Club Training Thursday 1st February

Thursday's session is a session which transitions from the basic threshold sessions we have been doing for some months to the sort of session that brings us towards a peak for the forthcoming races starting with the National and continuing through the Scally and early Spring road races.

The warm up is to Langlands Place via the Strathaven Rd and Sainsburys. Then do 4 x 400m at 10k pace with 30 seconds recovery. Then transition immediately into 3 x 6 minutes at threshold with a 2 min jog recovery using the Sainsburys loop in a clockwise direction. Cool down via the Strathaven Rd back to the club.

The aim of the session is generate some fatigue in the legs before then transitioning into a threshold session where the aim is to operate just on the limit of aerobic effort i.e. being able to speak a few words only.

Alan

Club Training Monday 29th January - Brancumhall

Note, that as I will probably be on a flight at 6pm, I won't manage to update the packs. Please split the packs according to the usual "bubble" number grouping (pack A is 1 to 3, B is 4 to 5,etc).

Alan 

Monday's session is an XC session at 

Brancumhall and is a progression of the session from two weeks ago (that ended up being on the golf course due to snow). I'm pretty sure we will be at Brancumhall tomorrow though.

The session is 8 x 1 lap at 5k to 8k race effort. Each lap is about 800m. The recovery durations are pack dependent. For those packs that are running 5k in 22 minutes or less, the recovery is 2 minutes. For those packs running 5k in 22 to 26 minutes, the recovery is 2.5 minutes. For those packs running 5k in greater than 26 minutes, the recovery is 3 minutes. This will total about 4 miles of hard running plus recoveries and the to and from Brancumhall, hence it is great preparation for the forthcoming League and National XC's.

Alan

NATIONAL XC CHAMPIONSHIP ( FALKIRK )

This years National XC Championship will again be held in Callendar Park Falkirk on Saturday 24th February.

Start times u/13  Girls  11.00   Boys   11.16        (3.2k)

                   u/15   Girls   11.32   Boys  11.53      (4.3k)

                   u/17    Boys   12.15     Girls   12.20   (6.2k)

               Senior Women    12.55                           (10k)

                 u/20    Men     13.50      Women    13.55     (6.8k)

               Senior Men         14.30                          (10k)

Cost is u/17 and younger £7.00   and u/20 and older  £8.50

Please make sure your SA registration is up to date for the time of entry and the race date.

I need names by Tuesday 6th February.

If you wish entered please leave your name HERE. Those registered are listed HERE.

SVHC ROAD RELAY (STRATHCLYDE PARK)

Teams updated

 Sunday 28th is the Masters Road Relay at Strathclyde Park.

Race start is at 11.00 and you should be there for 10.15.

I will register the teams and collect the numbers for distribution.

If your going to be late or can no longer make it please let me know asap.

There is 2 spaces available for the Ladies teams if anyone is still looking for a run.

Provisional Teams are 

Ladies A    A lessells, C McSorley, J Whittle

Ladies B    F Ferguson,   Spare,  Spare

M50      D Watt,   M Howell,   S Phimister,    G Ferguson

M35     K McPhillips,   K Leinster,  R Gibson,  R Couper

If theres any more Men want a run let me know and if theres no withdrawals i will see if i can get another team entered.

Russell

Club Training Thursday 25th January

Thursday's session is the 4-hills again, the intention being to continue to build strength and endurance through the Winter season. This time, run easy between the hills but pick up the pace on each hill. Therefore, some reps will be long at say 10k race effort and some hills will be short at 5k or faster effort. There are of course many more than 4 hills! Within your pack, take it in turn to call the start and end of each up-hill effort. This is a continuous session so don't stop at the top of each hill, just slow down to an easy pace such that your pack can regroup on the run. Follow the 4-hills in the usual direction, starting off with the Kingsway, the Village and Market Hill.

Alan

West Cross Country Leauge - Race 2 - Bellahouston Park

This Saturday 20th January we had the West League XC team event. Where both the juniors and seniors represented the club.

In the U11 girls we had 4 girls running! Charlotte, Nina, Sophie and Jessica. The girls team finished in a fabulous 6th out of 18 teams.

In the U11 boys we had Innes.

In the U13 girls we had Ailsa.

In the U17 we had Francis and Kai, combining to finish in 3rd out of 7 teams in the team event 😊

Well done to all the juniors brilliant running!

We want to special well done to Charlotte who came 2nd place, also to Sophie and Jessica who both made their debut. It was also great to have Francis back running with the Harriers.

