Click on link to see some photos taken during the 'Muddymede' Relay event
Monday, 9 July 2012
Saturday, 7 July 2012
Report from Runnymede Relay (7 July 2012)
Despite the British inclement weather it didn't stop our Windle Valley Runners turning out for the Runnymede Relay event in Windsor Great Park. Our thanks to Runnymede Running Club for hosting a very successful event.
There was a great atmosphere amongst the crowds in spite of the rain and this added to an eventful race for each of us - there was simply no way to avoid the mud and puddles.
Our 3 teams running were:
Mens Team
Danny Mahoney
Danny Mahoney
Pete Mannion
Mike Hewison
Pete Jones
Grant Sayer
Rob Batchelor
Ladies Team
Ros Viner
Sue Hadwen
Jenny Livesey
Debby Hewison
Sabine El-Bacha
Wendy Davies
Mixed Team
Lorayne Hockin
Luan Mahoney
Geoff Williams
Dee Green
Nick Askem
Keith Hull
Results available here soon:
Thanks Pete J for bringing along the gazebo, that proved extremely useful, and to Keith for the scrummy homemade fruitcake (recipe to follow hopefully). Also congratulations to Pete Mannion's daughter Holly, who took part in the children's race, and the only one amongst us taking away a medal from the day!
Photos to follow......
WELL DONE WVR!
Sunday, 1 July 2012
"One last thing............."
Dear Windle Valley chums,
Tis the eve before jetting out to Arizona, and whilst looking forward to a prairie's new, I just wanted to formally thank everyone at the club for being so fantastic. Everybody I've trained with, and everybody I've raced with and chatted to about running has been a huge inspiration / motivativator and I can't thank you all enough. In a relatively short time, I have achieved many personal goals with the clubs assistance. Hopefully I won't be remembered as the guy who was forever getting injured - though that time spent at the osteo or physio was but a small price to pay and for me; part and parcel of being a runner and finding out about yourself and your limitations.
So - Phoenix awaits, and within it, West Valley Runners - same initials as Windle. It'll be even more freaky if they run in Green....maybe i'll be able to inject a bit of Windle spirit into them - if so, I'll be half way home :)
Arizonans only race 8 out of 12 months a year, because its just too hot, and my wife tells me to get used to cactuses instead of trees, and drinking Gatorade instead of Lucozade. Well, I like the idea of a challenge, and running in temps well in excess of 100 degrees will certainly be an obstacle; but I will dearly lament the loss of running up and down Portsmouth Road in the pouring rain on a Tuesday night, and losing my concentration on the club 10k as The Steep looms ahead. I ronically, I got lost on my first club 10k, missing 'the hill' out - perhaps it was my brain trying to tell me 'don't go that way Edwards, you'll never make it!' - good times - you guys have truly got a wonderful club there, and I will miss the camararderie and togetherness.
Time to sign-off and disappear into the sun-set. Thanks for everything - great people, and lots of fond memories. You've been great friends, and companions in phyiscal self-combustion; putting ourslves through something only 10% the rest of population enjoys and counts as a hobbie. I'll post-up a few races from time-to-time, and if any of you are ever in my neck of the woods, please feel free to look me up.
Finally, I'll miss the fantastic awards ceremony / dinner and dance in January, but will be there in sprit to congratulate everybody on their achievements in 2012.
Best Wishes,
Simon (and family)
Tis the eve before jetting out to Arizona, and whilst looking forward to a prairie's new, I just wanted to formally thank everyone at the club for being so fantastic. Everybody I've trained with, and everybody I've raced with and chatted to about running has been a huge inspiration / motivativator and I can't thank you all enough. In a relatively short time, I have achieved many personal goals with the clubs assistance. Hopefully I won't be remembered as the guy who was forever getting injured - though that time spent at the osteo or physio was but a small price to pay and for me; part and parcel of being a runner and finding out about yourself and your limitations.
So - Phoenix awaits, and within it, West Valley Runners - same initials as Windle. It'll be even more freaky if they run in Green....maybe i'll be able to inject a bit of Windle spirit into them - if so, I'll be half way home :)
Arizonans only race 8 out of 12 months a year, because its just too hot, and my wife tells me to get used to cactuses instead of trees, and drinking Gatorade instead of Lucozade. Well, I like the idea of a challenge, and running in temps well in excess of 100 degrees will certainly be an obstacle; but I will dearly lament the loss of running up and down Portsmouth Road in the pouring rain on a Tuesday night, and losing my concentration on the club 10k as The Steep looms ahead. I ronically, I got lost on my first club 10k, missing 'the hill' out - perhaps it was my brain trying to tell me 'don't go that way Edwards, you'll never make it!' - good times - you guys have truly got a wonderful club there, and I will miss the camararderie and togetherness.
