Contents Stories Marathon Training
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Shrewsbury 10K
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Attingham Park Relays
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Acton Burnell Route Hero Shuffler
Contributors Nick Pollock
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Alan Morris Phil Watton Liz Hird Kim Burton
Lago Maggiore Marathon
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Who’s who?
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40 by 40 Challenge
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My First Marathon
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Thomas Vaughan
Fell Running with Calvin
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Ron Morgan
London Marathon
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The Optimal Movement Team
Juan Reyes-Montes Mami Laird Niki Wilkinson Heather Fras Chris Whiteley Calvin Wright Sharon Williams Glenn FranckĂŠ Richard Bishop (cover image)
Advice
Editors
Nutrition Guidelines
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Graham Evans
Running Shoes
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Lucy Grime
Coaches Corner
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Design:
Magazine available online at: issuu.com/theshropshireshuffler
Helen Grime
www.studiopayne.com
CHAT FROM THE CHAIR Welcome to the Spring 2019 edition of the Shuffler Magazine. Once again my thanks go out to the team who have worked to put it together. I’m sure you’ll find plenty of interest to read. Our club continues to grow and with that news, I’m pleased to welcome over 15 new Run Leaders to our coaching group. While we have many run leaders who have served the club for a very long time (thank you!!), it’s great that we’ve had so many new people offer to step forward to lead runs and to ensure our coaching nights are enjoyable. Each new Run Leader will bring some extra diversity to our groups. We’re always looking to train up more people, so if you think you could be a Run Leader, please talk to your coach on a training night. Following the AGM in February, I’d also like to welcome Thomas Vaughan and Darren Hall to the committee. Thomas is taking on the role of press officer and looking to raise the profile of the club in the local news. Darren has been working hard on developing a junior section for the Shufflers. Look out for more news on this in the coming months. As the clocks go forward and the evenings lighten I find myself looking forward to being able to get off the tarmac and into the wonderful countryside we have so close at hand. Even within Shrewsbury itself, it’s so good to be able to get onto footpaths alongside the Severn or Reabrook and experience just a little bit of trail running just a short distance from home. I know many of our run leaders will be taking groups along these paths over the coming months, adding extra interest to our Monday and Wednesday night runs. However, what I’m really looking forward to is being able to travel out of town, and enjoy the even more open trails of our local hills. Over the summer we can look forward to several ‘alternative’ club runs, replacing some of the Wednesday meets at the column. What could be better than a country run on a warm summer evening, finishing with food and, perhaps, a pint at a rural pub? (It seems even more appealing as I write this listening to the rain on the window and watching the rising river swallow the fields along Sydney Avenue). Those of you feeling more adventurous or competitive may be tempted to venture further and enter one of the many off-road races around Shropshire. From the gentle trail terrain in country parks, to the fell runs on the rocky slopes around Church Stretton, there is plenty to choose from. Thank you for being a part of our club. Whether you race or if you just want a social way to get a bit fitter, the Shropshire Shufflers aims to be a great and welcoming running club so, if you’d like to contact me about club matters – positive comments or suggestions for improvements - you can find me at training most Monday nights or you can contact me via Facebook. I hope to see you at training or a race soon. Happy running! Nick Pollock Chairman
Marathon Training - An Alternative View! Some 25 years ago I was a regular orienteer and mountain runner, but when people knew I ran they always asked if I had done a London marathon. When I answered no, you could see the look! I decided that I should put this right. I entered London and on the basis of some spiel about my ability, I got in first time as I was good for my age. The question then was how to train as I didn’t much fancy ploughing a lonely furrow around the roads and lanes, or worse still running round in circles. I had seen training schedules suggesting four miles steady today, six miles fast tomorrow and a steady run at the weekend. How incredibly boring! My mantra was to get in plenty of miles, have fun, build up stamina and strength. And even get in some long runs in the hills to explore our beautiful country. I joined the Shufflers so that I could run on dark nights with the club on Mondays and Wednesdays. It didn’t matter much to me what distance or efforts we did, as it was just good fun thanks to Geoff Harris, our regular coach in those days. We never knew what was coming but it was always hard. Tuesdays and Thursdays I would continue training with the Wrekin
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Orienteers, heading out of Stirchley in Telford and often down to Ironbridge and back. At weekends I would search out some challenge events for the long run and any spare weekends I would use to plan the ‘Potter’. So in January, it was off to Rhayader for the 22-mile Reservoir Roundabout starting at the Claerwen Dam. The route was alongside the lake through the worst tussocks in Wales, before turning and following a compass bearing along a hardly discernable old Drovers track to the top of the main Elan lakes. Then we would climb to a trig point and descend to the main lakes, before traversing another ridge back to Claerwen. A feature of this event was usually snow and ice, but also some great views and even cloudless skies.
February was the annual South Shropshire Circular held from a different location each year, a distance notionally 26 miles but often more. The route was never the same and was not revealed till the morning of the event, but usually had some 5000 ft of climbing. Completion time usually about 6 hours, although one year I remember it was over seven! Second Saturday in March was Potter time and as well as any final recce I would run the 13-mile route to mark it up on Friday, and again on Sunday to clear up.
