On the Run

Contributors:Justin Burrell Ι Jeanette Cheetham Ι Steve Crane Ι Caroline Diggle Ι Gill Fullen Ι Lynne Greenard Ian Hammett Ι Angie Kay Ι Ronnie Lawley Ι Jenny Lovesey Ι Richard Piron Ι Mark Tinkler Ι Sarah Wanden

Magazine Editor: Lynne Greenard

Awards Edition January 2014

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It has befallen me to edit this year’sissue of the club magazine and Ihave to say, it’s been a verypleasant experience; much morethan anticipated. You Harriershave, as usual, been very helpfuland generous with your time,submitting articles on a widevariety of subjects and sportingevents. Can I say a huge thankyou to all of you; you’ve made my job very easy.

It just so happens, that whilst I was compiling material, acopy of the first ever Bedford Harriers magazine (1986)came into my possession and it makes very interestingreading. Some things seemed to be very familiar; eventhen, Norman Beckwith was on the committee (you dothe maths), there was also a special interest groupestablished for triathlon and the club colours of gold withblack stripe had just been decided. However, at the endof the first year, the club had a membership of only 100which, as you will know, has grown to over 500 today. I suspect those early founders had little idea of just howpopular road running and consequently our club, wouldbecome.

In these straitened times, of particular interest was thefact that subscriptions in 1986 were £17 per year which,adjusted to 2013 prices, works out at £72.76. So, in realterms, our club subscriptions are approximately 25% ofwhat they were then! Even if you include the track passof £64, the fees are not so different from those of ʻ86.You have to bear in mind that the club was based atPilgrim School so there was no access at all to stadiumfacilities. When we add all the other benefits of being aHarrier (too many to list here), membership must be oneof the few things that has gone down in price over aperiod of 27 years. Is our club Bedfordʼs best-keptsecret?

The other notable difference was that the first issue wasbasically a collection of committee reports and fixturelists - this was, after all, pre-computer days - and waspretty dry reading. Nothing at all like the morecontemporary issues which are full of your amazingendeavours and achievements.

I hope you will enjoy reading this one and find out whatother Harriers have been up to over the past year andare inspired to have a go at something new for 2014. I know I am.

Ooh! And donʼt forget to try your hand at the crossword.No peeking at the answers until youʼve really tried!

Lynne Greenard

Editor

Cryptic Crossword

Cathy Bowʼs race bike, she competed in triathlon nearly 20 years agoin the Ludlow Sprint Triathlon on her ʻState of the Artʼ Bedford Harrierssponsored bike.

ACROSS3. Miserable Devonian bear?5. We've pulled a few strings for the next race6. Pile up the family vehicle (2 words)9. Politician in the thick of it sheds light on a run (2 words)10. Knight of the realm goes round and round12. Make some noise for this dog's dinner (2 words)13. This band is not so broad14. Takes cakes to grandma in Oakley15. This tug will keep you afloat (2 words)17. Battle to get going (2 words)DOWN1. This 'f' word will make you out of breath2. On the middle of an island4. Help to get Asian out of jail (2 words)5. Intermittently rude run?6. Countdown to dinner (2 words)7. Instructors get everyone on board8. Will this session help me build a house?11. Time to put your hands in the water (3 words)12. Loosening up in jail?16. Exercise your legs in the school yard

Pg CONTENTS

4 Challenge Vichy Report

6 Thunder Run 24

7 Snowdonia Marathon

8 World Champion tri and duathlete

10 Ode to Running

Bedford Sports Awards

12 Chicago Marathon

14 Jurassicman - A Tri Too Far... ?

15 Jurassicman Extreme Triathlon

16 Greensands Ridge Relay

17 12 Months, 20 Countries, 11 Races

20 British Triathlon Awards 2013

Crossword answers

Reflecting on the past 12 months, it has been particularly rewardingto observe the enormous number of members competing in events,locally, nationally and internationally. 31 club best times have beenrecorded over the year and countless PBs achieved. 37 membersfeature in this year’s Standard Awards scheme and those attendingthe awards night will know that the club has had its first everCrystal Award winner.

Continuing the subject of awards, 2013 saw the introduction of formalised criteria torecognise outstanding achievement that would otherwise pass unacknowledged.

Entitled ‘Club Special Awards’ there are two categories:

a) Outstanding Performance Award. This recognises achievement at a veryhigh level based on predetermined criteria.

b) Special Achievement Awards. These encompass exceptional ornoteworthy achievements that do not fulfil the criteria of the OutstandingPerformance Award.

Additionally a ʻRoll of Honourʼ has been compiled to recognise athletes completing amarathon, ultra run or iron distance triathlon. This ʻRoll of Honourʼ is displayed onthe Bedford Harriersʼ website, as are the details of the ʻClub Special Awardsʼ.

This is one of the few opportunities available to thank the many members and theirfriends and families who have volunteered their services throughout the year. It isgratifying to note just how many members are prepared to give up their time andmake the effort to help others. On behalf of the membership, may I offer gratefulappreciation to all those who have volunteered. Long may your selflessness continue!

“Who are all these people and why are they asking me all these questions?” wasrecently spotted emblazoned on the front and back of a shirt worn by a certain racedirector. The significance? The club really does want its members to ask questions andmake suggestions because it is only by these means that things can improve and moveforward. After all, it is your club and your input can influence its future development. So,please, keep asking and suggesting. All recommendations will be considered, includingthose that advocate changing the club colours to black with pink polka dots, or was itpink with black polka dots?

Belated ʻHappy New Yearʼ to one and all.

Steve CraneChairman

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Bedford Harriers New Keith Hardy Award Club Man of the Year Trophy

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Challenge Vichy Report ETU Long Distance ChampionshipSunday 1st September, 2013 by Angie Kay

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We drove to Vichy via the Eurotunnel, passed through the traffic jams of Paris andheaded out through the French countryside and just as we entered Vichy, the sat navsaid ‘No’ and so it was a quick diversion into a garage and out came the iPhone - itpicked us up and navigated us around the town to where we were staying. We wereon the 4th floor and after several trips in the tiny lift, we managed to manoeuvre all ourkit, bikes and food into the lovely apartment.

After unpacking we made our way to the Pasta Party, a 20 minute walk down past theriver, where the swim and the run would take place. We met up with some of the otherGB team members and this is where we started to get nervous.

Saturday, back down to the river and the Expo! We picked up our numbers and boughtsome kit, back to the flat to get sorted. Numbers on bikes, helmets, shoes adjusted,transition bags packed not once, but twice, new wheels on our bikes and then we wereready to go back and deposit all our kit. As we queued up at transition we were told wehad to show our GB suits - oh dear - back to the flat we raced, put them on andreturned in the nick of time.

My pre-race prep is to paint my nails so that I sit down and relax! Garyʼs normal pre-race prep is to dye his hair blonde so, the peroxide came out first and then the nailvarnish! This would normally be yellow and black but this time it had to be red, whiteand blue! Not only did I paint my nails but also Garyʼs little fingers. Pasta dinner, alittle beer and it was time for an early night.

The alarm went off and we were both thinking, ʻshall we turn over and go back tosleepʼ? No, this was race day.............

Kitted up, off to the race we went. Checked bikes, then the loo queue and, trying not tolook nervous, walked to the river. Dawn was fast approaching and so was the start.

