Race Report – Pam Eardley

So the day looked good weather wise, I really don’t fancy this run in bad weather although I’m told they change the run if it’s bad weather, it’s still bleak up there.

I met up with Alison Brind and she drove to Tittesworth Reservoir where we met Phillipa  Steele and Amy Gamble. Amy was costume designer and a great job she did too . Once we’d entered the race and dressed ourselves up suitably the race started at 11.

There really was some brilliant fancy dress costumes Santas, elves, snowmen along with themes not so Christmassy .

We started off through some fields and farm tracks, lots of mud and my trainers are still recovering in the airing cupboard. Then we hit the lanes and started to climb slowly until we came to the off road point and onto the Roaches.

The path was very muddy uneven and you really did have to concentrate on where you were putting your feet, there were some points where you had to walk it was so steep and un even. I did manage to keep other runners in my sight as I did have visions of being the last one out but no there were people behind us and the other girls waited at points so it’s was a lovely no pressure fun (I think) run.

There was a man running with a record player who overtook me on the climb I did mutter something to Alison about being overtaken by someone heavily burdened by his fancy dress !!!! he was playing some grunge music so was  quite glad he went past me .

On reaching the trig point  we had a photo opportunity and  it was all we could muster to stop ourselves taking off in our bat capes. Such spectacular views just amazing that we live so close to this natural beauty.

Then the decent, well all I can say was it was euphoric , just a beautiful 4 miles down hill, I did say to the girls we’d all done well not to do a Madonna in our capes.

We crossed the line together and I felt amazing looking back towards where I’d come from.  I would recommend this run everything was fun the marshals, the other runners everyone was in good spirits.

The choice of socks or beer was your reward, beer for the hubby I thought as he did hold my coat bless him.

Hot drinks were served to the runners then a snowman with a flashing red nose came and asked where our tent and generator were !!!!!  ? We are famous the SMM bat cave !!!!!!

Dick Dastardly was the individual fancy dress winner not sure who got the group win.

 A brilliant day out thoroughly enjoyed it and a big thanks to the other girls we had a great team spirit .

Saturday morning, the forecast said cold and wet, I had to take the boys swimming and then onto a party and the wife was working, oh and I was carrying an injury (not sure if I had mentioned this before).

So why don’t I go and run cross country at Park Hall !!

 Following the first two races at Winsford and Stafford Common, Chairman Tim gave up his place at the Six Dales to come and race. Following a very convoluted Facebook discussion Tim, Jim H, Mick D and myself met at the Tennis Club at 12:30 (well 12:35 by the time Mick had turned up via a detour to get alcohol) and made our way over to the rain soaked tracks of Park Hall.

 As we clambered up to the gazebo area we were met by Captain Bernie and Brian ‘The Barista’ Hall offering drinks of tea, coffee and hot chocolate and also the Bat Girls warming up in that type of rain that gets you soaked through !

 As with Stafford Common there was plenty of discussion about what footwear to use and from what I understood a lot of the course was on tracks so surely standard trail shoes should do even in the wet.

 At 1.30 the girls went off to the start and set off on two laps, we cheered them past and then ran back under the cover of the gazebo to keep warm and dry, well dry and only braved out again as they ran past on the next lap.

 In horrible conditions it was a great performance with Pippa Steele, Amy Gamble, Kirsty Stephenson and Julia McArthur the first four home for the club with Jackie Allen, Alison Brind, Anne-Marie Mountford, Julie Ebrey and Bonnie Seabridge. I understand Bonnie was competing in her first ever cross country and managed a sprint finish overtaking several competitors up the hill finish. The girls dragged themselves back to the gazebo to warm mulled wine and sent us boys packing off to the start.

 We huddled at the start like Emperor Penguins and then set off on our 3 laps around the park, there was quite a bit of stopping and starting in the first section due to some narrow parts but eventually we got in to our stride. It was an interesting course with undulating trails, grass downhills, muddy uphills, narrow bits with no overtaking and probably my favourite so far, unfortunately I didn’t do it justice but despite the weather it was thoroughly enjoyable.

 As I trundled round the course it was absolutely fantastic to get the support from the girls. Bearing in mind they had just ran round in the pouring rain and freezing cold they were the loudest most enthusiastic supporters and other clubs will be envious of the team spirit we show.

