It’s that time of week once again! Isn’t it crazy how quickly it seems to come around. We’re not complaining though, because we get to share with you all the great things our runners have been up to this week!
Monday was all about our Junior runners as they took to their training session at Wigmore School. I also got the opportunity to help Eric out with the session, and it was a lovely sight seeing so many eager youngsters that may one day be the future stars of Croft Ambrey Running Club! Talking of our Junior runners, please join us in giving Saffi a massive well done for making the English Schools Cross Country H&WSAA Team who will be competing at The National Cross Country Championships on 15th March. Well done, Saf.
Moving on to our Seniors and this week their sessions took place at Shobdon Wood and High Vinnalls. Sam took the Tuesday session at Shobdon with the focus being hills. Tim’s short interval session at High Vinnalls on Thursday incorporated fartleks on the easy access and Parkrun loops. Great training by all!
Parkrun Saturday and it was another busy morning for Croft runners. Starting over in Ludlow it was Stuart bringing it home for CARC in 3rd position. Oliver M followed him home in 4th, with Naomi, our first female, in 8th. We also had a handful of Crofties running at Hereford Parkrun, with Simon, running his 50th Parkrun, leading the way for the Sky Blues in 9th place. Saffi would come home first female, only one second in front of second! Elsewhere, Sam J would blitz Pontypool Parkrun, with yet another first place finish!
How is our Prepare for Parkrun group getting on I hear you ask?
“A beautiful morning and some fantastic running for this weeks Prepare4parkrun group in Shobdon on Saturday. Croft coach Claire joined us this week and led the 2.5km loopback run – with a couple of intervals sessions on the way to push up the pace – an introduction to paarlauf running and the short sharp push of the Indian file. Finished with a cool down jog to the carpark and the all important stretches to finish.”
Also on Saturday, Tim J and Flora were busy racing on the fells of South Wales in the Cwn Nant y Groes Fell Race – a 8.5km race with 615m of ascent over the hills above Abertillery. Tim has said that “weather conditions were mixed with frost and ice for the start and finish in the shade of Cwm Nant-y-Groes whilst the sun had reached the mid-sections allowing for faster and more sure footed progress.” He then went on to say; “It is a really authentic fell race. The opening and closing sections feature steep climbs and descents with plenty of options to seek advantage by choosing your own line away from the beaten track. The mid-section is fully marked to keep runners safely away from some deep fissures in the rolling moorland whilst they enjoy some faster running with gentler and faster climbs and descents.” Tim would finish in 38th with a time of 01:16:42, with Flora in 47th in 01:25:37. Flora would also bring home 1st FV60.
Rounding up Saturday was a small CARC group who headed over to Titterstone Clee for another social run. Well done guys, especially in that cold!
Sunday brought with it grim, rainy weather. But that didn’t stop a few eager runners from going out and racing!
Over in Builth was the Resolution Run 5k, a “mainly flat course with only one small uphill” around the infamous Royal Welsh Showground. Despite the weather, it was a successful run for our 3 Croft runners, all who finished in the top 25. Eric would come home in 2nd place, with Mia 4th female and 2nd Senior Female. Saffi was 5th female and 2nd FU17.
Eric Apperley – 17:46 – 2nd Overall
Mia Davies – 21:20 – 4th Female, 2nd SF
Saffi Reid – 22:00 – 5th Female, 2nd FU17
Also in a very wet Wales, Lou P was busy racing in the 10k at the Chepstow Running Festival. She finished in 57:26 and 2nd FV55.
3 Croft runners took part in the Arc of Attrition races this weekend on the South West Coastal Path. Emma took part in the Arc 100 (160km), with Gary P and Ireland taking part in the Arc 25 (40km). Emma finished her race in 34:39:37. Gary completed his in 05:26:11, with Ireland in 06:09:02.
Well done all for another fantastic week. The upcoming training schedule will be live on our Facebook on Monday morning. In the meantime, don’t forget, we’re always on the look out for your race reports for the website, so get posting them on Facebook or send them to either Sam H, Huw or myself (Bronwyn).