As we are now an affiliated club we have an obligation to England Athletics as part of our club constitution to hold an annual AGM. There is a strictly prescribed protocol to follow for this, so apologies if this all seems quite formal!
The AGM date is the 21st November at 7pm. Venue currently TBC. Anyone is able to attend, but only affiliated members may vote.
It is the opening of the Christmas Markets that night so we have decided to not hold the usual running club session and just hold the AGM.
If you wish to submit any agenda items for discussion at the AGM please submit them to Anne (alr_property@btinternet.com) by the 7th November. The finalised agenda will then be distributed by the 14th.
The AGM will have no AOB section so please submit any discussion points in advance!
Election of officers
All positions are open for re-election, and all members of the committee wish to stand again. The current committee is as follows:
Chairman – Michael Day
Treasurer – Laura Day
Secretary – Anne Arnold
Deputy Secretary – Karen Parker
Membership Secretary – James White
Head Coach – James White
Welfare and DBS officer – Sharon Smith
Membership representative – Rachel Mills
Membership representative – Simon Holman
However, if you wish to stand for any of the positions you are more than welcome to. Please submit the position you wish to be nominated for along with a proposer and a seconder by the 7th November. If more than one person applies for a position it will come down to a vote.
London Marathon Club Place
At the AGM we will be drawing the London Marathon club place recipient. There are 18 members in the draw and the first out of the hat will be representing the club in London next April.
Annual Award
Also at the AGM we would like to introduce an annual club award, the Tina Jury Belly button award. This award will be presented at the AGM to a member nominated by their fellow runners. Nominations can be for anything…It could be for an excellent performance/effort, it could be for being a supportive club mate, it could be for consistency across the year, it can be for anything!
Can we please have nominations in writing to Anne A by the 7th November. The committee will then review the submissions and agree the winner. If a committee member should be nominated they will not be party to the decision.
parkrun summary – 26th October
Despite the awful weather and the rugby being on we still had 19 Fit Clubbers at 7 different parkrun venues. We had 10 at Winchester, Alice and Issy at Salisbury, Lucy and Stefan at Severn Bridge, Katie at Tilgate, Shelley and Ben at Abingdon, Kathy at the Old Showground, Frome and Andy at Southampton.
There was a new course PB for Andy M at Southampton parkrun today running a speedy 20:23. Congratulations Andy!
Congratulations to everyone who ran and volunteered.
Here is a link to the consolidated club report: http://www.parkrun.com/results/consolidatedclub/?clubNum=26888&eventdate=2019-10-26
Race Reports
Despite the awful weather and the rugby being on we still had 19 Fit Clubbers at 7 different parkrun venues. We had 10 at Winchester, Alice and Issy at Salisbury, Lucy and Stefan at Severn Bridge, Katie at Tilgate, Shelley and Ben at Abingdon, Kathy at the Old Showground, Frome and Andy at Southampton.
There was a new course PB for Andy M at Southampton parkrun today running a speedy 20:23. Congratulations Andy!
Congratulations to everyone who ran and volunteered.
Here is a link to the consolidated club report: http://www.parkrun.com/results/consolidatedclub/?clubNum=26888&eventdate=2019-10-26
The Rushmoor Wellesley 10km by Isabel Mansfield
In October last year, during an emergency visit to my new GP who I had visited for a dose of anti depressants and sleeping tablets, I received a slightly different prescription. C25k and park run - either volunteer or take part. I had never really run more than 100 metres, though had been a competitive horse rider as a teenager, so know what it means to train and endure physical pain! What I had been enduring however, was the most extraordinary emotional turmoil having been in an abusive marriage which I knew I had to leave. I had moved from London to Winchester and knew almost no-one. I was not able to reach out to a running group, but pushed through the training and within six weeks did my first parkrun. I don’t think I talked to anyone other than my children during that time. The exhilaration of being able to get round 5k gave me the boost I needed, so I slowly worked on increasing my distances and reducing my time.
By March I felt that I was able to find a group to run with and made those tentative first steps. I wasn’t particularly looking to lose weight, but am 10kg lighter now than this time last year - perhaps partly due to stress but also due to feeling better about what I’m eating and doing. I finished a course in massage and reflexology and firmly ended my marriage.
For me, Rushmoor marked the anniversary of my first run and was an opportunity to possibly get under my 60 minute 10k target. As we gathered on the polo fields for the start, the heavens opened. I positioned myself between the 55 and 60 minute pacers and we were off. The first 1k was around the muddy field, but then it was along the Basingstoke canal path which was beautiful. On Strava it looks like lots of tight bends, but actually there were some beautiful tracks through the woods and you were unaware of the bends. A few small hills but otherwise quite flat aside from tree roots and the odd bridge.
Just after the 5k mark there was a very welcome water stop where they were also handing out jelly babies. I’m not a sweet fan, but for the first time I really enjoyed the sugar kick! By the 6k marker, I felt a good rhythm, but it was hard with wet, muddy shoes and quite a narrow trail. The next couple of markers passed more quickly than earlier ones and before I knew it I was at 9 and my watch said I was at 52minutes, so well on target. Despite soggy shoes, and then a pesky lace undone I pushed onto the finish in the army rugby stadium. There is nothing like that feeling of reaching the finish - even though the rain was still coming down! It was a friendly crowd, but definitely would have been more fun to have had another fit clubber there. Was well organised and would definitely do it again next year. Sorry there are no photos, it was just so wet!
Great South Run by Simon Holman
So the morning of the race started as normal in the Holman household, have you seen my bra top, which top should I wear long sleeved or short, pink or grey WFC top? Do you think I'll be cold how about leggings, and that was just me Wendy was in a far worse state. Her words to me as we sorted the last few bits of kit "don’t know about you but I'm bricking it"!