Time to sign-off and disappear into the sun-set. Thanks for everything - great people, and lots of fond memories. You've been great friends, and companions in phyiscal self-combustion; putting ourslves through something only 10% the rest of population enjoys and counts as a hobbie. I'll post-up a few races from time-to-time, and if any of you are ever in my neck of the woods, please feel free to look me up.
Finally, I'll miss the fantastic awards ceremony / dinner and dance in January, but will be there in sprit to congratulate everybody on their achievements in 2012.
Best Wishes,
Simon (and family)
Sunday, 24 June 2012
WVR 10K results - Sunday 24 June 2012
WELL DONE to our 22 runners who turned out today to participate in our monthly 10K event - a great turnout.
Here are the recorded times (thanks to Nathan, Dee, Bob and Dave Smith):
| Name | Estimated time (mins) | Actual time |
| ||
|
| Nick | Askem | 52 | 50'41" |
|
| Guest | Richard | Baggott | 41 | 37'28" |
|
|
| Pam | Berriman | 56 | 52'50" |
|
|
| Jim | Brown | 50 | 47'48" |
|
|
| John | Coffey | 50 | 48'25" |
|
|
| Russell | Conaway | 45 | 45'10" |
|
|
| Martin | Cox | 48 | 48'03" |
|
|
| Mark | Coxhead | 53 | 51'45" |
|
|
| Sachiko | Dixon | 43 | 45'00" |
|
|
| Simon | Edwards | 45 | 44'18" |
|
|
| Sabine | El Bacha | 46 | 46'30" |
|
|
| Laura | Hales | 42 | 40'16" |
|
|
| Lorayne | Hockin | 47 | 46'09" |
|
|
| Keith | Hull | 42 | 43'59" |
|
|
| Robert | Littlejohn | 48 | 46'58" |
|
|
| Jo | Obertell | 46 | 44'56" |
|
|
| Barbara | Rodriguez | 55 | 56'38" |
|
|
| Lyn | Taylor | 58 | 59'46" |
|
| Guest | Ramona | Thevenet | 46 | 45'18" |
|
|
| Mike | Waine | 40 | 38'17" |
|
|
| Robin | Wakefield | 48 | 48'55" |
|
|
| Geoff | Willliams | 43 | 42'41" | |
And while our runners were pounding the roads, Bob was putting his artistic skills to good use, making good our official start line:
Look out for it next month....
Friday, 22 June 2012
My man's an Ironman....
My amazing husband decided to over-exercise this past Sunday.....
I am proud to let you know that he completed an Ironman triathlon in Regensburg, a city in Bavaria, Germany. He completed 2.4 mile swim, followed by 112 mile hilly cycle and then a marathon to finish off, all in 14 hours and 16 mins.
One of Nathan's key motivators for completing this ordeal was in support of his little brother, Adam who has recently completed a course of chemo and radiotherapy following diagnosis with Hodgkin's Lymphoma last October. Adam is raising funds in aid of Macmillan Cancer Support. I realise that we regularly get requests for donations however if anyone would like to contribute it will be greatly appreciated.
http://www.justgiving.com/AdamG-Nepal
http://www.justgiving.com/AdamG-Nepal
So for Nathan's next challenge......does he/does he not get an Ironman tattoo, and where to put it? Answers on a postcard.....
Dee x
Saturday, 16 June 2012
Windle Valley Runners - Field of Remembrance Working Party Day (30 June)
Message provided via Jill Hopkins (WV Rep on Field of Rememberance Committee):
--
PLEASE HELP!!Field of Remembrance Working Party Saturday 30 June, 9amThere is a Field of Remembrance Working Party on Saturday 30 June from 9am (meet in the carpark, or just follow the noise of the chainsaw/chipper if you turn up later!).This working party aims to continue on from the thoroughly enjoyable and very successful working party weekend last month, when we cleared dead wood and fallen branches from the woods, chipped them and then laid the chippings on some of the woodland paths. It was great fun, with a real sense of community and camaraderie amongst those who came along to help.If you would like to help your community by clearing paths in the woods at the Windlesham Field of Remembrance please come along, and encourage your family, friends and neighbours to come too. Please help out, even if you can only give a couple of hours, many hands make light work and it really is great fun. Everyone is welcome, last month the age range of helpers was between 2 and 80 years old!It is worth wearing gloves, long sleeved tops and trousers to avoid scratches.THANK YOUFor more information contact Conrad Sturt 0778 531 8058 or e-mail: wfor1@btinternet.com
Windle Valley Runners
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Join our Facebook group
Sunday, 10 June 2012
Run of the Month: 10 June 2012
What a lovely run we had today, many thanks to Ken and Sue for hosting.
