By Mary Jones (This article was originally posted in Mary’s Blog)

February is too short.

Our running club has set a championship challenge (in lieu of races) to run a fast 5k during February. The route choice is your own. Hence lots of Goyt Valley Striders have been throwing themselves off the top of big hills and hurtling down in an attempt to break the land speed record.

My first attempt was misjudged. I found a big hill, ran down it: I won’t bore you with the details but I still had a lot of 5km left when I got to the bottom. I ended up running back through the village at 6pm on a Friday night, dodging the socially distanced chippy queue, which must have cost valuable seconds. It was still my fastest ever 5k but I thought I could do better.

The shortness of February meant that I didn’t have time to recover properly before having to do another attempt.

Attempting a route tried and tested by my better (at least at running) half, I took myself up another hill on a fine early spring day. I stood for a moment at the top of the hill and looked across the valley. The sun glinted on the reservoir. My other option for this morning was to go for a swim – why didn’t I choose the swim?

I started to run down hill. I tried to increase both my stride and my cadence until it felt like I was flying – I remember this feeling as a child – running down hill without a care in the world. Running faster and faster. Leaning in to the descent like superman.

I tried to keep up the momentum, even when the road took a slight upwards trajectory briefly, but my legs and lungs were burning. My breath was noisy in my throat. I know the next descent is shorter and soon my route will turn flat and I will no longer be able to rely on gravity to keep me going.

I turn on to the trail. The second half of my 5k will be flat. Now it’s my legs, not the gradient of the path that must keep up the momentum. There are no runners ahead of me, no runners behind me, and no-one waiting to cheer me over the finish line, but this is still a race. This is the club championship, lockdown style.

One mile to go. My body wants to give up but I have come this far and I am not doing this again! The pace no longer feels free and easy. I come to the end of the trail and drop down on the the canal. A moment of descent but it is not enough to gain any more momentum. Nearly there… and stop. My legs shake and I cough as my lungs try to recover. The coughing attracts stares from the families walking along the canal. I start to walk, I can’t run any more, my heart rate needs to return to normal. My legs need to stop shaking.

I walk along the canal in the spring sunshine. A man walking in front of me in green wellies sings along to Frank Sinatra playing in his headphones: “Let me see what spring is like on Jupiter and Mars”. I don’t want to start running again and break the reverie of this moment. I listen a minute and then I start to jog again and overtake him as he sings along to ‘The Girl from Ipenema: “She stares ahead but not at me”

I get home, download my run to Strava and run it through this website which will calculate the fastest 5k in the route. I was 7 seconds slower than last week’s run.

February has also been too long.

We have been in lockdown for what seems like years. This is lockdown number 2 or 3, depending on how you count – and I don’t count the not-lockdown before Christmas because I was still going to work and my children were still going to school.

The government have finally released the long awaited road map out of lockdown. Now anyone who knows me will know that I am not good with maps but even I have noticed the ominous words ‘no sooner than…’ before every date where things might get released. ‘No sooner than’, which means that if it all goes tits up after any of the previous dates, and the dreaded R rate starts to climb, then it ain’t going to happen.

England Athletics have kindly translated the roadmap for the running community:

I dream of summer fell races. The ‘turn up – pay a fiver – run up a big hill – run down a big hill – pray you don’t come last’ kind of races. I hope they can go ahead. I have entered the Manchester Marathon in October. The atmosphere at the first few big events will be amazing. I am looking forward to a summer of parkrun, gigs, music festivals, theatre. I am trying to remain optimistic but I am glad I am not the organiser of a summer event (any more).

by Chris Bowen

2020 got off to a good start with three races taking place. We did the Meltham Tough 10k, the Marple Park Run, and the Haworth Hobble, and we had no idea that this would be the last of the championship races for the year. The committee started putting on a few challenges, suggested by various members, and asked people to record when they had taken part, the time taken not being important. The idea was to keep people running even when we couldn’t have club runs.

