IT'S THAT TIME AGAIN

Welcome to 2020. As Mickleover Running Club enters it's 4th year it's a time to reflect and review what a year we have just had.

Last year saw the club excel within the Derby Run Series and see our members step upon the podium in multiple races. As a club we regularly see 40+ members (almost 40% of our entire membership) come together on a cold and windy night in January to explore the delights of Mickleover.

Talking of membership as a club we have held steady over the last few years with our members choosing to stay with us year after year, and for that I am truly honored and proud, and it shows that as a club we are doing something right. However with success comes failure and sometimes as a club we make mistakes and missteps along the way as the club and the committee try to navigate through the desires, expectations and demands of it's members, who are after all the life blood of our club and why we exist in the first place.

So with that in mind I would like to invite you all to the Mickleover Running Club AGM on the 21st January so that our members can help us shape the future of the club.

One of the key roles of the AGM is to review the current committee and vote in the members for the coming year.

Even though a committee member may wish to stay in post, as a club we welcome diversity and change so should you wish to help shape the future of the club I encourage you to review the committee roles and consider putting your name forward for consideration.

The role profiles are available by clicking here.

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE ROLES

As per the Club Constitution, the Roles that require electing are listed below, with the current incumbent in brackets:

• Chair (Ross Bennett)
• Secretary (Post Open)
• Treasurer (Lucy Astley)
• Membership secretary (Paul Dolman)
• Kit Secretary (James Stevens)
• Run Lead Coordinator (Post Open)
• Welfare secretary (Dai Cox / Vicky Sheil)

Please do speak to current Committee Members about the roles too (how much time they spend / what they do etc). Further information about the role of the Committee on the club constitution page.

NOMINATION PROCESS

If you wish to nominate someone, or consider a position yourself you need to email Richard Evans at: secretary@mickleoverrunningclub.co.uk

DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION IS 17TH JANUARY

Please indicate the name / role in your email.

Each nomination will need to be seconded and then voted on at the meeting.

NOTICE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

Date:
Tuesday 21st January

Time:
7.00pm

Venue:
The Royal British Legion

Key Items:
Elections of Committee
Statement of Accounts 2019
Agree Membership Fee for 2020/2021

Club Championship 2019

The final tables have been updated and if you took part you can now see your final table position for 2019.

club championship

Welcome to Steve Chambers, Shoaib Alan, Mark Goodhead, Alex Bancroft & Matt McDonald - the first new members of 2020!

Book Recommendation: Finding Gobi:

Dion Leonard is a 41 year old Australian who lives in Edinburgh, Scotland.

Dion has not only completed but competed in some of the worlds toughest ultra-marathons across the worlds inhospitable landscapes including running across the brutal Moroccan Sahara desert twice in the 250km Marathon Des Sables and also twice across South Africa's Kalahari Desert 250km.

Dion's latest 250km race across the Gobi Desert in China turned out to be a completely different race where he fell in love with a stray dog (later named Gobi) that followed him during the week and this would change both of their lives forever.

amazon.co.uk

sarah bartley's 100th parkrun

Sarah B is just about to hit the massive milestone of 100 parkrun's.

We would love to see as many Mickleover Runner Club members as possible joining Sarah to celebrate this great achievement.

Date:
1st Feb. 2020

Location:
Markeaton Park

Afterparty:
The Orangery Cafe

New to parkun? Get yourself signed up to this fantastic FREE 5k event which happens every Saturday across the world.

parkrun.org.uk

Derby Runner Cross Country League Race 4, Allestree Park

Just a quick reminder that the next cross country race is nearly here and it will be a local one.

It takes place on Sunday 19th January at Allestree Park starting at 10.30am and will be £5 to enter.

The course is approximately 6 miles, a 2 lap route with some muddy parts and stretches of limestone path.

The organisers are recommending off road shoes and not spikes for this race.

Although the main car park off the A6 will be used, parking is expected to be tight and the council have forbidden parking down the main driveway.

As such, the organisers have asked that those runners coming from Derby use the alternative carparks off Woodland Road and at the Evergreen Club on Cornhill (DE22 2FT).

Car sharing is recommended and we will be meeting at the RBL driveway at 9.30am for anyone wishing to travel together.

MRC have been doing incredibly well this season and it would be great to continue this trend and get a good turnout for a Derby race.

All runners are welcome to come along and have a go at cross country, the more of us the merrier!

2020 Fell Running Calendar

Below is a video from 2012 to whet your appetite ... Lamb's Longer Leg, the first one on the list.

MRC Raising Money for Cancer Research UK

Cancer Research UK is the world’s largest charity dedicated to saving lives through research.

Their vision is to bring forward the day when all cancers are cured.

