THE HARRIERS HERALD

No. 176, October 2007

Editor: Sue Francis

In brief

·         Thursday night schedules for October and November

·         Correspondence received in September

·         Christmas meal – it’s time to start thinking about our annual celebration

·         Oxford Mail cross-country series – do you want to take part?

·         Flora London Marathon 2008 - I have recently written to apply for our Club Guaranteed Entry

·         Dark evening running – it’s time to dig out the fluorescent bands and clothing

·         Thanks to Pete, Mo, Lucy and Sus for their contributions this month

·         Copy date for November’s Harriers Herald - 31^st October

Features and reports

·         Peasemore 5-mile – three Compton Harriers take part in the inaugural race

·         O2O – Sus reports on an interesting 10K in Reading

·         The Grizzly – Pete H reports on an enjoyable but tough event

·         The Boneshaker Duathlon – The Pacemakers take on Team SuMo

·         Isle of Wight Fell Races – a successful and enjoyable weekend for Harriers and partners

·         The other Ridgeway Run – Pete H enlightens us

·         Website Update – this month, Mo features ‘pace’ and ‘speed’

·         Events Diary – Mo’s choice of races for  autumn and winter

Thursday night schedule for October

Thurs    4^th        Handicap Race

Thurs    11^th       Sue to lead

Thurs    18^th       Dick to lead

Thurs    25^th       Andy to lead

Thursday night schedule for November

Thurs    1^st         Sus to lead

Thurs    8^th        Rich to lead

Thurs    15^th       Handicap Race

Thurs    22^nd      Peter L to lead

Thurs    29^th       Amy to lead

Christmas Meal

It’s that time of year when we need to begin thinking about venues for our Christmas meal.  Any suggestions welcome and, if you can get hold of a menu for everyone to have a look at, even better!

Oxford Mail cross-country series 2007/2008

Sue

As in previous years, Nick from Team Kennet will be entering a combined Team Kennet / Compton Harriers team in this cross-country league.  There are five races over the winter (one each month from November – March on a Sunday morning).  Dates and venues for this series are given below.  The ladies races are about 3 miles, and the mens races about 6 miles, and competitors have a wide range of abilities.  Points for teams and individuals are accumulated over the five races and prizes awarded after the last race.  Registering for the series does not mean you have to run every race, as the scoring team on the day is made up of the first 3 (for ladies) or 6 (for men) team members to finish.  There is no entry fee for individuals to pay.

Nick will send out more information later but, in the meantime, further details along with maps to each venue, and results (as and when they are posted), can be found at: http://www.oxonxc.org/

·         4^th Nov 2007 - Race 1: Ascott-under-Wychwood

·         2^nd Dec 2007 - Race 2: Culham Park

·         30^th Dec 2007 - Race 3: Banbury

·         3^rd Feb 2008 - Race 4: Circencester Park

·         2^nd Mar 2008 - Race 5: Horspath

Nick has asked me to give him, preferably by 17^th October, the name and date of birth of anyone who is interested in taking part in one or more of the races, so please let me know ASAP if you’re keen.

Peasemore 5-mile road race, 9th September

Sue

Three Compton Harriers participated in the inaugural Peasemore 5-mile race, held as part of Peasemore Festival weekend.  Mo and I arrived by car, but Sus had taken the opportunity to cycle the 7 miles to Peasemore 

as a ‘warm-up’.  Ample parking was available in a field opposite the church, and there was a short walk along a footpath  (which unfortunately was also a dogs’ toilet) to the recreation field, which was the centre of the 

festival and the location of the race start and finish.  It was a short jog to the start, where we joined almost 200 other competitors.  The race was around an undulating figure-of-eight route on pleasant country roads 

through and around Peasemore.  Not long after the start, the early morning mist lifted and soon the sun was warm – I got sunburnt!  Sus enjoyed the race, but I didn’t – purely because I’d been running mainly 1500m 

races over the summer so, after trying to keep up with the third placed lady, I’d had enough after 2 miles!

