EYNSHAM ROADRUNNERS NEWSLETTER
DECEMBER 2006
EDITOR'S NOTE
We received some great feedback
from everyone, but did have complaints that it was very female oriented with
comments like "What use is a recipe to me? I've got Cindy". So in this issue we've added a report on DIY
to cover the male fraternity and handy tips from the resident ERR guru himself.
Don't forget, it's nearly Christmas, so make sure your loved one has the
perfect present in their stocking. ERR clothing is a great gift for anyone… do
we do royal blue leg warmers?
CHAIRMAN’S RAMBLE
Hopefully by now you have all
recovered from the 10K, which we all think went very well again this year, but
as always, if you have any comments or improvements for next year then please
let us know. I think possibly one important thing to remember is how
appreciative many of the runners are of the organisation of the race and all
the enthusiasm and encouragement given by all the marshals and helpers on the
day that goes a long way to the enjoyment of the day for everyone. Thank you
once again to all of you who helped make this such a successful day for Eynsham
Roadrunners.
Now a short word or two of
caution to you all, Jinksy is now live with e-mails. He sent the committee a
few over the first day or so – we are still trying to sort them out! Never
mind, I’m sure we will have a few laughs along the way. I for one will be
looking forward to receiving them. Good luck Mike.
Christmas and New Years Eve are
fast approaching, and if you are interested in joining us for a laugh and
possibly a drink or two, then watch this space and keep your ear to the ground
for updates.
Finally to end this section of
mine, I would like to thank all of you who have taken part in the first two
cross-countries after I asked for good support. The ladies team seem to be
doing well, resting in mid-table of division 2, but unfortunately the men are
not doing quite as well as they are bottom of division 2. Come on, we need to
keep in this division, so let’s have as many of you out as possible at the next
race on December 31st at Radley College.
Whether you were at cross country
on Sunday or not, I wonder if you managed to overhear the conversation I had
with Graham. Just in case you didn’t then I think I should share it with you.
So to set the scene, we were stood on this high bank looking down into this
huge mud bath, where the ladies race was due to start, with very muddy hills
and floods everywhere. Then Graham mentioned the route we take when we run up
Wytham Woods on Sunday mornings, going through the village, then through the
farm. At this time of year the farm is full of turkeys and do they make a row
as we run along the track through the middle of them. Anyway, back to the cross
country, when just as the ladies race was about to start, with 6 or 7 ERR
ladies in the starting line-up, as we were looking down on them, and at this
stage I have to agree with Graham that the ladies were making a lot of noise,
he then, I’m not saying that I agree with this bit, but he said “I think those
women make even more noise than those turkeys, but they do sound the same
“gobble, gobble – gobble gobble.”
I’ll leave the ladies to question
him on whether he really meant it or not.
Tony.
Graham’s response: Ladies, ask yourselves, just who would really make a
comment like that!
RECENT HIGHLIGHTS
10K
Innovations this year
included online entries, special 'fitted' ladies' T-shirts, and 'no peeing near
the start' signs, which were well received by runners and local residents
alike. Despite allowing more entries than ever before the race was full with
over a month to go, and there were a record number of finishers (588). Well
done to those who represented the club in the Fun Run – Ashley, Zac, Hannah and
Sean – and in the 10K itself – Mark, Larry and Katherine.
And thanks to everyone else who helped with the marshalling, cake-making,
baggage handling, scaffolding, results taking, and all the other tasks that
make it such a popular event. In the words of one satisfied customer on the
Runner's World website, "Thanks to the organisers, great race and
fantastic enthusiastic marshalls. Even the weather was perfect."
The Conker Season
The
first event in this year's conker double header took place at the Queen's Head,
just after the firework display in the pub garden. But were these the only
fireworks on show that night? Well, yes they were actually, as one by one the
ERR representatives – Tony, Pat, Denise, Graham, Andy and Jane – bowed out of
the competition. In fairness to Jane she gave up more out of cold and boredom
than anything else, as in her semi-final match both conkers had more chance of
germinating than being smashed by their opponent. Still, it was all good
practice for the main event...
