Meet the Member – John Tovell completes his 200th parkrun

Q) For members who don’t know you, tell us a bit about yourself?

A) I retired last year and since then have enjoyed some travelin the UK and abroad.  Previously, mycareer as an accountant took me to various parts of the world, including Brazilwhere I met my wife, Janete.

Q) How and when did you get into running?

A) Although I did athletics and cross-country at school, Inever had any interest in running afterwards until 2006, when a friendsuggested we do the Reading Half Marathon as a challenge.  However, I didn’t make it to the start linethat year or the following year because of ITB problems.  My running career might have ended before itbegun if a work colleague had not explained to me that there were shorterevents than a half marathon! So we entered the Wargrave 10k in 2007 and I soenjoyed the experience that I was hooked from then on.

Q) What do you enjoy most about being a member of Sandhurst Joggers?

A) It has got to be the friendliness and sociability.  When I joined Sandhurst, I ran with theTuesday and Thursday social runs and was struck by how much more fun it was torun in a big sociable group, especially those led by Ron Howlett.  The fact that the club offers activities onalmost every day of the week is amazing. I think the Joggers Journal and the Facebook group are also great forkeeping us all feeling a part of the club.

John in action at Endure24

Q) On which of the weekly runs are we most likely to bump into you?

A) I used to be a regular at the intervals session on Tuesdayand the threshold run on Thursday but, since I moved to Twickenham, I don’t getto visit the weekly runs very often.  However,I am still very much a regular at our cross-country events and at the Grizzly.

Q) You are regular at Crane Park, tell us more about that event?

A) Crane Park is just 1 mile from my house so I love that I canleave at 8.45am and still get to the start in plenty of time.  The route is very pretty as it runs for the mostpart through woodland.  It has good PB-potentialas it is flat and entirely on tarmac or packed gravel, with just a few tightcorners to slow you down.  The maindrawback is that there is no local café for afterwards.  For tourists, it is right next to the A316 sois really easy to get to.  I hope to seemore SJ tourists there in future!

Q) I see you’ve ran at 6 other parkruns, which was your favourite and why?

A) Cirencester was particularly enjoyable because it takesplace in the grounds of the Royal Agricultural University.  While the route is nice enough, the Victorianbuildings of the university are remarkable, resembling a public school.  Parkrunners are invited to use themodestly-priced university canteen afterwards for anything from a coffee to afull English breakfast.  The dining roomis very ‘olde worlde’ with its flagstone floor and wood-panelled walls.

Q) What other events are on your programme for the rest of 2018 and 2019?

A) So far, I have entered the Cliveden cross-country inJanuary, plus the Grizzly and Endure 24. And I will be doing the remaining Thames Valley cross-country fixtures.

John ran his first Parkrun on 28th May 2011 at Reading, here’s some more achievements for the statos taken from the ‘Parkrun Challenges’ Chrome Extension:-

200 x Parkruns in Total

184 of those at Crane Park

7 x Personal Bests (fastest ever is 22:13 set at Crane Park in 2014 )

7 x Different venues

Bushy Park Pilgrimage completed on 3rd January 2015

44 x parkruns in a single year (2015)

57/60 scored in Stopwatch Bingo

Experienced Groundhog Day on 4 occasions at Crane Park

29 x Volunteering in 6 different roles

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10th/11th November – SJ Weekend Run Down

Announcements

London and Edinburgh Marathon Draws

If you have been unsuccessful in the London Marathon ballot, you still have an opportunity to get a VLM place through the Club Draw. Also, like last year, we have a place available for the Edinburgh Marathon. If you want to put your name in for a selected event or all events, please email Kate Parker at secretary@sandhurstjoggers.or.uk by Thursday 22nd November. The draw will take place Sunday 25th November at 1pm, after the Home XC at Lord Wadsworth College, at the nearby pub The Four Horseshoes, Long Sutton (near Hook), Hampshire RG29 1TA.

Home Cross Country on Sunday 25th November

The Sandhurst Joggers Home XC at Lord Wandsworth College is just 2 weekends away – be there to help, run or both!

 

Onto the weekend running…

Friday night saw Lesley Buckland complete the Severn Bridge Night Race. An event which started on the Welsh side, crossed the bridge to England before returning to Wales. It was cold, dark and intense with the wind and rain!

A wet preceding day saw muddy courses as members enjoyed their Saturday morning parkrun fix. Family orientated runs saw Stuart Mayes finish as first SJ with Neil Praine not far behind as they both enjoyed runs with their sons who are both in the JM10 category. Janet Venables finished third in her category.

Bracknell parkrun proved to be the most popular venue this week with nineteen members in action. Sacha Kendall-Woods celebrated her 150th parkrun with a Bracknell course record and 3rd in her category. Martin Steadman was the first member into the funnel as he also claimed first place in the VM50-54 category. We had other category winners with George Green topping the podium in the VM65-69 category plus second in their categories for Lottie St Aubyn and Patricia Marshall and third in class for John Wright and Blanche Barnes. Fiona Marshall bagged herself a season’s best and Martin Gould ran the Great Hollands course for the first time.

Rushmoor was the venue for Nigel Bassett finishing tantalisingly close to his PB… only 3 seconds shy. Lisa Hale claimed first in her category.

A trio of SJs at Dinton Pastures with regulars Kate Parker and Jon Green joined by first timer Richard Boese who added the venue as his 38th different parkrun completed.

