Oxley Triathlon

Well it’s been a funny old year. Richard seems to have given up running except for occasional jaunts around the orchard and then complaining his hay fever is getting worse. So races have become a bit sparse. However I entered this as an early bird back in February (saves a few pounds) and maintained the cycling/running/swimming training until recently when my right leg was struck down by a mysterious pain. Stopped each of the above activities in turn but it made no difference, and after a month of no training except working on the allotment, was feeling more than the usual apprehension on Sunday morning.

So we had the usual panic about missing/forgotten equipment, and problems were only increased by the leisure centre moving the female changing rooms to the far end of the pool and then not labelling one of the doors. So after a last minute sprint to transition and back and a delay at the start I was ready to start my swim. Can’t say more than it went OK. I was slightly faster than the other two competitors in my lane (which doesn’t say much for them), and as I was in a middle lane had to flounder over the edge to get out. (Think penguins leaping out onto the ice and imagine the opposite). The bike section went well enough, didn’t want to risk the dodgy leg by pushing too hard, and only had one minor gear change problem. I wondered what the horrible noise was as I hurtled downhill with my legs trying to go as fast as Victoria Pendleton on a turbo. Looked down the chain was on 2nd gear and the indicator said 3rd. Sorted that and finished OK – no falling off this year, then off on the run.

Took this very steady as my last run had been in the rec more than a month before and I’d had to give up after 4 laps (1.3 miles). But it all went well enough. Some said the course had been changed but apart from the transition area being moved onto the field near the finish and the re-entry to the field being slightly different, it was all the same. As I came into the field ready to tell the next youngster charging past that I was old enough to be his mother, I looked over my shoulder and it was Dickie Wythe rushing past. I recognised him from Somerset Series races many years ago and by chance his finishing position was one place ahead of me.

I decided to have a shower before I left and headed back to the changing room to be met with a big space where I’d left my clothes & shoes. Panic set in, asked everyone I could see if the missing items had been found. Went back for a second look and found a man had mistaken the female changing room for the men’s. So looked in the unlabelled door and there were my clothes. Panic over. If that all sounds confusing, it’s because it was. But many thanks to the Wessex Wizards lady who helped me.

For the record I finished in 2:03:21 full results are here:  https://www.fullonsport.co.uk/fos/index.php?module=results&action=results&eventId=4119
Richard didn’t take any photos but there are some on: http://www.charleswhittonphotography.com/search.html?search=x13
Copyright prevents me from copying them here.

Late summer Madness

In June of every year Phil starts mumbling that he hasn't done anything about the Madness yet and we all avoid eye contact and someone quickly changes the subject.......but somehow by the second Saturday evening of August everything comes together and the Maiden Newten Madness is a resounding success without us having to do anything........it's magic!

This year the weather was perfect, the entries were up, we had a new results system which (phew!) actually worked, the cakes were fabulous, the marshals were outstanding.......and 128 runners hopefully enjoyed every inch of their 10k "and a bit" race.  It was great to see lots of familiar faces - support from Yeovil Town RRC and Egdon Heath has been marvelous every year - but also lots of new faces too in the 9th year of the event.

One of the new faces (I may be wrong, but I don't think we've ever had any Bridport Runners do the event previously) was Ben Renshaw - not content with winning the first of our Poundbury 5k series back in June, he proved that it wasn't a fluke and was the comfortable overall winner of the race in 40.01. Obviously now he has to come back next year and run it 2 seconds faster!


Alan Chiverton from Westbourne AC (or Wimborne if you're Phil doing the results without his glasses on) came home in 2nd place with Edward Gibbs from YTRRC taking 3rd place.

The winner of the ladies race was another new face, Jenny Guard from Leeds City who finished in an excellent 13th place overall and was only 27 seconds outside the course record set in 2009. In 2nd place was Lynn Hutchings from Wimborne AC and in third place, taking the FV55 prize was Carol Jones from Ealing Southall and Middlesex AC - who  also came 4th on a previous visit to Dorset in 2009. The other female vet category winners were Rose Harvey (FV35) from Yeovil Town RRC, just taking it easy tonight after winning last year's event and Sandra Hood from Weymouth St Paul's Harriers was first V45.  Weymouth St Paul's also produced the 1st junior female home in 53.39, Holly O'Flannagan.

The male category prizes all went to local clubs - Egdon Heath Harriers took the MV40 prize (Steven Horsler in 42.49) and MV50 (John Cook in 45.06) and Yeovil Town RRC's Nick Brooke took the MV60 prize in 43.42 despite the distance being about 40 miles shorter than he usually runs......

I must just finish by saying that despite my flippancy at the beginning, we all know that Phil and Jackie put a huge amount of effort into making the race a huge success whilst the rest of us just stand around trying to look as though we have some purpose in being there.  We have a lot of support from non runners/members who year on year get roped in to help us out and do so willingly and cheerfully - being a small (but perfectly formed!) club we would not be able to stage the event without their help, so a big thankyou to all of them too.

Next year will be an all-singing, all dancing 10th anniversary event, so please come back and run it again and bring some club mates and friends with you because in 2014 Phil is going to start that muttering at least a month earlier in preparation........................

Results will be posted shortly on the Full On Sports website (there will be a link from the MNR site) and we have a huge selection of photographs which will be on the MNR Facebook page later this evening...if they EVER finish uploading.

Plym Valley Parkrun

As anyone who reads Dave’s entertaining minutes or VFTBOTP will know, Martin and I have been on a 5k-fest over the last 2 months in a bid to regain my race fitness whilst recovering from a long term Achilles injury.  We’ve become Park run junkies and have added quite a few new races to the list of Park runs that we’ve completed.

Each Parkrun has its own character and they differ widely from anything between 1 to 4 laps of parks, sports fields, tow paths, cycle paths, tarmac, mud, stones, the list is endless. The three things that they all have in common is that they take place at 9am every Saturday morning, they’re free and they’re great fun.

Last weekend we headed down to Devon to take part in the most westerly Park run in this country – Plym Valley. Of the ones we’ve done to date it’s also probably the most scenic and rural.  After a night spent “wild” camping at Cadover Bridge we arrived in the National Trust car park at Plymbridge Woods at 8.30am, bright eyed and raring to go......Well that’s not strictly true, Martin had a splitting headache, a strange numbness to various parts of his body and a strong conviction that he had suffered a mild stroke overnight.  I was definitely raring to go -to the loo, if only there had been one................

The start is in a lovely flower meadow between a cycle path and the river Plym. A large clockwise lap of the flower meadow takes you back past the start and onto the canal tow path before a short steep climb onto a cycle path which leads you back to the start and a further, smaller anti clockwise loop of the meadow.  Simple right?

By 9am a (what is the appropriate collective noun?) pack of Parkrunners had gathered on the vaguely defined start line and it was apparent that we were not the only Plym Valley Parkrun virgins as we jostled for prime position (which meant trying to find the least rutted piece of grass to run over to the start of a well trodden path).  Some Parkrun announcements and jokes followed and then we were off.

