Contents Stories Introduction to The Shufflers
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Shrewsbury Sprint Triathlon
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Krakow Marathon
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Chirk Run Route Guide Running Workshop
Contributors Nick Pollock
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Jeremy Bolwell Karina Arthur Juan Reyes-Montes Bob Turner
Who’s who?
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The Tale of the Training Plan
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Quest Wales
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Race The Train
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Colin Lancaster
Events Planner 2020
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Glenn FranckĂŠ
Cross Country
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Sharon Williams Helen Grime Norman Titley Euan Balmer The Optimal Movement Team Richard Bishop (cover image)
Editors Graham Evans
Advice
Helen Grime Lucy Grime
Want to run faster?
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Mobility Fix
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Coaches Corner
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Magazine available online at: issuu.com/theshropshireshuffler
Simon Meredith
Thomas (2.34) Vaughan
Design:
www.studiopayne.com
CHAT FROM THE CHAIR Welcome to the autumn 2019 edition of our club magazine. The editorial team have worked hard to bring together lots of great articles, so I’m sure you’ll find something of interest. I’d like to start by welcoming all the former members of the beginners’ group who now call themselves New Improvers. I’m quite sure many of you found it hard to believe, when you started back in May, you’d be able to complete the 10k. It’s great to see that so many of you have and I hope you will continue your running journey for many years. Sales of the new kit have been really positive and it’s been wonderful to see so many of you wearing it at both training and in races. It seems a long time ago that we first asked for ideas, so to see the final version available to wear is great. Thank you to everyone who submitted designs and well done to Aimee Woosnam for putting forward the most popular one. Now we have a truly unique design I’m looking forward to no longer hearing “go on [some other running club]” during races! I’m really pleased that we will be taking part in the North Wales Cross Country League this year. It’s a new venture for our club, and a big thank you to Euan Balmer for getting it off the ground. The rising popularity of the annual Shropshire Cross Country Championships in January means we hope to have teams in both the Men’s and Women’s league this season. As with the county event, everyone is welcome to take part so don’t think it’s only for elite runners and look out for messages and Facebook posts about it. Supporters are encouraged too. And finally, the committee has been conscious for a while that it’s sometimes a bit harder to contact us than it should be. To that end, we’ve added a new contact page to the website. There are lots of new direct email addresses so you can send your comment or query straight to the best person to answer it. I’m sure I can speak on behalf of the whole committee when I say we really do value feedback from the membership so we can run our club in the best possible way. 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 email or Facebook. I hope to see you at training or a race soon. Happy running! Nick Pollock Chairman
NEW! Follow us on Twitter @ShropshireShuf2 for all the latest news and last minute updates.
Our Introduction to The Shufflers My wife and I joined the Shufflers back in the early summer. We both needed a running club to get our running back on track, get our fitness up, meet some new likeminded people, re-sculpt our tired little bodies and most importantly, have some fun. I thought I would record a brief account of our progress to date. For the record, we have run and raced previously. I’ve done a few marathons (three times in London 2008-2010), we have done one GNR together in 2015, plus the Swansea Half Marathon the same year and also some fun 10k races in North Wales. I was a member of another running club from 2006 to 2011, and have run numerous half marathons and 10k races. But sadly they tailed off and it looked like our racing, as well as our training runs, would die out like a damp squib - a scary thought.
The plan is working too. My wife has just done her Shufflers 10k in one hour and five minutes with me alongside to offer moral support and to test my own legs. I am running the Cardiff Half Marathon in a month - a race I used to run in 1.45 - I’m heading back that way!
So we found ourselves gathering in amongst a large, friendly, keen and varied mob in lycra in the Quarry Park. First impressions last! What were ours? All good. The Shufflers is obviously very inclusive, very welcoming and very focused. There’s something for everyone, from the newest newbie or to the hardest of hardcore ultra runners. We somehow found a group, pitched in and re-found the joy of flailing those legs, pumping those arms and knees and testing the old cardio-vascular system to see what occurred.
Running is big and growing bigger - you see runners at all hours of the day in towns and villages the length and breadth of the country. We are all part of the same animal - I beep them when I see them for they are us and we are them.
Any good club is more than the sum of its parts. The collective consciousness of a large group of people all focusing positive energy into something makes a club into a hydra-headed spirit animal that takes on a life of its own. And the Shufflers absorbed us and has pinged us around its pinball machine to get us into the right group and brought our running on. 4
A village brings up its kids to adulthood and a club has done this for us in a matter of weeks. Thank you to everyone who has offered a nod, a word, a tip, cracked a joke or made us run even a tad faster.
Run and become! Jeremy Bolwell
Club Annual Dinner, Dance and Presentation Evening Friday 8th November 2019 at the Lord Hill Hotel Join us for a fun-packed evening, great company, good food, music, awards and much more! Friday 8th November 2019 7pm for 7.30pm, Finish at Midnight Smart Casual Dress Price is £24 per person Book before 28 October 2019! To book your place(s) please complete your personalised email invitation and follow the instructions provided Lost your email invitation then scan the QR Code to open an email to request another to be promptly sent to you for completing and submitting.
