Just the 60,000. Yes 60,000.

4 x 400m relay teams

Will Mayes, Zak Lambert, James Day, Ella Peeke, Abbi Cooper, Sam Lambert, Imy Sheppard and Annie Silvers.

Midland League T&F

Tamworth

The multi tasking Mike Sheppard. Not content with the arduous task of managing the team he also managed to compete.

A gathering of Stratford’s finest

Proud to wear the vest and proud to show off the medal.
Graham and Jill Wilson

Emma Parkin striding forward at the start and being shadowed by Keith Jewett.

Emma’s Walton Hall 10k
 

Report – Emma Parkin

Having spent 6 weeks in Europe over the summer, it came as a slight surprise to find a 10k in the diary for early September.

Originally scheduled for April but postponed due to excess mud, it actually turned out to be a great way to ease into the autumn running season. The course is mostly off-road, starting and finishing in the scenic grounds of Walton Hall. With a field of only 139 runners and walkers, it’s a friendly and very enjoyable event. 

I was pleasantly surprised to finish 5th female in 52:28 and was even more delighted to see the overall event won by Holly Burt (U20) in a time of 42:29 – go girl! First male finisher was Jamie Wyatt (21-39) in a time of 43:11.

 

Sunday morning XC training
 

This will resume on 22nd September at 9:15 at the top of Maidenhead Road.

Athletes must tell Paul Hawkins, Clare Plumb, Nicki Hillard or one of the junior endurance coaches in advance, so that we have adequate coaching numbers in place.

I did it!
An extremely happy looking Simon Dexter-Jones

Simon Dexter-Jones at the Great North Run with a few of the other 60,000 competitors.

Great North Run 2024
 

If you had told me back in July 2019, after having completed the couch to 5K with the club, that I would be running a half marathon in the Great North Run some 4 years later, I would have said you’re having a laugh. 

Well, the laughs on me now, as I did it, I ran the Great North Run with a PB, it had to be as this was my first ever half marathon, of 2:11:01.

The day started off full of nerves, could all that training actually pay off ? The furthest until this point I had run ever was 16K.

Then I remembered all the inspiring people at the club who had helped me on this journey, too many to mention now, but you know who you are.

Lining up in the pens at the start with the other 60,000 runners, I saw an 8 foot gorilla, I was certainly not going to be beaten by that, I told myself.

Then the heavens opened, just as I crossed the start line, oh well, it saved me going into the numerous shower tents along the course.

Don’t go too fast, I kept telling myself, keep the pace, which was not too easy as the crowds 5 to 10 deep on either side gave so much encouragement; I must have heard 100 ‘ Go on Simon, keep it up’ which encouraged me so much I ran a little faster each time.

I could have stocked a whole sweet shop with the offerings of jelly babies, fruit pops and chews as I ran. The first hour was a blur, partly because my glasses were wet, and I could hardly see anything.

With the shouts of Oggy, Oggy , Oggy, Oi, Oi, Oi reverberating ever few km’s, I ran past Gateshead Stadium, not that I knew it (how did I miss that) and continued through the rock bands, drummers and a refreshment table of Beers ( Geordie hospitality at it’s best).

On this occasion, I politely said no, preferring to survive on my carbohydrate energy gels as I climbed towards South Shields and the finish.

What a finish it was, the last 1.5km was unreal, a wall of noise hit me, screaming, shouting, cheering, I was nearly there.

The last 800m seemed to take an age, I kept telling myself, it’s only two laps of the track back at Stratford, it didn’t feel like that, I kept looking for the 400m marker, then the 200m, it really seemed a long way away ( looking at my splits afterwards I don’t know why this was the case as from kilometre 18 to the finish, I was quicker every kilometre) and then in a flash I was over the line, euphoria, emotion, sheer happiness, I had done it.

Then the thought, I don’t know how these people do marathons, total respect but definitely not for me. Then again, I did say you’re having a laugh at the start of this journey.

Thanks to everyone in the club, who has encouraged me, supported me and run with me.

And they’re off. The early group at the start of Wednesday Shakespeare race

Matt Burdus-Cook being followed by Ade Mason and Seth Goodwin

Miranda Maloney, Pip Bell, Sue Mothershaw and Kate Sergent.