Donate using the link below:

Kit Reminder

Orders for the 'blue' club kit needs to be placed NO LATER than January 21st as we will be placing an order with the supplier.

These can take up to 6 weeks (normally quicker) so if you want summer vests or running tops now is the time to get the order in via the online shop.

club shop

Hairy Helmet Relays brings you a hill challenge!
1st May 2020

This new event is a 1 mile hill challenge, the hill being Nether lane into Hob Hill which is in Hazelwood.

RACE HQ is Hazelwood Village Hall DE56 4AL which is a short distant from the finish line. The start line being at the bottom of Nether Lane.

You can either run this challenge individually or with a team of 4 (bring your Hairy Helmet team mates!) There is also a Club Challenge too so will it be your club to take the title of Kings and Queens of the hill.

Everyone will be receiving a local tasty beverage and there will be street food available too.

Grab 3 MRC runners and get a team booked in! Order below and see you at the bottom of the Hill!

Club Championships 2020

Below are the events that have been selected for the 2020 MRC Club Championships. There are a couple of changes to the line up from last year. We have introduced an 8th race in July – the Ashbourne Half, meaning we have one event a month over the Road Race Season. The other change is swapping the Wilne 10K and instead having the Stephen Price Memorial 10k, which is still in September.

The events for the RunDerby Series have not been finalised (as of Jan 2020) and the events in this do change year on year, but I suspect 4 of the events below will also feature in the DRS.

The course is approximately 6 miles, a 2 lap route with some muddy parts and stretches of limestone path.

The Club Champs while they may well show who is the best and most consistent runner in the club, provide so much more than that. They are races in and around the Derby area and therefore ideal for members to go to – regardless of your experience or pace each one offers a great opportunity to not only experience a local event but also traditionally see a great turn out from the club, harnessing the collective feel of being in a club and meaning your’re not in it on my own! Especially ideal for those new members of the club or those are not used to entering too many events. It is a great way to meet other members and a little bit of light banter/competition.

Rules:

• A minimum of 5 out of the 8 races must be completed in, with the best 5 scores to count.
• At least 1 of the 3 longer races must have been completed as part of the 5. The 3 longer races being: Derby Half, Ashbourne Half & Derby 10 mile.
• Information will be taken from the events official results, this means only those listed under ‘Mickleover Running Club’ will score.
• Scores are based on position relative to other MRC members: this 1st -1 point, 2nd –2 points and so on.
• Once again, there will be 3 Categories: Men, Ladies & Most Improved
• For ‘Most Improved’ - data is based on 2019 results that I have collected. If you are new to the club and wish to be considered for this, I will need results from a 10k, 10mile and a half marathon from last year from you. Please email me any results including the event title & date, as well as your finish time. Please note – I will not accept ‘watch’ or Strava times – they have to be official results. Scores are based comparing 2020 times to those in 2019, with the most improved gaining the most points.

Here are provisional results from friday night's Starlight Relay.

Well done all runners who took part in the this 3 race series.

PHOTO OF THE FORTNIGHT

This weeks photo is Harry and John high-5ing Kathryn at Alvaston parkrun.

On the run

We go on the run with our members and we find out a bit more about them – which we thought would be great to share, this time it is with…

Malcolm Gatenby

CLUB

When did you start running and when did you join Mickleover Running Club?

I started running later in life aged about 44 from the odd jog once a week to joining a running club in Dubai aged 45 and then joined MRC (as my Summer /Xmas club) in June 2018.

What’s the best thing about being in a running club?

The motivation of running as part of a group, and the friendliness of all the club members and the after running social side and friendships made (both Dubai & Derby).

When and who do you run with the club?

When I am back in the UK I always try to make the club run on Tuesday and see who is running a LSR on the weekend. Thursday I tend to run speed work session so run on my own. On a Tuesday I like to run with the fast or 8:30 groups. On the weekend I run LSR with James Upton, Ewan & Ross although we never stick to the LSR pace! I guess its as all 3 of us have ran similar Marathon/Half Marathon times so run at similar pace.

YOU

Tell us your history of running?

I completed my 1st half Marathon in 2007 (Dubai Half Marathon in 1hr 52), I was then challenged by my Dubai running club to complete my 1st Marathon which was in Istanbul in the same year age 46. I sort of trained and ran with the 3:30 finishers from my club in the race (they did try to tell me to slow down) until I hit the dreaded 20 mile point when I did hit the wall and crawl home in 4hrs 12 min and threw up at the end, but I loved it, so entered the Munich Marathon 6 months later and really trained properly and finished inside the Olympic stadium in 3hrs 43. 4 months later I ran the 1st of 9 (so far) of the Dubai Marathons, again training with my group I finished in 3hrs 28 and thought that’s it I will never beat that time, so the next 5 years I ran a further 25 marathons 5 per year all over the world (very fortunate to have a job that lets me do this) averaging about 3hr 30-40mins.