After having several swim panic starts in my last few triathlons, I decided to start at theback of the swim with Gary beside me. It was a very wide start and once the starter hornhad gone off it was time to get my head down and swim. I looked up to see what washappening in front of me and Gary said “Iʼm still here....” and he was. I saw an openspace and went for it. I was so pleased with myself as I didnʼt feel anypanic and was even laughing to myself as I felt surprisingly confident. Garywas glad to see me go as he knew that I was in the zone and he couldthen focus on his swim; a huge 2.4 miles! The first lap went smoothly andafter entering the water for the second lap, the water became choppy withthe mixture of the second wave swimmers and a speed boat going up anddown. I loved the conditions but was concerned for Gary as heʼs not sucha strong swimmer. Out the water, off to transition and out on the bike.........

The weather was a bit cool and I was hoping that the ride would warm meup. There were a few hills out of Vichy and they certainly did the job. Wewent through some fantastic French countryside of woods, hills and alongthe sides of sunflower fields. The roads were well-marshalled and we hadright-of-way all the time. After the first lap, the head wind came to visit!Just as well we were used to that from this summerʼs training in England! Ireally enjoyed the bike ride, and the aid stations, with all the usual goodies,were a welcome sight. On returning into Vichy we had a massive hill andthen back into transition. As I got off my bike my legs almost collapsed,which made the supporters around laugh, so I had to have a serious talkwith my lower limbs to tell them that they had to keep going - not letting onthat they would be asked to run a marathon next!

Running shoes on and a quick breath and a think...... Off I went knowingthat I could run the first lap of 4. I did as we had planned and walkedthrough the aid stations situated every 2k. Again they were a welcomesight and gave great support. Along the river, through parks and over 2 bridges the runwas testing in places. We had to run through the finishing area every lap which wasdone, of course, with extra speed! Gary caught up with me at 3 miles and we wentthrough an aid station together and then I watched him run off with his usual easy style!The 3rd lap was by far the hardest and by the 4th, I just kept on going, determined tofinish in the light. I did - just - in 13:29 (3rd Lady in my age group) and Gary was there tosee me in - he had to wait 1 hour as he finished in 12:24 in his first Long DistanceTriathlon!

A great race, well organised and I would definitely recommend it.

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The weather was scorching and the coursenice and dry. A BBQ, some very questionablecookery skills and a few drinks set the eveningoff nicely, with much tactical team talk over theflames, followed by a reasonably early night.Race day morning arrived. It was clear andsunny, the runners in good spirits. So whatbetter than a little local Parkrun to get our legsin the mood? Off we went to Conkers Parkrun(only 8 miles from the Thunder run site) a not-so-surprising massive turnout of just under 400runners! A nice gentle plod around was justwhat we needed. At 11am there was a pre-racebriefing; we were warned that bad weatherwould be closing in later on in the evening. Ithink the actual words were something like“during the storm we can't advise you to keepon running. Ultimately it's up to you”. This madeus chuckle! The atmosphere fizzed as the starttime approached. At noon our first runners wentout - it was very warm indeed. The first part ofthe course is nice and flat, then a sharp turninto the woods at about half a km leads into apretty harsh ascent. This then comes out into agrassy area before returning to woods. At thispoint you find yourself running past thecampsite - really good support from all theother clubs here, so a nice little boost. It's a bitundulating from here until about 5.5 km whereyou have another hill climb before hitting 'ContiHill', which is a sharp hill emblazoned withContinental Tyres advertising. Apparently thefastest runner up this hill wins running shoesfor his/her whole team. Once you have run(hopefully) this hill, you are led into a verytwisty technical trail through the woods.Exposed tree trunks are the order of the dayand you need your wits about you. At about

8km you leave the woods and arrive on a lovelyridge, which is a good photo opp spot, then afast downhill and back through more campsite,leading you to a very sharp hill at 9.5km; finethe first time round, not so amusing insubsequent laps. Coming into the finish on anylap was an emotional feeling, whether in thesun or in deep, dark night. As promised, theweather turned dramatically in the lateafternoon - from brilliant sunshine toapocalyptic thunder, lightning and rain. Wecarried on running getting soaked and thecourse was soon a quagmire of mud, hiddentree roots and slippery ascents. The wholecourse is on trail and a few bricks on one part!It changed from a dusty, leafy track into amuddy, slippery watery mess and then into asticky, dirty nightmare where your shoes carriedso much mud it was difficult to run and turninga corner took all the power you had not to goheadlong into the nearest tree!

Some of our tents flooded and were consignedto the skip (after being jumped on Basil Fawltystyle). Noel's large tent turned into base campthrough the night, although not sure thatanybody slept at all; not that they reallyminded. Every runner came off the coursesmiling, day or night, rain or sun. The last lapsat about 11am were fantastic as the finish linewas full of spectators and as Noel came in, weall joined him over the finish line. A wonderfulweekend where teamwork was paramount andcame naturally to all involved. Well done to allthe Harriers involved in running and supporting.

NEXT YEAR ANYONE?

by Sarah Wanden

The Harriers’ Thunder Run presence consisted of two teams of seven runners and our favourite solo nutter, Carla Jenkins. Some of us arrived at camp on Friday and were greeted by a wonderful sight; masses of colourful tents and feather flags of running clubs from all over the UK; a veritable Glastonbury for runners.

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Snowdonia Marathon26/10/13: A race report from my perspectiveI want to shout it to the world (but they're all fed-up with listening) that I ran (and walked) theSnowdonia Marathon in October with my best friend, Dawn Childs. It is said to be thetoughest road marathon in the UK, lots of huge hills, the last and steepest at mile 23!

It all started when Lawrence Foley told Dawn he was going to do Snowdonia Marathon forthe ʻBritish Tinnitus Associationʼ with a few of his buddies, Trudie Finch and Caroline Devine.“Why donʼt we have a go?” Dawn said “Itʼll be fun. We donʼt have to worry about how long ittakes (we didnʼt even wear Garmins) weʻll just aim to finish it”. So I thought about it for acouple of weeks then I entered. Then I looked at the profile! Oh well, I thought naively, itʼll belike a big Oakley 20 and I do love that race. With Brighton Marathon out of the way I neededanother marathon to look forward to. So the youth hostel was booked. We all stayed at thesame one, which was an experience in itself as Iʼd never stayed in one before. However, itturned out to be very comfortable and just the job.

We trained through the summer months alone and together at my slow, but steady, pace.Dawn was adamant that she would stick with me all the way even though she could haverun a lot faster. Hill work every week consisted of running up Cleat Hill to Ravensden thenup and down that hill near the water tower. Cemetery Hill repeats were another favourite andI had the treadmill at Robinson Pool on such a high gradient setting that it wobbled.

Lawrence, Trudie and Caroline trained but Lawrence picked up an injury; plantar fasciitis,during training - though he still intended to carry on. The school holidays came and went.We all did the Dunstable Downs 20 Mile Challenge which I am sure really helped prepareme for Snowdonia as we donʼt have many prolonged hills in Bedford!

Every time I saw Lawrence he would remind me of how many weeks, then days, we had tillour huge adventure (thanks Lawrence!). Then we had only two days; the bags were packedand Friday came. Dawn, Caroline and I were on our way to Wales. The journey was long,windy and rainy but Dawn did a fabulous job of driving in such horrid conditions. We gotthere at 8.30pm, had our tea and went to bed. Caroline, Trudie, Dawn another lady fromStratford–Upon-Avon and I shared a room and, if it hadnʼt been for her snoring, I may haveactually got a good nightʼs sleep! We were up early, breakfasted and off to Llanberis forregistration and to collect numbers and T-shirts. On our way to the start line, we alsohappened to see John Harbour from Bedford Harriers; he looked a little nervous but alsoexcited. We hadnʼt seen any of Wales the night before as it was too dark but WOW, this wasgoing to be a race to remember. It felt so immense with itʼs towering mountains either side;this was no ʻOakleyʼ. The Claxon sounded and off we went.

