Value for Money?

Ours is just a simple sport. If you have a spare hour, you can be out of the door running in five minutes. Why then, is it becoming so much more expensive? An article in the recent Fellrunner lampooning the perceived kit needs of modern day runners as compared with the Bob Graham 'pumps and singlet' days, led me to consider the rising costs of entering races. What constitutes value for money nowadays?

Please indulge me to mention just one nostalgic memory. Tour of Tameside 1980: double marathon, 6 races in 7 days: free commemorative vest, medal, final day presentation with free buffet and free bar: £5. There is a rumour that this great event might be reprised when the Metrolink is finished. If so the guide price would be a £1 per kilometre.

Whilst researching for this piece, I just chose several races at random to see how much it would cost to enter. Great Manchester Run (£39), Great North Run (£49), Wilmslow Half (£30), Saunders Mountain Marathon (£88 per pair), OMM (£112 per pair), Lakeland Trail Races (£24 early bird entry each race or £175 for the series - this is a special price mind for the 1st 100 only :-)). All these races are very popular: even at the expensive price, there is a bit of a scrum to get in races like these. Pre-entry is de rigeur these days (online, at an additional cost of course). Entering months in advance inevitably ends with many not making the start line and getting even partial refunds is not always possible.

Looking at the entry list for the Puma Stockport 10, I noticed a significant proportion of unattached runners who would also be required, if they were honest, to pay the extra affiliation fee. I don't want to get into the UK Athletics debate here, but this will inevitably lead to rising costs. I do hope that many of these runners will eventually join clubs because, for me, they are the lifeblood of the sport in this country. Park Runs are extremely very good value of course and hopefully will tempt more runners to join up also.

I do like races which show creativity and initiative. For example, thanks to Sikobe, my entry fee for the recent Gravy Pud race was a box of chilli buns. The Cake Race from Diggle is comparatively cheap to enter and then you get to pig out on a selection of delicious culinary offerings at the end. For my Christmas Fell Race in days gone by (oops, sorry again for mentioning the past!) I nicked an idea from Dark Peak for those taking part to bring a prize as entry and take a prize at the end.

More and more runners these days seem to be entering LDWA events or charity hikes at a reasonable cost as compared with say the Lakeland Trail races. Events like the Grindleford Gallop and the Toddy Boundary offer runners the chance to stretch their legs often with food and drinks stations provided.

So then on to my to top 3 value for money races. The recent Puma Stockport 10 was £15 to enter but was a brilliantly organised race by a friendly club. Chip timing, technical long-sleeved top, goody bag, music, race commentary. For me it compares well with similar road races at twice the price. In second place, I have gone for the Famous Grouse. For just £2 you get to enjoy some of the best fell running on the local scene. Top of my list however has to be the South East Lancs XC League. 4 tough eyeballs out races for £4 and plenty of muddy competition.

These are just my views however. What do you think?

Runner Profile Number 4: Lynne Taylor

Name: Lynne Taylor

Age: 39

How long a member of Glossopdale Harriers? : 1 year

Favourite Band : Faithless

Best Film : Nikita

Favourite Food : steak & chips, strawberries & cream

3 song running playlist: I never listen to music while running, it would totally take away the essence of why I run, which is to be out there immersed in nature

Most Informative Running Book: none, Jeff Galloway's advice on walk breaks is something I refer to often for my own training and with my sports massage clients

Sporting Role Models: anyone who is dedicated

Favourite Race / Races : no particular favourite though I do prefer orienteering races

Best training tip for other harriers : Having a goal is a good motivator but the main thing for me is to just get out there, enjoy the hills and keep smiling. Good recovery is key - which mostly equates to learning how to rest effectively, use a foam roller and have regular sports massage.

2013 Running Goals: sub 50min 10k (currently I'm around 58mins and haven't yet done a 10k race)

Comfiest Running Shoes: INOV8 X-Talon 212's

Favourite Night Out : spending time with friends

Top Tipple: home brewed blackberry vodka, or port

Pre-race breakfast : muesli or porridge and a banana

Race you would like to see brought back : n/a as I don't know what's no longer around!

Evening before race meal : whatever is being cooked

Runner Profile Number 3: Paul Stitt

Runner Profile Number 3: Paul Stitt

 

Name: Paul Stitt.

Age: 42.

How long a member of Glossopdale Harriers? : 10 years.

Favourite Band : Pink Floyd.
Best Film : For a Few Dollars More.

Favourite Food : Pie and peas!

3 song running playlist:
 Fireball by Deep Purple.
 Free Bird by Lynyrd Skynyrd.
 Jesus Christ Pose by Soundgarden.

Most Informative Running Book: What I Talk About When I Talk About Running by Haruki Murakami.

Sporting Role Models: Geoff Boycott.

Favourite Race / Races : Ravenstones Brow.

Best training tip for other harriers : Run hard and fast twice a week or more and lose that extra weight.

2013 Running Goals: Sub 18 5K, get my foot better, and do some cycle races.

Comfiest Running Shoes: Adidas Swoop.

Favourite Night Out : Wednesday at the Globe.

Top Tipple: Absinthe.

Pre-race breakfast : Bran Flakes

Race you would like to see brought back : Glossop 10.


Evening before race meal : Tuna Pasta.

2012 Stockport 10

A few photographs from yesterday's race starting in Woodbank Park...me and Tim were there providing pre and post race sports massage so apologies for not capturing many of you at the finish as we were busy working then!

Apologies if photos aren't in the right order, blogger yet again proves annoyingly difficult to move photos!