Our New Club Kit If you want to buy a Club training Technical T-Shirt (£16.79) or Race Vest (£15.59) then these can be bought from our online shop, sold via Scimitar Clubs, just scan the QR Code to open the link to our online shop. 5
Shrewsbury Sprint Triathlon: A First Timer’s Opinion (Alan Morris and yourself!) mentioned the triathlon in Shrewsbury and how much fun it was and that got me really interested. But the final push to enter came from reading Murakami’s book ‘What I Talk About When I Talk About Running’, in which he describes his own experience of doing a triathlon and what it had meant to him. What did you think the event would be like before you took part? I had two problems with the triathlon: swimming and cycling. I like both but I don’t do either regularly. I was very worried about swimming in the river and getting cold. And I was concerned about cycling because I don’t own a racing bike. I felt slightly apprehensive about it all (the transitions, in particular) because I had no previous experience of this event. A month or so before I was thinking a lot about whether to take part or not. Actually, I decided the day before the triathlon that I was going to do it.
2019 marks for me the fourth time I have completed the Shrewsbury Sprint Triathlon and will hopefully not be my last as it has a firm place in my exercise calendar. I know other Shufflers who are regulars and enjoy the event as much as I do, but it was a pleasant surprise to find out that we would be having a new Shuffler taking part this year. Her name is Karina Arthur and she has agreed to give up some of her time to share her thoughts about the event. Karina, first I’d like to ask why you decided to enter in the first place? I have always wanted to do a triathlon but just never got round to doing one. A couple of Shufflers 6
How did this differ from what you experienced on the day? The decision to do it was the right one! I had an absolutely amazing time and all my worries were unnecessary. I managed to get a good time and well above what I expected. The event was very well organised, people marshalling and those taking part were fantastic and very helpful and I enjoyed every single moment of it. Unless you’ve experienced it, nothing can prepare you for the first transition where you’re trying to pull the wetsuit off to get on the bike, or coming off the bike and trying to run and your legs just don’t want to. One of the sentences from the book I mentioned sums it nicely: “I could see myself running but had no sensation of running.” But that was the fun in it. What would you say was your favourite event and why would you choose that?
Ironically, my favourite event was the one I was most worried about: the swim! I didn’t get cold, though I do have an arctic wetsuit. I also swam faster than I thought I would so that gave me a super boost before the other events. Did you do any specific training and would you prepare differently in the future? I did plan to train for it but that fell apart when the kids broke off for the summer. I was away for most of August arriving back two days before the event. I continued running and I had a few 5-10k cycle rides on my parents’ bikes (one with a basket and the other one old and rusty). I thought that if I’m generally fit, I should be fine. I focused on thinking about transitions especially the first one. In the end, I did much better than I thought I would. I went into this event with very little expectation in terms of achieving a good time or placement. I
wanted to do it because it made me get out of my comfort zone a little and to have fun. Next time, I want to focus even more on transitions and getting them right, plus to have running shoes with no laces! I think this triathlon made me realise how much I love swimming so I’ll probably do a bit more preparation for that event in the future and maybe try the crawl instead of breaststroke. But otherwise, I hope I have as much fun as I did this time. Finally, what would you say to anyone who was considering taking part in the future? I’d say to anyone to definitely try the Shrewsbury Sprint Triathlon. It’s well organised, it’s fun and it’s a great way to challenge yourself. Karina Arthur
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Krakow Marathon This year’s first outing in the marathon tourism series took me to Krakow. Krakow marathon, officially called by its Latin name Cracovia Marathon, takes place on the London marathon weekend, by the end of April. This year was the 18th edition of this marathon with over 5,000 finishers, and most importantly, no ballot, so entries are taken up to the day before at the expo. The race starts and finishes at the central Market Square inside Krakow’s old town, taking through all the major sights and going out to the modern expanse of the city in a flat course. Bib and t-shirt pick-up was available at the expo for 3 days before the race. The expo is relatively small, with a couple of International marathon booths, local gear retailers and energy bars, and takes place at a sport complex just outside the old town. After spending the day before the race with a thorough sightseeing and little rest, we had the chance to watch (not join) the 10k night race that is organised following part of the marathon route, with a great atmosphere along the route and specially at the finish in the central square. I also had the chance for a full carbo load sampling the local specialities Pierogi, dumplings filled with cabbage, spinach or cottage cheese, and beetroot soup that ended up being the perfect fuel for the following day.
second half and specially for the final 10k, finishing at a time almost 20 minutes below my previous PB!. Fantastic atmosphere at the finish, with hot food (delicious crepes), hot drinks, recovery massage and a covered rest area.
The day of the race started with a light rain, that alternated with drizzle for the whole day and pretty cold temperature. Huge tents filled the Market Square, with bag drop and changing area that was used as a shelter from the rain before the start. Despite the rain, there was a good crowd support in the old town area and around mid-race in the Nowa Huta area. The memory of past bad races kept me sensible during the first half, little drink at stations and managed to save energy for a push in the
Juan Reyes-Montes
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In terms of value, Krakow marathon is amazing as a registration similar to that of most 10k races includes pasta party, gym accommodation (bring your own bag), medal and great technical shirt. Great city to explore and run around. Full info about the next edition can be found at cracoviamaraton.pl.
