Brass Monkey Half Marathon Sun 15th Jan 2017

So signing up for this race seemed like a good idea at the time, I had been told it was a fast and flat course and definitely had PB potential written all over it, that was until I realised that the middle of January isn’t exactly when you were at your peak for running a half marathon!  Despite this the fact that it was sold out within 30 minutes of going on sale did reassure us that it was a race worth doing!

Race day came around very quick, and true to its name it was certainly “brass” the morning of the race, however not quite the minus 2 degrees it was the previous year as we seemed to be reminded on several occasions.  Race HQ was at York racecourse, with baggage drop, toilet facilities and any last minute drinks and snacks available – all very organised.  We of course arrived with plenty of time in hand and strolled to the start line totally relaxed, and we of coursed definitely did not have a “lovers tiff” because we were so organised, as everyone knows that I don’t like to be organised at all and I am rather laid back when it comes to these things!!!

When we eventually wished each other luck and departed for our individual pens I was amazed at the variety of club vests on show, coming from all over the UK, it was also great to see the North East represented by so many clubs and familiar faces.

Finally we were underway and after the first km we hit the on and only bridge on the whole course, “I must remember that I have to tackle that on the way back” I thought to myself, as well as “Miv told me it was flat!!!”.  The course itself was through some nice little villages and then into the countryside before looping back to York Racecourse.  I little boring in places but bizarrely flat, perfectly flat in fact and Miv was right – it certainly did have PB potential written all over it.  Having got past the half way point pretty comfortably and then hitting 10 miles I realised I was starting to get tired, I had 21 minutes to do 5km, which would bring me under 1:27, something I hadn’t even dreamed of before the race let alone during it!  I of course totally forgot that I had to go back over the bridge, which hurt but it is supposed to right?  I came across the finish line and couldn’t believe my time, and once I had got my breath (and lungs) back, it started to sink in.  Looking at the race picture of me below I am starting to become alarmed at how many times I get pictured looking at my watch, do I just run in that position constantly?

The highlight of the race was to come – having ran 6 half marathons last year, the year after in which she ran her first ever half marathon, Helen crossed the line of her first half marathon of 2017 in 1:59, her first ever sub 2 hour half marathon, something which I know she has been determined to achieve for so long.

So was the Brass Monkey Half marathon worth setting your alarm for 5:50am on a random Sunday morning just to get in?  Of course it was – as Miv said “Fast and flat with PB potential!!

Christmas 5km Handicap Race – Wed 21st Dec 19:00hrs

A quiet evening on the streets of Darras Hall, well it would have been last night if it wasn’t for a large gaggle of Pont Runners gathered at the end of Runnymede Road awaiting their start times for the annual handicap race.

Although only a 5km, it’s a challenge for all the runners, the first away have to try and stay ahead and the last away are chasing for the whole race….. Watching the “strava flyby” for the event just shows how very bunched it becomes when you handicap everyones time.

Many of the normal “A” group runners headed up Darras Road for a warm-up run, and were surprised when they turned round to head back to the start that Mr O’Neil continued to run on.  He had a plan, to arrive just in time for his start time, which he missed by a few seconds.  Everyone else was on the start line in time and ready to go. The Elf’s took various items of clothing from the competitors and once everyone was gone the elf’s and timers headed over to the finish line on Darras Road.

Now it quickly became apparent that the timers were going to have a hectic few minutes as if things went to plan all the runners would arrive together.  When the runners started to arrive there was a very busy 3 minutes or so taking times. Given that the handicaps set people over almost 18 minutes it worked well to provide an race where everyone had an opportunity to win.

Well done to evreryone who took part, and a big thankyou from everybody to Matty for organising a great club event. Have a great christmas and new year and keep an eye on the facebook page for any updates on run sessions over the christmas period. Some of our normal sessions fall on bank holidays so won’t be taking place.

 

The Yorkshire Coast 10km Sunday 30th Oct 2016

Ponteland Runners, or runner, as it was just Tim Allsop on his own, were on tour in Yorkshire for the 10km costal run. Tim did the club proud finishing 19th overall and won the V45 category in a field of over 1600. His time a very impressive 37.28. This is the sort of results we are really keen to shout about and it’s great to hear about Tim’s success.

Well done Tim!!. Results can be found here.

Wrekenton Cross Country – Race Report

Ah yes, Cross Country has returned.