Runner Profile Number 2: Tom Skelton

Name: Thomas Skelton

Age: 31

How long a member of Glossopdale Harriers? : Just under 2 years

Favourite Band : RATM

Best Film : Amelie

Favourite Food : Curry (The hotter the better)

3 song running playlist:
 Pendulum - Self vs Self
Muse - Survival
Pendulum - 9000 miles

Most Informative Running Book: Born to Run (I'm yet to read Survival of the Fittest or Feet in the Clouds)

Sporting Role Models: Too many to name!

Favourite Race / Races : Kinder Trog & Kinder Downfall

Best training tip for other harriers : Get a dog! 

2013 Running Goals: Sub 19 min 5k, sub 40 min 10k

Comfiest Running Shoes: Inov8 MudRoc 290

Favourite Night Out : Just being out in a nice warm pub with good company

Top Tipple: Laphroaig quarter cask

Pre-race breakfast : Porridge with raisins 

Race you would like to see brought back : No idea!

Evening before race meal : Thin crust fajita chicken pizza! 

Runner Profile Number 1: Quickdraw McGraw

Name: Neil McGraw.

Age: Nearly 40.

How long a member of Glossopdale Harriers? : 30 years on and off.

Favourite Band : Stone Roses.

Cardington Cracker 2012

Best Film : The Italian Job.

Favourite Food : Buffets :-)

3 song running playlist:
 Portrait of Red by The Virginmarys.
 Get you rocks off by Primal Scream.
 Holding out for a Hero by Bonnie Tyler.

Most Informative Running Book: The Art of Running Faster by Julian Goater.

Sporting Role Models: The Brownlee Brothers / Marianne Vos.

Favourite Race / Races : Tankys Trog, National Cross Country Championships.

Best training tip for other harriers : Interval training is the quickest way to improve your personal bests.

2013 Running Goals: Sub 40 minute 10k, 70% age rating at park run and complete a mountain marathon.

The exfoliating qualities of cross country running

Comfiest Running Shoes: Nike Free Run V3 5.0.

Favourite Night Out : Music Festivals especially Glastonbury.

Top Tipple: Hot Vimto.

Pre-race breakfast : Corporation Pop (plus porridge if race going to be longer 2 hours.)

Race you would like to see brought back : Werneth Low Half Marathon.


Evening before race meal : Globe chickpea curry and rice.

The Ageing Runner

There comes a time to all runners when personal bests are no longer possible; for most runners this is almost exclusively an age-related issue when dealing with the physical and mental issues of managing performance deterioration becomes increasingly more important. Having had twenty years experience of this, I feel qualified to pass on some thoughts on the subject which may or may not interest other runners either in or approaching this phase of their running life.

Being a relatively late starter to running at the age of 32, I felt that I was on a generally upward curve of performances until I was 45.   For me this applied especially on the fells where arguably there is a longer apprenticeship to go through than say on the road. What follows is not based on a scientific analysis or indeed has any claim on being prescriptive: it is merely anecdotal. a summary of what I did and what worked for me.

To be able to run into my senior years and remain competitive, I felt I had to reduce my weekly mileage. Having run to and from work for many years, I began to cycle in instead. I resisted the urge to run every day. As I retired from work at the age of 58, I had more time on my hands to become almost effectively a full-time athlete. This involved running, cycling, long-distance walking, swimming, going to the gym (great in winter and when injured) and more recently spinning sessions.

On this training regime, I had to give up the longer races and aim almost exclusively at shorter races. To keep up the interest and motivation, variety was key for me. I have raced on the road, trail, fell, country and more recently in the parks! If a personal best is not possible, then a seasons best is a great alternative. Park runs are great source of motivation for me and have the added bonus of age-related scores also. I sometimes take on an occasional longer race, particularly those in our own club champs and try to increase my mileage in the build up. Anyone who saw me struggling up to Big Stone in this years Kinder Trog would testify to how little I had left in the tank!

I err on the side of caution and try to stay injury free because coming back from injury gets that much more difficult. I try to pay a lot more attention to warming up and stretching on the warm downs.  I also am a convert to and advocate of foam rollering (thanks Neil, Tim and Lynne!) If I am injured, I try to isolate the injury and keep on exercising either in the pool or in the gym. I also try to stay positive because noting gradual progress on the comeback is much more motivating than managing the inevitable deterioration even if you avoid injury!

I am motivated by the competition in such a vibrant club as ours. It's always nice to have blue and orange vests to aim for whether in my age-group or not! I always try to do as many of our club championship races as I can and look keenly at my relative positions in Charlie's immaculately kept tables!

After 28 years as a mid-pack runner with no victories or prizes, I eventually started to pick up one or two in the age-group categories. I never ran for all those years with prizes in mind, so when they did start to come along at the fag end of my running career, they are more keenly welcomed and relished. Keeping going, staying fit and competitive allows you to be in it to win it.

Finally, I have always tried to remember that running is a sport and not necessarily to be taken too seriously. I try not to get upset with a poor result; I just vow to do better next time. Times don't matter as much as performances. I try to savour every race as though it were my last. I try to live life to the full and don't bother counting either calories or units. I would like to say everything in moderation but that would not be true for me all of the time!  I feel it is more important to feel good about yourself because running is to be enjoyed, embraced and savoured.

FRA Relays 2012

A few photos...sorry they're out of order...I did try to put them in order but spent ages on it and just haven't any more time to fiddle!! Please feel free to re-sort if you've time!