 I did manage a sprint finish when someone dared to try and overtake me on the final ascent…I don’t think so matey !!! It was my worst run of the three so far but I wanted to run and complete the course and save myself for Uttoxeter (honest).

 After the finish we dragged ourselves back to the gazebo to change and warm up and big thank you to Brian and Bernie for looking after us….at least we ran to keep warm, they looked after us brilliantly, it makes such a difference and it is very much appreciated.

 At this time I haven’t seen the results but I understand Steve Fenney came in an amazing 35th and Tim managed to get in 89th his first top 100 finish. Also (in no particular order), Mick Downes, Jim Holland, Fabian Carbonell, Kevin Uzzell, Alex Yendole, Jonathan Howell, Chris Ellerton, Richard Shaw, Jamie McArthur and my good self completed the slightly damp course.

 Once I have the results (and photos)I will post them on the website and facebook.

 In summary, what can I say, it was a wet and cold one but the team performance, team spirit is absolutely second to none. I can’t wait till Uttoxeter on the 12th December and if there is anyone who hasn’t ran cross country this year, or before then I highly recommend it.

 Let’s get an even bigger number out representing the Bats and finish the season on a high !!!!!

Paul

Race report: Steve Parker

Up at 5 30 usual pre marathon porridge medicine, as usual, ate until I felt sick. Off with other like minded individuals to the start, by chance, only about a mile from the B+B, out side the Rod Laver Arena on Batman Ave, of Australian Open tennis fame. https://www.stonemm.co.uk/2015/10/18/melbourne-marathon-18th-october-2015/ https://www.stonemm.co.uk/2015/10/18/melbourne-marathon-18th-october-2015/Took my cap off, as instructed, for the Ozzie National Anthem, commentator told everyone to “bugger work tomorrow, tell the boss you’ve done the M, and finished in the “G” “. Off at an early 7 00 start, thank god, as it got hot from 10 00, and plodded around, aiming for favoured negative split, started to feel real tired (sorry buggered) at about 32k and had to hang on, to the finish in the MCG home of the 1956 Olympics, although I don’t remember them!

Ran with Felicity for about 6k from Torpoint in Cornwall (out for a week just to do Marathon) moved on when she explained her husband was in the Marines and was aiming for 3 hours. Ran with Leanne (doing it for her 50th birthday, a local)  for about 25k, moved on when she suggested breakfast with her family, then with about 1.5k to go, an ex pat Kevin, (in his 30’s) came alongside and explained he had been following me all the way round, I suggested we finished together, he agreed and then sprinted (or what appeared to me like a sprint) around the inside of the MCG to the finish, I didn’t want Kev to beat me so it all became messy over the last 400 metres, I think we did finish together, possibly to ex english Kevs surprise.

Didn’t see any other bats so little else to report. Oh, finish time (on my watch) 3 28 07! Didn’t need the St Johns help so that’s a result, keeping off the trams. Usual diet Coke fuelled rehydration along with Pizza, possibly a beer or 2 later along with Pizza, possibly a beer or 2 later.

The Photo’s are from file, not from the race. However they are likely to be realistic of Sparker’s face at the sprint finish and his post race recovery.

Editor comment:   After reading Sparker’s comments on tiring at 32km, I thought I’d check what happened to the machine that is Sparker. According to the timing on the results website he was 19 seconds slower in the second 20k from the first 20k, and his sprint finish led to a fast final 2.2k, thus he was probably close to a negative split. As usual he passed runners the whole race, almost 400 in the second half! Well done Sparker, I wish I could do that in a bad race!

Race report – Margaret Shaw

When Richard mentioned this half marathon to me saying that it was pretty well all down hill I thought that has to be good. It was everything I enjoyed, off road but a good track,scenic and down hill! We entered very early as apparently it is very popular (I wonder why?) and limited to 400. This race is run on the Saturday and on the Sunday, so we opted for the Sunday.

