Dear readers

Hope everyone is well and enjoying this thing we call ‘summer’ . . . that said, there have been some really glorious days haven’t there? Equally, I do love running in the rain – so I’m happy, whatever.

I’ve been able to get down to Tuesday’s track sessions more frequently and I have to say I’ve been blown away by the amount of people – really encouraging and impressive. Its also been brilliant to see people returning from injury – we all empathise with how hard it is to make your way back. Thanks to Birdy and Luke for doing such a brilliant job of coaching and corralling everyone – I know I’ve seen improvements in my running because of these sessions and they really help you to focus on what you’re actually doing with your body. I find that if I get tired at any point in any of my runs, I make myself focus on my form and things tend to take care of themselves.

Today, we’ve had an afternoon of indecision – what sport to watch!!! Tennis; Tour de France; Athletics . . . an afternoon of channel-hopping it has been – aren’t the Brits doing well!

I helped out at the Clevedon 10K and it was lovely to see so many new faces and a record number of entries – and excellent performances from everyone who ran – lots of PBs all round I think. Elaine, Helen and I saw the not so glamorous side to running as we donned our gloves and clothes and cleaned the lavs – nice!

I’ve been doing a lot of my training on the Mendips in the past few months and it never fails to make me realise how lucky we are to have the beautiful countryside on our doorstep – I would encourage you to get off road and explore – don’t forget to give Jim Hardcastle a wave as you pass him in his ‘office’ at Charterhouse – Jim, I want your job

Thank you to everyone who has input to this newsletter – it is really appreciated and it wouldn’t exist without you – as it would be just me bleating on.

I am so sorry to have to end this page with a heavy sad heart – all our thoughts and love are with Helen and her sons at this tragic time after the loss of their Rich – I know you all share my words and sentiments when I say we are all truly sorry and are here for them always.

I hope everyone enjoys the rest of their summer running and I look forward to seeing you out there.

The Editor(Laura)

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“FOOTNOTES”CLEVEDON AC’S NEWSLETTER / JULY 2016

From our lovely Chairman, Andy Heyes

Dear All,

Time flies and here we are with another 'Footnotes' Newsletter as we head into summer!

The Castles Relay is behind us - another cracking performance by our Club with fantastic performances from all involved, and special mention to Lindsey and Jodie for pulling off individual Stage Wins. At the time of this newsletter going ‘to press’, there are still three people who need to pay for the weekend . . .

The Cotswold Way Relay was also a great success and has almost erased my fear of getting lost en-route - both events highlighted our great camaraderie and all-inclusive spirit - the next big relay is the 24-hour event at the end of July, when thankfully I shall be on holiday!

A big 'thank you' to everyone involved in our recent Midsummer 10K; runners turned out in their masses and we had a field of 150 more than ever before - organisation was superb and much positive feedback received - a real professionally organised event from Clevedon AC.

The traditional GWR 'Mob Match' 10K takes place on Friday 15th July; Morph and Sally are taking names from anyone interested in taking part - the more the merrier, so please put your name forward.

Several social outings are currently being evaluated for the coming months, details of which will soon be announced, and the next Club trip away will be the Dartmouth Regatta outing on Bank Holiday weekend at the end of August - camping for the Friday / Saturday night is being kindly coordinated by Neil Maston so please let him know if you can make it, with the 5 mile race taking part on the Saturday afternoon.

Our plans are taking shape to celebrate the Club's 40th anniversary next year, and this is likely to be a Hog Roast and an evening of celebrations in late June / early July - full details will be announced within the next couple of months.

Thanks to all of you for your continued support and dedication to our Club; train well through the summer, and keep Laura posted with any articles etc for future Footnotes editions.

Kind regards,

Andy HeyesChairman

This month, Who Knew comes from our lovely Kev Neads.

