It’s the end of the year as we know it

I don’t think anyone really thought he was going to do it. I don’t really think he thought he would do it either…. and the amount of cursing that must have been going on up and down Cock hill this year must have been tremendous. Effort of the year, at least in my book, has to go to Daz Clarke. What started as a silly bet, and should have ended as a slap round the chops ended up as a one man epic. 365 times up to the trig point at cock hill.

Wormstones

A New Years Eve Special from Local race organising Legend Dez Gibbons. A blast up to Wormstones and a return leg via a bog of doom, a shooting cabin and a nasty little climb up Brown hill back to the Beehive. A fair few of us were out for this delightful little race with Paul Skuse proving that he really isn’t an ultra runner any more, and please can he have more of the short, fast, hard efforts. Excellent work by Lizzie Leason running in home colours and being 3rd lady home, Zoe Barton was, as ever 1st FV40, Mary the ever-smiling Jeal was first FV50 and Neil Shuttleworth was 1st V70. Tony Hillier, watch your back! In other exciting news, Rich Martin has been putting in some secret training, to excellent effect – leaving arch-rival Matt Crompton struggling in the bog behind him. Will Mather looks to be getting some short speed sessions in before his inevitable mileage climb to the White Rose 100, Good to see Tom Young back on the hill in running form, and Cheryl Stitt managed to get all the way around the course without popping home for a cuppa, despite being on the route. Rob Sheldon looks to have got a decent run out, he swears he has now given up running for the rest of the year, Catherine Cleary evidently got some mojo back from being down south and is showing her school friends just what living up north is all about and Roger Hart was getting out for some fresh air when the race went past, so decided to join in anyway-  while Alabama showed us ALL what running in fancy dress is meant to look like, and won the prize for that and all! Congratulations also to the “one Im not meant to mention in club reports because she runs in a different vest and there are lots of on-going official stuff”, but she was first lady home anyway.

10 Paul Skuse 37:33
25 Lizzie Leason 41:17
26 Rich Martin 41:25
35 Zoe barton 43:12
38 Will Mather 43:25
44 Tom Young 44:53
48 Matt Crompton 45:26
62 Cheryl Stitt 49 ish
68 Rob Sheldon 50:22
71 Mary Jeal 51:15
77 Catherine Cleary 52:42
78 Roger Hart 52:50
93 Alabama Breeze 71:01
94 Neil Shuttleworth

The Abominable Snowman 10k

Claire Campbell entered the abominable snowman – and despite the advertised 10k, she got a free mile as well as the medal at the end. While having a look at the website, I noticed it has one of the most “isle of wight” sections ever… “I’m a nipper, can I race?”. Brilliant. There was mud, steep hills (yes, actual hills), “natural” obstacles (Not sure if this means fences, pubs or the locals… all 3 are formidable). I’m sure the weather was as lovely as it ever is on the “sunshine isle” ie. wet, gales and cold. Right, enough nostalgia from me. here is a picture of the medal.

Parkrun

Considering the conditions it is entirely unsurprising that there were no PBs at Glossop Parkrun this week. A number of people ran in various places though – so here is the consolidated report.

Right, so that’s about it for the year, really. Hopefully you all had a decent 2017, and I’m sure you are all going on strava and posting about how many miles you’ve run, and metres you’ve ascended etc. Go and have something to drink, think up some wild and wonderful plans for next year, (don’t forget to write/scrawl them down) and go and do them. If we have someone who has the ability to run up the same damn hill 365 times in a year, surely there are some equally impressive things for others to be doing.

Final thing for those of you that read this and no other club missives (if you’re out there), the Club AGM is on the 17th Jan at in the Oakwood (upstairs at the back).

Ah. Hell. I’ve realised that I’m meant to be organising the club run this Thursday. Um. Right. Bring Fell shoes and a torch. Lets do 2/3 hills of Glossop – starting with Brownhill, then the Nab, and then, if we have time, over to Castle hill. No soul to be left behind. I suspect there will also be a road group, and there will almost certainly be a hardy bog bashing group as well.

As far as I can see there are no other people who have volunteered to lead a social run this year. It’s your club, if you want a social run on a thursday go for it, but if the doodle poll isn’t working and no-one wants to commit then I might as well take it down and we’ll go back to pot luck as to seeing who turns up on the day.