This week we welcomed in the month of October the right way here at Croft Ambrey Running Club. From racing to training to just pottering along a woodland trail or country lane, we’ve done it all and, once again, we’re here to tell you all about it! Ready?
Our Junior runners are still enjoying their Monday sessions at Wigmore, led by Kelly and Eric. And, this week they got to do a range of training drills from strides to relays, including a bit of fun, with everyone’s favourite; Indian File. Very soon, they’ll get to experience a whole different session with some night time running as we head into the darker evenings. There is still plenty for our youngsters to look forward to in 2024!
As for our Seniors, this week their training sessions focused on hills and long intervals. Tuesday’s session took place at a hilly and drizzly Shobdon Wood with Huw at the helm. He had our runners doing ten second efforts up the appropriately named Pointless Hill, before then completing several hill intervals at the crossroads. On Thursday, it was Clare’s turn to lead, picking the road behind Kingspan as her choice of training location. This session consisted of 400m efforts with a 200m recovery. Thank you both for a hard, yet worthwhile week of training!
Saturday wasn’t just any Parkrun day, but Parkrun’s 20th anniversary since its inaugural event in Bushy Park, London. Kicking things off over at Ludlow Parkrun, where there was cake and tutus galore, it was a 1,2,3 finish for Croft runners, with Eric, Simon and Grant coming home within a couple of minutes of each other. Oliver M also appeared in the top ten. Tom D, Jamie and Huw were volunteering. Sam J would win the Hereford event in 16:43. Jo M, Mike H and Sue W also took part. Sue also came away with a new PB. A couple of Crofties headed over to Hay-on-Wye to take part in the Riverside Walk parkrun, with both Lucy L and Amy P recording new PBs for that particular event. There were also PBs for Theresa and Scott, running at Storeys Fields Parkrun in Cambridge. Great running by all!
Elsewhere, Steph M took part in the Huntington Chase race. This is a trail 10k, taking place on the Welsh Border near Hergest. Steph’s time was 01:08:00, as per her Strava. Official results are still pending.
Suzanne P was in Bristol, also on Saturday morning, running the Bristol to Bath 25km race with her daughters; Kate and Jessica. The trio finished the race in just over 3 hours. Suzanne said on Facebook: “What a great day run/walking Bristol to Bath 25KM with Kate and Jessica , so lovely to do it with them both.mIt was a beautiful day and really enjoyed it. Although you think you’ve done all the hills then there is a sting in the tail when you get To Bath !!!”
Several Croft fell runners headed over to the Brecon Beacons on Saturday for the Fan Fawr Fell Race, the first in the Winter Fell Run Series. Tim J, Guy, Patrick, Ireland, Gary and Flora all took part in the Senior race, with Saffi running the Junior. Flora’s daughter Annalie was running her first ever fell race. Flora, Guy and Gary all came 1st in their respective age categories. Thank you to Guy for sending in the results, although he has mentioned; “The results aren’t entirely reliable. Tim was somehow given a much faster time than his actual time, and I had 40 years knocked off, recorded as an M40.” Guy’s race report can be read here.
Tim Jones – 17th – 21.17
Patrick Pearson – 43rd -25.26
Annalie Gunner – 60th – 28.04
Flora Gunner – 61st – 28.07
Ireland Lawrence – 72nd – 30.10
Guy Whitmarsh – 76th – 31.11
Gary Gunner – 77th – 31.34
Our group of Longmynd Hikers took to the Shropshire Hills on Saturday to start their 50 mile challenge. Kelly was first Croftie to cross the finish line early on Sunday morning, coming in at 13 hours and 35 minutes, describing her experience as “insane.” Ali B, Paul, Greg and Emma finished not long after. As for Howard, he would retire at 40 miles in as he wasn’t feeling 100% from the start. Regardless, 40 miles is an achievement and one to be proud of! We can’t wait to hear more about how these Crofties got on!
On Sunday it was all about the roads with the 2024 Cardiff Half Marathon. Eric, Ryan and Sarah headed down to the Welsh capital early on Sunday morning to take part, and all would come away having finishing the race in times they are sure to be happy with! Ryan said on our Facebook page: “Cardiff Half….my first official road race in sky blue. Wonderful race and near enough stuck to my race plan.”
Eric Apperley – 01:16:07 – Course PB
Ryan Burkin – 01:27:48
Sarah Burkin – 02:26:11 (who was pace making a friend for the majority of the race)
Brilliant running this week, Crofties! Please remember that our upcoming training sessions will be available to view on our Facebook page every 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).