Dec Newsletter 2019

Oct – Dec Newsletter 2019

Welcome to our quarterly newsletter about our running club, based here in Paphos. It includes information about the races we have participated in, our results, any general information about us and what preparations we are making for upcoming races.

The newsletter belongs to all members, whether you reside in Cyprus or live elsewhere and run with the club when on holiday. If you have any information relating to your running you would like including in the newsletter please e-mail it to [email protected].

Membership

2019 proved to be our most successful year to date for membership numbers as we finished the year with 52 fully paid members. Towards the end of the year we welcomed Angela McAllister and Maureen Summers to the club who have joined us on many club runs and we look forward to another running year with them.

We gained a few more friends on our Facebook page from people who saw us competing and supporting the 4-Day Challenge and thought what a friendly group we were (which we are!). Hopefully as it’s now time to renew our membership we will do better or at least equal 2019 membership numbers and start 2020 the way we mean to go on with our fantastic friendly running group.

Races Races & events – Oct-Dec 2019

12-13 October, Lesna Doba, 24 Hour Ultramarathon Poland Joanna and Wojciech took part in this event which involves running as many 12.3km loops as possible within a 24 hour period. This took place over a hilly, muddy course in the Karolewski Forest in Poland and they were absolutely amazing, running an incredible 104km and 117km respectively – just ... wow!

19 October, Run2Fight Happy Valley, Episkopi Claire H, Diana, Garry, James, Karen, Maureen, Peter, Steve and Rita ran the 10k at this event in support of the autism charity, Magic Always Happens, while Janet did the 5k. Well done all!

26 October, Kyriakideia Cross Country Race Statos-Agios Fotios, Paphos Angela M, Claire H, Claire R, James, Marina, Maureen, Pete, Pauline, Rita and Ruth ran this 14k race in the stunning countryside in the hills above the village, up & down hills and through vineyards. It was tough but worth it for the lovely bottle of wine and fleece jacket for all finishers. Marina was 4th lady overall in the 14k and Nina, who took part in the 2k race, was 3rd girl!

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Statos-Agios Fotios

All smiles before the start!

Angela M - I was there!

Marina 4th lady overall - Well done!

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27 October, Limassol Triathlon Sprint & Super Sprint, Karen took part in the Super Sprint distance and finished 3rd overall in the female 16+ age category – go Karen!

13 November, Run in the Dark, Kato Paphos Angela W, Claire H, Di, Garry, James, Karen, Pauline, Pete, Rita and Steve took part in this ‘pop-up’ night-time event for the Mark Pollock Trust charity which supports spinal injury research.

16 November, O3 OlympusMan 2019 at 6.30am, Paphos to Troodos This challenging Half Ironman distance triathlon starts from sea level in Paphos and finishes 1,952m above sea level at the peak of Mount Olympus in the Troodos Mountains! Garry competed as part of a relay team, bravely taking on the 86km bike leg, pedaling all the way from Paphos Municipal Baths up to Troodos Square which involves an incredible 2,400 metres of ascent!

What an achievement!

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17 November, Radisson Blu Larnaka International Marathon/HM/10km/5km, Larnaka Ron, Steve and Wojciech took part in this half marathon in Larnaca. They all did very well and special congratulations go to Ron and Steve for completing their very first half marathon race!

Well done Guys!

21-24 November, Cyprus International 4-Day Challenge, Paphos Several members did all four days – congratulations to Claire R, Diana, Marina, Mark, Peter, Rita, Ruth and Wojciech. Diana and Peter finished 2nd and 3rd in their respective age groups while our fabulous ladies won 3rd place trophy in the team event – fantastic results for the club! Other members (including some recent Couch-to-5K graduates!) ran the 10k race on Day 4 – well done to Angela M, Gerry, Louise and Viv. Louise also ran in the 6k time trial on Day 1 as a reward for marshalling on the other days – I think she enjoyed it!

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4-Day Challenge Photographs

Start of Day 2 – What a Happy Bunch

Marina & Pete – Who’s getting who to the finish!

Day 3 and raring to go!

