Active Magazine // January 2013 by Active Magazine

! Iron men and women E E Rutland’s triathlete stars discuss global extreme sport

ISSUE 7 // JANUARY 2013

STA M FOR D & RU T L A N D’S SPORT A N D L E I S U R E M AGA Z I N E

Fitter! Faster! Thinner!

Healthier!

Our exhaustive guide to eating better, exercising more and getting out and about in 2013.

ISSUE 7 // JANUARY 2013

Lord Coe on local sport Exclusive Active interview with the Olympic legend

Join the Burghley Rat Race

Teams wanted for the ultimate obstacle course www.theACTIVEmag.com 7

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Editor’s Letter HAVING JUST WATCHED SPORTS Personality of the Year, and having interviewed Olympians Lord Coe and Crista Cullen recently, like you I’ve heard a lot about legacy, and how sport can make a difference to kids. I’ve played sport since before I can even remember, and at this rate I might go on playing sport after I can remember. Certainly, the evidence suggests that as I can’t recall who did what in a cricket match three weeks previously I might already be at that point. But while the stats and fact and figures might fade, one thing is crystal clear and certain: playing sport has hugely positive impacts on your life. There is, of course, the fitness aspect, which we look at in detail in this first issue of 2013, giving you some sensible, fairly easy ways of being more healthy this year – and not the daft ‘stop eating and drinking everything in January’ approach, which makes you miserable. Proper health and fitness isn’t about vast, crashing changes to the way you live that last three or four weeks; it’s about incremental tweaks you can live with all year round. But there are other, important aspects to playing sport. If you play in teams from childhood, I’m convinced you’re more likely to be able to handle success and failure in a more rounded way, to absorb potential embarrassment, to react with humility and respect when you beat other people. This then transcends into other aspects of life at home and work. Then there’s the social element. A long time ago, I moved to Stamford and knowing nobody, joined sports teams. The result was that I instantly created a group of friends that no online social media programming can match. So sport is vital for kids, because it gives them all these tools that will help them throughout their life in so many ways that aren’t to do with scoring goals, running fast or hitting balls a long way. That will be the real legacy of 2012.

Thanks, Steve

Twitter // @theACTIVEmag Facebook // www.facebook.com/theACTIVEmag

Publisher Chris Meadows chris@theactivemag.com Editor Steve Moody steve@theactivemag.com Deputy Editor Rich Beach rich@theactivemag.com Production Editor Julian Kirk julian@theactivemag.com Art Editor Mark Sommer mark@theactivemag.com Contributors Martin Johnson, William Hetherington, Dean Cornish, Jon Tyrell, Alexa Cutteridge, Richard Rae, Sandie Hurford, Jeremy Beswick, Alex Flint, Julia Dungworth, Simon Cooper Photographers Nico Morgan, Jonathan Clarke, Harry Measures Production Assistant Abigail Sharpe Advertising Sales Rachel Meadows rachel@theactivemag.com Paula Scott paula@theactivemag.com Jess Wade jess@theactivemag.com Accounts Amy Roberts amy@theactivemag.com If you have information on a club then get in touch by emailing editor@theactivemag.com. If you would like to stock Active magazine then email distribution@ theactivemag.com. If you would like to discuss advertising possibilities please email advertise@theactivemag.com Printed in the UK by Warners Midlands plc. Active magazine is published 12 times per year on a monthly basis. Distributed by Grassroots Publishing Ltd ISSN 2049-8713 A Grassroots Publishing Limited company. Registration company number 7994437 Disclaimer Copyright (c) Grassroots Publishing Limited, 2013. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, or be stored in any retrieval system, of any nature, without prior permission from Grassroots Publishing Limited. Any views or opinions expressed do not necessarily represent the views or opinions of Grassroots Publishing Limited or its affiliates. Disclaimer of Liability. Whilst every effort has been made to ensure the quality and accuracy of the information contained in this publication at the time of going to press, Grassroots Publishing Limited and its affiliates assume no responsibility as to the accuracy or completeness of and, to the extent permitted by law, shall not be liable for any errors or omissions or any loss, damage or expense incurred by reliance on information or any statement contained in this publication. Advertisers are solely responsible for the content of the advertising material which they submit to us and for ensuring that the material complies with applicable laws. Grassroots Publishing Limited and its affiliates are are not responsible for any error, omission or inaccuracy in any advertisement and will not be liable for any damages arising from any use of products or services or any action or omissions taken in reliance on information or any statement contained in advertising material. Inclusion of any advertisement is not intended to endorse any view expressed, nor products or services offered nor the organisations sponsoring the advertisement.

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CONTENTS NEWS 10 I RAT RUN AT BURGHLEY

How to get involved in the massive obstacle race

12 I A HEALTHY GLOW

Rutland tops national health survey

Issue 7 /// January 2013

24 I EXCLUSIVE LORD COE INTERVIEW The Olympic chief talks games legacy and local sport

HEADS UP 16-17 I KITBAG

All the best gear and gadgets

19 I MARTIN JOHNSON

The Sunday Times sports writerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s predictions for 2013

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FEATURES 26-31 I TRY SOMETHING NEW

Have you made a New Year resolution to get active? If so, we feature a whole host of new activities you can try locally

40-45 I HEALTHY RECIPES

Finish off the leftover turkey and set out in 2013 with some tasty, healthy and nutritious recipe ideas

50-51 I GREAT WALKS

Active’s resident walker Will Hetherington picks another great local walk to help you burn off that Christmas excess

REGULARS 46-47 I HEALTH AND WELLNESS

More advice and inspiration on what to eat, how to exercise and what to wear to look and feel fabulous

53 I SPORTSMAN’S DINNER

Dean and JT scale the heights of Nepalese cuisine at Stamford’s newest restaurant, The 8848

55 I MANAGEMENT IN SPORT

Mary Brooks of MAP Knowledge advises on how to avoid swimming against the tide

ROUND UPS 56-59 I SCHOOL SPORTS

A round-up of what’s going on in local school sports

60-65 I ROUND-UP

How clubs in the Stamford and Rutland area are getting on

66 I STALWART

Stoke Rochford Golf Club professional Angus Dow

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In Play

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A winter wonderland

Photograph: Nico Morgan Photography

Winter frosts might have hit sport in the Rutland area in the last month, but at least the county still has some some great countryside to go out in, such as Rutland Water. Just remember to wrap up warm!

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In Play

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Stamfordâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s historic unbeaten run Stamford School 1st XV brought down the curtain on an unbeaten season with 16 victories from 16 matches, including wins over local foes Oakham (pictured) and Uppingham. But theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re not done yet: a last 16 game in the Daily Mail Under 18 Cup beckons next term.

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News

Rat Race calls on local teams The world’s biggest obstacle course is coming to Burghley Park this spring and Active is sponsoring a prize for the fastest local team THE ORGANISERS OF THE WORLD’S biggest obstacle course, Rat Race, which will be constructed in Burghley Park in the spring, are looking for local teams to take part and raise money for charity. The 20-mile, 200 obstacle route will take competitors over challenges such as the world’s longest monkey bars, horse fences, as well as offering mudbaths, swimming, climbing and jumping, using much of the stunning Burghley estate as a backdrop. It takes place on May 13. Organiser Jim Mee said he expects around 8,000 competitors from across the country for this unique event, but is keen to get local teams involved. He said: “It would be a great race having teams from throughout the Stamford and Rutland area competing for a local prize. “The course will be really tough and challenging, but great fun too, and we think that it’s a superb opportunity to raise money for charity.” Active publisher Chris Meadows added: “It’s clear this is going to be an exceptional event and it’s a great way for local teams to raise sponsorship for completing the course. We’ll be putting up a prize for the fastest local team and featuring them in the magazine.”  WIN a free one-person entry to Rat Race by answering this question... How long is the full Rat Race Burghley course? Send your answer to: Rat Run, Active, The Grey House, 3 Broad Street, Stamford, PE9 1PG, or email ratrace@ theactivemag.com Closing date is January 30.

THE LOW DOWN Entry prices, which are around £100 per person depending on the size of the team (people can take part as individuals), include entrance to the a er race party festival, and include camping and access to the festival. Parking is not included. All members of your team must enter the same category. Only those racing in wave one (entrants will go off in waves throughout the day to avoid congestion) can win the prize money – which is up to £1,500. There is a £20 premium to enter the first wave which generates the prize money up for grabs. On the day there will a ‘bail out’ point where Full Muckers can switch to the Half Mucker course if they can’t finish the 20 miles. For more information, visit www.ratracedirtyweekend.com

Rat Race organisers pick some of their most fiendish zones... Horseplay

Burghley is home to the largest horse trials course in the world and its annual event is the showpiece of the UK’s equestrian calendar. These jumps were made for jumpin’ – and even though you won’t have a horse – we thought we’d send you over them anyway. Some of the horse trials jumps are massive; some involve water and some are just plain old horse-fences.

Mud Run Zone The Mud Run zone is an ode to all of those events that have sprung up over the last couple of years that just love to get you mucky. Tough this, extreme that. Our mud run is plain unadulterated mud, sweat and possibly a few tears. You’ll look like you’ve been dunked in chocolate by the end of it.

Water wipeout We’ve got a reservoir and loads of monster obstacles criss-crossing it. What we know are

two things: That this is one of the funnest zones on the course and that you are going to get very very wet. Full immersion is definitely to be expected and although this is not a crossChannel swim, non-swimmers will struggle here and should seek advice from the organisers on swim safety level required.

Schooldaze Schooldaze is our inflatable zone – big bouncy obstacles that are surprisingly energy-sapping. We might provide a few cheerleaders too and the school rugby team might also make an appearance. Get ready to ruck!

River Rat Race OK it’s not a river but it is a very large ornamental lake. Wade, scramble, jump and crawl your way across in a zone that takes its inspiration from our 2 River Rat Races – splashy-splashy adventures in Glasgow and Teesside.

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dare to excel SIXTH FORM OPEN EVENING

Tuesday 5 February 2013 Presentations at 6:30 and 7:30pm Come along and find out all you need to know about our outstanding school

“ students of all abilities make exceptional progress.” ofsted Call us or visit our website for more details: Park Road, Deeping St James, Peterborough PE6 8NF

01778 342 159 www.deepingschool.org.uk

News

Q&A

Rutland is one of the healthiest places to live Figures released by the Department of Health show that Rutland residents enjoy better health and live longer than the UK average.

MATT BOYCE Shortly after the end of the 2012 cricket season, Leicestershire batsman Matt Boyce, a former pupil at Oakham School, set about the challenge of walking from John O’Groat’s to Land’s End. Stamford-based sportswriter Richard Rae caught up with Matt at the end of his successful 66 day marathon.

Obvious question first, Matt: why? Mainly because I wanted to do something to raise awareness of mental health issues, both within professional sport and society as a whole. When every success and failure is publicly documented and analysed, the pressure can be hard to cope with. Some sufferers, like Marcus Trescothick, have talked about it, but others still feel there’s a stigma. There isn’t, it’s an illness like any other, but it can be very dangerous – Gary Speed’s case was a shocking example – and taking on a challenge like this was a way of raising publicity and funds for the mental health charity MIND. And you did it alone? I had fantastic logistical support from my girlfriend Rose and my family, and was sometimes accompanied for a day by friends or journalists, but basically yes.

THE ANNUAL HEALTH PROFILES examine a wide range of health indicators across five areas: our communities; children and young people’s health; adult health and lifestyle; disease and poor health; life expectancy and causes of death. Overall, Rutland performed above the England average in 18 of the 32 indicators. Rutland’s life expectancy for men is 80.1 years and for women 84.7, significantly above the England average of 77.7 years for men and 81.8 for women. Rutland was one of the top 10 local authorities in several indicators, including deprivation, child poverty, teenage pregnancy, drug misuse and deaths from smoking. Rutland also performed better than the England average in areas such as smoking, healthy eating, violent crime and the number of people diagnosed with diabetes. Indicators for children’s health showed Rutland had above-average results for tooth decay, but

Rutland is not only beautiful – it’s also one of the healthiest places in the country

Firms team up to help clubs get grants

Were there days when you wondered what you were doing? Plenty, especially early on up in Scotland, waking up with my body aching but knowing I had another 24 miles to do. As a cricketer I’m built for bursts of short, sharp activity rather than grinding out mile a er mile! What will be your strongest memory? Simply how nice people are. As sportsmen we get a bit cut off, but just about everybody I met – other walkers, people in B&Bs and pubs – seemed interested and helpful. And how has the fund-raising gone? Very well, especially now the walk has finished. The target was £10,000, and with tax relief the current total is already close to £7,000. Every donation is massively appreciated – my site is http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/MatthewBoyce1

levels of physical activity in Rutland children were below average. Areas where Rutland was on par with the England average included road injuries and deaths, binge drinking and physical activity in adults. Catherine Griffiths, chief executive of NHS Leicestershire County and Rutland, said: “In 2008 we pledged to make Leicestershire county and Rutland the healthiest place in the UK. “These health profiles show that some parts of our counties are already there. “However, we are not complacent and will use these profiles, together with our own work and work with other stakeholders, to focus our efforts to address health inequalities that exist within our population and ensure that Leicestershire county and Rutland really is the healthiest place in the UK.”

Burghley Park Cricket Club is one of the local organisations to benefit from funding advice

LOCAL SPORTS equipment supplier Durant Cricket and consultancy 4Grants have teamed up to help community groups, schools, and sports clubs with funding and project work. The two firms are combing their expertise in securing funding and sourcing equipment to help make updating club facilities as economical as possible. Cristian Durant, owner of Durant Cricket, said: “Both companies understand the practical problems that community groups face. We will work with community organisations, schools, charities and local authorities, and provide practical help where it really matters.” There are many grants available but o en clubs and organisations do not know how to get hold of them, or how to apply to get the best results. 4Grants works on a no-win, no-fee basis, and has experience of numerous funding sources available. The firm believes it can simplify the process and increase an organisation’s chance of success. ■ www.4grants.co.uk; 4grants@gmx.com ■ http://durantcricket.co.uk; enquiries@durantcricket.co.uk

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1586 GPL-LFEL Full Page Advert for Active-Final_GPL-LFEL Full Page Advert for Active 13/12/2012 12:39 Page 1

LUNCH FOR EVEN LESS 2013 2 Course Lunch from £12.50 3rd Course from £1.50 7 Local Top Restaurants Team Up to offer a fine lunch at an especially low price.

