What goes on tour... goes on the blog! Gareth Beavis reports on the 2017 Weekend Away

Striders hit the beach in May for our annual weekend away in Swanage. Gareth Beavis reports on the fun-filled trip...

Raring to go at the Poole parkrun despite a late night for some...

There’s something brilliant about the Striders' Weekend Away. The chance to hang out for a couple of days with a lot of like-minded runners, spending time chatting about our favourite topic and kicking back from the daily grind of training... with some running.

In fact, it’s so good that it’s worth the mirth and ridicule when you tell your workmates that you need a day off to go on a running away weekend.

This year, the venue was Swanage, a great little YMCA youth hostel on the beach, nestled on the south coast. Rooms allocated (#beavissuite), stuff dumped and straight to the pub for some pre-activity drinks - things were already getting feisty as the reins were off a few Striders…

After that it was straight into the evening’s activities, which consisted of a fiendish quiz put together by the darling Stu Middleton.

Things got fiercely competitive, but it was only at the end that the real prize was offered: an extra ten points for anyone that managed to get a personal best at the Poole Parkrun we were heading down to the following day.

Chilling at the beach

A lot of groggy heads appeared in the morning as the rally cross through Dorset began, a veritable convoy of Striders picking their way through the countryside to descend en masse on the ‘local’ run.

It was a strong performance with some incredible PBs from runners who should not have been able to run as fast as they did, given some of the empty beds seen at 4am.

Every person had a great time at the well-organised parkrun, and after a spot of breakfast in the local cafe (and a couple of Striders panicking when they realised they had no idea where their cars were parked) it was off to the afternoon’s activities - a smorgasbord of choices, including mooching around town, a cheeky bike ride and a trip to the local waterpark.

The latter option was very well-attended, and there’s something to be said for slipping into a tight rubber suit and jumping about on inflatables in freezing cold water. Slipping being the operative word there… even Steve Buckle’s rubber slippers couldn’t stop one of the Striders’ faster runners failing for the first time to conquer a running track (then again, it’s unlikely he’s ever found one that was filled with air atop ice-cold liquid).

A trip to the waterpark was well-attended

After that, it was back to the hostel where the weather had…somewhat turned, and the beach barbecue was called off in favour of pizza and a few more drinks at the pub. It’s always surprising to see how open people are to losing an activity when a libations are offered.

Word seeped out that some Striders headed down to the coastline to skim some stones and… get rather cold in the water. This report is, and shall ever remain, thoroughly unconfirmed.

Another late night ensued as drinks were brought back to the hostel, and the games room played host to a round of confessions that means some Striders will never be able to look each other in the eye ever again.

These excursions meant that getting up for the long run over the coastline was a struggle for some, but the excellent turnout meant that this scenic jog was one of the highlights of the trip and really blew away some cobwebs. Undulating, grey and relentless… well, that’s how some people described Andy Auld’s attendance, anyway.

Back at the beach for some night swimming?

A couple of Striders still found time to take it far too seriously, but Steve and Phill Evans somehow managed to drop in a fast half marathon distance, get lost and yet meet up with everyone at the end of the run perfectly… they maintain it was perfect planning, but the look of relief when they saw the rest of the group told otherwise.

The weekend was winding to a close, and some began departing while others huddled in gourmet coffee shops, drinking far-too-rich hot chocolate and weeping over the thought of the drive home.

But everyone agreed one thing: there’s nothing better than a Striders’ Weekend Away to get to know reams of runners that you don’t usually get to chat to, to spend time freezing on inflatables, fall asleep in car parks or question underwear choices.

Here’s to next year!

Fun in the sun: The Striders (or was it the Minions?) weekend away in the New Forest

On a Friday afternoon at the start of May, an intrepid (have you ever tackled the M25 on a Friday afternoon?) bunch of 38 Striders left the comfort of suburban Hertfordshire for the New Forest for our now annual weekend away, buoyed  by the news that temperatures were set to rocket and be higher than in Spain.

Our humble abode in Beaulieu

Home for the group (not sure what the collective noun is for a bunch of Striders – a Farah maybe?) for the next two nights was a school field centre located at Beaulieu in the heart of the New Forest. Initial impressions were that our temporary home was comfy, clean, and cosy i.e. small, especially the child-size bunk beds, although what else would you expect at a school field centre.
 

After an initial visit to the local pub, the first job was to unload the contents of Cathal’s TARDIS van, which despite its small appearance on the outside, contained at least 17 bikes, and copious boxes of food and drink. Dinner consisted of a delicious pasta bake, pizza, (necessary carbs for the following morning's parkrun) salad, fruit and cake – let's face it no Striders occasion would be complete without cake.

Keeping hydrated ahead of the morning runs

Friday night entertainment consisted of a further visit to the pub and then drinking/socialising in the hostel swapping stories of running glories, making new friends and future plans. Thankfully the games cupboard at the hostel only had children's games, snakes and ladders, monopoly...and, luckily, not Twister.

