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The main event this week was the Dorney Lakes 20 where we had Anna, Anne, Rachel and Charlotte W running. It is a marathon prep event offering 16, 20 or 24 mile races. It is a 4 mile loop around Dorney lake with water stops every 2 miles. All of our runners were doing the 20 mile option.
Results were as follows:
Charlotte W - 2:42:19
Anna H - 2:50:15
Rachel - 3:14:49
Anne - 3:36:53
Amazing marathon prep and some superb times. Well done all of you!
Also preparing for the London Marathon was Tina. Tina takes a less than standard approach to marathon prep...she had decided to run the Queen Elizabeth Spring Marathon...a hilly tail marathon set at Queen Elizabeth Country park. Tina had recently finished radio therapy and the day after start chemotherapy. Given all of that it would've been easy to not run...but not Tina!! As her last long run before London Tina rose to the challenge and completed it in just under the 7 hour cut off in 6:53:32. As ever Tina continues to inspire! Best of luck for your next round of treatment and I can't wait to hear how you get on at London!!
This week we had 20 Fit Clubbers running at 5 different parkrun venues. There were 16 at Winchester, Shelley at Leamington, Jake at Bournemouth, Glenna at Gateshead and Jo at Hove Promanade.
There were so many highlights this week. Here are the PBs:
Charles (17:52) – New club record
Ben S (19:13)
Jake (20:51)Anna (22:36)
Alice (23:48)
Catherine (24:08)
Elise (24:16)
Philippa D (26:02)
Trish (26:47)
And we also had the following achievements:
Shelley set a Leamington PB and her fastest parkrun since Jan 2015 (26:04). In a similar vein we had Jo running her fastest parkrun since 2016 (27:02) and I ran my fastest time with the double buggy (24:22)
Here is the consolidated parkrun club report:
Thursday 28th Training Session - South Winchester Park and Ride Intervals
With this being the last session before the clocks went forward, and therefore of the winter, we decided to head to the South Winchester park and ride for one last sprint session.
To keep things interesting I had decided to do a real mixed bag of sprints to keep the 17 runners on their toes! We started with a normal warm-up jog before grouping at the normal start point.
We started with a standard 2x1min sprint with jog recovery back to the start point. This was just the warm up!
The second exercise was a repeat of one we did a few months ago. There is straight section of road which has 8 parking sections (roughly 30m long) spaced evenly along it and at the top of the 8 sections there is a path. We therefore set-up the session so that the runners sprinted up the first parking section and then jogged along the path and down the second, sprint up the 3rd and jog down the 4th, sprint up the 5th and jog down the 6th, sprint up the 7th and jog down the 8th. The runners then had to sprint as hard as they could back to the start (roughly 200m). This was repeated twice through. After this we paired up into pairs of roughly the same ability. Then, round a half km loop one runs one way and the other the opposite way. When they meet at the far end the tag each other and turn and run back the way they came. The aim is to beat their partner back to the start. We played two rounds of this.
Lastly we played a new game called "Chase the rabbit". The same pairs of runners lined up in two lines. One line faced down the road towards a set of cones about 50m away. The second line turned, took a large step forward and faced in the opposite direction. When the whistle blew the front line legged it off towards the cones, whilst the second line had to turn and sprint after them. The aim was to catch their partner (The Rabbit). The aim was for the front runner to reach the cones before being caught. Everyone then jogged back to the start, and the partners swapped roles with one running and one chasing. This was repeated three times through in total, with the first rep being to cones 50m away and the second and third being to cones a 100m away. It seemed to prove popular with lots of squeals as they were caught or realised that their partner was getting close.
After this we warmed down and stretched!
Next week’s session will be meeting at Garnier Road (by St Catherines) car park at 7pm. Please note that the parking is restricted at the moment at Garnier Road so please ensure you leave enough time to get there and get parked. Consider parking on the road or in the St Catherines park and ride and walking across.
Race Reports
Eastleigh 10km By Coach James
I have long heard good things about the Eastleigh 10km. Known for being fast, flat and well organised it is a race that I have wanted to do for some time. I wasn’t able to enter this year due to an impending trip to the Harry Potter Studios (for the kids, obviously) however when that was moved I sought a space through my contacts. I was therefore lucky to get a place just a week before.
As the day got closer it seemed that the weather was going to be near perfect conditions; 8 degrees, sunny with just a light wind. A far cry from last year when it was called off due to heavy snow!! The morning of the race came about and Bertie was so excited about it he woke up at 5:15! Not ideal, but I’m used to this now. I arrived in Eastleigh just after 8 and headed over to the Sports Centre where I eventually met up with the rest of the Fit Club team. It was helpful being able to grab our t-shirts beforehand (I went for the fetching coral colour) and even more helpful when we found out that Catherine had bagged a VIP parking space right out front of the centre! We therefore dumped our bags in her boot along with her ginger and pine needles ;-).
