The weekend of 4th/5th December saw a plethora of Romsey Road Runners in action at various races. On the Saturday, Tam Ryan and Steve Geary travelled to Lulworth to take part in the Endurance Life Coastal Trail marathon. This was Steve’s first marathon and he said of the experience: “the sun was shining and it was a beautiful day; it was just the 50 mph winds and the 6250 feet of climbing and 5676 feet of descending to contend with. We had put the training in and I thoroughly enjoyed it to be honest. It was brutal in places but as Tam kept telling me, no pain no gain. I finished in 5:32:58, 50th overall and 6th in age cat. Tam finished in 5:32:59, 51st overall, 8th lady and 1st in age cat. It was never going to be a record-setting day because of the climbing and the high winds, but I was happy to finish my first ever marathon.”
Tam and Steve at the Endurance Life Coastal Trail marathon
Tim Parker was also at Lulworth doing the half marathon, where he placed an impressive 10th in 1:47. Tim described the event as “stunning and hilly in equal quantities” and was delighted with his position.
The following day saw Elizabeth Prinsep and Nigel Hemsted take part in the Victory 5, a flat road race in Portsmouth. On a windy and cold day, Elizabeth set a new PB of 35:19 and Nigel, who had been unwell with a cold the previous week, nevertheless managed to finish in 37:37.
Closer to home in Southampton, Neil and Penny Jennings did the Southampton Common 10k, which Penny described as a “lovely, low-key charity race”. Penny finished in 50:34 and Neil in 36:50, taking 4th place.
On the same day, Dave Gardner and Lin Webb injected a shot of festive cheer into proceedings by dressing up as Father Christmases and running the Santa Claus 5k around Winchester, where Dave came 8th overall.
Romsey Road Runners were out in force for the Gosport half marathon on November 21st. This local race is popular with running clubs because the flat route has good PB (personal best) potential. But even with a flat route, weather conditions on the day can make a big difference to a runner’s time, and while November 21st dawned sunny and bright, it was also windy. Despite this, Romsey proved their mettle with four club members clocking up new half marathon PBs.
Elizabeth Prinsep set a new PB of 1:35 to come second in age, despite her feet being numb from the cold; Keith Morris knocked two minutes off his previous best set earlier this year to finish in 1:42; Louise Holliday achieved a hard won new PB of 2:09, despite her head “not being in the right place at all. I almost stopped after the first lap so I was particularly amazed and pleased with my time at the end!”, and Tim Parker completed the set by achieving an impressive new time of 1:24.
Andy Brown, who is training for the Malaga marathon in December, paced Elizabeth round, completing the run with her in 1:35, while Alex Prinsep finished in an impressive time of 1:20 despite running in to a headwind on the final stretch. Nigel Hemsted came home in 1:41; Becky Tovey in 1:28 (netting herself a qualifier for the Chester Elite marathon along the way); Alice Lane in 1:59 and Susie Parker in 1:54. Susie, who had had Covid only three weeks previously, said of the race: “it was fantastic to run alongside the sea against a backdrop of beach huts. The organisers and marshals couldn’t have been more supportive.”
The previous weekend saw Sue Sleath in action at the Test Way Ultra. This is a very different race to the flat roads of Gosport, with forty or fifty mile options of hilly, point to point trails. Sue, who is an experienced ultra-runner, finished the forty-mile run in a time of 6:54 hours to take second place lady in what she described as “the short route”.
Romsey Road Runners were out in force for the London Marathon and Clarendon races on the first weekend of October.
After last year’s Storm Alex turned the Clarendon into a muddy river, this year the weather was pretty much perfect for running, with the exception of a single heavy downpour in the afternoon. Dave Gardner used Kendal Mint Cake to fuel the Clarendon’s hilly 26.2 miles, completing the route between Salisbury and Winchester in 5:09. Neil Jennings took second place in the half marathon in an impressive time of 1:30, with Sue Sleath (1:47) and Liz Prinsep (1:49) coming third and fourth ladies. Brenda Topliss (2:43) and Sue Sylvester (2:17) both won their age categories. Sue said “it was a tough, hilly, muddy course but with a wonderful friendly atmosphere.” Nigel Hemsted (1:52) came second in his age category, with Penny (2:07); Keith (2:04 PB); Alice and springer Jim (2:43), Sue & Jack Russel Poppy (2:08 PB); Chris (2:19) and Giovanni (2:07) also running. In addition, RRR fielded two relay teams. Derek, Julia, Anna and Liz finished in 4:44 ably supported by Karen driving between hand-overs, while the Webb family of Lin, Ray, Rob & Laura finished in 5:06. Kate, Mark and Westie Ted were marshals, helping to keep the runners going.
On the same day, Susie Parker ran her first London marathon in an impressive time of 4:05. She said running through the capital had been “an incredible experience and one I’m thrilled to have been part of.” Gretel Hardwick finished just behind Susie in 4:09, and Becky Tovey and Matt Hammerton secured entries in the Championship race in 2022 by finishing in 3:13 and 2:37 respectively.