Chris Cole touristed at Bedfont Lakes as he goes from strength to strength claiming another outright PB of 26:33. Royston Crandley travelled all the way to Pegwell Bay near Ramsgate as he recorded a season’s best of 23:01. Wayne Boardman enjoyed another good run at the XC parcours of Hogmoor Inclosure.

Plenty of our members who live away from Sandhurst were in action at their regular venues including John Tovell at Crane Park, Andy Summerskill at Houghton Hall, Kim Reeves at Llanelli Coast and Sharon Conquer who volunteered as Tailwalker at Northampton.

 

The SJ Marathon runners were out in force on both days. Nigel Evans completed his first back to back Marathons this weekend. The Phoenix Dinosaur Dash Marathon on Saturday and the emotional Phoenix Remembrance Marathon on Sunday.

Mark Neve also finished the Remember Marathon to complete his 12 marathons in 12 months challenge (although he actually completed 14 marathons). Mark was joined by seasoned marathoner Leon Hicks and growing addict Dave Bartlett. Kudos to all those who completed 26.2 miles at the weekend!

 

Sunday also saw the latest round of the Thames Valley XC League hosted by Dachet. It was a special run marked by a powerful and emotional two minutes silence prior to the run. We will update you on the results of this and previous rounds soon…

 

Strava

This week on Strava we matched the Club’s biggest ever week with 100 members logging runs on Strava. Nigel Evans took the top spot as a result of his marathon double. To take part in this just create a free Strava account and link it to the club in your profile. Here’s the top 10 from last week:-

Please let me know if I’ve missed anything and share your results and achievements in the future so the rest of the club know what you are up to. It’s also great to find out about new events or get an honest opinion on the multitude of events out there so we love to receive run reports. Any member, any event, any distance, any surface! Just email publicity@sandhurstjoggers.org.uk

As always keep a look out on Facebook for details of the weekday evening runs.

Club Events for the week ahead…

Please let me know if I’ve missed anything and share your results and achievements in the future so the rest of the club know what you are up to. It’s also great to find out about new events or get an honest opinion on the multitude of events out there so we love to receive run reports. Any member, any event, any distance, any surface! Just email publicity@sandhurstjoggers.org.uk

As always keep a look out on Facebook for details of the weekday evening runs.

Club Events for the week ahead…

Tuesday Club Run: The biggest club run of the week will as always offer multiple groups to cater for all abilities from beginners through to faster and more experienced runners. It’s perfect for novices and those coming back from injury or a long lay-off because you can start with an easy group and work your way upwards. The start time is 6:30pm as always, this week from Sandhurst Memorial Park.

Tuesday Intervals: Later the interval sessions will meet at The Tythings in Yateley at 8pm. The session will be on School Lane and will be a pyramid session with 1 x 5 minute efforts all with with 30 second recoveries. You can read more about the Tuesday night intervals here

Wednesday:  It’s the second Wednesday of the month so time for the Handicap. There are just two opportunities remaining to score points in the 2018 competition or to log a time to enter into the Club Championship. This four mile run over a two lap course around Crowthorne is ideal for all abilities and starts from the Morgan Rec in Crowthorne at 7:30pm. Don’t forget the post run curry at The Raj in Sandhurst

Thursday: This week the threshold/improvers run will be on the Coat Hanger route. Meet at Sandhurst Sports Centre at 7:30pm and don’t forget lights and high vis clothing. The run is a great way to improve fitness by running as a group at a slightly harder intensity. There is a shorter route available and a sweeper so nobody gets left behind.

Friday: Track is still free and the coaches have some great sessions planned for all abilities to improve fitness and technique. This is a great way to improve your running form and fitness, get faster and help prevent injury. If you’ve never ran on a track before give it a try, it’s a lot of fun and you are never more than 200m away from the start.

Saturday: Lots of members will be enjoying their weekly Parkrun fix at 9am on Saturday morning. Wherever you are parkrunning – Don’t forget your barcode!

Sunday: No XC this week so plenty of members will be running from The Lookout at 9am. It’s a flexible run to suit everybody’s needs and is either adapted to fit with distance targets or multiple groups are formed. The three ‘Cs’ of Coffee, cake and chat are enjoyed in the cafe post-run.

3rd/4th November – SJ Weekend Run Down

Announcements – Lots this week

Thames Valley Cross Country League Round 4 – This weekend!

The fourth round of the TVXC League is this Sunday 11th November. The The course is on The Brocas, close to the pub The Waterman’s Arms, Brocas St, Eton. SL4 6BW.

Captain Claire will be sharing the full details by email and Facebook shortly. The post-race drink will be at The Waterman’s Arms which is just a short walk from the finish line.

London, Edinburgh and Bournemouth Marathon Draws

If you have been unsuccessful in the London Marathon ballot, you still have an opportunity to get a VLM place through the Club Draw. The Club also have a place to allocate for both the Edinburgh and Bournemouth Marathons. Details of when the Marathon Draws will take place will be announced soon. If you want to put your name in for a selected event or all events, please email Kate Parker – secretary@sandhurstjoggers.org.uk

Home Cross Country on Sunday 25th November

Less than 3 weeks until our Sandhurst Joggers Home XC at Lord Wandsworth College on November 25th. The response to the request for volunteers has been fantastic but if you haven’t already and can help out please let Wayne Boardman know.

Green Belt Relay – Do you want to participate in this iconic event on May 18th/19th 2019?