The Breakers' ERR Invitational
Conker Challenge (live on Sky Sports 3) followed about a month later, a month
in which it appears that conkers can acquire a granite-like shell. Highlights
from this included: Tony falling over while trying to stamp on his opponent's
conker, Tony having three separate chances in the tournament and still not
making the final, and Ian Keeley showing us all how it was done with a series
of killer blows which left him a deserved winner. Those long hours in his
garden shed haven't been wasted after all.
Andy’s 60th bash
Many thanks to Andy as we all had
a great time at his bash. Cindy put on a wonderful ploughman’s, there was a
fabulous display of desserts and Pat did a fantastic job with the cake, made to
Andy’s recipe (apparently). As usual, ERR joined in the dancing with gusto and
some still have the bruises to prove it. But perhaps becoming 60 has taken its
toll as our most recent sexagenarian has not been seen running since.
FORTHCOMING EVENTS
Cross country
We are now well into the cross
country season and have just three races left. The next one at Radley is on New
Year’s Eve. You know you’ll enjoy the evening even more if you’ve run a cross
country in the morning. See the website for details of times and how to get
there. http://www.oxonxc.org/
Sunday 31 December Race 3: Radley College
Sunday 4 February Race 4: Cirencester Park
Sunday 4 March Race
5: Banbury
Christmas Party
Saturday 16th December 2006 at the Evenlode
Cost £29
per head including half a bottle of wine.
Time – 7.30 for 8.00, but of
course, the bar is open before that.
Contact Larry for details:
v
phone
01865 375130 or email larrypoole@aol.com
or text to 07712527261.
DJ Nick Sheard will put on a
disco that will keep us dancing from 10:00pm till 1.00am, and we are looking
forward to Mike clearing the dance floor when Status Quo is played.
Fancy Dress Run
Don’t forget the annual fancy
dress run on Wednesday 20 December. It’s less than a mile to run/walk, so don’t
worry too much about those high heels.
Boxing Day Witney run
Witney have invited us to their
annual Boxing Day run, which is always fun and is usually followed by mince
pies and a raffle in the pub afterwards. Meet at the Woodman Inn, North Leigh
for registration from 11.30. Entry fee £1 and you will be asked for a recent or
approximate 10K time.
New Year’s Eve
This is going to be a house crawl
again, finishing up in the square and then to Larry and June’s afterwards. If
you are interested in being a host, please contact Pat (pat@blencolour.com).
Photo Competition
Please get your entries for the
photo competition to Denise soon unless you want Jan to ‘run’ away with all the
prizes.
Ridgeway Relay
Yes, we know it is a long way
off, but so you have the date in your diary, it is 17 June. Hopefully we will
be able to get two teams together again this year. Please see Graham if you are
interested (Graham.Bridges@vodafone.com).
Three Peaks Team
Denise is putting a ladies team
(or two?) together for next year’s event, which takes part 21–22 June. If you
are interested, please let her know (Denise.Bridges@vodafone.com). There seems
to be some interest among the men, but not sure who is organising it.
Social Calendar
Jane will be putting together a
calendar of events for next year. If you are interested in organising anything
(from a meal out/theatre trip/bowling to exotic holidays) for the club, please
email her (janemdavies@tiscali.co.uk)
or give her a call (01865 880449) so that she can put details in the calendar.
RUNNING
WILD
Following Tony’s comments about
the editors wearing tea cosies as hats at the cross country, we thought it was
time we had some proper hats …
From Essentials for the Forces With ear flaps to enable good hearing during telephone operations
(or for use with a mobile phone). (Ed. Is this Derek?)
Jaeger Handknit 1940s
THE BALACLAVA HELMET
Materials: 2 oz of Jaeger
"Super-Spun" Fingering, 4 -ply, 1 pair of No. 10 Jaeger knitting
needles, and 1 set of No. 11 Jaeger knitting needles with points at both ends.