We left home nice and early to beat the traffic. Things didnt start off well losing my brother in law before we even left Winchester! He was following us down to Portsmouth luckily he guessed which way we'd gone and drove past as we picked up fit clubber Sally Taylor. Once we arrived in Portsmouth we made straight for Costa. Ordered coffee and waited for Simon and Sally Boyden along with Izzy to join us. The lovely aroma of Relgex signalled the arrival of Mr B a lot sooner than the man himself. Before we set off we all made full use of the facilities and after another large application of Relgex and a top up of Tiger Balm Mr B was fit to go.
We joined the many competitors walking to Southsea we got to the front just in time to miss a photo opportunity with Ewan Thomas, Mrs B being the most disappointed. but in good time to see Eilish McColgen running by looking like she was gliding over the ground.
We made our way to the start to take part in the mass warm up, to what I was told were some banging 90's tunes. An excited Mr B could barely contain himself at the possibility of being whacked over the head by the ever annoying Timmy Mallet. His dream came true as we passed through the start. Then we're off heading down Clarence Esplanade and towards Portsmouth Harbour. Then into the Historic Dockyard where the Commander of HMS Victory is encouraging everyone, heading out onto the streets of Portsea all the time getting great support from the crowds lining the course handing out high fives and Mario power ups. Some also offer great words of wisdom like " your nearly there" knowing you haven't even run 3 miles yet this leaves you thinking unsavoury thoughts.
As I approach the water station I spot five WPC's from Hampshire Constabulary and high five everyone of them. From there on in everytime I spot some of Hampshire's finest the same follows. Miles 4 and 5 take you back towards Southsea heading towards the 6 mile mark. Sally B and myself start to pull away from Wendy. Then I start to pull away from Sally, approaching the canoe lake and nearing 7 miles. Entering Henderson Rd, my favourite part of the race, the residents are out lining the street. One has a scaffold built in his front garden on which he's set up his decks and is blasting out tunes.
Getting to 8.5 miles Wendy, the little minx, goes past me looking very comfortable so I tap her on the butt and say "you go Shines", knowing how nervous she was before the race I'm just so proud of how well she’s running. I want to kick to try and stay with her but I feel like I'm running in treacle.
Coming into the home stretch I find a little bit left I'm my legs. Driven by the crowd shouting out your name and everyone banging on the hoardings. Crossing the finish line and knowing I've got my fourth GSR under my belt. There's a tap on my shoulder and turn to see Sally B looking as fresh as she did at the start, when we meet up with Wendy she’s beaming.
Big thumbs up to everyone who ran the GRS in the end it doesn't matter what time you ran it in but THAT YOU DID IT!
Great South Run by Isabel Mansfield
What a contrast to the previous week! Waking to a crisp clear day was a perfect start. I was excited that there would be lots of fit clubbers to talk to! Arriving in Portsmouth soon after 9 having travelled by train with team Boyden, we headed for a crowded costa to meet Simon and Wendy, and Wendy’s brother Adam and sister in law (another Sally). Needless to say we didn’t need maps to find our way to the start. Crowds already assembling and creating a very upbeat atmosphere. It's a decent trek (1.9km i think) from the station to The Pyramid, by the time we got close to the start the elite runners were on their way. They clearly have a different dress code to the rest of us with their skimpy tops and shorts!!
After a quick team photo, we dropped our bags and then it was nearly time to start. I was in the white wave and feeling both nervous but also moderately confident that I could hit my target 95-100 minutes. It was very exciting to bump into Rachel and Elise, and also Anne and Sharon. The warm up was kind of fun and the excitement was clearly building. In no time at all we were off, Rachel and Elise quickly disappeared and the first few miles passed fairly quickly with lots of great music. The African drummers were particularly colourful and upbeat and the course took us past twice. There were choirs, a rock band and some great improvised DJ setups including one guy on scaffolding at the front of his house with a great set up.
The weather was amazing, perfect temperature, no wind, sunshine. The crowds were abundant, creating a great atmosphere. There were water stops at 4 miles and 7 miles, somewhere between the two was a gel stand - this was a new experience for me! Having read about Glenna’s experience at Richmond, I was mindful that its probably best to ingest it slowly. I think it worked, but from about mile 6, there were lots of people offering jelly babies and other sweets so a few of those were perfect not just for energy, but also for distraction.
Around mile 8 I thought I was flagging, but then we hit the esplanade and the sea air was wonderful and I knew we were on the home straight. There was encouragement on both sides all the way to the finish with more sweets and a flat, wide road. Finishing was a great feeling as I had never run that distance even in training, and somehow the last 3 miles were all faster than any of the first 7! It was hard to find anyone afterwards so after a quick team TJ meet up I headed back to Winchester.
It's a great event with a nice T shirt, medal and goody bag. Not sure if I’d do it again as it was very crowded and you cover a lot of ground moving between other runners, but the atmosphere was amazing and its a perfect step to doing a half marathon.
General Announcements
WFC Running Club Calendar
Dates for your diary:
Thursday 31st Oct - Normal Session - River Park Leisure Centre - 19:00
Thursday 31st Oct - C25K - Abbey Gardens - 19:15
Thursday 7th Nov - South Winchester Park and Ride - 19:00
Thursday 7th Nov - C25K - Abbey Gardens - 19:15
Monday 11th Nov - Track session, Bar End 19:30
Thursday 14th Nov - C25K final run, both groups combined - 19:15
Saturday 16th Nov - Winchester parkrun - C25K graduation run and celebration
Thursday 21st Nov - Winchester Fit Club RC AGM - 19:00
Thursday 28th Nov - Dean Lane Park - 19:00
Saturday 30th Nov - Shelley's 1 year streak parkrun and team breakfast - 09:00
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
Excellent blog, excellent writeups 👍🏼
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