END OF YEAR REPORT
I didn't want to believe it, but back in Spring, very strong forces were present in the over-thinking cranium of yours truly telling me to step aside from competitive running and finally hit the bowling green instead. Of course, there had to be one last crack of the whip before fully conceding to a change of sport. As it happened, the time of year was sympathetic to my plight, in that the season of midweek evening races was kicking off and I just absolutely love evening fell races. If I was going to pack it all in, I was going to do so by enjoying it at least. In my favour, if by default, was a surprisingly high cholesterol reading at that time, from which dietary adjustments saw weight drop off that I didn't think possible. As much as a possible swansong, Summer also became a race-myself-to-fitness experiment. One race a week, looking for increments of improvement and eventually stumbling upon decent form by the end of Summer and a training routine that was working really well for me. After the fell race at Widdop by mid-July, I dared to believe. I felt like I was racing again. Some good results followed. Even going in to Autumn and losing that little extra snippet of sharpness from weekly racing, I proved in mid-November that there really is some racing life in this old dog yet with a 5K time of 17:05 at the Podium race.
Looking back at some low points earlier on in the year - a capitulation on Pendle at the Stan Bradshaw, a punchless plod at the Darwen Half Marathon, pulling the plug at the Yorkshire Three Peaks, pulling out of a track session so not to hold the rest of the group up - it's been quite a turnaround. Initially, I had to take some hidings, but in the end I made it and I think I still have more to offer in 2018 before the next serious consideration of signing up for the Crown Green.
There almost endeth my ramblings for the year, but not quite my running. One last bite of the 2017 cherry will be the Auld Lang Syne fell race at Haworth on New Year's Eve. I'd like to do it some justice as this will be the final race that Woodentops legends Dave and Eileen Woodhead will be organising from Penistone Hill. A real sadness about that for many hundreds, thousands of fell runners by whom they are loved and admired. But their great races will continue at least with Wharfedale Harriers taking on the mantle of Woodentops madness.
Winter niggles have pestered my progress during December - a bit of a cold snap and all sorts of bits and pieces start nagging. As such, regarding Sunday's race and the Lancs Cross Country Championships the following weekend, in all honesty I am expecting potentially disappointing outcomes for myself. But just to be there and able to race them without further hindrance would be a suitable underlying success.
Friday, 29 December 2017
Thursday, 7 December 2017
MAKING LIGHT OF THE DARK
Since switching clubs, one or two have remarked on me turning to "the dark side". I laughed it off - all in good spirit - but actually, is it? There does seem to be this underlying reputation of elitism attached to the Ribble Valley club which gets up some people's noses. That very deluded stigma in itself gets right up mine. As I have said quite clearly to all inquisitors, my own presence at Ribble Valley Harriers proves the club is anything but elitist!
It's a tightly knit group of runners who are very competitive. There is no shame in this and nor should there be. Let us remember that running is not just an activity, but firts and foremost it is a sport. Let us remember that running clubs can be more than just social clubs with a running habit.
On a local level at least, RVH founder Chris Barnes has stirred up volcanic reaction in recent times with his forthright opinions on the current state of amateur running. Notably, the diminishing numbers of fast runners at local races and the massive increase at the slower end. That opens up a separate can of worms, but generally speaking, from that volcano, Ribble Valley Harriers emerged as a new island flying the flag of the purely competitive. Ok, so Ribble Valley would appear to be a closed shop to the new wave of 'social runners' and to an extent beginners, but then I don't understand people being offended by this. Why should every running club have to try to accommodate and please absolutely everyone? Adhering to a misled culture of box ticking and extreme political correctness has got to stop somewhere. Provided there's no sexism, racism, or other immoral ism's in place, surely a club is entitled to it's own ethos? RV runners just want to get better times, better positions and pull each other along. Some folk can get a bit Neo-Liberal about the old saying, ''t'is not the winning but the taking part that counteth.'' Cue another potential can of worms here - non-competitive school sports days. What on earth is all that about?