Chirk Run: 10 Miles You can park at the garden centre (which will kindly provide you with a pre-run toilet), for this interesting 10 mile route. It covers many different types of running, from flat canal towpaths to hilly tracks. The route even goes across the front of a National Trust property, as well as the famous Chirk Aqueduct carrying the canal 70 feet above the River Ceiriog. Finish with coffee and cake at the garden centre.
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.
Sight Loss Awareness: Guide Running Workshop I have recently completed my run leader course (LIRF) and when I heard about the Sight Loss Awareness and Guide running course, I decided that it would be a useful exercise to participate in. Initially, the idea was to just help expand my knowledge. I was pleased to walk in and see a few friendly Shuffler faces. The course was run by British Blind Sport and it was fantastic. It was a good mixture of practical and classroom teaching. The practical sessions saw us practising guiding each other around rooms, manoeuvring around obstacles and tackling flights of stairs. The classroom element taught us different styles of guiding, factors that need to be considered when pairing up and it made us aware of the challenges that people with sight loss face. We then moved out into Frankwell car park to do some guide running and sprinting practice. It was a real eye-opener. There was so much to be aware of when you are guiding someone and I realised how much trust the person being guided needs to have in you. I left the course that night absolutely buzzing and very excited at the thought that I could help someone remove at least one or more of their barriers. My mum has been a wheelchair user since I was at school, so I am aware of the barriers that some people can face. I came away enthusiastic about being a guide runner and helping people to achieve their goals. If any of you get the chance to take the course, I cannot recommend it highly enough. Bob Turner
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WHO’S WHO? In the last Shropshire Shuffle Mami Laird nominated Simon Meredith for this issue’s ‘Who’s Who?’! Simon will then in turn nominate another shuffler and carry on the chain…
First of all, I want to say thank you to every one of you. This is a great club. I can’t imagine that there is a friendlier, more inclusive and unassuming bunch anywhere. And thank you to Mami for putting my name forward for this article, I’m honoured, but really don’t feel worthy of this much attention. What made you join the Shufflers? Parkrun. We had just moved back into town and I went for a run in The Quarry one Saturday morning. There seemed to be some kind of race on; I started going every week, met some Shufflers, came down one Monday night, and that was that. What’s your favourite run or race ever? Running the Shrewsbury Half two years ago with my three children in memory of their grandad and to raise money for the hospice, was pretty special. And of course, absolutely nothing beats the Attingham Relays. What’s your biggest achievement in running? I’d hope that that I have – even in the very smallest of ways – helped and encouraged others to run, believe in themselves and be thankful they can do it. I just love being out there, feeling alive and enjoying it. If you really press me, getting a sub 20-minute 5K at parkrun – once! What are your future goals and aspirations? I really don’t have any except to help and encourage others to enjoy running. And to stay fit and keep going myself. Favourite running song? I don’t listen to music when I am running (although I do sometimes play tunes out in my head). Before the run, Oblivious by Aztec Camera or, if I really want to get fired-up, the cover of Wake Up by Brass Against featuring Sophia Urista; just be careful with that volume control! Best bit of kit or equipment? Like many other Shufflers, I suffer from Raynaud’s and so, by some distance, my Turtle Doves fingerless gloves win. They are just about the only thing that gets me through winter training without my fingers getting completely frozen. I also love my Shuffler’s neck-warmer (thank you Rick Garcia :) ). Favourite post run food or drink? I have started making energy balls, based on a Deliciously Ella recipe (grind 200g cashews and 50g oats into a flour, then add and grind in 200g dates and plenty of fresh ginger; makes 10 - 12). They are a great quick-fix, before and after; or wholemeal toast with peanut butter and banana. If you could race anywhere in the world where would you go? The Table Mountain Crossing in Cape Town (it would also give me an excuse to go and see a cricket match at Newlands). But ask me, ‘if you could have one last run at the end of your running days, where would you go?’, I’d unhesitatingly say, the Long Mynd on a sunny day; The Quarry would be a close second. We are so lucky to live in such a beautiful part of the world.
Name: Simon Meredith Age: 58 Occupation: Copywriter
If you could run alongside anyone dead or alive who would you choose? Honestly, I just love running alongside my current team-mates and parkrunners. I don’t get the chance to run with enough of them, often enough. I really liked the style of Cuba’s Alberto Juantorena and more recently, David Rudisha has been a favourite. But I’d only be running ‘alongside’ those guys in my dreams. I’d also like to run with Shufflerman, but I never seem to be around when he makes an appearance. Nominate the next Shuffler to be interviewed and why: There are many individual club members whom I admire and would like to put forward. But I get to choose just one, so I’m going for Bob Turner, because she always encourages, helps and supports other runners, joggers and walkers. Bob always has a smile on her face and, to me, she’s the epitome of what it is to be a Shuffler.
