HELM HILL RUNNERS SPRING 2014 www.helmhill.co.uk STOP PRESS! TOM WINS PENDLE! First win at an English Champs race for any Helm Hill runner…...a fantastic result for Tom and the Helm. Tom start- ed at the Helm as a young junior— what a proud day for Billy and us all! HELM HILL’S 2014 KENDAL WINTER LEAGUE MOST POPULAR EVER! The KWL continues to go from strength to strength with even more runners than ever. See inside for race reports. Pic:Meanwell WEEKLY TRAINING: RETURN TO THE HELM!! APRIL INSIDE: Hoorah! We are back on the Helm for the summer. Please be there 37 pages of Club news, for 6:30pm prompt for Billy’s notices. On an environmental note— race reports, pics, first race please make an effort to limit cars: try and car-share, bike/run experiences, training tips there etc where possible. and other stuff. HELM HILL RUNNERS UPCOMING CHAMPIONSHIP RACES The KWL may be over but here comes the Spring and Summer races! Lots of members will be rac- ing so if you fancy joining then and want some guidance/convincing have a chat at training with one of the coaches. NB list restricted to BOFRA & FRA Championship races –links for info & more races. Helm Hill Club Champs.: see p8-9 or website http://www.helmhill.co.uk/index.php/races FRA Junior & Senior English Champs http://fellrunner.org.uk/championships.php BOFRA Champs http://bofra.co.uk/fixtures1.php SENIORS…... other fell races : See also p9 for Helm Club Champs Fell Running Association April 5th Pendle FRA English http://www.fellrunner.org.uk/races.php May 3rd Coniston HShoe FRA English May 17th Sedbergh Gala BOFRA BOFRA http://www.bofra.co.uk June 1st Coniston Gullies BOFRA Scottish Hill Racing June 7th Ennerdale FRA English http://www.shr.uk.com/Calendar.aspx. June 8th Kettlewell BOFRA June 15th Hawkswick Dash BOFRA June 15th Knowl Hill FRA U20 English June 21st Clougha Pike FRA U20 English June 22nd Helm Hill BOFRA June 28th Kirkby Gala BOFRA July 6th Skiddaw FRA U20 English July 12th Alva Games BOFRA July 20th Kentmere FRA English July 20th Cracoe BOFRA July 31st Ambleside Sports BOFRA JUNIORS: See also p8 for Helm Club Champs May 17th Sedbergh Gala BOFRA June 1st Coniston Gullies BOFRA June 8th Kettlewell BOFRA June 15th Hawkswick Dash BOFRA June 22nd Helm Hill BOFRA June 28th Kirkby Gala BOFRA July 12th Alva Games BOFRA July 20th Cracoe BOFRA July 31st Ambleside Sports BOFRA MARRIAGES/BIRTHS Best Wishes to Bethan and Ben who are tying the knot on 12th April…..the new Mr and Mrs Procter! And congratulations to Vic- toria and Paul who are expecting their first baby in September (great effort on completing the winter league Victoria!) Page 2 CLUB NEWS The winter months have passed with Wednesday night training session on the Pics: woodentops.org hilly streets of Kendal proving ever popular. This winter however has seen Woah! the Newsletter!! Billy’s group whizzing up and down the Castle and Kendal Golf Course rough. And the Monday night track session has become legendary! (see last newslet- ter) A big warm welcome to lots of new members who have joined Helm Hill Runners over the winter months. We all look forward to training and racing with you. We’re all very friendly so ask any of the coaches or members if you need help or advice about training and /or racing. Important bit: All members need to have a read of the Membership Bit on page 7 and the new FRA race rules summary on page 10 See you all on The Helm! Thanks for all the contributions to another bumper newsletter—Rick and Ali (newsletter eds) CHAIRMAN’S REPORT—TIM MURRAY Welcome to the first Newsletter of 2014 and the Sedbergh School race thanks again to Rick and Ali for putting it together and to everyone who has contributed to another Getting the news from Carnethy that the Club had taken 4th place in the Team bumper edition..... event........a great result and even better next year???! It seems to be very busy at the moment and it's great to be part of a Club where there is so much Reminding everyone to make sure they register in time for happening!! Here's a few of my personal highlights the Winter league races and then forgetting to register myself (and lowlights?) from the past few weeks.... at Cunswick (at least I owned up) Finding out that our Ladies had won the team prize at Checking the entry list for the Kentmere race High Cup Nick.......after Sharon T did a recount of the results in July and seeing that 44 Helm Hill Runners have Hearing the feedback from Nick at English Athletics who entered. What a turnout!! came to see us about our Club Mark accreditation. He asked a Junior Group why they run with Helm Hill and they said 'cos Arriving at an empty Scout Scar for the first Winter League Race of the series and seeing over it's brilliant!' 