As usual I settled in somewhere behind Martin and followed my usual strategy of judging my pace off him.  Unfortunately this didn’t work as well as usual – either he was taking it easy or I was going way too fast.  The field spread out as we reached the end of the meadow and turned back on ourselves and my GPS confirmed that the first 1km had been completed slightly faster than was sensible but not fast enough that I should still be so close behind Martin.   As we neared the point where we ran back past the start I heard a man with a couple of young kids say “there’s Mummy” and thought that I had a rival.....but it turned out that he had said “where’s Mummy?” because he followed it up with the very unsupportive comment of “miles back I expect”!

We came out of the meadow and turned onto the tow path for a half mile of fairly level easy running (as long as you avoided veering off into the canal) and I focussed on trying to keep up with a figure slightly ahead in a familiar Grizzly t-shirt.  At the end of the tow path section there was a very sharp climb up onto a cycle path which bled the speed from our legs but was followed by a slightly downhill section on tarmac where I managed to throw in a fast km.

With just over a km to go it was back into the flower meadow to complete the second, smaller lap and as I reached the point where the route divided the two lead runners blasted past on their way to the finish, both recording excellent sub 18 minute times.  I managed to overtake a couple runners on this last loop and was pushing hard for the finish, my target being to beat the vet 45 age category course record.  A final push for the finish line, taking one more male scalp en route, to finish in 10^th place overall, first lady and a time of 20.36, beating the current FV45 record by a very satisfying 40 seconds.  Martin had also managed to set a new MV55 course record but was very disappointed with his time – 20.14, which was unexpectedly slow for him but at least he had got his excuses well publicised before the start.

As usual at Parkrun there was a lovely friendly atmosphere and we had a chat with the runner in the Grizzly t-shirt, who it turned out recognised our name and has been a reader of the MN blog in the past, and also a Poole Parkrun regular who recognised us and was also taking advantage of a weekend away to try out a new course.

Next week we’re off to Barnstaple for a second run round Rock Park, but if you want to do a Parkrun without the excessive travelling, don’t forget that Weymouth Parkrun starts on the 31^st August and Yeovil (at Montecute) have their first event the following week.  For those willing to travel a little further Parkrun is also coming to King’s Park in Bournemouth on the 24^th August.

All that remained on this lovely sunny morning in Devon was to find a suitable venue for our customary post Park run refreshment.......................................

VIEW FROM THE BACK OF THE PACK – JULY

by Dave Webb

In mid-May we entered 2 teams for the Wessex Ridgeway Relay. This is a 100km cross-country, self-navigating event that starts in Wiltshire at 7.30 on a Sunday morning.  We gave careful thought to which runners should do the 1^st leg, before deciding that it should be Richard Blackmore and Phil England, on the grounds that they were absent from the meeting and therefore could not protest about the early start. Overall the day was a great success – our definition of success being that our runners found their way from the start to the finish. We ended the day just after 6pm at Uplyme, and could have finished slightly sooner had we not experienced some unexpected delays. Elite athletes don’t usually find themselves spending several minutes waiting for a woman to move 2 cows and their unco-operative calves, as Jackie and Alison did on Lancombe Lane. Then on leg 10 Neil Goode discovered that his pre-race meal was not agreeing with him, and had to spend some time behind a nearby bush. In fact, by the time Dave Butt and I crossed the finish line and headed for our free meal at The Talbot Inn, Neil was at home in bed feeling decidedly peculiar.

Now that the weather has finally improved we have been able to enjoy some beautiful club runs. On a Wednesday night in early June Martin and Lin led 7 of us on a scenic route from Shipton Gorge which sea views over Burton Bradstock before a steep climb to the top of Shipton Hill. If we’d had any breath left it would have been taken by the stunning panorama. The landscape of fields and hills, strip lynchets and hillforts could have been ancient, except for the electricity pylons and the noise from the A35. In fact this part of Dorset is known to be behind the times; in 1901 a bullock’s heart pierced with thorns and pins was found in a cottage chimney, being a traditional defence against witches. It makes Maiden Newton look positively modern.

The recent hot weather has prompted this month’s running question, which is what to wear when running in the heat. My advice is to wear a ‘technical’ running top, which is designed to ‘wick away’ the moisture (I told you we were modern in Maiden Newton). I am also a strong believer in something more traditional, namely a hat. This serves 2 purposes, in providing protection from the sun and in helping to obscure one’s red and toiling face. My co-panellist, Mr Les Knott-Bother, sas that it’s best not to run at all in the heat (he also believes that it’s best not to run in the cold, the wet, the dry or any other weather). If people do insist on running, he prefers it if they wear as little as possible.

Mr Knott-Bother should perhaps follow the old advice of being careful what he wishes for. On 7 July in Wales there is a race called the ‘Bare If You Dare 5K’. Runners are encouraged to wear only their shoes (and possibly a hat if they are sensible like me). The prospect of being a spectator at a race like this is positively alarming if the local runners look anything like their Dorset counterparts.

As well as running, we also organise some races, which are coming soon. At 7pm on the last Wednesdays of June, July and August we are holding a 5K race in Poundbury, from the new leisure centre. And on 10 August at 7pm we will be staging the annual Maiden NewTen Madness 10K race, from the Youth and Community Centre in Maiden Newton. Everyone is welcome to participate, however fast or slow, and a friendly atmosphere is guaranteed.

VIEW FROM THE BACK OF THE PACK – JUNE 2013

by Dave Webb

Last month I mentioned Shakespeare’s marathon advice: ‘Wisely and slow; they stumble that run fast’. I’m delighted to report that Charlie Spencer kept these words in mind as she ran round the streets of London, taking an amazing 10 minutes off her previous best time. She finished strongly in 4 hours, 15 minutes, making a bid to be the fastest hairdresser in London as well as the west. Charlie has also asked me to thank everyone who sponsored her. She has now raised a fantastic £1,800 for the Fortuneswell Cancer Trust in Dorchester.

To run a marathon requires a lot of training, so this month’s running question asks how you can tell if you are training too hard. Research has shown that overtraining can lead to constant sniffles, restlessness, irritability, broken sleep and poor short-term memory. During the latter stages of long runs the brain’s glucose supplies dwindle, making it harder to do mental arithmetic calculations. My co-panellist, Mr Les Knott-Bother, says that he has studied these symptoms, which sound very familiar, especially the one about finding it hard to do simple sums, like adding up his lottery losses. He now realises that he has been overdoing it for years and should ease off on the physical exercise.

In mid-April one of our long-distance members, Richard Rider, ran in the Honiton Hippo, a watery cross-country race that is named after the hippos that used to inhabit these parts. Apparently they lived here for about 100,000 years, and their remains were discovered when the by-pass was built. Richard wrote an entertaining race report on the club blog, complete with a picture of him immersed in water which was happily free from hippopotami.