The race runs from Parsley Hay Cycle Centre to Ashbourne down the old disused railway line, finishing at the Leisure Centre where there are changing and showering facilities. The route takes you from Parsley Hay(which is over 1000 ft) to Hurdlow, Hartington, Ruby Wood, Alsop-en-le-Dale, Tissington, Thorpe Station and Mapleton Lane. The Leisure Centre at Ashbourne is also the race headquarters. Buses take you from the Centre to the start at Parsley Hay.

The morning of the race arrives, the weather promises sunshine and temperatures good for running. We arrive at 8.00am and there were plenty of spaces for parking. We met with Julia Dando and some of our friends from Drayton so time soon passed and we were on the buses by 9.15 on our way to the start. We had a lovely scenic journey and were pleasantly surprised to see approximately 10 hot air balloons. At Parsley Hay there were plenty of toilets with a cafe and shop to buy hot drinks if you needed one. Julia was soon tucking into a hot chocolate (could this be the reason for her 10min PB!).

Whilst we were waiting I suddenly spotted Ann Griffiths her husband David and Bill Clarke. It was great to see them increasing our club numbers to six. As we waited we were warned to keep to the left and not wear headphones as we would be sharing the trail with cyclists and horses. As expected there were those who still wore headphones and a cyclist ran into one of them as they did not hear his warning bell. No one hurt but yet another instance in support of no headphones.

It was chilly at the start and therefore wearing a Tee Shirt or bin bag was recommended. Discarded Tee shirts were taken to the finish line for collection. We were also set off in  waves of approx 25 in order to prevent bottlenecks and to be helpful to others using the trail. This worked well.

As we set off the sun peeped through and we soon warmed up. Julia and I ran together for the first 8 miles keeping a good steady pace and it was great to have such good company. The scenery was breathtaking, changing from panoramic views to woodland and vice versa. The trail was excellent to run on, not too rocky, and yes it was definitely predominately down hill. It was a gradual downward gradient with plateaus. Do not think WOW, that must have been an easy run!! It was not! Picture yourself running at your quicker pace, nonstop for 13.1 miles. No nice hills to change pace. It is relentless. But yes PBs are on the cards. Your legs will also tell you they have been running downhill and quads will scream the next day.

Oh, one more thing, there was one short, steep hill, up to the finish! This is the result of a viaduct being removed when the railway closed down. This produced downward then upward slopes of 130ft with gradient 1:9 each.

A brilliant day. Richard took Male Vet 65 with a time of 1.48.06 and Julia Dando had a tremendous PB of 10mins. Would I do it again? Yes. https://www.stonemm.co.uk/2015/10/09/tissington-trail-half-marathon-sunday-4th-october-2015/ https://www.stonemm.co.uk/2015/10/09/tissington-trail-half-marathon-sunday-4th-october-2015/Richard & I have already entered next year Sunday 9th October and hope other bats will join us especially as we have found a good eating venue at Denstone Farm Shop/Cafe for lunch en route home. It has been given the thumbs up by our little group of runners on Sunday.

Chip Times
Richard Shaw 1.48.06
Margaret Shaw 2.06.04
Julia Dando 2.08.35
David Griffiths 2.17.39
Ann Griffiths 2.22.25
Bill Clark 2.22.25

Race Report – Mac McCoig

This first staging of the Moddershall 5 Mile road race took place on 27 September in perfect weather conditions. Organised by Mick Downes (and other members of SMM assisting) for Moddershall Cricket Club, the race was in aid of Breakthrough Breast Cancer in memory of Mandy Shenton, a former member of the cricket club.

The venue was the cricket club grounds which, perched on the top of a hill, overlooks Stone and provides stunning views across Staffordshire and to the far off ‘blue remembered hills’ of Shropshire. The cricket club had organised a fete and with ladies serving tea & cakes in the pavilion this was one of those perfect English sunny occasions we all remember from our childhood.

Anyone who knows where Moddershall Cricket Club is will also know that the advertised ‘undulating’ course description is a bare-faced lie. The precipitous banks surrounding Moddershall are worthy of a stiff fell race, as any local will tell you. However, Mick had arranged an excellent course with little country lanes, virtually traffic free, boasting trees, cows grazing, a picturesque pub with a duck pond and a lovely prospect of the Wrekin in the distance. This is what road running is all about and who gives a fig for the grim streets and grey tenements of city events?