Post-race, there were home-made cakes on sale, real-ale in the beer tent, and a jazz band playing.  Sitting in the sun, we caught up with some Newbury and Abingdon runners who we know well, and also with Kim Pike,

 an ex-Compton Harrier.  David Cameron’s brother, who is a Peasemore resident, presented the prizes.  I received a bottle of wine for finishing as 4th lady, while Sus only just missed out on a prize.  Mo was pleased to 

complete his third race of 2007 with a number of runners well behind him.  All in all, a very well organised and friendly local event with a good atmosphere.

1st                           David Fry               Newbury A.C.                       27:42

10th (1st lady)          Frances Briscoe      White Horse Harriers             31:16

24th (4th lady)          Sue                         Compton Harriers                  32:47

40th (6th lady)          Sus                         Compton Harriers                  34:49

173rd                       Mo                         Compton Harriers                  53:50

185th (last)              Kate Griffin             Newbury                                74:01

Reading O2O 10K, 2^nd September

Sus

If you do not mind running through the Oracle Shopping Complex alongside people who are sitting by the cafes and restaurants, enjoying their cappuccinos, then this is a race for you. Though the course is flat it is unlikely to be a PB course due to a couple of hairpin pedestrian bridges, but there is excellent support from the spectators who come out on their balconies dressed in dressing gowns (the race starts at 9 a.m.).  The route runs along the river Kennet towpath to the Oracle Shopping Complex across town toward Forbury Gardens, the Abbey Ruins, Oscar Wilde Walk home via the River Thames towpath through Thames Valley Park Nature Reserve to finish at the Thames Valley Park water meadow.  After the race you can treat yourself with a sports massage for only £5, a free energy bar and bananas and bottle of water, and a very fine medal.  If you are keen to do it next year you need to be quick with your entry form as they sell out very quickly.

1^st Man             Chris Bolt         34:26

1^st Lady            Liz Hartney       38:02

81^st Sus (11^th lady overall)          44:18

786 finished the race

The Grizzly, 9^th September

Pete H

The intention was that this year’s Grizzly would form part of my FLM training programme and hence I was all geared up to go, back in March. The subsequent postponement did not fit in with my plan, which normally involves less running during the summer months.  I was thus not expecting a PB and so I decided I would just go out and enjoy it, taking in the views and talking to fellow runners and marshals on the way round.  Consequently it turned out to be my most enjoyable Grizzly to date.

The race director announced over the tannoy that some competitors thought last year’s race was too easy hence he decided to add 20% more hills giving 3,000 foot of ascent.  I’ve never considered running up a mountain the height of Helvellyn so I can’t understand why I volunteered to do that much fell running in Devon!

Compared with last year temperatures seemed almost tropical, although the sun only lasted for the first 30 minutes or so.  Whilst the course is broadly the same each year there was a stretch of forest that I’ve not been through before.  The bogs seemed easier than usual and, rather than staying at the edge and using tree branches to pull myself along, I went straight up the middle and overtook a few competitors.  There was a further muddy section later in the race but, as a result of the traditional hose down at the finish, my shoes were actually cleaner than when I started the race.

There was no sign of the micro brewery that gave away free beer in 2006 but slight compensation in the fact that the last beach section of the race was over firm sand rather than shingle, allowing most competitors in my time band to run rather than walk to the finish.

I think I’m correct in saying that of the six Harriers taking part five of us posted slower times than in the FLM, which is testimony to the tough course.  Entry forms for next year are now available but I think I don’t want to make a hasty decision so soon after enduring this year’s event!

A summary of the Harriers results is shown below, together with those of the first and last runners. Lucy’s details seem the most impressive, with a 7^th in category to her name.  In fairness to the nationality of the winner he did not place his towel on the beach until after the race!