All these events, with the exception of the Mid Wales Mountain Marathon, still run every year. Did the plan work I hear you say? I was aiming for a time of 3 hours 30mins and I beat that by eight minutes. I also remember checking the actual time of day as I went past the Tower of London on the cobbles at 23 miles, it wasn’t even 12 o’clock and I was nearly home. So yes I think it did. Alan Morris
Then it was the turn of the 23-mile Mid Wales Mountain Marathon; a challenge from Dinas Mawddwy to Dolgellau via six major peaks including Cadair Idris. This was a brilliant route, amazing views, spectacular ridge runs and crossing the head of the 600-foot waterfall. It was always tough and on two occasions it was abandoned by Mountain Rescue Service, but only after Brian and I had passed the cutoff point. At the end of March, it was down to Abergavenny for the annual three peaks challenge which starts in the town centre and follows a circular route over Blorenge, Sugar Loaf Mountain and Skirrid, all 500 m+ peaks and back to the start, about 20 miles. I managed to break four hours one year.
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The Shrewsbury 10K: A First Timer’s Opinion My phone told me that it was 3°C but felt like minus one at seven in the morning on Sunday 17th March. That made the decision easy. Shorts are out, it’s definitely leggings this morning for my first Shrewsbury 10K race. Fortunately, this turned out to be a sound decision as an hour and a half later many runners were trying to find the few sunny spots in the Market Square prior to the race. There was still a biting wind, but the buildings afforded some shelter. Still, I was looking forward to the run as the previous year I had given my entry away due to injury, only to find the race postponed due to snow and rescheduled for a glorious Summer day later in the year. I don’t take part in many races these days as I feel satisfied with the regular club runs to keep me fit, and really enjoy the company as we run the streets of this lovely town. However, this year the roles were reversed and I was given an entry by a friend who couldn’t take part. It was quite short notice and due to the holidays, I only had a couple of weeks to prepare. I decided the best tactic would be to run most of the course on my own taking in all of the hills of the route. I thought this would give me an indication of how I might feel on the day as I like to run a race at my own pace and struggle to follow pacers. The training run went quite well and at the end, I thought that at least I know I can get around without stopping. Even on Porthill, which is just steep enough and long enough to sap the strength from your legs. So I thought that with a few more club runs I should be able to get around the course in around the hour mark. The event, in my opinion, seemed well organised and the timing flags really helped in the early stages
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where most of the runners were running at a similar pace. It was cold as we left town to head up The Mount, but that climb warmed most people up nicely. By the time we had got to Richmond Avenue, I had got into some sort of rhythm. I was beginning to enjoy the course as I knew what was coming and took advantage of the stretches where I knew I could stretch out a little, and even catch up a bit of time lost on the climbs. The dreaded Porthill arrived and was over with, and then a well earned recovery section to Kingsland with just a short pull to get to the halfway stage. The mainly downhill section to English Bridge was enjoyable, but then I was not quite sure of what was going to happen once we got into the Quarry due to the route changes. I was pleased to find that we ran down the ‘parkrun hill’ for a change and the climb back up to the gates didn’t seem too taxing. Another descent and we’re heading along the park to the climb back into town. This was the only part of the run I hadn’t included in my training run but had sent myself a mental note that this is going to be hard. It was as I thought, but because I had run it many times with the Shufflers it wasn’t as hard as I anticipated. I would imagine for runners who didn’t know the course it could be quite a nasty shock. By this time I had got into a bit of a passing battle with a runner of a similar age so this helped to give me a bit more motivation and before I knew it we were running down High Street and it was all over. Looking back I can honestly say that despite it being quite a challenging course, it is enjoyable as it is varied and interesting. I will definitely enter again. I was also surprised at my time of 56.09. Probably thanks to the gentleman who must have passed me three times at least and vice versa. Phil Watton
Attingham Park Relays Thursday 16th May 2019 7:30pm It’s hard to believe this is the 6th Year that the Shufflers will be hosting the hugely successful Attingham Park Relays. The event has been a sell out every year since it started despite increasing the numbers of teams each year. For those of you who are new to the club the Relays are made up of teams of three, each person running a two mile leg around the grounds of the beautiful Attingham Park near Shrewsbury. Completely off road, traffic free and flat (mainly) it is an event for all abilities. This is the Shufflers premier event of the year where we will be hosting runners from other running clubs from all over the county and beyond or teams of workmates. It is a fun event and we totally rely on club members to give us support with marshalling as well as running so we do hope you can all get involved one way or another. If you would like to enter just go to the club website and complete the entry form or via the Facebook Attingham Park relays page. If you are available to marshal please email Chris Davies christreverdavies@btinternet.com and give him your name and contact details. I look forward to seeing you there and thank you all once again for your continuing support. Liz Hird, Race Director
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Acton Burnell Route This is a nine-mile road run starting and finishing in the picturesque village of Acton Burnell. There are a few long hills, but you will be rewarded with some lovely views. If time allows, check out Langley Chapel near the end of the run. There’s no cafe in the village, but Church Stretton is a short drive away with the ever dependable Berry’s tea room.