Freezing cold temperatures and mud up to your waist but hang on a minute, what was that big yellow thing in the sky? And what was that strange substance called “dry ground”? Also new for this season are chip timings in your race number – making it extra important that you don’t lose it/wash it during the season.

Wrekenton was the venue for the first race of the 2016/17 season and despite clashing with a number of other races this weekend, it was a very good turn out from the club with 10 ladies and 13 men taking part. Both teams are already looking capable of achieving promotion this year with hopefully some even stronger performances to follow over the coming few races.

Special shout outs to all the first timers – Abby (promotion to the medium pack in your first race, great stuff), Elaine, Sarah, Claire, Caroline, Tim (1st time for us anyway), Alex and Duncan – hope I haven’t missed anyone.

Special mentions also to Martin Hallissey on a rapid return to the fast pack (he’s got potential that bloke – you heard it here first!) and Matty Bell for his incredible powers of decisiveness over what shoes to wear. Thanks too to all the kids and other club members that came along to cheer us on.

After race cakes and drinks were as splendid as ever – and it’s only 7 days until we get to do it all over again at Druridge Bay when hopefully lots more team members can also be there. Photos of “aeroplanes” etc. all available to view on Facebook.

Cold and muddy? Not a chance.

Berlin Marathon Race Report

Dearest Mother

You may recall that some time ago I volunteered for a top secret mission, I would like to blame my decision on the impetuousness of youth , but naturally one cannot in all conscience attribute that particular issue to your good son.  I can therefore only surmise that I agreed to the task whilst under the influence of some mind altering substance.

To date dearest mother I have kept  my own counsel on the matter, as secrecy was key to the success of the mission , but now the task has been completed I feel that the full horror of my ordeal can be divulged; not only for my own catharsis but to warn future generations.

Let me start by introducing the lead players in the drama that was about to unfold. Our commander Colonel ‘W’ is a grizzled old veteran of 13 previous missions. Despite the vast human suffering he has witnessed he has managed to maintain a remarkable level of bonhomie.  It was he who recruited me with promises of glory and riches beyond the dreams of Croesus, constantly plying me with unknown tablets to ‘replace the salt’.  I now believe these to be nothing of the sort, and he has clearly drugged me to bend me to his will.

Quartermaster ‘O’ was a strange character.  Without doubt he belongs in an elite corps, so one wonders why he remains with our rag-tag bunch; I suspect he could be a fifth columnist. There are too many things that were not quite adding up. Where does he go when the rest of the regiment meet on Saturdays in muddy fields for manoeuvres?  Why does he never have an explanation for his absence? We need answers.

Sergeant ‘B’ is a pleasant enough cove-clearly he has a fondness for the hop, an urge he claims to have got under control prior to the mission . I had my doubts however, although he managed to complete his mission in an efficient and impressive manner, perhaps it is his love of grog that powered him to such performances. Who can tell what motivates a man under such pressure.  I would point out however that his memory may be becoming slightly impaired by his habit.  I cannot recall how many times he had ‘forgotten his wallet’, but it did seem to become a well-used mantra.

The mission itself when it was revealed to me on the morning via an anonymous letter slipped under my hotel door was simplicity itself. Assemble after reveille in the Tiergarten, circumnavigate the boundaries of the city and meet 26.2 miles later at Brandenburg Gate.  How one was to be sorely disabused of the simplicity of the idea.  Nothing can prepare you for the horror that awaits you at the point 6 miles from your objective.  Still like a recurring nightmare, one realised that the only way out of this torment was forward. So armed only with Colonel  ‘W’s  ‘special’ tablets I stumbled inexorably to my fate.

Upon completion I found my merry band awaiting me with tales of derring do, and all seemed in remarkably high spirits. I attributed this either to the Colonel’s medication or a pure sense of relief that our ordeal was over. QM ‘O’ once again disappeared at this point, adding to my suspicions . He did return however clutching a scrap of paper bearing some strange markings and numbers. I think I caught a glimpse of 3:08:34 but sadly the numbers meant nothing to me.

One cannot begin to express the joy at surviving my first mission dearest mother.  Despite their obvious idiosyncrasies and foibles my fellow combatants  proved to be excellent if eccentric companions. Another mission is planned, of which I can say no more at this juncture.