On Saturday morning, we awoke to the sight of some rather tired and weary looking Striders - due to the small beds, or possibly the effects of the previous night’s alcohol - and over breakfast we played the game of trying to recognise people in their pyjamas rather than running kit.

 

We then set off to the local parkrun at Brockenhurst with an advance party on bikes, followed by the majority in a convoy of cars, guided by a mixture of map/GPS/local knowledge (local knowledge proving to be superior). The 15-minute journey was punctured by stops, firstly to allow the wild ponies and even cows to meander across the road - quite a sight for us townies - and then secondly stopping for in-car selfies with said ponies and cows (not sure where that is covered in the Highway Code).

The local runners of Brockenhurst were pleased to see us and very welcoming - as is usually the case with parkrun. The course turned out to be four laps of the local college playing field, not the most inspiring, but maybe a reminder of how lucky we are at St Albans. 

 

The 'Minions' at Brockenhurst parkrun

A good performance by Striders (dubbed the Minions by one local wag) filled seven of the top ten places with Cathal our first finisher in 2nd place (but then parkrun isn't a race), and at least one PB. Most impressive performances came from Ben and Amy, who remembered to run, rather than be Race Directors, and most definitely from Charlotte who completed an exceptional jog/walk whilst heavily pregnant. 

We then moved en masse to the local coffee shop, which proved to be rather traumatic for the woman in charge, as it was the one day when her boss thought they would be quiet, so had taken the day off, and left her in sole charge. But she coped admirably and we were in no hurry!

Some hardy souls then departed for a bike ride or for a further run, which included having to cross a raging torrential river (well that’s what they told me) and having that agonising moment that every runner dreads of seeing their brand new trainers get dirty.

A group run in the sun

Saturday afternoon was spent on smaller group activities, the Striders Facebook page keeping us informed of each other's activities with regular updates and photos. The activities included mountain biking, a trip to the beach to see expensive yachts, Mike’s walking expedition which included the unexpected log challenge, the Aqua park group (surely a classic example of Hobson’s choice), and a further bike ride for some, which proved to be longer than expect due to some dubious map reading.

 

Once back in the hostel and showered, we journeyed into the neighbouring town with heightened appetites from our excursions. As per the rest of the trip, the logistics of managing 38 Striders into a series of taxi/mini buses/restaurant/meal choices was excellently marshalled by Jen, with help from Stu. A delightful meal, with interesting and varied conversation.

 

Further drinks were then consumed - well, we had to clear the fridge of the various bottles of alcohol before Sunday’s departure.

 

A Saturday afternoon bike ride for some, while others hit the beach

The final activity for the weekend on Sunday morning was a gentle run to the nearby harbour of Buckler's Hard (insert your own gag here), with several people appearing to be sweating pure Prosecco, and being met on our return by Tina's cooked breakfast – surely the perfect way to start a Sunday morning.

The rest of the morning was spent clearing the hostel, the cleaning team making the Wombles (70's children TV characters who were OCD on cleanliness) look like a bunch of work-shy students, so much so, that we actually left the place (once the last bike group had returned) in a cleaner state than we had found it!

 
As the sun had now materialised the majority of us stopped back in Brockenhurst, for a well-deserved beer garden/sun bathing/recovery session and to begin planning next year's trip.

A fantastic weekend away, spent with some wonderful people. Superbly organised by Jen.

Already looking forward to next year.

Andy Normile

Parkrun, hiking fun and peach schnapps in the Peaks! What happened on the Striders Weekend Away 2015

This month a group of Striders travelled to the Derbyshire Dales for our 'weekend away'. If you couldn't make it, here's what you missed...

As group members began to arrive at our accommodation for the weekend, there was a sense of excitement and apprehension...particularly from a few brave new Striders – and even some non-Striders – who were not quite sure what they were letting themselves in for!

With the help of name badges, a licensed bar and a good northern feed, we quickly got to know some of those faces that we often say hello to at track. The night passed in good company, several drinks and making plans for the weekend ahead.

Saturday morning brought an early start – there was only one wise Strider who placed sleep before running and stayed in bed. Fuelled by croissants and a full cooked breakfast, we headed to Graves Park for the local parkrun. Cathal and Pete bravely attempted to tackle the unrelenting hills on bike – which Cathal is still trying to attribute to his placing behind Jen at parkrun – while the rest drove in convoy.  

On arrival at Graves Park, we pulled on our Striders vests, added a splash of face paint and tried to ignore the laughter from the locals when we asked if the course was hilly. Seeking reassurance from a friendly marshal, we were glad to hear of the downhill start before ‘slight uphill, slight uphill, huge hill, hill of death – and then you’re onto your second lap!’ While the route was somewhat hillier than the St Albans course, we were later to agree that the hardest part was running through the centre of an animal farm with a hangover!