The Berkeley Arms, Wymondham 2 courses for £12.50 (3rd course for £3.00) Offer valid - Tuesday, 29th January to Saturday, 30th March 2013 Closed on Mondays, excluding Valentine’s Day

01572 787587 www.theberkeleyarms.co.uk

Hambleton Hall, Nr. Oakham 2 courses for £22.00 (3rd course for £6.00) (inclusive of 12.5% service charge)

Offer valid - Monday, 14th January to Saturday, 2nd March 2013 Excluding Valentine’s Day 01572 756991 www.hambletonhall.com

Langar Hall, Langar 2 courses for £16.50 (3rd course for £5.00) Offer valid - Monday, 14th January to Saturday, 30th March 2013 01949 860559 www.langarhall.co.uk

The Marquess of Exeter, Lyddington 2 courses for £12.95 (3rd course for £3.00) Offer valid - Monday, 14th January to Saturday, 30th March 2013 Excluding Valentine’s Day 01572 822477 www.marquessexeter.co.uk

The Olive Branch, Clipsham 2 courses for £15.50 (3rd course for £4.00) Offer valid - Monday, 14th January to Saturday, 30th March 2013 Excluding Valentine’s Day 01780 410355 www.theolivebranchpub.com

The Red Lion Inn, Stathern 2 courses for £13.50 (3rd course for £1.50) Offer valid - Tuesday, 15th January to Saturday, 30th March 2013 Closed on Mondays, excluding Valentine’s Day

Offer valid Monday to Saturday, the offer is variable to each restaurant To make your reservation, please call the restaurant of your choice and quote the ‘Lunch for Even Less’ offer. Subject to availability.

01949 860868 www.theredlioninn.co.uk

The Wicked Witch, Ryhall 2 courses for £14.50 (3rd course for £3.00) Offer valid - Tuesday, 15th January to Saturday, 30th March 2013 Closed on Mondays, excluding Valentine’s Day

01780 763649 www.ryhallwitch.co.uk

News

Lord Coe visits Stamford pupils Olympic chief tours town to see impact of games legacy and to open Stamford School sports centre LORD COE VISITED STAMFORD recently to see how sport is inspiring pupils following the Olympic games and to open Stamford School’s impressive new sports centre. He went to St Gilberts and spoke to children from schools in the town including St George’s, St Augustine’s, Malcolm Sargent, Bluecoat and Stamford Queen Eleanor, about the Olympics. Lord Coe, who won a lifetime achievement award at the BBC Sports Personality of the Year, then moved on to Stamford School and presided over the opening of the £6.1 million facility,

which includes a 25-metre swimming pool and a fitness suite. Principal of the Stamford Endowed Schools, Stephen Roberts, said: “This was a memorable day and we are honoured to have had a true sporting icon open our superb facility. “The sports centre is a valuable addition to the sports facilities at our schools and will greatly enhance the students’ curricular and extra-curricular opportunities. “Many pupils had the chance to speak to Lord Coe and I think everyone feels inspired to continue the Olympic Legacy a er a fantastic year of sport.”

Faux proves a tough triathlete STAMFORD ATHLETE CATHERINE FAUX is celebrating a er winning a silver medal in one of the world’s toughest endurance races. The 24-year-old amateur triathlete, who trains around Rutland Water and Sheffield, where she is at university studying medicine, returned to the UK a er completing the Ironman World Championship in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. Competitors race in searing heat through lava fields as part of the course which involves a 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike ride and 26.2 mile run. Catherine came second in her category, finishing in a time of 9:53:53. She said: “I’m really pleased at winning silver. Kona is the most prestigious event in long-distance triathlon. The race is famed for being one of the toughest and the competition was strong. “The conditions were very hot. Many people routinely required drips for fluid replacement.” She took up triathlon in her second year of studies a er buying in a bike. Catherine’s previous successes include winning her age group category and being the first amateur female athlete overall at the Vitoria-Gasteiz Long Distance Triathlon World Championships 2012 in Spain. She also came first in her age group in the British Middle Distance Triathlon Championships 2012 and second amateur female overall.  Rutland’s iron men and women: see page 20

Uffington charity Zumbathon ZUMBATHONEERS OF ALL AGES are being invited to take part in a charity event in Uffington in January. In aid of the Stroke Association, the organisers promise a fun-packed evening with a variety of Zumba styles from Zumbatomic (suitable for four to 12 year olds) to Zumba Gold (low impact) and Zumba Fitness to Zumba Toning. There will be refreshments available to help keep the particpants going, along with some great raffle prizes including a pamper day worth more than £140. Taking place on Friday January 25 6pm - 9pm at Copthill School, tickets are £10 in advance or £12 on the night. One child under 12 goes free with every paying adult. Call Equilibrium on 01780 757579 to buy tickets or visit www.equilibriumstamford.co.uk for more information.

BELLY BELLY GOOD! Fancy getting fit with a spot of exotic belly dancing? Move your body to fabulous rhythms and exotic music in this introduction to Turkish dancing at Stamford Arts Centre. All you need is a close-fitting top and lightweight long skirt, gym trousers or leggings. Sessions are Friday, January 11 and February 22, 7pm-9pm £7.50 per session.

PAINTING CLASSES Painter Catherine Headley is offering an introduction to oil and acrylic painting on Sunday, January 27 at Stamford Arts Centre. You will learn colour mixing and how to apply paint to board or canvas, and Catherine will give demonstrations as well as personal guidance. Please collect from the box office a list of what you will need. The Arts Centre cafe will not be open on Sundays so bring your own food and drink or alternatively some shops and cafes are open in town. For ages 16 and over, 10am-4pm, £30 for the day.

CLARIFICATION The Century Cycle Challenge, starting and finishing from Nevill Holt on Saturday 4 May 2013, will be offering three distance options of 25, 50 or 100 miles around South Leicestershire and Rutland, and will not go to Norfolk as previously stated. The deadline for riders to sign up for the event, which has raised hundreds of thousands of pounds for charities including the Teenage Cancer Trust, is Friday 22 February 2013. For more details, visit www.centurycyclechallenge.co.uk

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Feature /// Gear

Kitbag

Got the idea, but no gear? Here’s some great sporting stuff to spend your hard-earned on SealSkinz All Season gloves These all-season gloves are completely waterproof with a goat skin leather palm and are ideal around cold, wintery stables and frozen water troughs. From Barnack Country Clothes Price £34.99

Meindl Air Revolution Lite walking boots

Townie Balloon 7D cruiser bike

If you’re going to walk off all those mince pies, do it in style. These textile boots combine velour leather and mesh uppers making them breathable, while the GoreTex waterproof lining keeps you dry. From Rutlandoutdoor.com Price £141.99 (RRP £184)

Now we know this is no sports bicycle but on a bike this good looking you’ll want to cruise all day. The Gorilla Firm in Oundle are stocking this stunning ladies Townie Balloon. Also available in men’s straight crossbar and other colours. From Gorilla Firm Cycling, Oundle Price £619

Whitby hand warmer This clever gadget uses a catalytic heating system that’s powered by lighter fluid. We don’t understand the science but it will keep your hands toastie for up to 12 hours! From Precision Outdoors Price £14.95

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Nike + iPod Now that you’re out New Year resolution running every night, why not transform your iPod or iPhone into a workout coach? This wireless sensor lets you track your performance on Mac or PC. From Apple stockists Price £20

Sheepskin stool If mum’s going to put her feet up a er Christmas, there’s no better place than on one of these sheep footstools from The Woolroom. Made from British pine and 100% British wool processed at British tanneries, these unique fluffy friends would make a perfect gi for a patriotic loved one, or even ewe. From The Woolroom, Stamford Price £99

Ugg Classic Bow gloves Made from real sheepskin with a fur trim, for throwing snowballs in the most stylish manner. From Cavells, Oakham Price £115

Lezyne Super Drive XL Loaded Compact performance light, very powerful unit with ‘infinite light’ feature: ideal for serious mountain bike and road cycling. From Cyclewright, Baston Price £105 (RRP £115)

Oakley Big Taco sunglasses Whether you’re off to the slopes or in search of summer sun, Oakley’s Big Taco glasses will do the job. Apparently the metal bands are inspired by the microphones of early rock ‘n roll. From Oakley stockists Price £115

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Guest column

Murray and his mum win Wimbledon, Newport win the FA Cup and Cook KOs Flintoff The Sunday Times sports writer Martin Johnson predicts what may, or may not, happen in 2013

I had a dream the other night, which involved my lifelong team, Newport County, being driven around town through a blizzard of ticker tape in an open-topped bus, with the players holding the Premier and Champions League Trophies and the FA Cup. After a restorative shower and a mug of tea, I got to wondering what more realistic sporting events might lie ahead in 2013. It goes without saying that 2012 will be a hard act to follow, what with the Olympics going off without a hitch, England beating New Zealand at rugby, Andy Murray finally landing a major, and a Brit winning the Tour de France. However, once my mind had cleared, the vision for what might lie ahead in 2013 began to take on more realistic dimensions. Newport drawing 0-0 with Ebbsfleet United in front of a capacity crowd of Sid and Doris Bonkers was the first of them, followed by Andy Murray becoming the first British tennis player to win the men’s singles title at Wimbledon wearing short trousers. When Fred Perry won it in 1936, he was wearing the same sort of gear as Kenneth Williams and Charles Hawtry wore in Carry On Sailor, which shows how long we’ve all been waiting. We somehow knew that Tim Henman would never manage it, but with Roger Federer showing signs of mortality and Rafael Nadal seemingly unable to overcome the handicap of having his shorts permanently stuck between his bottom cheeks, surely this will be Andy’s year. If so, they will have to erect two statues to put next to Fred Perry’s in the grounds of the All England Club, one of Andy, and one of his mum, without whose presence in the competitor’s box our boy would be totally lost. This at least appears to be the belief of the BBC’s tennis director, who appears to have one camera permanently trained on Andy, and two dozen more honing in on Judy. The Beeb has two strict rules when it comes to Wimbledon. 1) When some Johnny Foreigner is playing another one, which is most of the time, we are treated to long periods of tennis, with occasional visits to the Royal Box to check on Bruce Forsyth’s wig, or see whether Cliff Richard has finally acquired a wrinkle.

Or 2) When our Andy is playing, the end of every point has to be followed by a close up of his mother, either clapping, looking stern, or shouting “C’Mon!”. If the BBC had a spectator of the year at its Sports Personality awards, Judy wouldn’t have a rival. If you were looking for a big success in football in 2013, you might be tempted towards Robin van Persie, or his manager Alex Ferguson, whose astute signing of the ex-Arsenal man is turning out to be one of his many brilliant ones. However, 2013 will not, I fancy, be Manchester United’s year, but Chelsea’s. They won’t do much in January, by which time Rafael Benitez, Harry Redknapp, Roberto Mancini, Martin O’Neill, Sam Allardyce, David Moyes, and Andreas Villas Boas (again) will have all come and gone, but the corner will be turned soon after with the appointment of Arsene Wenger. Wenger’s reign will last until half time in his first match, at which point Roman Abramovich will sack him on the spot and take over in the dugout. Chelsea will go on to win every game for the rest of the season, pipping United to the title by a point, at which point Roman will announce that three months is far too long for someone to be in charge at Chelsea, and fire himself. The big name in cricket in 2013 will be Alastair Cook, the England captain, who will not only help England retain the Ashes with four million runs in the series, but also win the world heavyweight title, beating Andrew Flintoff by a knockout in the fifth round. You’d never have thought it early in his career, but Cook may yet go on to break every batting record in Test cricket, other than Bradman’s, of course. Watching Cook bat is never going to be an exercise in pure unbridled joy, but you have to marvel at the way he makes it look so simple. Like Luke Donald swinging a golf club, Cook wielding a bat makes makes you feel that anyone could do it, whereas, in reality, very few can. And finally, one wish for the New Year. Give us back the Six Nations as it used to be please – with every game kicking off at 3pm on Saturdays, so supporters can once again enjoy away weekends in Dublin, Paris, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Rome and London as they used to. It won’t happen, of course, because the whole thing’s been flogged off to TV without a thought for the live spectator, so I’ll just settle instead for inclusion in the New Years’ Honours List to the first referee who penalises a crooked feed at the scrum.

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Feature /// Triathletes

Iron men and w Photography: Jonathan Clarke

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women

With great conditions for running, swimming and cycling, there are a number of excellent triathletes in the area. Alexa Cutteridge shared a coffee and cake with a few of them

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Feature /// Triathletes

tamford and Rutland provides the perfect training and competing environment for ambitious althletes competing in Ironman, Triathlon and Duathalon competitions. As result, the area seems to be overďŹ&#x201A;owing with ďŹ tness fanatics who love the challenge and the training journey they take to prepare themselves to be at their best come race day. Big successes to be noted are local Ironman competitors Roger Canham, Catherine Faux and Emma Smallman who competed in exotic Kona, Hawaii, for the Ironman World Championships as well as Sara Mickleburgh and Kerry Rough who competed in New Zealand for the Triathlon World Championships Active met with local triathletes on a Saturday morning at Beans in Oundle as they stopped on their cycle route for coffee and cake! Their morning training session started at Uppingham before taking them through Harringworth, Deene, Brigstock, Oundle, Kings Cliffe, Collyweston, Ketton, Edith Weston and back to Uppingham. They are a highly motivated group with a true passion for their sport, and each is unique with varying achievements. However, they are incredibly supportive of each other, and success is no doubt inevitable in a training group like this bunch.

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3 April at the Ashbourne Duathlon consisting of a 12km run around Carsington water, 40km hilly bike and then a 5km run to ﬁnish. This placed him as England’s 50-54 Duathalon Champion.

