Bramley Newspaper Articles

Sunday Morning Alarm 

You know you’re a runner when your Sunday morning alarm is earlier than your Monday morning alarm! Getting up early on a Sunday to race varying distances in mass participation events is a common occurrence in the life of a committed runner. However, last year’s lockdown brought an abrupt end to these events and many runners have missed that feeling of adrenaline pumping through their veins while they queue for the loo for the 10th time! 

A few weeks ago, I was lucky enough to take part in the Caythorpe Dash Half Marathon; my first real race for over a year. The multi-terrain event takes runners through the beautiful countryside trail paths of Lincolnshire but I’m not quite sure why it’s called a dash as the final 5 miles are basically uphill! 

Southwell Running Club recently restarted its own racing calendar with the 10k Grand Prix in which 23 members participated. Steven Rice led the field home to record a third win in a time of 38:12 and Katy Simpson led the women in a time of 41:39. Other notable times were Pam Dutton 46:34, Jake Brandley 40:36 and Ben Parker 41:17. 

Many members of SRC are starting their training plans in preparation for forthcoming events which include the London and Manchester Marathons, The Atlantic Coast Challenge and the Nottingham Ironman. If you have inadvertently signed up for your first race, or were lucky enough to gain a London Marathon place, and don’t know where to start with your training, come along and join us. We have many experienced runners who can give advice and our training sessions are a great addition to individual training plans, providing you the opportunity to push and challenge yourself in preparation for race day. 

Ruby Runner 

www.southwellrunningclub.org

Over the hills and far away

Nothing can beat going for a country run on a spring evening. Now the dreaded virus has abated somewhat and the rules have relaxed a little, the figurative little ducks are coming back to Mother Southwell Running Club duck. And, boy, is she glad to see them.

Not to imply that any of our members waddle; we are finely tuned athletes.

If you like the idea of running with other people but have been putting off joining a club until you are a little fitter or a little faster, then you are not alone. I was hesitant about joining a club for many years, thinking it would be too serious or too challenging. When I finally took the plunge, I found my fears were totally unfounded. We have runners of all abilities and all ages at SRC and we train together at our own pace. 

No matter your ability I can guarantee that there will be at least one person faster and one person slower than you, so it impossible not to fit in. Instead of waiting until you are fitter to come along, come along first and get fitter with us. It is more fun that way round.

As Supt. Hastings may have said during a particularly fierce SRC committee meeting recently, "There is one thing I am interested in, and one thing only, and that is the joy of running, training and perhaps even competing together in and around the glorious environs of Southwell, over the hills and far away." Come and join us!

The Scarlet Pimperrunner

www.southwellrunningclub.org

P.S. Heartfelt thanks to The Obsessive Runner who penned our articles for this esteemed paper for so many years. I hope you like my nom de plume.

SRC is back

It was with great joy that Southwell Running Club could return to group training as of 30th March.

Like so many other sporting groups/clubs, we have certainly missed the sport we love to take part in, but I know as much as anything, we have missed the great social aspect that being part of this running club brings.

Whilst I have been running around the streets and fields of Southwell over the past few months, I have seen a higher number of runners doing the same thing. I hope that some of these people have caught the running bug and decide to join us at the club, whether to be competitive or to enjoy running with a great group of like-minded people; either way I know it will not disappoint.

We are celebrating our 35th year as a club and as well as our infamous grand prix events, cross-country and other races, we will be lining up other in-house events to celebrate.

So if you want to know more about joining us then please visit www.southwellrunningclub.org or join us at 6.45pm on a Tuesday or Thursday night by the Southwell Leisure Centre where our one hour training sessions commence.

The Obsessive Runner

Festivities at Southwell Running Club 

Southwell Running Club provided their members with some of their annual festive fun, which was much more needed this year. First up was the return of the infamous Halam Hat Chase, but this year there was no hat involved. For those of you who do not know about this event, here is a brief overview. Runners are set off at staggered times, the more moderate runners set off first with the faster runners following. The first person to set off usually wears a santa hat and the aim of the other runners is to catch the person with the hat before completing the course. The first person back is the winner of this club event. The course certainly isn’t flat and usually muddy and this year certainly did not disappoint. 14 members took part, but it was an old stalwart, Paul Grogan who took the honours this time round. Question marks have been raised about the handicap time he was given, but nothing can be taken away from Paul’s feat, particularly after a challenging year for Paul. Second up was the annual festive run, which replaces the usual Tuesday night training session before Christmas. This sees runners working in small socially distanced teams, following clues and answering questions set in and around Southwell. 15 members took part and the Christmas pudding team took first prize. Unfortunately these are the last of the events SRC will be able to put on for a while and our club training is also suspended until further notice.