Measurements: Length, 16 inches.
Tension: 15 stitches to 2 inches in width,
and 15 rows to 2 inches in depth, measured over the garter-stitch.
The front flap: Begin at the lower edge. Cast on 30
sts. using No. 10 needles and work in garter-st., inc. 1 st. at both ends of
every row until there are 50 sts. on the needle.
Continue
without inc. until the work measures 6 inches from the beginning. Next row - Cast on 8 sts., k. to end.
Work the back flap in the same way. Now place the sts. of the back and front on
to three No. 11 needles, then with the fourth needle work in k.2, p.2 rib until
the work measures 9.5 inches from the beginning. Now place the centre 32 sts.
of the front on to a spare needle. Change to No. 10 needles and garter-st. and
continue on the remaining 84 sts. for 0.5 inch. Next row - K.10, turn and work 2.5 inches on these sts. Cut the
wool. Next row - K.64, turn and work
2.5 inches on these sts. Cut the wool. Work on the remaining 10 sts. for 2.5
inches. Next row - K. across all
sts. Continue on these sts. for 2 inches. Now shape the top as follows: 1st row
- K.53, k.2 tog., turn. 2nd row -
K.24, k.2 tog. Rep. the 2nd row until all sts. are on one needle and 24 sts.
remain. Now using No. 11 needles pick up and k.36 sts. down the left side of
head, work in k.2, p.2 rib across the 32 sts. of the chin, pick up and k.36
sts. along the right side of the head, then rib the 24 sts. at the top of the
head (128 sts.). Arrange these sts. on three needles and with the fourth needle
work 2 inches in k.2, p.2 rib. Cast off in rib.
The ear flaps: Holding the work right side towards
you, pick up and k.28 sts. along the front ear opening. Work 2 inches in
garter-st. on these sts., then dec. 1 st. at both ends of every row until 12
sts. remain. Cast off. Press the work on the wrong side with a warm iron and
damp cloth.
View From The Shed
As the nights draw in and the
opportunities to view daylight from the shed window become fewer, the glimpse
of daylight through the roof however brings a sinking feeling and a dilemma. To
mend or not! Left unrepaired the hole will widen leaving your stored treasures
open to the winter elements. Soggy back issues of Playboy, Runners World, or
rusty nails – always much harder to knock in. Shall I risk it? No. Best to
undertake a comprehensive overhaul of the roof. Next weekend. Hopefully help
will be on hand from neighbour. He always offers help when not needed!
The appointed hour is approaching
and a bright sunny day is expected. What arrives is a torrent of water pouring
from the sky, howling wind and near freezing temperatures. Not the ideal
conditions for refelting a roof single-handed, as friendly neighbour is seen
disappearing into the distance at the merest hint of me needing assistance. The
thought of the less than supple felt dragging me off the roof in high winds
leads me to the sensible option of postponement. A run beckons to give me time
to rethink my strategy.
Returning from the run with a
head as clear as the sky and the sight of neighbour’s car parked on his drive,
the way forward is apparent. The job must be done! The materials are mustered,
a bin liner from the corner of the shed, four bricks from the bottom of the
garden and a trusty pair of steps. The repair is completed in a matter of
seconds and retreat to the comfort of the musty interior is most welcome.
Reflecting on what might have been several wasted hours hard toil I was
reminded that dilemmas are best resolved by going for a run!
Oddjob (Ian Keeley)
Andy's Tip of the Month
With all the washing up to be
done over the Christmas, you must make sure you load your dishwasher properly
to prevent nasty accidents. Place knives blade-side down and handle up so when
you fall into the dishwasher after too much Christmas sherry, you don't stab
yourself. There have been more recorded dishwasher related deaths than deaths
caused by hedgehog attacks, you have been warned.
Ed: when asked which dishwasher tablet he preferred, Andy replied that
a cough sweet would do.