What is it?

A 22-stage relay race, around 220 miles of the Green Belt tracking the outside of London over a single weekend. The course follows footpaths, towpaths and minor roads. Each team consists of 11 runners, with each person running one stage on the Saturday and another on the Sunday. Stages vary from 5 to 13 miles each day (some flatter than others!)

The race starts at Hampton Court at 8:30am on the Saturday morning, going on to stop at around 7:30pm at the end of stage 11 in the village of Blackmore in Essex. The race then resumes again at 8am on Sunday morning, so we tend to stay overnight in a hotel nearby (most recently in Epping). We go out for food in a local restaurant on the Saturday night and rest up ready to go again in the morning. The event finishes at around 6:00pm on Sunday evening at the Hawker Centre near Kingston.

More information can be found on the website: http://www.greenbeltrelay.org.uk/index.htm

Cost

In previous years, the total cost has been around £70-80 per person. The final amount depends on how many people take part and if we can fill the hotel rooms.

What do you need to do?

If you are interested, then please reply to this email as soon as possible and by Sunday 11th November at the latest. This will allow us to gauge interest and then in due course we will ask for a deposit to secure your place.

Onto the running and starting with the mid week events…

Halloween brought out the costumes and a massive squad of SJs on Wednesday night for the 10th Anniversary Halloween 5 Nite Run Masquerade at 8pm on Wednesday 31st October down at Thames Valley Park, Reading.

Moving onto the weekend running…

Starting with the Chessington 10k where four members lined up at just after 8am for a super early start. The course weaved its way through the theme park and past the different rides making for an interesting run. The marshals were especially supportive. Great runs from all and kudos to Becky Perry for the negative split!

A little later in the morning Parkruns across the land started…

A beautiful morning greeted parkrunners at Frimley Lodge. Congratulations to both Beki Christian and Jane Pond who recorded their fastest ever parkruns. Alistair Ingall-Tombs managed to achieve a course record as he followed SJ first finisher Max Woods. A couple of first timers this week as Yuliya Fowler and Bracknell regular Jane Ralls sampled the FL course.

At Bracknell parkrun two members reached milestones but chose to celebrate in very different ways. Teresa Milroy celebrated her 50th with friends and family while Charlie St Aubyn chose to punish himself on his 150th as he lugged a full pack around! There was a course record for Nick Metcalfe as he capitalised on his good form finishing just behind first SJ into the funnel; Dave Breslin. Also a Season’s Best for Fiona Marshall as her running mojo returns and she homes in her previous bests.

More PBs at Parkrun Rushmoor as Dave Bartlett came agonisingly close to breaking 23 minutes for the first time. A great run from Fran Dimmock as she gets quicker each run. Stephen Casey was first member to finish and Jane Bannister logged a Season’s Best as she is coming into good form.

Dinton Pastures has been very popular with SJs and 41 have ran there so far since the launch in July. Just the two this week with Kate Parker continuing her regular runs at the venue and Holly Dunn trying it for the first time and running away with a massive outright PB by over 5 minutes!

More unofficial milestone celebrations this week as Stuart Overhill completed his 200th parkrun at Bedfont Lakes and did it in style running his fastest time at the venue. Lisa Hale also ran and came within 16 seconds of her CR.

Covering the locals and regular tourists first; John Tovell also completed his 200th parkrun at home venue Crane Park. Yvette Glacken was at Luton Wardown, Richard Boese guided at Prospect Park, Reading and John Featherstone at Basingstoke, while Andrew and Frances Parkes were at Coventry.

Further afield Patrick Wadsworth made his second trip to the super fast Poole course to record a Season’s Best while Wayne Boardman capitalised on a trip to Cirencester for his Son’s football match to run the local parkrun where he recorded another sub 25 minute run. Furthest traveller this week was Simon Whillis at March in Cambridgeshire.

Other events on Saturday…

Charley Bryant had another great run at the Thames Meander Half Marathon improving on her time from two weeks ago and finishing in 1:43:05.

And onto Sunday…

A trio of SJs Sophie Le Saux, Paula Vine and Sarah Jones completed the Reading Rivermead 10k on a Thameside course starting at Reading Rowing Club. The event was sponsored by Papa Johns but sadly there was no pizza at the finish line! Paula finished 5th in the Women’s race in a time of 46:37, Sophie in 56:15 and Sarah in 1:18:24.

Another trio of members tackled the challenging course of the Marlow Half Marathon. Word from participants was that this is one of the toughest courses out there but in the words of the organisers… ‘So it’s a hill… get over it’.

On the East side of Reading there was more marathon action with Mark Neve adding to his growing tally of 26.2 milers at Saturn Running’s ‘The Runger Games’  Marathon. He completed the marathon distance on a multi lap course starting in Thames Valley Park and heading out to Sonning and back where he finished in 6:12:57.

Andrea Hadfield made a last minute decision and only signed up on the morning of the Meon Valley Marathon but it was a good decision and she enjoyed a lovely autumnal run round the Meon Valley for marathon number 20, and a hilarious badger medal!

This week on Strava…

All 100 members of the SJ Strava Club logged runs last week. Lisa Hale topped the Leaderboard yet again. To take part in this just create a free Strava account and link it to the club in your profile. Here’s the top 10 from last week:-

Please let me know if I’ve missed anything and share your results and achievements in the future so the rest of the club know what you are up to. It’s also great to find out about new events or get an honest opinion on the multitude of events out there so we love to receive run reports. Any member, any event, any distance, any surface! Just email publicity@sandhurstjoggers.org.uk

As always keep a look out on Facebook for details of the weekday evening runs.