THE R ANTING RUNNER The “Grumpy Old Man” has regenerated (Dr Who style) into “The Ranting Runner”. Firstly, runners in very skimpy shorts and vests in the depths of winter and woolly hat weather; what’s that all about? Meaningless Strava runs shared to all and sundry (1.3 miles to the shop whilst eating an apple in the rain), and then following 300 other runners dishing out kudos like confetti; meaningless. And finally, the same faces involved in the work of the club; e.g. coaching, marshalling and writing the magazine. We have 700 members now, in the words of Delia Smith “Where are you? Let’s be havin’ you! Come on!”.
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Hero Shuffler Kim! One Saturday morning before Christmas, I went out for a short run just to blow off the cobwebs. I was planning to do around 3 miles, but as I reached that distance, I felt good so decided to do an extra mile or two. I was down past the Shrewsbury Town Stadium on Otley Road and I turned down the footpath which runs parallel and through Springfield. As I ran down that path, I came across a man lying face down in a pool of blood with his dog sat quietly next to him. I had my phone with me, so I called 999 and they calmed me down and talked me through what to do. They asked me to turn the man onto his back and asked about his breathing, which I described as very shallow with his face turning blue. They immediately told me to do chest compressions as they believed that he was having a heart attack and that an ambulance was on its way. After a short while (5-10 minutes) I was met by a few more people that were out for a run or walking their dogs and it was great to see a friendly face in Llarni Bates, she was very encouraging and others went to flag the paramedics down. Once they were on scene, they told me to continue with the compressions until they had got the defib ready to use. They then took over, gave the lifesaving treatment and took the patient off to hospital. The paramedics were amazing!!! The police took the dog to his house where they informed the family of the news. I have written this story, as I am doing the Brighton marathon to raise money for the British Heart Foundation and also raise awareness that simple training can save lives. While the people on the end of the 999 phone, the paramedics and the doctors at the hospitals are the life savers, the training that I had in a previous job gave the man the chance to receive the treatment. I am pleased to tell you that I have met with Conrad and Percy (dog) and after being transferred to Stoke hospital by Air Ambulance, has made a full recovery and is now working hard at his rehab to get back to work and on with his life. If you are able to donate a ÂŁ1.00 to help me reach my target of ÂŁ500.00 for the British Heart Foundation I would be extremely grateful. Kim Burton
Lago Maggiore Marathon, Italy Running is a very efficient way of exploring a new city or area, running a full 42.2 k makes it not only efficient but exhaustive. On this principle a while ago I started to combine both passions, running and travelling by entering marathons around Europe. The latest in this series was the Marathon of Lago Maggiore. This takes place on the first weekend of November in Verbania, specifically Pallanza, a small town by the shore of Lago Maggiore in North Italy.
Advertised as the most panoramic marathon in Italy, it certainly sets the bar high in terms of views as the course follows the lake’s shore and is surrounded by snowy mountains. It is a relatively small event, with just over 250 runners taking part in the full marathon. Other shorter races share the day and the route too, a 10 k, a half marathon and a 33 k. These races all start at the same time, making up for a bigger crowd at the start. Although surrounded by mountains, the route is very flat, following the shore of the lake up to a town on the opposite side, Stresa, turning around and heading back to the start in Verbania. Verbania is about one hour away from Milan Malpensa Airport, following a beautiful road hanging on the mountain edge and drilled into them.