During this period I also ran the Ultra Marathon Comrades 90km in Durban South Africa 3 times (best time 9hrs 35) and 2 Oceans 56k Cape town twice (best time 4hrs 58).

Then came the 6 marathon majors that took me two and half years to complete.

In 2016 I changed my training routine and slowed down on my LSRs and in 2016 ran 3hrs 21 in Dubai marathon then 2019 ran 3hrs 17 in the Paris marathon and also got my half marathon PB of 1:28:10 aged 57.

To date I have completed 38 marathons and 5 Ultra marathons in 12 years.

What has been your best running achievement?

Has to be completing the world six star major marathons No 2,020 in the world to complete it. A fantastic journey to some great cities and great marathons.

What is your running ambition?

To keep fit and keep running marathons for many years to come, maybe run a sub 3hr marathon (why not?).

Why do you run?

I run for fitness, so I can eat and drink (both within reason) what I want and keep the weight down, plus now I am hooked/addicted after 12 years of running. 1st thing I pack in my suitcase is my running gear. There is nothing better than getting off a long flight and going for a run. I love the freedom and that its only down to you at the end of the day.

Favourite place to run?

Being fortunate to travel a lot, I have run in many countries. I love running Central Park NY, running under then over Sydney harbour bridge and the opera house is stunning, hair on the back of neck stuff, but my favourite place is running around the 5k loop of the imperial palace Tokyo, on a Saturday morning there are thousands of runners all running the same way doing lap after lap and the view with the moat all around and the blossom trees is stunning.

Tell us about your worst run?

The Chicago Marathon. I have never DNF in a marathon (or any race) but nearly did in Chicago, I pulled my hamstring at 19K but as it was so far away and expensive from Dubai I wasn’t going to bail and run it again the following year. I hobbled, walked & shuffled back to the finish in 4hr 02, but don’t remember much of the last 23K

Best running phrase?

Listen to your body.

Have you ever lost your running mojo and how did you get it back?

After completing the Majors, I didn’t run a marathon for 9 months, was very hard to get back into it, as I though that’s it, then I focused on a Half marathon and the training was different, more tempo/speed work, and I got a PB in that half so that kicked me back into running again

Best route around Mickleover/Derby?

Long Run Mercia Marina, Canal to Burton/A38 junction, back road to Hilton via Eggington, old railway line Hilton to Mickleover then to Findern, finish Mercia Marina 20 miles.

Who would be on your wish list to run with?

David Bowie, I run to his music when I do my solo long runs would be great to chat and sing along with him (maybe in the Pearly Gates Marathon in 30 or so years).

Worst/Best advice you’ve ever been given?

The Best: from a Dubai Mate who runs 2:50 marathons aged 50: You wont die from running, you will have a heart attack 1st that will slow you/stop you, but running wont kill you, so go faster..

Worst: another coach in Dubai who told me to not run the Dubai marathon, 7 days before the race I got stung by a Bee on my leg and was on antibiotics, he said the antibiotics would do something to my stomach ? I ran and got a PB from 3:28 to 3:21 and told him exactly what I thought of his advice at the end of the race.

What do you think about when you run?

I prefer to run early mornings 6am (especially in Dubai due to the heat) I normally plan my whole day ahead emails phone calls etc. it’s a great time to think

Run to time or distance?

Training distance. In a race time.

RACE/EVENTS

What was your favourite race and why?

Paris 2019, stuck to a 16 week plan never missing a run, everything went to plan, mentally and physically. loved the race got a PB and negative spits.

Tell us about your pre-race rituals and food and drink.

I always get to an overseas marathon 2 days before the race, go to the expo, get the race number etc and buy some bling, back to the hotel and lay my kit out on the bed, attached the race number check garmin is fully charged. Day before the race stay in bed/hotel most the day. Last meal no later than 5pm. Race day morning 2 hrs before the race 2 slices of toast with jam + cup of tea, or if you need to be at the start before 2 hrs (large marathons) small 1 cup porridge get the hot water from the coffee stalls around the start village, 30 mins before the race a banana and sips of water. During the race I take a sip of water every 5k (starting at 10K unless a hot marathon) and a Gel every 8k.

What’s your one race essential?

Running race shoes, I wear them on the flight in case the suitcase gets lost, the rest I can buy from a sports shop if I lost my suitcase.

Would you run a marathon without getting a medal?

No, what would you show in the pub after the race to prove you have finished the marathon to get your free pint ?

& finally...