Our northern compatriots warmly welcomed us during the pre-race introductions and even challenged us to a friendly competition with their own Steel City Striders. With Graham Smith in 3rd followed by 1st, 3rd and 4th places in the women’s category, we have challenged them to a rematch at our home fixture later this year.

Parkrun glory was followed by post-run refreshments at the Rose Garden Cafe before we set off on the next part of the weekend – more running! By now, some members were jokingly referring to the scheduled exercise programme as bootcamp. Losing one or two to the more appealing notion of a tour of Eyam followed by tea and cake, the hardier of those amongst us drove in convoy behind Jen – who was to become increasingly skilled at navigation, map-reading and head-counting over the course of the weekend – to Curbar. After enticing Lucy, Emma and Doug away from the warmth of the car, we enjoyed a gentle 10k run along Froggatt Edge – a rocky sandy track with big boulders and impressive views over the surrounding countryside.

A quick shower and lunch followed before we were back out enjoying the scenery on an afternoon hike. Starting from Castleton, the whole group were duly led by Peter up the steep stepped path to the summit of Mam Tor – which, at 517m above sea level, offered dramatic views over the Peak District. We followed the ridge to Hollins Cross, Back Tor and Lose Hill, before returning to Castleton for a well-earned beer – or, for others, a craved-for cup of tea! Our recovery was aided further by a three-course dinner in Eyam followed by lots of cider, beer, wine and laughter!

After the previous day’s ‘bootcamp’, Sunday brought a enjoyably slower start – aside from Graham who, buoyed by the excitement of relocating his lost Garmin and potentially still slightly drunk from the double peach schnapps of the previous evening, decided to take to the hills around the hostel before breakfast.

After checking out, we ventured into Eyam to explore its history, culture and tea shops. As we sat enjoying the sunshine in the village square, we were somewhat surprised when a convoy of nearly 100 tractors drove by – we later found out we had visited Eyam on the day of the Annual Tractor Road Run, which, for the city born and bred amongst us, was a very surreal experience indeed.

Finally, it was time to part ways but we headed back to St Albans refreshed by the beautiful countryside of the Peak District and with new friends, tired legs and lots of hilarious memories. When’s the next one?!

Five reasons to join our Striders Weekend Away

The Striders Weekend Away to the Peak District will take place from Friday 8th to Sunday 10th May.

Previous club trips to Club La Santa have been a great success and we expect this weekend to be just as much fun (although we might not be able to rely on the British weather being as sunny as Lanzarote!).

If you haven’t booked up for the trip yet, here’s five good reasons why you should…

1. Make new friends and get to know your fellow Striders
   There are enough places for 50 members of the club to join the trip so it’s a great opportunity to spend some time with club mates and make new friends. Don’t worry if you don’t know anyone before the trip, we’re a friendly bunch and this is one of the best ways to get to know people. There isn’t always the chance to chat on training nights if you’re working hard in a session or out of breath on a group run but on the trip you can converse over a leisurely walk or run or over a pint in the pub!
   
2. Get fitter while enjoying some new routes
   Of course running will factor in the weekend and, away from your usual commitments, it may give you the chance to do a longer run than usual and tackle some off-road terrain that will all benefit your fitness. Exploring new routes is good for your mind too as it provides a refreshing change. There will also be the chance to try a new parkrun – the Graves parkrun is just 12 miles away so a Saturday morning excursion can be organised for anyone who wants to try it.
3. Explore beautiful scenery
   Our destination is Eyam in the Hope Valley, a quaint and pretty village with plenty of tea rooms to enjoy a post run treat in and pubs for evening rehydration. The village is surrounded by the beautiful Peak District and we’ll explore some scenic routes on group runs, walks and bike rides (so if you’re currently injured, you can still come and walk and cycle if you can’t run). History buffs may be interested to learn about how the villagers quarantined themselves to stop the spread of the bubonic plague in 1665. There are still ‘boundary rocks’ which were put in place to warn people not to cross that point when the quarantine was in place. There’s also the National Trust run Eyam Hall in the area.
4. Relax!
   We’ll be keeping active on runs, walks and bike rides but you can do it all at as leisurely a pace as you wish. It’s not a boot camp so we won’t be asking you to do 20 press-ups before breakfast or to bust a gut doing hills reps! Aside from the exercise there’ll also be time to enjoy an afternoon tea or a pint in the pub to make this a fun and sociable weekend away.
5. Budget break
   The cost of the weekend is just £60 per person for two nights full board so you’re not likely to find another weekend break that’s such good value for money! Don’t be put off if you think this sounds a little cheap, the Club is subsidising the fee and the accommodation is of a really good standard.  The hostel facilities include two dining rooms, lounge, pool room, a cycle store and self-catering facilities. It is also fully-licensed! The bedrooms range in size from 2-bed or 4-bed to 8-bed rooms. To find out more, visit the hostel website:  http://www.yha.org.uk/hostel/eyam.

So if you want to join us, you can sign up for the trip here

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Stu chairman at stalbansstriders.com or Jen deputychair at stalbansstriders.com.