Club Events for the week ahead…

Please let me know if I’ve missed anything and share your results and achievements in the future so the rest of the club know what you are up to. It’s also great to find out about new events or get an honest opinion on the multitude of events out there so we love to receive run reports. Any member, any event, any distance, any surface! Just email publicity@sandhurstjoggers.org.uk

As always keep a look out on Facebook for details of the weekday evening runs.

Club Events for the next seven days…

Wednesday: Variety is the spice of life and the Wednesday crew have some surprises for you this week. Join them at Sandhurst Memorial Park at 7pm. There will also be run options for those that graduated from the 10k and 10 mile courses to ease you into the regular run.

Thursday: This week the threshold/improvers run will be on the Ellis Road route. Meet at Sandhurst Sports Centre at 7:30pm and don’t forget lights and high vis clothing. The run is a great way to improve fitness by running as a group at a slightly harder intensity. There is a shorter route available and a sweeper so nobody gets left behind.

Friday: Track is still free and the coaches have some great sessions planned for all abilities to improve fitness and technique. This is a great way to improve your running form and fitness, get faster and help prevent injury. If you’ve never ran on a track before give it a try, it’s a lot of fun and you are never more than 200m away from the start.

Saturday: Lots of members will be enjoying their weekly Parkrun fix at 9am on Saturday morning. Wherever you are parkrunning – Don’t forget your barcode!

Sunday: It’s the next round of the TVXC hosted by Dachet Dashers at The Brocas (see details above).

Monday: Patrick will be leading the Monday night chatfest from Sandhurst Sports Centre at 7:30pm. The route will cover approx. 6 miles and is back on the road so don’t forget your head torches and high viz. This is one of the most sociable runs of the week and a great opportunity to catch up with friends or discuss the preceding weekend.

Tuesday Club Run: The biggest club run of the week will as always offer multiple groups to cater for all abilities from beginners through to faster and more experienced runners. It’s perfect for novices and those coming back from injury or a long lay-off because you can start with an easy group and work your way upwards. The start time is 6:30pm as always, this week back to the regular start; Sandhurst Memorial Park.

Tuesday Intervals: Later the interval sessions will meet at The Tythings in Yateley at 8pm. Moving over to School Lane where it will be a pyramid session with efforts from 1 to 5 minutes, with 30 second recovery between intervals. You can read more about the Tuesday night intervals here

Beachy Head Marathon – SJ Members’ Highlights

Vicky Rice

‘I entered Beachy Head marathon as I’d heard it was one of the bucket list marathons and was looking to enter something when the post IM blues had kicked in back in August. As it wasn’t a ‘clock watching’ marathon I thought it would be a good idea to enter Darren too so that he could tick off the marathon from his ‘to do’ list. I broke the news gently that it would be a nice day out with Jane and Rich, child-free and running – what was not to love about that!?’

Martin Gould

‘Here we are back at the Beachy Head Marathon, if you have ever thought of doing a Trial Marathon, this has got to be one for the list. Over 2,000 runners, a very nice 9 hour time limit and great views (and a few hills). At the 16 mile checkpoint we were fed sausage rolls whilst listening to a band singing Oasis songs.’

 

Richard Boese

‘Set off withAndrea Hadfield and Alison Jones, met up with John Tovell and briefly with Richard McCready who we caught up with just after half way and then left as I think he would rather suffer alone. I enjoyed the run much more than my last outing 2 years ago when there was thick fog between 2 miles to 17 miles – all those hills with no idea how long they were and no views, which were fabulous this time. Got to chat with fellow SJ runners and random strangers; it was all run in a great atmosphere. Even with my calf cramping up over the Seven Sisters I was in better shape than the last time I did this event with very mashed feet and quads and I managed to finish in sunshine, get a nice recovery beer at the finish along with free hot food in the school canteen where I caught up with Richard, Jane, Vicky and Darren. A lovely day out.’

Andrea Hadfield

‘A cold but glorious run – my 2nd year taking part in the event and a lovely day out chatting and running with Alison! The whole route is beautiful and very varied – open fields, woodland, cliff top paths. The hill at the beginning makes for a leisurely start to the event and a fast finish – I think it’s the only time my last mile of a marathon has been the fastest! A highly enjoyable day!’

John Tovell

‘This was brilliant in so many ways.  The fact that the event welcomes walkers as well as runners means an extended cut-off time of 9 hours and a more relaxed vibe, as well as more substantial food offerings at the aid stations along the way. As well as flapjacks and Mars bars (cut into convenient 1-inch chunks), there were hot cross buns (quartered) and sausage rolls at the later stations.  Strava tells me that I spent a total of 20 mins at aid stations in total!  Full marks to the friendly marshals who were on station in the cold for a very long time.

The finish involves a painful clamber down the same slope that we started up, then a 50 yard ‘sprint’ for the line, claiming the lovely medal and a beetroot (!) energy bar.  But that is not the end of the goodies – the event provides a meal in a school canteen right next door to the finish line. This consists of a baked potato, a sausage, baked beans, then rice pudding and tinned fruit salad.  Sitting down to eat this with other runners is a great way to socialise and relax after the race.

