Worksop Half Marathon

Oops think my time didnt appear last time, and as I achieved my under 2 hours feel absurdly proud ... here goes again.  It was a PB but as it was my first half marathon, not sure that counts!

Worksop Half Marathon - Worksop Half Marathon

Female Vet 40-44 

Chip 1:57:54

Gun 1:59:17 

Debra  Confrey 

WALES

Worksop Half Marathon

DEBRA CONFREY PROFILE

Clubs SOSPAN ROAD RUNNERS

RESULTS
Date	Event	Position	Category	Chip Time	Finish Time	Age Perf %
25/10/2009	Worksop Half Marathon - Worksop Half Marathon	1054	Female Vet 40-44	1:57:54	1:59:17	58.56

Hi Everyone

Well I completed my first half marathon on a sunny windy day in Worksop!  Clumber Park was beautiful, and happily, the sometimes elusive joy that comes from running was with me that day. Sun shining , birds singing, wind cooling you down, and every muscle feeling like it was working gracefully.   I loved it.  Of course that probably means I wasnt running fast enough!  

Although I ran for the Sospans my 'home' club, I wore my Vegan Vest with pride, and wasnt even crushed when crossing the line a group of 'witty' faster male runners shouted if you ate a bit of meat you couldve knocked 10 minutes of your time ... managed to grin broadly and shout back i run on Tofu Power!!!!

Will upload a photo later, which may give the lie to my belief of my running grace under pressure.

Debra Confrey

Llama llama llama llama TREE llama llama OW

People may have noticed that we haven't heard from Anna for a week or two and may think she has been taking things easy.... hahahaha!
First she tells us about the...
...Founders' Challenge Marathon which I ran on 18th October. It was beautiful but hilly and slow (about five and a half hours I think). Then I had a weekend with no marathons nor ultras as we went to St Ives for some camping by the sea.
For the weekend of World Vegan day I managed to get a couple of long runs in:
I was up before 6 on Saturday morning to head out to the Blackwater Marathon. This was a charming LDWA event near Colchester. I ran with a friend, who I've been lucky to do a few marathons with now: excellent company. I say 'ran' but we both had plans for the following day so we took it really gently. The route was flat but exceptionally muddy in parts (crossing fields where it seems that your shoes are replaced by bricks by the time you get to the other side). There were many bridges and stiles, cute llamas, petrified trees, a pretty sea wall and I got stung by an electric fence (ouch! - apparently I jumped backwards and glowed like the Ready Brek kid. Maybe that's a slight exaggeration...) We didn't get lost, which was good as the "marathon" was actually 28 miles long.

Then it was a lift up to Norwich. I stayed in a nice little B&B, just a short walk from the start of the Marriott's Way Ultra. This was a 39 mile trail run on an out-and-back course along an old rail track. That meant it was pleasantly flat and there was some protection from the heavy rain and howling gales that hit the country on Sunday. I ran with more Fetchies from the start and one was kind enough to stay with me (at the back of the small field) for the whole route. It was a lovely run, completed in 6 hours 48 minutes and didn't cost a penny to enter so more than a bargain. Definitely one to do next year.

I felt most refreshed for the start of the new half term on Monday. Quite a bounce in my step.

So that's the solution for extra energy people - get up before 6am on Saturday and put in 67 miles over the weekend! SHimples!

AECC Dashback 5k Sunday Nov 1st

Hello, World Vegan Day Sunday November 1st,

AECC Dashback 5k  2nd overall in18mins 39secs  

Open the curtains to view pouring rain and driving wind. So reluctantly decide to head off by public transport from Southampton to Bournemouth to take part in the
Anglo European Chiropractors College 10K and 5k  AECC Dashback.
  Public transport problems meant i arrived on Bournemouth seafront too late for the 10k at 11am so
had to enter the 5k which started at 11:30am.
 Registration and change in the Surfers Bar. The start line
opposite the worlds first surf wave creating artificial reef,
which was officially opened on Monday Nov 2nd. Although
on this day the strength of wind meant the whole bay had surfer sized waves.
 The 5k was a bit of a donkey derby, with  just 39 runners, so along the sea front for 2kms i held 1st place then up the zigzag path relegated to 2nd   pavements for remaining distance to cross the finish line at the AECC college campus in a new PB of 18mins and 39secs, 2nd overall, vest Vegan Runners.
  Regards Sidney DeLara 

 

 

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Stockport 10 miles - VRUK meet-up

Hi Everyone,

We have heard that Emile from Spain and Vegan Runners group organiser is intending to visit the UK to meet-up with James Meldrum and any other vegan runners interested at the Stockport 10 miles, scheduled for 13 December. He is particularly interested in forming a team. For an entry form click here or for on-line entry via the Runner's World website click here.