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Bibs were collected at the event expo, which was open from two days before and on the race day just before the start. The expo had about 15 booths, mostly set up by other races in the region and a couple of offers on running gear. Once registration was completed, being in Italy, finding a pasta dinner was not a challenge, and there are good options around the town centre. One thing to note is that marathon weekend is the first weekend of low tourist season, and some restaurants close just after the marathon. The morning of the race was cloudy, and it was forecast to rain in the afternoon, a great incentive to finish quickly. A good crowd of runners started to gather around the start line, with an interesting international representation, I spotted groups from France, Spain, UK, Germany, Sweden, Finland and Israel. The bag drop was very well organised and easy. The marathon, half marathon and 33 k race started at 9 am. Although the crowds were thin, mostly runner’s families concentrated around the halfway point in Stresa and at the finish. There was very good support from volunteers, with water, coke, energy drinks and fruit stations every 5 k. So, all in all, a good track for a PB, cool weather, flat and good fuelling stations. Unfortunately, I did not profit from all the good points and fell in the trap of cramps, that made me walk for the last very long and lonely 7 k. I also ended with my longest time in a marathon, very close to the five hour mark. In summary, it was a well organised, beautifully set low key marathon that I would definitely revisit with better training. Full information here: lagomaggioremarathon.it/index.php/en/home-2/ Juan Reyes-Montes
WHO’S WHO? In the last Shropshire Shuffle Ian Richards nominated Mami Laird for this issue’s ‘Who’s Who?’! Mami will then in turn nominate another shuffler and carry on the chain…
What made you join the Shufflers? My work signed up for Great Birmingham Half Marathon in 2014 and I became a member of the team. I was never keen on running at school and hadn’t run since I finished college so I didn’t know where to start and panicked. Then a couple of my friends who were also Shufflers recommended to join and it was one of the best decisions I have ever made. What’s your favourite run or race ever? Cardiff Half Marathon - The route takes runners past Cardiff’s most iconic landmarks such as Cardiff Castle, Cardiff City Stadium, Penarth Marina, getting splashes from the sea at the barrage and heading to Cardiff Bay then Wales Millennium Centre. My highlight is the lovely elderly residents in front of their care home giving us plenty of cheers and shouts at mile ten. They are there for runners every year, no matter what the Welsh weather is like. What’s your biggest achievement in running? Completing my first half marathon in under two hours - 1.57.10 exactly. I still keep that text in my phone. And I have made lots of new great, supportive and inspiring friends via running. What are your future goals and aspirations? I would just love to keep ‘run happy’, especially as I’m injured and not able to at the moment. It is really frustrating and sad. Favourite running song? I don’t listen to music when I run, but because it was played when I was finishing my first race, ‘Chariots of Fire’ always uplifts my spirits. Best bit of kit or equipment? It’s got to be my sports bras, which I ordered on Amazon from Japan and got them shipped over! They are pretty good, and cheap. And my Shufflers neck warmer to keep me away from asthmatic coughs. Favourite post run food or drink? I love to quench some diet coke and scoff a dirty cheeseburger. Then move onto a shandy or Sauvignon Blanc. Not ideal athletes’ diet, I know. If you could race anywhere in the world where would you go?
Name: Mami Laird Age: 47 Occupation: Legal Accounts Assistant
I would love to run the Tokyo Marathon even though I have never thought about doing a full marathon. But if I got a place I would be too shocked to run! If you could run alongside anyone dead or alive who would you choose? Abebe Bikila. Then I would ask how to run barefoot and win the Olympics.
Nominate the next Shuffler to be interviewed and your reason why: Simon Meredith. He always encourages me and runners, and I wonder if he knows any of Shufflerman’s secret.... 11
AN UPDATE
40 by 40 Challenge A year has gone by since our last 40 by 40 update. For those of you who may not have read our previous articles, we (Heather Fras and Niki Wilkinson) are attempting to complete 40 half marathons by the time we reach 40 years old. Running alongside this challenge is an attempt to make our way through the alphabet of half marathons as well.
Niki: Number 10: Ironbridge 1:56:18 (March 2018) – the one where my shoe came off in the mud! Number 11: Uttoxeter 2:06:57 (May 2018) – the one we don’t talk about! An incredibly hot day and challenging course, but one to try again in the future as I will not let it defeat me (goes in the same category as Conwy!). Number 12: Shrewsbury 1:53:13 (June 2018) – first time running our local half marathon, fairly enjoyable apart from the slog up Ellesmere Road! Number 13: Lake Vyrnwy 1:40:40 (September 2018) – PB! Woohoo! I ran Lake Vyrnwy half marathon three years previous and managed to knock 15 minutes off that time, chuffed! Number 14: Manchester 1:46:25 (October 2018) – a bit of a soggy, wet one and not the most exciting race I’ve done but pretty flat. Number 15: Vale of Clwyd 1:53:41 (December 2018) – a sweet little undulating event with just a handful of 87 runners made this a nice half marathon to finish the year on. Number 16: Hampton Court 1:51:57 (February 2019) – a beautiful course and perfect running weather, the sunglasses even made an appearance! Would definitely recommend this race. With number 16 crossed off, and the first one of 2019, the rest of the year is looking exciting – Anglesey (March), Wigan (March), Two Tunnels (August), Yabba Dabba Do (September) and hopefully Xirivella (Spain - November). I’m hoping to squeeze another one in there somewhere too, as well as some 10 k races and the Sexarathon. No rest for the wicked!
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Heather: Number 17: Ironbridge 1:45:57 (March 2018) – a tough but enjoyable course. Number 18: Uttoxeter 1:45:35 (May 2018) – hot and hilly but pretty pleased with my time. Number 19: Eastridge trail 2:04:06 (July 2018) – another hot day and very hilly up to the Stiperstone, but really chuffed to come first in my age category. Number 20 (halfway!): Lake Vyrnwy 1:41:09 (September 2018) – the one where it all went wrong. Not long after finishing I collapsed and ended up in A&E where I was admitted for the night as there were some concerns about my heart readings. I subsequently had a few extra tests and after several months I was given the all-clear. Thanks again to some lovely Shufflers for looking after me. One to try again in the future. (Abersoch - September) – the one I couldn’t do because of the above! On the list for 2019. Number 21: Vale of Clwyd 1:53:29 (December 2018) – was the longest run I’d done since Lake Vyrnwy so kept the pace gentle but it felt good to be back. Number 22: Hampton Court 1:43:46 (February 2019) - I used this as part of my marathon training. Great event, well organised and a lovely course, though it helped that the sun shone.
