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February 2012
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South of England Spring Road Relay Championships - 25th March 2012
Last chance to express your interest in this championship. So far I have had no ladies come forward....I need to let Mark Vile know by the end of the day. email me at sport.hat@gmail.com or via runcambridge. Thanks!
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Pub night tonight!
Club/Pub night Tuesday 28th Feb
This months club night will be at the Castle Pub on Castle Hill, this coming Tuesday, after training (not at the club house as the diary states) so if you fancy a drink and a natter after all your efforts this week, do join us!! This will hopefully be back at the club house for the March event, there were no bar staff available for this month but are ensured this will be remedied in time for March! Do come along if you can!!
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London Bus
Hi All
Due to the lack of interest and numbers i have had to cancel the London Bus. Unfortunately there has not been a good enough response to make it financially viable. For those of you that have passed on your cheques to me i will shred them unless you would like me to return them. Please do let me know if you would rather i returned them and i will enusre that they are posted this week.
Regards
TRacey
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Frostbite fun!
Calling all runners.........the last frostbite of the year is on Sunday (Seniors start - 11:00am Junior start 10:15am) We are top of the league table but with another win we really would prove ourselves true champions! Let's put the C&C stamp on this and have a really great turnout! Its a pretty fast 5 mile course with good PB potential. C'mon lets finish the season in style. EVERY runner counts so please consider making this part of your weekend activities, even bring the kids and family members along. Details below...
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Cambridge 1/2 Marathon briefing for marshals - TONIGHT
Just to remind you, marshal meeting tonight 6 - 7.30pm @ the Guildhall if you can make it.
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North of the Thames XC Championships
If you missed out on the big ones but still fancy a race off road then consider this opportunity. It's unlikely we'll join this Sunday League next year so it's your last chance to join them.
Queens Park Harriers have kindly offered to host the North of the
Thames Championships at Fryent Country Park, Kingsbury, on Saturday, 17
March and Malcolm French has been asked to take the entries.
The prospectus and entry forms will be attached here as soon as practicable.
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Tarpley 10 & 20
Great trophy hauls all round today in the Tarpley 10 & 20 races.
I didn't actually see the 20-mile diehards afterwards, so do chip in with your stories, but (speedy) Kim, Carmel & Hazel claimed the women's team prize in a sterling endurance-fest, closely followed by Andy & Deborah.
Meanwhile we 10-mile lightweights positively clinked with booty as we also picked up team trophies as well as individual ones for 2nd (me), 3rd (Jonathan) and MV50 (John -- who else?). John & I were both experimenting having laid off races for a while, and pleased with the results, while Jonathan was particularly impressive in a big step up from his previous 5-10k races, and there should be pictures to prove it later courtesy of Mrs E-P. Dave & Diana were 3rd and 2nd in their age groups too, so overall I think we had quality performances all round today.
Pictures now here (thanks Jonathan)
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Club/Pub night Tuesday 28th Feb
This months club night will be at the Castle Pub on Castle Hill, this coming Tuesday, after training (not at the club house as the diary states) so if you fancy a drink and a natter after all your efforts this week, do join us!! This will hopefully be back at the club house for the March event, there were no bar staff available for this month but are ensured this will be remedied in time for March! Do come along if you can!!
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English Cross Country Championships
The Full Results have been posted here. Mark Vile reports the successes of our junior members. Our senior men's team scored 36th out of 125 teams with 6 finishers.
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Roman Road Race 17th March
The Roman Road Race, organised by Cambridge University is on 17th March. It's a 9.5 mile cross country along the Roman Road - an excellent tradtional event, only open to those invited and loved by those who've done it. A bus will leave the track at 12.30. The race starts at 1.15 and is a hare and hounds race, with the slowest starting first. The bus brings everyone back and refreshments are served at the track. It's free but a contribution for the bus is usually requested. It's a good event - well worth trying. (You can also go to the associated dinner in the evening - see attached pdf.)
