Harriers Xmas Handicap - Sunday 14th December

Just a reminder that this years Christmas handicap will take place on Sunday 14th December and will start at 11am. The junior handicap organised by Andrew and Lorraine will be on beforehand.

The total distance is about 6k and Alan will determine starting order and handicap.

It’s fancy dress. And it’s bring a prize to receive a prize. Round about £5-10. We’ll do the results in the lounge straight afterwards for those who need to get away and then those who want can stay for a coffe/chat afterwards. Any questions about it just ask at training or on here. Here’s last years group photo.

Club Training Thursday 27th November

Thursday's session is intended to put some power through the legs again following the long sustained effort at Brampton and the heavy slog at Brancumhall on Monday. The session is 10 x Avondale reps from the usual starting point on the broad pavement and finishing at the last junction on the right at the top of Avondale. Only the fastest pack should go to this junction and then immediately turn around and jog back down. As the other packs reach those faster runners, they also stop and jog back down. The efforts should be at 5k effort (not 5k pace!). The aim is to maintain good form to the end of each rep and not to fade as the top approaches.

Alan

Club Training - Monday 24th November - Brancumhall

Monday's session is a threshold session at Brancumhall. As threshold is a level of effort rather than a specific race pace, cross-country sessions are very good type for doing threshold, particularly when the weather is bad and sessions based on hitting a target pace are impossible without over-exerting. The session is 3 x 2 laps (approximately 1 mile) at threshold with a 2 minute jog recovery. Get into a slightly uncomfortable level of effort during each rep but do not finish bent over double and exhausted. Stay in control.

Alan

LONDON MARATHON 2026 CLUB PLACE

 Calderglen Harriers has been allocated 1 club place in the 2026 London Marathon. For all those that were unsuccessful in the ballot if you still wish to enter it we will do a draw from those that still want entered at the AGM on the 4th December. If you want in the draw let Russell know by the 3rd of December so we can prepare the draw,

Club Training Thursday 20th November

Thursday's run is another recovery run. It generally takes about a day of recovery per 1 to 2 miles of race distance (depending on the individuals powers of recovery, volume of beetroot juice consumed, etc), so we are definitely still in the recovery zone from Brampton.

The route is Greenhills Rd all the way to the Greenhills Roundabout, down Lickprivick, crossing over to the left side of the road and turning left along Westwood Rd all the way to Arnold Clark. Then turn right onto the Queensway and all the way back up to the club.

Alan

Brampton 2 Carlisle 2025

 

In the famous words of our former president - its a great day for a run and yesterday certainly was a great day for a run as was proved with the numerous PB's gained. We had perfect running conditions, cold, dry and no wind. We had 25 harriers running plus a few friends who had joined us on the bus trip down. Andrew Buchanan had decided he wasnt fit enough to run, however brought his bike and cycled along to offer support in several places along the route. I think all of us (except maybe Lorraine) really appreciated the support along the route so thanks Andrew :) I did ask him to do it again next year but he says he'll be running not cycling.

At 10am we set off on the fast downhill start which makes it easy to get carried away. Scott had said to me beforehand he hadn't been running much lately, was wearing his plodding shoes and wasn't going for it, however he took off when the gun went and I thought I'd better get after him if he's taking it easy!

Alan Derrick, Billy Buchanan and Colin banks weren't running today and took their usual supporting position at the top of the final hill before the downhill finish. Jordan Stewart has had an injury disrupted year since his Paris marathon this year so was no surprise he was slightly down on his time from last year, however he was still first harrier by a clear margin finishing in a chip time of 57:17. Robert Dewar has still been plagued with back problems and was also slightly down on his time from last year finishing as 2nd harrier in a time of 63:13, beating his target of 64:00, well done Robert. Jason Grant has been in PB form lately and this race was another where he gained a new PB running a time of 67:31.  The next harrier was Robert Pattison showing no signs of tiredness in his legs from his ultra 2 weeks ago running a fine time of 72:30, Andrew Higgins was disappointed with his run, feeling heavy legged from 5k onwards and was next harrier in, in a time of 73:38, Alison Lessells was delighted with her run (fastest since 2013) and faster than her target time running 73:54. The next harriers were close together with Scott Hair overtaking Gordon McInally in the final stretch finishing in a new PB of 76:03, not bad for someone who hasnt been running much. Gordon was another to get a PB in a time of 76:19. Gerry Connelly has been struggling with a knee injury lately and has been doing limited miles to get him round Brampton was next harrier in in 76:44 (having got carried away with the fast start). Frances Ferguson had a great run finishing as 2nd FV60 in a time of 77:18. Robert Gibson has been training consistently and running well in recent races and was rewarded with a new PB of 78:30. Kenny Leinster was next harrier in a time of 80:39 , Claire McSorley had said before the race she felt she was in personal worst form so was pleased to actually run a PB of 81:05, Richard Lawton is another who has been injured recently having to pull out the GSR lat month so was pleased with his time of 85:23, the next harrier was Louise McDowall one of  our Tuesday night runners having never ran as far as 10 miles before running a great time of 87:35, Jacqueline Balmer and Tarlochan Mothada ran together with both acieving new PBs and only finishing 1 second apart with Jacqueline running 88:13 and Tarlochan running 88:14, Vivek was next harrier with Vivek running a 10 minute personal best finishing in 91:22. Catherine Boyd was our next harrier in, also achieving her targetted time, finishing in 95:33. Gerry Mullen our Brampton stalwart completed an amazing 39th Brampton to Carlisle race in a time of 98:02. Gerry paced another of our couch to 5k graduates who had never ran as far as 10 miles before, Carolyn Donnelly round with Carolyn finishing in 98:13. Well done Carolyn. Lorraine Buchanan was not far behind (delighted to beat Russell) in a time of 98:50. Pam Rycroft another running 10 miles for the first time was next harrier in a time of 102:47. Russell Couper said he struggled round the course, however battled round to the end finishing in a time of 108:49. Andy Rycroft was not far behind (another running the 10 mile distance for the first time) finishing in 111:36. Well done Andy.

Well done also to Ross Mullen who travelled down with us finishing in 60:55, John Burns who travelled with us finishied in 85:30 and Sharon Gregg finishing in 87:53. Well done to all who ran - lots of target times and PBs gained. Thanks to those who travelled down to support and also to Iain who met us at the end on his way back from his cross country in Leeds on Saturday.

Another great day. Thanks Eddie for booking the bus and Gerry for organising dinner at the Star. Looking forward to next year already.

Club Training Monday 17th November

Funnily enough, Monday is a post-race easy run! This run is to get the legs moving to loosen off all the tightness resulting from racing. Then after the run (as you should do after every run) do a full set of stretches on these nicely loosened off and warmed up legs. Here is the club standard set of stretches.

The run is down the Kingsway (on the right hand side past the travel agent rather than the BP station) to the Whirlies; up to Calderwood Square; cross over and go down Maxwelton and follow the road round past Brancumhall pitches, up High Common Rd and turn into Mull and up the side of Colonsay Field to the club. The pace should be very, very easy.

Alan