4. ZOE SMITH

Zoe Smith (30-35 category) from Oakham has just started competing in Ironmans. Zoe had always enjoyed competitive long distance running, however she was challenged by a friend to try triathlons. While working on improving her swimming for triathalons she competed in duathalons, allowing herself time to work on her performance in the water. Zoe qualified to represent her age group (25-29) four times in two years (European and World Duathlon Championships). Having always been ambitious, she set out a new challenge to make the Ironman World Championships in Hawaii and in 2012 began her journey to try achieve her dream. At the 2012 Bolton qualifier race, she finished 4th in her age group and 8th over all with a time of 11h.22hr. Sadly, Zoe didn’t qualify for the World Championships but is determined to qualify for the Ironman Wales 2013. Zoe currently races for Team Tri UK and is coached by Mary Hardwick of Inspire2tri. Zoe is certainly one to watch for the future.

5. RICHARD PARNELL

Local athlete profiles 1. ROGER CANHAM

Roger Canham (45-49 category) from North Luffenham has raced in Ironman distances since 2007. Having qualified for the Ironman World Championships in October in Bolton, he competed in Kona, Hawaii, where he completed the race in 9:49:4hr, placing him ninth in his age group and 258th overall. Temperatures on the race day reached a stifling 98F, however, he said he arrived in Hawaii feeling confident that he had done everything he could to race the best athletes in the world! Evident in his race result, his commitment to training for the big race really had paid off. Roger has been lucky enough to finish the race five times now and without doubt he attests that it is unique in every way: the course, the location, the conditions and, of course, the field of athletes. He plans to be back in 2014, in the next age group. For more information go to www.rogercanham.blogspot.co.uk

2. EMMA SMALLMAN CRANFIELD

Emma Smallman Cranfield (30-34 category) first got involved with Triathlon at school when she was encouraged by her PE teacher. Her mother Carol also competed with her and her passion steadily grew. Her first standard distance world championship was in Madeira in 2004 where she placed 31st in her age group. In

2005 she competed in the ITU standard distance championships in Hawaii, placing 19th. Following this, in 2007 Emma completed her first Ironman in Switzerland placing eighth in her age group. This year she competed in her fourth Ironman at the World Championship completing the race in 11:13:18hr, finishing 35th in her age group and first Brit in her age category. If this was not an achievement in itself, she also beat the much talked about Rebecca Romero (first British athlete and second woman in history to win two Olympic medals – rowing and cycling). Currently, she is recovering from Hawaii and enjoying her regular team outings with local triathletes but she is looking forward to potentially competing in the National Championships at Belvoir Castle and ITU Long Course World Championships in France.

3. ROBIN BROOKES

Robin Brookes (50-54 category) from Manton competes in Ironman 70.3 races and coaches Emma Smallman. Last year he came third in his age group (50-54) at Ironman 70.3 UK which qualified him for the World Ironman 70.3 Championships in Las Vegas. He completed the race in an incredible 5:05hr, placing him 25th in his first World Championship race – a great first race position. Robin also won his age group back in

Richard Parnell (50-54 category) from Hallaton has been competing in Ironmans since 2003 where he did his ﬁrst competition in Austria. He never imagined he would do another one but he got the ‘bug’ and enjoyed travelling to different places and enjoying the race experience. He is currently ranked third in the UK in the age group with a personal best of 10:58hr. He also competed in Bolton this year and Ironman Wales. His favourite place to visit is Whistler in Canada and is excited to compete in the Ironman being held there in August 2013. Richard enjoys training in the Uppingham School pool and embracing what Rutland and the surrounding area has to offer in terms of outdoor running and cycling routes.

6. SARA MICKLEBURGH

Sara Mickleburgh (20-24 category) came 57th in her age group at the World Triathalon Championships in Auckland, New Zealand. She was disappointed with her time of 3:08hr but, given the poor weather conditions, 1000-metre transition which she spent nine minutes on as opposed to two and the fact she had been ill up to competition day (two weeks of bronchitis then food poisoning) she did fantastically. Her favourite part of the event was the cycle along beautiful coastal roads – certainly after the three feet swells in the water. Sara has prequaliﬁed for the World Triathlon Championships in London next September and her aim is to train hard with Stamford Tri Club entering Triathalons and Duathalons on the way. Additionally, she hopes to get a personal coach to fully prepare her for the next World Championships in 2013.

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Feature /// Lord Coe interview

A golden legacy Active editor Steve Moody talked exclusively to Lord Sebastian Coe about the importance of local sport, volunteers and the Olympic Games legacy during his recent visit to Stamford 2012 IS A YEAR THAT FEW BRITISH PEOPLE who love sport will ever forget, and after all the great Olympic performances by the likes of Hoy, Ennis, Wiggins, Ainslie, Farah, Lord Sebastian Coe looks back with a paternalistic pride on the event he had so much responsibility for. But despite all the towering feats, the thing Coe is focused on now is ensuring that the next generation has been inspired too. He says that even when he started out, this would be one of the measures of success for the whole Olympic project. “It’s very important, and I hope I made it clear at the time we were bidding seven years ago that it wasn’t just about competitive high level sport,” he says. “We wanted to create a platform for a generation of young people to go and do things.” But he’s keen to stress that inspired youngsters can’t do anything without the help and support of clubs and volunteers. “Young people going off and doing things is really important, but they need help. So we need the right kind of people and the right kind of structure so you have a critical mass of people who are prepared to give up their time to help create those opportunities. “We would not be doing this interview today if it were not for volunteers. The very nature of sport, the very underpinning as long as anybody has been able to deﬁne sport in this country, is about volunteers. “If I think about my own career I watched something on television in 1968 at the Olympic games, I was encouraged by a teacher who was volunteering time in my school to take track and ﬁeld and cross-country outside of the school curriculum. “He then encouraged me to go to an athletics club which I joined, which was stuffed to the gunwales with people who were prepared to give up hundreds of hours every year to train young athletes, to drive them to cross-country meetings, to athletics meetings, and a club structure run by volunteers. “You then get into a British team and you go to Crystal Palace for international meetings and you compete at the highest level, but 90% of the people putting that meeting on are volunteers. “So volunteering for me has been a way of life and that’s why it was so important that we not

LORD COE HONOURS LORD BURGHLEY As president of the International Association of Athletics Federations, chairman of the British Olympic Association and a member of the International Olympic Committee, Lord Burghley, the 6th Marquess of Exeter, was vital in bringing the Olympics to London in 1948 and was heavily involved in the organisation of the event. Recognising his contribution to British sport, Lord Coe has donated the Olympic torch he carried this year to the Burghley estate, so it can sit next to the torch of the 6th Marquess.

only found the best volunteers of their generation for the Olympic Games, but then used everything that they had, in a way, engendered to encourage more people to volunteer, so for me, I wouldn’t have been standing here if it were not for volunteers, and my father who was my coach was a volunteer, because he coached me for the best part of 25 years and never received a penny in recompense. So I have been surrounded by great volunteers.” The post-Olympic glow continues, but Lord Coe thinks that there is still a lot of do to help clubs keep the momentum. “I’ve seen a lot of improvement since the games in terms of the number of people taking up sport, albeit a lot of it is anecdotal in its nature. But I know that when the numbers start coming through that will make it more clear. “But everywhere I go, people come up to me and say that their children have just joined the local athletics club, rugby club, archery, judo, everybody wants to be involved,” he says. “The challenge will be to hold on to that, the challenge will be to have infrastructure in place to absorb that demand, and not say ‘oh my goodness, it’s going to be too difﬁcult for us to encourage. All that is part of the ongoing story.”

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Feature /// Try something new

A change is as good as a rest Thinking you need to get out and try new things in 2013? Rich Beach offers some suggestions.

NOW THE SEASONAL festivities are done with and the over-indulgence is slowing, the residual guilt that lingers inspires new year resolutions to be made. These usually involve stopping something unhealthy and starting something positive and beneﬁcial. So while we’ll leave you to decide how much you cut down on red wine and when you’ll start eating chocolate again, let us help you with ideas for getting active. Here are some new activities to try this year:

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2. Get fitted for proper running shoes and join a running club

1. Learn to fly, without needing a licence THIS DELICIOUS-LOOKING contraption is straight out of a comic book fantasy. No, it’s not quite the jet pack they promised us, but what you see here is the Parajet Zenith, essentially a chair with a 249cc two-stroke engine and propeller attached to the back. Made entirely using CNC engineering, it’s the first of this type of manufacturing. It also has improved handling and geometry and can break down for storage in something the size of a large suitcase. Add a flexible wing and Paramotoring offers the cheapest way into personal powered flight available this side of Gotham City. Adventurer Bear Grylls used a Parajet to fly to 29,500 feet in the Himalayas. Currently, you don’t need a licence to fly, but training is essential. Brooklands Farm, near Alconbury, just near the A1/A14 junction, is home to paramotorsuk for training and advice. They fly every weekend and during the week too in summer months, weather permitting. You can often see pilots buzzing around above the gridlocked A14 of a summer evening. A basic paramotor and wing can be picked up from as little as £1,000. The Parajet pictured is £5,399 from www.parajet.com. // For more information on learning to fly at Alconbury, contact: enquiries@ paramotorsuk.co.uk or call 07979 006141.

JOINING A RUNNING CLUB such as Stamford Striders (www. stamfordstriders.co.uk) is a great way of staying motivated and helps you judge your progress better than running alone. But buying a pair running shoes is not so straightforward. You could go into town and buy a pair off the shelf, hope they’re the right shoes and run the risk of injury. Or you could have your gait professionally analysed so you can be prescribed the correct shoes for your specific style of locomotion. Samantha Hale, of Advance Performance in Peterborough, explains why this is important if you’re serious about running: “When you run, your foot should land on the outer edge of your heel, then as your weight comes forward your foot will roll in towards the inside. This action is called pronation and is how your body absorbs shock, but most people tend to over-pronate, where your arch collapses in too far. This is not necessarily linked to high-arched or flat feet but is more to do with how flexible your arches are.” Advance Performance’s video gait analysis can identify whether you over or under-pronate, and ensure you have just the right shoes to compensate. The same person running in two different running shoes can move in very different ways: in the right shoe good gait can be encouraged, making the ankle and leg move in straighter lines relative to each other, while in the wrong shoes, the foot and ankle can overpronate, causing a rolling gait which adds stress to the joints, bones and muscles of the leg. Getting fitted means more comfort and less chance of injury and, most importantly, if you buy your shoes at Advanced Performance, this invaluable analysis service is free. // For more details see www. advancedperformance.co.uk

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Feature /// Try something new 3. Reach for the sky – start climbing CLIMBING IS SAID TO BE one of, if not the, best exercises you can do in terms of cardio workout and the number of different muscles used. While stretching, reaching, grabbing, pulling and stepping up and around a climbing wall, you’re engaging nearly every muscle, from fingers to toes. If you’re looking to beef up your forearms, gripping small features and holds on a wall will use your brachioradialis, flexor carpi radialis, pronator teres, palmaris longus and flexor carpi ulnaris muscles, strengthening your wrists and forearms. You’ll get a full session on those biceps, triceps and deltoids of your upper arms and shoulders when pulling up or hanging from a ledge. Your quadriceps at the front of your thigh will get a workout from stepping up to high footings. And your calf muscles will take the strain when you use your toes in small crevices and walnut-sized holds. All in all, your local climbing walls make a mockery of any expensive gym membership, workout per pound. The Rockblok at Rutland Water offers various climbing packages for all ages and abilities on their comprehensive outdoor wall, which features technical overhangs, rock-like features and a ‘chimney’ vertical crevice. Two climbs with an instructor cost £6.99 and four climbs are £9.99. Once you’re proficient, you can ‘arrive and climb’ with a belay partner for just £4.99 each (plus £3 one-time registration fee). // See www.rockblok.com or call 01780 460060 for details.

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4. Off-roading in your 4x4 IF YOU OWN A LAND ROVER or 4x4 but have never really taken it off-road proper, then why not get involved with a group such as the Land Rover Owners Adventure Club, which organises off-road adventures through local green lanes and some pay-‘n’-play quarry sites in the area? On January 13th the 27th LROAC group are running the Yarwell Quarry Driving Day, where you can put your off-roader through its paces for £25. There’s something for everyone – from small water crossings to extreme obstacles – on this huge site, which the group claims to be ‘fantastic for novice to expert and for all types of vehicle’. If you’d rather get some expert instruction ﬁrst, then there’s the Land Rover Owners Driver Training Day on January 19th at Rockingham Castle, Corby from 10.00am-4.00pm. Here you can learn the skills required to enable you to off-road safely and proﬁciently using your own vehicle in a safe environment. It’s £50 per vehicle (£65 for two drivers) and pre-booking is required. And the 26th of the month sees the On/Off Road Greenlane Navigational Fun Day, starting at Rockingham Castle and following trails through the Welland Valley and into one of the UK’s most adventurous 4x4 sites near Stamford. Roadbook based (not GPS or map and compass), you and your team take your own time trekking along some wonderful green lanes and onto off-road sites. Prices are £40 per car. // Contact Vince Cobley: 01536 772238 / 07973 116681 or protrax@aol.com.

6. Start a new routine down at the gym “Exercise and rest are the cornerstones of improving your quality of life,” believes Adrian Spurdle, of Body Power in Oakham. He’s not wrong. And while it’s not always easy, it’s always worth it. And when you find a fitness routine you enjoy, you’ll feel better, look better and be happier in your own skin. A good fitness program for the average person consists of exercises that work out the whole body. Adrian explains: “A cardio workout improves the function and health of the heart, lungs and blood vessels. Weight-bearing exercises enhance the function and health of the bones, muscles, joints, and connective tissues.”

