Dear readers

Well as you can see, we have a name for our newsletter – “FOOTNOTES” – thanks to all those who sent me their ideas – the bottle of wine goes to Jim Cahill. A really great name I think you’ll agree. Can it really have been two months since Christmas and the New Year? Thanks to everyone who commented on their enjoyment of the first newsletter, I hope this next edition hits the spot too. As always, please do drop me a line if you’d like to see anything different or wish to contribute.Happy reading, running and racing (and rest and recovery).

The Editor (Laura)

New web site

We’re refreshing the club web site and we’re after your ideas. The plan so far has been to simplify things and focus on things that potential new members might want to know, as well as providing information for people who take part in our races.

The broader challenge is to know what else to provide, given that things have moved on since the first site was set up. A lot of photo sharing and discussion seems to happen via social media sites, so is there anything else that the club should be providing? Do you want advice on training, nutrition, local running routes, or something else?

Are there any areas of the site you’d like to keep reserved for members only?

Please use your imagination and let us know what you want. Answers to mattcrocker@me.com

“”

“FOOTNOTES”CLEVEDON AC’S NEWSLETTER

The committee are delighted to announce that top honours have been awarded to Andy, Elaine and Mike for the voluntary service they have provided to Clevedon AC over the past 30 years. I apologise for the length of this article but please bear with me. It wasn't until I started writing this that I realised quite how much they have given to the club so this is an attempt to do justice to their commitment.

Elaine was the first of the three to join Clevedon AC in July 1984. She threw herself into the club by joining the committee in 1985 and took on the role of Ladies Captain for 16 years - only resigning in 2002 because injury forced her to take a back seat from training and competing. Throughout these years Elaine led the Ladies team to many successes - cross country, road relays (Swindon, Gloucester and Sutton Park to mention a few) and individual road races. We frequently had 3 ladies teams up at Sutton Park at a time when we had barely 12 ladies competing for Clevedon AC in total - an example of how Elaine's enthusiasm managed to motivate us all!

Alongside her Captain's role, Elaine organised many club events including a club Hog Roast at Failand Hall, the clubs 20th Anniversary meal in Portishead and the 30th Anniversary meal at Cadbury not to mention regular quiz nights in the early 1990s. More recently Elaine has helped Dawn and Helen to arrange our club socials at the cricket club and our Christmas dinners at the Walton Park Hotel.

Andy joined the club in 1985 serving as an ordinary member for a year, Men's Captain for 2 years and then stepping up as Chairman from 1988 onwards.

Being Chairman wasn't enough for Andy so he also took over the helm of the Boxing Day Road Race in 1988 and has seen it grow from 340 entries and manual timing to the well polished chip timed event for over 800 runners we see today. A huge number of hours are put in behind the scenes right up until the day of the race (deserving of its own article). The Heyes’ household is still fielding phone calls and home visits from runners picking up race numbers while they are tucking into their Christmas dinner!

Andy has been instrumental in finding sponsors for the race from Clerical Medical (1994-1996), followed by Focus DIY (1998-2008) and Churngold from 2009. The success of Boxing Day has ensured the continuing financial stability of the club - allowing us to subsidise the cost of the Castles Relay, to pay for cross country entries and put wine on the table at the Christmas do!

Andy obviously found himself at a loose end between 1989 and 1993 as he added the organisation of the lesser known Clevedon 10 mile race and 1/2 marathon to his résumé!

Mike Andrews joined the club in 1991 coming on to the committee four years later. His roles have included Secretary for 2 years, Treasurer for 2 years and finally Vice Chairman from 2002 onwards. On Boxing Day Mike is one of the first down at the sea front setting up and also the last to leave once it has all been packed away.

Mike obviously likes a challenge as he has been responsible for our 5K relay based at the Hand Stadium and our Midsummer 10K - on more than one occasion shouldering the not inconsiderable responsibility of chip timing the event.

Lifetime membership continued . . .Both Andy and Mike have served on the Avon AA Committee: Mike as Treasurer for 5 years and Andy as Avon AA cross country co-ordinator for 2 years including organising the County Cross Country Championships twice. I believe there is a funny story which took place during the preparation for this particular event involving Mike Andrews, his off road vehicle, a lot of bravado and a tractor but that's for another occasion!