Niki Wilkinson & Heather Fras
With 18 half marathons to complete and 13 letters of the alphabet to cross off, I need to be more selective in the races I sign up for. I’m now concentrating my training on my first marathon in April before continuing with our half marathon challenge - Potters ‘Arf, Two Tunnels, Yabba Dabba Doo, Abersoch and hopefully Xirivella in Spain. 1313
My First Marathon September 2018, I had just got off the phone to Kidney Research UK who had offered me a place to run the 2019 London Marathon. I nervously accepted and then realised just what I had let myself in for… Rewind two years and I had been diagnosed with a kidney disease, IgA Nepropathy, months earlier, I was hugely overweight, and was generally feeling pretty down on life as a whole. My wife and I were also expecting our first child, all of which finally gave me the kick I needed to sort myself out. I had never run before in my life, but I thought I may as well give this C25K (couch to 5 k running program) thing a bash. It was just what I needed, and I slowly found myself losing weight and enjoying running, hitting the treadmill three days a week at work during the autumn/winter months and setting myself a target of running my first Parkrun before Christmas 2016. After this I quickly signed myself up for my first 10K race, I had well and truly become addicted. I attended Shrewsbury Parkrun every week and finished a number of 10K races throughout 2017,
which culminated in running my first Half Marathon, Cheltenham, pretty much a year to the day I first hit the treadmill. My addiction to running continued into 2018, becoming a fully-fledged member of the Shufflers in February. I will never forget my first session and being told that “you’ll be fine” in the Intermediates group by the coach, wow, what a baptism of fire! 10K’s and three more half marathons were completed throughout the year, with PB’s falling pretty much every time I competed. I had well and truly caught the bug and had made many good friends throughout my journey, all of which gave me the confidence to sign up for a place in the London Marathon. So, fast-forward to the present. As is customary for a spring marathon, I commenced my 16 week training plan in early January 2019 and to be perfectly honest I have enjoyed every training session I have done so far. I decided to complete the majority of my long runs on a Monday evening, primarily so I could incorporate the Shufflers sessions. This has been a great decision as it has given me company for a big chunk of my run and has allowed me to enjoy
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myself without worrying about pace and routes. I completed my longest run to-date in early March; Rhayader 30km Round The Lakes event, and what with the 600m of elevation climb and the 50mph headwinds it proved exceptionally challenging, but immensely rewarding nonetheless. I have also worked hard bringing my weight down by improving my diet, and taking fuelling and nutrition during training and races much more seriously which I feel has been hugely beneficial. I sit here writing this, seven weeks out from the big day, feeling like I can now see clearly the path to the start line at the end of April, and feeling very confident of finishing the Marathon and completing this ultimate challenge. Chris Whiteley
Publicity Appeal Whether you are running, volunteering or cheering from the sidelines, everyone has a story to tell. Perhaps you are doing your first ever 10k/half marathon, or running for a cause that is particularly close to your heart? Maybe you know someone who is coming back from long-term injury/illness and has the potential to inspire others? Do any of your fellow Shufflers deserve a special mention for outstanding achievement, effort or improvement? If so then I would love to hear from you! Please send your stories/photos to me at this email address: media@shropshire-shufflers.org. They could feature in a forthcoming race report. Thomas Vaughan
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Fell Running with Calvin Running in a Winter Wonderland Ever thought you should be blowing off the cobwebs on Boxing or New Year’s Day after the Christmas indulgences? The Boxing Day Dawdle or Dash is the perfect way to work off the turkey. A walk or run from the Stiperstones pub to the Devil‘s Chair and back, with refreshments in the pub afterwards. If the wine or beer hasn’t got the better of you on New Years day, then the ‘morning after’ run in Church Stretton is a must. A five mile lumpy trail run and walk taking in some lesser known trails around the Mynd. You never know you may even spot Santa out and about!
Long Mynd Valleys Fell Race Back in February, the local fell running club ‘Mercia Fell Runners‘, held what is considered to be one of the toughest fell races in the country 11 miles long with 1300m of ascent. There were three hardy Shufflers who took up the challenge, myself, Nigel Pritchard and Charlie Holland. The early morning rain had abated and Saturday’s storm ‘Eric’ had blown through, almost balmy weather for the race. The route is made up of approximately six checkpoints and it‘s down to the runner to choose the shortest or fastest route between those points. The toughness of this race means a pre-selection entry process and safety kit check at the start. During the kit check I realised I’d mislaid my energy gels for fuel, but there was no time to go back to the car as the race was about to start. Every marathon endurance runner knows the consequences of running hard without refuelling on the move. The expressions ‘hitting the wall’, ‘bonking’ (open to interpretation!), are descriptions referring to the body running out of fuel. The body has capacity to store Glycogen (glucose), in the muscles and liver for approximately two hours or 2000 calories of physical exertion. Beyond this, fatigue and a mental fog descends rapidly. It wasn’t until the last ascent, Yearlet, that I knew I was running out of energy. Approxmatiely two hours into the race the lights were starting to go out, but fortunately for me a mate of mine caught up e and had a spare gel that I gratefully swallowed. It got me to the top, and helped me cross the finish line in 2 hours 17 mins, THAT HURT!
