Publicity and Running Report 2014
In many respects this has been a successful year as our membership has increased, particularly towards the end of the year. We now have 95 first claim members and 5 second claim members. The personnel changed slightly at the last AGM with Clare Cooper taking over the role of Treasurer from Rob Norman. This in effect made it one position, as Clare became Treasurer/Membership Secretary and Geoff Stone joined as a committee member. Rob Pearce, Peter Kemp and myself all stayed on which added a certain amount of continuity.
It has taken us many years but during 2014, Geoff Stone convened a ‘Club Constitution’ which was passed by the Committee and can be seen on the website in the Documents box. A Club Flag or Banner was acquired by Peter Kemp and will be used more often when events dictate it. The club website continues to be well used for club activities while the Facebook page is used regularly by members for their own use, to advertise races or training runs for other members who may be interested.
We had a busy month in June when we hosted both a BDL race at Denby and the Derwent River Relays from Belper Rugby Club. Both events went really well although a lot of hard work was needed before either event went ahead. Thanks to Theresa and all the team which worked exceptionally hard to get the Relays ready and to the even smaller team which worked against the wet weather to put the league race on.
The Club Championship unfortunately did not take off but it is worth giving it another go this year, something which can be discussed at the AGM. Another non-starter was the Belper News items. They have changed the Sports Editor there again and he has said he would like plenty of photographs more than written items.
Training Nights
Tuesday nights from Belper Leisure Centre have been well attended during 2014. It is our base and it is an ideal place for any prospective runner to come down to meet the club which many have done during the last year. During the summer months, as soon as it is light, we start running off-road over the many paths and tracks around the Belper area. The number of runners dictate how many groups we have but usually it is four separate groups. We are happy to take any runner or beginner who wishes to start the sport.
Once again through the summer months we had six ‘Specials’ organised by our members. These were on a Tuesday evening, more as a social run, from a venue away from Belper Leisure Centre. We meet at the usual time and split into two groups, each group lead by one of our members. The routes are around six to eight miles and finish in a local pub for food and a drink.
We had two winter ‘Specials’ in January and February, away from the Leisure Centre where a group ran off-road and others stayed to the road. These have not happened in the later months of 2014 although Saul Taylor took an off-road group for a run from the Leisure Centre in November. This is something we ought to try again but volunteers will be needed to arrange these evening runs.
The 10k Handicaps did not take place in 2014 due to the lack of lighting on the A6 or as now, no lighting at all. In March we did manage a 5 mile Handicap from Belper East Mill, up the A6 and return but since then there is no lighting from Broadholme to Ambergate. This is a pity because it is ideal opportunity to test yourself from month to month or whenever, over a measured distance. We are hoping the lamps on the A6 are going to be changed to a more economical type but in the meantime we do not have a suitable course. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
The Thursday evening training sessions have seen some hard work put in by those athletes who attend the speed sessions. Once a month in the winter we have gone to Ilkeston Rutland Track and other nights have trained at Goods Road and from the Whitemoor Centre, John O’Gaunts Way. The track is in popular demand from local running and athletic clubs, so we do want to try and retain our slot for speed training.
During the summer months we trained on the grass track at Belper School until August when the school put a seven foot high fence all round the perimeter of the school field. After that we trained on Sandbed Rec area until the dark nights, doing more hill work than speed.
Other groups meet at different times, with details for these to be found either on the website or the Facebook page.
Cross-country
There were two more races in January and February 2014 to complete the series in the Booth Decorators League. The first was at Allestree Park which was a new venue for the league and at Holmebrook Park Chesterfield. We had an excellent turnout at Allestree Park which no doubt set us up for third places in the men’s, ladies and combined team event. Members from the club also collected individual medals for winning their age category. This cross-country season 2014-2015 we saw Derwent Runners drop out of the league and at the time of writing with one race to go we could still win silverware if we have a good turnout of runners for the final race this Sunday February 8th at Holmebrook Valley Park Chesterfield.
We had another year in the North Midlands League, a series of four races on Saturdays from October until January. It is a big disappointment that they fall with the exception of one, on the days before the BDL cross-countries. We did have runners in the one date which did not clash and runners in the first race.