Despite being so busy with their club roles Andy, Elaine and Mike have all managed to train hard and represent the club at the highest level over the past 30 years. One of the highlights being the men's team qualifying for the Nationals in 1994 (Andy Heyes, Mark Dowden, Andy Crane, Jason Rowley, Dave Box and Julian Emery). Another notable achievement has been Clevedon's participation in the legendary Castles Relay. We have competed 20 times since 1990 and Andy has had the honour of being the only club member to have raced a stage on every occasion!

I haven't even mentioned the hours packing goody bags, planning the logistics of the Castles Relay and the Tart of the Year Award but I have run out of space and energy. We're not ready to release them from their commitments just yet but if you've got a glass handy spare a second to give Andy, Elaine and Mike a quick toast and a huge thank you!

Jane Cooley

This month we hear from our Secretary, Helen Ball:

Claim to Fame - Apart from our house appearing in Broadchurch, it's probably sitting next to Lenny Henry in a Latin Lecture (weird but true!)

My Hero - Not at all running related I'm afraid but I have 3 - 1. Mick Aston (for making archaeology accessible) 2. Barry Cunliffe (now a 'Sir' for services to British Archaeology) and 3. Rush (Canadian Rock Band) for being the greatest musicians EVER! and for the fact they give a huge amount of their spare time raising money for Canadian Charities (something they've received the highest order in Canada for)

I'm quite good at ...Heaven knows? Oh baking and cooking - not much else I can actually do really!

Proudest Running Achievement - Taunton Marathon 3hrs 30 mins - although Abingdon was quicker, this was the one I worked from September the previous year to April on, put my own plan together with specific training paces, set out with a definite goal and achieved it (my previous 2 marathons had been 3hrs58 and 3hrs50) - I cannot tell you how chuffed I was (I had stickers all round my kitchen with '3.30 You CAN do it!' on them)

Favourite Race - Probably Ironwood 10K – it was the third race I ever did, laughed most of the way round due to the mud, hills and idiotic idea that we do this for fun and came 1st FV40 - which I was stunned by!

If I'm not Running - I'm probably reading or researching some aspect of English History/Archaeology - if I could have another life I would LOVE to be an Archaeologist working on pre-Roman sites in England - or I'd be locked in a bookshop somewhere as I'm a passionate reader (there's too many books and not enough spare time sadly!) and I always have 3 or 4 on the go (at the moment I'm reading 'The Mayor of Casterbridge' by Thomas Hardy, 'Winter in Madrid' by CJ Sansom and 'Britain Begins' by Barry Cunliffe)

AZTEC WEST 5KIt was a great turnout on the 27th January by club members at the 4th race of the Aztec West Winter 5K series. Conditions were dry this month for the flat, three-lap circuit and Alex Crossland came in first for the club in 16:52. Laura Croker was first home for the ladies in 19:47, closely followed by Laura Meech in 19:53 - running well after a debut Parkrun victory 3 days earlier! Some members were running this event for the first time and hopefully we can get even more along next time. The 5th and final race of the series is on Tuesday 24th February and entries are £5.00 on the night. More details and all the results can be found at http://www.bristolandwestac.org/downloads/aztec-west-fast-5k-and-handicap/

HANGOVER 10KLuke Murray continued his winning ways with a great 1st place at the Hangover 10K on New Year’s Day. Luke cruised to victory in a time of 34:54 on this very demanding course. Nick Hides in 8th 38:08 and 1st V50, with Clive Richards 15th 39:12 and 3rd V50. First lady home for the club in 31st place Laura Croker in 40:52 and 3rd FV35, with Pete Wheddon 36th 41:35 and Maria Powell in 41st 43:10 and picking up 1st FV45. Simon Smith 50th spot 44:06, Ben Sharp 57th 45:21 and Chris Davies 66th 45:55. Donna Davies in 92nd place 48:24, with Neil Wallace 98th 48:57, Sally Dennis 108th in 49:54 and Nicole Skippins bringing a successful club outing home in 159th 55:13.

HOT OFF THE PRESS – LUKE MURRAY COMES THIRD AT THE TWO BAYS TOUGH TEN ALSO – CONGRATULATIONS LUKE! HELEN BALL WINS FV45 CATEGORY IN THE GLOUCESTERSHIRE XC LEAGUE!