The club has entered 2 relay races in May, bravely embracing the complex challenge of running and carrying a baton at the same time. This may sound like a simple task but nothing is straightforward for Maiden Newton Runners. Last year our start runner at the North Dorset Marathon Relay left the baton in his car and only retrieved it in time for the last 2 runners. We have also entered 2 teams, Maiden Newton Chalk and Maiden Newton Cheese, for the Wessex Ridgeway Relay. This means we therefore face the complicated logistics of organising 6 pairs of runners to cover the 62 mile course from Tollard Royal to Uplyme. Some clubs take these events very seriously but we see it as a triumph if we succeed in getting the runners, and the batons, from the start to the finish.

Preparations continue for our summer series of 5K races in Poundbury. These events are open to all, and will take place at 7.30pm on the last Wednesday of each summer month, starting at the new Dorchester Leisure Centre. Dave Butt has persuaded Dorset Cereals to provide a box of products for each race, which means we can offer some tempting spot prizes, and Olives et Al have agreed to donate a meal for two. We need to decide whether this will go to the male winner or the female winner, or if we will follow my idea of making the 2 winners dine together. We also face a health and safety dilemma, because the course is marked by a number of sturdy wooden bollards which would do a runner quite a mischief in the event of a collision. Fortunately for us, Dave’s wife Jane has come up with an ingenious solution to this problem, in the form of hi-viz bollard sleeves which she has designed and made. In fact, Dave and Jane are showing such organisational skills that we should perhaps put them in charge of our relay teams.

Slateman Triathlon (or Wetsuit for Sale)

Sunday 19th May, at 10:25am and I’m standing up to my knees in freezing cold water with my feet encased in an old pair of socks resting on some evil mixture of mud and rotting vegetation waiting for a horn to sound, wondering whatever induced me to come here.

In 2011 I foolishly got a desire to attempt a triathlon, followed by some others and culminating in the purchase of a second-hand wetsuit to attempt the open water swim in the Bideford Triathlon. Even on the hottest day of the year (in October) it wasn’t that warm in the water, but memory fades quite quickly, and after watching it on TV I decided that I could attempt the Slateman Triathlon in North Wales. I even stupidly ignored the fact that the swim that year, had been cut from 1000m to 750m due to the cold conditions, but last year was a poor year and it was going to be better this year, wasn't it? Well after a miserable, cold winter during which I hardly got out on the bike at all, I decided I wasn't fit enough to attempt the 60K bike course, so asked to be changed to the sprint event. (400m swim, 20K bike and 6K run). This seemed a lot more achievable. We booked B&B in Llandudno, ok it was a few miles from the race, but it was No 1 on a tripadvisor list, and was a very nice place. We got the last room available. So we were on the 4th floor, and there were 63 stairs down to the breakfast room in the basement!!

We spent Saturday driving round Anglesey as heavy rain had been forecast, but none actually appeared, went bird-watching (as we do), caught a brief glimpse of two puffins, and saw hundreds of razorbills etc. Then back to check the weather forecast and pack the equipment. But there seemed to be a problem, the weather was being forecast as dry and sunny – surely some mistake !! Anyway I packed various items of warm clothing in my box just in case. Up early the next morning for a bowl of cereal, our hosts had even offered to make us rolls in lieu of the cooked breakfast. And even after Richard had insisted on washing all the seagull droppings off the car we still arrived in good time. Set up in transition, ignored the safety briefing (oops, don’t tell the organiser), but I needed the loo and didn't want to use the wetsuit.

The main event started first with the fastest athletes going off at 9:30am, followed by three more waves at 10 minute intervals. Eventually it was time to force myself into the wetsuit and nervously wait for my turn to start at 10:30am. Well after all the practice swimming laps of the pool, I thought I would be OK. I’d even counted roughly how many strokes it would take, but I still couldn't get my face to go in the water, so ended up doing breast stroke with my head up again. I started off near the back, and hadn't gone very far when the competitor on my right raised his hand and needed to be rescued from the water. They have plenty of marshals in boats ready for this, and it did cross my mind for brief moment to do the same. But I plodded on, aware of the field pulling away in front of me, but with a glimpse of a few white hats nearby. Without my glasses, the hats and the red buoys for the turns was all I could see. Three hundred strokes later and the boat is alongside, and I can hear encouraging words, but still I can’t see, “left a bit”, “straight on”, “right a bit”, “just past the black buoy”. I can’t see it, so she guides me towards the finish, then I get cramp in my right leg, and can’t move it, so swim with just my left leg. Then my feet touch the mud, but I can’t stand up so paddle forward a bit more, then hop and paddle and finally I’m on dry land. Richard is there and unhooks the Velcro on the wetsuit zip, but I concentrate on just running up to the transition. It’s about 200 yards, and I can’t see much without my glasses, but I ran it yesterday so pretty sure I can find my bike. Then it’s off with the wetsuit, or rather it isn't as the old socks and the timing chip are all tangled together with the leg of the suit and it takes several attempts to extricate myself. (Which causes some amusement for the spectators just the other side of the barrier). Luckily all this effort seems to have brought some circulation back to my hands, and I get my red cycling jacket, shoes, helmet, and gloves on and set off on the bike.

By now the sun is starting to come out, and the course is only slightly undulating at the start. So I’m feeling much better already. However it’s not far before we’re starting the long incline up to the top of the Llanberis Pass. I’d heard this mentioned in hushed tones, so was suitably apprehensive and had carefully avoided driving anywhere near it. However it’s not that steep, there’s plenty of steeper hills round here, but it’s just relentless. About 4 miles just continuously going up. The road winds a bit so a line of cyclists can be seen ahead, some moving very slowly or even walking. Coming round one bend I hear the unmistakeable sound of a cuckoo, and I’m starting to pass quite a few of the cyclists. And then ahead it’s the top of the pass, people cheering and the joy of descending the other side is only slightly tempered by the thought of the climb back up on the return. Meanwhile a Llanberis Mountain Rescue vehicle has whizzed past, followed by other “blue-light” emergency vehicles. As I come down and round a bend I spot the reason, someone – I think it’s a motorcyclist, not a competitor, has had a nasty accident. A sobering moment, and I take it a bit more carefully on the bends. Turn left at a junction, turn in a lay-by and the sprint competitors go back the way they came. The casualty is still lying on the ground, but the face isn't covered so that’s a good sign. Back up to the top of the pass, not far this side, then it’s the long downhill back in to Llanberis village. I can see only one competitor in front and I’m keeping up with him. Then back into transition. My box is a mess, I can’t find my hat, and when I do the fastening has come undone, never mind, I perch it on top of my head, and I’m out on to the run. The sun is out and it’s becoming warm.

The track in the grassy field becomes a tarmac road and I slow down to adjust my hat, hearing a bystander laughingly saying “I thought it was a sprint”, his wife hits him and I continue up the steep hill. This rapidly becomes a rough track with plenty of stones, boulders and tree roots. I've passed a few runners and am now on my own. I’m reminded of bits of the Haytor, Race the Train, and anything on Exmoor. I convince myself I've done plenty that has been harder, but my legs are definitely starting to complain. Suddenly there are loads of competitors around and I realise the long course has joined the route, but they are much faster than me, and I obligingly let them past. It’s good to have someone to follow. We’re now going downhill and soon the trail is back on tarmac and then a gravelly track with a “400m to go” sign. Joy!!! This is so similar to the finish at the NDVM. I’m counting down paces, I suddenly hear Richard cheering me on, and there’s the finish, I've made it. I collect my slate coaster (what else ?), grab a handful of biscuits, chocolate etc and Richard’s there to meet me. And the sun is still shining.