Bassenwaite Tri – Sat 13th Aug

We had heard very good reports about Bassenthwaite triathlon but had never tried it before and the date was just a couple of days after a BIG birthday for Chris. He decided to do this one as his first open water triathlon in celebration of the BIG event, however he ended up doing Northumberland sprint tri in June as his first open water tri. I of course would do it too not wanting to miss out on doing a triathlon. We had been checking the weather forecast on the run up to the event and only entered one week before when we knew the weather was going to be OK. Unfortunately for Chris the standard distance was sold out so we had to do the sprint distance instead – phew!!!!

The weather forecast remained good, light wind, no rain, 16C – perfect conditions! On driving along the A66 towards Keswick however, there was rain and lots of it! The clouds were low over the mountains and it looked like it was going to be wet. I checked the weather app on my phone and it said Keswick was dry all day!! Oh dear! Unusual for the weather forecast to be wrong isn’t it?!

We drove on through to Bassenthwaite and the rain did clear up – phew. We drove round the cycle route and saw that the road to the north of the lake was very undulating so we knew to take it easy as we would also be heading west into the wind on that side of the lake. We drove the run route too and found the brutal hill that we would have to negotiate. It didn’t look so bad in the car!

We were initially a bit concerned about the swim route as there were some small sailing boats right where the start of the swim would be and also some random floating oil cans, however, they hadn’t finished setting up the swim route and the boats and oil cans were removed and replaced by the large orange buoys marking out  the swim routes. The motor boats checked the distances and drove round the sprint and standard routes so the competitors knew which way to go. Then it was time for the sprint competitors to get in the water. Now, anyone who has only ever swam in Northumberland lakes like us, it was weird to find the water clear, not completely clear but you could see people around you in comparison to Northumberland lakes where you can’t even see your own hand in front of you and of course the taste of the swam poo.  Bassenthwaite water is safe to drink and no taste J. The water was pleasantly cool, 15.9C to be precise and perfect for swimming in. The hooter went and we were off. I knew I had the swim advantage over Chris and wondered where on the bike he would catch me. The swim route completed and off into transition and out onto the bike.

The bike route initially sends you along the A66 towards Keswick with the wind behind you so we knew it would be quick. Unfortunately the road surface on that stretch was being replaced as the surface was very bad. They had taken the surface on the inside lane which meant sharing the outside lane with passing motorists. Luckily not too many motorists passed by so it was safe enough. We anticipated that when we turned to head back to the sailing club on the north side of the road would be bad, undulating and into the head wind. What we found was that it was actually quicker than expected. The route was also long for a sprint tri at 27km!

Back into transition and onto the run with the dreaded brutal hill. The route was undulating at first and we shared the road with the guys on their bike leg doing the standard tri which is always nice when you get to pass others. Richard Winter was doing the standard and did pass me on this section so I gave him a cheery shout of encouragement. The long route bike section carried on along the road while the run route turned left and there it was, the brutal hill. Head down, tiny steps, keep running, don’t look up – I kept telling myself. I saw 6 or so people ahead and everyone was walking. I would not be defeated! I did run the whole way, although slowly. That was brutal. Cresting the head of the hill it was weird on the legs to be running on the flat again and they seemed to take some encouragement to do so. We weren’t on the flat before long when we turned left to the downhill back towards the finish. The poor standard distance guys would have to turn right here and go further uphill, I felt very sorry for them! Turning downhill, again I had to encourage the legs to try and run properly downhill. I was a bit concerned about my dodgy knees on this downhill bit but they held out. Last little push to the finish line and a bit of a sprint to the line. The run route was long for a sprint tri too at 6.1km. The commentator announced my name and club as I crossed the line and mentioned it was a family day out for us! The commentator was great and created a really good atmosphere.

Bassenthwaite sailing club were hosting the event and Tri Lakeland were the organisers. We were impressed by the organisation of the event and to have the facilities on offer at the sailing club were a real pleasure; refreshments, hot and cold sandwiches, cakes, hot showers, large changing room, plenty of loos, plenty of masseurs. The organisers were very friendly and helpful and created a really lovely event. Swimming in Bassenthwaite was a pleasure.  Although Chris isn’t converted to open water tri’s yet, I think this one is definitely one we will be doing annually unless our summer holidays happen to clash with it. It would make a fantastic club trip out. We hope to see lots of Ponteland Tri there next year. Oh and did I mention the brutal hill?

Results below…