My claim to fame - Running the World Majors, The London, Berlin, New York, Chicago and Boston Marathons, unfortunately they have now added Japan so there is another to add to my list. I also did The Disney Goofy Challenge in Florida which was an half marathon on the Saturday and a full marathon on the Sunday (I was unfit and had huge blisters before I started!) It certainly wasn't a PB but was really good fun.

My hero - Haile Gebrselassie is my hero. Paul Bird, Simon Hancock and myself met him at the expo of the Great North Run. He's a genuine guy and an amazing athlete who has achieved so much.

I’m quite good at – I suppose I'd have to say I was quite good at marathons having completed 27. I certainly did a lot better than I ever thought I would.

My proudest running achievement – it has to be my first marathon, London 2002 at the age of 45. I'd never ran in my life but entered the Boxing Day Race with a friend, I hated it! I hated the training, just running round the block nearly killed me. Then Geoff Smith talked me in to entering the London Marathon. I got in through the ballot but ran for the Anthony Nolan Trust, having just lost a close friend to leukaemia. The support I got from my friends and his family was absolutely amazing and something I will never forget. See the shocking photo of me below, training for my first Marathon 2002.

My favourite race - that's hard to say, there are so many, I think it's got to be the Newcastle Great North Run, which I've done for the last 14 yrs. I just love it, the atmosphere, the people and the run itself.

When not running - I'm out on my bike, it's good to cross train. It gives me a chance to enter some bike sportive with my son. In May we did the Velothon in Cardiff, 87miles of closed roads. I can highly recommend it, it's well organised and no cars cutting you up.

I knew the ladies could challenge the men on how much they carried in their kit bag! Thanks Donna! Safe to say, she travels heavier than Alex! You sure that isn’t a kit “suitcase” Donna? Who’d like to divulge theirs next month?

Water belt with spare key for Chris's car, phone, route directions and Haribo Lucozade So say 'smart' water Salt and vinegar crisps Soreen snack bar Nutty 9 bar More Haribo Lip balm Sunglasses Purse Chewing gum Three empty carrier bags Rain coat Brolly Sun visor Club vest with race number pinned in place Shorts in case I decide on a last minute outfit change Spare socks Change of clothes for after including jeans and leggings - who knows what the weather will

be like in a few hours! Super cool relay hoodie Towel - sponsored by Weston Prom ;) Wet wipes and body spray Hairbrush and a load of hairbands Nail file Sun lotion Mini medicine cabinet! Trail shoes in a separate bag as wouldn't fit in my kit bag

By Simon Hawkes

Simple really-103 miles, 10 stages, 10 people . . .

Seemed like a good idea to try this! The list went up at Strode and in a short time I had a group of 10 runners who very obviously started to gel, quickly becoming a team who had engaged and were enjoying the challenge (and who also sported some funky hoodies).

We even had Andy Hayes, our Chairman, who had vowed never to run the relay again (bad history of going the wrong way, but keep that quiet).

The next thing was to allocate the various legs to our team members . . .

OK caught some flack over this (always light hearted) with various texts discussing the amount of elevation on a leg, or asking if there are any flat stages (none) other texts asking for early starts, but all the guys accepted their allocated stage and set about pre-running the leg to work out the route. I may need to explain this bit: the relay starts at Chipping Camden at 7am (thanks Hells!) finishing at the abbey doors in Bath some 12-ish hours later.

Each leg varies from 11k to 20k, some easier than others, all largely on trail, though there are also sections of each leg on tarmac. Leg 4 (thanks Si Smith) takes in the famous cheese rolling hill (Coopers Hill) only you need to run up the side of it! Though I reckon the hill after it is tougher! Each stage has a PDF file of the route, so each runner ideally runs a recce of their route, some legs are more straightforward then others, but the confidence grows as you head toward race day when you know where you are going and what to expect. There are no marshals, just you and your fellow runners who you need to try to beat, being a race after all!