The official review of the race is at http://alwaysaimhighevents.com/triathlons/latest-news And the results are at: http://www.tdl.ltd.uk/race-results.php?event=1331

VIEW FROM THE BACK OF THE PACK – APRIL

By Dave Webb

Last time I mentioned that we are organising a series of 5K races in Poundbury this summer, on the last Wednesday evening of each month. This process is more complicated than you might think. First, we had to identify a 1K lap that could be safely run 5 times. A group of us could therefore be seen on a Sunday morning, running round and round the pavements and paths of Poundbury. After 9 different attempts, and much inspection of GPS devices, we had worked up a decent sweat but still hadn’t nailed it. Finally Dave Butt found a route which has now been verified by an official UK Athletics measurer, ie a man from Weymouth with a carefully calibrated bicycle.

This prolonged winter has been a test of our determination and commitment, especially when running into what Thomas Hardy called the ‘atmospheric cutlery’ of an easterly wind. Several club members braved an early start and a wicked wind-chill to run in the Yeovil Half-Marathon, where both Spencers posted good times, and Neil Goode set a personal best. Earlier in March, after heavy rain, the Great Western 10K presented a different challenge. The route took in some very muddy fields which Dave Butt reported as being like trying to run in lead boots. Andy Staples passed a runner who had stopped and was poking about in the mud. It turned out that he had lost a shoe, which was swallowed up by the greedy ground and never seen again.

Sticking with the footwear theme, some readers may have heard of some new high-tech running shoes that can speak. So far they have been programmed to say things like ‘Well done, you’re running well today’, and ‘How good to feel the wind through my laces’. This month’s running question asks what other phrases these shoes should be programmed to say. My co-panellist, Mr Les Knott-Bother, offered a choice of pithy phrases, not all of them repeatable in a church magazine. One of his typical suggestions was for the shoes to yell ‘Sit down, you fool, and put me back in the cupboard’. For my part, I would welcome any words of encouragement, and I suspect that the runner who lost his shoe would also like the shoes to be able to say something along the lines of ‘Help! Help! I’m being sucked into the muddy mouth of the mighty maelstrom’.

The main event of the past month has been the club’s annual Johnny Kipps race. The winner receives not only the glory, but also the hallowed trophy that has now been used for more than 20 years. To the untrained eye the trophy may resemble a biscuit tin, but closer inspection shows that it is inscribed with the words ‘La boite de Johnny Kipps…the true essence of Maiden Newton Runners’, embossed in felt-tip pen on a stylish cardboard mount. Tradition demands that the trophy is filled with biscuits by the previous year’s winner. This year the trophy returned to the Lascelles household when Martin was first home in a very speedy time of 38.22, ahead of 12 other runners. Other notable performances included Jackie Webb taking the first lady spot, and Tara England winning the first dog prize, having dragged Phil round the 6-mile route.

By the time you read this, the fastest hairdresser in the west, Charlie Spencer, will hopefully have completed the London Marathon. I hope she followed the advice of that well known athletics expert, William Shakespeare, whose friar in Romeo and Juliet provided words that could also serve as our club motto: ‘Wisely and slow! They stumble that run fast’.

Honiton Hippo? Sounds like a muddy run to me!

This event had escaped the diary for the past few years due to movable feast that is Easter.  This year was different, and upon applying online, I promptly received my race number.  The chirpy letter from Honiton Running Club was fantastic – describing how hippos were discovered during the building of their by-pass, revealing how they had inhabited the area for 100,000 years.   My eye quickly glanced over the usual race blurb and settled on the last line saying that ‘refreshments will available at the finish and the best bit is that they will be free to all runners.’  Perhaps plans are afoot to introduce the species...

'4 legged animal..., beginning with...?'

It proved to be a relaxed start; a blunt 10.30 outside Honiton County Primary School.  The only taxing bit proved to be what to do with the car keys, given the pre-race warnings that ‘hippos love water’.  The field of runners proved to be a mix of club runners, gym bunnies and many locals simply rising to the challenge.  There was health banter, with the organiser stating that all complaints should be lodged with Tiverton RC.  Upon starting, the race descended down to the by-pass allowing a glimpse of the foreboding river crossing at the end, and up into the wooded hills opposite.  The rain held off and the slippery slope up was saved from becoming a slippery slide down.  The hills were steep, occurring in the first half of the 7.3 miles.  The course marshals were jovial but sincerely supportive as they pointed runners back up the hill they had just descended.   Indeed, runners certainly got a lot for their miles; mostly off-road, lush and green, with 3 water features to negotiate towards the end.  By the time we arrived at the last one, a rowdy crowd had gathered for their morning’s entertainment!

My race started out as being the ‘6-11 miles easy; 2-3 half marathon pace’ as directed in my 5 k training programme.  However, my competitive streak got the better of me and it became an all out race when 2 likely lads sprang past me at the first hill.  They were eventually hauled in on the last hill, and help me clock 1 hr 01 mins for MN Runners which I was very pleased with, not least because it allowed access to the final piece of chocolate cake!  To sum up, this is a short but tough course for those with appropriately studded trainers and passion for the off-road and cakes.

View (s) from the Back of the Pack

The latest of Dave Webb's amusing articles for the Herald:

VIEW FROM THE BACK OF THE PACK – MARCH 2013

Our February meeting fell on Valentine’s Day. Only 5 of us made it to our reserved table at The Fox and Hounds. I assumed that the absentees were occupied with affairs of the heart, such as wining and dining their loved ones, or walking together in the moonlight. It turned out though that Charlie was at Pilates, Dan was supervising his scout troop, Alison was working, Neil was at home with the children, and the one couple who were staying in for a romantic meal had opted for a dish of that well-known aphrodisiac, cauliflower cheese.

On 7 April we will be holding our annual ‘Johnny Kipps’ race. We will gather at 10.30 at Wynford Eagle to run a 6-mile circuit that goes out past West Compton, up towards Eggardon, and back down to Wynford Eagle. A few years ago Dan and I managed to persuade our clubmates to allow people to choose in which direction they ran the circuit, so that you could pass people coming the other way and not know who was in the lead.  I thought this was an idea which could catch on more widely; imagine how much more exciting it would be if the runners in the Olympics 10K final were running in different directions. This year we will all be running the same way. We hope to get about 20 runners, with non-members welcome. The London Marathon on 21 April will be hoping for a bigger turnout. Amongst the runners will be the fastest hairdresser in the West, Charlie Spencer. Lin Lascelles has been helping Charlie with some extra training, including speedwork. You may have seen Charlie running while Lin rides her bike alongside, offering words of encouragement, or abuse.