In addition to this nine seniors/master’s participated in this event. Despite the unfavourable weather and challenging muddy conditions on the course, the runners persevered.

The results were as follows:

- The first Calderglen Harrier to finish was Jordan Stewart, who completed an impressive run in 30:55 and leading the overall men’s team to a creditable 10th out of 24 teams.

- Coach Alan Derrick, came in second with a time of 32:31. This was his first cross-country race for the club in a long time, and he performed exceptionally well, leading the masters team to a 5th place finish from 15.

- Andrew Buchanan finished third with a time of 32:34. Despite currently training for the London Marathon, Andrew was committed to ensuring he had enough stamina for another long run this week.

- Jim Mearns finished in an excellent 37:38 time, followed by Kevin McPhillips in 40:18 and Russell Couper in 49:57.

In the women's category, we had 3 ladies representing the club.

- Karen Allen finished first harrier with an outstanding run in 35:40, taking 4th place in the masters category and leading the masters team of Karen and Alison to 2nd place from 13 teams.

- Alison Lessells came in second harrier with a time of 38:00 and Julia Pechlof was third in 39:13, helping the overall ladies team to 6th position from 20 teams 😁

On behalf of the club, congratulations to all. It was wonderful to see so many of you representing the club (full results available here).

Julia

Club Training Monday 22nd January

Monday's session is back to a bit of pace to balance out the threshold, long reps and long hill reps we have been doing the past month. The session is at Langlands Place and is 12 x 400m at 10k pace with 30 secs stand/jog recovery. Usual warm-up via Strathaven Rd and Sainsburys.

Alan

Grand Prix Update

After Saturday's West Cross Country League race 2 at Bellahouston, some gaps are starting to open up at the head of the ladies' and men's Grand Prix and Club Championship tables. Julia Pechlof has a comprehensive lead in both the Grand Prix and Club Championship whilst Russell Couper has made an early charge to the front of the men's Grand Prix. In the men's Club Championship, Andrew Buchanan has established a big lead. Full tables are at the usual link in the "Calderglen Harriers Grand Prix" menu to the left of the blog.

Further updates to the list of Grand Prix races have been made with the Tom Scott 10 mile and Round the Houses 10k dates confirmed. The dates and links to the race entry web sites are in the list here and in the Grand Prix Races link in the menu to the left of the blog.

Alan

Club Training Thursday 18th January

It is a threshold Thursday this week. The venue for the session depends on whether the roads are clear of snow and ice or not. The session is 4 x 6 minutes at threshold with a 2 minute jog recovery. The total volume of the session is moderate given that we have the West District XC League race at Bellahouston on Saturday.

If there is no snow and ice on the roads, then the session is at Carron Place and is a continuous session around the loop. Warm-up via the Crooked Lum, Murray and Kelvin Rd. Cool down via Greenhills Rd and Strathaven Rd.

If there is still significant snow, then the session is on the golf course. Use the long 6th fairway for the reps. This is the one after you pass Carrigans, cut through the narrow gap onto a wide fairway which runs behind the houses at Torrance Wynd and parallel to the Strathaven Rd. Start the reps after crossing the stone, hump back bridge and run up parallel to the trees on your right and turn left when you reach the end of the forest and left again to run back along the other edge of the fairway towards the hump back bridge. Turn left and left again when you reach the hump back bridge to repeat that lap. It should be pretty good, flat running.

Alan

WEST LEAGUE XC

 This Saturday 20th January we have the West League XC

Venue is Bellahouston Park at the High Flats end of Mosspark Boulevard

Race times are as follows U/11 girls 11.30,    U/11 Boys   11.45

U/13 Girls  12.00,    U/13 Boys   12.20

U/15 combined   12.40        U/17   combined   13.00

Juniors, Seniors, Masters  combined   13.30

Cost is £3 each

This is not a pre entry as names are submitted after the event but it would be helpful if i know in advance whose coming so i have the numbers there in time so please let me know on the whatsapp group if your coming and if the Juniors could let Andrew or Lorraine know.

Reminder that participants need to be Scottish Athletics members and that this is a Grand Prix event

Next League event will be Saturday 10th February in Erskine.