Taking leg 5, the distance is 12miles, ascends 307m drops 500m, Classed as Medium severity. There is a cut off time of 2hrs 5min, (the record is 1hr 10min) obviously if run outside a penalty time is given which is 2hr 17min. So apart from racing, there is also a maximum time you can take . .. . with 1000 runners on the day and 100 on each leg, the timing parameters are a necessary limit, same as Castles relay.

Next is the logistical problem of getting to the start of your stage - wondering how you get back to your car after the finish of your leg? That’s easy really, car sharing with runners from other clubs, (thanks Bristol and West for the help on stage 3, Mike Andrews and Helen Woods stage 9) - or as Hells and Jason did, drop Hells to the start of her leg, then drive to Stanway House (Hells finish -Jason’s start) leaving the car in the car park by the house ready for Hells to collect and drive to Jason’s finish at Cleeve Common!

Continued . . .

So cometh the race day! My phone started to get a few texts, runner ready etc, Facebook pages started to light up with news of stages, advice on shoes to wear, excited posts of our team who absolutely took this challenge to the max. Amongst the things Clevedon AC do well is support on events like this, whilst the race entries and hoody regalia is funded by the club – yes, we are the smartest turned out club - we are brilliant at support! As each leg finished there were always some of our guys there cheering you in, always encouraging and supportive. As the day ran on, more and more Clevedon supporters were evident on each stage. I shot off after my leg finish to get to the start of leg 9 to support Helen Wood our newest team member. When I didn’t show up at the leg before, I had a text asking if all was OK! Told you we had a team! (thanks Jason) – I was waiting in The Dog at Old Sodbury with Tracy repleat with Cotswold Way ale, before being invaded by the rest of the Clevedon team!

After Helen W set off on her leg we made it to Chris Davies’ finish by which time the heavens had opened revealing a rather soggy but still smiling Chris!

Then to Bath Abbey where we waited to cheer the arrival of Nigel Charman who had stepped in to run leg 10 at the last minute, Nigel’s dry humour was immediately apparent on his run into the finish and wondering why he kept his trail shoes dry in his kitbag to put on at the end of his very wet leg!

The evening then moved to the Green Park Brasserie, where we waited in anticipation for the results. Our team was one of 52 mixed teams in the race (the biggest group), and we were up against some strong teams with plenty of Cotswold experience. How did we do? We were 11th, chuffed with that! And looking to improve on that next year.

So I would like to thank Hells, Mike, Jason, Si, Andy, Donna, Chris, Helen and Nigel for making this very easy to organise, and for all your kind comments! Proud to be part of your team guys! Thinking about two teams next year . . .

WELCOME to Kate Millard (aka Kate Mills on FB) and Steph Barnes – great ladies to strengthen our already superb team.

If you’re a new joiner, it would be great to hear from you!

By anyone on Strava!

For those of you with any type of gadget or phone, you can join Strava and be part of Clevedon AC’s group. It’s a really great community – I use it as my personal log for all my training. You can see all your history and it tells you if you’re trending faster or slower than previous runs – I love it. There are many ‘segments’ all over the country where everyone can compete to get the quickest time – you can even create your own. You can also give “kudos” and comment on your fellow runners’ efforts. I’m not sure how, but I have people from as far as Australia and Brazil “following” me . . . it is a really friendly and motivating community. Now, back to those “segments” I referred to earlier . . . if you are fortunate enough to be the quickest on one of these, you obtain a “course record” and are given a lovely little crown which makes you feel very special – unfortunately, sometimes they get stolen by other people. This happened recently and has started a friendly “turf wars” amongst the ladies of the club – I’ve put below our conversation – I’m loving the healthy competition that Strava has created – but I’m thinking next time I head over to Clevedon for a run, I’ll be going incognito! I’ve had a few of my “crowns” stolen since . . . I’ll be back to reclaim them – you mark my words! Please send me your Strava “bants”!

Thank you to everyone who contributed to this newsletter – it just wouldn’t exist without you . . . any thoughts or ideas, please keep them coming . . . next newsletter in September – ooh, start of Prom season – I love the Prom (said no-one, EVER) . . .