We retain the usual front runners despite the longer, 10k distance this week but it was Ruth Fulford’s turn to shine with a time of 56.51, the like of which she has not achieved in the last five or six years! Ruth credits new shoes and a flat route but we suspect that, with the current combination of Covid caution, CRO and the dearth of energy sapping races, it’s more simple – she is just running really well. Kate Sackett continues to push herself back towards her target level of fitness and Paul Barrow also ran the distance really well. Finally Rachel Ranger’s slow time tells us that she is on holiday and the Ardeche is hotter and probably much hillier than here.
Three teams have now completed the Virtual Cotswold Way Relay thanks to the excellent organisation and enthusiastic support of Ollie Pritchard. A report follows shortly but congratulations to all 30 club members who took part and particularly to lynch pin Ollie.
This week I asked a trio of very regular and successful veteran ladies to share their thoughts on, and experiences of, CRO running and as a result have several to share from Ruth Fulford, Rachel Barrow and Louise Abbott.
“I started lockdown thinking that I would go back to my usual 8 mile route from my home. I knew I was going to miss my Tuesday evening training, Thursday morning long runs and weekends with a Parkrun or race and was sadly crossing out all the 8 races that I had either entered or planned to do so over the following months.”
“I was really looking forward to the focus of the Club Championship this year. Seeing all those races being cancelled one by one was very sad.”
“I think in the early couple of weeks I felt it might be a short term thing but here we are 18 weeks later! Early on in lockdown, when we were seeing really tight restrictions on exercise outside in some other countries, we even went so far as to order a treadmill. And I loathe treadmill running! We came to our senses the next day and cancelled the order.”
“Even though I am a "back of the pack" runner, having one weekly run which is a challenge or effort has given a focus to my running during lockdown. “
“CRO has really been the one run of the week where I try really hard to maintain the effort and to pace it right. It hasn’t worked every time! A 5k PB was followed a few weeks later by a shocking 5k where I got it all wrong, went out too fast and had to stop several times. I learned so much from that disappointing run and the following two 5ks were really satisfying.”
“I still find 10km a difficult distance, but I have definitely improved since CRO started. I know that we have done some mile efforts on the track during club sessions, but I had never considered doing these on my own before. Surprisingly (once I found a flattish piece of quiet lane) I now enjoy these most of all the distances, which I would NEVER have done before CRO, having thought of myself as a lover of a 10 mile trail run at a gentle pace!”
“Although I didn’t enjoy it at the time the Ross Barclay challenge certainly took me out of my comfort zone and has helped me achieve better times.” “Two other highlights, the week where we could choose our own distance over 10k. 15 lovely miles, my longest run for 18 months. And the club birthday week, 17.5 miles with Rob that at no point felt hard. In three attempts at a marathon I never once did a long run that felt so good!”
“I have to tell you how brilliant Martin has been. Always positive feedback when we send in our results. He has given me so much good advice and become like a running pen friend over the weeks.”
“I look forward to reading Liza's excellent reports each week to see how fellow club members have done.”
“I look forward to logging in each Sunday evening and find it encouraging to see the age related list the only time that I can ever start looking towards the top!”
“I hope CRO will continue as I cannot see proper races starting up yet unless Boris acknowledges the good that Parkrun could do for the nation’s health! I love the variety of distances especially the 10k and 5 miles. I’m disappointed that more of the club haven’t taken part.”
Next week I would like to share some thoughts from the male regulars so please feel free to email me with them or any idea on how to involve more members.
CRO run plans for the next few weeks are:
Week beginning: July 27th 5 kms
August 3rd 1 mile
August 10th 5 kms
August 17th 5 kms
August 24th Half Marathon (13.1 mile/21 km) OR 10 kms.
Don’t forget all you have to do is run the distance and email your time to cirenacresults@gmail.com .
Week Ending July 26th, Cirencester Runs On (CRO), 10k any surface
GUN TIME
1 Ian Barrett 41.19
2 Brian Harris 42.12
3 Kate Sackett 45.55
4 Isobel Watt 46.38
5 Andy Kilby 53.43
6 Jo Roberts 55.05
7 Rachel Barrow 55.36
8 Martin Croucher 55.45
9 Ruth Fulford 56.51
10= Liza Darroch 58.41
10= Rupert Chesmore 58.41
12 Louise Abbot 1.04.03
13 James Widdowson 1.10
14 Paul Barrow 1.11.14
15 Rachel Ranger 1.49.42
AGE GRADED
1 Kate Sackett 85.74%
2 Ruth Fulford 84.57%
3 Liza Darroch 81.93%
4 Brian Harris 76.20%
5 Ian Barrett 72.24%
6 Isobel Watt 69.43%
7 Jo Roberts 64.64%
8 Louise Abbot 64.38%
9 Rachel Barrow 63.18%
10 Andy Kilby 62.55%
11 Rupert Chesmore 56.75%
12 Martin Croucher 51.88%
13 Paul Barrow 51.79%
14 James Widdowson 41.64%
15 Rachel Ranger 30.41%
HANDICAP RACE
To work out the handicap score, your last 10k run has been used. Your original time divided by your new time has produced a percentage. Any percentage higher than 100, means you have run quicker this week. For people whom this run is their first 10k performance, I have simply given them 100.
1 Ruth Fulford 106.04
2 Kate Sackett 103.96
3 Paul Barrow102.49
4 Louise Abbott 101.35
5 Brian Harris 101.19
6= Rachel Ranger 100
6= Isobel Watt 100
6= Jo Roberts 100
6= James Widdowson 100
10 Liza Darroch 99.86
11 Andy Kilby 98.08
12 Rachel Barrow 97.49
13 Martin Croucher 97.46
14 Ian Barrett 96.54
15 Rupert Chesmore 94.1