ADRIAN’S BASIC BEGINNER’S TREADMILL WORKOUT

This will help you ease your way into cardio exercise. Walking on the treadmill offers a low-impact workout, allowing you to adjust your speed or incline to add intensity. 5 MINUTES To start, walk at a comfortable pace. 3 MINUTES Increase your speed or incline a few increments until you’re working harder than your warm-up pace. You should feel yourself working harder, but you should still be able to hold a conversation. This is what we call your baseline pace. 2 MINUTES Increase your speed again until you’re working slightly harder than your baseline pace. 3 MINUTES Decrease your speed/incline to your baseline. 2 MINUTES Increase your speed/incline again so that you’re working slightly harder than your baseline. 5 MINUTES Decrease speed/incline back down to your baseline. Now decrease speed/incline back to where you’re comfortable/level to cool down

5. Find hidden treasure the techno way GEOCACHING is a modern-day treasure hunt using GPS-enabled, handheld devices to locate caches – weatherproof containers holding a treasure or simply a log for recording each discovery. As a modern take on the 160-year-old activity of letterboxing, geo-caches can be very small and contain no more than a piece of paper and pen to record your discovery, or larger and containing small trinkets and gifts, which must be replaced by something of equal value. Across the globe nearly two million active geocachers log their finds and set up new geo-cache locations at websites such as geocaching.com. And there are plenty around Rutland and Stamford (see next month for a full story). Simply download an app onto your phone or have a look at the specific handheld Explorist devices from Magellan (available at local retailers such as Precision Outdoors), and log onto GeoCaching.com to find your first challenge. It’s one of those activities where the journey is as important as the destination, especially if you enjoy exploring your local area.

ADRIAN’S TOTAL BODY STRENGTH WORKOUT FOR BEGINNERS

A strength workout is dependent on your ability but should include a selection of push-ups or bench presses, dumbbell or barbell rows, overhead presses, bicep curls, triceps extensions, squats, leg extensions and curls. You will need light dumbbells, barbells, isolation machines, an exercise ball and a mat. Begin with a 5 to 10-minute warm-up of light cardio (walking in place, etc). Perform 1 set of 12 reps of each exercise. For the weighted exercise, choose a weight that allows you to complete 12 reps. The last rep should be difficult, but not impossible.

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Feature /// Try something new 7. Catch a monster IF THE SEASONAL MADNESS has left you desperate for a little me-time, then sitting beside a stretch of water surrounded by nothing but nature may just be the ticket. Lovell’s Lakes, based at Tallington, offers angling day tickets for less than a fiver and boasts two well-stocked lakes filled with carp, tench, roach, breem and barbel, plus a few large eels. The smaller of the two lakes is the match lake, but the larger lake is where to head for carp (70% commons and the rest mirror carp). There are 32 swims on the larger Old Lake, with most big enough for a bivvy. ‘Toombsy’, from the GoFishing.co.uk forums, has this advice: “The roadside bank is best for carp on the surface. The closer you get to the reedbed the more hits you’ll get. The fish are quite large so you’ll need quick response and strong gear. This lake averages 3ft in the margins and is about 8ft in the middle, but there is a deep channel running down the back half of the far side, going down to about 14ft and around 10-18m out from the bank. It’s a lovely lake to fish, quite comfortable swims and easy access from your car.” // For more information or to book a peg, call Jim the Bailiff on 07709 756557 or Andy the owner on 07801 090458.

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8. Become a night rider RUTLAND CYCLING will be running night-riding sessions around the 16-mile reservoir (and possibly the peninsula too, if you’re feeling particularly ﬁt) every Tuesday from January 8. Alex Woollen, of Rutland Cycling, says: “Night riding adds a whole new dimension to cycling and can make the most welltravelled routes seem alien. It’s a great way of refreshing your cycling routine and can be a lot of fun.” The rides will be weather dependant so it is essential to call in advance. Hire of high-performance lighting (by industry leader USE Exposure) can be booked in advance, which is great way of trying out these amazing lighting systems if you’re already considering buying some. // See www.rutlandcycling.com for more information, or call 01780 460 705.

Win a Fitness Membership to Catmose Sports Centre TWO LUCKY READERS can win a six-month Fitness Membership to Catmose Sports Centre. A superb sports and fitness facility offering residents of Rutland and the surrounding area the opportunity to experience the best in sports, health and fitness under one roof, the amazing range of facilities at Catmose Sports Centre includes: // 60-station fitness suite equipped with state-of-the-art Technogym equipment. // Two dance studios offering a wide range of fitness and workout classes, including the latest from Body Training Systems and Zumba. // 25-metre pool with a diverse programme.

// AquaEd Swim School. // Eight-court sports hall. // Floodlit all-weather external pitch. // Multi-Use games area. // Coffee House serving hot and cold snacks and drinks, with WiFi and PCs available for customer use. Two lucky readers will each win a six-month ﬁtness membership, entitling them to unlimited gym,swim and ﬁtness classes. To enter, simply answer this question: How long is the main swimming pool at Catmose? Email answers to catmose@theactivemag. com. Entries close on January 30.

FREE GUEST PASS Readers who would like to sample fitness activities at Catmose Sports Centre can telephone Catmose Sports Centre 01572 490030 and quote Active Magazine for a free one-day guest pass.

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Feature /// Fitness

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Fitter, thinner and healthier in 2013 Alexa Cutteridge looks at ways to make positive lifestyle changes this year.

elcome 2013: new year - new you. Every January we are bombarded with ways to get fit, get healthy, get active, and it can all seem overwhelming and frustrating. We know we want to make some changes, but goals seem impossible to meet and the route to take is unclear. It’s not about spending money by joining a gym, banning your favourite foods or unertaking endless workouts. It is about living, eating and exercising all in moderation. We’ve spoken to fitness experts around the area to find the relatively quick and easy changes you can make that will bring huge health and fitness benefits.

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15/12/2012 19:35

CULTURA CREATIVE / ALAMY

Feature /// Fitness

Ladies: Strong is the new skinny

f you go into a gym, what do you see? A cardio area full of women and a free weights area full of men? This needs to change: how many women have you seen regularly working out in the cardio section of the gym? They are dedicated, they will be there week in, week out. But have you ever seen their physique actually change shape? Many people think cardio is the way to lose weight. It certainly helps, but only combined with strength training. Excessive cardio simply puts your body in a stressful situation – it wears down your muscle and can lead to injury and weakness. Many women shy away from strength training as they think it will make them big and ‘manly’ but it is actually the key to a lean, toned, healthy-looking body. After all, if it works for Jessica Ennis... Still need convincing? Here’s a summary of the beneﬁts of strength training:

A STRONGER SKELETON

Strength training will help to maintain and boost your bone density, making you less at risk of developing brittle bones and osteoporosis later

in life. This is particularly important for women as after the menopause the protective effects of oestrogen on our bone health is lost and we need to give our skeletal system a helping hand.

joints you can help prevent injuries by maintaining good form and posture, as well as strengthening joint integrity. No more knee ache on your morning run.

INCREASE METABOLISM

IMPROVE FUNCTIONAL STRENGTH

Muscle is metabolically active so the more you have, the greater your metabolic needs. You know what that means: starter, main course and dessert…

HELPS YOU TO LOSE WEIGHT AND KEEP IT OFF

Not only will strength training increase your metabolism but it will keep it elevated for an extended period of time even when you are not working out. This makes managing your weight a heck of a lot easier. You may have been told that cardio torches fat, but the minute you step of the treadmill this fat-burning process stops. Strength train and gain muscle mass, however, and your workout ‘after-burn’ will remain elevated while you sit at your desk in the ofﬁce. Cardio can burn into muscles but strength training will burn into fat.

INJURY PREVENTION

Day to day activities will seem a lot easier. I’m all for men being gentlemen and offering to carry my heavy bag but what happens when no one else is around to help? Life is hard enough without a heavy handbag also weighing you down.

EXERCISE 3 strength sessions a week – 1 upper body, 1 lower body, 1 all-round workout

By strengthening the muscles supporting your

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15/12/2012 19:39

Feature /// Fitness

Get strong, not skinny Some handy exercises that will get your lean and strong

GIRL

DESIGN YOUR OWN WORKOUT 1

BOY

Warm up – pulse-raiser (skipping/shuttle runs) and stretching.

Pair up two of the exercises from the diagrams and do sets of 12, 10, then 8.

1 3

4 5

Example: 12 calf-raisers, 12 lunge jumps, 10 calf-raisers, 10 lunge jumps, eight calf-raisers, eight lunge jumps. Do this for as many exercises as you want – depending on how long you want the session to be. Ideally, one upper body, one lower body, one all-round workout per week, with a rest day in between.

3 2 4

Add an intense finisher: 10 burpees, 30 mountain climbers, 10 tuck jumps (x3 with 30 seconds rest in between).

Cool down and stretching/ relaxation.

1. TRICEPS Tricep dips, narrow press-ups, one-arm rows

1.DELTOIDS

2. UPPER BACK

Shoulder-press with weights, lateral raises, clean and press

Flowing push-ups, reverse row, reverse fly, pull-ups

3. BACK Lateral pull-downs, deadli s

4. HIPS/LOVE HANDLES Sumo squats, lying leg abduction/adduction, side lunges, bicycle crunches

5.GLUTEUS MAX. AND MIN. MUSCLE Squat jumps, lunges, mountain climbers, burpees, squats, deadli s, bridge, leg kick-bags, leg squat, single-leg deadli s

6.HAMSTRINGS Stiff-leg deadli s, hamstring curls, squats, warrior yoga positions

7. CALF MUSCLES Calf-raisers

TOP TIPS Write your plan down in your exercise diary before you begin to keep you on track!

2.BICEPS Bicep curls, press-ups, pull-ups, chest press

3.PECTORALS

Push press, pec fly, press-ups

4.ABDOMINALS/CORE Burpees, spider climbers, plank, kettle bell overhead swings plus swiss ball exercises

5.QUADRICEPS Ski sits, lunge jumps, reverse lunges, step-ups

6.LOWER LEG STRENGTHENING

YouTube the moves to get the correct technique

Wobble-board work/indo-board/pilates/yoga

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Get fit Alexa.indd 37

17/12/2012 23:01

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15/12/2012 19:45

Feature /// Fitness

The Great Outdoors

Even in winter, there are plenty of good reasons to get outside and get fit as braving the elements adds to the feelgood factor. Can’t afford a gym? Outdoor exercise beats the gym anyway. Nights and mornings are dark and the weather may not always be on our side but there are so many beneﬁts to adding an outdoor workout session to your usual routine:

BOOST IMMUNITY

Exposing yourself to the elements teaches your body to combat winter illness.

MOOD ENHANCING

All that fresh air makes you feel great and revitalised.

AN EXCITING CHALLENGE

Dull treadmill versus the scenic ever-changing surroundings you could be exploring around Rutland.

MOTIVATING

OUTDOOR IDEAS

Running, cycling, boot camps, power walking, rowing, canoeing, sailing, team sports. Look out for park ﬁtness: lots of parks are installing outdoor exercise equipment – all the beneﬁts of the gym bliss but outside with nature’s elements. The nearest one to this area is at Peterborough Park.

GO ON AN ACTIVE HOLIDAY

Holidays are all about relaxing but how about trying active rest? Exercise gives you that feel-good feeling from the endorphins and helps you unwind naturally. You will be guaranteed to come back from your holiday feeling refreshed both mentally and physically. Active holiday ideas: yoga retreats, ski holidays, cycling holidays, walking holidays, boot camp holidays and, for the summer, surﬁng holidays (the west coast of Portugal is the number one hot-spot if you can’t face English seas!).

No two workouts will be the same, which keeps your body guessing and hungry for more.

IT’S FREE

Save those pennies for some new workout gear to keep you warm and dry during the winter months.

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17/12/2012 21:40

BON APPETIT / ALAMY

Feature /// Healthy recipes

Live well, eat well Just because you’ve resolved to be healthier in 2013, it doesn’t mean you have to eat miserable grey food with no taste or character. We’ve asked some of the finest restaurants and chefs in the area for their best healthy recipes

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Warm winter salad By Aaron Patterson, Hambleton Hall Ingredients 1 beetroot (medium) 1 swede (small) 1 celeriac (small) 1 turnip (small) 1 butternut squash (large) 250ml orange juice 500ml vegetable stock 150ml olive oil 30g tyme 2 cloves of garlic 30g rosemary 1 bunch of chervil 1 small packet of pumpkin seeds Juice of one lemon Salt and pepper

This wonderful salad featuring local winter vegetables is a great warmer from Aaron Pattersonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s exceptional kitchen at Hambleton Hall Serves four Preparation 1. Cut the butternut squash in half and remove the seeds, then place on a baking tray with one clove of garlic and half the rosemary and thyme, sprinkle with salt and drizzle with a little olive oil and bake in the oven for about 30 mins at 180C or until so 2. While this is the oven, peel the root vegetables and cut in to rougly 4cm shapes and put into separate pans in a larger pan and 50ml of olive oil and warm one clove of garlic and half the rosemary and thyme then add the orange juice and stock and bring to a gentle boil.

3. Pour the cooking stock over the vegetables and cook until tender. 4. Remove the squash and leave to cool slightly and remove the flesh into a bowl, then add to a food processer and add a little olive oil and blend until smooth. Season to taste with salt pepper and half of the lemon juice 5. While the puree is blending, lightly toast or roast in a pan with a little oil the pumpkin seeds until golden in colour. When the vegetables are ready lightly season with salt pepper and lemon juice. 6. Time to dress the plate: arrange the vegetables with enough space between them for the puree once your happy with the position add little pools of the puree and sprinkle with the pumpkin seeds, and finish with sprigs of chervil.

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15/12/2012 19:47

Feature /// Healthy recipes

Spinach and sundried tomato pasta

Gluten-free low fat sausage casserole

It might be mid-winter, but this taste of Italy will brighten up any evening

Local food supplier Besizzled’s brilliant sausages are low fat and gluten-free, meaning you can have a steaming casserole with none of the guilt

One cup vegetable stock 12 sun-dried tomatoes One pack uncooked penne pasta Two tablespoons pine nuts One tablespoon olive oil Quarter teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes One clove garlic, minced One bunch fresh spinach, rinsed and torn into bite-size pieces

Method 1 In a small saucepan, bring the broth to a boil. Remove from heat. Place the sun-dried tomatoes in the broth 15 minutes, or until so ened. Drain, reserving broth, and coarsely chop. 2. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Place penne pasta in the pot, cook for nine to 12 minutes, until al dente, and drain. 3. Place the pine nuts in a skillet over medium heat. Cook and stir until lightly toasted. 4. Heat the olive oil and red pepper flakes in a skillet over medium heat, and saute the garlic 1 minute, until tender. Mix in the spinach, and cook until almost wilted. Pour in the reserved broth, and stir in the chopped sun-dried tomatoes. Continue cooking two minutes, or until heated through. 5. In a large bowl, toss the cooked pasta with the spinach and tomato mixture and pine nuts. Serve with Parmesan cheese of you’re feeling naughty.