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GROUP APPS
Garmin Connect Just to let everyone know; if you use a Garmin watch there’s a Shropshire Shufflers Group on Garmin Connect – which you can search for via the Groups tab on the main menu.
Summer ‘Off Road’ Shuffles Over the coming spring and summer months, Richard Paddock and his posse will be restarting the ‘offroad’ summer shuffles. Meeting on certain Monday evenings at specified locations around the county (check the shufflers Facebook page for updates), Rich and his team will oversee guided trail runs of approximately 1-1.5 hours in duration. The runs will focus on improving technique, ascending and descending skills, all in a friendly relaxed, encouraging atmosphere.
What to wear? One of the most, if not the most, important pieces of kit is your off-road footwear, which is basically split into trail or fell shoes. Trail shoes (pictured below) are more road-shoe orientated with a large flat stud, ideal for running on stone tracks or non technical off-road trails. Fell shoes (pictured right) feature a more aggresive smaller stud and a narrower fit in the toe box. As with all shoes, try before you buy as the fit varies between companies such as Salomon and Innov8.
Improver group runs will also take place, alternating certain Mondays with the guided trail runs, again keep an eye out for Facebook posts. The improver runs proved very popular last year, focusing on building confidence and technique, infused with Rich’s famous sense of humour. So why not ditch the tarmac for a week, come out and run through some stunning scenery, with great company? I promise you won’t regret it.
Calvin Wright
Strava Also we have a group on running Strava (running app & website connecting millions of runners & cyclists worldwide) which you can search for via the Explore menu. So why not join and see where other Shufflers are running. (and how well they are doing too!)
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Tony Ashcroft
Shropshire Shuffler (1992 – 2019) In early February this year we said a sad farewell to our fellow Shuffler Tony Ashcroft. Tony joined the Shufflers in 1992 joining his wife Cynthia who had joined the club some time earlier. Tony loved running with the club and in 1997 Tony and I attended the same coach’s course. I remember Tony asking me if I thought he was ‘too old’ to be taking the course as he was in his early 60’s at the time. I told him of course not and sure enough he was still coaching almost 20 years later. He coached the beginners group for many years and kept everyone going with his banter and cheerful outlook on life. He was a great runner and many of us will remember him achieving a sub 4 London Marathon a fantastic achievement but Tony commented it wasn’t the same not being able to chat to everyone on the way around! Tony was an absolute gentleman and those of us who had the privilege of knowing him will miss him. Our thoughts are with his widow Cynthia and all his family. Liz Hird
Members might like to know about a new feature that is available for the Club Calendar. Teamup now have an Android & Apple App, which you may find useful. All you need to do is just download the app and put the following code in, and the Shufflers calendar will be available on your phone!
ks85c78c69777f6366 It is much easier than trying to use it through a web browser on your phone.
Wendy Holden Fenwick
Shropshire Shuffler Founder Member It is with great regret and a heavy heart that I have news of the passing of Wendy Holden Fenwick(formerly Morgan) . Wendy was a founder member of the Shropshire Shufflers in 1981 and one of the original five members at the first meeting in July 1981, as well as secretary of the club for a number of years. Wendy’s beautiful calligraphy abilities meant she actually hand wrote the ‘Shuffler magazine’ every month for a number of years which was then photo-copied and circulated. How times have changed!