We met at Newland's Corner and headed out in search of St Martha's church, passing through wonderful countryside and taking in some spectacular views.
It soon become a realisation that the church is more commonly known as "St Martha-on-the-Hill", oh yes it was hilly though well worth the effort when we reached the top, just in time for the Sunday morning servce. We decided we were inappropriately dressed this time to join in the Sunday worship.
We ended our run back at Newand's Corner, a lively busy venue on a Sunday morning, where else might you find a 'Smart car convention'!? It was cups of tea all around and a well deserved bowl of water for the lovely Harvey.
A very enjoyable run, good conditions, stunning sceney and great company.
Below are the key
features of the route:
a) starting off at Newlands Corner
b) headed downwards towards Silent Pool which was very tranquil (no sign of
the raven-haired peasant girl who drowned as King John was passing who
haunts the lake). Adjacent was a new vine yard.
c) into Albury up some hills
d) past Chilworth gun-powder mills (think the remains we saw were from WW1)
e) up an extremely steep hill on St. Martha's Hill and church.
f) heading back towards Newlands Corner
g) back to the refreshment area for a nice cup of coffee\tea.
a) starting off at Newlands Corner
b) headed downwards towards Silent Pool which was very tranquil (no sign of
the raven-haired peasant girl who drowned as King John was passing who
haunts the lake). Adjacent was a new vine yard.
c) into Albury up some hills
d) past Chilworth gun-powder mills (think the remains we saw were from WW1)
e) up an extremely steep hill on St. Martha's Hill and church.
f) heading back towards Newlands Corner
g) back to the refreshment area for a nice cup of coffee\tea.
Thank you!
--
Windle Valley Runners
View our blog at:
Join our Facebook group
Friday, 8 June 2012
REMINDER! Run of the Month - Sunday 10 June at 09:30
Hello WV Runners,
Ken is hosting our 'Run of the Month' this Sunday at Newland's Corner near Guildford at 9:30 am; please do join us!
From Ken and Sue's rekkie last weekend they recommend we allow up to 90 mins (with a few stops and a bit of walking thrown in). There will be lots of stunning scenery and a terrain of mostly off-road (tracks, field and a bit of pavement).
Come rain or sunshine (!) please do come along; and maybe stay around for a post-run cuppa at the Newlands Corner cafe.
See you Sunday at 9.30am!
Map:
Thursday, 7 June 2012
Frimley Lodge Parkrun - Jubilee Edition
Some milestones hit in this week's Parkrun:
- Pam Berriman's 50th race - and another new PB, 25.48 which is 90 seconds quicker than her PB a year ago!
- Sabine El-Bacha's first appearance
- New PB for Russell Conaway, 21.29 is very impressive and a full minute of his previous time
- Pam Berriman's 50th race - and another new PB, 25.48 which is 90 seconds quicker than her PB a year ago!
- Sabine El-Bacha's first appearance
- New PB for Russell Conaway, 21.29 is very impressive and a full minute of his previous time
Friday, 1 June 2012
Edinburgh Marathon Race Report
One word describes how this marathon went for me - interesting.
I was staying with Pete Hansen in Musselburgh, where the marathon finished, so up at 6:30, kit on, and down for an early breakfast of porridge, banana and coffee. Then a 10-minute taxi ride to the two starts at Holyrood Park - one for the elite/fast runners, beginning at 9:50, and the remainder in the other, setting off at 10:00. Obviously Pete was in the former, and I wasn't! I tried to find Kayleigh, but it got very busy very quickly, so I didn't manage to find her to wish her good luck.
Off at 10 o'clock on the dot, and mainly downhill for about the first mile or so, into Holyrood Park itself (where our wives had run the 10k the day before), and then back out onto the main road. Eventually we dropped down to the promenade, heading east towards Musselburgh. I reached the 10k mark in around 55 minutes, and put on my bandana, so that I could soak it with water as often as possible - by this time, the sun was out in full force.