A list of those shown as our club members in the Kenilworth Half Marathon

Kenilworth Half Marathon
 

I grabbed Kate Wright’s Kenilworth half place just a few days before the race due to the fact she is unfortunately injured.
 
I planned a longish run anyway and having run Kenilworth three times before I know it is a well organised and great run with a challenging but lovely course. 

This was my 6th half marathon this year and my best time out of all of them: 2.16.10 and 1st F65.  

I felt very relaxed with no expectations but to feel good.

I liked the rain and the sun shone for my last mile. 

It was good to be with club mates Pip Bell, Miranda Maloney and Sue Mothershaw who all had great runs and also to see the fast Stratford boys!! 

Next one is Stratford Half then Royal Parks! Bring it on!!!

For the full set of results please follow the link below:

https://www.racetecresults.com/results.aspx?CId=16418&RId=908

Jasmine and Sue Mothershaw

Susan Hunt.
I’m liking the tartan.

Report – Susan Hunt

In preparation for a trip to Perthshire, I googled local races, with an eye on getting my long run done and came across the Auchterarder Running Festival.  

A sell-out event, now in its 7th year, it includes a junior race and 10k on the Saturday and a Sunday Half marathon.  Doing the “Double Dare” (10k plus Half) is hugely popular with bling-lovers, who are awarded 3 medals in total.  I already have too many medals, so I just opted for the Half. 

The pre-race email warned of a strict cut-off of 3 hours 30 (so generous as to be troubling).

The rural course features a dreaded ‘U-shaped’ elevation profile and is mainly road with a bit of trail to make the shoe decision harder.  

250 runners (including 120 double darers).  

There was a party atmosphere at the start, we all clapped along to a bag-piper’s rendition of ‘Flower of Scotland” and (unusually) everyone shouted “good luck” to each other as the claxon sounded. 

As promised, miles 2-6 were a glorious downhill charge.  Then began the climb back up to the finish.

Whenever I do a Scottish race there’s a heatwave and, true-to-form, the sun blazed down as I dragged myself up the hills. 

We were periodically passed by colossal combine-harvesters and I welcomed each chance to jump into the hedge (I fantasised about rolling into the cool ditch & lying very still).  

The gap between water stations (3 and 10 miles) seemed like an eternity.   

I arrived,  nose virtually on the ground,  at the bottom of the final rise, to be greeted by the surprising and gloriously uplifting sight of a long row of tiny little girls in red sparkly outfits, jumping up and down with pompoms, in a lay-by above.   Even better, local supporters welcomed us back into the town with hose-pipes and water pistols.

The struggle had been real so, having not looked at my watch since mile 6, I was overjoyed see 1:59:51 as I stopped it.

Life in the auld dog yet.

The finish funnel featured Tunnocks caramel wafers, home-made cakes (adorned with swarms of wasps) and a T shirt that fitted.  Perhaps the Double-Dare next year?

The winning time for the Auchter-harder Half was 1:14 and the final finisher was 3:05.  

The Double Dare winner ran an impressive 37:03 10k and 1:20:09 Half 

Megan Thomas, Ruby Edwards and Niamh Hillard.

UK Youth Development League Upper Age Group Final
 

The results for the above final weren’t available in time for last week’s newsletter but are listed here for our juniors who competed.

U17 males Sam and Zak Lambert competed in the 800m and 3000m A races respectively, both finishing in 4th place with times of 2:01.03 and 9:12.88.

Ruby Edwards was 5th in her U17 A long jump event with a distance of 4.74m.

Megan Thomas ran her 200m in the U20 A race in a time of 27.6 seconds to finish in 6th place.

Martha Peters’ ran the 1500m in a time of 5:49.79 in coming 5th in the U17W B race.

Niamh Hillard ran a PB time of 63.93 in her 400m A race to finish in 6th place. Niamh also ran a SB time of 5:02.52 in her 1500m A race to finish in 5th place.

Rugby and Northampton were delighted with our athlete’s efforts in helping them finish in 2nd place on the day.