Wendy Holden Fenwick
Shropshire Shuffler Founder Member
It is with great regret and a heavy heart that I have news of the passing of In her own words, here is an excerpt of a letter Wendy wrote to the club in recent Wendy Holden Fenwick(formerly Morgan) . Wendy was a founder member of years. the Shropshire Shufflers in 1981 and one of the original five members at the first meeting in July 1981, as well as secretary of the club for a number of “I am delighted to see that the ‘Shropshire Shufflers’ are still running strong! years. Wendy’s beautiful calligraphy abilities meant she actually hand wrote The hairy legged, fallen socked, running shoe logo that you have is my art work from the ‘Shuffler magazine’ every month for a number of years which was then 1981.” Happy days! “ photo-copied and circulated. How times have changed! Wend always had a soft spot for the Shufflers, the county of Shropshire and the In her own words, here is an excerpt of a letter many friends she gained from the club. She was also known for her outstanding Wendy wrote to the club in recent years. ventriloquist capabilities appearing on many television shows in the seventies and eighties such as Tiswas, Sooty and Lucky Numbers as well as entertaining at many “I am delighted to see that the ‘Shropshire Shufflers’ are still running local parties in Shropshire. Before heading to live in Surrey where she continued to strong! perform and teach. Wendy was a multi-talented lady. The hairy legged, fallen socked, running shoe logo that you have is my art work from 1981.” Happy days!“ We are all in shock that such a vibrant soul has been taken from our midst so young but Wend leaves many happy memories and her legacy will no doubt be continued Wend always had a soft spot for the Shufflers, the county of Shropshire by her two sons Peter and Tom who now live in Sydney Australia and her grandson and the many friends she gained from the club. She was also known for her Benji who will be two years old on the 26th March 2019 outstanding ventriloquist capabilities appearing on many television shows in the seventies and eighties such as Tiswas, Sooty and Lucky Numbers as well We like to think Wend has just gone ahead to help Keith another founder member, as entertaining at many local parties in Shropshire. Before heading to live start the next Shuffler chapter! in Surrey where she continued to perform and teach. Wendy was a multitalented lady. We are all in shock that such a vibrant soul has been taken from our midst so young but Wend leaves many happy memories and her legacy will no doubt be continued by her two sons Peter and Tom who now live in Sydney Australia and her grandson Benji who will be two years old on the 26th March 2019 We like to think Wend has just gone ahead to help Keith another founder member, start the next Shuffler chapter! Ron Morgan
London Marathon 2019 There aren’t many sports I will sit down for hours and watch but every year I stop everything and watch the London Marathon. I sit there with the app tracking all my amazing friends who have worked hard both fundraising and training to get to the start. I don’t know why Annabel and I don’t just watch it together because every year, we text constantly just willing the people we know on, wanting them to get the times they have worked for and deserve. I feel nothing but inspiration and admiration for everyone’s efforts each year and now it’s my turn. I was lucky enough to get a Good for Age place which still utterly amazes me but I have a place and I am finally about to get to the start line which is beyond exciting. Training has gone well for me and it has helped the winter hasn’t been like Narnia. I have done many miles with Anna Iley covering a a broad range of topics some more sensible than others but what happens on the road, stays on the road! I am completely self-coached and am my very own guinea pig; I’ve researched and learned about
sessions and progression and then tried them in my training. My plan has been very fluid and changed constantly. Consequently, I’ve actually discovered I am a bit of a control freak in terms of my mileage and fitting my runs in which, if I put my running coach head on, makes me fairly high maintenance! My body doesn’t always cope well with high mileage; I have had my fair share of injuries through the years and found that triathlon training saved my running as there were these two other disciplines to focus on rather than just pavement pounding. This year though I have trained for this marathon like a runner rather than a runner who is also training for a triathlon. I have managed my highest mileage ever with nutrition been a hugely important element as well as recovery and guess what? I have surprised myself. My poor body has coped and is just about still standing. So bring on the start line! I am doing the London Marathon and somehow despite all my miles and hours of running, the pressure of secret times, PBs, fears of blowing up and fears of suffering, I can’t help but feel incredibly excited. I’m running London!!!! I can’t help but get carried away in the whole carnival feel that surrounds the VLM but there is just that little run to do…. My aim on the day? Look after myself well and do my best; fuel and hydrate and try to finish strong and not a wreck! Sharon Williams
Nutrition - Common-sense Guidelines for Endurance Athletes Correct fuelling is an essential part of preparation for endurance athletes. Endurance events can seriously deplete the stores of fuel and fluid in your body. Some considerations: Carbohydrate and protein Before any type of exercise, aim to take in enough carbohydrate so you can meet the requirements of your training schedule. You also have to ensure that you adequately restock the stores you have used up, either from a training session or a competition. A key action you can take to enhance performance is to increase your intake of carbohydrate in the 2 or 3 days prior to the exercise, session or race. Carbohydrates are present in many foods and drinks, but you may also consider energy bars, gels and liquid meals as a supplement to your carbohydrate intake. For very long endurance events such as marathons and ultra distance racing, you may want to aim for an intake of 30-60g per hour of exercise. Proteins are also important and can help you to consume sufficient calories across the whole of your diet.
Hydration Performance can suffer if you are not fully hydrated prior to starting exercise and water should be drunk in addition to sports drinks and food in order to contribute to the fluid required. Although the intensity of the exercise is important, as a general rule you should aim to drink during an exercise if it lasts in excess of an hour. Watch top athletes who may not require much water during the course of a half marathon race, however if they compete in a marathon they can be seen taking drinks on board from the very early miles. Ideally, you should opt for an isotonic sports drink that will help make sure fluids are replaced as well as delivering some carbohydrate. You may prefer fruit juices or other types of sugary drinks, however as these generally contain no sodium, they may not be as good as opting for a sports drink.