But all that said, Ribble Valley's lack of popularity, partially at least, probably boils down to personality and that Chris is not everybody's cup of tea. He says what he thinks and he also loves a wind-up. I don't always agree with him entirely, but I believe his passion for what he thinks is right makes him a great asset to the sport. He's re-founded a club with an ethos he strongly believes in and where would the world be without the Podium 5K's and the December Turkey Trot? He organises races that, contrary to the elitist tag, cater for absolutely all. He's giving plenty back to the sport and people are probably too quick to forget this just because he likes to drop a grenade of uncomfortable discussion now and again. If this is the dark side, then I have seen the light.
PAIN IN THE BUM
A quick update on the running then as well whilst on the page. After ticking over nicely the past couple of weeks I now find myself nursing a pull in the gluteus regions which is quite literally a pain in the bum. Cold weather doesn't help. I knew that Tuesday night's hill rep session with the club would be a tester for what has been an ongoing niggle of sorts for some time. Foolhardily, I ran the last few reps with things tightening up quite a bit and then once the muscles cooled down later that evening, so the soreness kicked in. It was a fest of Tiger Balm and ibuprofen yesterday. Another day on and it doesn't nag when walking at least. The very steadiest of a steady mile or two will be tested out later. With a couple of races coming up this month and again in January, I feel I'm suddenly treading on thin ice to be in good fettle for them at the moment. As always, time will tell.
Since switching clubs, one or two have remarked on me turning to "the dark side". I laughed it off - all in good spirit - but actually, is it? There does seem to be this underlying reputation of elitism attached to the Ribble Valley club which gets up some people's noses. That very deluded stigma in itself gets right up mine. As I have said quite clearly to all inquisitors, my own presence at Ribble Valley Harriers proves the club is anything but elitist!
It's a tightly knit group of runners who are very competitive. There is no shame in this and nor should there be. Let us remember that running is not just an activity, but firts and foremost it is a sport. Let us remember that running clubs can be more than just social clubs with a running habit.
On a local level at least, RVH founder Chris Barnes has stirred up volcanic reaction in recent times with his forthright opinions on the current state of amateur running. Notably, the diminishing numbers of fast runners at local races and the massive increase at the slower end. That opens up a separate can of worms, but generally speaking, from that volcano, Ribble Valley Harriers emerged as a new island flying the flag of the purely competitive. Ok, so Ribble Valley would appear to be a closed shop to the new wave of 'social runners' and to an extent beginners, but then I don't understand people being offended by this. Why should every running club have to try to accommodate and please absolutely everyone? Adhering to a misled culture of box ticking and extreme political correctness has got to stop somewhere. Provided there's no sexism, racism, or other immoral ism's in place, surely a club is entitled to it's own ethos? RV runners just want to get better times, better positions and pull each other along. Some folk can get a bit Neo-Liberal about the old saying, ''t'is not the winning but the taking part that counteth.'' Cue another potential can of worms here - non-competitive school sports days. What on earth is all that about?
But all that said, Ribble Valley's lack of popularity, partially at least, probably boils down to personality and that Chris is not everybody's cup of tea. He says what he thinks and he also loves a wind-up. I don't always agree with him entirely, but I believe his passion for what he thinks is right makes him a great asset to the sport. He's re-founded a club with an ethos he strongly believes in and where would the world be without the Podium 5K's and the December Turkey Trot? He organises races that, contrary to the elitist tag, cater for absolutely all. He's giving plenty back to the sport and people are probably too quick to forget this just because he likes to drop a grenade of uncomfortable discussion now and again. If this is the dark side, then I have seen the light.
PAIN IN THE BUM
A quick update on the running then as well whilst on the page. After ticking over nicely the past couple of weeks I now find myself nursing a pull in the gluteus regions which is quite literally a pain in the bum. Cold weather doesn't help. I knew that Tuesday night's hill rep session with the club would be a tester for what has been an ongoing niggle of sorts for some time. Foolhardily, I ran the last few reps with things tightening up quite a bit and then once the muscles cooled down later that evening, so the soreness kicked in. It was a fest of Tiger Balm and ibuprofen yesterday. Another day on and it doesn't nag when walking at least. The very steadiest of a steady mile or two will be tested out later. With a couple of races coming up this month and again in January, I feel I'm suddenly treading on thin ice to be in good fettle for them at the moment. As always, time will tell.
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