The 2^nd Wednesday of each month sees an evening 5K race at Street. Most of our runners have got faster as the winter has progressed. Dave Butt, Martin Lascelles, Neil Goode and Charlie all set their season’s best times in February, and Charlie is on course to win the series prize for her age group. Dave Carnell, however, has been plagued by a persistent problem of getting a stitch during the race. In February he tried a new tactic, of fasting all day. The result was that he still got the stitch, but was also weak with hunger. Next month he plans to try eating a big curry beforehand to see if that propels him any faster.

Lin has her own rather eccentric theory as to why Dave has been struggling. She believes that he has let his hair grow too long. Her husband Martin, on the other hand, had a severe crew-cut and then posted his fastest time of the year. Perhaps Lin is not just Charlie’s trainer, but also her agent, drumming up new haircutting trade. Continuing this theme, this month’s running question asks, ‘Will I run faster if I have my hair cut?’ My view is that Lin is right; less hair equals more speed. How many hairy hippies do you see at the Olympics? Imagine the extra wind-resistance that would have slowed down Mo Farah if he had been sporting a full Afro? My co-panellist, Mr Les Knott-Bother, takes the opposite view. He has been as bald as a billiard ball for years but insists that long hair would not slow him down, on the grounds that it is not physically possible for him to move any more slowly.

Finally, I can give advance notice that we will be organising a series of 5K races in Poundbury at 7.30pm on the last Wednesday of each summer month. I’ll give more information nearer the time, but anyone who is interested might want to start by joining our easy-paced 4-mile Monday night runs at 7pm from The Chalk and Cheese in Maiden Newton.

VIEW FROM THE BACK OF THE PACK – FEBRUARY 2013

The dark nights of January are lit up each year by the highlight of Dorset’s social calendar, the Maiden Newton Runners AGM and Christmas dinner. The alert reader may be wondering why we hold our Christmas dinner in January. The delay reflects our deficits in both organisation and timekeeping. We do manage, though, to arrange a glamorous venue and a sophisticated meal, namely a takeaway from the Balti Express at the Maiden Newton Youth and Community Centre.

We usually aim to complete our AGM in under 10 minutes. In fact it’s the one occasion when we try to move quickly. But this year we had some weighty matters to discuss. As well as needing to decide which national athletics association to affiliate to, we also needed to decide on our subscription rates for the coming year. Phil, Lin, John and I, being the club’s officers, were mindful of the golden rule of democracy, which is never to ask a question until you are sure of the answer. We therefore got together beforehand to cook up a proposal, and then told our clubmates that they couldn’t have their curry until they agreed to it. We secured unanimous approval for our plan to charge a £10 subscription rate, with optional extras for those who want to register with UK Athletics (which brings reduced rates on race entry fees) and for new members who want some club kit. We also decided that people who come regularly on the Monday night runs will need to become club members.

A quick digression now for this month’s running question, prompted by our plans to revive the club handicap runs. The way these runs work is that everyone gives an estimate of their time to complete the 3 mile course. Runners then start at carefully timed intervals so that everyone should finish more or less together. The question is therefore whether we run faster when we are chasing or being chased. For some people the fear of being beaten by a rival spurs them on to go faster, while others speed up when they can target someone ahead of them. My co-panellist, Mr Les Knott-Bother, says he moves fastest when he is chasing something, like a bus or a free portion of chips.

Back to our AGM and the prestige of our annual awards ceremony. Blog entry of the year went to Richard Rider for his London Marathon report, beating off competition from Dan Cantrell’s description of the deep mud on the Inca Trail race (the Ilminster Inca Trail, rather than the Peruvian version), and Phil England’s account of the epic bike ride from Cattistock to York which somehow ended up in Doncaster. A new award, for the outstanding contribution, went to Jackie Webb for starting and leading the Monday night runs (7pm from The Chalk, all welcome). The annual club championship was won by Charlie ‘Speedy’ Spencer, the fastest hairdresser in the West. All that remained was to present the much-coveted Golden Welly, the PR award for bringing the club into disrepute. The prize this year went to Martin Lascelles, who had put together a portfolio of misdemeanours. He got lost on the Forde Abbey 10K and took half the field with him; he forgot the baton at the North Dorset Relay and ran the first leg without it; he put his London Marathon medal on E-bay as soon as he got home (and sold it for £30!); and at the Tintinten he got into an argument with the race organiser as he tried to persuade her that the prize for first lady should go to the first lady to finish, ie his wife Lin, and not to the first finisher with a lady’s name, ie a man called Leigh.

Killerton Park Run (aka Ashclyst Forest)

The biggest challenge in doing a Park run for us is always getting to the start line for 9am, apparently we're not morning people.......However, this outing involved additional pressure since Killerton has temporarily relocated to Ashclyst forest whilst the permanent course dries out - we both (incorrectly) assumed that the other one knew where we were going.  At 8.45am therefore we were in a village store in Broadclyst several miles away asking for directions.......

Arriving with about 7 minutes to spare the next dilemma presented itself, woodland car park in the middle of nowhere - no toilets. After 75 minutes of Martin's driving and the additional stress caused by the navigational challenges this was a real issue and caused a rapid plunge into the forest in search of solitude.  Very sparse covering vegetation at this time of year and a lot of people warming up meant that it was not a particularly successful mission.

Park Run have done a great job of finding a new course in a very short time.  They had used Ashclyst Forest for the first time the previous week and there had apparently been some issues causing a change to the course this week.  The pre race brief explained that it was now 3 "almost complete" laps and warned of so many hazards - loose stones, protruding tree stumps, loose shale, ice - that we began to wonder what we had let ourselves in for.

This was my first "race" since September and Martin had decided to run it with me.  We lined up somewhat further back than our customary aggressive front line position and set off at a decidedly steadier pace than the norm.  The course followed a woodland trail, which despite the warnings we found fairly easy running and the field soon spread out as we enjoyed a gentle downhill start.  We should, of course, have expected that any pleasant downhill would be paid for later and the inevitable climb back up through the car park soon followed.  This seemed a lot longer and steeper than the preceeding downhill and knowing that we had to climb it twice more did not help!

The lap actually seemed quite short and we were soon running past the finishing funnel and crossing the start line to start our second loop.  A long break from racing has seen me lose my competitive edge and although there were a couple of girls running ahead of me I felt none of the usual compulsion to mount a challenge, this race was just about getting back into competition and getting an idea of just how much hard work there is ahead to get back to pre injury level running.

Strangely the second lap seemed longer and the hill steeper and this pattern repeated itself on the final lap when I realised that the hill was actually a small mountain...but at least once we got to the top it was just a short and mostly downhill "sprint" to the finish.  We crossed the line in 23.47 and 23.50, not bad all things considered although given the nature of the course I still don't have any real idea of how much pace I've lost

After another magical mystery tour around the forest we finally found our way out onto the A30 and scurried into the lovely warmth of the Boston Tea Party in Honiton to thaw out and enjoy post race coffee and breakfast.........and all this accomplished before we would normally have even got out of bed, thank you Park Run!

26.2 in 3:26

As Lin's Achilles has still not healed enough for her to resume training we have decided to take up a new sport together: Fencing!