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Final Day

West Coast Runners – Participants and Supporters

Well done to you all!

24 November, Aphrodite Half Marathon/5km Yeroskipou Stadium, Paphos This half marathon race is runon the same day as the final day of the 4-Day Challenge and takes an out-and-back route past the harbour and Paphos Fort. So, after the Challenge finished most of the club then decamped to Tea for Two at the harbour for breakfast and to cheer on Sue who was running her first Half Marathon Race

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- and she excelled by WINNING her age group and with a fantastic time into the bargain! Many congratulations to her.

Great result Sue

1 December, Santa’s Run 5k, Limassol Marina and Nina had a fun time taking part in Limassol’s Santa Run.

15 December, Santa Run Event, Paphos Several members spent a pleasant Sunday morning at this event (which turned out to be more of a walk) from the Town Hall through Paphos old town to the Christmas bazaar at Kennedy Square - and participants got a free Santa hat! Well done Diana, Helen, Janet, Marina and Steve.

22 December, Kallepia 6k Kallepia village, Paphos Our year ended on a high with a great turnout from the club at this race, with Angela W, Diana, Garry, Janet, Karen, Marina, Pete, Steve and Sue all

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taking part. Everyone did really well and Sue and Pete both ran a super speedy race to win their age groups!

Great turn out for the Kallepia Race

Race Report:

Ironman Triathlon, 3rd November Belek Turkey – by Karen Allen

‘Ironman Triathlon’ puts on more than 260 races in 44 countries and is valued at nearly a billion dollars and when you take part in one of their events you can see why the brand is so highly prized. It’s not cheap to enter but it’s worth every euro, from registration to prize giving it’s a slick event that achieves a great balance between a serious sporting event and a fantastic party.

As a veteran of Ironman events Mark had entered for a second year, and having supported him the last time, Pete and I were eager to take part. With Gaynor cycling, Pete running and me swimming, we entered the mixed relay. When ‘Cakes from the Hart’ really took off, Mark and Gaynor sadly had to pull out so we needed a cyclist. Fortunately Nic and Janet Sutherland were going to the event because Nic was competing as an individual so Janet went from spectator to cyclist overnight, with very little time to train.

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The event is held in Belek, which is on the Turkish Riviera, its known for world-famous golf courses and five-star hotels, and equally famous, are the markets selling copies of everything. …so it’s a sporting and shopping paradise.

The race is called a 70.3 or Half Ironman because the distances add up to 70.3 miles, the swim is 1.2 miles, the cycle 56 miles and the run 13.1 miles.

At 5am on the day of the event we were in the hotel restaurant, where the porridge was in high demand. Pete was busy making snacks from the buffet as the run comes last, so he wouldn’t be competing for hours.

At 6.30am we all walked along the dark beach to the swim start. Seeing nearly 2000 people in wetsuits and swimming hats waiting for the start is terrifying and even worse, the relay swimmers enter the water last. By the time I started my swim, the professionals were coming out of the water. The swim course features an "Australian Exit" that splits the swim in two so you swim a loop in one direction, run through a gate on the beach and re-enter the water to swim the second loop. Being last to start meant the relay swimmers encounter people that are slow swimmers so it’s hard to make progress until you manage to pass this group of people.

The run to the first transition is also interesting in a wetsuit but Pete, Janet and I wanted to see if we could beat Nic overall and he already had a two minute lead on me in the swim so I had to run. We swapped the chip over and Janet shot off on her new bike.

The two-loop 56 mile bike course is flat with well paved roads through scenic forests and over open land, this is a perfect place to race a fast time on the bike and the Police close the roads. Pete and I were tracking Janet and Nic on the superb Ironman app and Mark was glued to his app watching from Cyprus. Janet was holding well on the first lap but Nic pulled away on the second lap. She came into transition elated and only a little bit saddle sore.

By now Pete had been up for eight hours supporting us and trudging from one transition to another, standing on a cold beach, sitting on grass verges and eating soggy banana sandwiches from the breakfast buffet, not really the best preparation for a Half Marathon. When Janet handed the chip over he had 20 minutes to make up on Nic during the run if we were going to win our own Ironman competition.