We reached Musselburgh at the 10 mile marker; lots of support here, and I saw my wife who was trying unsuccessfully to take a photo. Then it was out along the coastal road, past the power station, and at around the 13/14 mile mark, I saw the front runners heading back on the opposite side of the road. A while later I saw Pete looking good - I eventually reached the turnround point at the 18-mile mark. We then ran into a country estate for a mile or so before emerging out onto the road back to Mussleburgh. Despite running along the coast, there were still a few slopes here and there, but throughout the course the support was very good, especially in the towns! Luckily there isn't a hosepipe ban in Scotland, as there were quite a few houses where we were given a welcome spray.
It was as we were nearing the last few miles that strange things started to happen. I'd had an operation on my back and left arm about 5 weeks ago. At around the 20 mile mark, I could feel myself starting to lean to the right - no pain, but it was becoming awkward to keep upright. This steadily got worse, and more uncomfortable, and by about 24 miles, I must have looked like I was running dressed as a banana, but without the costume on, if you know what I mean. For the last mile, it was quite obvious that I didn't look quite right, as pretty much everyone was shouting out my name with encouragement, but I wasn't about to stop! I managed to haul myself the last 50 yards over the finish line, in what turned out to be a PB of 4:15:57! Mixed emotions really. One of the finish marshals came up and asked if I was ok, which, being a man, I obviously said "yes". I hung on to her for a minute or so, then walked through to the finish area to pick up my medal (see below) and t-shirt. By this time, I had recovered reasonably well, and was walking upright again.
All very strange - I will be going to the doctors to see what it might be, but for now I'm pleased I finished it, although a bit disappointed I didn't sneak in under 4:15.
Well done to Pete on his time of 3:38, and big congratulations to Kayleigh on her sub 4:00 finish - 3:58! I eventually met up with Kayleigh...at Edinburgh Airport on the way home!
I would definitely recommend Edinburgh - certainly a PB-potential. And finally, if you fancy a laugh, have a look at this article from The Scotsman:
I was staying with Pete Hansen in Musselburgh, where the marathon finished, so up at 6:30, kit on, and down for an early breakfast of porridge, banana and coffee. Then a 10-minute taxi ride to the two starts at Holyrood Park - one for the elite/fast runners, beginning at 9:50, and the remainder in the other, setting off at 10:00. Obviously Pete was in the former, and I wasn't! I tried to find Kayleigh, but it got very busy very quickly, so I didn't manage to find her to wish her good luck.
Off at 10 o'clock on the dot, and mainly downhill for about the first mile or so, into Holyrood Park itself (where our wives had run the 10k the day before), and then back out onto the main road. Eventually we dropped down to the promenade, heading east towards Musselburgh. I reached the 10k mark in around 55 minutes, and put on my bandana, so that I could soak it with water as often as possible - by this time, the sun was out in full force.
We reached Musselburgh at the 10 mile marker; lots of support here, and I saw my wife who was trying unsuccessfully to take a photo. Then it was out along the coastal road, past the power station, and at around the 13/14 mile mark, I saw the front runners heading back on the opposite side of the road. A while later I saw Pete looking good - I eventually reached the turnround point at the 18-mile mark. We then ran into a country estate for a mile or so before emerging out onto the road back to Mussleburgh. Despite running along the coast, there were still a few slopes here and there, but throughout the course the support was very good, especially in the towns! Luckily there isn't a hosepipe ban in Scotland, as there were quite a few houses where we were given a welcome spray.
It was as we were nearing the last few miles that strange things started to happen. I'd had an operation on my back and left arm about 5 weeks ago. At around the 20 mile mark, I could feel myself starting to lean to the right - no pain, but it was becoming awkward to keep upright. This steadily got worse, and more uncomfortable, and by about 24 miles, I must have looked like I was running dressed as a banana, but without the costume on, if you know what I mean. For the last mile, it was quite obvious that I didn't look quite right, as pretty much everyone was shouting out my name with encouragement, but I wasn't about to stop! I managed to haul myself the last 50 yards over the finish line, in what turned out to be a PB of 4:15:57! Mixed emotions really. One of the finish marshals came up and asked if I was ok, which, being a man, I obviously said "yes". I hung on to her for a minute or so, then walked through to the finish area to pick up my medal (see below) and t-shirt. By this time, I had recovered reasonably well, and was walking upright again.
All very strange - I will be going to the doctors to see what it might be, but for now I'm pleased I finished it, although a bit disappointed I didn't sneak in under 4:15.
Well done to Pete on his time of 3:38, and big congratulations to Kayleigh on her sub 4:00 finish - 3:58! I eventually met up with Kayleigh...at Edinburgh Airport on the way home!
I would definitely recommend Edinburgh - certainly a PB-potential. And finally, if you fancy a laugh, have a look at this article from The Scotsman:
Cheers, Robin
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