We jumped in at the deep end and started with the regulation marathon distance of 26.2 (ft) - the length of fence that we needed to replace. The entry fee for this event was a bit steep, at £58.45 which we paid to Wickes Lumber for 50 2.4m lengths of 100x10mm feather edge board and 400g of 40mm galvanised nails which we delivered off the day before. But we already had the equipment needed, a tape measure, (slightly blunt) handsaw, and most importantly a pair of trusty hammers.

Being highly trained and hardened athletes we decided to cycle to the start (8.4 miles) and after taking down the remnants of  the diseased and dilapidated mess that used to separate our garden from next door's we were already shattered,  raring to go, and it was too soon for a break, so we dragged ourselves and tools and wood to the top of the garden and we were off! The course was fairly straightforward at first, apart from a tricky bit of sloping mud, so we made good progress to the 12 mile, I mean foot mark. Then we had to negotiate a sharp drop, down to the trampoline, and barely enough room to hammer nails in along side the retaining wall. It was hard work, but luckily a refreshment stop was provided by our neighbour Di who passed on some words of encouragement along with a cup of coffee and a chocolate biscuit. Much nicer than the energy drink and slime/gel sachet we usually consume during a marathon, Di even let us dump the old fence in her garden for burning later in the year if it ever stops raining, thanks again Di!.

After the drink stop, the old fence is in a heap in next door's garden behind

Then it was into the second half, and after a straightforward section, and with concentration and strength sagging we were faced with the challenging final 8 feet which required us to negotiate a curve in the line of fence, bending it around the last post, and behind the downspout and water butt. This nearly proved our undoing, but with the aid of a couple of lengths of old 2 by 4 we managed to bodge our way to the end and cross the line in a respectable 3 hours 26 minutes. Not a bad time, but the most impressive thing was that we finished having used every single piece of wood, with nothing to spare, how often does that happen!

Tadaaaaa!

We went back the next day to cover up the joins.

Boscombe 5k

Lin and I had really been looking forward to this race for a while because it was to be Lin's first for three months, and a step on the road to recovery from her injury, and we would be going to our favourite restaurant after the race. And its a cracking little race! Dead flat along the seafront from Boscombe pier for 2.5k, then a tight turn around a man holding a lamp in the air calling out times, then back to the pier. I like the fact that you can see who is ahead of and behind you at the turn, and the sand on the course, plus the sound of the surf crashing on the beach in the dark is somehow exciting, and exotic.

But first we couldn't get a reservation, then the weather forecast started looking decidedly dodgy, then I found out how unfit I was at the Street 5k on Wednesday with a time over a minute slower than last year. So I wasn't really that keen on it any more and would readily have wimped out, given half a chance. 

But Lin is made of sterner stuff, so we turned up half an hour before the start, just as the heavy rain stopped (but not the wind). We registered,  and prepared ourselves for the ordeal. My goal was to beat my Street time, and hopefully finish ahead of the other V55 males, Lin's was to finish without too much discomfort from her Achilles.

After a jog downwind past the start and along the seafront we turned, back into the 20mph wind and got a taste of what the second half of the out and back course would feel like. Then back to the start, lined up, and we were off. Less of the usual stampede, because numbers were well down on the usual couple of hundred. I pushed hard the whole race, turning in just under 9 minutes, then battling back into the headwind, gratefully tucking in behind an overtaking runner from Poole who turned out to be my V55 competition. I shamelessly drafted for 2k before making a desperate bolt for the finish with 200 metres to go. Lungs bursting, I managed to open up and hold on to a slim lead and also finish under my Street time. So I was fairly pleased, despite taking over a minute more on the return half. 

I jogged back down the course, anxiously scanning for Lin, but she was unfortunately well back, more than I would have expected, even given her loss of fitness. As feared, her Achilles had started to play up almost immediately, and she had had to back off and limp home over 3 minutes down on her usual time which would have won this race normally. She was still first in age-group, but that was no consolation as this was clearly a setback for the injury. Hopefully a bit of rest and continued rehab, and she'll be back in training early in the new year.

After buying a bag of Tesco's cheapest frozen generic mixed veg (even cheaper than the value peas) to use as an emergency cold compress, we consoled ourselves with a fish dinner at our second favourite pub on the way home. There are much worse ways to spend a wet, windy evening in December.

Check out our new website at:

http://maidennewtonrunners.wix.com/maidennewtonrunners

There will be no further amendments or updates made to the old site.

VIEW FROM THE BACK OF THE PACK - SEPTEMBER 2012

Saturday 11 August saw two big events in the running world. While Mo Farah was speeding round the Olympic track to 5000m glory, 117 runners were making their way, at a more sedate pace, around the Maiden NewTen Madness course. Luckily I was stationed under the old railway bridge so was able to listen to Mo’s magic moments on the radio, and then attend to my marshalling duties. We were very pleased to see several of our new ‘Monday night runners’ taking part, including Louise Goodman, Alice Moore and Sean Clothier. I would particularly like to congratulate Floss Wright who, at 17, is making a big impact on the club’s average age. After completing the NewTen course, she is now deciding whether to join Mo Farah at the Great North Run, or to target a race next year.
Next, a quick general knowledge question. Are the ‘Trossachs’ a) a sensitive part of the male anatomy, b) something you kneel on in church, or c) an area of Scotland? The answer turns out to be “c) an area of Scotland”, and this is where we spent the first week of our summer holiday. Our running opportunities included a scenic path around the shores of Loch Katrine, where Rob Roy roamed with his cattle raiders in days gone by. I was training for The Beast, a 13-mile race at Corfe Castle that includes some brutal cliff climbs. After a week in Scotland, we moved to the Lake District, the home of British hill-running. There is a whole fell-running sub-culture, with hardy athletes who would put Southern softies to shame. Perhaps the most impressive of all these great runners is the legendary sheep farmer, Joss Naylor. Now in his 70s, and still running, his past feats include multiple race victories and amazing achievements, such as covering 72 peaks in 24 hours in 1975, a route that involved over 100 miles of running and 38,000 feet of ascent.
I set off for a training run on a damp morning and, as the track climbed, the clouds lowered around me. I must have missed my turn because the path led me through a bog and then up and over 2 small peaks, steep enough to have me scrambling up and down the slippery stones. With only the occasional sheep for company I was starting to panic until a breeze began to disperse the clouds and I could find my way back down.
This brings me on to this month’s running question, which is ‘what is the best way to run downhill?’. My co-panellist, Mr Les Knott-Bother, says that the best thing to do is not to go up a hill in the first place. If, however, you do find yourself heading downhill, the best advice is not to ‘brake’, by leaning back and landing on your heels, but instead to lean slightly forward and land on the balls of your feet. The aim is to visualise yourself flowing down the hill like a river, though for most of us it feels more a case of bumping downhill like a sack of potatoes.
Back in Dorset, I joined Martin, Lin and 450 others on the start line for The Beast. The route includes 2 huge flights of steps up the cliffs, but I had a secret weapon with me, namely my hat. I found that the peak of my cap stopped me looking upwards to see what was still to come, keeping my morale intact long enough for me to reach the top and the path back to Corfe Castle.
With the nights now starting to draw in, we will soon be testing the batteries in our headtorches for our Monday and Wednesday night runs, to which anyone is welcome. I should also mention the Sydling 5K Fun Run on the morning of Sunday 21 October.