Meanwhile, Duncan MacDonald proved you don’t need to run a marathon in an organised race by doing one along the Test Way on Sunday morning in support of a friend who was running the Virtual London marathon. Duncan completed the 26.2 miles in an impressive first marathon time of 4:32.
Romsey Road Runners have been in action recently at the Brighton marathon, the CapTen (a ten mile fell race run over Golden Cap and Thorncombe Beacon along the Dorset Coast); the Great North Run (the largest half marathon in the world in Newcastle); and, closer to home, the Winchester half marathon, the Lordshill 10k and the Romsey 5.
While Sue Sleath was running the Brighton marathon in a time of 3:42 (“not bad on no marathon training!”), Alice, Sue and Becky were climbing the 720m elevation of the CapTen race on a very warm day. They celebrated Becky winning the ladies race with a dip in the sea and a picnic on the beach afterwards.
Andy Brown made the journey up to Newcastle to take part in the Great North Run, which he described as “a tough course with a mega atmosphere…an absolute bucket list race.” He finished in a very respectable 1:32:45.
Andy at the Great North Run
Closer to home, Liz Slade ran the Romsey 5, held in the grounds of Broadlands, in a time of 42:09 to come 3rd in age. Liz said “after a few days climbing mountains and canoeing in the Brecon Beacons, I enjoyed running a flat course!” Other RRRs taking part were Sue Sylvester (41:53) Duncan (35:42), Dev (32:25), Liz P (35:24), Keith (35:47), Chris (39:11), Penny (40:19), Dorota (45:15), Sue (39:31), Tim (29:34), Debbie (46:44), Moira (51:01), Richard (50:23) and Alex (28:11 and 1st in age).
RRR at the Romsey 5
On the same day as the Romsey 5, Alice (2:04), Lorna (1:36), and Bob (2:25) did the Winchester half. Bob, a veteran of the race said: “the event seemed as busy as ever and with good weather it was a lovely run.” Meanwhile, Freya (59:37), Matt Brown (38:55), Matt Bennet (35:22) and Daniel (39:31) all completed the Lordshill 10k. Freya noted that the race was “brilliantly organised with a great atmosphere and the new venue at Oasis Academy worked really well.”
There are lots of good reasons to be a runner: health, wellbeing, adventure, time outdoors. There are also many different ways of running: for enjoyment, for solace, on your own, with friends, running every day or once a week, training hard or running easy. Each approach is as valid as the next and we are proud that Romsey Road Runners encapsulates these different qualities.
Whilst it can be a good motivator to enter a race and set yourself a target time to complete it in, running competitions can also be about having fun, helping a friend, achieving something new, or getting a good result in your age category, as the ten Romsey Road Runners who took part in last weekend’s Southampton ABP races proved.
On what was an unexpectedly hot day, Neil Jennings finished the 26.2 miles of the marathon in an impressive time of 2:59. Neil commented: “the fourth time up the Itchen Bridge was where the fun began, but I held on just long enough for a sub-three-hour time. I’m very happy.”
Romsey’s half-marathon finishers were Louise Holliday, who completed her first half marathon in 2:22; Penny Jennings who ran the 13.1 miles in 1:53; Lin Webb (2:33) and Mark Adams (1:31), while Alice Lane helped her friend Kate complete the hilly course in a time of 2:45.
The 10k contingent consisted of Elizabeth Prinsep, who was third-placed lady in a time of 45:11; Jonathon Stevens, who earnt himself a new PB by completing the 6.2 miles in 43:45; Richard Vie who finished in 1:10, and Colin Williams, who took the V70 prize in a time of 56:07.
Colin said “at the age of 70 I am very fortunate to be still taking part in wonderful events such as the Southampton ABP 10k. The atmosphere on Sunday was amazing as we gathered under a blue sky awaiting the start, excited at competing and being together again. As always, there was wonderful support throughout the route, particularly on Itchen Bridge which is a much steeper climb than it looks and by far the toughest section of the course. The event was extremely well organised and for me most enjoyable as I ran around the City where I have worked all my life”.
Romsey Road Runners have been in action at various races over the past couple of weeks. Wednesday 18th saw a strong club turnout for the penultimate RR10 race which was held at the IBM grounds in Hursley. Romsey’s Tom Bray has already won the men’s championship, taking first place in all four of the previous races. Liz Prinsep is on track to win the V50 category; Mark Adams is currently M50 champion and Anna Duigan is in with a fighting chance of taking the V70 prize. With one more race to go in the series it’s still all to play for.
RR10 Hursley
The following Sunday, Alice Lane, Freya Pearson and Hannah Semeraro took part in the augural Big Pilgrimage, a 14-mile point to point run along an ancient pilgrim track known as the ‘Old Way,’ recently rediscovered on the 14th century Gough map. The race started at the Mayflower in Southampton and ended at Tichfield. Freya summed it up, saying: “I would definitely recommend the Big Pilgrimage. Lots of lovely trails, great snacks and every now and then someone in a top hat gave us a sticker!”
