Dave Arnold back on (fast) feet again

Dave Arnold is back up and running and here is the proof! For more pics go to http://gallery.sussexsportphotography.com/a.tlx?e=6e81 , pop in number 391 in the search box, and admire the war wounds. He says,
"...bit slower than otherwise would have been, but all the same very pleased be back running, and a bonus to still sneak under 40 (only just). Also I wasn't being stalked by number 35. Georgie's my friend and I was helping her try going sub 40!"

Country To Capital - Anna Finn's race report

Anna Finn's race report and post-race photo can be found here.

Ultra Anna

Anna "marathon schmarathon" Finn is now on the hard stuff...
I did my first ever ultra run, the Country to Capital 45 mile ultra from Wendover in Buckinghamshire to Paddington, London. The first half was cross country with mud, hills, stiles, gates, navigation, puddles, roots, streams, fields... and then we got onto the canal towpath for some far less testing terrain. I had never run longer than a marathon before so I wasn't sure what to expect, but I really enjoyed the day. The views were great and I felt comfortable the whole way - I guess the many, dark, cold early-morning hours of training paid off. And I was pretty chuffed with my finishing time of 8 hours, 46 minutes and 33 seconds. It turns out I rather like ultra running - a good thing as I have a 40 miler booked for 1st February...
Well done Anna and good luck for Feb! I have to go and lie down now... - Ed

Boscombe seafront 5k, Friday 16th Jan

Sidney DeLara is busy helping to fill up the 2009 results sheet...
New tactic this year start slowly and get faster with each race (well slow start to the year anyway ) , after Romsey 5mile 34min 5 sec , slowest time at this distance for a long time, i managed a slowest for a long time 5k on Friday evening at the Boscombe seafront 5k (race 4 of 6). I was sixth in my age category on the night which was annoying as the two runners who finished right in front of me were 4th and 5th in my category.  Thats a problem with veteran running you never know for sure who you are running against in your age group. Some sort of back of vest age ID would help.

Hiatus for Bristol Group

Sadly Jenny Dunleavy is taking a break from running having suffered from injury problems (I am sure we can all sympathize). Thanks to Jenny for her efforts with the Bristol group - if anyone is interested in Bristol training runs or get-togethers, why not reply in a comment to this and sort something out?

First Regents Park 10k of the year - Andrew Knight reports

Andrew Knight writes
3 vegan runners braved -2C temperatures at the Regents Park 10 km on Sunday 4^th Jan. The audience included a rather confused flock of seagulls and ducks wandering around on their frozen ponds. I managed 44:50 min which was 3 personal bests: coldest ever, worst prepared/trained, and fastest in the UK (out of 2 races!). I'll be trying to train even less and seeking even colder weather, hoping to go even faster, next time.
of course the question is do vegans get Swedish Glace bum instead of ice-cream bum...

Romsey 5, Sid DeLara, 6th V50

We hear from the ever-energetic Sid DeLara, concerning the Romsey 5 and the familiar race vs. Sunday shoppers battle that so many of us have encountered...
Hello. First run of 2009, proved to be heavily involved in the politics and bureaucracy that are always tangled up with sport. The event The Romsey (Hampshire)5 Mile Road Race, now joins a long list of those with an uncertain future. The organisers were told late in the day  by the local council authorities that for the run to go ahead this year, then roads would have to be closed and adequate signage (by their definition) supplied.
This not being a viable option it was intended to arrange an alternative 5 lap course, around the industrial estate where the race starts and ends. Fortunately at the last minute the local authorities decided to let the run go ahead along its normal route.
Running around the course (quiet country roads on a Sunday morning)i could only identify a few cars momentarily held up and no real problematic safety issues caused by the runners. 
 A far more high profile event in this part of the world, attracting runners from all over UK,with a field of 2000plus, is the Totton 10k, a fast flat pb course
(i achieved a PB on this couse 2008) probably will not take place this year, due to disruption to local traffic (is the official line), this race interrupts traffic going to ASDA for a few hours every year.
 What you will also encounter this year as well as cancelled events is earlier start times to avoid the apparent traffic disruption.
  So the Romsey 5 went ahead on Sunday Jan 11th and fortunately the weather was warmer than it had been and the only problem with ice was a 100 metre stretch near the beginning and end. For me it was a slow start to the year, 20 secs lost due to a shoe problem. I now
have Vegan Runners printed across the front of my other club (Southampton RC) vest.