After the obligatory team photos we headed over towards the start area. I needed a wee so joined the huge queue. I’d been in it for nearly 5 minutes before someone pointed out that there were urinals behind the portaloos, so I was able to skip the queue all together! I headed over to the start where they had divided the start into times. I found Tom and Colin in the 40-45 section and we determined that we all wanted roughly the same time (sub 44) so decided to go off together. The target was 7 min/mile. We also found ourselves in the same pen as Ewan Thomas, the 400m Olympian.
The race started and we were off. We settled into a good early pace, although slightly faster than we discussed, but it felt comfortable. We got through 2 miles in under 14mins and we were working hard as a team to maintain the effort. The 3rd mile contained the only hill on the course. Whilst not particularly steep or long you did feel it in your legs and not knowing where the top was meant I wasn’t sure how hard to push. We still maintained a good pace up to the top and then rounded the corner onto the long downhill section.
The race was really well supported all the way around and as we hit 5km (in a little over 21 mins) we saw Rachel and Will cheering us on and taking pictures. At this point Colin had slipped back slightly and Tom was feeling strong and so said he was pushing on. He looked good as he eased away from me at around the 6km mark. At around 7km we reached the point where the lead runners were just turning into the park to finish (the clock ready 28mins, which is madness). This spurred me on and I tried to pick the pace up a bit. I knew that it was just a short loop around the housing estate and college and we would be back at the park.
As I headed round the bend back onto the main road I could see the finish and knew I was on for a big PB. I now knew that I was close to going under 43 minutes and so hard to make one final effort to get to the line. On entering the park the path to the finish was lined with supporters and that gave us just the lift we needed. I saw Glenna’s Dave and then saw Rachel and Will again. One last sprint and I was in! I finished in 42:46 and had take 2:09 off of my previous PB. I was ecstatic!!
I waited at the line for Colin and didn’t have to wait long before he came in. Tom, Colin and I finished within a minute of each other and all achieved new PBs. We grabbed our medals, a banana, some jaffa cakes and a slice of the excellent cake provided by the WI and headed back to cheer in the other Fit Clubbers. We didn’t have to wait for long before we saw Sarah and Jenny’s friend Katie come steaming through, closely followed by Sarah. As the other came through it was clear that the majority of the runners had bagged new PBs, so there were lots of smiles and happy runners.
Once we were all through we grabbed some more photos and headed back to collect our bags from Catherine’s boot before heading off. I was so proud of us as a team for the support we showed each other before, during and after. I loved running with Tom and Colin; it was great having others to push me and support me on the way round. I can’t wait for the next race that the team will be together at!!
Congratulations to everyone who took part and for all of the amazing times that you posted.
Eastleigh 10km By Catherine Westoby
James mentioned someone he knew had an Eastleigh 10k place available when I was full of adrenaline post a track session. I said I was interested without really thinking too much about it. I’ve struggled with injury since October last year but felt really good after the track and was promised a ‘flat course’.
Eastleigh 10km By Catherine Westoby
James mentioned someone he knew had an Eastleigh 10k place available when I was full of adrenaline post a track session. I said I was interested without really thinking too much about it. I’ve struggled with injury since October last year but felt really good after the track and was promised a ‘flat course’.
My race pack came through the post a couple of days before the event and I was really excited. On the day of the race I got down to Eastleigh with plenty of time to spare and was surprised how many people there were milling about. We met up with the rest of the fit clubbers and got the ‘pre-race photo’ and started the race chatting to Lynn. I had decided I would try to run the first 5k fast to try and meet my challenge time as part of the race and also to see if I could replicate the times I was doing at the track.
Before I knew it 5k was done and I’d clocked a sub-25 5k which isn’t something I’ve managed before! I had every intention of slowing down as I assumed my injury would flare up but got carried away with the buzz of the race, beautiful sunshine and everyone else around me running fast. I managed to get to almost 8k before feeling a niggle, but by that time in my head I’d already run most of the race and it wasn’t too far to carry on through the pain. The finish line was on a nice straight, however it was very busy and I found it difficult to sprint to my full potential as there were too many people in the way. Just before I crossed the line I heard Coach James bellow “don’t fall”… always present with vote of confidence.
After crossing the line I immediately clocked the table of jaffa cakes and selection of cakes…! My post run banana was redundant.
I headed back to meet up with the rest of the fit clubbers and cheer everyone else in. All in all I thought Eastleigh was a great course, pretty flat with only one hill, lots of marshals and a nice bright finishing t-shirt. Really happy to get a PB and will absolutely consider it as a race for next year.
London Landmarks Half Marathon By Anna Hastie
Two weeks ago I arrived home to find my race pack waiting for me and was excited to see they had named each of the waves and I was in ‘Cheetah’! Being a massive cat fan – both big and small – this was definitely the best wave to be in! My race number even had a picture of a cheetah on it!
The next week or so was spent thinking a lot about times and paces and what I may be able to achieve. Being a naturally cautious runner, never wanting to run out of steam, and always wanting a sprint finish, I settled on taking it at a sensible pace for the first half and if all was well pushing the pace for the second half.
With three days to go my world was turned upside down. Marmite, our cat who we had for almost 9 years and our best little friend, was found by Mike at the side of the road as he headed out on a pre-work early morning run. This loss has left us completely heart broken and barely functioning.