VIEW FROM THE BACK OF THE PACK – OCTOBER 2012

This month I have the unexpected pleasure of reporting on a triumph for Maiden Newton Runners, making our own contribution to the country’s fantastic summer of sport. Never mind the achievements of Bradley Wiggins and Jessica Ennis, Mo Farah and Andy Murray, Ellie Simmonds and David Weir, we have 3 more names to add to the list. Charlie Spencer, Lin Lascelles and Zoe Hayward combined as our ladies team in the King Alfred’s Torment cross-country race at Stourhead. The pre-race omens were not good. Lin’s summer had been disrupted by injury, though she is getting back to full fitness, and Charlie had been slower than usual at the Yeovilton 5K. It turned out though that this was because she had packed the wrong pair of trainers, and ended up running that race in her Pilates shoes. On a wet and windswept September Sunday the dream team lined up, relishing the weather, the mud and the hilly course. Lin was first home, followed by Zoe and then Charlie, this time in the right shoes, and their combined times gave them first place in the ladies team category.
Our team stood proudly for the presentation ceremony. Sadly we do not yet have a flag to fly or a club song for such (rare) occasions, though any suggestions would be welcome. Olympic winners know that they will receive a gold medal, but in club races there is more scope for trophy innovation. Previous winners of our own Maiden NewTen Madness, for example, have been surprised to receive one of Lesley Westgate’s home-grown cucumbers. Lin, Zoe and Charlie did their best to look pleased when they were each presented with a large, ungainly wooden object which, on closer inspection, turned out to be a sort of cuckoo-clock without the cuckoo. Too ugly to be displayed, but too large to be easily hidden at the back of a cupboard, these trophies have given our victorious team a housekeeping dilemma.
This month’s running question asks what have we learnt from the Olympics? My co-panellist, Mr Les Knott-Bother, had 3 things to say on this subject. Firstly, he announced that he has re-branded himself as an ‘armchair athlete’, and as such took pride in the country’s excellence at sports that can be done sitting down, such as cycling, equestrianism, canoeing and wheelchair racing. In fact he is thinking of having larger wheels fitted to his armchair so that he can get round his house more speedily. Secondly, he said that he now felt better to know that some of the money he wastes each week on the lottery is being used for sports funding. Finally, he said that he would like to see more beach volleyball on the telly. For my part, I was struck by the success of so many female athletes, and the amount of public interest that was generated in sports other than football. I would also say that perhaps too much emphasis is now being placed on elite performance, and the success of the very few world-class competitors, and that it is more important to encourage mass participation, no matter the standard.
As well as the success of our ladies team at Stourhead, I am very pleased to report that we have seen a significant increase in the number of women in the club. The Monday night runs have been particularly effective at getting more women out running with the club, and we hope to keep this going throughout the winter, with the help of head torches and hi-viz clothing. Next month I will be able to report on how we fared at the Parrett Trail relay, and in local races like the Cerne Burn 10K and the Sydling Fun Run.

King Alfred's Torment

A very wet and windy day saw a huddle of Maiden Newton Runners shivering on the start line at the beginning of this scenic, hilly 7 mile race.

There were some very strange marshals out in those woods today!



Zoe shows her speed.



Go Charlie!



Maiden Newton Runners win the Ladies Team prize!

Charmouth Challenge

Race report by Dan

I was very disappointed to be stranded in Cattistock by flooding on the day of the Charmouth Challenge, so it was great to hear that it had been re-scheduled. I turned up a day early by mistake, but decided not to recce the route, so as to avoid unnecessarily tiring my legs (I think I heard this advice from Dave's mate, Mr. L. Notbother). No recce needed, the course was well marked with marshalls at the right places and even two water stations. I kept far too close behind Martin and Lin at the start, but they must have been running a tactical race, because I had enough energy to hit the first hill fairly hard. Once it levelled off, there was a flat section, with long views and I could still see the front runners, perhaps only 500m ahead! 

There were more hills, and I found myself occasionally being overtaken on the medium climbs, by people that I would then overtake as they walked on the really steep bits. There were some dastardly steps that break the stride and make running very tricky. My legs were burning at the top of that bit...I would probably have been quicker overall if I had walked, but there's some satisfaction to keeping on running and not giving up.
Normally I'm one of the more reckless at descending, but some of the runners that charged past me on the steepest descents must have had even more of a death wish. These were the same ones that I ran past going uphill. This felt very odd - normally it's the other way around.

There were fantastic views, and I could see sails off Lyme Regis. Some friends from Sutton Bingham sailing club were out there racing. It felt quite breezy on top of the hills, so I expect that the serene white triangles in the distance probably belied frantic scenes of spray, capsizes and 'nautical' language.

About a mile from the finish I was overtaken by an athletic looking figure, who blasted past me, then settled into about the same pace as mine, 20m or so in front. When I saw the finish line flags, I thought I may as well try, so sprinted as quietly as I could. He saw me about 3 seconds from the line when I was a meter behind, and sprang to life. The finish line was quite narrow, and we 'crashed' across it, nearly taking out the timekeeper. They 'clocked' him first, but it was a close thing. Turns out he has done the OMM, an event that I am very tempted by. Well if he could do it... On the other hand, the OMM requires good navigation, so I don't think finishing behind someone that's done it in anyway indicates my readiness.

1:14 by my watch. Did not check the results, but by the look on Martin and Lin's faces, I think they probably did the club proud. 

Madness!

Despite misgivings about the date conflicting with another small sporting event taking place at the moment the 8th Maiden Newten Madness was well supported on a lovely evening which even saw the post race prize giving take place outside for the first time in race history.

As the 117 runners toed the start line for Phil's "brief"-ing the burning question was whether Paul Rose would defend his 2011 title or whether Alex Todd, Axe Valley Runner's winner of the recent Haselbury Trail, would give him a run for his money.......or would some speedy tourist from parts unknown take them both by surprise?  Further down the field most people just wanted to finish in time to partake of the fantastic spread of cakes provided.......

The course record of 37.49 was set in 2009 by Bertie Powell of Woodford Green and as the minutes ticked by it became apparent that it would be unbroken for another year.  Eventually a cry was heard from the last marshalling point and the ever consistent Paul appeared powering over the line in an excellent time of 39.45, just over a minute ahead of Alex.  Alex was closely followed by Mike Pierce but then there was a gap of almost two minutes before the rest of the field began to arrive.

As usual Yeovil Town Road Running Club had turned out in force, not only taking the overall winner's trophy, but also the first V50 prize with Mike Harvey finishing in 45.40 and keeping it in the family, Mike's sister, Rose Harvey, also from YTRRC was first lady home in 48.59.  Richard Orme from Egdon Heath Harriers broke the green and white stranglehold on the honours to take the first V60 prize in 51.41.