The five-loop run course leads the runners through the most impressive parts of “The Land of Legends” a luxury resort hotel, theme park and water park. The run weaves through the fairy tower, a Venetian channel with gondolas and also through the famous Dragon Gate. The runners collect a different colour wrist band after each loop and have an amazing choice at the aid stations including Red Bull, energy bars, fruit, coke and the helpers were pouring water over the runner’s heads to cool them off.

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Relay teams are allowed to go across the finish line as a team so Janet and I were waiting for Pete and ran in ‘hand in hand’ to cross the line and receive our medals.

Nic did an amazing time and came 4th in his age group, crossing the line ahead of Pete. But what we didn’t know as we slowed down to run in together was we were only 18 seconds ahead of Nic overall.

Afterwards, Mark said ‘It was almost worse tracking Pete on the app in Cyprus, than doing the Ironman myself, as I couldn’t tell him how close he was’.

Results: Team 5:43:10 and Nic 5:43:28”

Well Done!

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Overseas members:

Wojciech and Joanna’s race events and their future plans – by Wojciech Adamczyk

“The last quarter of the year was calmer, without so many frequent trips to the races like it had been in the summer months. We decided to choose races held in our neighborhood, bearing in mind the longest race of the season was the 24-hour Leśna Doba race. It was preceded by two shorter 10k runs on forest paths, where we took our dogs Misia and Maniek.

Finally, the long-awaited trial day came, which was a 24-hour race in the Karolewski Forest. The formula of this Ultra Marathon allowed less experienced runners to safely participate in such a long run. The race took place on a 12.3k loop, with the start being in the town of Roza (Rose), where there was a competitor’s base at the fire station. There was a large room at the runners' disposal, in which foam pads and sleeping bags could be laid out and runners could rest during these 24 hours. The organizer provided a cold buffet of snacks, fruit and drinks and also there were four warm meals available throughout the race. There were 250 runners and 100 Nordic walking competitors started and the route went along forest paths, it was undulating, in places it was muddy due to the recent rainfall which had lasted a few days prior to the race starting. Fortunately, the start day was warm and sunny, and the night was clear with a full moon. Thanks to the full moon, the night in the forest was magical; it was so bright that you didn't have to use flashlights on several sections. Together with Joanna, we ran a total of 22 hours, resting at 5 am - 7 am after 18 hours run. Joanna's result was 104.5k and mine was 119.5k. The result that I achieved gave me 5th place in the age category.

Like last year, November we planned to spend on Cyprus and take part in the 4 Day Challenge. Unfortunately, Joanna and Marlena could not come has Marlena had had an accident and Joanna stayed to look after her. I was staying in Peyia and I learnt that Steve and Ron were taking part in the Larnaca Half Marathon so I decided to join them. This was a very nice route, a good run and a good warm-up before the 4-Day Challenge.

I am very pleased with my performance on the 4-Day Challenge, compared to last year I improved my results on day 1, 2 and 4. It will definitely be a top priority on the calendar for next year. By the way, on an official web site of the 4- Day Challenge, I was on a photograph with a group of runners during day 3.

The last months of the year we have started to train, but we are also planning races for next year. In Poland, running is very popular and many races are sold out as soon as registration is open. For now, we are enrolled in 3 races in Poland, a 45K Winter Bieszczady Mountain Marathon, Malopolska Ultra Trail 44k and a 58k Wierchami Race. This last race is my private challenge 58k for 58 years. In June 2020 I will still be 58 years old and I wanted to find a difficult 58k mountain run. The race starts in Slovakia, at the Lubovna castle, and ends at the Rytro castle in Poland. It is not an easy one (ITRA 3 points) and 6 peaks to conquer along the way.

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In March, Joanna and I will be in Cyprus, I will be competing in the Logicom Marathon and Joanna is doing the Half Marathon. I intend to sponsor Stray Haven. Also, we are both doing the Akamas Blossom 37k race. In August, we plan to once again make the expedition to the North of the Arctic Circle and we will be participating in the Tromso Mountain Challenge, 50k through the arctic wilderness. But this is a distant prospect”.