Ingredients Six Besizzled low fat sausages (any flavour) One chopped onion Two cloves garlic Two sticks celery Two sliced carrots Two teaspoons mixed herbs One stock cube (any flavour) One teaspoon pepper Half teaspoon paprika One packet or jar of passata One tin baked beans (Optional) A few mushrooms Method 1. Spray a frying pan with frylight and brown the sausages, then transfer to a casserole dish or slow cooker. 2. Add more fry light if necessary and then fry the onion, garlic, celery, mushrooms and carrots for a few minutes until so , mix well, heat for a couple of minutes then add to the sausages. 3. Combine all the dry ingredients, add passata, tomatoes and beans, pour everything into the casserole dish/slow cooker and mix well. 4. Cook in the slow cooker for around eight hours or approx, or one hour in an oven (temp 180C).

Ingredients

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Feature /// Healthy recipes © PHOTOCUISINE / ALAMY

Fresh scallops on a bed of vegetables with a sparkling wine sabayon by Thierry Daugeron, Riverside Cafe and Stamford Cookery School Ingredients 12 to 16 large fresh sea scallops Two carrots Half a leek Half fennel Black truffle peeling Lemon juice Salt and pepper One shallot Half bottle of sparkling wine Two egg yolks 125 gm butter

Thierry Daugeron’s stunning scallop dish is a French classic, and wonderfully fresh, too. We’ll forgive the butter on this occasion – you can’t live like a monk, can you? Serves four Preparation 1. Prepare the scallops by taking off the fresh membrane around the scallops to avoid them to shrinking during cooking. 2. Peel the carrots and cut them in slices then into Julienne. Cut the leek and fennel into Juliennes too. 3. Boil some water with some salt and vegetable stock, add the carrots, then a couple of minutes later, the leek and the fennel. 4. Once cooked, cool the scallops down under cold water and sieve them.

5. Place some of the vegetable mix into some scallop shells. 6. Place 3 to 4 fresh scallops on the top. Add some truffle peeling on the top of the scallop. Keep aside. How to make the sabayon Cut the shallot finely and cook with the sparkling wine. Reduce until nearly dry, then in a saucepan whisk two yolks on the heat with a little bit of cold water. Whisk until a fluffy texture. Take off the heat, add the butter bit by bit and carry on whisking, then add the shallots and a little bit of sparkling wine. Finish the scallops Top up the scallops with the sabayon and cook the scallops into a pre-heated oven at 180C for approximately 10 minutes.

WIN A ONE DAY COURSE AT STAMFORD COOKERY SCHOOL WORTH £130 French chef Thierry Daugeron started his career in hospitality over 28 years ago in the town of Tours in the Loire valley. For many years Thierry worked internationally as a chef managing a five-star chateau in France. Thirteen years ago Thierry moved to Stamford where he successfully runs his catering businesses and also his own line of food products business. In 2008 Thierry was awarded business personality of the year and in 2011 and 2012 “Best Lincolnshire Caterer” by Tastes of Lincolnshire and Lincolnshire County Council. In March 2011 Thierry decided to open his own cookery school to be able to share his passion and his knowledge to all. The school opened in 2011 to offer a range of cookery courses to participants of all levels of ability at affordable prices. Its goal is to offer anyone who wants to cook, or to cook better, a course which will

inspire them in the kitchen using the freshest ingredients from free range and organic farms. The small class size ensures one to one attention enabling participants to get the chance to learn and be confident with the new skills they’ve acquired first hand. To achieve these aims the kitchen has been purpose built and designed to be multifunctional so that it can cater for individual events with as few as six participants right up to 30 delegates for a demonstration. The school offers the possibility of private parties and corporate, team building events. ■ To win a full-day cookery course with Thierry at Stamford Cookery School, simply answer the following question: In which town did Thierry start his career in France? Email your answer to: cookery@theactivemag.com or post it to Active, The Grey House, Broad Street, Samford, PE9 1PG. The closing date is January 30.

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Fillet of venison with mash of sweet potato, carrot and spices by Ian Russell, The Falcon Hotel, Uppingham With mash of sweet potato, carrot, parsnip and spices and a stir-fry of Brussels sprouts and whole chestnuts, venison is rich in iron and low in fat, and this Falcon Hotel dish shows you can eat red meat and still be healthy. Not only is this dish virtually fat-free, but the spices contain beneficial properties. Cumin is an aid to digestion and also contains essential minerals. It also contains magnesium and iron. Coriander is an amazing plant. It has 11 components of essential oils, six types of acids, minerals and vitamins. Venison

1. Heat the pan until smoking. Oil the saddle, optional seasoning with black pepper (not salt). Use an oil with a high cooking temperature (sunflower, vegetable or corn). Do not use butter or olive oil. 2. Sear the venison in the pan for 2 minutes for rare or 3 minutes for medium. (Do not recommend well done). Roast in the oven for 10 minutes at 180C. 3. Once out of the oven, leave to rest for 10 minutes.

use too much. Just before serving, you could fortify the jus further by adding a handful of garden herbs for an emphasis, such as thyme.

Root vegetable mash

Warming mash is a great comfort food on cold winter nights. 1.Boil the root vegetables in a little salt water. Drain, mash and add the spices. This will form the basis of the dish. Stir-fry of sprouts and chestnuts Chestnuts and Brussels sprouts are a duo to be reckoned with. The toasty, dense richness of the glazed nuts are the perfect compliments to the open, so texture of the sprouts. 1. Bring a saucepan of boiling water to a boil. Add Brussels sprouts and cook until bright green and just tender, around 6 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 8 minutes. Drain well. 2. Melt the butter with oil and stock in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the Brussels sprouts, whole chestnuts and thyme and cook, stirring o en, until heated through for approximately 2 to 4 minutes. 3. Season to taste with salt and black pepper. 4. Leave to cool slightly then cut the Brussels sprouts in half.

Ingredients Venison 8oz venison saddle Black pepper (optional) A little oil Jus One onion finely chopped Two cloves garlic, finely chopped One tablespoon balsamic vinegar One tablespoon sugar One beef stock cube 100g butter Root vegtable mash Four carrots Two parsnips Swede One teaspoon of coriander spice One teaspoon of cumin Black pepper and salt to taste 12 Brussels sprouts Pack of cooked and peeled whole chestnuts Desert spoon of organic honey Thyme seasoning

Assembly

Place the mash on the plate first, adding the saddle of venison on top. The stir-fry of sprouts (cut in half) and chestnuts are placed around the venison. Drizzle with the deep brown jus.

Jus

Put all ingredients into the saucepan and boil, uncovered, until you have a sauce which looks like syrup. Season to taste. Use this as a base, then add the jus from your venison saddle. Drizzle this over the meat as you serve. A top tip here is to make the jus well ahead of time and freeze until needed. Adding the jus from the meat you have just cooked brings the whole thing alive. It is easy to make and has strong flavour so you actually do not need to

WHY VENISON IS SUCH A GOOD CHOICE 1. Venison contains less fat than beef. Being lean, you need to compensate for the low fat content. Searing the saddle of venison on a high, intense heat allows for quick cooking times. 2. Being so much lower in fat and cholesterol, compared to other meats, and having a very high protein content, venison has become a favourite of health conscious individuals, including those on restrictive diets.

3. Venison is also high in vital nutrients like B vitamins, iron and phosphorous. Venison has a wonderful woody, almost fruity flavour that is truly fantastic. Only the texture is similar to beef but in no way similar in taste. 4. Due to it now being farmed, it is much more widely available, and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s speedy and easy to cook.

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17/12/2012 20:35

Feature /// Health and Wellness

Health and Wellness

Everything a woman needs to be fit, healthy and fantastic. Edited by Sandie Hurford.

One in five considering ‘eating is cheating’ diet

he full extent of Britain’s obesity crisis has been revealed in a study that found that one in four adults wants to shed two stones. The worrying figure emerged amid a study carried out among 1,058 adults who have either been on a diet or are planning to start a battle of the bulge. Even more alarmingly, researchers found one in five people have considered embarking on the ‘eating is cheating’ starvation diet. Franco Beer, from diet aid product Slimsticks, which commissioned the in-depth study, said: “The research suggests that more and more people are seeing radical weight loss options as an easier or more effective solution than dieting or healthy eating. However, this is not the case. The best way to lose weight and keep it off is to eat less. The study probed the lengths we are prepared to go to in order to lose weight. It found that one in 10 would try a liquid diet. Many more said they would consider weight loss methods usually reserved for the clinically obese or medically in danger because of their weight problem. Almost one in 10 would consider liposuction; one in 14 would look at having a gastric band fitted, while one in 25 would consider stomach stapling. It also emerged that more than 80% of people struggle to stick to a diet, with 28% of 16-24year- olds trying a new diet every month. Even the over-55s are at it, with 5% of them trying a new diet every four weeks, while close to half blame willpower for not being able to lose weight on diets. More than one in four people said they wanted to lose up to one stone (27%) while a similar number said they could do with losing two stones. The majority of women polled said they wanted to lose weight to look better (82%), compared with 64% of men. Some 77% of all those polled said they wanted to lose weight to be healthier. Not being able to fit into an item of clothing was the issue most likely to prompt one in three to start dieting, while looking at themselves in a bad photograph was the reason for one in four. People are most likely to consider healthier diet (84%) and reduced portion size (74%) as methods of weight loss, while around one in seven (14%) would consider using slimming supplements/aids.

The stomach is overwhelmingly the biggest problem area where people would like to lose weight, for 91% of men and 76% of women. Over 10% of people would seriously consider a liquid-only diet to lose weight (11%) and one in 13 (7%) would consider a gastric band. Dietitian Priya Tew said: “With the rates of obesity increasing year after year, it can seem like an impossible task to stop the pounds piling on. Having a balanced diet, an active lifestyle and careful portion control is the key. Overeating by just 200kcals a day will lead to weight gain over a year. Our lifestyles are so busy and food so readily available now that making preparation and planning is essential if you are going to eat healthily. Top tips to help you lose weight are: pre-portion snacks, plan meals in advance and make time to be active. ” According to the NHS Information Centre, the number of hospital procedures for weight loss stomach surgery rose to 8,087 in 2010/2011 – 12% higher than in 2009/2010, when 7,214 procedures were performed. ■ Slimsticks, available from larger Boots stores and online from www.boots.com and www. slimsticks.com, comes in three ﬂavours – strawberry, vanilla and double malt. Instructions are to take one three times a day before meals, adding 50-100ml of tepid water before drinking, followed by one to two glasses of water for maximum effect. Franco Beer says: “Slimsticks is the simple way to lose weight. It contains ingredients that are proven to help you lose weight and maintain the loss. Once taken Slimsticks can help you feel full, cut out snacking, eat smaller portions and prevent yo-yo dieting.” “It contains Konjac, which has been approved by the European Food Safety Authority, so dieters can shed the pounds without completely cutting out the food they enjoy eating. It will take the willpower out of weight loss and end yo-yo dieting.”

KEEP FIT IN STYLE – AND COMFORT A selection of stylish gear for female fitness fanatics, available from your local sports store or on-line from Pro-Direct (www. prodirectrunning.com): Ronhill Switch running gloves (£17.99) Made of ThermaLite and ActiveLite fabrics that work with each other to provide the best in moisture management, comfort and protection against the elements – without the weight. Hilly headband (£10.99) Fleece-lined headband perfect for keeping your ears toasty as a high-visibility alternative to a beanie. Nike Panel Mesh Tank Print (£28.00) Stylish printed tank top to make you the envy of the gym. Revolutionary Dri-Fit fabric enhances ventilation and comfort and racer back with mesh panel allows for full motion and breathability. DoUnlimited Convertible Ripstop Jacket (£19.99) Windproof and waterrepellent, with breathable fabric and detachable sleeves to form a practical gilet. Fluorescent yellow design and built-in reflectivity help you stay safe when running at night. DoUnlimited Sports Performance Bra (£19.99) Made of sculptured stretch-fit fabric for freedom of movement, ultimate comfort and style. Available in various colours, it can be worn alone or underneath your layers. Nike Women’s Lunarglide +4 Shield Trainers (£84.50) Get fit in style with these new Nike Lunarglide +4 Shield trainers. Built to deliver exceptional comfort and support, they offer added winter protection in wet weather.

J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 3 ///

Wellness Jan.indd 116

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Weight-training tips 1. Learn to lift properly. Talk to a trainer to learn the vital techniques to avoid injury and get the best results.

2. Consistent and persistent. Rome wasn’t built in a day and neither are muscles. Follow a weekly plan and assess results monthly.

3. Do your research. There are many different theories and methods out there. Either research weight training yourself or, even better, consult a professional. A good personal trainer will teach you.

4. Fuel and repair. Ensure good protein intake at every meal and a er training to promote recovery and sustain all your hard work!

5. Really stuck? Love classes? Christina Tilford at Catmose Sports Centre with fitness instructor Rob Willcocks

Try a Body Pump class – your instructor will guide you through this high-intensity weight-training class.

6. Don’t fear the weights area.

Why women need weights

There is no need to be intimidated – be confident and stroll right on in there with your program.

You run, you go to the occasional aerobic class or body pump, you probably think you’re fit. Well, think again.

Focus on what you’re doing, not just go through the motions and try to get it over with as quickly as possible.