So, congratulations to Eastbourne Borough Council for organising a fantastic event.  Never again will I poke fun at Eastbourne for being ‘God’s waiting room’.  In the Beachy Head Marathon, they have an event which in my view is on a par with the Grizzly.’

 

Jane Crawford

‘Beachy Head has been on the bucket list for some time as well as doing an off-road marathon in 2018 so when I checked the date and all was good to go, I roped in a few others! Vicky didn’t hesitate – with Ironman training still in our legs and a few long runs scheduled in, we were fairly confident that we would be fine. Richard agreed to run with me, which would be his first marathon for over 2 years since being on dialysis and to make a day of it we thought we’d sign Darren up as well – to complete his long overdue first marathon! We had a child free double date booked in Eastbourne!

What appeals to me about the off road marathons is that there is no pressure on time, no-one asking you on the start line what splits you’re going to be doing or your target time. Just going out to run for the enjoyment of running and taking in the scenery and the views along the way. I had heard that the atmosphere and camaraderie at Beachy Head was great, buffet stations were plentiful with lots of choice, there was a great big hill to climb up as soon as you cross the start line, the scenery and views were amazing on a clear day and be warned that the Seven Sisters start at 19 miles. What was there not to love?

It certainly didn’t disappoint – it was everything I had hoped it would be (if a little fresh at the start). We couldn’t have asked for a better day – clear blue skies and fantastic views over the seven sisters. It was tough going in parts but a really enjoyable day out, with no pressure. We all successfully completed the course, a bit of cramp for Darren towards the end but massive congratulations to him for completing his debut marathon and so proud of Rich for finishing his first marathon for a few years. It was great to see Richard Boese and John Tovell out on the course – both with words of encouragement and smiles! A marathon with food stations that have tea cakes, sausage rolls, tomato soup, tea, coffee, orange squash, Jaffa cakes, digestive biscuits and mars bars on them has got to be on everyone’s bucket list!…and a hot dinner in the school canteen afterwards! They really did put Ironman to shame!’

 

Beachy Head – John Tovell reports back from this ‘Brilliant’ event

‘This was brilliant in so many ways.  The fact that the event welcomes walkers as well as runners means an extended cut-off time of nine hours and a more relaxed vibe, as well as more substantial food offerings at the aid stations along the way. As well as flapjacks and Mars bars (cut into convenient one inch chunks), there were hot cross buns (quartered) and sausage rolls at the later stations.  Strava tells me that I spent a total of twenty minutes at aid stations in total! Full marks to the friendly marshals who were on station in the cold for a very long time.

Although the event took place in uninterrupted sunshine the whole day, it was cold and windy.  I was glad that I decided to supplement my Sandhurst Joggers vest with an extra two layers plus buff, hat, gloves and tights. Lining up at the start, it was 3°C but the penguin effect kept me warm.  The start is famous for the climb that follows immediately afterwards. What with the climb and then funnelling the 3,000 participants into a narrow track, the first mile took 17 mins.  Once up on the Downs, we enjoyed a succession of spectacular views, first over the country to the north, then later south towards the sea.  It is the views that really are the stars of the event. The Cuckmere river views are remarkable because, for me at least, it was the first time I have used the words ‘ox bow lake’ since doing geography O-level at school.

I managed to miss all the Sandhurst Joggers at the start but met-up with almost everyone either along the route or at the end. I ran with Richard Boese for a while but, since he seemed to know all the other runners and wanted to chat for a couple of minutes with each, I eventually pushed on by myself down to Cuckmere Haven and on to the Seven Sisters. Reviewing the course profile before the event, the Seven Sisters look like small mounds compared to the hills already surmounted. But although they are not very high, they are very steep and very energy-sapping on both the up and the down.

The finish involves a painful clamber down the same slope that we started up, then a 50 yard ‘sprint’ for the line, claiming the lovely medal and a beetroot (!) energy bar. But that is not the end of the goodies – the event provides a meal in a school canteen right next door to the finish line. This consists of a baked potato, a sausage, baked beans, then rice pudding and tinned fruit salad. Sitting down to eat this with other runners is a great way to socialise and relax after the race.

So, congratulations to Eastbourne Borough Council for organising a fantastic event.  Never again will I poke fun at Eastbourne for being ‘God’s waiting room’. In the Beachy Head Marathon, they have an event which in my view is on a par with the Grizzly.’

27th/28th October – SJ Weekend Run Down

Announcements

London, Edinburgh and Bournemouth Marathon Draws

If you have been unsuccessful in the London Marathon ballot, you still have an opportunity to get a VLM place through the Club Draw. Also, like last year, we have a place available for the Edinburgh Marathon, and new to this year, a place at Bournemouth Marathon. If you want to put your name in for a selected event or all events, please email Kate Parker at secretary@sandhurstjoggers.org.uk a minimum of 3 days before the Marathon Draw. More details can be found in Kate’s recent email to members and the date/venue for the draw will be announced soon.

Home Cross Country on Sunday 25th November

The countdown is on to our Sandhurst Joggers Home XC at Lord Wandsworth College on November 25th. We’ll need a SJ army to help run the event and also field a strong team so please reply to Wayne’s email and offer to help.

 

Onto the weekend running and starting with parkrun…

Another bright and chilly morning for parkrunners and the again the cooler temperatures helped members post some great times. Jon Payne was first member to finish as he posted a Season’s Best. Blanche Barnes, Harvey Young and Helena Jones all recorded Course Records at rare appearances at the venue.