Thanks to Matt Crocker for this great local route.

This challenging, approximately 5 mile, run takes in much of the routes of both the Nightingale Nightmare 10k and the Extreme Ravine half marathon. Although it features a brutal climb and the risk of mud there are rewards in the form of great views over the Avon Gorge and Clifton Suspension Bridge, as well as some nice soft trails that are easy on the knees. Most of it is off-road, so trail shoes are really recommended.

In order to allow for a warm-up before, and recovery after, the big climb you start in the carpark by Leigh Court. This is found by taking a left turn from the A369, following the sign for Brackenwood Garden Centre. Despite being small, there are usually plenty of parking places.

Start by heading up the track towards Leigh Court, ignoring the signs to the temptingly-named Paradise Bottom, until you see a trail leading off to the right after a couple of hundred yards, signposted ‘The Grotto’. This trail descends gently towards the Avon and the going is generally easy, although there are a few tree roots and mud patches to watch out for.

When you reach a fork, with the left hand option signposted to ‘The Grotto’ again, take the right hand path which carries on down towards the river. You’ll come to a large fallen tree which can be vaulted if you feel brave. I usually gingerly step over it. Just after this obstacle the path passes under a railway bridge and onto the towpath, just at the point of the turnaround of the summer Towpath 10k series. Turn right and head towards Bristol.

The towpath is easy going and it’s tempting to increase the pace but, remember, there’s a climb coming.

Just before you pass under the Suspension Bridge there’s a path that leads off to the right, under another railway bridge and through a kissing gate. This is the start of Nightingale Wood. The gradient soon starts to increase and before long you’re ascending a path that mixes mud and slippery rocks in equal measures. Occasionally I’ve encountered some shaggy red-haired cows here that take no interest in your exertions but equally show no signs of wanting to get out of your way.

The climb lasts for just under half a mile. At the top, take a right up a more gentle climb into an open field with a house on your left. There are a few choices here, and most of them take you in approximately the right direction, but I prefer the right hand one as it provides better views of the Gorge as you reach a lookout point after a few hundred yards. If you don’t want to stop and take in the views, dog-leg to your left and follow a path that undulates over the earthworks of an old hill fort until you come to a solid-looking drystone wall.

“Leigh Woods loop” continued:

Turn left and keep the wall on your right for about a quarter of a mile until you reach a big gate and a gap in the stones on your right. Cut through this gap and follow the wide path, watching out for crossing mountain bikes, until you come to the long, straight road into the woods. Turn right here and follow the road past the carpark, staying on the broad track as it gently descends. Don’t take the right-hand fork around the metal gate, but keep going until you come to a cute old house where you dodge around a wooden barrier.

On the final descent you’ll pass a small pond on your left and a turning down to the aforementioned Paradise Bottom. You can take this to add on a bit more distance and another climb, but the path is quite narrow and popular with dogs who play in the series of ponds at the bottom.

Whichever route you take, the path will soon come out in the small carpark where you started, having covered just over 5 miles and climbed more than a thousand feet. You can feel proud of that one.

“My Training Philosophy / Goal for this Period”

Until the end of Feb / beginning of March, I’m trying to increase your lactate Threshold, for a number of reasons (see benefits below and internet resources).

Most people are probably missing this important training zone as the tendency is to train without a discipline (run flat out). I have consciously changed things around this year (as you all know) with the different training groups, so this allows for more structure within the session. This also allows different goals for a session. I have been explaining “what is required and why” at training with my group, and trying to ensure they are working in the correct Lactate zone. This for us generally fit people is around (around 80-90%HRmax), and for the Tuesday & Thursday sessions at the moment this is what is required. For these sessions and for us distance runners this would equate to approximately 10k-10mile race pace.

Observations / feedback – most people are running too fast (so outside of their lactate zone). If you have a HR monitor wear it and ensure you are training in the correct area. Otherwise as a guide (based on your 5m times, see the min / mile paces below), yes it may seem slower for some as your Running not Training for the bigger picture.