The marathon starts with 4 miles of ascent, beautiful rolling hills and mountains all aroundyou and then descends to mile 8, a little off-road trail then relatively flat to mile 12. Thehalfway mark takes you through a chocolate box village called Beddgelert with masses ofcommunity support, then up again for the next 2 miles when you reach mile 16. The routebecomes slightly undulating until you reach mile 21. At mile 18 we passed the youth hostelwe were staying at and were easily within the cut off time of four hours. Then you arrive atthe steepest hill Iʼve ever seen in a race, I think most walked this part. People were startingto get a bit low at this point (dreaded ʻwallʼ territory if you believe that stuff) but Dawn and Iwere determined to keep our spirits up, and those of others, whether they liked it or not. Wetrotted past people singing and clapping. Anyone would have thought weʼd had gin in thosegels. Maybe it was the caffeine! At 24 miles the course flattens out and you see this lovelydownhill, perfect for a nice fast finish, I thought. But...... no, I was wrong. Trying to get downwas painful, my knee screamed but I couldnʼt stop myself as the decent was so steep andfast. Mile 25 was much flatter and Dawn linked arms with me to keep me strong; my kneestill hurt. Then before I had time to cry, the finish was right there. “200 meters to go” Dawnshouted “thatʼs half the track”. I started to sob with relief, then gave myself a quick mentaltelling off, then we were off. Arm in arm we rocked that finish line together.

Weʼd run through rain, extreme wind at the infamous mile 23, mega ascents and descents.We ran with and chatted to wonderful people along the way; an older gentleman with his 9-year-old border collie pulling him along, Super Mario, King Arthur and saw lots of local clubrunners e.g. Riverside Runners and a lovely, supportive man from Eye running club. Therace itself was well organised and the crowd support was brilliant.

It wasn't about the time it took. I was pleased with 4:58 even though itʼs my slowestmarathon. This marathon is about much more; achievement, camaraderie, meeting greatpeople, super support throughout the race and true friendship. A weekend of explosiveGIRL POWER and I can't wait to do this splendid mountainous adventure again.

Caroline Devine finished third in her category. Brilliant! Even more so when you take intoaccount the type of marathon this is. Thank you Lawrence and the other Harriers; this wasa weekend to remember.

I recommend Snowdonia marathon to any fellow runners.

By Caroline Diggle

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Interview with Gill FullenWorld champion tri & duathleteYou recently triumphed in The World Duathlon championship in Canada. Did you think you had a chance of winning before the race?I knew had a good chance of winning my age group but it was a completesurprise to win it outright.

So, how did it feel when you realised you were World Champion’?Initially it didnʼt sink in because the commentator didnʼt believe that Iʼd finishedwhen I came over the line.

Oh, so that wasn’t a joke?No, he really didnʼt. He said over the Tannoy system words to the effect of“Sorry love, youʼve come the wrong way. Go and do another lap”. Apparentlythe other Canadians there were cringing because they knew Iʼd won. It was alla bit deflating really and then, after that, I really donʼt know how to describe it. Iknew I had raced to the best of my ability so yes, I suppose I was very pleased

to have won.

In triathlon, as we know, you have to work on three separate sports. Wouldyou say that you are equally strong in all three?

Definitely not. Iʼm not that strong a swimmer.

So, do you train more on that discipline? Well not this year, because Iʼve been doing a lot more duathlons which involverunning, which Iʼm definitely stronger at and cycling which, I would say, comes aclose second. Therefore, these events play to my strengths. So the plan is that Iwill definitely work more on my swimming to bring it up to scratch for triathlons. Inever had swimming lessons when I was young, although more recently, I havehad some technique sessions and some coaching, I put the hours in I know Iʼll getbetter, but believe me, it does take hours.

On race day, do you have any special routine?Well, I always get up three hours before a race and have porridge with chocolatespread and raisins and fresh fruit. The size of the porridge portion will depend onwhat race Iʼm doing. Sometimes itʼs humungous, sometimes very little. Apart fromthat, nothing special really.

I suppose you take on more food whilst you’re on the bike?Well it depends how long the race is. I canʼt run with solid food in my stomach so, ifitʼs a shorter race, I just take gels. In fact, I did my first Ironman with nothing in thetank but water because I was cramping so badly. My energy levels droppedhorrendously but somehow I got through it.

So what’s your training schedule like? Do you train seven days a week?No, always one day off for recovery! Actually, it varies tremendously during theyear. At the moment Iʼm doing about ten hours per week, but building up toIronman, Iʼll be doing nearer 18 to 20.

During an Ironman you have to be out there on your own for a long time. Whatgoes through your mind?

Itʼs funny because when I did my first one, I had all sorts of things ready to thinkabout on the bike because I thought Iʼd be bored. As it turned out, I neednʼt haveworried. The whole time youʼre concentrating how youʼre riding, where you are,what the roadʼs going to be like round the next turning, how fast you should begoing, whether you should be speeding up or just cruising or where you are in the

race. Your mindʼs working the whole time; thereʼs no time to get bored. I thoughtat least there would be time on the downhill to recover, but there isnʼt. Youʼre

hanging on to the bike really hard because youʼre going so fast. Itʼs a longtime to have to maintain your concentration, and before you take part in one,

you just donʼt realise what a mental strain it is.

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I know you’ve had your share of injuries.How do you keep motivated when youcan’t train?

When you have an injury you have to lookon it as a time to concentrate on your otherweaknesses. My injuries usually come fromrunning so if I have to back off the running,I work on the cycling and the swim. Thesedays Iʼve got an incredibly good supportteam; an osteopath and physiotherapistand theyʼve made huge inroads intohelping me not get injured.

What I find amazing is that you haven’tbeen running that long. Surely you musthave always been sporty.

Yeah moderately, but you have toremember that when I was at school, it wasan era when competition was frownedupon, so we never had sports days orcross-country fixtures; it just wasnʼt seen asimportant to succeed at anything like that. I did compete occasionally but I didnʼtparticularly shine. However, Iʼve alwaysridden horses so theyʼve kept me fit.

Do you wish you’d started the sport whenyou were younger?

I donʼt really want to go there but Isuppose, yes, I have to say I do. If Iʼdstarted 20 years ago then I would have hadthe chance to be an elite athlete.

So, is there a little hint of regret there?No, not really, because life is what it is andyou canʼt live with regrets; you have to takewhat youʼve got and make the best of it. Tobe honest, I put quite a few years into otherthings that I found equally fulfilling such askarate, in which I have a black belt and Iʼvealso competed in equestrian events atinternational level, so Iʼve always donesomething.

I know you have a family so, how on earthdo you fit it all in?

Thereʼs a lot of things I donʼt do. I justnever sit down, I havenʼt watched a film inyears, I rarely go to the pub and I donʼt dohousework. Well, I do it when I can. It getsdone when it needs to get done, but itʼs nota priority.

Are your family sympathetic?Well I have two boys who are now of anage where they are doing their own thing.They donʼt complain… well, not a lot. Youhave to remember that we used to have astable yard and had fifteen horses outsidethe front door. I never sat down and I wasnever in the house. When we got rid of theyard I just didnʼt know what to do withmyself and the children werenʼt used tohaving me hanging around that muchanyway. So, there hasnʼt been much of achange.

So what advice would you give to anyonethinking of taking up triathlon?

Do it! Itʼs incredibly fulfilling, itʼs verysociable, it keeps you fit and healthy andnot just physically. It contributes a lot togood mental health too. If Iʼm in a rattymood I go out on a bike ride, and this isespecially true of a group ride, I come backfeeling on top of the world. I have to saycoming from the horsey world, the world oftriathlon has been a breath of fresh air.People in running and triathlon are sosupportive. Whether youʼre coming in firstor last, whoever you are, wherever youcome from, irrespective of your backgroundpeople support you and want you tosucceed.