The same day Susie Parker made the trip up to London to take part in the London Vitality Big Half as a precursor to running the London marathon in October. The 13.2-mile race started near Tower Bridge and ended at the Cutty Sark and Susie clocked up a well-earnt PB, finishing in an impressive time of 1:49:58. She said “it was a really great race. I was really pleased with how it went and I felt it was a good test bed for London.”
Also on Sunday, Keith Morris was busy charging round the lanes of Lytchett in Dorset competing in the Lytchett ten mile race where he produced a strong finishing time of 1:20:21, despite the 230 metres of elevation on the course. If you would like to be part of a friendly, supportive and encouraging running club please look at our website romseyroadrunners.co.uk for details of how to join.
Competition between the running clubs of west Hampshire has found expression every summer since 1983 with the RR10 race league. The league, born out of the running boom of the 1980s, started with six member clubs and grew to encompass fourteen. It comprises a series of races held on Wednesday evenings during spring and summer at various locations across the region, with each race being hosted by a different club. The races are cross country, between 4-5 miles long, and are free to participating club members, provided they wear their club’s colours. Participants vary from the steady to the super-speedy and all paces are welcome.
The 2020 RR10 series was cancelled because of Covid, and the earlier races of the 2021 series went the same way, but as of July this year the series was up and running again, launching with a boiling hot race at Fleming Park in Eastleigh on July 21st. Romsey Road Runner’s Tom Bray won the men’s race, while the club’s Hannah Semeraro took an impressive tenth-place in the women’s.
Traditionally, Romsey Road Runners have hosted their RR10 in the New Forest, but due to concerns over disturbing ground-nesting birds it was decided to move the venue to Broadlands this year, and the inaugural event took place on July 28th. The club turned out in force to provide the necessary marshals, cake bakers, course set-up crew, finish line managers and sweepers, all of whom contributed to the race’s smooth running.
Nigel Hemsted, RR10 race director for Romsey, said:
we had a very successful run with no issues, and the runners almost managed to finish the cakes!
If you would like to take part in an RR10, please see romseyroadrunners.co.uk for information on club membership.
The popularity of running has soared during the pandemic. Part of the appeal is its simplicity – running doesn’t cost a fortune, you can do it anywhere and go at your own pace – but it can be hard to get started and harder still to keep going, especially on your own. Romsey Road Runners’ 2020 couch to 5k course (C25K) was cancelled because of the pandemic, but this year things looked more positive.
Run leader Steve Geary said:
‘over the last year we saw so many people out walking, running and riding their bikes during Lockdown. We wanted to keep that momentum and enthusiasm going.’
C25K, an NHS approved 9-week course that takes people from non-or lapsed runner to 5k runner is a tried and tested formula. This is the fourth year that Romsey Road Runners have hosted the course and it remains as popular as ever.
Run Leaders Steve, Moira and Dorota, supplemented by guest appearances from various members of RRR, were on hand to help the 25 men and women who signed up for the course, encouraging them to keep going on their Tuesday sessions as the running bits got longer and the walking bits shorter.
C25K course member Emma Peel explained her reasons for taking part.
‘I signed up for the course as I wanted to improve my fitness. I found the course structure helpful and the team and coach support amazing. I hope to carry on running as it has helped me meet people, enjoy the outdoors and I don’t want to go back to square one again! Thanks to the friendly people at Romsey Road Runners for organising this course.’
Another participant, Jane Bucke, said:
‘joining the C25K course was a leap of faith for me after a fear of exercise, however, since starting I have not looked back. The support you receive is second to none and you are among beginners like yourself. I took things at my own pace and made it my own personal challenge. The programme really does work and I have amazed myself at the level of fitness I have achieved in nine weeks. I have met some lovely people along the way and plan to continue running to maintain my fitness.’
Nats, another member, added:
‘I joined the programme as I needed to lose weight and increase my activity levels. I have tried to complete C25K on my own before and never succeeded. The support, encouragement, guidance and best practice tips shared by members of the coaching team of Romsey helped break those physical and mental barriers, increasing my self belief and helping me to achieve success in completing the course and running 5k.’
Last week was the final week of the course with the graduates completing a 5k run along the Test Way. Many of them are now going on to an ‘RRR Lite’ course which will prepare them to be full club members. Helen Bull is one of those. Having previously tried to do the C25K course on her own and struggled to complete it, she can now call herself a 5k runner. Helen said:
‘the encouragement and camaraderie of the group has kept my momentum going until the end. You can’t believe when you start that it is ever going to be achievable to run non-stop for 30 minutes, but the programme, along with the support of the fantastic team leaders, does actually work. I plan to continue running to maintain my fitness; I’ve even got to quite like it!’
Current Government guidelines is for 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity, or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity, per person, per week for good health. Running is a great way to get those minutes done. It improves your cardiovascular fitness and looks after your bone and muscle strength (particularly important for people over 40), and it helps with weight control. Romsey Road Runners offer two training sessions a week throughout the year catering for all speeds and levels of ability and we welcome new members. Please visit our website romseyroadrunners.co.uk for further information.