A Selection of Photographs from our WCR Friends from Poland

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Upcoming Races & Events – 2020

For a full listing of upcoming events for 2019, go to the events calendar page on our website http://www.westcoastrunnerscyprus.org/eventcalendar.html

9 February Mitsero Mine Run Mitsero village, Nicosia Mitsero Mine Run is a Cross Country Run inspired by marathoner Costas Patinios and organized by SAS Sports Events Management since 2018, in collaboration with the local community council and Mitsero Youth Centre. It aims to highlight the historic village, the beautiful landscapes of the region, as well as establish a race that will provide health and sport to the local community. Mitsero Mine Run is a cross country race on easy forest roads suitable for runners of all levels. There will be a 21k run (15 euros), a 12k run (12 euros) , a 5.5k run (10 euros) and a participatory Kids run.

All races start and finish at the village central square. The route passes through easy asphalt and dirt roads. Every 2.5 to 3 km there will be a water and isotonic drink station. The route is marked with km signs, directional arrows, landmarks and ribbons.

The route that has been chosen highlights the long history of Mitsero village, and rewards the runner with unparalleled beauty images, smells and colours. https://www.mitserorun.com/homeen.html

16 February Nicosia Marathon/HM/10k/5k, Nicosia Organised by the non-profit organization RuNicosia in collaboration with the Nicosia Marathon Series Ltd, the Nicosia Marathon 2020 will be held on Sunday February 16, 2020. The race is co-organized with the Pancyprian Gymnastic Association (ΓΣΠ) and is under the auspices of Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Nikos Christodoulides, and the Cyprus Αssociation of Amateur Athletics (K.O.E.A.S.). The races, which will be held on the main streets of Nicosia, comprise the Marathon (50 euros), the National Half Marathon Championships (37.50 euros), 10km (27.50 euros) and 5km races (22.50 euros) as well as a RunCorporate Run (team/corporate event) 5 km. N.B. t-shirt is not included in these prices – available at extra cost after registering.

All races will take place according to international regulations and under the supervision of K.O.E.A.S. judges and timekeepers https://www.nicosiamarathonrun.com/en/home-en/

1 March Klirou Atovrisi Klirou village, Nicosia Dromea Racing running club, in cooperation with Klirou Community Council, are organizing “Klirou Atovrisi 2020" running event, sponsored by Mikel Coffee Company Cyprus. The event will take place on Sunday 08 March 2020, with all races starting and finishing at the front of Klirou Community Council. The event will host the following races:

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07:30 am: Mikel KLIROU ATOVRISI Trail 23km (950m ascent) for experienced runners, 18 years old and above. The entry fee is set at €25.

09:00 am: Mikel KLIROU ATOVRISI Cross Country 12km for runners 18 years old and above. The entry fee is set at €15.

09:15 am: Mikel KLIROU ATOVRISI Charity 4km for runners 12 years old and above. Entry fee is set at €10. All proceeds from the race will be donated the Cyprus Association for Children with Cancer and Related Diseases “One Dream, One Wish”.

09:20 am: Mikel KLIROU ATOVRISI Kids 600m, for children up to 12 years old. Entry fee is set at €3 and all proceeds from the race will be donated to the Cyprus Association for Children with Cancer and Related Diseases “One Dream, One Wish”.

Registrations will ONLY be made through Dromea Racing website until 02/03/2020 and registration fees are non-refundable. Runners who register until 24/02/2020 will have the opportunity to receive their participation package from any ACS COURIER store of their choice as well having their name printed on the race BIB number.

There will be symbolic prizes for the first six (6) men and women of the 23km and 12km races, as well as for the first three (3) men and women of the 4km race. For the kids’ race, symbolic prizes will be given to the first three (3) boys and girls of ages 6-9 and 9-12 respectively. https://www.dromearacing.com/en/races

8 March Battle of the Gods Triathlon Coral Bay, Paphos The Battle of The Gods is a challenging triathlon under the Cypriot sun exploring some of the beauties of Cyprus – particularly the Baths of Aphrodite and Adonis.