97 brave souls set off at 11:00, cheered on by a small band of supporters who probably (having just driven up Hayes Bank) never expected to see them again, a scene reminiscent of the Accrington Pals marching off cheerily to war-time France. However, return they did! With the men’s race being led in by Craig Pilsbury in 29:59 (unattached – someone sign him up!), Steve Naylor of Michelin AC in second place in 30:56 and Paul Swan of Trentham RC third in 31:13. The ladies were led home by the aptly named Wendy Swift of Staffs Moorlands in 34:10 with Pippa Steele (unattached but soon to return to SMM I am told) second in 37:24 and our own Kirsty Stephenson third in 37:48.

Other prizes were taken by Bryn Holmes of Trentham RC (V40 32:45), Andy Lidstone Buxton & District AC (V50 34:45) and our evergreen Kevin Uzzell (V60 37:31). Ladies prize-winners were Gail Lowe of Newcastle AC (V40 44:14), Linda Ferneyhough (45:23) and our own Pam Davies (V60 42:03).

As for me, I puffed along at the back, trying to enjoy the beautiful weather and scenery and wondering why someone had moved Moddershall Oaks a half a mile further on from where I last saw it. However I, like several other SMM members who ran at Moddershall, had competed in the Winsford cross-country the day before and were entitled to feed a bit puffed. So that’s a big cheer for all those who ran on Saturday and a bigger cheer for Mick and the Cricket Club and all those SMM members who turned out to help make this a great little race. Let’s see it on the calendar again next year!

Race Report – Kim HumphrEys

Bats do Wroclaw

In the very early hours of 11^th September, the Bats – Jim, Tim, Tom, Ben, Roger, the Legend, Bernie, Sparker, Mick and Kim assembled outside the bat cave with 4 other good men and true – Rich, Phil, Chris and Lee and set off for what must be the most underwhelming airport in the civilised world, Nottingham East Midlands.

The main course – to help Jim out of the carefree life of liberty that has been his hallmark for the past 41 years and try and ease him into the control of the strong arm of the law in terms of his impending marriage to Lisa.

For dessert, a modest helping of the Wroclaw marathon.

The Airport – little to report except for a couple of drinks and the odd custard cream (Marks and Spencer’s version being obviously superior to the very poorly filled and tasting Morrison’s version) similarly, an uneventful flights and bus into Wroclaw. An early lunch of a few beers and a burger, followed by a few more beers.

Off to the hotel (after what seemed like a 5 mile walk – we did finally work out that those bus like vehicles with wires sticking out that stopped outside our hotel were – in fact – trams) and out again for a quiet beer, followed by several noisy ones.

For those unaccustomed to the usual pattern of the Bats’ trips away, the usual pattern is (1) a few beers; (2) a bit of culture – and yes that’s not just a yoghourt! and (3) run the marathon.

On this trip (2) was replaced by two activities – shooting and go-karting. On Saturday we all trouped off to a shooting range and fired a Glock pistol, a shotgun and an AK47. Safety was paramount and we were all advised where to stand whilst the shooting was in progress – although in Tim “target, what target?” Hulse’s case, the safest place would have been in front of the target. The best performance came from Chris “the legend and 007” Barlow.

Marathon day was soon upon us and Kim, having packed his wife’s running vest rather than his own decided to change shirts to avoid scaring the masses by having his belly sticking out and looking like Matt Lucas from Little Britain.

The day was extremely hot but all bats came in safely – although there is an ongoing stewards’ enquiry into rumours that Ben Gamble waited by the finish to avoid winning a large trophy and having to pay a £500 baggage supplement to Ryanair. The times were as follows:-

A well organised marathon – albeit the course itself missed out some of the better sights of the old town in Wroclaw.

The post marathon recovery was uneventful except for a couple of bats struggling in the heat. All agreed that the rehydration process was a serious one and needed to be implemented with vigour.

On Monday we went off for our second activity: go-karting and again a surprise winner emerged in Roger “out of my way” Taylor.  A final beer session followed the highlight of which was the Legend leading the beer hall in a chorus of “happy birthday” to help Tim celebrate his 47^th.

All in all – a great trip – it was a pleasure to celebrate with Jim and a huge vote of thanks goes to Tim and Tom for their organisation and calming influences……