It gradually became apparent that races were not going to be held for the rest of 2020 and so we finished the year with 20 of our own challenges in all. These included some relay events, some local race routes, and some navigation challenges. Some of these challenges were charity events, with members being very generous in their donations – thank you everyone! A lot of people enjoyed searching the Goyt Valley for Joe Brown’s Numbers, and testing themselves on the 5 Trigs route – thanks to Pete Ambrose for suggesting these. Also thanks to Chris Tetley for designing the August navigation event, where we had to find the green ‘Peak and Northern’ footpath signs; and to Brian Holland for encouraging us to run Every Day in May (and November!), and for planning various relays.

We are delighted with the number of members who took part in the challenges, some of whom do not like the pressure of normal championship races, but they have enjoyed taking part in these challenges. A number of children and young people took part in the challenges as well.

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(Click on the picture to see some of the prize winners with their prizes)

7 members completed all 20 challenges, with 10 people completing over 15 but less than 20, and 10 more completing over 10. All these people were presented with a T-shirt this morning, thanks to another piece of relay planning mastery by Brian. These T-shirts have “Lockdown Championship” on the back and are gold – yellow actually – for 20 challenges, silver – grey – for 15 and bronze – orange – for 10. They also say “Tier 20”, “Tier 15” and “Tier 10” depending on the number of challenges achieved. (You may wonder where this came from – originally when we planned these prizes we were going to have Tiers 3, 2 and 1, but then Tier 4 was introduced so we had to change our plan! The three juniors who did lots of these challenges also received prizes today. Well done Magnus, Efan and Wilf.

So, on to 2021. We hope that racing will start again later this year, and we have decided to try to have a more traditional championship, with different gender and age categories as normal. The three races from last year have been carried forward, and we hope that some of the rest of the races that were planned for 2020 will take place this year, and these will be included – especially as some of us have deferred entries for some these. Other races maybe added if things get back to normal.

In the meantime, while there is no racing, there is a new series of homegrown challenges for members to take part in, for which championship points will be awarded. We’ve already had the Fastest Mile, and for February we have the Fastest 5k. Eventually, we plan that there will be 18 races/challenges as in a normal year with a variety of terrains and distances as in a normal year. A tentative plan is on the website but this will change as things become clearer.

We very much hope that those members who don’t normally take part in championship races will continue to take part this year, as this increased participation has been an unexpected benefit of the Covid restrictions. If you do a challenge but you don’t want to post a time, you will still get recognition for having taken part. Once racing does start, there will be an option to do the race route on a different day to the race proper, and again get recognition (but not championship points). You could still get a T shirt at the next AGM if you do a set of qualifying events without having taken part in a proper race at all!

By Lucas Jones

I don’t need to tell you all how strange 2020 was!

Since March we’ve been missing a lot:
• races (although Aidan and me somehow managed to do a half ironman triathlon)
• parkruns
• our usual, brilliantly informal Tuesday and Saturday club runs
• and of course the pubs!

However, I am very proud of how the club came together in these difficult times. Starting with the relay in May, and continuing with the Mob Match, and all the events that comprised the Lockdown Championship. Thanks to everyone who suggested or helped to organise those events: I know they helped just about save my sanity last year.

Despite the lack of races and the ever-changing lockdown conditions, there were still many notable individual running achievements and I just want to quickly mention a few that spring to mind:

Nathan – the ridiculous Eccles Pike Marathon (just about!) followed by a 35 minute 10k (at a very rare race); followed up earlier today with a sub-17 minute 5k!

Mark Richards – attempt at “60 at 60” Bob Graham Round – the traditional 42 summits, plus an extra 18! He didn’t quite manage the 24 hour limit (ended up 32 hours 45 mins), but it was awe -inspiring to see Mark persevere; I don’t think stopping was ever on his agenda, despite looking in need of an air ambulance on more than one occasion.

Robin Leathley – as well as many stupidly fast local runs, Robin completed a very swift unofficial Bullock Smithy (he wasn’t the only Strider to run the course this year despite the race having been cancelled).

Julia Carter – Building on her V40 win in 2019, Julia has very impressively started dipping her toes into the murky waters of ultra-running; Bullock Smithy later this year!