I to’d and fro’d with whether to even run the race, and making it to the start line was going to be an achievement in itself. My pre-race lead up had been less than ideal, struggling to eat or drink anything and barely having slept with eyes swollen from all the crying. Kindly my sister and her husband had us over the night before the race and cooked up a runners carb feast ensuring I ate plenty to fill me up (dinner consisted of mac & cheese, sweet potato chilli, rice, garlic bread and some salad for good measure!).
Sunday morning arrived, getting up early not a problem for either of us having again barely slept, and we made our way to London. I was so touched and grateful for the personal messages I received both to wish me good luck and also support from those who knew what had happened, before and after the race. These have been of great comfort to me.
Arriving at the race start area, there was already a great atmosphere with the Equinox stage providing some fun (and a little crazy!) encouragement and warm ups! It soon became time for me to head towards my starting pen. Having a few tears and then saying goodbye to Mike, there was no longer a race plan, the only plan was to run how I felt, if this meant sprinting I would sprint, if this meant walking I would walk, the plan was to take each mile, each step as it came.
It wasn’t too long a wait until the race started and we were edging closer to the start line. There was a buzz in the atmosphere as we crossed the line, however, it was particularly congested at the start, very stop start, and it wasn’t until mile 1 or 2 that some space began to appear. The course itself is fantastic. It’s a bit of a zig zaggy course, with plenty of u-turns(!), but it really does go past all the landmarks and the spectators are amazing, lining the streets from start to finish. I really don’t remember seeing a single spot where there weren’t any spectators.
There was so much going on along the route, particularly memorable were the many bands and performances really creating the atmosphere and at about mile 9 the route was covered by bubbles and running through them was fun! (although maybe not the best if you’re running seriously and trying to win the race!!)
The nature of the route means that between miles 4 and 11 it is very easy for supporters to move around to multiple points. Mike had told me at the start he was aiming to be somewhere around mile 4, mile 6, mile 8 and mile 11 and he would always be on my right. Having so many points to look out for Mike, with the longest stint without seeing him only being 4 miles, really helped me to push on. He even managed to pop up at 1 or 2 other locations!
What surprises me in any race (or even park run) is the number of runners who will take any opportunities for a short cut! The cones lining out an early u-turn saw many people cut this turn short, and many runners crossing pavements when opportunities arose to avoid a corner. Me, being a stickler for the rules, along with one or two others, would conscientiously ensure we were completing the full route!
At one point in particular fairly early on in the race, I dipped my head feeling the tears surfacing, when someone, possibly reading my body language, cheered my name, giving me the energy and spirit to look up, smile and thank them, and continue on my way! They will never know the enormity of how a simple cheer picked me up, so any race supporters out there, never underestimate how helpful you are or the impact you can have!
Running truly is amazing therapy, running the half marathon gave me space to be with my thoughts and allowed me to have space and time to grieve, whilst enjoying the beautiful route, beautiful weather and amazing atmosphere. As I neared the finish I realised I didn’t want the race to end and started considering slowing down!
Returning home was tough for both of us, we went straight out to see Marmite, both coming to the same realisation that now was the right time to bury him, saying our final goodbyes to his body and putting him to rest in peace. Perhaps not the fun post-race celebrations that should have been enjoyed, but a beautiful and peaceful moment in the sunshine together.
The race provided me with so much more than a time or a PB. It provided me with the therapy and space I so strongly needed.
So, I encourage anyone and everyone, however you are feeling, whatever you are going through, lace up those trainers and get out into the beautiful world we live in and enjoy running! You won’t regret it.
London Landmarks Half Marathon will always hold a special place in my heart and I hope I am lucky enough to get the opportunity to run it again someday.
“There is something magical about running; after a certain distance, it transcends the body. Then a bit further, it transcends the mind. A bit further yet, and what you have before you laid bare, is the soul.” Kristin Armstrong
New Year Running Challenge - Week 12
Final table, winners and prizes will be released as a separate blog later in the week!
Final table, winners and prizes will be released as a separate blog later in the week!
WFC parkrun Club
Winchester Fit Club Runners is set-up as a club with parkrun. If you go into your profile (there is a link to it on the parkrun results email and newsletter email) you can select your club. Change yours to Winchester Fit Club Runners and you will appear in the consolidated club report that we get each week.
WFC Runners WhatsApp Group
There is a WFC Runners WhatsApp chat group where we generally just wang on about running, races and cake. If you are not already part of this then please get in contact with Coach James or Coach Mike who will add you.
WFC Runners Strava Club
If you are a Strava user there is a Winchester Fit Club Runners club page. This can be accessed here: https://www.strava.com/clubs/WFC-Runners. Request to join and we will approve!
Booking onto sessions
Booking onto our training sessions enables the coaches to plan the session accordingly. You can book on in the following location: https://winchesterfitclub.simplybook.it/v2/
Race Calendar
The race calendar is now stored here: https://wfcrunners.blogspot.com/2019/01/race-calendar-2019-and-beyond.html
Race Kit
The full range of kit available to purchase and instructions on how to order can be found in the following link: https://wfcrunners.blogspot.com/2019/01/kit-details-and-prices.html
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