Mid Week Road Race League 2013 – on your marks.....

As the nights get longer and the spring marathons become memories, it’s time to look forward to the mid week road race league. These are the 10k summer races for everyone - young, old, fast and not so fast! As league champions last year, there is a title for Striders to defend, but, just as importantly, there’s also some summer running fun to be had. 

New to this? Here’s what you need to know: 

What’s the MWRRL? The league is a series of five evening 10k races across Herts and Essex for local clubs. Striders are in the top league with five other clubs. Since it's a closed event for six clubs, the races are great for socialising and friendly rivalry with other runners from local clubs. Points are allocated to the top 12 men and top six ladies (and vets). The club with the best points score over the first four races wins the league. 

MWRRL, 2012: will we beat this spectacular Strider turnout in 2013?

Who takes part? There can be up to 500 runners in each race. The races are suitable for all standards and everyone's contribution to the team score helps. Lots of last year’s success was down to new members. 

Where and when? This year’s league starts on Thursday 23 May at Welwyn Garden City, with races at Royston, Stevenage, St Albans and Trent Park, Enfield in June and July . 

Why take part? Why not!? MWRRL has something for everyone. We asked a few Striders  what they enjoyed when they took part for the first time in 2012: 

• It’s a great way to run with friends in new places 
• There’s the chance to chart your progress and hopefully bag a 10K PB or two 
• It’s a fantastic opportunity to meet new people, and cheer and be cheered on by your team mates 
• You get club championship points for taking part, and this year there are more on offer at Royston on 4 June, as a ‘scoring race’ 
• There’s cake at the end! 

Want to know more? Richard wrote about the 2012 races for the blog here.  

Interested? Good! To take part you need to be a fully paid up member of Striders and have a club vest. Watch the forum for details of individual races and for opportunities to car share, and see you on the start line! 

The fine art of marshalling

Well, its early January and we are all making running resolutions for the year ahead, but right now, it’s time to highlight the fine art of marshalling. We may all hope that 2013 means a better pace, more miles, and new PBs, but we’ll struggle to get near this without the marshals. Ahead of the Fred Hughes on 20 January, it’s time to take a blog-style look at what can be involved in earning those 20 club champ points....

1. Dress for the occasion - Layer up. It can be cold out there.

Marshals, warming up

2. Assume an air of polite authority - For some this comes naturally, for everyone else there’s the high vis jacket. It's an essential part of marshalling, and without it you blend into the background (be that a hedge, a row of houses, or spectators). With it you acquire authority - people stop you and ask questions, while it may be going too far to say that you may assume Jedi-style powers, remember the force may be with you...

3. Know your left from your right - This is especially useful when directing runners, supporters, cyclists and drivers. Seems obvious while you read this, but in my experience, in the heat of the moment.....

4. Choose your words of encouragement carefully - It can be hard to choose the right words at difficult points in life. There have been times when I am running when I've found 'you're nearly there' to be the worst thing I could possibly hear. So, keep it simple, take your cue from the club vests on show, and try to resist the temptation to remark on how close they are to the end, or how surprised you are to see them so soon. And if words fail you, keep clapping.

5. Be diplomatic - The chances are you'll encounter people who are less enthusiastic about the race than you. They might be driving a car, walking the dog, or running in the other direction. Diplomacy and a smile should see you through. 

More marshals, ready to marshal

6. Enjoy the spectacle - And finally, try to soak up the atmosphere! Personally, there’s something particularly inspiring about watching a race up close, and seeing club mates’ training plans come together. And who knows, it might help with setting some goals for the next 12 months.

See you there! 

Everything you ever wanted to know....

....about running and Striders, but were afraid to ask!! 

Thursday saw the first ‘Essentials’ session at the King Harry pub and offered a chance to marvel at Mike's incredible knowledge of all things run-related. In a fantastically comprehensive session, fuelled only by assorted bar snacks and a drink or two, we learnt all about Striders and how to go about improving our running performance, including: 

• The different seasons in the running year 
• How Striders’ runs and training sessions fit into a training programme 
• How you can help Striders and get involved in the club 
• How a training diary (and blogging) helps 
• What it takes to win the club championships (or at least be in contention) 
• Why it helps to have a running buddy on a long run (to pass the talk test) 
• And why men shouldn’t run in boxer shorts...... 

And what did I take away? Finding out that I might be just 12 months into what could be at least five years of continued improvement if I put in the training was really encouraging. I suspect that actually winning the club championships is a very remote prospect for me, so I’ll be focusing my efforts on identifying some A, B and C races, building Striders’ sessions into a training plan and seriously considering a cross country race or two (I still bear mental and physical scars from school races). 

While it might take some time to stop consulting my Garmin at regular points through a 5K parkrun, I am reassured that it will take a spectacular shopping spree to come close to becoming St Albans’ equivalent of the Imelda Marcos of running shoes! 

The next session is scheduled for 18 October, at the end of the current Get Started course. For anyone looking to learn more about getting to grips with their training, achieving their goals and understanding how Striders can help (and how you can help Striders), it's not to be missed. 

Kate Webb

35 miles. 50 runners. 1 club.