The National Cross-country championships were held at Wollaton Park Nottingham in February and we had fourteen of our runners racing in three of the races. We also had runners in the Derbyshire County Championships, so overall the cross-country season saw some consistent performances by our runners.
Over the long winter period a cross-country adds a bit of variety for most runners to take up the challenge. Many of our top international runners of the past have sworn by the winter cross-countries. They used them as endurance runs without having to run excessive mileage over the winter, ready for races in the spring and summer. It should create more interest once the sport is back in the Olympics.
During the summer months there was the Rugby Rover and a string of local Fell races which added a different dimension and variety to the running year.
Road Running
This is where the club seems to excel and be more popular as it is with most of the clubs in the BDL. The attendances at all five races in the BDL were good both from the Harriers and all the other clubs. We hosted the third race from Deb Products Denby and will again be hosting the third race this year, probably at Denby. This was a good summer for Belper Harriers as we finished third in the men’s, fourth in the ladies and third in the combined team.
The club supported the Malt Shovel Relays and the Hairy Helmet Relays and many of our members ran regularly in local races throughout the year.
We had two club places in 2014 for the London Marathon which we will have again in 2015. Other runners entered as individuals at London and many more of the big city marathons. A number of our runners ran off-road in long distance endurance races sometime bordering on the ultra distances.
After a gap of eighteen years the Ramathon made a come-back in Derby, at the beginning of June. This half-marathon race had its beginnings in 1983 around the roads of Derby as a marathon and half-marathon. The marathon was dropped after a number of years but the half-marathon survived until 1996 over different routes. Last year the start/finish was from Elvaston Country Park where the Harriers had a large turnout of runners. This year the start/finish will be from the iPro Stadium on Pride Park but will take a similar route to last year. If last year was anything to go by it could be around for many years.
The Derby 10k is a great race for all-comers, elite, club, social, or newbies to the sport and those who just run it for the experience or exercise. There are plenty of top class 10k races around in our local area for a distance which most club runners can race without too much extra training.
The club had free places available for the BUPA 10k race in London. Five of us took up the opportunity of a race around the capital on a beautiful spring morning. If any places are available this year, it is well worth the travel down and to make a day of it in London.
For those of you who have not tried one, the 5k Park Run is ideal for those returning from injury, new to running races or do not wish to run any longer distance. I ran in two last year at Darley Park and was surprised by the mix of runners there. These races take place throughout the country at various venues on a Saturday morning and are free. All you need is a bar code printed off the Park Run website. There are also many other 5k races around our area which are ideal as a race or a training exercise.
Another first in 2014 was the Run Derby Race Series. This is based on runners running the eight nominated races where points are awarded for your finishing places in the races with age, gender etc. taken into consideration. There is also a club competition with the club runners points going
towards the team places. Looking at the tables, it appears rather ungainly and I do not think there is a widespread knowledge of what is happening. I am sure that this year the organisers will have made improvements to the format and more runners will know what the competition is about.
Conclusion
I have already mentioned the eighth Derwent River Relays which was our most successful yet. Theresa has set the date for 2015 as Saturday June 27th and this year we would like it to be even better. If you are likely to be free on that date, we would appreciate your help, including work before the race day, on the day itself, getting a team together or maybe running with the family in the Fun Run.
Another thing for 2015 is to get some of our runners racing on the track. In the past we have been to Open Meetings at Loughborough University. So this year I am going to get the dates for local Open Meetings and try and get some of our runners experiencing a race on the track.
On the social side, the club held their Christmas Dinner at the Devonshire and had many enjoyable evenings in country pubs after the ‘Specials’.
There has been the usual crop of inevitable injuries with some of our runners still not fit. This is the downside to running which the individual has to bear themselves. However,t when you are back to full fitness, how good it feels to have the sun on your back and the wind in your face.
Our most unlucky member of 2014 was Dan Clark who broke his leg in an accident in April. Dan is slowly getting back to running and will be re-joining us for training on a Tuesday night in the Spring. I am sure we will all be looking forward to seeing Dan back in action with us.
The final word is to thank everyone, club members, family, friends and supporters who have helped the club over 2014.
Malcolm Weir