So, for anyone thinking of doing aninternational event, what sort of cost isinvolved?

In fact, most of the entry fees for BTF racesarenʼt that bad; certainly less than theIronman. Obviously you have to factor inyour travelling and accommodation andthat will depend on where youʼre going. Ifyou go to Europe, most places you candrive to, accommodation doesnʼt have tobe that expensive and the race fees are thesame as anywhere else. In actual fact, itʼsoften no more expensive than a weekendaway in the UK. Itʼs just the Ironman andother branded races that are expensive.

So, what about the future? I have a few little goals in mind but Iʼd liketo keep my cards close to my chest if youdonʼt mind because if it doesnʼt happen, itlooks as if Iʼve boasted about what Iʼmgoing to do and thatʼs not the case at all. Ofcourse, there are things Iʼd like to do, butIʼm not saying that theyʼre going to bepossible. Iʼm definitely going to carry ondoing triathlon while I still enjoy it but I cansee other challenges such as adventureracing; things like orienteering and off-roadchallenges, that might be beckoning. Whoknows? Iʼll just wait and see whatopportunities present themselves.

Thanks Gill for giving us this insight. Can Iwish you and everyone else doing, orthinking of doing, triathlon events in thecoming year, the very best of luck.

Dear ReaderWould just like to add that, Iʼm sure many of usare feeling overawed and exhausted justreading this. I think it is worth bearing in mindthat although we are not all capable ofreaching the same heights as Gill, toparaphrase Chrissie Wellington, there is noshame in not succeeding, only in not trying.

Lynne Greenard

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Alison Cooper was nominated by her fellow athletes for‘Bedford Sports Awards 2013 Club Person of the Year’!

Many of you will have been lucky enough to be coached,mentored and encouraged by Alison over the last few years,whether it be at the weekly swim sessions, the evening roadbike rides in the summer and mountain biking in the winter,an email with advice to prep for a race or, an early morningtext to calm those pre-race nerves.

Every training session is thoughtfully put together and everylevel of ability is considered and planned for, all in Alisonʼsown time.

She has been on the Bedford Harriers Triathlon sub-committee since 2010, arranging taster sessions, clubchampionships and team events as well as all the otherthings you already know about.

Alison is always welcoming and inclusive and over the lastfew years she has dramatically increased participation intriathlon within the club as well as cycling and swimming inthe wider community. She regularly circulates information onup-coming events and has brought members from BedsRoad Cycling Club and the Harriers together for activities.She has also encouraged beginner cycling groups to shareinformation on rides and has put together a circulation list forall cycling activities.

Her approachable and down-to-earth nature means that noquestion is too small, or request too much trouble. Shedelivers these weekly sessions with enthusiasm, knowledge,experience and above all, a smile. She is always willing toanswer any questions and offer advice.

The awards application required evidence of Alisonʼsachievements and commitment, so the call went out togather some supportinginformation. Despite the verytight turnaround time, theresponse was fantastic andthe feeling unanimous thatAlison deserved somerecognition for her hardwork and all the time shegives, whether this be interms of motivation,encouragement,confidence or new skills.All of this done in her owntime, while working full-time, having a family andbeing a competitiveathlete herself.

Ode to RunningA couch potato at 21, I realised I was far too young.

I needed exercise, needed it fast,

to avoid becoming a lardy arse.

"Let's go to jog swim", a friend of mine said.

But first just a small point; best get out of bed!

A stretch session later I ran round the park

First surprise of the evening? I'm enjoying this lark!

(Second surprise, met the love of my life.

Seven years later he made me his wife.)

From one mile I moved on, to two, three and four,

And before I knew it I did even more.

Six days a week we used to run,

And strangely I still called it, FUN!

PB's abounded, this really was fate.

I ran a half marathon in 1.28!

3 marathons later a coach I became,

For really hard sessions I found my fame.

My ʻgroup loveʼ beginners, encourage their path

The arse end's our place and we have a good laugh

And all I can add is, if I found it fun

And I got PBʼs, anyone can run!

27 years forward I'm still going strong,

Coaching and crowd control, I run with the throng.

An Honorary Harrier I'm proud to say,

When I took up running? A fabulous day!

By Nette Cheets (and a little bit of Cint)

Alison Cooper nominated for

‘Club Person of the

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Year 2013’ Bedford Sports Awards

In addition to all the effort she puts into supporting fellowathletes and encouraging newcomers, Alison has achievedgreat successes herself, having competed in:

• Marathons• Half marathons• Duathlons on and off road• Ironman, Sprint, Standard & Middle distance triathlons

2013 • Althorp Duathlon, 1st in age category• Box End Off- Road Duathlon, 1st in age category

Editorʼs note: Although reaching the shortlist, unfortunatelyAlison was beaten to the top spot by someone from acompletely different sport. However, as these testimonialsprove, for anyone interested in triathlon, the title shoulddefinitely have been Alisonʼs.

There were countless positive comments from people who she hasbenefited; too many to list them all, but here are just some of them:

“Alison is a force to be reckoned with, not only did she help me toimprove my biking and swimming, she gave me confidence andadvice during my first sprint triathlon and encouraged me to join inother events such as Swimathon for charity, Box Endtriathlons/duathlons and BRCC time trials.”

“Mountain biking is another activity we have taken up this yeardue to Alison. She always organises great routes which are fun. Injust two months I am finding that I have improved with hermotivation and guidance.”

“Alison really deserves to win... she's a star”

“If it wasn't for Alison I would not be doing an Ironman next year.She let me borrow her Hybrid bike for the weekend and that'swhere is all started.”

“Alison motivated me to get cycling on a Tuesday eveningthroughout the summer. Rather than sitting on my backsidewatching the television, I was out in the fresh air with a group oflike-minded people, keeping fit & having fun. She is a selfless andtotally motivating person who, in my opinion, deserves to win thisaward as recognition for all she puts in.”

“I met Alison at my first Harriers session 5 years ago. Steve Cranetold her to look after me and she has been doing so ever since!”

“Alison deserves recognition for her thoughtful session planning,inclusive approach to training and dedication to helping others ofall abilities and ages to get involved and try new disciplines. She isalways willing to give advice and share her experience with others,and must devote most of her spare time to coaching swimming,cycling and MTB.”

“She is particularly encouraging to people who are new to thesport, giving advice on every aspect of triathlon training and hascoached so many inspirational sessions on all aspect of triathlons.All this, plus organising team events and get-togethers after theraces.”

“Alison gave me the confidence to take on my first low-key sprintdistance through to a half Ironman. She has helped me with everyaspect from getting me back on track after injury, to hints on howto tackle a race day heat wave, to balancing races out to get thebest results and the correct training to do in the week prior to arace. “

“For anyone who is lucky enough to know Alison it's like havingyour own personal coach and one who is always smiling andpositive. She brings out our potential and has helped so many ofus achieve things we never dreamed we were capable of.”

“A selfless individual who does not do all this for recognition; farfrom it. She does it because she enjoys it and has great pleasureat seeing others improve and enjoying the sport.”

“'Never forget the time I saw Alison in the park marshalling for TheBedford Triathlon and I said to her "I'd like to give a triathlon a go".That was it! No looking back! She got me through my first sprintand onto middle distances 2 years later. Her support,encouragement and advice has kept me going throughout, andher training sessions have improved my performance no end”

“If it hadn't been for Alison's encouragement and advice on myfirst triathlon, I don't think I would have even finished the swim, letalone completed the whole race and come first in my age group!Her dedication to helping others is outstanding.”

“We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what wegive and you give so much to so many.”

