It seems so long ago that we had a good evening at the Tap (Feb 27th), saying thanks and well-done to a raft of more senior club athletes who represented RHAC so well in 2019 in local races or by exemplary work and progress in their running.
There was a promise that we would repeat the pattern through 2020- and whatever it takes when allowed to resume we will do that, so keep up your personal and club efforts as and when you can, and be alert to the progress and efforts of your club colleagues.
How rapidly times have changed! Whether it's lasting or temporary? Who knows? What we do feel however, is that we have them for some time.
So we have been setting up to adapt as much as we can, preparing for a long haul whilst hoping not so long. This is the first of a series of special newsletters. My aim is to make them frequent rather than extensive. I will try to make them weekly.
Please: What We Hope You Will Do:
* email to reply@rotherhamharriers.org
* Let us know you are OK and tell us how you are coping with issues
* If you need help in any way, say so and we will try. Not just running-related although obviously mainly that.
* Keep contact with each other (we know that is happening) and be alert for any people who we may have lost sight of
* Tell me what you want to do, what you want to know, what you suggest that we do
* You can submit articles for newsmail if you like
* I am expanding our website with a section to back this up: use website:
* Use social media.
* Keep to legal and other sensible instructions and guidelines
* Carry on running
* Try to maintain or improve your fitness and ability
Although club & competition activities are suspended until the end of May, at the earliest, the club committee are keen to ensure that the club planning and organisation continues.
The club committee met yesterday, using Zoom meeting software, and nine committee members were in the virtual meeting. The meeting agreed that it is important that club planning continues, and we are therefore putting in place plans to enable the club to effectively re-start club activities and club organised competitions once the resumption date is confirmed.
Key decisions from the meeting were:-
A decision to postpone the Club Awards evening (scheduled for the 18th April) and not to cancel that, but to rearrange for sometime in the Late summer / Autumn.
To share information issued by England Athletics covering the advice re permitted activities and precautions to be taken.
An agreement that any subs or athlete registration payments due, should not be made until club activities resume. The club will also review cases where payment has already been made, to see if any adjustment is justified for the time spent without club activities.
To plan to organise the Scholes Coppice race and the Clifton Park relays events as soon as we are able to do so after resumption of club activities.
We have now been informed that all T&F leagues (UK YDL & Northern Senior T&F league) are fully cancelled)
To commit to issuing regular enewsletters to members, during the cessation period.
The first one of which should be issued asap
During March we agreed to postpone planning for a return visit this summer to the Toro Athletics Club in Spain and best wishes were exchanged between the two clubs for keeping safe and well at this time. There remains an intention to plan for this trip when the time is right.
Please let us know if you would like any particular issues or information to be covered in any future newsletters.
Finally we hope all members and their families are keeping well during these difficult times, if you need any help with anything please let us know, we are sure that help can be arranged via the club should that be needed.
If you have managed to exercise by walking or running into a rural area you will have noticed that this year, perversely, is brilliant for wildlife. Blossoms are better than ever, and on a recent rural run from Wickersley I clocked lots of fat dark solitary bees (bumblebees), peacock butterflies and pairs of (I think) tortoiseshell butterflies.
Last Monday would have been the first light-evening club running night, when traditionally we would go and look at daffodils in Listerdale (picture). No chance this year.
If you live locally you still have time: access by fence gate at the rear of Listerdale School in Brecks or at various entrances in Wickersley: eg end of Black Carr Rd, Springfield Rd or Northfield Lane. Listerdale is a private area: take nothing away, leave nothing behind.
The next issue's rural run may be Revel Wood: based in the Whiston area and rich with flowers, though the best are the bluebells which are not yet ready, but the promised warmer weather may bring them on.
See end of newsmail: if you do not live near the club, I am keen to get info and guidance about your own area: send me an email if I can interest you.
For those who can only do road runs, or prefer to, I am asking you to factor in on a regular basis one or more of our choices for best training hills. You cannot beat hilly runs for development training- most of our runs involve them. It's why RH perform so well.
The list of candidates for 'top 10' will be on the website support very soon, but briefly:
When you see the list,
SEND ME YOUR NOMINATIONS (in your home area?) TO ADD TO IT
I
am classifying them based on distance, and climb (like the Tour de France).
It's important that starter runners can address some, as well as more accomplished runners, so there will be varying degrees of challenge. For a start, consider two versions of a climb local to the stadium.
Easy (HVR1 and not so easy (HVR2) but don't let it catch you out.
Possible traffic at some ascending junctions- take care.Run data: distance 6.5k
Climb HV1 14m in 1.25k = just over 1%
Climb HV2 56m in 2.52k = 4%
Overall climb 70m in 1.27k = 2.7%
You should be able to cope with HVR1 without a pause. If you are a starter or not good on hills, advised is that you pause before you do the steep bit. Take it carefully, no need to rush.