ERR Cooking Corner
To get us
into the yuletide spirit we're going Danish. Consider this training for the
Copenhagen Marathon next year. There is a plan to try this out using the
Waddesdon Wine won by the Ladies back in July for being 1st ladies
team, though we might have to miss the bit about setting fire to a sieve.
Danish Glogg
|
2
bottles Cabernet Sauvignon red wine |
1 piece
orange peel |
|
1¾
litres vodka |
1½ cups
blanched whole almonds |
|
20
cardamom pods |
1½ cups
raisins |
|
10
cloves |
10 dried
figs |
|
2
cinnamon sticks |
1 lb
sugar |
1. Pour the wine and vodka into a large pot. Add spices, fruit and nuts. Turn
on the heat and bring the ingredients to a temperature just below the boil.
2. Now for the fun part. Invite all of your guests into the kitchen. Place the
sugar cubes in a sieve (one that you don't mind sacrificing to the greater
good). Don oven mitts and set the glogg on fire. Ladle the burning glogg over
the sugar cubes until it has all melted.
3. When the sugar is melted, cover the pot to extinguish the flame. Ladle
glogg, fruit and nuts into irish coffee cups and serve.
And now
for something healthy!
Robbie’s triathlon training
I am now
in my 6th week of my training plan for next June’s 70.3 Ironman. These next few
months will be where all the hard work is done. A typical week will include 4 x
1 hour swimming seasons, in which I will cover over 2.5K in each hour, 3 to 4
hours on the bike covering about 60 miles, a long run of around 13 miles,
another run of 10K at a steady pace and not forgetting a quick 5 or 10K on a
Wednesday night with you guys after your hour Turbo! and not forgetting the
core work each day – sit ups etc – and weights once a week.
Turbo
seasons are going well with five of us pedalling away last week. Please feel
free to join us – just let me or Lesley know beforehand. Below are some details
of some local Triathlons coming up next year.
Stratford Tri 13th May 2007
Pool swim no wet suit needed
Distance 400 m swim 23k Bike 5k Run.
Blenheim Tri 2rd & 3rd June
Lake Swim Wet Suit needed
Distance Super Sprint 400 m swim, 10K bike, 2.5K run
Sprint 750 m swim, 20K bike, 5K run
You could always enter these events as a relay team (3 members per team and
each does one of the sports). As ever, if any-one would like some guidance on
Triathlon training and which race would be good for you, please come and see
me. Don’t forget, if you are thinking of doing a race as a one off but need a
wet suit, you can always hire one from TRI UK.
RACE
RESULTS
Snowdonia Marathon October 29
Bernard
Scanlon (SM) 3:40:49
Candleford Canter 10K October 29
Katherine
Bates (FV45) 45:48 (pb) Christine Very (2nd FV55)
52:47 Kate Williamson
(FV60) 52:48
ERR 10-mile Sunday 12 November
Tony
Whitlock (MV50) 61:56 Graham Bridges (MV40) 62:57
Chris James (MV40) 64:19 Larry Poole (MV60) 64:30
Nick Sheard (SM) 65:06 Mark Creasey (MV50) 65:55
Robbie Phillips (SM) 68:58 Peter Larbalestier (MV50) 70:07
Hugh Morris (MV50) 71:42 Kevin Kavanagh (MV50) 73:42
Derek Breaker (MV50) 75:26 Martin Johnson (MV50) 76:25
Andy Creasey (MV50) 81:35
Katherine
Bates (FV45) 70:16 Kate Williams (FV60) 70:21
Denise Bridges (FV35) 77:03 Jane Larbalestier (FV45) 78:44
Sheila Gascoigne (FV45)
80:32 Jan Kavanagh (FV45) 85:33
Tracey Siret (FV35) 85:33 Pat Whitlock (FV45) 90:03
Jane Bishop (FV35) 96:51 Joan Ryans (FV60) 99:20
Xanthe Sturt-Taylor (FV35)
106:20 Sandra Jinks
(FV60) 107:15
Roll of Honour
Christine
Very 2nd FV55 Candleford Canter
Send your race results to …
Please
send results from any races that you run (including triathlons) with details of
race name, distances and times and any prizes won to Jane Larbalestier: 01865
880449 or email: janemdavies@tiscali.co.uk
Race report: Culham Cross Country Sunday
3rd December 2006
Marisa
Keeley
My first
10K race, Eynsham of course, and then I pay my first subs to Mike to officially
become a member of the running club. Then I hear “if you can run 10K you can do
a Cross Country”. Only in the summer was I hearing “if you can do 3K or 4K you
can do 5K and if you can do 5 you can do 8” and then that was it “if you can do
8 you can do 10K”. Well I had done 10K but a Cross Country that was a different
matter!