Boneshaker Duathlon, 16th September

Sue

Two teams of Compton Harriers took part in this run-bike-run multi-terrain duathlon at Ardington near Wantage.  This year, regular Boneshakers ‘Team SuMo’ (that’s Sue on the running stages and Mo on the cycle stage) were up against ‘The Pacemakers’ (Sus on the running stages and Ryan on the cycle stage) as well as 57 other teams and 120 individuals.  It was going to be tough for ‘Team SuMo to beat The Pacemakers, especially as both Ryan and Sus had got ‘go-faster haircuts’ the previous day!

It was a lovely sunny morning, though cool and quite breezy.  After racking up the bikes, and a short warm-up, we gathered at the pavilion for the race briefing, then Sus and I lined up with the other runners on the start line.  The 5K run route is interesting and scenic, passing Ardington Brook, the millennium woodland and stones, Lockinge Brook, then with a long downhill run to transition.  I handed over to Mo, who set off on the 20K off-road bike ride.  Less than two minutes later, Sus reached the end of the run and tagged Ryan, who set off in pursuit.  The bike section took competitors over the Ridgeway to Land’s End, then back over the Ridgeway via Scutchamer Knob.

Ryan put in an excellent performance, passing Mo on the way up to the Ridgeway, and handing over to Sus for the final run (which is the reverse of the first run).  While I was waiting for Mo to return, the leading competitors raced to the finish, having completed the three disciplines before most of us had completed two!  The final runner of the winning team just outsprinted the winning individual man at the end.  Mo had a good ride, taking over two minutes of last year’s time despite losing his front mudguard in a field beyond Land’s End.  I set off on the run, knowing The Pacemakers were out of reach, some ten minutes ahead of us.  Even so, I enjoyed the last run and passed 30 other competitors (even though I knew most of them had just cycled 20K, it was still a good feeling!).

At the finish, we were rewarded with goody bags containing a smart pair of Slazenger sports sunglasses and a flapjack.  Sus visited the cake stall and came back with a box of four different cakes, apparently all for Elo.  We were all really pleased with our performances and enjoyed the day.  It’s a really fun and friendly event.  Mo, Ryan and I were already Boneshaker addicts and now Sus is also looking forward to next year’s event.  We stayed to clap the prize-winners then went our separate ways, Mo and I to hunt for his mudguard on the Downs (we found it!) and Sus to get those cakes home to Elo!

The Isle of Wight fell series, 22^nd -23^rd September

Lucy

This year Dick and the Loyal Snail were running their regular charabanc service down to the coast for the SEAA fell running championships.  Martin and I were fortunate enough to be on its route and on Friday afternoon were joined by Jan, Ricky and Penny for a jolly exciting trip down to Portsmouth and a smooth sailing to Fishbourne, IOW.  By tea-time we were booked into ‘Cornerways’ hotel for the well-heeled runner, and out on the town in Ventnor in search of nutrition, which we found in the Mill Bay pub on the seafront, along with several other contestants.

Saturday dawned bright and warm but with a refreshing sea breeze to help us through the first race, the St Boniface Fell: a 2.6-mile, 700 vertical foot sprint.  At 11 am, after a champion’s breakfast (full English) Ricky, Martin and I set out on the promenade with about 100 others.  Some 28 minutes later I arrived back, fully warmed up and in 94^th place.  Martin finished 23^rd in 20:58, not far behind his 2006 time, and Ricky finished 75^th in 25:22 (after being in 6^th place for several glorious minutes!).  We celebrated with a dip in the briney, which was very soothing and probably excellent preparation for the afternoon race at 3 pm.

The second race, the Ventnor Horseshoe was 7.6 miles, with 1600 ft of climb – by far the hardest of the weekend.  A slightly larger crowd this time also included Dick and Penny and enough Compton males to field a men’s team.  Unsurprisingly I finished 94^th again in 1:28:09.  Martin was 23^rd in 1:06:07 and Dick was 53^rd in 1:13:32.  Ricky and Penny finished 97/98^th in 1:29:22.  A second swim was most welcome, and the evening was spent in the Four Seasons at Wroxall.  Local pubs were booked up due to a folk festival, but we managed a pint in the ‘smallest pub on the island’the Volunteer.