Bracknell parkrun was busy with the Bracknell AC XC team training for the winter season. Season’s Bests were achieved by Paul Alexander and Martin Steadman who was also first member to finish.

Three members used Parkrun Rushmoor as a warm up for the Milocarians XC later in the day with Lisa Hale, Leading home Stuart Overhill and John King.

Dinton Pastures saw more more members trying the venue for the first time including Gareth Hopkins, Sarah Hyatt and Fiona Slevin-Brown, the latter of whom achieved a new course record in the VW45-49 category. Fiona was also first member into the finishing funnel.

Covering the locals and regular tourists first; Dick Newman sampled the Hogmoor Inclosure event which launched earlier this year, Andy Summerskill ran at Houghton Hall and Will Lucas at Seaton. Philip Boylan and Kim Reeves ran at Llanelli Coast while Andrew and Frances Parkes were at Leamington.

Yvette Glacken completed her 200th parkrun at Luton Wardown alongside an injured Alurie Dutton. Alurie is just one parkrun behind so we’ll see the double century soon.

Charlie St Aubyn bagged 8th position at Great Dunmow in Essex, Jon Green traveled the furthest to the Forest of Dean and Jim Laidlaw made a Bushy Park Pilgrimage where he knocked another 2 seconds off his outright PB.

Don’t forget to add ‘Sandhurst Joggers’ to your Parkrun Profile to help us keep track of your achievements and show the world what a fantastic club we are. If you are not sure how to do this just click here where you can find detailed instructions.

Also on Saturday…

 

The annual Milocarians invitational XC race at the Royal Military Academy took place on Saturday afternoon with 18 members lining up with military and invited teams to take on a hilly course out towards Swinley Forest, Barosa and Old Dean.

 

Our highest finisher was Graham Robinson in 15th place overall with Mark Fallowfield-Smith just over a minute back in 19th and Dave Ayling completing the first leg of a weekend XC double in 23rd. Lisa Hale was 6th Female over the line to lead the SJ

In the team event the SJ Ladies A team took second place by a single point as Lisa Hale was joined by Charley Bryant, Sacha Kendall-Woods and Sharon Burfield as the four counters. The leading trio of SJ men were joined on the scoresheet by Stuart Overhill, Carl Bradshaw and Nigel Bassett to take fourth place.

Ten members took on the hill of the Beachy Head Marathon including 26.2 mile first timer Darren Rice. They were all treated to clear skies and spectacular views.

Gav Loader had a great run with his family at the Nightmare 5k and 10k, an evening event in the darkness near Huntley in Gloucestershire where he finished as first man, his daughter took first girl and his son second boy. Well done to the whole family!

And onto Sunday…

Over in Poland at the Gdansk Half marathon Krysztof Zielinski continued his rich vein of form as he finished in 1:24:28 despite very cold and wet conditions.

Angela Foker and Sara Purchase scaled the obstacles at the Inflatable 5km near Newbury.

 

Round three of the Thames Valley XC League was held by Reading Roadrunners Ashenbury Park near Woodley. Another huge SJ turnout but a distinct lack of mud. Results have so far been thin on the ground and inaccurate but we’ll share all the details as soon as we can. In the meantime we have a huge montage of images courtesy of Richard Boese.

 

This week on Strava…

This week on Strava we yet again matched the Club’s biggest ever week with 100 members logging runs on Strava. To take part in this just create a free Strava account and link it to the club in your profile. Here’s the top 10 from last week:-

Please let me know if I’ve missed anything and share your results and achievements in the future so the rest of the club know what you are up to. It’s also great to find out about new events or get an honest opinion on the multitude of events out there so we love to receive run reports. Any member, any event, any distance, any surface! Just email publicity@sandhurstjoggers.org.uk

As always keep a look out on Facebook for details of the weekday evening runs.

Club Events for the week ahead…

Tuesday Club Run: The biggest club run of the week will as always offer multiple groups to cater for all abilities from beginners through to faster and more experienced runners. It’s perfect for novices and those coming back from injury or a long lay-off because you can start with an easy group and work your way upwards. The start time is 6:30pm as always, this week from Sandhurst Memorial Park.

Tuesday Intervals: Later the interval sessions will meet at The Tythings in Yateley at 8pm. The session will be on Chinese Hill and will consist of 2 x 5 minutes with 1 minute recovery and 7 x 2 minutes with 45 seconds recovery. You can read more about the Tuesday night intervals here

Wednesday: Variety is the spice of life and the Wednesday crew have some surprises for you this week with a Halloween Special. Join them at Sandhurst Memorial Park at 7pm. There will also be run options for those that graduated from the 10k and 10 mile courses to ease you into the regular run.

Thursday: This week the threshold/improvers run will be on the Crawley Ridge route. Meet at Sandhurst Sports Centre at 7:30pm and don’t forget lights and high vis clothing. The run is a great way to improve fitness by running as a group at a slightly harder intensity. There is a shorter route available and a sweeper so nobody gets left behind.

Friday: Track is still free and the coaches have some great sessions planned for all abilities to improve fitness and technique. This is a great way to improve your running form and fitness, get faster and help prevent injury. If you’ve never ran on a track before give it a try, it’s a lot of fun and you are never more than 200m away from the start.