350 runners register and take part...a record! ....and there are many more! Arriving at an empty Castle Inn pub for a Coaches meeting and realising that I was a week It was a big day for the Club on the 26th March when a repre- early. sentative from English Athletics came to assess our progress Joining our Junior groups to climb the equiva- towards Club Mark accreditation... The initial feedback from lent of Everest at the Castle with head torches in Nick was very positive so thanks to everyone who was there the dark....we've got some fantastic young runners to create a great impression......... Hopefully we will have some at the Club positive news in the next couple of weeks.! Spending a cold, wet Tuesday morning in Feb- ruary with an intrepid band of HH runners doing In the meantime, the clocks have gone forward, we are back a recce of the Coniston race....in the Howgills. on the Helm, there's a packed race calendar... Happy Running!! Breaking the record for most runners shelter- Tim ing in a Gazebo in the apocalyptic rain and wind at Page 3 HELM HILL RUNNERS LADIES CAPTAIN’S BIT—ALI RICHARDS What a great start we have had to 2014. We have had I have also recently ventured into more ladies than ever running in the Winter League rac- the world of Twitter and it would es and a great turnout to other races too such as High be great to have some more female Cup Nick where we won the team prize. Sharon has representation on there. Currently been leading the way for us with some fantastic results there is me (@helmladyali), Victo- on her return to racing…...definitely one to watch in the ria (@wizatora) Helen Samson English Champs. (Stop Press Sharon was 6th) (@samsonhelen) Becca (@AtkinsonBecca) and Sally (@SalOzanne) but would be nice to have more of us. I am so chuffed with the response from everyone for It’s really not as complicated as I thought and to be the championship races. Currently we have 14 ladies honest, if I can do it then anyone can! entered for Pendle and a similar number for Kentmere. Several of us are also doing Coniston and we have even Here is a simple guide to how it works: got a team and vets team for Ennerdale (me, Lindsay, 1. Go to twitter page and sign up. You need to Marie, Rachel and Carrie have all entered—anyone else think of a unique twitter name @something. let me know). It is brilliant to see the Helm Hill Ladies You can then make your own page with a pho- making their mark in the fell racing champs and I am to and little bit about yourself (bit like Face- sure we will improve on our previous positions this book). This is the hardest bit! year. (Stop Press: Joint 3rd team at Pendle!) 2. Now you can then start following people— Other ladies results include Sally Ozanne’s second place begin by following @HelmHill and then you will in the Haworth Hobble, Lindsay successfully completing see any tweets from the club. You can also That’s Lyth a year after breaking her leg on the same follow famous people or whatever your inter- course, Charlotte stepping up to senior racing, and fly- ests are there will be things to follow. ing past everyone on the descents; Marie doing Edale Skyline and Helen and Becca doing the Manchester mar- 3. Think of things to tweet. They have to be short athon. though! Could be how a race went, planned runs, races you have entered, or any amusing Kath has done an amazing job as Winter League Co- things that have happened. Or just random Ordinator, giving up her chance to run in the races in thoughts. You get all sorts! Also you can tweet the process, so we look forward to seeing her back in photos and link to interesting articles etc. The the racing field. more you tweet the more chance that people Several of us went to Sandra’s slide and supper night will follow you. But the good thing is that it is about her Jos Naylor challenge. The film was wonderful likely that everyone in Helm Hill on twitter will and really inspirational—if there is another chance to follow you straightaway (so you won’t look like see it then I highly recommend it. you are of no interest to anyone!) We have many new ladies on training nights which is 4.