The Zeus Middle Distance (Half Ironman) is a 1900m swim, 90km bike and 21km run which takes place in the sea and roads around Paphos. Please note: This course is not for the faint hearted with around600mofclimbing!

The Apollo Sprint Distance is a 950m swim, 16km bike and 7km run.

The run course has you dancing around the Coral Bay rocks as you complete either 3 laps or 1 lap of the run. https://www.facebook.com/events/coral-beach-hotel-resort-paphos-cyprus/battle-of-the-gods- triathlon-2020/450514932340843/

15 March 22nd Logicom Cyprus Marathon/HM/10k/5k, Paphos Our biggest local (and probably our favourite!) road racing event, combining breath-taking and historic scenery with the traditional

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Mediterranean hospitality. In addition to the Marathon (60 euros), there is a HM (45 euros), 10km (30 euros) and 5km (25 euros). As well as a superb medal and other goodies (including free beer at the finish!), you get a really nice technical t-shirt too!

The Logicom Cyprus Marathon starts at Aphrodite’s Birthplace (Goddess of Love and Beauty) at Petra tou Romiou and follows a coastal route along the Mediterranean Sea. The picturesque finish line (and the start line for all of the other races) is the Paphos Medieval Fort Square right next to the magnificent Paphos Harbour. Run in the Logicom Cyprus Marathon to fall in love with running!

https://logicomcyprusmarathon.com

17 March Cyprus Wine Run Kathikas, Paphos Get ready for the 2nd Cyprus Wine Run which is organised under the umbrella of events of the 22nd Logicom Cyprus Marathon! This is an exclusive event offered only to runners registered for any of the races on Sunday 15 March and places are very limited.

The Cyprus Wine Run will be over a 5km distance which will take you through 2 kilometres of vineyards and farm fields and 3 kilometres of breath-taking mountain views and traditional roads through the old village square. Bus transfers (included in the cost) will start from Paphos centre at 08:30 and the Wine Run will start at 10:00. The cost is 35 euros which includes a unique technical t- shirt AND a bottle of wine for all finishers, as well as other goodies!

The location, Vasilikon Winery, is located at the village of Kathikas, 20-25 minutes from Paphos city centre. Vasilikon Winery is one of the first local wineries of Cyprus, established in 1993, which produces many quality wines.

https://logicomcyprusmarathon.com

21 March Akamas Blossom Trail Running Festival Latchi, Paphos Well, if last weekend is our favourite road race event, this weekend sees our favourite trail race event – what a month for running in Cyprus!!! Celebrate the Spring Equinox on 21 March 2020 by enjoying a trail running race through the magnificent Akamas Peninsula in western Cyprus. This year’s Akamas Blossom Trail Running Festival will start and finish at a new venue, the Aphrodite Beach Hotel. This change means that the races will be slightly longer than in previous years, with the ultra now measuring about 60km, the mid-distance race about 37km, and the shorter race about 24km . There will also be a 5km family fun run suitable for all ages.

The 60km race has been awarded 3 ITRA/UTMB points and the 37km race has been awarded 2 points.

Starting and finishing at the friendly Aphrodite Beach Hotel brings many advantages for runners, especially for those staying there:

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• Registration and race briefings take place in a venue close to the start line

• Family and friends can relax on the veranda overlooking the finish line, watching the runners coming in

• Changing and showering facilities will be available

The Aphrodite Beach Hotel is offering discounted rates for all runners. Tell them you are coming for the race when booking.

The 60km race takes runners on a grand tour of one Cyprus’s most beautiful natural areas, at the height of the spring when the fields are awash with flowers. The route takes runners to the western tip of the island, and to both the north and south coasts of the Akamas Peninsula, via the lonely lighthouse on the hill, on coastal tracks and magical single-track trails.