Women aged over 40 years should be training with weights, preferably free weights. No longer the preserve of body builders, scientiﬁc evidence has shown that free weights “enhance the functional performance of everyday activities such as balance, stair climbing, etc”. Celebrity ﬁtness trainer Sian Toal says: “Training with weights means you are insuring your body for the future, strengthening from the inside out. Bones, ligaments and tendons, as well as muscles, all strengthen – which means we function, look better and feel stronger.”

What’s also known is that weight-bearing exercise may reduce the effects of osteoporosis, most commonly affecting women over 40. Working out with weights may reduce the effects of bone loss, which in later life increases frailty and the possibility of bone fractures. As we age, if our muscles are weak we increase the risk of losing balance and falling and if the bones are also weak they are likely to then fracture on the fall. We naturally see a decrease in muscle as we age and weight training can help slow this process and keep the body supported and strong.

7. Feel the muscle.

8. Work hard. You’ve got to put some effort in to get results.

9. Visualise your results. Stay motivated by believing that every workout gets you a step closer to where you want to be.

10. Learn your style. If you’re a lone ranger, find others a distraction and like to train by yourself, go for it. Enjoy a little healthy competition? Then find a similarly-minded training partner.

No space? No equipment? No problem: the 3’x6’ workout Here’s a total body workout that can be done from the comfort of your own home on a space the size of a yoga mat. Created by UK Bikini & Fitness Champion Sian Toal, the exercises works all parts of your body and have been structured so you can do as much or as little as you want every day. Each exercise should be done for 30 seconds with 60 seconds rest between each round. Do Groups 1,2 and 3 consecutively, then start again, or do each group twice through before moving on, making the second round more intense. Always warm up ﬁrst. Group 1 Forward step lunges Press-ups Alternate leg squat thrusts

Wide squats Tricep dips Burpees with jump Group 2 Back step lunges Tricep press-ups Yoga ‘down dog’ to plank Lunge and jump to change Lying-back extension with ‘aeroplane’ arms Out-and-in squat jumps Group 3 Lying hip bridges Plank hand touches Side-stepping lunges Mountain climbers Fast feet running Squat jumps

/// J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 3

Wellness Jan.indd 53

12/12/2012 14:42

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15/12/2012 19:50

Feature /// Health and wellness

ACUPUNCTURE FOR DETOX

Massage at home Massage need not merely be an indulgence to which you treat yourself once or twice a year – regular massage is a real reviver REGULAR MASSAGE encourages your muscles to relax and lengthen, improves blood ﬂow, boosts your immune system and makes you feel good. It can relieve tension headaches and reduce blood pressure. Stress is a large part of today’s lifestyle and stress management is a big concern for companies and organisations that are trying to maintain productivity and creativity. Most people enjoy receiving a massage, but many people never get to beneﬁt from a professional massage – why? There are a number of possible reasons: Not sure what massage you want? There are a wide range of massage treatments: aromatherapy, acupressure, Indian head massage, hot stone massage, etc. LimeGreen Therapy offers a free consultation with initial treatments to explain the range of treatments available, and select the best one for you.

Uncomfortable about visiting a spa? Visiting health spas can be great, but they’re not for everyone: travelling may be inconvenient, some people ﬁnd the environment intimidating and the whole experience can cost more than you planned. Businesses such as LimeGreen Therapy come to you, bringing purpose-built, professional massage tables and chairs, along with all the necessary oils and towels. All you have to do is select the treatment that suits your needs, and enjoy. Worried about who to go to? Check they are a member of the International Federation of Professional Aromatherapist, Federation of Holistic Therapists, On Site Massage Association, UK Reiki Federation and CNHC. ■ Visit www.limegreentherapy.co.uk or call 07906 127940 for more information.

You can detoxify with acupuncture, a major treatment component of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), which has been practised for thousands of years. The principle behind acupuncture lies in the balance of Qi (pronounced as chi) or the vital life energy force that harmonises and nourishes the functions of the body. Ancient Chinese physicians believed that “a superior healer is one who treats a disease before it shows symptoms, while an inferior one treats a disease only a er it has manifested pain or discomfort”. They proposed that prevention should be the primary focus for health rather than treatment of disease and acupuncture was first developed and used as a preventative form of treatment. Acupuncture has a natural diuretic effect. The procedure helps your body detoxify by the elimination of toxins through the urinary tract. This is why you see widespread use of acupuncture in drug detox programs. Acupuncture can help to reduce appetite or cravings, even as it eliminates blockage of the Qi. Once you regain your appetite, you do not feel as much desire for foods normally associated with sources of toxins. When you eat toxic foods, you instantly get a feeling of heaviness in the body, as the energy flow is disrupted once more. When you consume proper food, you continue to feel energized. Your body learns quickly which foods provide the most benefit. This is why acupuncture for detoxification of the body is so effective. ■ To try acupuncture or have a chat about what it can do for you, speak to Duncan Ford MBAcC BA (Hons) Lic.Ac on 07714575720, email dfordacupuncture@gmail.com or go to his website www.dfordacupuncture.co.uk

IMPROVE YOUR DIET The first thing to consider when improving your diet is that 2013 means the whole year, says Lindsay Holden of Pure Lifestyles. So that’s not just the month of January when everyone goes into panic mode and starts starving themselves, living on green tea and swearing they will never touch a glass of Merlot again. You must be realistic with your dietary changes or they won’t last. Think lifestyle change, not crash diet. The best approach is to try to change one thing each week. You may want results quickly, now, but this method will get you results that will last a lifetime. Here is an example of how you can get healthy in 2013 – let’s start with January: Week 1 Always eat breakfast within one hour of waking – get that metabolism going! Week 2 Include a palm-sized portion of protein with each meal and some protein in each snack. Week 3 Only eat food ingredients you could produce on a farm. Week 4 Do not drink sugar-laden drinks such as cola, frappucino or fruit juice. ■ For further healthy food ideas and inspiration, read Anita Bean’s Food for Fitness or visit Lindsay’s website (www.purelifestyles.co.uk).

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17/12/2012 21:24

Feature /// Great walks

Morcott to Seaton This walk offers fine views of the Harringworth viaduct, as Will Hetherington discovers. Words &Photography: Will Hetherington THE ROUTE

Park somewhere near the High Street in the pretty centre of Morcott and walk up Mount Pleasant Road, picking up the footpath as it heads south-west towards the A47. Take the path as it crosses two fields diagonally and then carefully cross the A47, and quickly leave the hustle and bustle behind as you descend into the tranquil countryside. Follow the long footpath through a large field as it drops down into the valley bottom, and then pass through two thin strips of woodland down in the hollow. Once through the woodland, make sure you cross over the stile in the hedgerow at the bottom of the hill before you head up the field edge. This climb should get the heart rate going but don’t worry, refreshment is not far away. When you get to the top of the hill pick up the very quiet country lane and follow it to Seaton for half a mile. Make sure you stop to enjoy the views of the Harringworth railway viaduct to the south. From Morcott to Seaton should take about 45 minutes, so if you time it right you should arrive at the George & Dragon in Seaton in time for lunch. Book ahead if you want a substantial meal but otherwise bar snacks should be available. If you’re lucky, as we were, the sun will be out and you can sit in front of the pub and watch the world go by at a very gentle pace. Once you have quenched your thirst (with a pint of Black Sheep) and sated your hunger (with

a juicy roast beef baguette) you can head straight back the way you came. Or, if you fancy a bit more of a stroll, head down past the church in Seaton and pick up the footpath to Harringworth. If you take this option you will enjoy some fine views of the viaduct up close. If it’s been raining a lot you will also quickly understand why this magnificent structure was needed to keep the railway above the wide expanses of wetland down in the flat valley bottom. If you do head down to Harringworth you will probably have to retrace your steps back to Morcott – otherwise, you’ll be on the roads for a large part of the way back.

THE POOCH PERSPECTIVE

Your dog should be able to enjoy a fair amount of freedom in the ﬁrst part of this walk, as it’s largely arable. There is a stream in the valley bottom between Morcott and Seaton and the dog can sit outside with you at the George & Dragon. If you do head down to Harringworth there might be a few sheep around but there are also plenty of places to take a refreshing dip in the Welland (that’s for the dog, not you!).

Difficulty rating (out of five)

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Untitled-4 50

17/12/2012 22:23

TOP STAT

rth Viaduct, The Harringwo the Welland also known as n Viaduct, is Viaduct or Seato g and has 82 1,275 yards lon completed arches. It was around 1878.

Clockwise, from top le

The windmill lies just to the south-east of Morcott off the Barrowden road; there are some splendid views of the Harringworth viaduct as it spans the Welland Valley; you won’t be bothered by too many cars on the stroll along the quiet country lane into Seaton; the George & Dragon in Seaton offers a warm welcome to weary walkers; park in the centre of pretty Morcott – St Mary the Virgin Church dates back to the early 12th century.

ESSENTIAL INFORMATION Where to park Anywhere you can near the High Street in Morcott.

being served). And the contours should ensure you work up an appetite.

Distance and time Four miles/one and a half hours (add another 45 minutes if you head down to the viaduct from Seaton).

Lowlights Crossing the A47 at the beginning is not exactly idyllic, but it soon becomes worth it. And, sadly, it’s not a circuit so you will have to retrace your steps.

Highlights The Welland valley in this region is remarkably peaceful and the viaduct is a stunning sight. The George & Dragon is a friendly pub (although dogs are not too welcome inside when food is

Refreshments The George & Dragon in Seaton or the White Horse in Morcott. *All readers are advised to take an OS map with them on these walks.

/// J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 3 5 1

Untitled-4 51

17/12/2012 22:23

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52.indd 1

15/12/2012 19:53

Feature /// Sportsman’s Dinner

The 8848, Stamford Stamford’s newest (and most unusually named) restaurant gets the Dean and JT treatment this month Dean The 8848 restaurant then this month, Jon. Seemed a strange name for a curry place. JT You can’t have been out of your house in the last few months then Dean. The fact is that 8848 refers to the height in kilometres of Everest in Nepal, and is officially the most uttered phrase in town at the moment as everyone has asked the same question. And anyway, it’s not ‘just’ a curry restaurant, it’s a Nepalese restaurant. You’re so uncouth. Dean It is very upmarket and stylish to be fair. Beautiful white linen tablecloths, superb ambience, lovely stone fireplace, and it’s done out in such a modern way. It took me about five minutes to work out how to turn the tap on in the gents, though. What is it with modern sanitaryware? It’s the same with showers in hotels – often utterly baffling. JT Still, at least your tap travails gave me a chance to dig uncontested into the pile of poppadums. A slightly different take on a traditional Indian curry restaurant, with Alari also as a condiment, which is a nice change Dean I still got it down my fancy new shirt. I’m pleased I dressed up though – most people in there looked pretty swish. JT In spite of the fancy refit, I can’t help reminiscing about this being Victoria Wine a few years back. I reckon we’re sat where the lager fridge used to be.

Dean Talking of which, the beer we drunk in 8848 is decent. Khukuri beer from Nepal – 4.7% and really tasty. JT You get a good feel for Nepal in there as well. There’s an interesting rolling video showing facts and photos about Nepal. Did you know that Nepal has eight of the world’s highest peaks? It’s not just Everest that’s massive you know.

Dean I know, but I’d certainly bring them here! Anyway, how was your dessert? JT Superb actually. They’ve obviously gone to the effort to ﬁnd more desserts than your average restaurant. Dean Also, the waiters are pretty friendly. You get the feeling that they really want you to enjoy your night, rather than just rushing you through.

Dean I tell you what, I reckoned my lamb shank special could have got into the top 10 highest peaks in the world. It was huge! And superb quality meat as well, smothered fantastically in a spicy sauce. I can see why it’s the chef’s signature dish.

JT Agreed. Another enjoyable night. I may even fancy visiting Nepal at some point now. Do you think we could mount Everest, Dean?

JT My chicken jalfrezi was decent as well. Although it’s a Nepalese restaurant, there’s still plenty of traditional dishes you’d ﬁnd in an Indian restaurant, albeit sometimes cooked with a different twist.

JT Fair enough. Well, we can do a walk up there and then come here again then as a compromise.

Dean It’s certainly a cracking curry. I always gauge a curry restaurant by whether I’d be happy to come here on a date. Sometimes curry restaurants get the feel that they’re there for a lads’ nights out, but this one is certainly good enough to take a partner and for her to feel she’s being treated. JT You need to meet someone who’ll go out with you ﬁrst, rather than worrying about where to take them.

Dean You’d have be lucky to get up Collyweston hill the amount you ate that night.

Dean Overall, The 8848 is another excellent addition to the Stamford restaurant scene. Great if you fancy a change from ‘just’ Indian, but similar enough to not have to worry that you won’t like Nepalese. Beautiful decor, smart appearance, and smashing portions too. Recommended!

The 8848

11 Broad Street, Stamford 01780 767600 info@the8848.co.uk

/// J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 3

53 restaurant/sm/cm.indd 57

17/12/2012 16:23

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Feature /// Management in sport

Swimming against the tide

It takes all sorts to create a dynamic team in sport and at work. Are you accepting of people’s differences, asks Mary Brooks of MAP Knowledge I WAS WATCHING THE SWIMMERS AT THE pool recently and I noticed that they were all different shapes, sizes, abilities and speeds – as well as using differing styles; breast stroke, front crawl, back crawl, and some indeterminable styles that presumably they had made up and are unknown to the ASA! Some with heads up out of the water, right through to the water babes with their heads down, coming up for air every other stroke. What was noticeable was that there didn’t seem to be any major problems with the traffic flow. They all made allowances for each other and seemed to accept their differences. This got me thinking of New Year’s resolutions and how many of the swimmers were there with new hopes and goals for 2013 of being fitter, but also how many of them in being in that pool were also making allowances for others? A New Year’s resolution is like a goal in that it sets out the scope of a wish, not the journey. A wise guy called Stephen Covey, an American management theorist who died in 2012, once said “start with the end in mind”.