It is common on the second day of the series for athletes to feel somewhat stiff and disinclined to run the 12.1-mile final fell race, the Wroxall Round (2000-ft climb).  Dick decided to stick to the tandem with Jan rather than push his luck after an extremely successful Ventnor Horseshoe, Ricky and Penny decided to take in Ventnor’s other attractions rather than race again, so it was left to me and Martin to defend the honour of the Harriers.  Martin ran a good race, finishing again in 25th place, while I did as well as possible in the circumstances, being happy to end up 5^th from last in the field.  Although the sea was a bit rough and weedy a final swim was in order.  Both Martin and I were delighted to have got through all 3 races, and the entire party chose a warm spot on the verandah of the Winter Gardens to wind down with a pint of the local bitter and lots of chat.

The prize giving was a lavish affair as usual, with plush seating and prizes for all age groups in each race, plus overall series prizes and SEAA champs prizes for qualifying entrants.  A bizarre quirk of fate combined with two senior places being taken by over-40 ladies meant that I went from 7^th over-40 lady overall to 3^rd position in the SEAA champs – a bronze medal!  The other Harriers could only look on in awe as I collected my prize.  Martin was 4^th over-40 in the champs, and if a couple more lady Harriers had done the series we would certainly have collected the team prize too, as no other team qualified.  So, ladies (and gents) put the 21^st September in your diary for next year.  Fame and glory await, along with a ripping weekend away!

Ridgeway Relay postscript

Pete H

Anyone who has watched BBC2’s Have I got news for you will be familiar with the round in which contestants have to answer questions based on articles found in obscure magazines such as Train spotters fashion anoraks.  In the same vein I tracked down a copy of the Berkshire Industrial Archaeology Group newsletter.  The lead article explains that we are under a misconception when we think of the Ridgeway run – be it the relay or individual event – as an athletics race!  Read on and be amazed (well possibly not).

The “other Ridgeway Run” was spookily held on the same day as the relay.  So next year I’ll be looking for old vehicles rather than old churches during Sue’s leg of the race!

Website update… http://www.comptonharriers.org.uk

Mo

Before I launch into my subject for this month, I suspect by now most of you will have noticed the “Star” picture effect on the front page of the website.  I have also added a “revolving cylinder” of pictures showing the country views encountered in the Compton Canter … just click on the new ‘Canter’ button on the menu.  By the way, if anyone has a particular favourite running picture they would like to include in th ‘Stars’ parade, then just send it to me and I will add it to the mix.

A recent conversation with Sus at the Peasemore 5 mile event prompted my contribution for this month’s Herald.  When Sus downloads information from her Garmin, she has a set of figures relating to speed and another set relating to pace, so she wanted to know what the difference is between Speed and Pace (not to be confused with Hale and Pace of course!).  I did give her my interpretation of the difference … which actually was correct, but I have carried out a bit more of an investigation since to see if I could come up with a more interesting answer.

What's the difference between pace and speed?

Pace and speed both describe how fast you're moving. Runners generally use pace, while cyclists and sprinters commonly use speed. (No doubt why they are always on a high!)

Here are some examples that show equivalent pace and speed:

Speed refers to how much distance you cover in a span of time, usually an hour.

Pace refers to how fast you cover a specific distance, typically displayed in minutes per mile or minutes per kilometer.

Keen runners tend to use pace as the important number to watch …you'll often hear someone referred to with admiration as a six-minute miler for example.

To convert speed to pace, simply divide 60 by speed. To convert pace to speed, divide 60 by pace. (Sixty refers to the number of minutes in an hour.)

Of course, you’ll need to know how best to use pace and speed during training and with this in mind, I suggest visiting http://www.drpribut.com/sports/longrun.html where you will find a very absorbing article on marathon training and the function of the long run at the correct pace.  The site also has a very handy calculator which will ensure optimum training pace.

 (Mo – Oct 2007)                      

Events Diary: Most entry forms can be downloaded from race websites; others are likely to be on the club notice board.

Berkshire Road Running Championships 2008

(Mo – Oct 2007)