This was my birthday present for my(ahem) special birthday. Seemed likea good idea at the time! We weretravelling with Sportstours as theChicago entry system had crashed,leaving entries the result of a ballot.Not wanting to take a chance, weopted for a long weekend trip with allthe arrangements sorted for us.

Arriving at Chicago airport, our repWally took us to stay at the Essex Innon Michigan Avenue, a few minuteswalk from the race so ideally suited.Dumped the stuff then took the freetransfer school bus to the Expo.Number pick up was very efficient andthere was even a facility to changeyour T-shirt if you had chosen thewrong size. The expo was prettybig with lots of freebies andcheap pasta. Free bus backto the hotel and crashedout. Chicago is 6 hoursbehind so 9pm wasnow starting to feellike the middle of thenight.

Saturday wascarbo-loading,mooch-about day.The local delicalled ʻYolksʼ,served thesehuge breakfastswith non-stopcoffee.

Walked to the Willis building (formerlySears tower) and went up the 103floors for magnificent views and yes,we did brave sitting on the glass ledge!Saturday evening we opted for thepasta option in the hotel, with a sideorder of chips.

Sunday, up at 5am, porridge pots in theroom then set off at 6am for the start.Our wave was starting at 7.30am andwe knew that there would beheightened security after Boston, soneeded to ensure there was enoughtime to get through security, bag drop,loo and get in the corrals whichwere closing at 7.20.

There was a large police presence withsniffer dogs, FBI and police pretty mucheverywhere. This was reassuring andthere was a relaxed atmosphere at thestart area.

I was in my corral (C) far too early butdid not dare go out to go to the looagain. There was a 30 second silencefor Boston, the national anthem andthen we were off. 40,000 runners on abeautifully sunny, but fresh, day.

I had already decided that 5 weeks oftraining was going to result in a get-

round- safely approach so the firstfew miles were nice and steady.

My Garmin stopped telling memile splits after we had goneunder a long underpass so Ididnʼt take too much notice oftimes for a while. The supporton the race is, for the mostpart, very, very loud! Some ofthe posters that people had

were funny including:

Run likesomeone calledyou a jogger!

Don’t stop...you’re not thegovernment!

May thecourse be with you.

12

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By the time I had got to halfway I knewthat everything was going well and thatthere was a sneaky chance that I mightget under 4 hours. Most of the race isthrough the main streets but we alsowent through the Old Town and ChinaTown. Plenty of water stations alongthe route with loos at each of them. Ihad to stop twice for a wee but therewere no real queues.

By 20 miles I was still feeling good andsub 4 was definitely on the cards. Stillmaintaining pace by 23 miles andsuddenly a sub 3.55 was lookingpossible. 25 miles and still going OK.Legs were a bit tired by now butnothing too horrendous. 800m to go,just turn the corner and up the slope.Who decided that an incline at thisstage was a good idea???

Round the last turn and the finish wasin sight. Still running well and managedto wave arms as the line was crossed.

3.50.45!!!!!Really satisfied and pleased that allthose boring hours spent in the gymwhile injured seemed to have paid off.

The heat was starting to really pushthrough now and they were handingout ice-cold, wet towels (heaven!),bananas, ice bags, water, all sorts offood and a pint of beer. I had one sipthen decided that this probably wasnʼta good idea! The queue for baggagewas about 20 minutes. Apparently lastyear you could drop your own bag andgo on and pick it up yourself. With thesecurity this year, that had all changedand things took time. I walked to thereunite area to find Neil. He had a goodrun overall with 3.40.12, although heʼdnot been feeling brilliant for the first 5miles.

A slow walk back to the hotel, bath,rest then steak and chips and a coupleof beers with a few others, swappingstories.

Monday was an architectural river boattrip. This was a nice chance to see lotsof the city without walking too much.Monday evening flight back, arrivingTuesday morning, so quite a short trip.

Iʼd really recommend this race if youare thinking of entering one abroad.

Jenny Lovesey

Championship Races: 2014

10m Sandy - 30th March

5m Blisworth - 23rd May

Half MarathonNSPCC Milton Keynes: 6th July

5K Doug Anderson 30th July (date TBC)

10K Standalone 5th October (date TBC)

GOT A STORYfor next years edition of ‘On the Run’

Whether a beginner or aseasoned athlete, LGwould love to hear fromyou TODAY

Are you like me…? About this time of year I mull over what myevent options are for the year ahead. Let’s face it these daysthere is so much to choose from - especially if you consideryourself a triathlete or multi-sporter. Do I decide to stay in mycomfort zone and have another go at that middle or Olympicdistance triathlon and improve my time by a few minutes or doI go for a genuine challenge where there is a real fear of failurebut on the other hand it would be an incredible and memorableexperience.

Well this time last year whilst perusing the race calendars, I cameacross Brutal Events ʻJURASSIC MAN extreme TRIATHLONʼAugust 11th. 2.4 mile sea swim at Budleigh Salterton, Devon,cycle 112 miles west to east through ʻscenicʼ Devon and Dorset toSwanage and then run 26.2 miles along the southwest coast pathto Lulworth Cove. Race limit 100 and transport supplied for thepoint to point route. Free camping and about half the price of afull M dot race.

In my head I had no fear of the sea swim, having done IronmanNice and swum in Swanage Bay and how hard could the cycleroute be? Surely not like climbing up into the Alpe Maritimesnorth of Nice, the Peak District or Snowdonia, …And the run? - okthere will be some ups and downs, running (and walking) alongthe cliffs but there wonʼt be that 30 degree C heat and mind-numbing tarmac out-and-backs Iʼd experienced in Ironman Niceand Frankfurt.

So that was it; I entered. I had months to prepare; I signed up forthe Exmoor 27.5 mile coastal trail marathon, 2 consecutive daysof the Tour of Wessex sportive and the Mallorca 70.3 (middledistance) Ironman amongst others. I completed all without toomuch suffering and ramped up the training miles as much as Icould.

Mark Tinkler kindly* offered to support and we drove down on theThursday before the race to acclimatise. We camped at the HQsite in Charmouth, had a few test rides, “Mmm itʼs a bit hilly…!.”and trail runs and waited for everyone (slowly) to arrive. The HQarrived Saturday morning along with a few more competitors. Infact, they were very close to calling off the event due to so fewcompeting.

Race day dawned. We had to be up at 3am - quick breakfast andcoffee and waited for the cavalcade to drive to the swim start (anhour away). It was still dark when we arrived at BudleighSalterton; fear and loathing was beginning to well up inside me.What am I doing here? How am I going to get through this?

The swim was 3 clockwise laps of a triangle making up the 2.4miles. The hooter went and like lemmings (or Zombies), we slidinto the cold, grey water. Out to the first buoy then, a long legfurther out to the second. I kept a good line around the buoys on

the first 2 circuits, but the 3rd loop was bizarre. I looked up andsighted the furthest buoy every 6th stroke or thereabouts but,each time I looked up the buoy seemed further away and to myright - I was being sucked out to sea! Working hard I managed tofight my way back on course and swam the final leg parallel to thebeach. It took me 90 mins - 10-15 mins longer than I expected.We all stumbled out onto the pebbly beach trying to stay upright.The cold was now getting to me, so the quicker I got going on thebike the better. The first 45 mins on the bike was OK, a steadyclimb north then undulating quiet roads. It didnʼt last. For thenext 30 miles it was relentless shortish sharp hills likeSharpenhoe and Sundon but between 17% and 20% up anddown. I managed to ride a few but for most I had to walk slowly. lwasnʼt alone! At Checkpoint (CP)1, 40 miles, Mark was waitingand informed me I was averaging less than 12mph! Dark thoughtsbegan and I was close to deciding to pull out at the end of the 112mile bike leg. The next phase was a lot better; few hills and withan occasional slight tail wind. At CP2, 86 miles, I was tired butstill indecisive about continuing beyond the bike section. FromCP2 to T2 they hit us with the hills again, which were even longerand I was on auto-pilot by Corfe Castle. With very little left,physically and emotionally, the thought of 26.2 miles of hills, halfof it in the dark and finishing at around 11.30pm made me finallydecide to quit. Although I was well within the cut-off - there werestill quite a few behind me. Some carried on but had to quit duringthe run, some had to stop at T2.