Most work places have a set of values and belief systems, as well as a set of laws, rules and procedures to follow; quite a burden for most employers in making sure all are observed. We have diverse work places these days with changes in employment laws such as the retirement age, different ethnicities, creeds, races and religions. But what is diversity? And what does that mean in the work place? Diversity isn’t equality; simply put, diversity means difference. In an employment context, it means ensuring that organisations recruit and retain the best person from the widest possible talent base regardless of gender, sexual orientation, age, race, religion or disability. It also means that organisations should recognise different approaches are required for different people who have different needs and expectations. The emphasis then is placed on valuing difference as opposed to just ﬁtting in. Recognising diversity means understanding how people’s differences and similarities can be mobilised for the beneﬁt of the individual, the organisation and society as a whole.

Different groups of people offer different skills that can improve an organisation’s ability to deliver goods and services, giving a sustainable competitive advantage. This holds true for all organisations whether they are large or small, public or private, including trade unions. Maybe then as the UK and world markets of tomorrow probably will be characterised by diversity and not uniformity, then an acceptance and allowance of differences is what we should all be setting as our workplace goals? We are all at work with our different expertise and speeds of getting stuff done and we accept and allow the differences of a changing world of work without much difﬁculty actually! According to experts, and it has to be said dismissed by others, it takes 21 days to form a new habit: best of luck with your new year resolutions for 2013. MAP Knowledge www.mapknowledgelimited.com Email: mb@mapknowledgelimited.com Telephone: 0845 459 4076

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55 sport management/cm/sm.indd 54

17/12/2012 21:36

Feature /// School sports

England women give cricket lesson UPPINGHAM COMMUNITY COLLEGE STUDENTS received a visit from two of England’s Women’s Cricket team recently. Danielle Hazell and Jenny Gunn took time out from their preparations for the upcoming Women’s World Cup in India to come and deliver two coaching sessions. Jenny and Danielle were visiting as part of the Chance to Shine cricket initiative which the college has signed up to. A group of year nine boys got an unexpected indoor cricket lesson, then a group of year seven and eight boys and girls stayed after school and took part in the ﬁrst after school cricket club of the year. After Christmas, the school has indoor cricket tournaments for U13/U15 Boys teams as well as U13/ U15 Girls teams.

Olympian Crista opens Copthill Astroturf OLYMPIC HOCKEY STAR CRISTA CULLEN opened Copthill’s new Astroturf pitch and gave each school year a personal coaching session. The new facility will allow the school to offer children sport outside all year round, and will be used for hockey, tennis, netball and other activities. Crista said: “It’s great to see facilities like this being built for children. It’s been an amazing year and everywhere I’ve been there has been so much enthusiasm for sport from kids, which we really need to capitilise on.” Jonathan Teesdale, Copthill headmaster, added: “At the end of 2012 everyone reﬂected on what a signiﬁcant year it had been with the Queens Diamond Jubilee and the Olympics taking place on a national scale. “This had a huge impact on our lives here at Copthill. Schools of today are preparing the Olympians of tomorrow and Copthill pupils celebrated the opening of their new astro turf with Crista. “The school has an excellent sporting reputation and this wonderful new facility will provide further opportunities for all ages. “A positive competitive attitude is an essential life skill and staff at Copthill develop this through challenging their pupils to participate in a wide range of activities across the broad curriculum and beyond.”

Oakham boys reach national hockey final

OAKHAM HAD A GREAT RUN in the recent Indoor Hockey Midlands Finals, drawing with the strong Trent College, beating Denstone and following up with a tight 2-1 win against Bromsgrove. In the semi-ﬁnal the team faced Worksop, with Oakham in control and playing patient, clever hockey wearing the opposition down. A thunderous start to the second half saw two quick goals and after that Worksop collapsed, with two

more goals coming for an impressive 4-0 result. In the ﬁnal, they met the strong Bromsgrove side again, who came out of the blocks quickly – by half-time the Oakhamians were 2-0 down. An early second half goal lifted Oakham spirits and belief returned but Bromsgrove scored a third and proceeded to hold on. The game was lost but the team could hold their heads up high in the knowledge that they were heading to the national ﬁnals.

5 6 J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 3 ///

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Schools compete in duathlon league A winter league of duathlon events have been planned by the coaches Nicola Cliffe from Stamford School and Steve Nolan from New College Stamford, to help prepare the young athletes for the summer season of triathlon events organised throughout the country. This ﬁrst event was a two team relay comprising of a 400-metre swim and a 5km run, held in the schools new sports centre and grounds. The team event was close with only four seconds separating the winners, Chris Allison and Natasha Bartrum who live in Ketton and Stamford respectively, from the college students Heather Smith from Spalding and Sam Furey from Gretton.

Unbeaten season for Stamford 1st XV STAMFORD SCHOOL FIRST XV brought the curtain down on a vintage unbeaten season with a gruelling four games in ten days. They defeated Loughborough Grammar School and St Albans School, running in 90 points, before booking a last sixteen place in the Daily Mail Under 18 Cup by defeating Bishop’s Stortford High School, and then rounding it off with a solid victory against Welbeck Ministry of Defence Sixth Form College. This brings down the curtain on an unbeaten season for the First XV of 2012 who can look back on 16 victories from 16 matches. Captain Tom Gulland was ecstatic: “We are all very pleased; the boys have worked hard and played some great rugby. We will remember this for a long time!” Coach David Laventure was full of praise: “This is a tough ﬁxture list with lots of top schools. To go through the season undefeated is a tremendous achievement for this group of players. I am very proud of them. “They have worked hard on the training ground and bought into everything we have tried to do- especially in defence where they have only conceded 81 points in 16 Games. I hope they can pop their feet up now and enjoy a well-earned break!”

COMMUNITY COLLEGE SPORTS LEADERS FOUR UPPINGHAM COMMUNITY College sports Leaders have been recruited into the Leicestershire & Rutland Leaders Academy, a higher leaders programme that aims to work with the best sports leaders from all across the county. Holly Jackson, Harriet Caskey-Jones, Megan Scott and Tom Evans attended a conference at Loughborough University where they were trained as higher leaders. Along with leaders from Catmose and Rutland Colleges they will work as the Rutland Leadership Academy to deliver a programme of sports initiatives within primary schools as well as their own college.

RHODES GETS UK SAILING CALL-UP UPPINGHAM LOWER SIXTH PUPIL Matthew Rhodes has been selected for Britain’s youth sailing squad. The Royal Yachting Association’s Volvo UK youth squad programme is designed to enable the best young sailors to develop their racing skills so that they can achieve on the international stage. Sailors are invited to join the squad if the selectors feel they may have the potential to win a medal at world or European championships, qualify for Team GBR for the ISAF Youth Sailing World Championships, or successfully follow an Olympic pathway.

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17/12/2012 14:44

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Feature /// School sports

Dreaming of the big time Louis Grimoldby and George Nairn are two local lads who have their sights set on the top at Premiership rugby clubs. Their old school coach David Laventure spoke to them BOTH BOYS POPPED THE BOOTS ON AT A very early age for Stamford RFC before going through Stamford School’s rugby programme, and on leaving have both made the tough decision to test themselves at the highest level by joining Premiership Rugby Academies: George is at Leicester Tigers, Louis is at champions Harlequins. David Laventure How is life in the fast lane? Louis Grimoldby It’s great, I’m really enjoying it. George Nairn I’ve had a few knocks but it’s good, I’m really enjoying it. DL What do you miss most about school rugby? LG I mostly miss the Friday before the game, building up to the match and then the Monday after we’ve had a good win. GN The passion and pride shown by every player playing school rugby, not one player ever let us down. They cared about winning every game. DL How have you found monitoring your diet and lifestyle? LG I’ve found it relatively easy monitoring my diet and lifestyle. It was good before but now I only have to cook myself one meal a day so it’s not a problem! On the lifestyle side, nothing’s changed. I like to make sure I get around nine hours sleep and still try to get out and enjoy myself on a Saturday night! GN Easier than I thought I would. Living with two other lads in the same position means that making decisions on how and when I eat, how much sleep to have and things like that easier. DL How have you found the training sessions? LG The training sessions are intense and tough. We hardly do any contact which suits me! There’s a lot of emphasis on structure and skills. However the patterns, calls, etc are far more complex than any level I have done before so it’s taken me some time to get my head round them. GN Really professional and precise. Always interesting after video reviewing and summarising either a game or a training session. The training sessions involve aspects of our game that were felt to not be as good as they should have been during the match. I can safely say they are rarely easy! DL Who of all the senior players has impressed you and why? LG Nick Evans. He’s an unbelievable player who helps me massively. Also Luke Wallace is so keen that he comes and sits in backs meeting as he thinks it will help his game.

Above: Louis with Stamford School headmaster Will Phelan Right: Leicester Tigers Academy player George Nairn

GN I guess I do not really look at a speciﬁc player, but it does inspire me looking at lads who were in my position in the Academy, such as Ben Youngs or Matt Smith. DL How have you coped with the balance of gym/skill/individual training? LG I seem to have balanced it okay. With university I’m not getting as much individual training in as I would have liked. Also it’s hard after weights and a couple of tough rugby sessions to then go and do some skills. In general I get two extra kicking and passing sessions in each week. GN Fine, I get a lot of individual feedback. The coaches know exactly what is best for me to do, so if they feel it is best do a weights session then I will but if they feel it is best to do some speciﬁc skill or conditioning then I will do this instead. DL What do you like most about being involved with your club? LG The thing I like most is the culture and the

club’s values. They’ve treated me very well. We aren’t really treated like Academy, there’s a lot of banter between players and there’s a strategy and a conﬁdence to succeed. GN Attitude to success and being pushed as a player – achieving the small goals that will hopefully all add up to achieving the bigger goals.  Louis has since made his First XV debut for Harlequins, playing against Bath in the LV Cup. He kicked two penalties in a 21-12 win.

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59 schools/cm/sm.indd 37

17/12/2012 14:30

Roundup The scores, star performers and stats from a month in Stamford and Rutland sport

Football

Drury leaves Daniels and Stones push on BY DEAN CORNISH

tamford are looking for a new manager after Graham Drury left the Daniels on December 17 to take the reigns at Boston United. Drury’s appointment in the summer was a controversial one, with some fans not having forgiven him for walking out on the club for Corby Town a few years ago. Lightning has struck twice though, with Drury opting to join Boston after Jason Lee’s recent sacking. There are a few options for Stamford though, with ex-Daniels manager and fans’ favourite Billy Jeffrey currently out of work, and ex-Grantham Town duo Albans and Halcro also hotly tipped to ﬁll the vacancy at Wothorpe Road. The new man will take over a side second in the league but it won’t be easy to keep them in the same form that Drury’s Daniels had shown of late. Many will see a play-off place as more realistic now, especially after dropping points in early December to the likes of Chasetown and Lincoln United, while

league leaders Coalville Town’s form remains imperious at the top. The Christmas period is a key one for the Daniels with the key game away at third placed King’s Lynn on New Year’s Day expecting to attract a large crowd. The Daniels have launched an initiative to try and build up home crowds, too – they’re targeting an average of 215 per game and with great offers like a ‘halfseason ticket’ at £60 for the remaining 14 games of the season, they’re certainly in with a good chance of making it. Meanwhile, on the other side of town Blackstones showed that they’re in good form going, recording back-to-back away wins at Stewarts & Lloyds Corby and Sleaford Town at the start of December. It’s also been a great period for the Cottesmore Amateurs who recorded ﬁve straight wins in the Leicestershire Senior League to ﬂy up the table. In the Peterborough leagues, Premier Division Oakham United have slipped of late, mainly due to a worryingly porous defence which has conceded more than 20

goals more than any of their rivals in the top portion of the league table. Defeats in December against the likes of Crowland and Peterborough Sports mean a chance of challenging for the league title now seems unlikely. Uppingham Town are moving the right way up the table, though, with successive home wins seeing them move up to seventh in the league. In the ﬁrst division, the Stamford Bels remain in woefully bad form. They’re rock bottom, which is no surprise having lost 13 games in a row and having conceded more than 50 goals. Ryhall United are only a couple of places above them, but with winnable games coming up there’s a good chance that James Sheehan’s men will haul themselves up to mid-table before too long. Ketton FC are leading lights in the division, currently in tenth and with a good chance of ﬁnishing in the top six. There’s plenty of football to feast upon at the start of the New Year, so why not make 2013 your year to support your local side? I’m sure you won’t be disappointed with the standard of football on offer.

Duncan Ford

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17/12/2012 18:00

Rugby

Boxing, birthdays and barracking BY JEREMY BESWICK

akham’s run of four wins came to an end at Dronfield, the home team out-kicking them 23-18 in a dour match that barely should detain us no further, with “neither team playing particularly well”, according to captain Tom Armstrong. More encouraging was the home 13-10 victory over Nuneaton, particularly as the dreadful conditions ill-suited their backs-orientated style, and favouring the heavier Nuneaton pack. Tom Burton scored a first-half try but they needed a late penalty to prevail as they got “dragged into playing the opponent’s type of game”, according to Armstrong. If he continues with his new boxing career Freddie Flintoff could benefit from tips from Ryan Corner. Alas the ref was less impressed with his stylish right jab and sent him to the sin bin as it wasn’t yet Boxing Day. Mark Matthews was man of the match. Oaks were due to play Sleaford this month who, sad to report, have withdrawn from the league due to a lack of front-row forwards. On a brighter note, happy birthday to Stamford Town, 110 years young on December 22. On the morning of November 17 their birthday present list would have included a five-point win against Long Buckby and a draw in the match between

rivals Rushden & Higham and Rugby St Andrews. Well, Father Christmas came early too for Town as they ran in 13 tries to win 75-12 as the other match finished 15-15. “A pretty decent performance”, captain Matt Albinson reported with masterly understatement. Callum Park and Chris Fletcher both scored hat-tricks. Two postponements meant this was their only league outing of the month and fixture congestion towards the end of the season is going to be a challenge. A more positive reason for this is their continued cup success, winning their quarter final 18-15 away to Lincoln. With five first team regulars missing and opponents who’d easily beaten in-form Stewarts & Lloyds in the last round this looked a tricky tie, but in fact they were good value for the win. Albinson was big enough to confess that an exasperated referee insisted on him being replaced as captain – vice captain James Ragg taking over. Well, if a ref continually stands between Matt and his scrum half the occasional “Excuse me, sir” is bound to be heard – or something meaning much the same, albeit in more robust language. The semi-final is at home to Stourbridge Lions on January 19. Retox in the bar and watch Matt shout abuse of the very highest quality. Stamford College Old Boys, bloody but unbowed, keep going but it’s tough for them right now. A narrow defeat at home to

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Westwood 19-22 was followed by a 15-29 loss away to Wellingborough. College then had to concede their match with Aylestone Athletic – lack of a front-row the issue yet again. Perhaps what’s left of Sleaford’s will be on the phone to captain Carl Walker. Deepings had the busiest ﬁxture list and opened with a third win on the bounce against Daventry 28-27, notable for a bizarre ending in which, to win, the opponents only had to retain possession at the scrum with the last play called but were penalised, the put-in not straight. From the resulting free kick the Green Machine earned an eminently missable penalty to settle the match. Teenager Matt Newman skept his nerve to slot the ball. After a weakened side lost 15-40 against Rushden & Higham, Ollie Peacock was man of the match as they slaughtered Westwood away in the cup 69-0, Nick Coupland incurring an injury that deserves this month’s “get well soon” message – in hospital as I write with busted cruciates. Captain Dan Hainsworth described their next match against Stockwood Park as “a match we should have won” but by conceding too many penalties in the second half they went down 14-8 to complete a topsy-turvy month. Win, lose or draw this was quality entertainment from our four teams, with 484 points scored at an average of nearly 50 per match.