Louise Smith – refusal to let shielding get in the way of joining in with our lockdown challenges, doing them on her own improvised back-garden running track instead

On of course Rusty, and his wonderfully demented Eccles Pike ultra-marathon for Thomas Theyer Foundation: 25 ascents, 36 miles and 13.5 thousand feet of elevation, which is nearly halfway up Everest!

By Julia Carter

Yet another fabulous event, and weren’t we blessed with the weather? The start was “a bit early” to quote Mary, with Chris T, Alistair, and the Joneses setting things in motion, all setting off on separate routes. The starting block was from outside Louise’s house. Louise was self isolating at the time but there she was with a smile and a cheer to welcome the first arrivals.

On the basis of the various drafts and spreadsheets, I had, some may argue naively, been expecting my fellow Striders to arrive at approximately 9.00am. Chris T however announced his arrival at my house with a message “Here” at 8.29 am, so out I shot with wet hair, and one running shoe on and one running shoe in my hand. I was greeted by a very spritely Chris, and Chloe Abbot (and dog). Having failed to interpret the rules correctly I had not prepared a treat for my relay benefactors, so apologies Chris and Chloe, but I did take a couple of brownies with me to my onward recipients Brian and Sue.

As temperatures soared iced treats were in order for the remainder of the day.

A big “Hats off!” to Brian for managing to coordinate the relay. Blimey – that was a job and a half! I think there were at least four drafts of the route, but we got there in the end, and all those who wanted to take part were included, including Louise who completed the relay in her own back garden. The route traversed Whaley Bridge, Bugsworth, Chapel, Chinley, Buxton, Bollington and Marple.

In true Striders style, all abilities and ages were encouraged to engage, and it was fabulous to see some of our potential future talent joining in too.

In essence, it was meant to be a bit of fun and fun it was. You only have to look through the handover photos posted on Facebook to see how much we all enjoyed it. One of the many things I love about our club is how inclusive and encouraging it is. Throughout the lockdown, our little club has excelled itself in keeping us all together and active, and for that I am truly grateful.

by Brian Holland

I saw an article in the news about doing a fundraising event based round 2 and 6. (marathon distance which are all cancelled). So with the help of Helen Gilbert here is what GVS is doing.

• Sunrise to Sunset relay
• 26 people or groups of people who live together run/walk 2.6 miles
• On 26 April

Hope you get it 🙂

Below is a link to a page where you can pick your time. Thank you Pete F for sorting this out.

This is not just about having a good excuse to go out. I am unlikely to be staging the Shining Tor Fell Race which last year gave £600 to Buxton Mountain Rescue. And Helen was going the run London Marathon to raise money for Phab Kids which supports clubs and holidays for disabled kids. Links are below. DON’T FORGET TO GIFT AID IF YOU CAN.

The Rules

Sign up by picking a time on the list here

Make a donation using one of the links below, suggestion is £5 but more or less is perfectly acceptable, also donations from people not actually taking part.

• Brian’s Facebook Fundraiser for Buxton Mountain Rescue
• Helen’s Just Giving page for Phab Kids
• Buxton Mountain Rescue’s donation page

Sort your 2.6 mile route out, this has to be from your home, can end anywhere not necessarily back at your home, but end your route at 2.6 miles.

Once you have done your run, put a Strava or Garmin route somewhere so we can all see where you have been, a photo to go with it would be nice

• On the event’s Facebook page
• On Cluster
• In a Tweet, tagging @GoytValley
• As a reply to this post

Things you must do!

1. Only run by yourself or with people you live with.
2. If your route takes you through gates or stiles, remember be careful about touching things, wear gloves and wash hands.
3. Do not select a route which goes through farm yards or gardens, so places like the path from Whaley Sewage works to Dolly Lane is out.
4. No one can do two legs, advice is to only do one exercise session a day.
5. Remember to follow the government advice to avoid spreading the virus, keeping 2m distance.

Many thanks for your support, please contact me with any questions.

07905100710 or bholland28@hotmail.com or GVS facebook page