Mark arrived at T2 and we got all my stuff together and headedback to base at Charmouth and fooood….! I soon recovered, wasfeeling mildly disappointed at having to stop, but relieved in equalmeasure.

20 competitors finished the race out of the 38 that entered. 12finished within the 18hr cut-off and the winnerʼs time was 14hr17mins! Ok, I still regret not at least starting the run, but my legsthanked me as, a few weeks later, I was belting round theSilverstone Duathlon course with no after-effects.

Would I do it again? Well of course! Trouble is, it was a one-off;Brutal Events / VOTWO deciding that logistics and cost were waytoo much for such low competitor numbers. Shame… but maybejust a smidgeon of relief?

By Richard Piron

JurassicMan – A TRI TOO FAR... ?

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* Having Mark there was real bonus, mainly for the company but especially as I knewheʼd be following me around the course in my car in case things went badly wrong.In his words “in case the wheels fall off”.

JURASSICMAN EXTREME TRIATHLONrun by Brutal Events with VO2

Just a quick report on Richard Piron's attemptat this - I think he was drawn in by the soundand attractiveness of this small event..... a nicelittle 3.8k swim in the English Riviera.... apleasant little 112 mile cycle with a tail wind inthe sunshine up the coast.... and a 26 milestroll along the coastal path to Lulworth Cove....with superb picture postcard views all the time.

Well the clue might have been in the title andthe fact that Brutal Events were running it!When we arrived Richard wanted to ask thecharming Race Director Claire if the hills wereeasy.... but I thought this might look a bit foolishas she turned up with 'BRUTAL' plastered onthe side of her van. So he asked the localfarmer running the campsite about thegradients - and he likened it to running up theside of his house :(((

Well the swim in the channel was horribly coldand there was a current with a swell and it tookover 90 mins. It then took him 10 mins to climbup the pebble beach to get to T1. 3 hours later,at the 40 mile bike check point, he waspleading with Miss Brutal - I mean the racedirector Charming Claire - that it was too'Brutal' and he wanted to stop, but she and herparamedic wouldn't let him, telling him he coulddo it. The same thing happened at T2 whichwas another 3 hours and 80 miles in.... andthen finally, he refused to continue after an 8hr-55 bike saying he didn't want to join thedinosaurs or spend his birthday in hospital.Maybe there is a glimmering of common senseevolving here?

It was too ʻBrutalʼ; only 10 got within the 18hour limit. The fastest was 14hr-15. Some ofthe competitors who finished were trying towalk round the campsite the following day as ifthey had broom handles down their trouser legs

Will be interesting to see if they do this eventagain - very scenic with pretty coves andvillages but the 20+% hills are something else.If you've done the Grizzly down there, you'llknow it can get ridiculous.

Next year anyone?by Mark Tinkler

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Most of the best days start as a flippantsuggestion whilst pounding the streets ofBedford on a Harriers training night and itwas one of those days when AndyPalombella suggested we enter a mixedteam into the GreensandsRidge Relay to make an

assault on the Flyers Trophy in June.

The relay takes place over a 33 mile course,split into 6 legs, running from Waterside Parknear Leighton Buzzard to Northill Church,passing through the undulating (hilly)countryside of Bedfordshire. A team ofenthusiastic Harriers comprising 3 men and3 women was formed. These were AndyPalombella, Anna Folland, Carla Fisher, Gill Fullen, GaryButler and Ian Hammett. There was no pressure to do well untilthey were named the ʻBedford Harrierʼs SAS squadʼ…… Howeverwe had a secret weapon as Andy had trained on the ridge whenhe was just a wee boy (mid 20ʼs) and Carla had completed therace as a solo competitor so was familiar with all of the routes.

The weeks leading up to the race were spent reccying the routeswith varying success; a couple of people who shall remainnameless ended up running 17 miles instead of 12 one Sunday,and others took numerous wrong turns even though we distinctlyheard them say “Iʼm sure itʼs this way”… and “trust me I used tolive round here”!

That was all part of the fun though in preparation for race day andonce the routes were fathomed out, the straws were drawn as towho would run which leg, and then the logistical arrangementswere made; the main one being that Ian had offered to make theteam Chocolate Brownies to consume once they had finished therace!!

Race day arrived and the SAS squad were to be pitted against afield of 43 teams, all starting at slightly differing times due to theirpredicted handicap, which was cunningly based on age. This waswith the aim of ensuring that teams arrive at the finish at similartimes.

Anna had the responsibility of the 5.5 mile lead-off leg fromWaterside Park to Stockgrove Park starting at 12:23. We were the31st team to get going and Anna didnʼt disappoint as she got usoff to a flyer, running the 13th quickest time over the leg beforehanding the baton to Carla. Carla then built on Annaʼs great startby running a new F35 leg record over the 4.2 mile route fromStockgrove Park to Woburn and the 6th fastest overall, putting the

SAS in 7th place. Ian was up next and faced the longest leg of9.1 miles from Woburn to Millbrook. Keeping the momentumgoing, he ran the 2nd fastest time over the leg to move theHarriers up to 4th place overall before handing over to Andy.

Andy had a hilly 5.8 miles to cover from Millbrook to DeadmanʼsHill, but this wasnʼt going to deter him and he maintained the SASstrong position by posting the 6th fastest time over the leg withGill Fullen then blasting out a new leg 5 record for F45 over the5.2 miles from Deadmanʼs Hill to Deadmanʼs Cross. This left Garywith the 4.7 miles fromDeadmanʼs Cross to NorthillChurch to take the so-called gloryleg, where the team and brownieswere eagerly awaiting him tocross the finish line. In typicalsprint finish style, Gary broughtthe SAS team home posting the7th fastest time on his leg.With the race complete,refreshments on board andbrownies being consumedhungrily, the team awaited theresults. The efforts had all beenworth it as they became the firstmixed team ever to break fourhours, completing the course in anew record of 3:50:22, winning theMixed Relay and the covetedFlyerʼs trophy. The team alsofinished a remarkable 4th overall,only being beaten by three verygood all-male teams. Well doneeveryone; it was a great team effort….

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Greensands Ridge RelayJune 2013

Lets defend the trophy in 2014By Ian Hammett

When we set off on our year-long tour of Europe in ourmotorhome on 11 December 2012, it was always my intentionto try to run a race in each country we visited, as long as thatdidn’t compromise the spontaneity of our trip (we had noitinerary, only one fixed aim - following the Tour de France fromstart to finish -, and I didn’t want to chase races). In the event,plantar fasciitis, severe winter/spring weather and a lack ofraces in certain countries scuppered that plan.

Our first country was Spain, and we spent Christmas in themountain village of Guejar Sierra, north of Granada. We had alovely walk in the mountains on Christmas Eve in glorioussunshine (shorts, T shirts and shades), but Christmas Day waswet and windy, and we got even more stares than we do inBromham as we donned our Santa hats for our traditionalChristmas morning run! As we ran through the village centre, Ispotted an advert for the 2nd Carrera Urbana Nocturna deNavidad, a few days later. I entered us online (I didnʼt tell Peterthat there were only about 12 entrants on the start list), and, on theevening of 27 December, we walked the mile or so to the villagecentre. At first, we seemed to be the only ones there - although Iwould have expected most runners to turn up early to go throughtheir pre-race routine, it seems Spanish runners live up to thereputation of ʻmananaʼ. We watched the childrenʼs races first.

