It’s April and we’re finally training in the daylight! How exciting! This week has been another busy, yet fun, one at Croft Ambrey Running Club with plenty of training, races, marshaling and April Fools jokes! Yes, we can confirm that our “new” logo that debuted on our Facebook this week is in fact fake and our infamous swallow has no plans on retiring in the near future! However, it was fun watching everyone fall for the joke. Sorry!
Onto the running and there was another record breaking attendance at our Junior training on Monday with 16 youngsters taking to the Wigmore School field. This week it was into groups of three, taking it in turns to run a short effort in a relay style of training before a game of everyone’s favourite; Bulldogs.
As for our Seniors, it was over to Bircher Common with Sam on Tuesday before Thursday’s session with Eric at Shobdon Church. Sam’s session consisted of Long (hilly!) Intervals on the Common. Eric’s was all about Sprints.
Wednesday evening saw the first race in the 2025 Hereford Couriers Spring 5k Series and once again several Croft runners took to the Hereford roads in what is a relatively fast 5k race. Saffi was our first runner home and 1st Female Under 13. Owen M was our first male and 6th Male Under 13. Oliver M finished 2nd Male Under 17. Janet finished 1st Female Vet 70. Full CARC results:
Saffi Reid – 20:04 – 1st FU13
Owen Marsh – 21:33
Oliver Marsh – 22:19 – 2nd MU17
Angus Kirby – 24:26
Louise Phillips – 26:56
Janet Hill – 30:23 – 1st FV70
This Saturday was another busy one for Croft runners.
We had 10+ runners take part in Ludlow Parkrun this week, with Sam J taking the win and a PB. Nigel and Steve joined him in the top ten. Other PBs were recorded by our Junior runners; Evie and George. Ali A, Jamie, Michelle S, Tim S and Tim W-H volunteered. Over in Hereford, it was Simon leading home the Croft runners in 19th. Saffi finished 2nd female and 1st in her age category. She, and Emma J, would post new PBs, while Sian took on the course for the first time. Several of our runners also went some Parkrun Tourism this week. Eric and Bronwyn took part in Henley Wood, Oswestry Parkrun, with Eric finishing in 1st and Bron 3rd female overall. Louise P ran at Hackney Marshes Parkrun in London, while Mike H was in Stratford-upon-Avon running a new PB!
We also, on Saturday, had several Sky Blues take on the Shropshire Way 80k Festival in the Shropshire Hills – “This event sees hundreds of runners and walkers coming to the Shropshire Hills to take part in our event which showcases the wonderful food, history and landscape of this fascinating area.” There are 4 races to choose from: 80k, Mammathon (Marathon Distance), Half Mammathon (Half Marathon Distance) and 10k. Most of, if not all of, our runners took part in the either the 80k, the Mammathon or the Half Mammathon. We also had a small Croft group taking on marshaling duties at Wart Hill in the Mammathon. Amazing effort by all! No results were published at the time of writing.
Onto Sunday, which proved to be just as busy as the day before. This included the running – pun not intended, of our April Club Championship Race, Wrekin Fell Race. Five Croft runners made the trip up to Telford for this 5.5 mile fell race however, at the time of writing results are yet to be published. Keep your eyes peeled for these results, coming soon! Thanks to Steve for the group pic!
Alongside the Wrekin Fell Race was the Ercall Hill Fell Race which Saffi took part in. She ran for the Under 15’s and finished 2nd.
The Magnificent Eastnor 7 also took place on Sunday. A past favourite of Crofties, this year saw only 2 Sky Blues take to the course due to plenty of race clashes and marathon training over the course of the weekend. After an early race injury, Steph M had to pull out leaving only Carol to finish for CARC! Her time was 01:18:01.
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).