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The Tale of the Training Plan and The Runner too intense. The husband and sons welcomed the structure as everyone knows that families are more effective with a routine and a plan. Training Plan felt at home and accepted. All was well. For the runner, the journey has begun and everyone felt happy for the runner. This happy state of training homeostasis continued for some time but slowly and stealthily, Training Plan was infiltrating one person in the family. The runner. Me. The runs get longer, the sessions become more race-specific and the true colours of Training Plan is revealed; to indoctrinate the runner to believe that the marathon is the most important goal in the world. All the while making everyone else close to the runner feel insecure about their fitness and questioning why they don’t have goals. Devious. Training Plan has the power to rock the deepest of foundations.
Marathon Runners, we all know one. They tell us soon enough. I’m one. I can actually now say I have done two marathons. Marathon Runners like to tell you how many they have done as well. Marathon Runners are in fact boring people. They obsess over miles, injury, food, sleep, trainers, socks and so on. But it’s not completely their fault. I blame Training Plan. Training Plan is that very needy and demanding extra entity in the family who sneaks in rather innocuously before taking over the runner’s life. Family members and close friends need to be accepting of this new and intense attachment with Training Plan, then the whole process is much more bearable. 18 weeks ago, Training Plan made a tentative and unassuming entrance into the life of a runner and her family; just four or five runs a week, nothing 12
The runner craves the adaptations training brings and the progression. The runner pours over statistics on Strava and Garmin searching for clues that all is going to plan. Fully committed and blinkered, the runner panics when potential fun family occasions clash with long runs or key sessions. The runner will try to manipulate all these scenarios for the good of Training Plan. It is about this point that Training Point has now infiltrated sleep patterns and food choices. Family members long for takeaways and pizza, but when Training Plan is consulted, it appears a Chicken Balti would not be a good choice before a long run. Or a midweek bottle of wine was not a good match for the following day’s speed session. Trying to catch up with Game of Thrones becomes a source of contention between the runner and the husband as at any time after 9 pm, without warning the runner could pull the plug and announce it’s time for bed. Even in the middle of a crucial fight scene. With dragons. Life becomes very different for family and friends and they look on their runner with sympathy and
pity. They try to humour her, forcing enthusiasm at their latest bonkers long run but really, they are mourning the person they used to be before Training Plan wormed its way in. Everyone is utterly thrilled when taper time finally arrives. Training Plan relinquishes its hold over the runner’s time and energy. Wonderful! The problem is, at this late stage, the runner is relying completely and utterly on Training Plan for all life decisions and continues to search hungrily for anything extra that Training Plan might be concealing. Anything that might help seal the deal with that imminent finish line. Training Plan has lost a bit of interest and is indifferent to the tired, emotional and desperate runner. Training Plan shrugs and tells the runner that the work is done. The miles are in the legs. This is not what the runner wants to hear. There are still two or three weeks before the event. The inattentiveness of Training Plan causes the runner to begin to unravel. The family and close friends are there to pick up the pieces and offer their reassurances. That’s Training Plan for you; ruthless, merciless and brutal.
The week before the marathon, the runner begins to pack for the weekend and race day. She glances at Training Plan and realises it can stay at home. There really is nothing more it can offer. She knows what she must do. She knows that she has to go into the race having eaten and hydrated as well as she ever can. She knows she has to look after herself on the course; fuelling, drinking and she knows she has to manage her pace and conserve energy as much as possible. The battle now is between her and the 26.2 miles. For the runner, this was no ordinary 26.2 miles. This was the London Marathon; something that she had wanted to do for nearly 20 years. As it got closer the
runner shifted backwards and forwards from being insanely excited to exceptionally nervous. This was it. Training Plan was far from forgotten when race day dawned. The runner knew the miles were in her legs, she knew she had done everything Training Plan had asked of her. At the Blue Start on that windy and cold morning, she allowed herself a little selfconfidence. The race began and it was everything that the runner had hoped it would be and more. She had heavy legs at the very start which caused brief concern but she didn’t dwell on it. She moved on. She kept her faith in Training Plan but she was surprised. Training Plan hadn’t let her know how happy she would be whilst running this marathon. She wasn’t really prepared for the continuous party vibe that rippled through the whole of London. She didn’t even need any of her mantras that she had practised with because the positivity that filled the air was all she needed. She repeated to herself ‘I am running the London Marathon’, and that was enough. The dark places the mind takes you when it hurts never came. Yes, it hurt but she didn’t focus on it; she was in control and the plethora of colours and banners, the music, the roaring of the crowd was a huge but brilliant distraction. It was a multi-sensory experience and ever so slightly mind-blowing. Some might argue that to run a marathon within yourself might suggest the runner didn’t push herself. Training Plan taught her patience. Some much braver runners go all out and who can blame them. It’s their day to show what they can do. This runner, however, is cautious. She ran a patient and measured race with control, terrified of blowing up. She looked after herself following a well-practised fuelling strategy and the pace she had trained for and she enjoyed every single minute of it. Honestly. Even when her legs were screaming running along Embankment in the final mile. She loved it. The runner is home. The runner is tired and sore but the runner is so happy. And so are the runner’s family and friends. All is forgiven and all is forgotten. Training Plan with its curled corners and endless notes scrawled all over it has been filed away. The runner is very happy about this. Training Plan did her proud this time but can quite frankly do one for now. Sharon Williams 1313