Egdon Heath also took second place in the ladies race with Elaine Falcus finishing in 50.14 and the V35 and V45 prizes went to Sandra Hewson of Westbourne RC and Alison Barry from Wimborne AC respectively. Maiden Newton Runner's Lesley Westgate took the V55 prize narrowly beating her arch rival, the other Lesley (Nesbitt) by 8 seconds in the process.

First Maiden Newton Runner home was Richard Rider in 11th place with Dave Carnell following him over the line and Jackie Webb was delighted to break the hour to finish in 58.18.

Early feedback indicates that everyone found the race as well organised and friendly as ever, Phil having done his usual excellent job of making it happen whilst the rest of us flapped around pretending that we were helping.  And I think it would be fair to say that the reputation of the post race refreshments being the best in Dorset was proved to be true yet again.

Thanks to everyone that came along to make it such a great evening especially when the alternative would have been to stay at home and watch the fantastic achievement of Mo Farah becoming a double gold medallist at that other small sporting event...................

The results are here: http://www.yeoviltownrrc.com/2012_results/MNR10km.pdf

View(s) from the Back of the Pack

The last two amusing episodes of the View from the Back of the Pack by Dave Webb


JUNE 2012
The big event of the past few weeks has been the club’s annual Johnny Kipps run, but I will start elsewhere, with the London Marathon. The 37,000 starters included five of us from Maiden Newton Runners. Richard Rider relished his first Marathon, and was beaming happily at the finish, while Lin and Martin Lascelles sped round the course so that they both clocked sub-3 hour times. Lin was the 2nd lady in the 45-49 age range, an achievement which is both astonishing and thoroughly out of keeping with the spirit of our club. Charlie, meanwhile, started to wish that Micky would emerge from the crowd to give her a lift on his bike, as he had done on one of her training runs, but still finished in a good time, and is already starting to wonder about doing it again. She has asked me to pass on her thanks to all those who sponsored her for Children with Cancer UK; so far she has collected £2,000, with more to come. For my part, my first words on finishing, after several minutes of gasping and cursing, were ‘Never Again’. The first 16 miles or so went OK, the next 4 were a struggle, and the last 6 miles were decidedly unpleasant. I knew that Jackie and the boys would be watching around the 25 mile mark, so I forced myself to keep running till I saw them, and then to carry on to the finish.
I was therefore not expecting the headline in my newspaper the next day, “Dave Webb is surprise choice for Olympic marathon’. On closer study, however, it turned out that the selectors had not chosen a middle-aged jogger from Dorset, but my 30-year old namesake, a chartered accountant from Leeds. I will though keep my diary clear for August 12th in case I’m needed.
Our April meeting may have been the first time, in our 27 year history, that we found ourselves seated in the corridor between the bar, scene of a noisy and popular pub quiz, and the skittle alley, occupied for the evening by the British Legion. Our meeting was then punctuated by the questions of the quizmaster, such as: Can polar bears jump? True or False: the earth and the moon are the same age? What farmyard animal is used to search for truffles? How many strings on a ukulele?
My co-panellist, Mr Les Knott-Bother, was keen to answer some of these quiz questions, so I dropped my planned running topic and instead asked him to explain the origin of the 5 Olympic rings. He confidently announced that they represent the doughnuts that are presented to the first 5 finishers, correcting my long-held belief that they symbolised the 5 continents involved in the Olympics.
I must move on to the big event of recent weeks, the Johnny Kipps. This is an annual club run, in a 6-mile circuit from Wynford Eagle via West Compton and Eggardon. We have run it in all weathers, from sizzling sunshine to this year’s tempting combination of strong winds and heavy rain. 11 hardy runners turned out to compete for perhaps the most prestigious prize in sport, the coveted biscuit tin, and for the first time it was won by a non-member, one Dominic Taylor from Sydling. Our quick-thinking chairman, Phil, overcame this technicality by awarding Dominic a year’s membership so that we could offload the biscuit tin to him without infringing any club rules.
Finally, I must mention our new Monday night runs, aimed at those who don’t want to go so far or so fast as the Tuesday runners. Meeting outside The Chalk at 7pm each Monday, these are already proving popular and bringing new members into the club. Which country is the largest producer of cheese?

MAY 2012
I am writing 2 weeks before running in the London Marathon, so my thoughts are turning to last-minute race preparations. We have already done our last long training runs which, in Charlie’s case, ended with her hurtling down the hill from Sydling on the back of Micky’s bike (possibly practising for an unusual finish in London on 22 April). The final weeks before a marathon are known as the ‘taper’ phase of the training programme. This phase is the one that comes most naturally to Maiden Newton Runners, since it involves running less and eating more. The idea is to scale down your running efforts, so that your legs are fresh on race day. At the same time you need to increase your food intake, sometimes known as ‘carbo-loading’, to ensure you are not running on empty. The purists would also avoid alcohol in the last few weeks, but in our club we are always careful not to take things too far.
Another part of the marathon build-up is to enter some races during the training phase. On March 25 there were 5 club members running in the Yeovil Half-Marathon, which was treacherously scheduled for a 9.00am start the morning after the clocks went forward. Despite the club’s proud tradition of incompetence, we all succeeded in arriving on time, although I discovered that my clubmates had taken some innovative preparation methods. Andy had walked from Cattistock to Sydling for a pub lunch the day before, downed 2 or 3 pints, and walked home. Pete, meanwhile, had also agreed to Dan’s suggestion of entering the Night Runner, which started at 7pm the previous evening. At some point he realised that he had signed up for 2 races that began within 14 hours of each other. He did well in the Night Runner, finishing 8 miles at about 8pm, in 8th place. He also took the precaution of getting up early to eat porridge, so that he stood on the start line at Yeovil less than 12 hours after finishing his previous race, with only a few hours’ sleep to refresh him. Not surprisingly, Pete found the latter stages of the race somewhat trying, ‘especially the last 10 miles’. I should also mention Charlie, who set a new personal best for the half-marathon of 1 hour 49 minutes, despite the hilly route; I think she was mainly relieved to have beaten Micky, her husband, who also ran this year, despite his dodgy knees. Finally, Richard Rider put in a good bid for the coveted ‘King of the Hill’ crown which is awarded to the runner with the quickest time up Hendford Hill, getting into the top 10 times for that part of the course. And I must mention that, on the same day, one of our new members, Alison Ambrose, ran her first marathon in Barcelona, in an impressive 4 hours 19 minutes.
Still on the theme of pre-race activities, this month’s running question is ‘What is the best thing to eat before a race?’ My co-panellist, Mr Les Knott-Bother, was keen to go first and declared that he has a long-established tradition of eating a big fried breakfast before a race. His answer surprised me in several ways until I realised that he was talking about Sunday mornings while he waits for the Grand Prix on the TV. For my part, I favour a big bowl of Dorset Cereals Simply Delicious Muesli* about an hour before the start.
I must end by sending good wishes to Mike and Di Ashworth who have moved to a new job near Salisbury, leaving a big gap in our club. Mike’s amiable absent-mindedness will be hard to replace, though we will do our best.
* all sponsorship deals willingly considered