Member of the Month: Junior. Congratulations to Alexander Wilson, our junior member of the month. He’s a keen runner in the Gwent series and earlier this year supported the U15 team in clinching the lead from two of the rival Cardiff clubs. He also helped Team Avon finish 3rd in the national final of the Youth Development League in Manchester.
He’s a regular runner with the club, often seen flying around the field overtaking all us oldies on a Thursday efforts session. He is also working towards his Duke of Edinburgh Award which is supported by being a regular helper of the WH Running Academy. Well done.
Member of the Month: Senior. And our senior MotM is…..wait for it… Robin Philips. Robin was nominated specifically for stepping up as a volunteer guide at short notice. On the Saturday morning he was running the Clevedon parkrun, then Sunday morning running the Berlin Marathon!
Robin was guiding Hugo Estrada around the very people congested streets of Berlin in an impressive 3:28:25. This must have been particularly daunting for Robin who had had only a few practise guiding sessions (and none with Hugo) and then the pressure of guiding a fast runner around one of the biggest marathons in the world. It’s a challenge to stay on your own two feet n a race, let alone look after a VI runner. Up and Running vouchers will be with you shortly!
Robin (on the left) pictured with Hugo Estrada and fellow guide, Mike Woodward.
Upcoming Races. Next weekend we have the first Gwent League on Saturday 12th October. It takes place in Cardiff and also incorporates the Cross Challenge. Remember if you want to enter the Cross Challenge which is incorporated in this first fixture, you need to do this yourself. Follow the link on the Gwent website. If just running the Gwent then it is just £4 payable to your team manager on the day.
Ladies to contact Tamsin via the Facebook posting or e-mail to manager.women@westburyharriers.co.uk
Gents to contact Mike Mewse, again via facebook or direct to manager.vets.men@westburyharriers.co.uk
The above will arrange car shares so let them know if you can drive, need a lift or going by yourself with family/friends.
Then Sunday 13th October we have the Mendip Muddle. I hope last week’s race review did not put you off! I promise the weather won’t be as bad as last year so why not give it a try? There are a couple of Westbury runners signed up and when I looked today fullonsport was still taking entries.
Club Championship Standings. We are well into the Club Champ year. Please don’t forget to add your results. I know a couple of runners who’ve not added anything yet but I won’t name and shame yet!
Next week I’ll give you the current standings.
Thursday Efforts. This week it’s a short and fast pyramid session. That means four sets of 30-60-90-60-30 second intervals. We will try and train for as long as possible on the field at Coombe Dingle sport centre but should it become too wet and boggy then it will be road based instead. We tend to find a quiet residential street and will do a few loops at speed or perhaps a hill based efforts session. Therefore worth bringing your road shoes along, just in case. Also be visible, no dark running clothing please.
Move up Monday. I don’t think we’ve announced the Move up Monday for a while. This is an opportunity to move up a group and by making it a little more formal you will be joined by a few others so won’t feel alone. Our group leaders will also be looking out for everybody, making sure the group stays together with plenty of loop backs. So Monday 14th October is your chance to give it a go.
Volunteer Posts. We still need a Website Coorrodinator. Also since Chris O’Donavan has move away from Bristol we need a replacement for the Junior Coaching Coordinator. If interested or requiring more information then please let Mike know, via secretary@westburyharriers.co.uk
Congratulations. I’ve just had a look at the start list for this Sunday’s Keynsham 10K and can see half a dozen Westbury names. Good luck to you all including our current club champions, Trevor Fitsall and Judy Knights.
We also have Robyn competing in the Burnham-on-Sea Half Marathon, a scenic flat course around the local villages. I hope you have a great run.
If anybody else was running over the weekend let me know by email or via the Westbury Harriers Facebook page.
Training Tip of the Week. Heart Rate Zones. A more accurate method of calculating heart rate zones is the use of Heart Rate Reserve (HRR). This uses your maximum heart rate in combination with a resting heart rate.