Quest Wales:
Kayaks, Bikes, Mountains, Lakes and the Best PreRace Loos Ever We have all experienced the dreaded prerace nerve loo trips. However many times you go at home before setting off, you just know that at around 26 minutes before race start time you will need the loo and it will be urgent. Then you spot the queue for the portaloos, gamble on a line and begin polite pre-loos/pre-race chat, “Done this one before?”, “Heard the hill in the middle is hideous.”. Then as your line shuffles forward, there is the impending smell of stress, followed by the whispered panic of, “Any toilet paper in there still?”. There is the speedy passing of rations of white tissues (everyone always has one female friend who is always equipped with plenty). It’s not fun, once I was almost punched in the queue by a frantic competitor who has unhappy about the distribution of the lines to the portaloos. Another time while safely settled in one, I had to exit in a mad rush as I had a shout of, “Get out, get out. There are five thousand people coming past in the next starting wave!”. So for this reason and others, I thoroughly recommend the Quest Wales Adventure Race in Betws-y-Coed at the start of June. But to enjoy the full experience you really need to book the very posh campsite two
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minutes walk from the starting field. Campers/tents/ mobile homes, with loos so lovely they have ironing boards and fresh flowers. It makes the whole start so much more relaxing and fragrant. Of course, it’s also a great sporting event too. There are three different distances: 50km is the Expert, 38km is the Sport and 23km is the Challenge. Running, cycling and kayaking. We opted, along with Dave Perry and Liz Hird, for the Expert distance. You start with a very hilly, but very beautiful run around Betws-y-Coed. At one point we ran along the river which was so swollen we got wet feet. Then an equally short, but hilly bike ride to the lake. This part was so challenging that many people had to get off their bikes and walk. Then a ten minute kayak across the lake (all equipment was supplied by the event organisers). Another beautiful and challenging run and a final bike ride back to Betws-y-Coed, which was amazingly downhill and fast. And then a ridiculous run up a massive hill around a reservoir and back down. We completed the event in around five hours. It was a real learning curve for me, as I had only ever
entered running races before. If I enter again, I will plan more carefully what to wear for both biking and running. Especially a backpack with water in, rather than bike or water bottles. However, I did get it right with wearing trainers for the whole race, rather than swapping between trainers and bike shoes. Quest Wales is an Irish company and they organise a number of events both here and in Ireland. It is well organised with a real mixture of participants and free soup and a roll after. Plus a jolly atmosphere and fantastic local stone-fired pizza restaurant for the night before or after or both. Helen Grime
THE R ANTING RUNNER SUMMERTIME RUNNING, AAHH LOVELY. Well, don’t we all look forward to summer and the opportunity to just slip on the mega tech shoes and go out for a posing run? That is until you get out there! PEDESTRIANS! Since I have run with clubs, I have always been taught to appreciate and almost believe that it’s the PEDESTRIANS who allow us to run on the pavement. They have right of way. They are vulnerable. Well they are a pain in the arse and I’ve had enough of them. Does anyone suffer from Zombie Sunday? Go the quarry and try and jog in a straight line. After the average park wobbler has released their Duracell powered pint-sized rugrat on a peddleless mini cycle, they release their very own four-legged s**t machine on an extendable cheese wire. One of them will get you. And when it does they look at you! “Mind my perfect child” or “Be careful jogging type person, you kicked my little shiatsu!” If you are experienced enough to foresee these weapons of running destruction coming, then they will resort to wobble tacking. They are so absorbed by their own wobbly slow-motion world and their post full English and pre-roast chug! A recent altercation with a pedestrian resulted in a debate won by the runner, who pointed out that the pedestrian was wearing all-round footwear and was far more suitably dressed to step on to the grass verge than the runner who was wearing very colourful brand new road shoes. The pedestrian had no answer worth considering and utilised the verge. The runner, in good spirits and to maintain the runner/ pedestrian mutual appreciation levels within the Shrewsbury area, suggested that perhaps more rugged wheels on the pedestrian’s zimmer frame might benefit as well during future off-road experiences. Probably didn’t listen but how considerate do you have to be? Rant over. Just like the summer. Ranting Runner x PS. Can anyone design a winter head torch with a built-in taser?
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Race The Train There are many reasons to say yes to the chance of running through the welsh countryside, especially when some of it is not public access or at least not a public footpath. It may be the beauty of the countryside, or it may be the challenge of the landscape, steep banks, narrow hillside paths or somewhat smelly bogs. But when all this is coupled with the challenge of trying to beat a shiny bright steam engine, who could say no? Organised by the Rotary Club of Tywyn, Race the Train has been going for 36 years and has always been a challenge, or to be more honest, a series of challenges. In the morning there are two races, a 5K and 10K, and in the afternoon the main event. 14 miles starting from the bridge above the Talyllyn Lite railway and following the line out to its endpoint at Abergynolwyn, before turning back and eventually reaching the finish line in the centre of Tywyn. The race starts at five minutes past two, with a long blast of the train’s whistle. Athletes of all shapes sizes, ages and genders then run through the town and out on the Dolgellau road, turn onto a side lane just outside of the town. The route follows the lane before turning up a farm drive and then on into fields. This year’s race was both sunny and dry, it is not always that way. The runners follow the railway across fields, up and down banks, through farmyards and even across someone’s front lawn. Seven miles in arriving at Abergynolwyn, where the course runs in from to the station Halt and then turns back up a small rough track and onto the lower slopes of the mountain after a short distance, the runners pass through a small underpass underneath the rail line and then upwards on a narrow sheep path.
