrestle with the age-old question 'to pop it
or not to pop it?', runners have a more pressing concern: what do you do when a
blister appears in the middle of a run? Blisters form when the skin is exposed
to repetitive friction, which causes the top layers to separate. Then the fluid
arrives at the site as the body attempts to protect the area from any more
damage.
Now
what? As soon as you feel a blister, take a break and apply a good anti-blister
patch (eg Compeed). These are made with gel, and are specifically designed to
absorb the friction that would otherwise be inflicted on your skin. Once you
get home, wash the area and keep it dry to encourage speedy healing. If you pop
it (and we're not saying you should), be sure to use a sterile needle, make a
tiny hole at the edge of the blister and leave the top skin in place.
Never
again! Make sure that your shoes and socks fit properly. Blisters aren’t part
and parcel of an active life. They're evidence that your feet and your footwear
are mismatched. Always wear clean, well-fitting running socks made from a
wicking, synthetic fabric. You can add an extra layer of protection by wearing
two thin pairs of socks, or trying a single double-layer model.
Chafing
Right
up there with blisters are those insanely painful little patches of raw skin
that appear after a few miles of running (and rubbing). Lots of men get abraded
nipples; women tend to chafe along the bra line, under the arms or between the
thighs (when running shorts hike up).
Now
what? Slap on some good, old-fashioned petroleum jelly or any other ointment
that lubricates the area (even lip balm will work in a pinch). Then re-apply
every hour or so.
Never
again! Be sure you’re running in soft, broken-in clothing without any
irritating seams. If traditional running shorts tend to ride up on you, try
tights or bicycle-style shorts. Coat problem spots with lubricant before you
leave home.
Bathroom (or Lack Thereof)
Woes
Faecal
incontinence, while it can be a medical condition in its own right, most often
strikes runners who are experiencing diarrhoea (which, in turn, can be caused
by a reaction to certain foods). Then there's urinary incontinence, in which a
small amount of urine leaks, often during times of exertion. This is a problem
for thousands of Britons – mostly women; usually those who have had children.
Now
what? Find the facilities (or a secluded shrub, if need be) as soon as
possible. And don't worry about appearances. "I can't tell you how many
times I've gone into a fast-food restaurant, made a beeline for the bathroom,
then walked out again without buying a thing," says marathon runner Jim
Spivey. "I used to feel awkward, but not any more. People understand. And
it’s much better than the alternative." If you've had to go au naturel, or
if you've had incontinence of either type, it's very important to clean the
area as soon as possible. Both types of leakage will irritate your skin. (Think
nappy rash.)
Never
again! "Be sure to use the bathroom before you leave home," says Dr
Cathy Fieseler. "Learn every toilet on your route, and run under the
assumption that you'll have to make at least one pit stop." If urinary
incontinence is a frequent problem, talk to your doctor about remedies as well
as exercises that you can do. If diarrhoea is your downfall, take a close look
at your diet – and don’t overlook anything, even if you never have a problem on
non-running days. For example, some people have trouble digesting milk, but
only when their bodies are under stress, such as during a run.
Tweaks and Twinges
Let's
face it, running can produce all sorts of aches and pains. Most are normal
by-products of muscle strengthening and endurance building, but others are
signs of damage to muscles, bones or connective tissue.
Now
what? "If you're running and you feel a slight pain or twinge, give
yourself another minute or two to see if it goes away," suggests
Jenkinson. If it doesn't, stop and try to stretch it out. If that still doesn't
work, call it a day. "Running will often involve some discomfort. The key
is to recognise when discomfort turns into pain, and react accordingly. And if
something is hurting so much that it’s affecting your stride, stop," says
Maharam. "Otherwise, you can actually damage something else on top of the
original injury."
Never
again! Know your body and pay attention to little problems before they become
chronic. If you've been having twinges (or are recovering from an injury), run
in a loop or cloverleaf pattern so that you're never too far from home, and
stop if the pain worsens.
Bailing Out
You've
set out to do your weekly long run, and you're about a quarter of the way into
it when you suddenly feel the urge to stop. Right where you are.
Now
what? Assess the situation, says Jenkinson. "Are you truly, physically too
tired to go on? If so, then stop. There are certainly times when it's smarter
to quit." If things aren’t quite so bad, walk for a few minutes, drink
some energy drink or eat a gel and start moving again. Then take regular
walking breaks the rest of the way.
Never
again! The key to avoiding these situations is to plan ahead. Be sure to eat
and drink properly before heading out, and start conservatively. Keep the pace
down until well into the run. As time goes on, you’ll learn what you can and
can’t do as a runner. That confidence also lets you make the commitment to
finish every run, without any problems. This helps eliminate all those mental
battles along the way, which can be mentally exhausting all by themselves.
Fixtures: A selection of local and other well known
events for your information. If you need
any entry forms, I can email most of them on request.
·
·
Sunday 12 June 2005 - 10K
TRAIL RUN IN GLORIOUS GOODWOOD - 11:00am Goodwood Country Park, The Harroways,
Goodwood, Chichester, http://www.runnersworld.co.uk/events/viewevent.asp?EN=26488
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Sunday
Closing date: June 7, http://www.runnersworld.co.uk/events/viewevent.asp?EN=26780
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Sunday 3rd July 2005
– 10K SAM RUN 2005 and 5K RUN – start
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Sunday 18th September