It’s totally normal for competitive people to be running too fast, BUT IF YOU ARE THEN THIS WILL NOT BENEFIT YOU!. You will have a chance to run flat out again soon, but for the month of Feb I want Tuesday & Thursday sessions to be run in this zone. This does also give you the benefit of increasing your weekly runs (distance or number), as you are not putting as much stress on the body.

So for February try and increase your weekly miles (recovery, long runs and tempo runs at these paces), then in March these can be dropped when we start running at 90 -100% on club sessions. Loads of info on the internet about this type of training, but a sample below (some scientific stuff no apologies for that)!

Lactate Threshold TrainingLactate Threshold training involves continuous training at, or around, the speed/power output at which the lactate threshold occurs. In untrained individuals this typically occurs at around 50 – 60 %VO2max (around 55-65%HRmax), however in trained athletes this can increase significantly to around 75 and 85 % VO2max (around 80-90%HRmax). For most people the lactate threshold corresponds with an intensity that can be sustained for around 30-60 minutes although this can vary between individuals. For distance runners this would equate to approximately 10k-10mile race pace and for cyclists this would equate to a pace that could be sustained for approximately 30-40km.

Coach’s Corner continued:

Why is Lactate Threshold Training Beneficial?Lactate threshold training leads to improvements in: aerobic energy pathways, anaerobic energy pathways, the anaerobic threshold and sustainable % VO2max, time to exhaustion and lactate clearance. The lactate threshold is related to the % type I fibres (Coyle et al., 1991), mitochondrial aerobic enzyme activity (Coyle 1995), and also appears to be related to mitochondrial size and density, aerobic enzyme concentrations, muscle capillary density, and enhanced fatty acid metabolism. Since type I fibres have the greatest concentration of mitochondria it seems logical that training that leads to the greatest stimulation of type I fibres, and hence mitochondrial aerobic enzymes – the recruitment of type I muscle fibres reaches its peak at the lactate threshold – would be the best stimulation for increasing the LTVO2. Since training at an intensity around the lactate threshold, can be performed for much longer, and can make up a greater percentage of total training, with reduced physiological stress than training at 100%VO2max, this may be the optimum training intensity for raising levels of type I aerobic enzymes. Therefore, the use of lactate threshold training may serve as a compromise between volume and intensity (Weltman et al., 1990), allowing a greater training volume, at an increased intensity than moderate/easy training, but with a reduced risk of overtraining than is the case with high intensity internal training (HIIT sessions).

One other important factor to consider with lactate threshold training is that there is a decreased risk of over training compared with HIIT sessions. The main reason for the reduced risk of overtraining, is due to the reduced levels of catecholamines (stress hormones) during tempo/lactate threshold training, compared with HIIT sessions. Although, there is a slight rise in the level of catecholamines at the point of the lactate threshold, the concentration of catecholamines rises sharply at intensities above the lactate threshold. Therefore, training at the lactate threshold is the optimum training intensity for improving aerobic fitness, lactate threshold, and exercise economy, whilst reducing the risk of overtraining associated with training at much higher intensities. Because the levels of catecholamines are much lower, when training at the lactate threshold, than at higher intensities, it allows you to complete a significantly greater percentage of training at the lactate threshold, than you could if training at higher intensities.

Improvements in the Lactate Threshold following Lactate Threshold TrainingOne of the main effects of lactate threshold training can be seen in an improvement in the lactate profile. The graph on the left demonstrates the effect of training on the lactate threshold. Following a period of lactate threshold training there is a noticeable improvement in lactate levels at all speeds. In particular the speed at which the lactate threshold occurs (basically the point at which there is an acceleration in lactate production) has improved by approximately 0.5kmh which translates to significant improvements in endurance race performance.

“Coach’s Corner” continued . . .

COACHING CLINIC

If you arrange prior with the coaches then from 18:30 on Tuesday or Thursday before the session, they will discuss specific coaching issues that you may wish to discuss with Birdy or Nick. They are there for you if needed at Strode, rather than discussing specifics that may not be relevant with the group. It also can be more private and definitely warmer.

So as we draw this Winter newsletter to a close, let’s take a look back to a couple of Clevedon AC newsletter archives kindly provided by Jane Cooley – enjoy! See you in the Spring.

Sunday runs and Club NightsWritten by Alan Sandy (Men’s Captain / 1996)