A quick glance to the right and the line of athletes still running along the lower path can be seen. The route carries on up the track, and across a series of steeply sloping fields and tracks before dropping down to Dolgoch falls, crossing the stream and then tuning steeply up a series of stone steps and back onto the side of the mountain. Here is where a cheery marshal will advise the best route through the bog. The bog is quite famous amongst those who have run the race before and it is by no means rare to arrive to find somebody knee-deep in what I will loosely describe as “mud” trying to retrieve their shoes. As it has been dry this year the bog was only just over the ankles rather than the knees. Following along the track the runners eventually re-join the route that they initially ran out on. Then back along the railway line and up a steep grassy bank eventually arriving back across the lawn and through the first of two farmyards. Then along more fields until arriving at the bridge crossing over the railway line and down into another farmyard. For those seriously chasing the train, this bridge is important as if you get here before or at the same time as the train you must push on at the same speed. If you do you will get to the finish line before the train. However, if the train has passed you before this point, you are unlikely to beat it, but of course, you still have to push on to get a good race time. After crossing the bridge and passing through the second farmyard, runners return to the road and run back through the town to the finish line in front of the school.
The train takes a variable time each year to complete the 1`14 miles but it is normally about one hour and 46 minutes to one hour and 48 minutes. For those of you that don’t feel the urge to rise to the challenge of the race or who are on childcare duties, tickets to ride on the train can be bought with race entry. Judging by the screams and cheers coming from the train when it passes the athletes on the course, a big party is in full swing.
If you’ve run this race before you won’t need telling what fun it is. If you haven’t and are looking for a new challenge to try next year, go for a day at the seaside and have a go at racing the train. Norman Titley
Garmin Connect
GROUP APPS
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.
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!)
Shropshire Shufflers Club Championships Events Planner 2020
Half Marathon (HM), Marathon (FM)
January
April
• Early Jan – Shropshire County Cross Country Race
• Early Apr - Whitchurch 10K
• Early Jan - Twin Piers 10K
• Early Apr - ASICS Great Manchester FM
• Early Jan - Wirral Way HM
• Mid Apr Wed - Telford Athletics Club – Sexarathon Race Series starts and through to Sept mix of 5K to 5 Mile
• Early Jan - The Great North Run Half Marathon Race Ballot open • Late Jan - ESSAR Four Villages HM
• Mid Apr - Brighton FM • Mid Apr - Newtown Chocoholics 5K
February • Early Feb - Charles Darwin Day HM • Mid Feb - Village Bakery Wrexham HM • Mid Feb - Hampton Court HM • Late Feb Race on the track Oulton Park 10K & HM
• Late Apr - Blackpool Festival of Running HM & FM • Late Apr - London FM • Late Apr - Shakespeare FM
May • Circa 1st Week - London Marathon Ballot Open
March • Early Mar - Mad Dog 10K • Early Mar - Running Grand Pix Oulton Park HM • Early Mar - Lilleshall Monumental 10K • Early Mar - Berkhamsted HM • Early Mar - Anglesey HM • Mid Mar – Shrewsbury 10K • Mid Mar - ALDI Chester 10K • Mid Mar - Stafford HM • Late Mar - Cheshire 10K • Late Mar - DENSO Ironbridge HM
• Early May Liverpool Spring 10K • Early May - Fen Drayton 10K • Mid May - Burnham Beeches • Mid May - Worcester FM • Mid May – Market Drayton 10K Race • Mid May - ESSAR Chester HM • Mid May - The Shindig in the Shire HM • Late May - Simplyhealth Great Birmingham 10K • Late May - ASICS Windermere FM • Late May - Liverpool Rock n Roll 5K, 10K, HM & FM • Late May - Edinburgh HM
All Year round parkruns are held in the Shrewsbury Quarry (and across the UK and parts of the World) for free on most Saturdays starting at 9am. A parkrun is a measured 5K timed run, you against the clock, that count towards the Clubs Championships 5K Category.
Throughout the year there are a lot of races that many from the Club always ritually attend that count towards the Club Championships. This Club Championship Events Planner is to give our lesser experience members a consolidated list of Shuffler Popular events that they might want to consider looking up and doing to improve their Club Championships placing in the knowledge that they will not be racing alone and maybe inspire others to try something different.