Peter Simpson

Birmingham Half Marathon 11/10/09

Back in October we had three members running, Kevin White & Phil Griffiths as notified and recently we were informed that Chris Dhondee also chose this event to run his first half marathon. Kevin and Phil significantly lowered their times achieved at recent events, Kevin ran 1:48 knocking about 12 minutes off his Wolverhampton Half time on 6 Sept and Phil 1.53 about 6 minutes. Chris set a time of 2.11 as a target to beat at a future event.

Laurence's Abingdon Marathon Gallery

There is a gallery on the website following Laurence Klein's successful day where he achieved personal best and finished feeling better than in last year's event, his first marathon. You can visit the gallery from here.

Rainforest 10K - Initial Brief Report

Hi Everyone,

Inspite of the weather conditions on 1 November (World Vegan Day), 5 of our 6 entrants made it to the start line and the results:

Peter Simpson 44.41, 31 / 549
Caitlin Blodans 49.37, 98th & 7th female
James Millington 53.40, 176th (subject to confirmation due to admin typing error)
Chris Dhondee 58.35, 280th
Vanessa Hudson 59.06, 337th (also started late and assume chip time unaffected)

To see the initial photos from freelance photographer before the start and Andrew Knight at the finish and during the run, click on Vegan Runners photos

Apart from the events on the VRUK diary, did you run on World Vegan Day? It would be useful to read a blog of your training run.

Regards
Peter

5k goodness/ghoulness, Reading

John Morgan has been keeping the 5k page of the spreadsheet busy with outings in Reading - a 19:33 at a ParkRun and 20:03 at the Halloween 5k. Sadly I have had no pictures of the latter :(

Cardiff Half Marathon

Helen Watkinson ran the Cardiff Half on the 18th...
 
Gun Time 01:51:30, Position 2720, Chip Time 01:49:26
Is that a new and shiny PB Helen? Well done!

Croydon 10k, Brum Half

We hear from new member Chris Dhondee who has leaped merrily into the autumn running season...

I ran in the Croydon 10k yesterday (18th Oct) and my time was 52mins 11 secs.
Also, I ran in the Birmingham half marathon last Sunday (11th Oct) and finished in 2hrs 11mins(it was my first half marathon!!). I wore my vegan runner's vest and got a few shouts of encouragement for the vegans on the way in both races. Magic!!!
Happy days eh- Ed

Trionium’s Greensand Marathon

Trionium's Greensand Marathon (details here including a picture of me at the start)

 

'You're doing quite well – 11^th place and you're a vegan!!'

 

A tough Surrey hill marathon on a glorious autumn day – what could be nicer? Small, very friendly, good humoured (the organizer's pre-race briefing 'the third quarter is probably the toughest, though the second quarter is very tough. The final quarter is very hard. And the first quarter is… very difficult'). I even got sufficiently taken in by the atmosphere to mouth along with the second verse of Jerusalem, the race anthem. There were plenty of Union Jack shorts to be seen (though not on me).

 

The race really was lovely – the joy of a simple out and back is that you can enjoy the landscape whilst still fit to appreciate it, then struggle in your own private world of pain during the second half.

 

The downside? This being Surrey, some folk who presumably object to plastic went round taking down the waymarker tape. The one annoying consequence for me (and about ten folk right behind me) was that we missed a wee turning and careened down a very steep hill, which then had to be reclimbed – a mile of up and down just wasn't enough for us. This happened just after the 11^th place information was divulged, so I know it cost me over twenty places.

 

Though I was in good shape for a half marathon, I was simply not fit enough for the full deal. So time passed painfully one step at a time and I eventually staggered home in 28^th place and taking just over 4hr10m. Should be pleased, but I'm not. Next year…

 

The marshals were really encouraging, the rucksack, t-shirt and medals were handed out by charming kids, and fellow racers were all in great spirits. There was a lot of smiling - a good race. I even smiled for the photo!