Well, I
did turn up, team member number 6, in borrowed running vest and borrowed
spikes, SPIKES! My first mistake was to look at the course from the “safety
barrier”! It wasn’t long before the start and then there I was, feet
disappearing into mud, slurping out of mud, slipping and sliding, splashing
through water, more mud up the hills, deeper mud down, more mud, more water and
strong wind. Well was it fun? It was great spectator sport. Six (Ed: some say seven)
hills up and down in mud, along the top it was mud and water, along the
riverside it was water and mud to finish. Glorious mud! Four people commented
that my first Cross Country was a “Baptism of fire”, there was plenty of water
for a mass baptism, and the fire? I think that was how my chest felt when I was
struggling up the hills.
The team
spirit was good and the camaraderie of all of the participants was good to see.
We all struggled with the hills (I think) some more than others. I did it, but
was it fun? Well, I enjoyed Jan’s hot coffee, a friend’s flapjack and the
drinks down the pub. Yes I enjoyed it! But was it fun?
P.S. Mike
can I have my money back?
For those of you who
wondered who wrote the article about the Swindon Mental Battle (or Half
Marathon) in the last issue, it was Pat. Sorry for leaving off the by-line Pat.
Club Championship
Attend the
AGM on January 21 to see who has the trophies. Details of the new Club
Championship race list (with some interesting differences) will be winging its
way to you imminently. See website for full details (www.eynshamroadrunners.org.uk).
DATES FOR YOUR DIARY
Sun 10th Dec Bicester
10K
Sun 31st Dec Oxford
Mail x country league round 3 Radley College
Sun 7th Jan Woodcote
10K*
Sun 7th Jan Oxon
County Championship x country at Horspath/Shotover
Sun 14th Jan Wendover
5 miles multi terrain
Sun 14th Jan Rough
n Tumble 10 (Milton Lilbourne, Wiltshire)
Sun 21 Jan Highworth Half
Marathon
Sun 21 Jan AGM 7.15 White
Hart
Sun 28th Jan Not
the Roman IX 12K at Stratford-upon–Avon
Sun 28th Jan Slaughterford
9 miles multi-terrain
Sun 4th Feb Oxford
Mail x country league round 4 Cirencester Park
Sun 4th Feb Watford
half marathon
Sun 11th Feb Wokingham
half marathon
Sun 11th Feb Dursley
Dozen multi-terrain
Sun 25th Feb Bourton
10K
Sun 25th Feb Bramley 20/10* miles
Sun 25th Feb Goring
10k
Sun 4th Mar Oxford
Mail x country league round 5 Banbury
Sun 4th Mar Devizes
10K
Sun 11th Mar Banbury
15 miles*
*Club Championship
event
Editor's signoff
If
you would like changes, please let us know. We would love to have contributions
from all club members, so if you have anything you want to share with the rest
of us and want it to be part of the February issue, please send it to Jane,
preferably by email (janemdavies@tiscali.co.uk) by 30 January. As you can see, we will
accept anything … as long as it’s not offensive.
For
other race reports and further information on the Club Championship and many
other club matters, please take a look at the website www.eynshamroadrunners.org.uk