Russell

Club Training Monday 15th January (Brancumhall)

We continue with our strength and endurance training at Brancumhall. I wish I had thought of this quip but I paraphrase the great Norwegian 400m hurdler Karsten Warholm when I say that the "WINter training is where the WIN comes from"!! Check this out (in -21C):  https://www.instagram.com/reel/C1wxscXMqE3/?igsh=enFsMzZjODhldnhq

So the Brancumhall session is 7 x 1 lap at 5k to 8k race effort. Each lap is about 800m. As with last week, the recovery durations are pack dependent. For those packs that are running 5k in 22 minutes or less, the recovery is 2 minutes. For those packs running 5k in 22 to 26 minutes, the recovery is 2.5 minutes. For those packs running 5k in greater than 26 minutes, the recovery is 3 minutes. I recommend that everyone keeps their shirts on though, snow or no snow. 

Should there be snow, then we shall move this session to the golf course. In this case, the session will be on the hill either side of the line of trees we used last time we did golf course reps. One rep will be two laps of that course. Warm up by running the lap up to the location for the reps and then cool down by returning by completing the lap to the club.

Alan

MASTERS XC CHAMPIONSHIP

 This years Masters XC championship will be held on Sunday 11th Feb.

Venue is Grant Park in Forres.

Start time is 13.00 for Ladies and 13.45 for Men

6k for Ladies W40+ with M65 and 8k for M40+

Cost is £8.50 and i need names by 23rd January

If you want entered please leave your name HERE Those already registered are listed HERE

Club Training Thursday 11th January

Thursday's session is an easy paced run around the 4-hills to continue building strength and endurance through the winter and cross country season. Do not push the pace on any part of this run and finish feeling relaxed. Run via the village and Market Hill and follow the route around in the usual sequence of hills from there.

Alan

Club Training Monday 8th January

The session on Monday is on the Sainsburys Loop. However the forecast suggests the temperatures will be sub-zero and ice on the pavements could be a problem. Therefore, I am proposing only using part of the Sainsburys loop such that the reps can be completed entirely on the road rather than the pavement, assuming that the road is salted and ice-free. 

The session is 5 x 1km at 5k race pace. For those packs that are running 5k in 22 minutes or less, the recovery is 2 minutes. For those packs running 5k in 22 to 26 minutes, the recovery is 2.5 minutes. For those packs running 5k in greater than 26 minutes, the recovery is 3 minutes. Be pragmatic about the recovery e.g. if 3 of your pack are currently running sub 26 and 1 of your pack members is running 26:30, the recovery for your pack is 2.5 minutes. This is not a precise science! The recovery is a jog around/on the spot in the vicinity of where the rep finishes.

The route starts at Sainsburys main gate (on the road, not the pavement, unless it is not icy) and follows the usual loop in clockwise direction. The first rep should end around about the junction with Greenhills Rd at the top of the hill. Jog about up there during the recovery and then do rep two in the reverse direction. This is a wide, well lit road so should be safe to run on the road, but as always, be vigilant of traffic and prioritise safety over finishing a rep.

Alan

Club Training - Thursday 4th January

Happy New Year everyone!

For Thursday's session we are back to the Winter strength endurance training block with a repeat of the Lickprivick hill reps session from a few weeks ago.  The strength comes from the hill and the endurance comes from the fact that the reps are long and the total distance of the session is high.

Warm-up via the usual Murray Rd route to the bottom of Lickprivick and then do 4 x 3 mins uphill, jog down recovery + 4 x 2 mins uphill, jog down recovery as a continuous session at threshold effort, i.e as soon as you reach the bottom, turn around and start the next rep. Make sure your pack regroups on the jog down rather than having to hang around at the bottom to regroup. The cool down is the reverse of the warm up.

Monday's session is 1km reps at Langlands.

Alan

MEMBERSHIP FEES 2024

 Membership fees this year will be kept the same as last year and are as follows. This includes both Sports Club and Harriers fees.

·         FAMILY -  £194.00 - Includes 2 Adults & all children age 6 to under 18 years.

 

·         ORDINARY/ SOCIAL - £130.00  - Open to individual adults 21 year and over (but under National Pension Age).

 

·         INTERMEDIATE - £90.00  - Open to individuals aged 18 and under 21 years.

 

·         JUNIOR - £50.00  - Open to all youngsters age 6 but under 18 years.

 

·         RETIRED FAMILY - £114.00 - As Family (above), but applicable where both adults are over National  Pension Age *

 

·         RETIRED ORDINARY - £90.00 - As Ordinary (above), but applicable to those over National Pension Age *

Payments should start in January and can be paid in full or monthly in 10 instalments. If anyone is experiencing any difficulties and needs to make alternate arrangements then please feel free to discuss it in private with me (Russell) and we can see if we can find an alternate arrangement