During our race, I soon knew the meaning of ʻoxygen deficitʼ” - thecourse was several laps of a really, hilly, twisty circuit. It was oneof those routes where you turn a corner and think: “We canʼt begoing up that hill!” but, of course, we were! There were lots ofprizes for all age groups, but the presentation was swift andefficient, and I won a trophy and town council T shirt for my effortsas third vet. Unfortunately, the last few months of planning our trip

and wedding had taken its toll on Peter, who found the racejust too hard for his level of fitness, and he was

unable to finish.

Next stop Portugal, and I was delighted to be able to enter theinaugural Torres Vedras 10km near Lisbon. Iʼd entered via email,and only had to pick up my race pack, but registration was chaos,with one poor organiser getting really stressed. There was a hugecrush of people collecting their race packs, and nobody seemedto want to own up to speaking English, but eventually I got mine.The race started on a hill, and the drinks stations included wine.The course was all on road, including some rural lanes, withhardly any spectators, and I somehow managed to put in a lasteffort, as the woman I could see in front of me looked as thoughshe might have been in my age group. There was a band playingat the finish line, and the goody bag included a welcome packet ofcrisps, apple and wine, and a nice red technical top that actuallyfits me.

We followed other runners to the prize-giving at Casa Beneficeclub (a famous football team in case you, like me, didnʼt know), areally interesting little club house, all in red, with huge trophies,framed shirts and photographs on display. Lots of trophies,bunches of flowers and garlands were being awarded. I heard myname called out and, seeing a woman on the third place on thepodium, I stood on second, but was told Iʼd actually one thisparticular vets category, and received a trophy.

Rossdorf 10km - Prizes galore

12 Months20 Countries 11 Races

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In France, I entered the 2nd Escalquens 10km (there was also a5km). Starting in the car park of a Decathlon store on the outskirtsof Toulouse, this was the closest Iʼd been to a race start from“home“. We parked in the car park, and I was grateful for my ownprivate changing room and shower, as the store was closed(remember when Sundays used to be like that in the UK?) andthere were no toilets. Before the start, I had to hand over a signedletter from my GP indicating that there was no medical reason forme not to take part (thanks to Bob Wells for pointing out the rulesin France). The flat route was a mixture of road, canal banks andmuddy trails, and I was really concerned about getting my newshoes dirty, as these ones had to last me the whole trip. As wewaited for the prize-giving, we were entertained by a team ofabout eight red cross volunteers, part-time firemen, etc, whohelped a guy whoʻd struggled across the finish line. Hope he hadhis GPʼs letter! I was 1st FV2 (European vets categories donʼtindicate the age grouping, though I expect this one meant FV50),and I won another trophy. Peter wasnʼt too bothered - although wewere restricted on weight and space, Iʼd already sent my first twotrophies home with my brother when weʼd met up with him on askiing holiday in Montchavin.

Three races and three podium finishes - all that was to change inSwitzerland -Laufsporttag (Running Sports Day) Winterthur.Switzerland seems to have these events everywhere all yearround, and this one was really popular, with races for all agegroups. Peter and my friend, Tish, both entered the 5km walk onthe spur of the moment, and I regretted not joining them, as it tookme almost as long to run my race, as I was terrified on the snowand ice-packed course up and down through woodlands. Anothergreat atmosphere on the course and at the finish, though. Peoplehad even written: “hop, hop” on the path near the finish line - thisis the shout of encouragement in German at races. Our finisherʼs“medal” was a chocolate-covered cake in a box, a muesli bar anda raffle ticket . A cunning ploy by the organisers, the huge tombolawith decent prizes was drawn after the presentation, meaningmost people stayed until the end.

Liechtenstein, a tiny country, had no races for months, and inAustria we were caught up in lots of snow, meaning the raceswere too far away to get to in difficult driving conditions. And so itwent on; Slovenia, Croatia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria - mostlyreally poor weather, and also no races where we were.

As if by magic, it was warm and sunny when we crossed theborder into Greece, and we stayed out for an hour as we enjoyedour first run in about six weeks. Searching for races in Greece,there seem to be lots of ultra runs and long-distance trail events.So, with neither of us having trained, we ended up entering the

Sfendami Mountain Festival, a 23 km, hot, hilly trail run in thefoothills of Mount Olympus. I was worried about Peter - heʼd onlyrun two half marathons in his life and the Malta Challenge(including a 25km race ) with Bedford Harriers, which was in

1999! He later described Sfendami as the toughest race of his life,but he did brilliantly, finishing less than 30 minutes behind me, in3.28.17. He even gave an amazing speech, when he wasinterviewed just after finishing, and was asked his views on theeconomic crisis in Greece! We were made to feel so special bythe organisers and fellow runners at this event - I was given aheaddress and asked to present prizes. The medal is one of thebest Iʼve ever received in thirty years of races - stained glass inthe shape of a maple leaf, symbol of the Sfendami MountainFestival. We recovered next day by watching the mountain bikerace over the same route weʼd run - surely even more gruelling.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w2d9WoNON64&feature=youtu.be

Next, a ferry to Italy. For over thirty years, my first-claim club, LesCroupiers (Cardiff), has organised the Welsh Castles Relay. It istraditionally held on the second weekend in June, and Iʼve hardlymissed a race, so when I saw the Citta di Castello half marathonadvertised for the same weekend, I just had to do it. Luckily, it isin Umbria, a part of Italy we were really keen to explore. When Ipicked up our numbers the day before, the organisers couldnʼtbelieve weʼd chosen that town, of all the places in Italy, to run ourrace, but we were glad we had. We turned up at the motorhomeaire (serviced parking area), to find it newly-completed and not yetopened. We didnʼt sleep all night, with an organised rave in thepark. The course itself was not particularly exciting, out into fairlydull rural roads, but with a great finish in the cobbled centre.

The goody bag was something else - bottles of locally-producedwine and olive oil, shampoo, coffee, vitamin supplements,wooden novelty key ring, etc - and a plastic medal! There wasalso a nice selection of cakes and, of course, proper coffee, freefor all runners. Peter did really well in 2.15.45 , although he toldme, because heʼs so unused to racing, he wasnʼt sure if thedistance markers were in miles or kilometres and, when herealised they were km, he was gutted at how far he still had to go!I later found my 1.47.50 was surprisingly good enough for first vetcat1st Cat P. We made good friends with another motorhomer,Tonino, and his fiancee, and the four of us shared running (andlife) stories in English, Italian and Spanish (just like any otherpost-race chat, really).

After the Tour de France (another article, perhaps), we had agreat time in Luxembourg, another tiny country with no race whilewe were there, so next racing stop was to be Germany, warmedup by our stint of volunteering at the European Half IronmanChampionships at Wiesbaden.