Where, when and what? Almost as important as what you eat is when you eat it and how much you eat! For example you will benefit more from the carbohydrate you consume after exercise if you eat as soon as possible – ‘the window of opportunity’ to help enhance glycogen (carbohydrate) fuel storage. Likewise you need to start drinking as soon as possible in order to replace lost fluids and electrolytes from sweating. Refuelling is a key part of the recovery process, and the sooner you can start your recovery, the better shape you will be in the next time you need to train or race. You should aim to have a high carbohydrate meal ideally 3-4 hours before your session or race. It is recommended that the high carbohydrate foods are low in fibre as high fibre foods can be quite bulky and potentially cause stomach upsets. After exercise, regular carbohydrate intake every couple of hours will help refuel and should consist mainly of high Glycaemic index foods such as: • • • •
some breads, bagels and rice cakes baked or mashed potatoes pretzels and plain popcorn sports drinks
• some breakfast cereals, e.g. corn flakes, weetabix • tropical fruits, e.g. watermelon and ripe bananas • jelly beans
Main points you should know: Plan your nutrition in and around an event as specifically as your training and tactics Taper down your exercise during the few days where you increase your intake of carbohydrate to help maximise fuel stores Plan and even practice eating and drinking up to, in and around events – don’t experiment with a new approach before an important race! Adjust your refuelling to take into account weather, temperatures and other external factors Ack. UKCoach.com This is a very small extract from UKCoach ‘Eat and drink like a champion’ pdf, it’s worth reading.
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Which Running Shoes are best for you? There are so many makes and models of running shoes out there. You are faced with the choice of stability, motion control, neutral, or minimalist so it’s often hard to know which ones are best for you! Hopefully, by reading this you’ll feel more confident you’re getting the right shoes for you. I feel the best place to start is the feet, after all, it’s what we put in our shoes! Feet are very complex. There are many bones, of varying shapes, and joints that allow for multiple movements. When running, the foot needs to move from supination (locked) to pronation (unlocking), and back to supination. Supination of the foot creates a rigid lever, which allows the big toe to propel you forward. The pronation phase of running in when the foot flattens, this allows the muscles throughout the body to lengthen. Muscles work much like a catapult, they need to be lengthened before they can shorten effectively. So if your foot can move fully into pronation and supination it will have a powerful effect, as the muscles of your body come alive. Coming back to the running shoes, there are many out there that offer additional support to the medial arch of the foot and heel. The problem is, by giving this support it limits the amount of movement in the foot complex. This will have a negative effect throughout the body, stopping muscles from lengthening fully. This decreases their ability to contract, which is crucial for effective and efficient movement. Something else I think you’ll find interesting is that the nerve receptors in the foot are the same nerve branch that controls the hip, or more specifically the posterior chain (The Glutes). So if you’re wearing comfy wellsupported shoes, you’ll be dampening the signals from your feet to your hips...this can result in lazy glutes! So rather than trying to find the comfiest and most supportive running shoes, find a shoe that gives you feedback and will allow your foot to move freely. You want shoes that your foot can control, don’t let the shoes dominate you! However here’s the disclaimer part, there are certain medical conditions that require specialists footwear and insoles. Plus, if you’re used to wearing a comfy supported shoe, you’ll probably find it a bit of a shock initially. But it’s worth persevering with a more responsive shoe, as the muscles throughout your body wake up. You’ll feel nippier on your feet with an increased stride rate, plus evidence suggests you’re less likely to get knee and hip injuries. I hope you found this article useful, if you have any questions please contact us. The Optimal Movement Team
www.optimal-movement.co.uk | info@optimal-movement.co.uk | 01743 292 622 22
Coaches Corner Members who regularly attend our main club nights will have noticed the growth in numbers over the last six months. Where we used to provide 7 running groups on a Monday, we now provide 10, and the club has also introduced 2 progressive groups at the Intermediate and Improver levels at the request of the membership. Feedback on these sessions has been positive and they have enabled runners who want to experience a more intensive session and are thinking of moving up groups, a more challenging run. However please note, these groups are “work in progress”. To assist with the increased membership, the club has recently trained 15 more Run Leaders and they will be mentored in the coming weeks before being let lose on you! Please support them when they introduce themselves to you. We are also training up 5 more Coaches, to help me offer more varied sessions to the club, including those we offer at Track at London Road. These Coach in Running Fitness (CiRF) courses take a minimum of 6 months, so it’s a big commitment for the runners involved. The question about whom to seek running advice from on a range of issues was raised at our recent AGM, and I’d like to clarify the difference between Run Leaders and Coaches. All those who take groups on a Monday and Wednesday night have completed a Leader in Running Fitness (LiRF) qualification. This is a 1-day course after which the Run Leader is mentored by experienced club runners on at least 3 sessions before taking out groups on their own. Their qualification allows them to plan group runs, risk assess routes and deliver group sessions. A smaller group of 6 current runners have gone on to complete a variety of further courses to qualify as Coaches. The Coach in Running Fitness (CiRF) is the current UK Athletic route to a coaching qualification. These courses can take a minimum of 6 months and our most qualified coaches have had many years of coaching experience. Coaches are qualified to deliver Track sessions, undertake a “MOT” on a runner and advise on their running style and form, and develop personal programmes for any race distance from 5k to marathon. Some of our Coaches have advanced Performance and Endurance qualifications. I will ensure our club web site is updated with Coach names and contact details. However, if you have any running-related queries on a club night, please ask any of our Run Leaders who will advise or sign-post you accordingly. You can find details of these courses and many other Continual Professional Development opportunities open to all runners at the following website: www.ulearnathletics.com/site/index Happy Running! Glenn Francké
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