The 37km race is the first section of the 60km route, and the 24km race the last section. Prizes are awarded to the top three overall finishers as well as to the top three woman finishers in all the races. All runners completing their races will receive a finisher’s award. https://www.facebook.com/events/832402293820339/

22 March 14th Limassol Marathon/HM/10k, Limassol All races start and finish at Molos on the seafront in Limassol and follow a flat coastal route. There is a Marathon (60 euros), HM (45 euros), 10km (30 euros) , 5km (30 euros) and kids’ race (free). N.B. price does not include a t-shirt - available at extra cost when registering.

https://www.limassolmarathon.com

29 March RunIdalion 10k/5k Dali village, Nicosia Starting at 9.00am, the event includes a 10km and 5km run, 3.5km walk and 1km kids race. Money raised will be given to PASYKAF charity.

Start times and registration fees:

 09:15 - 10 km run: €12  09:15 - 5km run: €8  10:30 - 3.5km walk: €5  08:45 - 1km kids race: Free

Medal for all finishers. Prizes will be given to the first 6 men and 6 women of each race 5km and 10km. Free water and fruits for all participants. Micro-chip timing for the 10 & 5 km running if you register until 27 March 2019.

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Register now on https://registration.mylaps.com/runidalion or at the place of the race on Saturday 28 March from 10:00-19:00 and on Sunday 29 March, from 07:00-08:30. The numbers will be picked up at the race’s venue on Saturday 28 March from 10:00-19:00 & Sunday 29 March, from 07:00- 08:30. If you do not register online, you will not be included in the results.

http://www.runidalion.com

4 April Asgata Ultramarathon 70k/Run the Dam 16k/Rustic 5k Asgata village, Limassol The Ultramarathon 70km is a road running race and the entire route is on asphalt roads. It will start at 06:00 from Asgata football field. Cost is 35 euros until 1 March then 45 euros. Places limited to maximum of 75 runners.

The Run the Dam 16km is a road running race, 80% on tarmac road and 20% on jeep track. It will start at 15:05 from Asgata football field. Cost is 20 euros until 1 March then 25 euros. Places limited to maximum of 150 runners.

The Rustic 5km is a road running race, 100% on tarmac road. It will start at 15:00 from Asgata football field. Cost is 15 euros until 1 March then 20 euros. Places limited to maximum of 150 runners.

All races follow a circular course and finish at the same place as the start. Registration closes 1 April.

http://www.asgataultra.com/AsgataUltraMain

5 April Protaras SwimRun Fig Tree Protaras, Larnaca SwimRun is a unique and challenging adventure sport where teams of two compete by alternating between running and swimming on a challenging course covering trails, beaches, ocean, cliffs, rocks and paths. Teams must complete the entire course together and help each other through tough terrain to beat the course and reach the finish line. There are currently 2 distances: the long course of 25 km (100 euros per team) and the short course of 13 km (80 euros per team), mixed between swimming and running. Start and finish for both distances are in Protaras resort. http://www.swimruncyprus.com/

12 April Omodos Cross Xenion Race Omodos village, Limassol The Xenios Xenophontos Charity Foundation, in collaboration with Dromea Racing and "Periklis Demetriou" running clubs, the Community Council and the Omodos High School, are organizing the 6th Xenion Race in memory of the late Xenia Xenophon. The race aims to assist the Foundation in offering to provide financial support to needy pupils / students to complete their studies. The race includes the following routes: • 10:30 am - 10000m • 10:45 am - 2000m for high school and adults • 11:15 am - 500m for elementary school children (1st, 2nd, 3rd grade). • 11:25 am - 1000m for elementary school children (4th, 5th, 6th grade) • 11:30 am - walking tour of the picturesque streets of Omodos. Entry fee: 10

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km - € 10 includes free t-shirt, medal, electronic timer, diploma and 1 bottle of wine from local wineries. 2km - € 5 Includes t-shirt, medal for participation, electronic timing and diploma. * REGISTRATIONS WILL ONLY BE ONLINE (Online registrations for the 10km and 2km events will open shortly. Stay tuned!)

Personal Profile

I was definitely not a runner for a long time – by Helen Morgan

“At University whilst doing a degree in health sciences and nutrition, I was quite into fitness, got up daily at 6am to swim, hill walked, did Pilates, and did weights, cycled between university and everywhere. However, I hadn’t run.