 

 

 

 

Chloe Vincent,Dresden Marathon 18/10/09

Last Sunday i competed in the Dresden Marathon,my first marathon after about four years break from any sort of serious running, i have been slowly trying to get back into running races over the last year or so since i have been in England and specifically since i joined the Vegan Runners UK,..who have been very inspirational!! :) This marathon was more of a training inspiration to get me back into proper training discipline,rather than a great push to improve on previous times.
The weather in Dresden was cold-about 4 degrees-and rainy,there was a field of over 7000 runners for the full and half marathon and the 10 ks.A good turn out for a strictly amateur race.I was feeling really really under-trained and set myself the goal of at least completing in under 4 hours.
The first half of the marathon went well, i was steady and all my splits were exactly as i wanted them to be to come in for a 4 hour time.Despite the weather and freezing freezing cold hands, even in gloves, i really enjoyed all of about the first,...27 k's,..then it started to get a little less fun!Around that mark all of my skipped long runs,or lazy maintainance runs,became apparent, it became a real mental struggle,alot harder than physical where essentially,other than of course being tired,there were no problems.I didnt dare walk even through the aid stations but i basically allowed my body to slow and slow and slow until i was worried i wasnt even going to make under 4 hours, the horrible thing being that my mind had given up!It had allowed my body to stay slowed-down and didnt care that people kept passing me over the kilometers.I kept little chunks of distance as my inspiration to keep chugging along,at 32ks thinking just 10 more to go,then just 7, just 6,!It was such a battle of mental stamina for me,i spent the last hour of the run promising myself the minute i get back to london im going to write up a training schedule and im going to push myself so hard!I also promised myself that the next marathon i run,no matter what time i get i WILL complete half an hour faster!!(watch this space folks!? )
At about half way between the 36 and the 37ks,..i noticed coming up beside me a pace setter who had a orange balloon with 4:00 written on it!!!I think i probably looked cartoonish double taking at this guy and the small group he was dragging in his wake,..he was my last chance!And whats so telling is how easy it was for me to pick my pace up to match his,i could of kicked myself at this reaslisation,that physically the run could have been faster the whole time,and that it was mentally that i'd handicapped myself!(something i need to take into consideration next time round eh)so he was my new buddy and i ran in perfect stride with him for nearly all of the next 5 ks,around the 41k mark he took off,obviously A LOT fitter than me he effortlessly strode off to make the most of his finish leaving me to trail behind and finish in a satisfactory 3:58:09 !!
(I thanked him heartily after the race!)
Also this was my first marathon wearing the Vegan Runners shirt.About one kilometer into the race i amazingly spotted another vegan runner sporting the familiar green and black vest,so not being able to resist,and probably coming across as very weird and creepy i tapped her on the shoulder and showed her a corner of my vest that was at this stage under a jacket!Was very nice to have a 'team' member out on the course with me,even if (at this stage)i didnt know who she was.(Hello Andrea Hayn from Berlin!)I was also very pleasantly surprised by the number of fellow runners who approached me either during the race or afterwards to comment on my vegan vest and to show their support!
In light of the promise to myself about training and improving and driving forward,i went for my first run yesterday.It felt great.I have big expectations for myself for the next time,all in all this was deffinately a great run, if nothing eles because it was exactly the inspiration and motivation i was looking for to get myself back into proper running again!!Im very proud and pleased with myself :)

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Worksop 1/2 marathon

Debra Confrey is running her first ½ marathon (and only her second race, having started running in Feb 09 and having completed the Llanelli 10k in June) on Sunday 25 October, in Worksop. She is registered as a Sospan Road Runner but will be wearing her VRUK vest, and is running with her non vegan sister in law Sara Confrey. Spouses have been banned from spectating so me and brother in law will be supporting the Real Ale industry in Lincoln, which is no sort of training at all for the Pembrey multi terrain 10 mile race I am to do in November, but should be a greater pleasure.

 

Neil P Confrey

Laurence at the Abingdon Marathon

At the Abingdon Marathon yesterday (18/10), unfortunately James Meldrum was injured so did not run otherwise Laurence Klein our chairperson ran and gave an improved performance / time as compared to last year, finishing in 4.53, lowering his PB by about 2 minutes. A more detaied report with photos to follow.

 

Regards

 

Peter Simpson

 

 

 

Brief Hiatus...

Your editor is off on hols for two weeks - so your reports & results may be handled in very early November instead of right away - but please do keep sending in your results, reports and photos - they'll keep safely in my inbox!
Maria x

Abingdon Marathon

Here is a nice photo of Laurence at the end...

see the rest here.

Well done Laurence, another nicely paced effort by the look of it.

Reminder of the AGM, 25 Oct, 2-6pm

Hi Members,

The Club's AGM is scheduled for Sunday, 25 October from 2-6pm, venue as previous years, Transport House (HQ of the T&GWU), 128 Theobald's Road, Holborn, London, the nearest tube is Holborn on the Central & Piccadily lines. For a map of the area click here. Note that the venue is near the junction with Southampton Row.