Saturday: Lots of members will be enjoying their weekly Parkrun fix at 9am on Saturday morning. Wherever you are parkrunning – Don’t forget your barcode!

Sunday: No XC this week so plenty of members will be running from The Lookout at 9am. It’s a flexible run to suit everybody’s needs and is either adapted to fit with distance targets or multiple groups are formed. The three ‘Cs’ of Coffee, cake and chat are enjoyed in the cafe post-run.

Great South Run – SJ Members’ Highlights

Patrick Wadsworth

‘I had planned on running the GSR with a friend but they were injured so plans for the run changed.  Wayne kindly drove me down and we enjoyed the sunshine on the walk to the start area but didn’t see any other SJs in any of the cafes we looked in.

Well organised start area with plenty of urinals making things less stressful for us males (and also the ladies one hopes).  Dropped our bags of and went our separate ways to the start waves.  The number of people in each wave is huge and with only one pacer it was difficult to tell where to position myself in the holding area.

Ten milers are a tough distance if you are used to longer runs – is it a short half or a long 10K?  I take them as a long 10k which means pretty much flat out from the gun and hang on for the next hour and a bit.  The weather warmed up during the event and hydration became an issue.  The bottles (do events really still provide bottles?) at the water stops had very narrow necks which made drinking difficult without stopping and eventually I had to walk a few paces to get a proper amount inside.

The course is flat and fast and not windy this year so I enjoyed running hard and was pleased to get close to my time set at Maidenhead at Easter.’

 

Mo Willcox

‘Having run a few times on the SJ 10K to 10 mile course initiated by Lisa Harrold & Craig, I thought I should enter the GSR. The weather was so lovely, Caroline had recommended the cafe for all the SJs to meet at & that made for a good start to the event! It’s a great flat route and I loved the music around the course. The crowd support is great, there are water stops, energy gels and jelly babies if you want them, so much to recommend about this run. The only downside was the queue to get out of the car park!’

Harvey Young

‘Sunday was my first GSR and first 10 mile race, the plan was to get into a steady rhythm and stay there, which I did actually manage and play my normal game of picking out a runner in the distance and aiming to catch and pass them, this I did and was even passing others on the finish straight, all in all a nicely organised race and great to meet up with other SJ runners at the beginning and end.’

Caroline Cutliffe

‘For me GSR is much more than about just running; it’s about friendship, support for fellow runners and each crossing the line with a smile for their own reasons. A glorious sunny morning with many SJs in anticipation of the couple of hours ahead of them – having breakfast; pinning numbers on; getting excited; getting nervous; and reminiscing – for me, of the lovely Ron Howlett who loved this event but who sadly we lost. Never forgotten Ron. ‘Have a blow’ he used to say so that’s exactly what I did which is why it took me so long to cross the finish line!! But what a great event for everyone looking for PBS or just finishing. I just finished!’

 

Mark Foker

‘Fantastic day couldn’t have asked for better weather! Well organised once again. Great camaraderie from fellow runners and the crowds cheering us all on were brilliant. People put their high fi speakers on their car roofs to blast out some tunes to keep the runner’s going.’

Angela Foker

‘I attended the 10k to 10 mile group a few times prior to the event this year and I think it helped as I felt comfortable running the whole distance. We met with a crowd of other SJs in the cafe on the front before and after the race. The GSR is a great race as there is lots of support, refreshments and various bands all the way round. Luckily the weather was kind to us for the last leg along the seafront. I have booked for next year as I really enjoyed this race.’

 

Michelle Wilson

‘I’ve never run a 10 mile event before and have only run further or shorter races. Patrick Wadsworth had mentioned the pacing challenge of a 10 miler… run faster than a half, but not as fast as a 10km. Great advice for someone who has more than one speed! That’s not me! However, with the training help of the 10km to 10mile Wednesday group, I was looking forward to the race. It really didn’t disappoint. The weather was perfect, the race was well organised, parking was really good AND I got to have a second breakfast in the cafe with other SJs before the race. The race itself was great; lots of cheering, music, water, gels and jelly babies along the way. Such a good day… I was only back at home for an hour before I booked my place on the GSR 2019! I would really recommend this one.’

 

Tamzin Evershed

‘It was so much fun to see the other SJs and I can honestly say that I really loved the atmosphere, the crowds, the music and the scenery. We were blessed with great weather too which is always a bonus. I didn’t wear my SJ T-shirt for fear of exposing the club to ridicule if I found it hard going but I’ll be wearing it next year, and may even dare to enter a half again.’

You can read Tamzin’s full account here

Jonathan Evershed

‘I was absolutely petrified before starting but just started running and kept running until I crossed the line. Everybody on the day was very supportive and the club is too. Have not signed up again yet, but I imagine between them Blanche and Lisa will twist my arm.’

Blanche Barnes

‘Main objective for the day was to provide encouragement, company & motivation for my (non-SJ) friend Jane – who has run VLM twice for charity – but as yet does not love running (…I know, how is that even possible??) – well there’s a challenge I couldn’t resist! (Especially as my PB chasing is becoming harder by the day).  Cue an early morning start to beat the traffic, a huge team of friendly SJs in the lovely café, great sunny weather, a scenic flat course with wonderful crowd support… how could she not enjoy it? Well of course she did, and she’s already signed up for next year. 😊

As for my run, first 5 miles felt good, but I had a water station mis-hit at mile 6 which totally upset my rhythm & I never quite got back into the zone… by mile 8 I was struggling a bit, (& regretting having done Cabbage Patch the previous week). But I kept focused on the finish, and at mile 9, reminded myself its just like the last mile of handicap but no hills, so what was I fussing about… finally made my target time with just 8 sec to spare, though v happy with that as almost 6 mins off last year. Race itself was very well organized, tho exit arrangements from the car park on Southsea Common were shambolic, something to bear in mind for next time.’