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Sunday League Cross Country Match 5
Great win by Mike Salt at Royston Heath last weekend. He was backed up by Ben, Glyn and Sunday League devotee Diana. Click here for results.
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Training Session Listings
Glyn and Cole have just published four weeks' sessions on Thursdays, going out from Chesterton Sports Centre - details via the Thursday Sessions page. And in case you haven't clicked that far yet, there's also a long-established Tuesday Sessions page, currently showing what Neil, Caz and Fergie have for us at Wilberforce Road until May Day. Thanks to all of our coaches.
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Frostbite Presentation Night
Presentation of the Frostbite trophies will take place on 24 March.
Good news is that it is in a pub - The Plough, Peterborough.
Please let me know if you would like to go and I will reserve a ticket(s) for you.
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English Cross Country Championships
Details of the event to be held at Parliament Hill, N. London on Saturday 25th February have been emailed out to all those who requested a Club paid entry. If you have not received this email, please get in contact asap.
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London Bus
Hi All
The time is getting closer for the great day with a fantatsic line up of elite runners all looking to get that qualifying time for the olympics - 6 Elite British females in competition and 6 Elite Kenyans all racing for the time. This goes without saying about our own club runners all trying to get PB's, experience there first marathon or doing it for charity. Make the experience less stressful and more fun by joining us on the london bus. The bus will pick up at the track at 6:30am and head off to the starting point of Black Heath to drop off the runners, it will then drop of all spectators (which can be family, friends etc) near the tower bridge. after a fun filled day of supporting your family, friends and running buddies we will all meet either in the Walkabout pub on the embankment or in Arundel street to pick up the bus again at 4:30pm. Then home for that well earned dinner, glass of wine, pint of beer and rest.
The cost for this is £15 per person, if you would like to join the fun please make cheques payable to C&C and post them to Tracey Patmore, 36 Blenheim Close, Upper Cambourne, Cambridge, CB23 6AP or pass them to me at the track on a tuesday.
This is a great opportunity so make sure that you snap up your place quick as there is only a certain amount and quite a few have been booked already. It is first come first served with there cheques. Good value for a day out in London i think.
Tracey
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Unusual events
Ever wondered what your favourite radio journalist was training for? Look at the link. Liz pops up between 13.10 and 14.50 minutes in. Rumours that there are going to be some big red balls in the next fartlek session could well be true.....
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Cross Country
A couple of families braved the chilly weather in Ryston last weekend. Click here for results.
The Hertfordshire Sunday League is closer to home next weekend. Full details of the last match at Royston Heath can be found here. An excellent opportunity to run some hills other than those at the Gogs.
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Stamford St Valentine's 30K CANCELLED
e-mail from race director below...
Saturday 11th February 2012, 1600hrs
To all 30k Runners
It is with a great deal of sadness that Stamford Striders have to cancel the St Valentine’s Day 30k tomorrow – the first cancellation in its 19 year history.
We were cautiously optimistic yesterday. Of the 18.6 miles, 16 were clear, dry and beautiful for running. We had just over 2 miles, in 2 rural areas, which still had compacted snow and which get no sun.
Friday night saw temperatures reach -13C here, which hardened that compacted snow.
Today we ploughed the snow clear, and had a large team of club runners out attacking the ice with shovels. We also bought over a tonne of salt. However, it has not resulted in a course that we can, hand on hearts, declare safe to run. The temperature is not forecast to get above freezing until Sunday at 9AM and, with no sun getting to that part of the course, there is no reasonable chance of any improvement.
Therefore, as Race Director I, in consultation with our Safety Officer and the Police, have had to cancel the 30k. I am extremely proud of the team here – they have worked like Trojans to try and make it work, and, as runners, themselves are all bitterly disappointed.
We are looking at options now, and will be in touch within the week with our plan from here.
I hope that most of you receive this in time to at least have not had wasted journeys.