Try the whole thing. Try it faster if you really wish. Better would be to try continuing past the Stag pub to Brecks but there can be traffic at the roundabout.
[Next time: three serious little challenges near HVR and some further afield]
(Circular from Airmount Close Wickersley route described: 8k easy going road, track and path, a bit of grass and crop possibly)
The attraction for me of this route is that I like a look as early as I can at how the new spring is coming along. It is surprisingly easy to reach relatively rural areas out of our urban home areas. Quite a few of the bits we call 'rural' are in fact scraps left over after real rural areas were destroyed in years gone by. They are however invaluable for us poor townies.
We need to try to look after them though, as any new 'development' or 'improvement' inevitably seems come at the cost of getting rid of them. In this case, HS2 looms large. More in future issues.
The route can be reached just off Bawtry Rd in Wickersley, as start and finish, or you can intersect the route with your own convenient S/F, or link your run/walk into it. In better times, you would be able to park a car somewhere nearby on the service road, but not at present.
Pea Carr is a wood near Morthen which annually has the first big swathe of spring flowers. I don't count snowdrops, as they are pretty well all garden plants. Next to bloom is wild: (Dog's) Mercury- but the flowers are small and green not prominent.
So we are talking here of wood anemones and celandines round about the time of BST starting. Not too long after come bluebells
A:: head down Airmount Close- officially you should take the gate along the tarmaced footpath, out at the top and keep right on Sorby Way to the 'Bob Mason' recreation ground. An alternative is take the wooden gate, keep left on a locals' path around the fields and small wood and exit that way to the recreation ground. (B)
Cross the rec to the corner gate (C), turn left along the lane (Gillott Lane) as far as Quarry Field Lane. Turn right on to Quarry Field Lane and continue slightly down and slightly right to a continuation of the lane leading to junction with a footpath via horse gates where you will turn right. This is point E, the top of Sandy Flat Lane, leading toward Pinch Mill. Pass through the gate.
(If you simply want to get where you are going, it is quicker to start at (A), turn right at Wickersley Roundabout and straight ahead to the junction with Sandy Flat Lane/Second Lane and turn right to reach (E))
As you head down Sandy Flat Lane you will cross a concrete ramp which was a cattle grid in pre-arable days (F). Swing immediately left up the grass and over the style. Depending on the state of the crop, there will be a clear flat path or path through the growth. Follow it more or less straight across the field and drop down to cross the stream at (G). (This is Pinch Mill Brook on it's way to the river Rother)
(Had you continued downhill at (F), you would pass through Pinch Mill with its riding stables and fishing ponds, with alternative options to join Little Common Lane or Royd's Moor Hill and Whiston.
The stream crossing is a pleasant interlude but nothing special. Continue up straight across the field to Morthen Lane. Here you cross into York Lane but take extreme care crossing due to traffic. When I came to this area in the 1970's it was still a vehicular road- I drove on it once. Or twice. Not more. You are 2.5k into the route at this point.
Continue on the rural lane into Morthen Village at (I), 3.4k. Up to your left is Morthen Hall; amid a cluster of farms is Lawns Farm on the bend with a very popular farm shop. In the undergrowth right on the bend is a weathered remnant of a Saxon cross (in front and right of the three treees in the photo, looking back from Lawns Farm)
If you go straight ahead instead of staying on the 'main' road it is the cul-de-sac of York Lane but you can proceed 100m and turn left where you will see a stone style and grass path heading towards the motorway (M18, junction). Follow the path as far as the motorway underpass (J). The style in my earlier running days took you to a path all right but only after progressing through a pigsty. Hence our local name “Smelly Farm” for this locality. (No longer there.)
(Take a short detour at (J):: under the motorway and 100m ahead is left turn over a stream. It is still marshy in the stream area, hence Marsh Marigolds still grow there. Once common, marshes are now largely disappeared. Back under the M18 to continue )
To resume:: You are approaching Pea Carr Wood (top left in the photo) ahead, keeping alongside the M18 will take you past it and you have a good view of any progress the flora are making. It is a private wood by the way. Keep the wood on your left and climb a little (4.1 km, good vistas of the inner wood)
Your completion is by slogging across the fields (in former times named Sheep Dike Lane) back to Morthen Hall Lane (L), where you turn right (beware of traffic for 400m) bringing you to Morthen Crossroads where you take second left and a straight road back into Wickersley. At Wickersley Roundabout turn left if finishing at Airmount Close.
Compiler and editor: Pete Humphries