 

Helena Jones

‘I just wanted to say a big thank you to SJ and particularly Lisa and Craig’s 10k to 10 mile running course. This enabled me to complete the GSR and I was pleased with the time. First time I’ve ever ran that far and loved the event!’

 

Kate Turnell

‘GSR this year was the most beautiful day and an event to do again and again – from the shouting of all the supporters and fellow SJs as they whizzed past, to our friend who had come down to support at the finish line. I ran it this year with my oldest childhood friend who had only started training (and running) about two months ago – she was amazing and so determined not to stop – and we didn’t. She was blown away by the event and I think she may be a convert (and a potential future SJ). I was pleased to be under 2 hours and to get my 7th medal and tshirt this year. Same time next year everyone?’

Louise Heginbotham

‘This was my first time running the GSR . It would only be my 2nd furthest race ever after my first half I did earlier this year (that I hated with a passion and struggled to run the last few miles on so I was worried I might have the same fate on this run!) I was however pleasantly surprised as I really enjoyed it and felt good all the way round! It was a hot day (in contrast to the Wellesley 10k wash out the week before!) nice and flat with lots of good support and music all the way round and I had the great company of running it with Katie so we made sure we took the odd selfie! I enjoyed it so much I’ve already joined up for next year.’

Sam Goodall

‘The crowds were brilliant so we managed to get into a really good pace only slowing to wait for people but by mile 6 I was alone and settled into a nice pace and enjoyed all the crowds and music. I had hoped for under 2 hours 15 mins and came in in 2 hours 7. Here’s to next year!’

Click here to read more about Sam’s run

Helena-Jane Fletcher

‘Everything seemed to be going fine up to mile 7 when my legs started shouting abuse at me. Luckily for me a met a lovely lady who was jeffing and I asked to join her. We crossed the finish line together and I couldn’t of been prouder. Not sure I’ll ever see this lady again but she certainly gave me the boost I needed. I had a great time and in the process raised money for my chosen charity.’

Deb Harris

‘There are a lot of good points for running Great South Run. I love the atmosphere from the start to finish. The crowds and support en route are one of the best, it seems like half of Portsmouth is out cheering you on and handing out Jelly babies. There’s plenty of music to keep you going from pipers and drummers to sound systems in the residential areas of the run. There really aren’t many negatives, but It is a massive run with 20,000 participants and it felt like half were in the green wave! The start is crowded for a good 1.5 miles where it starts to thin out slightly. I Jeffed (3:1) with Lou again who is still struggling with aches and pains, and the warm day took its toll after mile 7 but we still managed to smile at the finish and after saying never again, no doubt we will be back!‘

Stuart Mayes

‘Last year, I ran my first GSR and in fact, my first 10 mile race. I was so impressed with the big event buzz, that I signed up for the 2018 event, 1 day after the 2017 run.

For me, race day conditions were perfect. At the start, my pacing was impeccable. So much so, that I was in front of every pacing bunny. By mile 1, I amused myself immensely by slapping Jim Laidlaw on the back and pointing out, he wasn’t running fast enough. It was going perfectly. At around the 8 mile mark, I gently increased the pace to close in on the bunny.  By the final corner which I think is around 400 meters before the finish, I had closed to around 20 meters. It was time to use those handfuls of Jelly Baby goodness. I finished in 1:13:23. GSR and the 1:15 bunny pacer, thank you. See you in 2019.’

You can read Stuart’s full report here

 

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Jim Laidlaw

‘I was expecting a busy but flat 10m route ,correct on both counts. Went with a target of 66 mins which was on par with the first 10 at Bournemouth half two weeks ago.

Disappointed that the large start pens weren’t split up on to better time zones , just a mass start which meant a far bit of weaving inside the first mile to try and get some clear running space. Lot of headphones in use and I actually caught the heel of one lady who came straight across me on one turn .

I ended up flagging at around 7 miles and came in at 69 mins . This still was a little PB so I was just about happy. Probably won’t rush back as it’s not a cheap race and the exit out of Portsmouth was awful.’

Amy Gates

‘It was my first GSR, and my first 10 mile race. I was running in memory of my sister, who had lost her fight against cancer 10 years ago on 21st October, I’d decided to raise money for the Sebastian Action Trust and the sponsor money had flooded in. The excitement inside was growing, the sun was shining and I was feeling really positive for the run and for my sister.  The first few miles were spent weaving, I’d spotted a friend ahead and raced to catch up, to say good luck, after a quick chat I was in the zone again and enjoying the sights of the historic dockyards. I wasn’t far off my 9 minute mile race pace, the crowds were brilliant and I loved the music stations along the way. Knowing I’d see my husband and kids any moment kept me going. Soon I could hear their cheers, I blew kisses and waved with excitement. I’d run the GSR in 1.34mins. A great race, which I’ll be doing again next year!’

Lucy Howard

‘First run in SJ vest. Great atmosphere and perfect conditions. Thanks for all the advice from members (and jelly babies) on the 10k to 10 miles course.’