If you swapped your number directly with another runner, we do not have their e-mail and would be grateful if you could pass this on. (Note that this does not apply to those that we facilitated the swap, putting runners in touch with runners who could not run)
Best Regards,
Nick Wells
Race Director
Stamford Striders
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Cross Country this weekend
Weather permitting Ryston Runners will be hosting their fifth event of six on Sunday. If you haven't been able to put in much speed work this week you may like to take advantage of this 9K hilly, two loop course. It's all off road on forest tracks - suitable for spikes. Get there early to register - £4 for seniors and £2 for the shorter junior races. I suggest you check their club website to see if it's still on if the weather looks doubtful.
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WILBERFORCE ROAD - TRACK CLOSED
Due to the weather the track is closed this evening, so there will be no sessions running from there, for either the track or road group. Apparently the surrounding pavements are also still ice/snow covered and therefore I don't feel it's safe for me to take a road session out to the West site either. Hopefully the weather will ease as the week goes on and we can all return to a normal training schedule! Be safe everyone. Caz
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Freedom Parkrun or a tale of a tarnished Narnia
Inspired by the writings of Dave Mail (see News) - and who couldn't be? - and to carry out a controlled experiment, I thought I'd try to race the Parkrun course on Mon 6th, and compare my time with my last recorded result in more 'normal' conditions.
By Monday, the pristine wilderness described so eloquently by Dave had been somewhat mashed up and slightly thawed, with the result that each step I took sank in quite a way, and then had a nasty tendency to slide unpredictably. I made a reasonably honest attempt at putting in as much effort as previously ....Results:-
26:30 on Monday, compared to 22:38 last time
We often speculate as to how much time adverse conditions can add to our race times....well, I offer this up as one example....a startling loss of nearly 4 min, or well over a minute a mile.....a sobering, or perhaps comforting thought, if you need an excuse...sorry reason, for a relatively poor time!
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Anglican Schools Cross Country Championships
More excellent results for some of our junior C & C members. Click here.
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Women's Monday Night Session Still On!
At your own risk, come for a run around with me around the centre of Cambridge tonight (Mon 6th Feb). Probably only going to do 3-4 miles. Bring sensible clothing and expect it to be a stop and start slow and steady session.
Becky
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Monday Night Running Group Cancelled 6th Feb
Due to the snow over the weekend we have decided to cancel the Monday night running group from Chesterton. The pavements in the area remain snow covered, and with predicted minus temps this evening it would be unsafe to run. If you run with this group and have contact details of other members please let them know. The group will run as usual next Monday 13th Feb if conditions have improved. Apologies for any inconvenience caused.
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A Trip to Narnia
Alternatively “A Romp in the Snow”
After being deprived of a race in the snow today when the Bourne Frostbite event was cancelled, I didn’t let that stop me getting my fix of snow running. Having previously worked at Papworth for many years, I’ve run the 12 miles cross country between work and home in deep snow several times, so waking up to 3-4 inches of snow today wasn’t going to deter me. On with my cross country shoes, 3 pairs of gloves, 2 shirts, a very warm jacket, my Fenland 10 woolly hat and a running belt loaded with drink, camera (more pics in "read more") and a mobile phone (in case I came across any distressed walkers!), I headed out…
At the end of my road, across a snow covered field, and onto the Guided Busway. Hardly anyone about, very few footprints in the snow, with me adding some more as I loped along in the post snow haze to Milton CP. There, was the first taste of a winter wonderland and I took several photos along the Parkrun 5k course (prizes to anyone who accurately identifies the precise locations).
Out of MCP onto Fen Road to Bait’s Bite and then through my first deep snowdrift of the day practising my high knee lift technique on the way to Horningsea. Just north of Horningsea, I turned onto the Harcamlow Way (the 140 miles figure of eight long distance footpath from Harlow to Cambridge and back to Harlow – Cambridge is the northernmost point) towards Lode. Couldn’t help but stop and take in the serenity of the snow covered fens with a beautiful gloomy sky. No good; I can’t stay here all day, much as I love the fens.