It was Striders’ big day out in the sun – 17 June and the
relay from Verulamium Park to the Olympic version
in east London. The route took in Elstree, Aldenham,
Mill Hill, Totteridge, Dollis Valley Greenwalk,
Hendon, Hampstead Garden Suburb, Parliament Hill,
Gospel Oak, Primrose Hill, Regent’s Canal,
Camden, Islington, Hoxton and Victoria Park.

‘35 miles, 50 runners, 1 club’ was the slogan for
the run, proudly emblazoned on the back of our
commemorative shirts, but these three numbers
don’t begin to describe the day, so here’s just a few more:

5 relay legs ..... 2 buses (1 big, 1 mini) ..... 5 different coloured shirts, giving Striders the option of wearing something other than blue or yellow for a day! ..... 5 wigs ..... 1 nun’s habit, from ebay ..... 20 yards of boggy mud to negotiate ..... 2 little dogs, terrified in the Dollis Valley ..... 3 times Abba’s ‘Winner takes it all’ played in the minibus ..... 0 public toilets (apparently, but plenty of undergrowth) ..... 6 kites being flown from Hampstead Heath ..... 30 SPF cream, surprisingly necessary given the recent rain ..... 2 whistles to announce our arrival ..... 2 clear views over London from Hampstead Heath and Primrose Hill ..... 3 rounds of applause (at least) from impressed onlookers ..... 100% vote for Marge Simpson as best fancy dress ..... 1 group run along the canal ..... 3 amazing ultra runners, completing the full distance ..... 38 mile journey for one inflatable torch

And last, but not least:

1 Olympic stadium ..... 3 massive cheers for the organisers of a fantastic day ..... and countless photos of 50 happy Striders – check out the Striders gallery page and Facebook page

St Albans 10K - the day the sun came to town

It was the day the sun came to town..... Sunday 13 May and the St Albans 10K. Like the Fred Hughes 10, the St Albans leg of the Mid Week Road Race League, and the cross-country, events like the 10K rely on the enthusiasm and dedication of club members and they couldn’t happen without their expertise. So, on behalf of those runners who got in touch with comments and feedback afterwards, here’s a ‘wordle’ thank you card to everyone involved:

To the marshals, the bakers and great sandwich makers,

The race leaders and sweepers, and important time keepers,

The course setter uppers, the photograph takers,

The course taker downers, the lovely tea makers,

The givers of medals, our slick registration, 

And those who ensured our runners’ hydration

The vital first aiders, the litter collectors, 

And last, but not least, to John, race director!

Cheers! We couldn’t have done it without you! 

Ready, set, go!

Well, here we are: the business end of April. The trees are trying to blossom, the days are getting longer, and all round our part of Hertfordshire, in one way or another, runners are on their marks.

For some, the start line is in SE London this Sunday. Best of luck to all the Striders taking part in the marathon, and to everyone tackling 26.2 miles elsewhere before the month is out, such as Madrid and Milton Keynes. Look forward to hearing your tales of the day!
 

The start line for others is closer to home, in the Park, and it's time to say 'Hello!' and 'Welcome!' to everyone joining the Get Started course on 24 April. As a recent 'graduate' myself, I know the course can give you a brilliant introduction to both running and the club. Have  fun over the next six weeks, and beyond!
 

And here, at BlogCentral, I'm starting to get to grips with all things 'Striders' and the pleasure of editing the Club's blog and newsletter. In the next few weeks and months, with your help, it would be great to capture the full range of Striders' life, through race reports, training diaries and other stories, including the occasional 'sideways look' at the world of running.
 

With the Olympics this summer, as well as the usual club calendar, there's loads coming up that's worth writing about, so if you've got run-related story to tell your fellow Striders, please don't be shy about it! You can get in touch via email - 'newsletter' at striders.com - or catch me at the track on Tuesdays or Thursdays.
 

On your marks, folks! Happy running!
 

Kate

Call for Blog postings

It appears that our blog is rather devoid of: - amusing stories, (....we all want to know if you have fallen into the mud at a cross country race....) - race reports (....and whom you have overtaken ....who subsequently fell into the mud because of it....) - training advice (....how to avoid mud in general....) - recipies and nutrition advice (...how to made a chocolate mud pie...and EAT IT without any guilt....) - marshalling etiquette (....how to stay calm during a race....so not to push somebody into the mud....) - good housekeeping (....how to get mud off spikes....with a toothbrush?) Any other inspiring stories springing to mind, please email me on newsletter@stalbansstriders.com. Many thanks Petra

Welcome to the NEW Striders BLOG!

We have moved into the next century (at last!) and replaced the Striders Newsletter with an online BLOG!

This means that your training stories/advice, race and holiday reports, general anecdotes, including serious and silly photographs, can be published quicker and more regularly.

The published material will then be easily accessible to fellow runners/members, enabling them to comment on and get a "conversation" going.

To make this an interactive informative BLOG, we require good content from our members.
 
Therefore, please be invited to send any suitable material through to newsletter@stalbansstriders.com

Looking forward to hearing (and reading) from you
The Editor (Petra)