All paid-up members can attend so if you are available and within traveling distance, your presence is very important. Following the AGM we will be visiting the local vegan Chinese buffet in Theobald's Road.

Following the club's constitution, all members of the committee & other postholders will need to apply for re-election. A reminder that the Committee consists of the following people:

Chairperson
Club Secretary
Treasurer
Membership
Runners' Secretary

and three general committee members. Non-committee positions currently include:

Clothing Secretary
Website Editor
Press Secretary
Diary Secretary
Vegan Services Secretary
Regional / Area Contacts (no formal election process at AGM)

Currently your Club Secretary performs several roles including most notably:
Treasurer, Membership and Clothing. If you feel you have the time and necessary skills to perform any of these duties or others listed please contact me. You need not attend to be elected. Note that the role of Vegan Services Secretary is vacant and one of the general committee posts.

It is our aim to issue the AGM Agenda by 19 October and the main reports e.g. Treasurer's Report, Club Secretary, etc, early in the week.

Regards
Peter Simpson
Club Secretary

Wynning ways

We hear from Diane & Adrian Wynne, who have been doing their best to live up to the name...

Adrian and I have had a great time this year having started running again about 12 months a go following a 6 or 7 year break. Our fitness is slowly coming back and I'm looking forward to doing some longer triathlons in the future. We have both done Ironman in the past. Seems like a long way at the moment!

 

Diane Wynne

Crowle 10k  47:28  and was 3^rd lady vet

Worcester Multi-Terrain Half Marathon 1 hour 50 min and was 3^rd Lady Vet

Completed Worcester, Tewkesbury and Hardwick Sprint Triathlons.

Finished Hardwick in 1 hour 18 min and was 3^rd Lady Vet

 

Adrian Wynne

Stourport 10k 47:02

Also competed in Worcester, Tewkesbury and Hardwick Sprint Triathlons

 

We are both currently competing in cyclo-cross races which are great fun and we are also looking forward to Stroud Half Marathon on 25^th October.   

 Well done guys and good luck for Stroud!

Eat to Compete

Some of you might have seen a "vegetarian" thai curry recipe in a recent Runner's World which had fish sauce as one of the ingredients. Now we all know that fish is not a vegetable and would just leave it out, and I don't know about you but the likelihood of anyone else cooking that recipe for me is pretty slim - hey ho.
But this reminded me that you can get vegan Thai curry paste - red and green - in 400g tubs (from Tesco!) - the brand is Thai Taste. Very tasty, and it lets the fishes sleep easy ! :D

Two halves

We hear from Annette Herold who has been working hard on her half marathons... brief details

30. August 2009 - Koberstaedter Halbmarathon (in Germany)   Half marathon in 2:07:07h

11. Oct. 2009 - Royal Parks Half marathon London in 2:11:35h

Garden City 10

We hear from Colin Braybrook, who says

 
I neglected to mention I did 1:01:09 at the Garden City 10 miles last month (this would be Welwyn Garden City for the members not familiar with the "Snorbans" (St Albans) area -Ed), 3rdMV40 (not far behind Matt Woodman). http://www.sportsystems.net/GardenCity10/Downloads/ResultsGardenCity10_09All.pdf
 
It all seems a distant memory now.  My achilles is all tight and throbby now so it was a bit of an ego-boost to see those results (the draft report which you should all have got) again.   
 

Colin mentions that the "vegan engine" is powering his fine results - we wish him a happy winter of stoking it up!

Eindhoven Marathon

The above is a picture of your very happy editor, now in possession of a 4:05:11 marathon PB (down from 4:18:07 this spring). She would recommend Eindhoven as a very fast & flat course INDEED, with the pacers & music of a big-city marathon but no crowding at all. Own drink held out to you... short toilet queues... cool (it was a little warm to start but they handed out sponges every 5k, and then the heavens opened and the sponges were no longer necessary).

She would not recommend green hair gel though. Ten minutes with my head under the tap in the loos at Eindhoven airport... and it got everywhere.

Still walking down stairs backwards.

Peterborough - flat, as I remember...

We hear from Wolfgang Kunst

Here's my chip time for last Sunday's Great Eastern Run Half Marathon in Peterborough:

1:30:53


The London Royal Parks Half Marathon sold out within two days, so went up to Peterborough instead.

With a time like that, a wise move!

Popular Brighton 10K, 15 Nov

Brighton is a popular place for vegetarians and vegans so, is it a surprise that many of our members would like to enter the 10K along the seafront on 15 November. It is a popular event and the closing date for entries is 20 October.

For the entries website click here.