Who do you run for?
Who do you run for?
Spen - i run for Coventry Godiva Harriers. A famous old track/road/cross-country club, but unheard of on the fells.
We come up against your lot from City Of Stoke AC regularly on both the roads and XC, in fact one of your faster guys absolutely breezed past me on the final leg of the Midlands XC Relays just last weekend.
We're in same division as City Of Stoke (very good club) in the XC, they've had the upper hand over the past few years. Actually raced in Stoke last year, it was a Trentham AC 'home' fixture, and they've been relegated so we won't be up there this season.
As far as racing for a non-fell club goes, obviously if i lived near the fells it would be a different matter, but living where i do, it's been fantastic and I've certainly improved in the two years I've been with Godiva. Regular mileage, track sessions, access to XC leagues, road relays, etc. And however much i improve, there's a never-ending stream of faster clubmates to try and catch up to.
I did spend a couple of years in a Dark Peak vest, as they, along with Mercia, are the closest dedicated fell club. But i quite obviously couldn't train with them due to distance, so it was just a case of wearing their vests to races, and having people to talk to and learn from in those races. I don't regret it, they were great and still have friends there, but had to look seriously at my training if i wanted to progress.
I better change my location. I moved from Stoke a few years ago. I’m in Stourbridge now 😂
Stourbridge.... plenty of clubs round there... Tipton Harriers are a very high quality club, and Wolves & Bilston too... Dudley & Kingswinford not quite so prominent as the other two, but I don't know much about them so may be doing them a dis-service. I see the odd vest from all of them on the Shropshire Fell Race circuit, from time to time. I guess you're also in Mercia Fellrunners country.
Club night tonight and the "long/steady run". Only three of us elected for the full session tonight. Nights drawing in and races coming up this weekend, so numbers were down. All three of us were similar ability, and all racing this weekend, so it started out as a steady run together. As per, I got bored of all this sensible stuff after about 3 miles, and started pushing the pace ever higher. One of the others did drop off slightly and came in about 90 seconds after us, and I had a good go at running the other guy into the pavement, even trying full-on racing tactics, putting on a charge at every corner and uphill section. But to no avail, we came in together.
9.5 miles.
You can also drop Halesowen ACC into the mix. No real pedigree off-road but a good local club with great facilities.
Yes of course.... yellow vest? Saw them at the relays last week too....
Yes - yellow vest with brown and white hoops. My daughter used to run for them but plays football these days instead.
They have a strong cycling squad mainly due to having one of the few velodromes in the area.
The athletics track is inside the velodrome which makes it quite short (300m I think). You get good at running bends as even the 100m has a bend in it!
Last edited by PeteS; 26-10-2018 at 01:44 PM.
Pete Shakespeare - U/A
Going downhill fast
A quick look at their website and its claimed to be a 375m track at Halesowen.
We have a fantastic facility at Godiva. The track is apparently a sprinter's track, or wheelchair athlete's track (is it a "mondo" track?).
Apparently not so good for endurance runners as it's too hard.
Some of these track guys really don't know they're born! There's no holes in it, no rocks, and it's flat and consistent. Mind you I've heard the occasional clubmate describe the Cov Parkrun as a 'tough course' and moan about the leaves on the pavement!
All simles in Staggers world.
40mins bike this morning
10mins doing lengths in a chilly pool
30min run with 100m of climb on mountain tracks
Great to be back on this thread👍
Still no running for me a week after the ultra. The bone above the insole is still sore. I’m hoping it is a bruise and not a fracture!