We start this week off with Seth Turner’s 50k run form the Black Sabbath Bridge in Birmingham to Stratford, helped by fellow club members Drew Sambridge and Adam Evans.
We’ve also got a report on Clare Weatherhead’s weekend of runs in Yorkshire.
The last couple of week’s have seen superb coverage in the Stratford Herald, thus making the wider Stratford community aware of what we get up to.
There are reminders on the club’s Image Permission policy and the need for more help for the upcoming Summer Six, a race that generates considerable income for the club.
Our junior T&F athletes were in action last weekend in the latest Heart of England fixture and we have a few photos, with the promise of a report next week. My sources tell me there may be good news on that front!
A few weeks ago I included a photo of Dave Battersby on his way to victory in the Archery County Championships, stupidly I forgot to add his report. This week I have righted that wrong.
Finally there are a couple of photos from one of the groups on Wednesday’s Senior’s Run. It was a truly glorious evening.
Good luck to our Midland T&F team who are in action at Banbury on Saturday and also to our Vets T&F team at Redditch next Wednesday. Indeed good luck to any of you competing anywhere in the next 7 days.
Drew Sambridge with Seth at the Black Sabbath Bridge in Birmingham.
Birmingham to Stratford Canal 50k
The Ozzy Osbourne Memorial Run !
Report – Seth Turner
Various Stratford AC runners (including myself) have taken on this challenge over the years but I didn’t know of any who had gone for an FKT (fastest known time), so with the help of a couple of clubmates I thought I’d have a crack and set a benchmark time for others to try to beat.
I caught the train to Birmingham with Drew Sambridge, who had agreed to run the first 30k or so with me. After a quick selfie by the floral (and other) tributes to the recently deceased Ozzy Osbourne on the Black Sabbath Bridge we set off from Gas Street Basin.
The first few miles are flat and smooth tarmac and we made good time, keeping to my pacing and fuelling plans. Around 30k into the run we were joined by Adam Evans, already 12 miles into his training run for the Sydney marathon in a few weeks.
By 40k Drew had dropped out (tempted by a nice lunch at a canal side pub), and we had been joined by another running friend, Michael Todd (Godiva), who accompanied us for the final few km.
I went through the Marathon distance in just under 3.11 and though I slowed a little towards the end my mates kept me pushing and I finished the 50k run well under my goal time of 4 hrs in 3hrs 48mins.
I had a great day, enjoyed a couple of nice beers after and reflected on how friendships and challenges are what makes this club and sport of ours so enjoyable and fulfilling.
If anyone wants a pacer to try and beat my time I am always available!
Stratford Summer Six- Friday 15th August
Thank you to everyone who has replied about marshaling- we still need some more marshals.
Is there a family who would like to join the fun and man the water station?
For more details, go to the Event home page on Spond- August 15 Stratford Summer Six- help out with some tasks or email : chair@suaac.co.uk
Clare Weatherhead.
Yorkshire Running
Report – Clare Weatherhead
A long weekend in Yorkshire was punctuated with 2 running events.
Saturday morning started with park run tourism visiting Thorp Perrow parkrun. The event is held at Thorp Perrow Arboretum, in Bedale. The course is a single anticlockwise circuit around the private Thorp Perrow estate run, entirely on trail paths.
There were a lot of tourists on Saturday with 184 people taking part. I was testing my foot as well as a new pair of trail shoes that I had done plenty of walking in but not run in, ahead of a longer race the following day.
After a steady run I was 10th female home and 2nd in my age category.
Sunday morning was a more leisurely start with an 11 am race start at the scenic Castle Bolton in Wensleydale.
This annual event is organised by the Rotary Club and is a 14k route on moorland tracks and paths starting and finishing at Castle Bolton by kind permission of Lord Bolton.
Wensleydale is an area full of childhood holiday memories, and I had always wanted to run this route. I originally booked this race in 2020, which was cancelled due to Covid.
The route starts with an immediate steep climb for the first 3.5 miles but eventually what goes up must come down and you are rewarded with sweeping stony downhill sections with far reaching views of the stunning Yorkshire countryside.
The cooler weather made for perfect running conditions. The route was well marshalled and there were supporters dotted along the route.
I would highly recommend this low key but well organised race in beautiful countryside.
SUAAC Image Permission
The club are in the process of updating our Comms strategy for all our public facing channels. Website, Instagram, Facebook, Newspapers etc.
A critical part of this is ensuring we have people’s permission to use their images, if required.
When you completed the registration process to join the Club, you will have selected your options but we have taken the decision that we should conduct an annual review, in case people’s circumstances change.
If you DO NOT wish for your image to be used as part of the Club’s public facing strategy, please email Carolyne Johnston for the juniors at juniormembership@suaac.co.uk or Robin Langhorn for seniors at seniormembership@suaac.co.uk
You will then be added to a group that the Executive have visibility of, thus ensuring your image is not used.
The Stratford Herald
There has been some superb coverage in the Stratford Herald the past couple of weeks, thus making the wider community aware of what we in this wonderful club are up to !
Heart of England
League Division 1
Below are a few photos of our relay teams at last Sunday’s Heart of England League Division 1 fixture held at Rugby. The final results aren’t available at the time I am writing this but hopefully we might have a report next week.
Apparently the day was incredibly busy with lots of brilliant performances and although there was a smaller team than usual due to summer holidays and injuries, the athletes that represented us were happy to try their hands (and feet !) at anything!
Martha Edwards, Isla Green, Lara Ryan-Gill and Elsa Scott.
Martha recently got a high jump PB of 1.37 metres at her school’s sports day, thus breaking the Yr 7 Chipping Campden school record, a record that has stood for 47 years!
Flynn Allen, Robin Gallagher, Charlie Jay-Cassells and Casper Willis.
Annabelle Stacy, Isabella Marriott, Niamh Williams and Lottie Willis.
County Champ
At er archery !
A few weeks ago I included a photo of Dave Battersby on his way to becoming Midland Champion at archery. Stupidly I forgot to include the copy he sent me with the photo.
This week I am righting that wrong ! Better late than never I guess.
Dave Battersby
County Championships !!
Report – Dave Battersby
I recently spent the day competing in the County Championships. Hold it I hear you say, we read reports of that a few weeks ago – well no, not in athletics but my other sport archery!
After shooting as a child l took archery up again after a period of injuries and find it’s a real challenge to focus in a relaxed way.
The competition consists of full day shooting and after some warm up arrows it starts with 36 arrows at 90m, then the same at 70m, 50m (on a smaller target) and 30 m. 12 dozen arrows in all.
In archery terms it the equivalent of a half marathon in my view, high levels of concentration are needed to keep things going.
I have competed in the event for the last few years, but unfortunately this year the entry was quite low with, only 3 in my class, however you have to be in it win it.
Despite a bit of a calapse of form at the 50m distance and a rather mediocre score, I came out as the county champion!
This led the presentation of the rather battered county cup, with winners listed since 1952, and A crack in the middle that gives it quite a severe lean! My challenge will be to keep it in one piece until next year!
Wednesday’s Senior’s Social Run.
It was glorious night on Wednesday for the senior’s weekly social run with disparate groups of different abilities tackling various routes around Stratford.
The Elite group obviously!
Kate Sergent may be a superb runner but I’m not sure of her ability when it comes to taking selfies.
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