New Year news roundup

At the end of '08 we heard what Frances Humphries had "been up to since Abingdon - well, more walking than running. I think I already mentioned that I had completed the Black Brook Challenge event up in Yorkshire in October.

This was followed by the Steppingly Step - 26 miles cross-country which completed in 6hrs 51mins. (9.11.08)

My first attempt at a running event was the Hadleigh 10 on the 23.11.08, but only managed about a mile before suffering a black-out and severe nasuea - since I try not to involve myslef with the Medical Profession I have no idea what caused this but was most unwell for a few weeks. Better now tho!

On the 30.11.08 I took part in, enjoyed and completed the Gatliff Marathon - 50k cross-country walk, plus a few loops - OK so I misread the route description a couple of times, it adds to the fun.  

That of course, was followed by the Bedford Half, which I approached with caution, as I was not quite sure of my fitness or health, had a good run tho and was relieved to think I was back on track. Sorry to have missed Laurence, but feel sure he would have been well ahead of me.

Final one for the year - today I went up the M25 and completed the annual Stanstead Stagger (25 miles cross-country), it was a glorious day and the route description behaved itself quite well. Got round in 6hrs 5mins. Jacket potatoes and tea at the end  -  wonderful."

Makes the rest of us all feel very lazy!

Poor Dave Arnold ... "Broke nose and cheek in cycling accident on last day of holiday...hours before take off!!!  so am not sure how that'll effect running.If I can run I will run SEAA but should def be ok for Parliament Hill. Have to have a meet up after that one!  I'm actually hoping to be able to run Stubbington 10k this Sunday if I can, though I'm afraid training has taken such a blow that the hoped for 6 min/miles(in my mind after Victory 5) will be out of the question."

Get well soon Dave - if it is any comfort, it was after she got tangled up with a cyclist and dislocated her jaw that Paula Radcliffe set her last marathon WR, so we hope the same Lady Luck smiles on you!

Lastly, Peter S has not let the arctic temps put him off...."In sub-zero temperatures and after cycling the eight miles or so from Bedford to Shuttleworth College I ran the 4-lap (approx 12K) course in 57.42, finishing overall 80 / 101 (31/36 in Bucks champs and 10/13 V40-49). Fortunately we had the facilities of the college to defrost after the run. I lot of runners only wore a vest whereas I was covered from head to tail, a balaclava would have been better for me at least."

Victory 5 pictures

...can be found at Sussex Sport Photography - here is a sample (for as long as the links last):

Dave Arnold barrels towards the finish

Coventry New Year's Day 5 miles

Hi Everyone,

With an 11am start and public transport available I decided to enter this 5-miler and meet-up with Stewart Boulton. Given the freezing weather I decided there would be time to walk from Coventry rail station at 930am. It took longer than anticipated to reach the entrance to Warwick University. I had been there previously by bike some years ago and thought the lights in the stadium would be easily visible and had checked the map in advance. Unfortunately with a number of options I took the wrong route into the university and despite finding the course markings and passing other runners warming up I ended up walking mainly around the perimeter for 40 minutes, arriving with minutes to go. In the end I was lucky still to have the opportunity to participate, starting about 30 seconds late, dehydrated and leaving my gloves in the changing rooms in the rush to get to the start.

I could see the rear of the field which was some relief and soon caught up and passed the backmarkers. The course consisted of a small lap and two larger laps. Once we reached that path alongside the stream it was bumpy and a little tricky passing runners. I nearly tripped up a female runner. It was then a procession of overtaking so a lot of the small field managed to see a VRUK runner passing them. I was not expecting to reach Stewart who has been making 'great strides' this year, setting personal bests for all standard distances and running faster than me on most. I managed to finish strongly despite the dehydration and soon met up with Stewart who had finished three minutes ahead of me. Our momento at the finish was a pair of gloves (one size 'fits all') which was rather appropriate with my left hand in particular quite numb.

Most of the runners re-grouped back at the clubhouse where there was a free hot drink and biscuit on offer but obviously no soya. Great to catch up with Stewart again. We stayed for the prize giving and a free draw for some spot prizes based on your running number. The results were displayed with Stewart finishing in a personal best of 32.32 (53rd) and me 35.39 (80th out of 184). Stewart gave me a lift back to the station but the passenger door jammed and I had to climb out of the driver's side. Went for a warm down walk around the city centre which was rather in shutdown mode but eventually found a suitable cafe otherwise the only eating places open were the most undesirable!

Best of luck with your New Year's resolutions, hope to see you sometime during the year or hear about your achievements.

Regards
Peter