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Roundup

Golf

Turkey trots, and lots going on at Greetham STOKE ROCHFORD Forty points was enough to see Richard J Baker, playing off a handicap of seven, win the annual turkey trot at Stoke Rochford Golf Club in December. Windy conditions provided a stern test of golf for the 43 members taking part, and only ﬁve players managed to scramble it round under par. Those who braved the elements were grateful that the excellent drainage at Stoke Rochford meant the course was completely dry despite recent heavy rainfall. Second place went to Steve Lemmon with 39 points, while Gary Bell was assisted by an eagle three at the par ﬁve sixteenth hole as he clinched third place with 38 points.

GREETHAM VALLEY Ryan Tarrant has had a good year as junior captain. In April he led the Greetham Valley team to a stunning victory against Burghley in the annual Clark Chapman Trophy at Greetham, which was especially notable as Ryan had to play against the Burghley pairing of Joe Carr and Dean Vaughan on his own. Ryan will be handing over to 12 handicapper Sam Ewing in January. Sam said that he is looking forward to the

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challenge and also to working with Pat Jones and Jim Hetherington to promote golf to a broader audience of young people. On a personal note he will be trying to get his handicap down to single ﬁgures. Week eight of the winter order of merit saw yet another new winner: former club captain Neil Creese had a fantastic round to win with 42 points. The rain had stopped by the time the ﬁrst pair went out, the sun even shone and although it was wet underfoot at times, the course held up very well. Neil, off seven, said that he found the conditions really suited his game, which included three birdies on the back nine. He didn’t have it all his own way though, Ian Copley playing off 12 also came home with 42 points, which unfortunately also included a blob. Neil scored 23 points on the back nine which beat Ian’s 21, thereby relegating him into second place on count-back. As a result, Neil has had two shots docked from his handicap and Ian had one shot taken off. The competition is wide open and Ian is the only player to have featured in the top three twice this year. Carl Causbrook was third with 36 points and was docked 0.5 from his handicap. David Copley still leads overall with 126 points while big brother Ian has moved up

from sixteenth to second, with 102 points. Graham Smith and last year’s winner Adam Clegg also moved into the top five. Graham has 94 points and Adam 92. George Brand didn’t fare as well and was pushed from second place down to fifth, although he is only a couple of points behind Adam. The seniors held their end of season meeting to elect the officials for the next year. Before becoming seniors captain, officials spend a year as treasurer and one as vice-captain. This has changed for the first time, though, as Barry Tillotson asked to remain as treasurer. Radley Wardhaugh was elected to the post of vice-captain. Having completed his first two roles successfully, Rod Wells will be the captain for 2013 and Mike Churchill stays on as secretary. Before the meeting a three club competition for the Hodgkinson Trophy, with players using a putter and any two other clubs in their bag. In the past anything from 39 to 42 points has won it, but this year it was won by Peter Wood with 38. Three people with 35 points had to be separated on count-back. Second place went to Stuart Dodd, John Morfee was third and David Aldred was pushed back into fourth place.

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Hockey

A mixed month for men and ladies BY SIMON COOPER

he hockey season has reached its mid-season break, as sticks and shinpads are stored away while the Christmas hullabaloo takes over. For the super-keen, there are a couple of indoor competitions, the East of England qualifier league actually being won by a Rutland invitational side last winter. This year though, hockey fans in the area will have to be content with sourcing tickets (a last minute idea for a present?) or finding TV coverage of the Maxifuel Super Sixes Championships, where the top teams in the country battle it out for indoor supremacy. The final’s at Wembley Arena on January 27 – it really is well worth a look. The Rutland Ladies 1st XI have had a frustrating time of it recently, with the only league game that beat the frost in the last few weeks seeing them edged out 3-2 by Wisbech, who now leapfrog them in the table. Going into the second half of the season, the Rutland girls are one point adrift of the new leaders, but January brings a couple of easier-looking fixtures to hopefully get them going again. The day after the Wisbech defeat, they travelled to Stratford-upon-Avon for the second round of the National Vase competition. After both teams completed a novel pre-match warm-up routine (the recent

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floods in the area having left the pitch covered with a slick of mud which needed to be swept off before play could begin), a thrilling game ensued. The lead changed hands multiple times, but Stratford seemed to have sealed the game when they went 5-3 up with five minutes to play. Charlie Gregg banged in Rutland’s fourth as the seconds ticked away to make things very interesting indeed, but they sadly couldn’t quite find the equaliser. The Ladies 2nd XI of Rutland Hockey Club go into 2013 in the top half of the table, with their last outing seeing them put four goals past a visiting St Ives side, with Alex Haggis ably prodding and probing around in midfield and young Maeve MacDonald getting on to the scoresheet. Rutland’s Mens 1st XI have arrested the slide of early November with a couple of decent wins, and now sit fourth in Division 3NW. There is a significant gap though between them and the top three, and this looks to be a season of consolidation and rebuilding rather than a promotion charge. Similar stories are coming out of Rutland’s mixed teams, which both find themselves in the unfamiliar waters of mid-table in Leicestershire’s Divisions 1 and 3 respectively. The best match of the month for the neutral viewer was probably the Rutland

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Oaks’ Junior Cup encounter with Leicester side Gremlins. This one went all the way to penalty strokes, but the ﬁve Rutland players that stepped up had clearly been watching England’s footballers over the years. The best efforts of Ralph Avery in the Rutland goal at least took it to sudden death, but a second Dave Hudson miss meant it was curtains for the Rutlanders. In the absence of many games to talk about this month, it seems an opportune moment to shine a light on the fantastic volunteers that help the club to function. You may have read in last month’s edition that Rutland Hockey Club’s Tracey Taylor was garlanded with the Sports Volunteer of the Year prize at the recent Rutland Community Awards event for her work administering the Leicestershire leagues. Also worthy of note are the brave souls that step up and agree to blow a whistle occasionally. Without them, matches at the lower levels could not go ahead, so congratulations and best Christmas wishes to the likes of Paul Reeve, Dave Richardson, Tim Salt and Alan Selby. I understand Rutland Hockey Club is also indebted to Susan and Kathryn Booth for a seemingly endless supply of pasties and soup through the winter months – sweet dreams are made of these!

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Roundup

Fishing

Season draws to a close RUTLAND WATER With only weeks to go before the end of the season the biggest rainbow of the year was landed at Rutland Water last month. Local angler Roy Bartram netted a superb rainbow of 9lb 12oz. Roy, who lives virtually on the doorstep of Rutland Water at Edith Weston, was bank fishing with Ady Naylor of Uppingham. The pair caught their fish in several areas around the lake on a Di7 with a large boobie (cats whisker). Roy’s bag of four fish weighed in at 17lb 12oz with Ady weighing in four for 12lb 2oz. Rutland Water’s final match of the season, the popular Fur and Feather bank match, was also held. Fifty-three anglers from far and wide took part. Bright and crisp conditions did not stop seven anglers from catching their six fish limit with several others recording between one and four fish. There were a lot of fish recorded between 3-5lb. The largest fish fell to Mark Bradbury – a cracking 5lb 11¼oz rainbow. First place went to Andy Clark of Pickering, North Yorkshire. Andy took six fish for 20lb including a 5lb 4oz rainbow, all of his fish were taken from the Harbour Wall. The best areas were the Harbour Wall, Old Hall Point, Hinmans and Barnhill. The best methods were sinking lines and minkies. There was a 5lb 8oz rainbow for Gordon Anthony of Whittlesey. This cracking

rainbow was the best ﬁsh of the week. Gordon took three ﬁsh in total, all from the Old Hall.

GRAFHAM WATER Grafham Water fished well for both bank and boat anglers this month – a third of the trout caught weighing 3lb or over. The main event was the annual Fur and Feather bank match – the final match of the season. Sixteen hardy souls faced a bitter cold westerly wind for the event. Most anglers sought shelter by fishing Gaynes Cove and Plummers. The best fish of the match went to Kevin Appleton – a fine rainbow of 5lb. Kevin also won the match overall. The prize for the best fish of the match passed down the line to a cracking rainbow of 4lb 11oz, with the top three anglers in this final match of the season all landing six fish limits.

Bowls STAMFORD Stamford bowlers Mike Ramsden and Richard Allam have reached the area quarterﬁnals of the prestigious English Indoor Singles Championships, claiming two notable scalps. When veteran Ramsden was drawn to play England international Graham Smith from

Spalding, he was given little hope against a player who has won numerous national and county titles, but Smith had not reckoned on the former schoolteacher’s guile and persistence. Despite suffering from tendonitis which almost led him concede the tie, Ramsden stuck doggedly to his task and with the score at 18 apiece and Ramsden holding two shots, Smith was unable to reduce the count, leaving his opponent the opening to roll in the match-winner 21-18. For Allam, part of the garden staff at Burghley House, it was a courageous battle from behind at home to Sleaford’s highlyrated Trevor Bannister. The Stamford player, one of the club’s most-improved players, trailed 14-19 before suddenly getting the pace of his favourite rink 5, scoring seven without reply in four ends. He faces England triallists, either Matthew Orrey (Grantham) or Martin Spencer (Spalding) in the next round, while Ramsden must travel to play Simon Reeson over at Boston. Adam Warrington’s triple is through the area quarter-finals and with Martyn Dolby, he has reached a similar stage in the pairs. Derek King, Allam and Peter Banks lost in the triples to Boston. In a nail-biting finish to their County League Division One fixture with Lincoln A, Stamford’s mixed team were held to a draw (89-89) but lost out 10-8 on points with only two winning rinks.

Show your support for local sport and advertise in our classifieds Email advertise@theactivemag.com or call 01780 480789 /// JA N UA RY 2013

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Feature /// Stalwart

Angus Dow PGA G OL F PROF E SSIONA L STOK E RO CH FOR D G C Words and Photography /// Chris Jones

‘I WAS TAKING PART IN FINAL QUALIFYING FOR THE OPEN WHEN SOMEBODY ‘HELPFULLY’ TOLD ME I NEEDED THREE PARS TO SECURE A PLACE... YOU CAN IMAGINE THE PRESSURE THAT CREATED’

hen Angus Dow first walked into Stoke Rochford Golf Club in 1985, little did he know it marked the start of a long and happy relationship that would be still going strong 28 years later. At the time, Angus was head assistant at Notts Golf Club (Hollinwell), but when the opportunity came to take on a club professional role in his own right, he was surprisingly hesitant. “It took quite a while to convince myself it was the right move,” explains Angus. “Back then, Hollinwell was a really old fashioned club where the pro shop staff were not even allowed in the clubhouse. By contrast, Stoke Rochford was far more relaxed; I remember at that time members could even wear jeans in the clubhouse (they can’t now!).” “Add to that the pressure of having your own shop, employing staff and all of the responsibility that goes with that, and you can see why it felt such a big move.” During his early years, Angus had his heart set on becoming a tour professional. He joined the professional ranks at the age of 25 and was soon competing against the likes of Ian Woosnam and Sandy Lyle. “Just breaking through as a tour professional was extremely difficult and the reality was, and still is today, that very few manage to fulfil that ambition,” he says. The closest Angus got to hitting the big time was when he came within just three holes of qualifying for the 1989 Open Championship at Lytham St Anne’s, eventually won by Seve Ballesteros. “I was taking part in final qualifying at Fairhaven Golf Club and had got myself into a really strong position after 15 holes. Then somebody ‘helpfully’ told me I needed to get three pars to secure a place in The Open – well you can imagine the pressure that created, and the rest as they say is history.” Back at Stoke Rochford, Angus settled into life as a club professional, acting as the first point of call for members and visitors. In addition to running the golf shop and organising competitions, most of his time has been spent teaching on the practice ground. “Helping someone improve is the most enjoyable part of my job,” he says. “It’s always good to see a promising junior come through the ranks, as they represent the future, but I get just as much satisfaction helping someone who’s just retired to improve their game.” When Angus reflects back over the past 28 years, it’s not just his achievements on the golf course that stick in the mind. “I remember getting the call to rescue one of our golf buggies from the pond on the seventh hole. One of the members had parked it up and headed off to the green, not realising he’d forgotten to engage the brake. It wasn’t long before it was heading back down the hill and into the water. That was a challenge to get out!” After a lifetime playing and teaching golf, you might think that Angus has achieved everything he wants to. He held the course record at Stoke Rochford for more than 20 years after a stunning round of 65 (-5) in 1987, but one thing that still eludes him to this day is a much coveted hole-in-one on his home track. “I’ve had three but always somewhere else. It would be nice to actually have one at Stoke Rochford,” he laughs. “I’m realistic though, and as long as I remain fit enough to play golf in my old age I’ll be more than happy.”

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