June
October
• Early Jun - Draycote Water 10K
• Early Oct - MBNA Chester FM
• Mid Jun - Barmouth 10K
• Early Oct - Windsor HM
• Mid Jun - Stone 10K
• Early Oct – Shrewsbury Half Marathon
• Late Jun - Shifnal HM
• Mid Oct - Simplyhealth Great Birmingham HM
• Late Jun - Rhyl HM
• Mid Oct - Aviemore HM • Late Oct - Abingdon FM
July • Mid Jul - Ludlow 10K
November
• Late Jul - Run Aintree 10K
• 2nd Sat – Mad Jacks 5 (mile) mixed terrain with hurdles and water obstacle
• Late Jul - Helena Tipping 10K
• Mid Nov - Conway HM
August • Early Aug - Cannock Chase 10K • Mid Aug - Race the Train 5K • Mid Aug - Rocky Horror Tribute HM & FM • Early Aug - Tatton Park 10K • Late Aug - Ellesmere 10K
• Mid Nov - Weston 10K • Mid Nov - Chasewater Pudding Dash 10K • Late Oct - Snowdonia FM • Late Nov - Clowne HM
December • 2nd Sun – Telford 10K
September • Early Sep - Wolverhampton 10K & HM • Early Sep Kenilworth HM • Early Sep - Cosford Spitfire 10K • Early Sep - Lake Vyrnwy HM • Early Sep - The Great North Run Half Marathon Race • Mid Sep - Worcester City Run 10K & HM • Late Sep – Shrewsbury Severn Bridges 10K • Late Sep - Cheltenham HM
• Late Dec - Wheaton Aston 10K
Cross Country
I remember the moment I decided to help organise the Shufflers Cross Country teams. It was the third lap of the Shropshire AA Cross Country Championships in Oswestry. I’d only entered on a whim, and admittedly partly to help in my eternal quest to beat Richard Pepper in the Club Championships and gain some vital points - still working on that! But, as the course veered up a sharp hill, the yellow-vested man who had been behind me the entire first two laps made his move and overtook me. I was in a race!
So, after a positive expression of interest from members, we selected the North Wales Cross Country League to enter men’s and women’s teams. The league is really friendly, and despite the name, three of the five races are not too far from home.
Increasing my speed, I followed him over the muddy ditch, just too wide to jump over, and down to the field’s edge. I realised that he wasn’t getting away, in fact, I felt relatively comfortable on his tail. It was then I began plotting my own move. As we reached the final hill, I summoned up the last of my energy and retook the lead. He didn’t respond. The final stretch was lined with Shufflers shouting encouragement until I finally collapsed over the finish line. I’d won.
The women and over-65 races begin at 2 pm and are roughly 5-6k; whereas the men race at 2:45 pm and cover roughly 10k.
Of course, I hadn’t won anything individually. I was minutes behind the ‘quicks’, and nowhere near an age-category award. But the Shufflers did win the muster award, and for the first time in my running life, I felt part of something bigger. The support from the Shufflers team was incredible; everyone was cheered and there was a real sense of togetherness. It was that moment that I thought we should do more of this.
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Sat 5th October 2019 - WREXHAM Sat 19th October 2019 - Fox Hills, Colwyn Bay Sat 23rd November 2019 - Dolgellau Sat 11th January 2020 - SHREWSBURY Sat 1st February 2020 - Oswestry
If you’re reading this now and want to get involved, it’s not too late. Just let me know beforehand and arrive at the fixture wearing your club vest (old or new). It really is that simple. It’ll be a brilliant opportunity to get off the roads and run on some interesting courses and terrains. There will be lots of camaraderie and fun with a range of abilities represented. You don’t need to be a fast runner; however, you must be able to shout ‘Go Shuffler!’ Euan Balmer Club X-Country Rep xcountry@shropshire-shufflers.org
Put Your Hand Up If You Want To Run Faster Nearly all runners want to run faster, whether it is to improve their best parkrun time or make the Olympic team. However, those runners who set off quickly on every run are making a mistake. It is normal for a new runner to think that to run fast in races you need to run fast in training, but your body does not work like that. Nearly all the beneficial changes your body will make as it adapts to your running training are made when you run gently. It is not how fast you go that makes you a better runner, but how much running you do. Those runners who run faster than they need to in training will not be able to run as far as those who have learnt to run gently or what we call ‘chatty’. These ‘chatty’ runners will be able to cover many more miles as the running is easy. If they are a beginner, they will walk if they get out of breath to make sure that they can talk comfortably in full sentences. After just a few weeks the ‘chatty’ runner’s body will have adapted and they will be running faster without any more effort. Beginners will gradually find they no longer need to walk. The runner who trains fast will find training more difficult. Running will seem hard. They will be tired after training and their bodies will be telling them to have a rest. They will run less and be much more prone to getting injured or ill. Recovery times after a fast run are much longer, and if you are not recovered properly before your next fast run you will lower your fitness not increase it. When you run at a gentle ‘chatty’ pace, you can talk comfortably in full sentences without any breathiness. Running at this pace will make your heart bigger and stronger. Your running muscles will adapt by getting stronger. Your body will make more blood capillaries to take the blood to your running muscles. The mitochondria (your cells’ energy factories) will increase in size and number and you will get more energy for the next run as well as for everyday life. Who wouldn’t want that? When you run ‘chatty’ your body will create its energy by using oxygen with the food you eat and produce only carbon dioxide and water, which is clean and easy for your body to deal with. This is aerobic running. When you run faster and you are getting out of breath, your body is not getting enough oxygen and so uses another method to get energy. This energy source only uses carbohydrates without oxygen. This is called anaerobic running and it produces lactic acid which is more difficult for your body to deal with. It will make your legs heavy and slow you down quite quickly. Your anaerobic energy system is limited and after about five weeks cannot be improved any further. Run fast and you are using your anaerobic system which is very limited. You will make progress for a matter of weeks only. Your body will tell you that you are training too fast. You will feel tired after training, get heavy-legged, and running will take a lot of effort. Run ‘chatty’ and you are using your aerobic system, one that can improve for many years. It is fun and you will improve rapidly. Going out for a run will become easy and enjoyable. Your body will continually adapt as you will be able to run more and your fitness will increase. So, to become a faster runner you need to run gently in most of your training to get the adaptions needed in the body to improve your speed. It’s not what a beginner would think but it works. For more information on how to improve as a runner with ‘chatty running’ contact: colin@shropshirefitness.com Colin Lancaster