At Darmstadt, I saw the local running club training on the trackwhilst we were at the outdoor pool, and asked about races. Justfive miles away, at 4.30 pm the following Saturday, was theRossdorf 10km, and we received a very friendly, helpful reply fromthe organiser in response to my email. On the day, for just 8Euros, we had a T shirt, sponge and anti-inflammatory gel, as wellas a free post-race swim and shower at the town open air pool. Itwas 35 degrees when we ran, and we puffed and panted our wayround the hilly, lap course in town. Each lap took us to the centre,with its music, food and drink festival and enthusiastic crowds,and the impromptu drinks stations and showers set up outsidepeopleʼs homes, reminded me of races in the South Wales valleyswhen I first started running in the early 80ʼs. Post-race goodiesincluded fruit and alcohol-free beer, and I stood on a podium ofbeer crates to receive my vetʼs prize of flowers and a book ofpoetry. Unfortunately, Peterʼs calf went, and he literally hoppedhome in 63.08, whilst I managed 46.33

For my race in the Czech Republic, I entered the World MastersMountain Running Championships, Janske Lazna - 8600m, with650m elevation, and another hot day. The previous evening, weʼdenjoyed a lovely outdoor opening ceremony, with singing andbands, and the whole event felt special. On the day, we were setoff in five-year age groups, and I felt a bit out of my depth amongthe fell runners. The course was, of course, hilly (and hot) and mylack of training really showed. I could only manage 15th FV50.

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Sfendami Mountain Festival - Prize-giving

19

Even so, I was elated to be part of this unique event, and thelovely medal, with the words “Athletics for Life”, is one I shalltreasure for a long time.

http://www.maratonstav.cz/dokumenty/propoziceANJ_MS_2013.pdf

In Poland, I ran the Wroclaw marathon with just 12 hours notice - Ionly found out about it because we were camped at the OlympicStadium, where the race started and finished. This lack ofpreparation actually made for a lovely, relaxed, excitingexperience - I ran with the 4.00 pace maker (who didnʼt quitemake it), and managed 4.00.49, 2nd FV50. The post-raceexperience was even more fun - limited free food and drink, butso many runners and supporters sitting around to enjoy therefreshments and presentation - a real buzz as we chatted to lotsof friendly runners. Entry fee souvenirs included a technical vestand sunglasses.

Buoyed by finishing thatmarathon comfortably, I hadno qualms when the first raceI spotted in our next country,Slovakia, was anothermarathon, three weeks later.Being the oldest marathon inEurope, and the secondoldest in the world, the 90thKosice International PeaceMarathon was already full,but a quick email to theorganisers and I was in. At acost of 40 Euros, though(negotiated down from 50, asI was a first-timer at Kosice),plus ten Euros to hire aChampionchip (this iscommon at lots of races on

the Continent, so many runners buy their own). This time,although still not racing, I decided to run without the aid of apacemaker, and managed 3.57.29. A fast, flat two-lap coursestarting and finishing in a beautiful medieval city, with a greatatmosphere - this race is one for your bucket list. Crossing thefinish line, I was given a plastic blanket and a medal which Peterlater described as like a shopping trolley

“The goody bag contained an apple, banana, water, alcohol-freebeer and a chocolate bar. As a “woman-friendly” race, I actuallyreceived a smart, womenʼs cut technical top.

In Austria , in glorious Autumn sunshine, I entered the 42nd StWolfgang 27km Classic - probably one of the most scenic racesIʼve ever done, and definitely one of my worst performances ever.Peter did the 11th Shoreline10km. Wish Iʼd done the same, oreven the 5.2km .Thereʼs also a marathon now - all races havedifferent starts, the marathon even in the next town, but all comeinto the same finish. Peterʼs race meant a free shuttle ferry acrossthe lake, but there was a bit of panic when we realised we werewaiting at the wrong terminal! In the Classic, after about 5km, thecourse rises sharply and, of course, what goes up, must comedown. I ran (or shuffled) all the way to the top, only to be passedby, literally, about 500 runners, as I hated the steep, shinglydescent through woodland. Back on the flat again, I picked up thepace, but never made up for all the time lost, and finished in amiserable 2.40.56. Peter had run a brilliant 59.41 and, spookily,our min/km were exactly the same - 5.58. The route ispermanently marked on the shared foot and cycle path, withpainted lines and wooden marker posts, and we cycled it twodays later so I could show Peter what Iʼd been through. Of course,it wasnʼt really that steep a descent, after all. Have a go if youʼreever on holiday in this most beautiful part of Austria or, better still,enter one of the St Wolfgang races held during the year (includingduathlon and triathlon).

Amazingly, even though both small countries have extensive racecalendars throughout the year, there was nothing in Belgium orHolland that fitted in with our plans, as we were by now on a tightschedule for the ferry home on 1 December. A few days later, Iwas back amongst familiar runners and spectators at our veryown Harriers Half Marathon.

Entering races overseas is easy and fun. Iʼve often thought Iʼd liketo enter big city marathons for the experience when I no longerfeel I want to actually race them, and Wroclaw and Kosice haveconvinced me to do so. Itʼs also great to find a small, local event,perhaps part of a festival, where the organisers, fellow runnersand spectators will make you feel very welcome and special (aslong as you donʼt take all the prizes!). For all races, we proudlywore our Harriers vests, playing our small part in putting thisbrilliant club on the map across Europe.

Some of the websites I used to find my races:www.activeeurope.com www.marathons.ahotu.comI wrote reports for some of the races, a few of which are on theHarriers website, others I deemed too long and detailed, but Iwould be happy to send to any insomniacs out there! Also, morethan happy to chat about our international race experience, andhelp you plan yours.

Happy travelling!Ronnie & Peter (I couldn’t have done it without him!)

Marathoner statue, Kosice

Rossdorf 10km - Hopping into the finish

St Wolfgang

British Triathlon Awards 2013by Justin Burrell

What an amazing event! To be mixing withthe elite in triathlon & duathlon, with noneother than Chrissie Wellington as guestspeaker for the night was awe-inspiring, andthat includes Harriersʼ own Gill Fullen to

whom massive congratulations are due.

We were somewhat privileged in our seating arrangement to beadjacent to table number 14 where Johnny and Alistair Brownleeand Lucy Gossage were seated. Later we realised Non Stanfordwas also on the table! The award-giving was soon underwayafter some brief introductory speeches, and Gillʼs category wasone of the first to be presented. I specifically remember lookingat Gill while they were listing her yearʼs achievements andreasons why she was nominated and trying to read her face. Did she realise she had won before they actually made theannouncement? She gave nothing away and seemed to take itall in her stride when her name was called out. She had just wonFemale Age Group Triathlete of the Year; the most prestigiousaward for British Triathlon that she could ever possibly achieveand I am still not sure she realises the enormity of what she hasaccomplished. The award not only recognises the athleteʼssporting achievements, but also what they give back in support ofother members of the team whilst competing for GB.

Getting to know Gill a little better this past year, itʼs plainlyobvious that sheʼs an extremely dedicated and outstandingathlete. On top of that, she also offers lots of support at racesand encourages we Harriers to challenge ourselves; she isalways full of praise when we compete or race well. I have alsowitnessed her being nervous at the start of a race which seemedstrange to me at the time. How could anyone so accomplishedbe, well, so normal?

Observing all the elite competitors and award winners, it struckme that, in essence, they are all as ʻnormalʼ as the rest of us,albeit blessed with an extraordinary talent. I also realised that inno way should that stop us “taking a chance” to coin part ofChrissie Wellingtonʼs speech. The Olympic legacy is still strongwithin the ranks of triathlon and the governing bodies are tryingvery hard to make it more accessible to all, particularly tochildren. We were all asked during the awards night to encourageothers to try it. Hence, I am using this opportunity to ask YOU, ifyou have not already tried a duathlon or triathlon, to give it a go.It could be you racing for Team GB or even accepting that awardin a few years time!

Gill and Chrissie

Gill and the Alistair Brownlee

Gill and the support crew

Lynne and Steve

Across: 3 grizzly 5 fixture 6 carb load 9 lamp post 10 circuits 12 squeaky bone 13 IT 14 hoodie 15 pull buoy 17 warm up Down: 1 effort 2 Kona 4 Indian file 5 fartlek 6 chip 7 coach 8 brick 11 ten to two 12 stretch 16 quad

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