Weekly News. Sunday 1st August

3 more editions remain of the 'weekly news' blog after this. The last being on Sunday 22nd August. It was intended as a 'stop gap' measure to better inform non-facebook users during the lockdowns. Now we are returning to the way things were (maybe), the usual means of communication within the club will return.

Races last week

South West PB Series. 5km. Odd Down cycle track. Race 2. Wed 28th July.
Bobby Pritchard 17:01

Welsh 5k series. Pembrey. Sat 31st July.
Paul Dodd 18:31
Cherry Fowler 19:21 4th OA.

London Landmarks Half Marathon
Sonia Unsted - lots of landmarks there! 2:15:10.

Indian Queens Half Marathon
Graham Taylor - that route doesn't look very flat! (no results yet)

parkrun
Steve Owen is writing a weekly report/roundup on face book in the club members private group - here:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/929768673865985

Scottish 6 Days - Lochaber (Orienteering)
The only results I can find for club members are:

Reuben Lawson 17th - C5
Andy Creber 2nd - C13
Vanessa Lawson 16th - C8

Races next week:

Next Sunday 8th August is the next race in the club championship - Standish Woodland Chase. Road up to a nice woodland off-road running loop on top, which you run twice... then the road back down to the finish. Old skool style club running event. No bling, just a good run. The race is full. For info go to www.stroudac.co.uk

Fell Running for Women
Local legend - Ruth Pickvance puts on fell running and fitness weekends for women. Gill Ellis and Antoinette Burrows from the club have both attended and enjoyed the course. Link to her business website - Element - is here:
https://element-active.co.uk/product/fell-running-and-fitness-weekend-for-women/

 

Runner of the Week.

Mark Nicol.

Why did I start running? I got into running in 2013, mostly to hold off the middle age spread and give me a focus outside of work.
First ever race. Technically a 10K around 1983 in Mossley, Greater Manchester, most recently Survival of Fittest in Cardiff 2013
M favourite Race: Cardiff Half - amazing atmosphere all the way round with a brilliant last few hundred metres up King Edward 7th Avenue
Why did I join Harriers? For the social aspect, I do prefer running with others, also being in the club opens up other aspects of running I would never have considered like the fell races.
What events/runs do I like best? I’m getting a lot of enjoyment for the fell races, quite a bit of walking but a great deal of fun on the down hills. I’m not very quick, wooden spoon on Paul’s Blorenge race December 2020 but I like the sense of achievement and the views are usually pretty stunning.
Favourite distance? On road it would be the half marathon, fell anything sensible.
Typical training week? I tend to stick to 2 runs a week, long run on the weekend and up to 10K on a Thursday.
What ways does running impact on my life? During the current Covid Pandemic it’s been a source of head space, it helps me to switch off from most things.
Do I fit into a category of runner? I would consider myself a plodder, my pace hasn’t really changed much over the years, however the distances I now run have increased significantly.
Best achievement? Nice and easy, winning the club handicap in 2019, my first and possibly only ever athletics award.
Running inspiration? No one in particular, however there a few people in the club who I’m grateful for their positive words of encouragement on some of the harder events I’ve done, and of course Toby for doing his hardest to get me round Shepperdine in under 2 hours, he couldn’t have done any more.
Funny story about a race? I had entered an off road type race from the Speech House a few years ago, drove up thinking it’s very quiet for a race day, the event happened the day before!
Short/long term goals or event I would like to do? I’m currently getting ready for the Loch Ness Marathon in October; I’ve heard this one is a lot flatter than my 2 previous marathons, those being Snowdonia, so I’m hoping to go round comfortably under 5 hours. One event I do still hope to do one day is London, I had a place 5 years ago from the ballot, had to defer due to an stress injury in my shin, then lost the place in 2017 due to a stress fracture in the other one.
Any advice for others, ideas to take the club forward? It would be really great if we could get more people able to help out with the computer side of race admin, at the moment its heavily reliant on a few people in the club.