I came to running when I met my now husband. He looked like a runner, was very slim, ran 10km most days and enjoyed the time to listen to music and encouraged me to give it a go. He was never going to join me at the gym. So he bought me a pair of trainers and that afternoon we left the house and ran along the beach.. It was tough....I stopped, started, continued until I felt terrible chest pain, and wondered what all the hype was about. Too much, too soon! I had last run playing hockey at 16, and this was not running after a ball. But despite this, I kept going out of the house. Slowly I started to see small gains, muscles developed, breathing got better and as my running got better so did my cycling and my swimming. What really kept me going was the effect running had on my head and dealing with problems, a run always cleared a problem.

I did what many of us have done, worked through a, ‘Couch to 5K plan’. It had a daily schedule, started in minutes and over time worked up to 30mins. It worked for me. No need for a gym, just chuck on sports bra, sports clothes and go. I entered a cancer ‘Race for life’ (5km) event 4 months ahead, and finished after running most of the race with a smile from ear to ear. I might have been near the back, but it was a nice achievement.

Over the years, I have enjoyed other outdoor pursuits, climbing, abseiling, spartan, rowed, yoga and Pilates, stand up paddle boarding and sailing. I love new challenges and my body and my head needs them. But Running is always there. After a good December, lacing up the shoes and getting out of the door is always a solution to return to fitness, to be ready for skiing and everything else.

Over the years, I have run park runs, hash house harrier runs, 5km and 10kms. My best running achievement so far, was running my first Half Marathon in Manchester in 2017. It was made so special by my mother being there to watch at the mid-point and at the end. After 15 years abroad and never having her there to see me and give me a hug at the end was really lovely.

I take breaks away from running, but I suppose now I can class myself as a runner, ‘as someone who runs’. I run for me. I take part in events and each has made me prouder of my body. The exertion on

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the body, the mental determination and the relief of achievement at the end. I enjoy the other side, the science background and read and follow lots of folks on current ideas about exercise and rehabilitation. It might be because I have a nutrition background, Pilates training certificate and just want my body to be strong now and in the future!

In March, I will be doing the Paphos 10km again, my aim is to finish as close to 60 mins and so we are doing 5km a day (distance at the moment). It won’t be that easy as I return to running after dealing with some injuries and trying to work on weaknesses. But I will be there. See you at the start”.

Monthly Training Schedule

There continues to be a good turnout for our five weekly club runs, members who are currently here on the island try to get together before the end of the month to jointly agree the training schedule for the following month. As well as being published on the website, the current schedule is always pinned to the top of our Facebook page where you will also find details of any amendments or late changes. We are always looking for ideas for new running routes and so all members should feel free to get in touch with suggestions. Keep up to date with what’s happening via our Facebook page.

Publicity

The club is still being advertised in the local press every month in the Paphos Post newspaper and Cyprus Living magazine; we thank these publishers for promoting our club. We are often mentioned on Sunshine Radio as member and DJ Simone often praises the club for all the encouragement she and other C25K participants were given to achieve their running goals. The Facebook group attracts new members all the time and is a popular way to keep in touch with members who don’t live in Cyprus permanently.

Social Events

During this period we have had 2 social events. Firstly, with a brunch at the Lodge on Sunday 1st December, this was well supported by club members and their partners. This was a South African meze and wine, beer, water and soft drinks was included in the 25 euro price. The lodge had a group called Black Cabb playing in the background outside, as it was a cold day and we were inside. This was followed by the Christmas Dinner held at the Sunset Breeze Restaurant on Friday 20th December. Although, the evening and 3 course meal was enjoyed by club members, it seemed,” a little flat” due to the lack of back ground music and no entertainment. However, we did do a Secret Santa and enjoyed ourselves with the props provided by the club.

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Running Kit

Now that the weather has changed it might be the time to start layering up and we have in stock Jackets, T-shirts and Vests all in our fantastic bright red colour with logo exclusive to West Coast Runners. We have sizes in male and female cutes and of course you can try before you buy. The club kit box will be brought along to each club run. After a cold wet start to the year cheer yourself up with a bright red new piece of club kit, you know you want to!!

Finally a Running Quote to Finish