Creative CRO

This week we gave everyone a broad remit – any surface for any distance more than 10k and luckily this coincided with the first time we were allowed to run in groups of up to 6. New habits or concerns about running in a group of a socially distanced six meant that the largest group was three but even that was an exciting step back towards the social running that this club exists to support. The next step is in the hands of Head Coach Dorian Matts who is currently evaluating all the guidance provided by England Athletics and others. He is in the process of drawing up an exhaustive risk assessment (thank you Dorian) in order to identify what needs to be done before we restart some form of Tuesday evening training sessions. His plans will then need to be discussed and agreed with coaches and the Committee so don’t hold your breath! But do keep your eye on the club website – all updates will be there. Be patient as there will be no sessions - and they won’t be what we were used to - until everyone is sure they can comply with guidelines and are safe for us and others associated with Deer Park School.

Also watch out on the club web site and elsewhere for details of how the Club is planning to celebrate our 35th Anniversary. Pam has already posted the Minutes of the inaugural meeting held on June 27th 1985 and you will soon get an email from the Social Committee with more details about the celebration.

Back to this week: Congratulations to Karen Higuera who went for serious distance and now joins the CRO marathon list having run one of the most demanding sections of the Cotswold Way from Seven Springs and to Cranham Corner and back – 42.40 km in 5.22. She ran nearly all the way with Tim Ingham but he choose to walk having completed 23 miles (37 kms) in just over 4 and a half hours. Rachel Barrow also grabbed the opportunity to push herself 2 miles further than she has run since a 2018 marathon by completing 15 miles in 2.31. Social group number two consisted of Jo Roberts, Rupert Chesmore and Liza Darroch who opted to explore a very rural route taking in the Toadsmoor Valley, Bisley and Sapperton to cover 14.2 miles in 3 hours 17. Brian Harris went for speed as well as distance and set a new PB for a Half Marathon with a very respectable time of 1.36. In 2019 this would have put him somewhere between 500 and 600 in the highly competitive V55 Rankings on the Power of 10. Ruth Fulford very successfully pushed herself to get back to longer distances by completing 10 miles in 1.46. Paul Barrow also went for 10 miles and ran the furthest he has done since January in 2.03. Sarah Whitehouse went out on an off road ramble with Liza earlier in the week enjoying a lot of distanced chat and running 9.98 miles in 2.18. Finally Louise Abbott and Martin Croucher both ran well over the required 10km to complete 9 miles in 1.15 and 8.5 miles in 1.07 respectively.

Thanks to all of you who replied so positively to my question about the future of CRO. Those of you who have stuck with CRO seem to be really appreciating the way it replaces cancelled races, gives structure and targets for each week and bring us together. Martin comments that with a weekly combination of one strong effort and other easy runs all of us are running better and getting faster – as summed up by Brian Harris - "I never really believed that just running slow almost all the time could make you faster, and whilst it's early days, I’m going to carry on clocking up the “easy” mileage for now, exploring new trails and just try not to get injured."

So – CRO continues. In fact we are hoping numbers will increase after we involve many more club members in the 35th celebration.

Plans for CRO running for the coming weeks:

Week beginning: June 8th 1 mile –

June 15th 5 kms

June 22nd 35 Anniversary celebration – details very soon

June 29th 5 kms

July 6th 1 mile

July 13th 5 kms

July 20th 10 kms.

Week Ending June 7th, Cirencester Runs On (CRO), 10k or more, any surface

1 Karen Higuera – 42.40 km – 5. 22

2 Tim Ingham – 23 miles – 4.36

3 Rachel Barrow – 15 miles – 2.31

4= Jo Roberts – 14.2 miles – 3.17

4= Rupert Chesmore – 14.2 miles – 3.17

4= Liza Darroch – 14.2 miles – 3.17

7 Brian Harris -13.1 miles – 1.36

8 Ruth Fulford – 10 miles – 1.46

9 Paul Barrow – 10 miles – 2.03

10 Sarah Whitehouse 9.98 2.18

11 Louise Abbott – 9 miles – 1.51

12 Martin Croucher – 8.5 miles – 1.07

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