Winter Success!

The Autumn and Winter always provides a busy and exciting time for Clowne Road Runners and things could not have started any better. November 21 and a race victory in the Walesby Whole Hog adventure race for three of our ladies, Andrea Elstone, Melanie Adams and Gemma Scougal. Having never competed in an adventure race before they entered feeling just a little unsure of what lay ahead. Well let me tell you, seven miles of mud, hills, fording icy rivers and tackling various obstacles proved no problem as they ran to a comfortable victory, leaving all the other female teams in there wake. I guess I should point out that they beat most of the men’s teams too. Their result clearly demonstrates just how well they did and represents a great victory for them and a wonderful start to the winter for the club. The victory has obviously provided them with a great boost of confidence and enthusiasm as further adventure races are already planed for the future.

.For the first time in our history, during November, we took men’s and ladies teams, to the National cross country relay championships, which take place locally in Mansfield. It was a great chance for our members to compete in an event where many of the best clubs and athletes in our country will be present. The competition was hard but I’m sure everybody found it a great experience.

 One of our most experienced and successful runners Lewis Banton, was also very active during this period. He took part in the Snowdonia marathon this race is a renowned challenge. As if running a normal marathon isn’t enough this one ascends and descends some of Snowdonia’s most fearsome hills. The race claims to be the hardest road marathon of all, yet despite facing torrential rain and gales Lewis finished 16^th in a remarkable 2 hours 58 minutes. Lewis has been a leading figure in the club for a long time and made this type of event his forte, with many successes and victories to his name. I feel it is worth pointing out that last year Lewis competed in the Jurassic challenge which involves running three marathons in three days!!! It is hard put into words the physical and mental stamina required to complete this type of race. Needless to say Lewis is and will remain an inspiration to all members of our club.

Fast forward a few weeks and just two days before the staging of our 26^th half marathon we get hit broad side by the big freeze. In the space of an hour over half of the thirteen mile course was covered in three inches of deep impregnable snow and ice. Crampons would have been more use than running shoes and it left race director Les Banton and the rest of the tireless organising committee with no choice but to cancel the event. Of course we weren’t on our own, events of all kinds were either cancelled or postponed all around the country but this is sadly no real consolation as it now gave Les the problem of informing seven hundred competitors, some who travel far and wide to compete in the race with the news that the race was cancelled.  It also means the club loses its show case event.  Les took the decision to defer all race entries until the 2012 event and in doing so I am sure we will make many more friends than we will lose. If only more race directors would be as generous. I probably don’t need to talk much about the effects of the weather during December on people’s lives, needless to say running at times was made a little tricky, although it was certainly easier and  safer than trying to drive a car!

 Christmas came and went and with it so did the snow and since then success for the club has been almost constant. During January all members enjoy its highly entertaining presentation evening. This doubles as a lovely social gathering for every member of the club and a great chance for members to receive the pat on the back for the previous year’s efforts.  

Following this  the club stretched its legs into the 2011 cross country season and despite having recruited many new runners even the most optimistic amongst us could not have foreseen the level of success that we have achieved. Our local cross country league was won in great style and by a record breaking margin. This runs through January, February and March and is a real focal point for so many of our members. It is great opportunity to challenge ourselves against three other very similar running clubs, Retford, Killamarsh and Handsworth . It seems to draw out the competitor in everybody and yet does so in a lovely friendly manner. I am sure it’s this very friendly rivalry that will ensure the longevity of the series as in general the whole series of races very much mirrors our outlook as a club, to run hard whist having a smile on our faces. Winning the series is of course a wonderful bonus for the club as the whole membership has put in so much effort to ensure the trophy was to spend twelve months in our cabinet.

During this period Lewis Banton went on to have further great success as he travelled the country in finding his next running challenges.  Lewis was outright winner of the Castleton Beacon fell race in the Yorkshire Moors and he finished 8^th in the High Cup Nick fell race in Cumbria.

On a personal note I have competed well over the winter enjoying victories in ten kilometre road races in Barnsley, Sheffield and Bolsover and backed this up with second place in the county cross country championships and 26^th place in the men’s national cross-country championships. It was fantastic to take club mates Gareth Lowe, Simon Sleney, Andrew Padley, Robert Wain and Paul Sadler to experience the national as this represents the biggest and most challenging domestic cross country race of the year. In the end we finished 42^nd as a team. Next year we hope to take our ladies as well!!!! It promises to be great day for the club.

 After finishing 2010 and starting 2011 in such a positive way I am confident that this will inspire the club to go and achieve even greater successes throughout year. On Sunday 22^nd we will be staging the second running of the towpath and trail 10 kilometre race. I know race director and Club captain Jim McIntosh feels it is vital to build on the success of our half marathon it is clear that in Jim’s hands the race has a great future.

 Our club is not just about the competitive runner and after thinking of ways to embrace the whole club and all its members we decided to let our hair down a little whilst at the same time raise some vital funds for charity. So on the 1^st of July around seventy of us will be off to walk the three peaks of Yorkshire this will be a 25mile hike across the famous peaks of Peny Ghent, Wernside and Ingleborugh.   Goodness knows what else we will get up to as we have 2 nights camping all within 100 yards of the nearest pub. It is worth pointing out, at this stage, that some of our finest runners are also some of the most hopeless drinkers and some of our more leisurely members just happen to be experts in that field.  So really we’ll just have to brace ourselves and hope for the best. Will the village of Horton in Ribblesdale be able to cope?  Whatever tricks we get up to I am sure it will be a great experience and a highlight for many members and raising money for local charity has always something the club looked to do. So it is onwards we go as standing still is something we refuse to do.