Onward to Lode, but I deliberately deviated from my usual route (just for a change to see where a different path took me), through more snowdrifts, and came across Quy Old Station House, from whence I turned onto another branch of the Harcamlow Way which took me along Quy Water. It was along there that I had a “Narnia experience” as I passed through a door of trees into an exquisite view of a frozen Quy Water meandering through an avenue of heavily snow covered trees. I stopped and gasped, stunned with the quiet majesty of my discovery. No footprints, it was as if I had found a secret world that no one else knew about. Managed to shake myself out of my stupor and jogged slowly beside the Water which runs along the back of Anglesey Abbey into Lode, all the while absorbing the splendour that was unfolding around each bend.
Upon leaving Lode, I spied a couple of sentries outside a house – has anyone else noticed that whenever there is a heavy snowfall, there is always an alien invasion? It’s creepy how they just stand there saying nothing, not moving, often with a silly smile on their white faces, black eyes, wearing a scarf but no other clothes, thin stick like arms, and a huge round bottom that hides any legs they may or may not have. They obviously haven’t worked out a proper invasion plan, because they always melt away when the temperature rises.
From Lode, I turned NNW alongside Bottisham Lode towards Bottisham Lock and into a different wonderland of frozen water, deep snow, and a vast vista of open snow covered flat fields extending for miles, with a light haze hovering over the snow. No sounds apart from a few birds, no footprints, no signs of “civilization”, just gentle stillness. More standing around admiring my location, before I girded my loins and reluctantly continued, albeit with several scenery induced stops.
Crossed the river at Clayhithe and headed along the Haling Way Towpath to Bait’s Bite and then back to home. I always smile hello to people when I run and usually get nice responses, and today there were more than usual (kindred spirits adventuring out into the bleak conditions?).
You’ll know from my previous writings that I love running in the hills; but I also love the Fens, and days like this reinforce that emotion.
20.5 miles run in 3hr 35 min (plus another hour for scenery stops and photos); must be my slowest ever 20 miles run, but who cares? Today wasn’t about timing, but living the moment and discovering and experiencing treasures. I race, and I train to race as well as I can, but it’s days like today that give me my running pleasure and if ever they were taken away from me, then that would be the end of a huge part of me.
Spent the whole time smiling due to the sheer joy of being able to run on such a day. Who needs wheels when two legs can lead you to such discoveries, secrets and emotions? A perfect magical day running in the Fens.
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Southerns Cross Country Results
The SEAA website has finally been updated with all the U15G and U13G results. Some of the senior ladies are still wrongly formatted and make no sense. I'll post the remaining results on the C & C webpages as soon as I can. Until then click here.
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SSEA Road Relays
The South of England Men’s 12-stage and Women’s 6-stage Road Relays will be held on on Sunday 25 March. This is arguably the premier road running event this year (at least in the South of England!) and it would great to see C&C involved. The relay consists of alternating loops of 7.664km and 5.053km. The start/finish is at an athletics stadium and the course is on redways (cycle routes) around a wood. There will be changing rooms, showers and refreshments in the clubhouse next to the track. If the weather is warm there will be a barbecue close to the clubhouse. Somewhat unusually the day ends with an optional tug of war competition between the teams.
Interested? Please get in touch with Mark Vile, Al, Carla or Andrew.
If there is sufficient interest we would like to enter two male and two female teams.
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Frostbite Race in Bourne is Cancelled
Here is a message from the organisers...
The race scheduled for tomorrow (5th Feb) at Bourne is CANCELLED. The organisers at Bourne have walked the course today and decided it would be unsafe to run. Snow from earlier in the week has frozen hard and made a very slippery and dangerous course and it's a similar picture in the Woods car park which would make car parking difficult. This, together with the likely hood of heavy snowfall overnight, makes it unwise for us to go ahead with the race.
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��Frostbite Race Six.pdf (629kB)