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Optimal Movements - Mobility Fix Efficient movement in your body is one of the key elements to staying injury-free. Plus improvements in mobility can often lead to a better performance, which is always a welcome bonus. So, we’re going to look at the best ways to check your mobility, and techniques to improve it. Movement is something that is specific to you, your body and your brain - there is no one formula for everyone. However our movements can be negatively affected by old injuries and postural habits, this often results in compensations throughout the body. As a runner one of the most important joints in your body is the ankle, if you don’t have enough ankle mobility there will be a knock-on effect throughout the body. So we’re going to focus on the ankle joint, giving you a simple but effective way of assessing its mobility along with mobility fixes. Ankle mobility test: You need to do this barefoot. Place your big toe at the base of a wall and bend your knee until it touches the wall, I told you it was simple. If your knee touches the wall without your heel lifting off the floor, you have enough ankle mobility to run. If you want to be able to do other exercises like squatting efficiently, you’ll need to bring your big toe 5 cm away from the wall and repeat the test. Again, if you can touch the wall with your knee and your heel stays on the ground, you’ve passed the test. Remember to test both sides, you’ll often have different results on one side compared to the other. At Optimal Movement, we highly recommend having enough movement in your ankle to allow you to do strength exercises, as this is such an important part of staying injury-free. So, if you didn’t manage the first test (running specific), or the second test (squatting specific), then here are the techniques to resolve the problem. When carrying out the above test make sure you are aware of the area that feels tight or restricted. - If you felt tension in the front of your ankle try doing the ankle belt mobility exercise. - If you felt tension in the back of your ankle try big toe calf stretch. - If you managed to reach the wall but felt stiff in your calves try doing the calf release with a foam roller. Ankle belt mobility exercise – hold for two seconds, repeat 20 times. Big toe calf stretch – this is just like a normal calf stretch, however, you have a rolled-up towel under your big toe, with your little toes dropping off the side. Hold this stretch for three minutes. Calf release with a foam roller – two minutes at a time The above is a guide for the ankle joint, you can apply this to most joints in the body. However, if you’re getting pain in the area, we would always recommend seeing a professional before doing any of the above. The first step to developing better movement is to unleash your body’s joints and soft tissue restrictions. This will allow you to control your movements with a newfound precision and refinement, helping to keep you injury-free and performing at your best. Thank you for taking the time to read this blog, we hope you found it useful. The Optimal Movement Team
www.optimal-movement.co.uk | info@optimal-movement.co.uk | 01743 292 622 22
Coaches Corner The falling leaves and darkening evenings signal the close of another fantastic summer season of running for the club! The season has seen many notable performances at all race distances, with many PBs being achieved. However, the mainstay of the clubs’ activities has been our weekly club sessions on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday Track, augmented by a variety of traditional and new Alternative Runs.
Our club membership stands at over 750, and analysis shows many to be in younger age brackets, several of whom have been in the club for less than 2 years. To accommodate this growth, the club has trained 20 new Run Leaders and 5 new Coaches, and I’ll be working with them over the next 6 months to continue delivering our club sessions and thinking about what other training you, as the membership, would like. We’ve already amended our weekly sessions to give runners an opportunity to undertake more progressive runs with a mixture of efforts and drills should they wish and introduced a Steady Jog session as a step-up from the Walk/Jog group. Specific training runs for local 10k and Half Marathons have also proved to be popular. We were also lucky to win an England Athletics Club Run competition and had Chris Hollinshead join us for 3 session, 2 in the Quarry and one at London Road Track. Both Coaches, Run Leaders and athletes found his sessions informative and fun. The Club will be entering teams into the North Wales Cross Country League, built on the immense popularity of the County Cross Country at Oswestry earlier this year. Our first race is Oct 5th at Wrexham. As you can see from the above, the Committee and senior club runners have worked with me to improve what the Club offers our membership. As I develop plans for the next year, I’d like to know what other training and sessions you’d like delivered. I’m conscious that over its 30-year life, the Club has delivered a variety of different events, from timed road races to “handicapped” races. I’d like members both long-standing and new to email me at headcoach@shropshire-shufflers.org with their ideas and the committee and coaching staff will see what we can accomplish! A final word about winter running – please wear hi-viz for our Monday and Wednesday sessions. Also, we don’t advocate the use of headlights on these sessions as they can temporarily blind other runners and vehicles. Hand-held lights and chest lights angled downwards are more acceptable. Happy Running! Glenn Francké
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