Firstly, to find your maximal heart rate (and after a good warm up) run 2 or 3 high intensity short repeats. By the end of the final repeat you will be within 2 or 3 beats of your maximum. A Thursday efforts session is good for this when we’re on the field or running hills.
To calculate resting heart rate take the average of several days heart rate readings before you get out of bed.
Once you have the max and resting rates its simply subtracting your resting HR from maximum HR to determine the HRR
HRR = maximal heart rate – resting hear rate.
A percentage of the above can then be used to determine the 5 different training levels which can be programme into most running watches.
VO2 Max (Zone 5 Very Hard) 92-97% HRR
Lactate Threshold (Zone 4 Hard) 75-88% HRR
Endurance (Zone 3 Medium) 65-78% HRR
General aerobic (Zone 2 Light) 62-75% HRR
Recover (Zone 1 Very Light) under 70% HRR
The above has been partly sourced from Faster Road Racing 5K to Half Marathon by Pete Pfitzinger and Philip Latter, published by Human Kinetics. This is a very good book, I recommend it.
Diary Dates
Sunday 13th October Mendip Muddle. Brutal trail run in the mendips, approx 20km
Mendip Muddle Link
Monday 21st October. Pub Night Meal- Mucky Duck 8:30pm onwards
Thursday 24th October. The Western Prom Run
Western Prom Link
Sunday 26th October Master Cross Country Relays, Nottingham
Saturday 26th October Bristol Epic 10k https://toughrunneruk.bristol-epic-10
Tuesday 29th October. Pomphrey 5k series starts. Pomphrey 5k Series
Sunday 24th November Gloucester 10K Gloucester 10K link
Sunday 8th December Weston Christmas Cracker. Cracker Link
Sunday 1st December The Tri-Counties Cross-Country Championships at Bath University. avon/CCChamps
Sunday 29th December The Wye Wander, starting from Chepstow Leisure Centre. I can really recommend this event, short at 5.5 miles, but very sweet. Plus it may be your last chance to get a race in before the end of 2019. I did it last year and it really blew away the cobwebs after a lazy Christmas. Perhaps a Club Champ event for next year? Wye Wander Link
Sunday 5th January 2020 South West Cross Country Championships, Aldon Hill Yeovil (juniors/seniors)
Saturday 25th January 2020 Midland Cross Country Championships (the club has in the last few years focused on the South West XC, rather than the Midlands)
Saturday 22nd February English National Cross Country Championships, Nottingham (juniors/seniors)
Saturday 21st March 2020 Midland 6/12 Stage Road Relays– Sutton Park
Saturday 4th April 20202 National 6/12 Stage, Sutton Park
Saturday 16th May 2020- Masters Road Relays, Sutton Park (Over 35’s)
Club Championship Events
Saturday 12th October Gwent League, Cardiff. Team managers will provide details nearer the time.
Sunday 27th October. Nightingale Nightmare. Race Full – did you get in? Don’t forget, fancy dress is compulsory! RACE FULL
Saturday 9th November. Gwent Cross Country, Pembrey Country Park. Team managers will provide details.
Sunday 17th November Keynsham Dandy (TACH). More details on the TACH website https://tach.fullonsport.com/event/keynsham-dandy/profile RACE FULL
Saturday 7th December. Gwent League Event: Blaise Castle, Bristol. As a club we host this event and it’s on familiar territory so you have no excuse for not attending.
Thursday 19th December. Western Prom. A 5 mile race, up and down the promenade front. Affiliated only £6. Usually a post race Christmas meal is organised as well, check for details nearer the time.
Thursday 26th December Clevedon Boxing Day Race. I’m always away over Christmas so have never been able to run this. I can tell you it’s a 4 mile race and a good excuse to burn off those excess calories from Christmas day lunch. Last year the first three Westbury finishers where Joe Conners, Ben Rawlins and Robin Phillips.http://www.clevedonac.co.uk/races
Saturday 8th February 2020. Gwent League Event: Chepstow Race Course
Sunday 1st March 2020 Gwent League Event: Singleton Park, Swansea
