It's October already and the nights are longer but we've still got a belter of a newsletter for you to read as you warm up after a run in the beautiful Manchester autumn. From the grey skies of east Manchester to the sunshine of Médoc there are great race reports. Mike Connaughton answers the monthly 10 Questions and one of our newer Run Leaders (Alia) shares her experiences of the Leader in Running Fitness (LiRF) training and role. There's also some tips on running at night, a new competition to win a limited edition PAC mug and the usual news round up with lots of dates for your diaries. Read and enjoy..... santé!
Marathon du Médoc
From our correspondent on the ground we start with a race report for a race like no other, as you will see John Naylor threw himself into this race.... for the sake of the newsletter of course 😉.
There aren’t many things in life that you look at and think now that was made for me. But when I first heard about Marathon du Médoc I thought, whoever dreamt up this run fully did so with me in mind. In what world can you begin to imagine that running a marathon would make the perfect setting for getting on the lash, drinking wine!!
For those of you that haven’t had the delight of getting to know what Marathon du Médoc is all about let me paint you a little picture. The race is set in the region of Medoc in southern France and is well known for its vineyards. Along the route, in compulsory fancy dress, you’ll travel though some of the most beautiful vineyards and stop off at some of the grandest châteaux to indulge in 23 glasses of wine…. as a minimum! Meanwhile being chased down by a sweeper wagon to complete what is possibly the longest marathon in the world.
I first entered the race back in 2020 just before covid struck and what I didn’t realise at the time was that I was about to enter what will probably be the longest training programme of my life. Not one to be put off, my dedication shone through and the two years that followed of boozing and running really stood me in good stead.
On the day before the race you need to collect you bib number from the expo. So after two days of…… “tapering” (less wine, more beer) in Bordeaux I set off with some esteemed PAC members. After two years of waiting, the hour trip out on the shuttlebus to Medoc to collect my bib gave me some time to fit in some last minute relaxation.
At the expo there is plenty going on and it is well worth the trip out to spend a few hours looking round the different stands and speaking to other event organisers as they are more than happy to share their knowledge and good health. There aren’t many marathons where the day before you think it’s a great idea to indulge in a smorgasbord of meats and cheeses, all washed down with a variety of wines and a cognac with a cheer of “enchante” thrown in for good measure. So if you want to immerse yourself in the experience, like myself, then I would highly recommend a little sample of everything on offer… in moderation of course.
Saturday morning at 5:30 the alarm goes off and RACE DAY has finally arrived. Just like a weird sort of Christmas stocking at the end of the bed is a Proton Pack and a freshy pressed Ghostbusters outfit with my name on it. It’s suddenly 6:30 and its time to board the Ecto-1 out to Médoc and I’m joined by Dr. Venkman and Ray Stantz (otherwise known as Jen and Dan) along with the Joker and Harley Quinn (Paul and Debs) and the synonymous 3 Cantonas (Tony, Rich and Steve) as well as a whole host of other great film characters.
Once we arrived in Médoc we headed down to the start line and I could see that the “Film” fancy dress theme was in full force with people from all over the world dressed as characters from Marilyn Monroe to Monty Python. As the clock ticked down to gun time you can feel the excitement growing. As I looked up, there are acrobats being lifted in to the air and thrown around in all directions then just before I was about to set off two aeroplanes flew overhead to lead you across the start line.
As the race begins it’s a few miles to the first chateaux where there are croissants, water and more importantly wine! At this point a fellow runner, Fred Flintstone to be precise, pointed out to me that I looked like I had been “slimed”. Obviously he was correct, and it was definitely my commitment to the authenticity of the costume and not that my Ghostbusters suit was saturated with sweat. If there is once piece of advice I could give it’s make sure to keep yourself well fuelled with not only the wine but plenty of water and food too because the 30+ degree heat can be intense!!
Despite the sweaty setback I started strong with a minimum of two wines at each chateaux making sure to keep the wine to mile ratio at least 1:1. I remember thinking the setting is so idyllic as you look out across the vineyards and look on to the next chateaux, then all of a sudden I’m reminded of that common phrase does C J Parker pee in the vineyards….. she certainly does. For those of you that are keen wine buffs keep an eye out for the Saint Estephe 2022 vintage, I can confirm those grapes have been well watered.
As the miles progressed my confidence grew and so did that all important wine ratio, however it is important to remember…… it is still a marathon!! With the overall drinking time making up nearly two hours of the 6:30 time limit it’s still a reasonable pace and I would recommend doing a decent amount of training leading up to the race, so you have time to enjoy yourself on the day.
As I reached the final chateaux, I could see the sweeper van approaching in the distance so took a moment to check the watch. It suddenly became apparent why it is known as the longest marathon in the word because I had already ticked over mile 26 on the watch with two miles to go on the course. So after a quick wine and a photo with the guys on the sweeper van it was time to be on my way.
However, all was not over…. firstly, I was met firstly with table full of oysters, a quick shuck and I was back on my way. After a short dash…. Boom, I was hit with a table of entrecôte beef, a swift handful and I was off again. Before I’d even had time to chew…. next stop an ice cream lolly and after all that… as well as the 43 glasses of wine I racked up on the way (I know you were all dying to know the wine count) it was on to the finish and across the line at 27.75 miles and 6h 49m on the watch.
For those of you who endured the report and have made it this far I have to say this is the most enjoyable race I have ever run, made even better with great company, great entertainment, and great wine. Even the goodie bag was exemplary consisting of a technical top, a running back pack, a medal, a cup and yes…. MORE WINE!!
Some top tips should you wish to sign up yourself, pick a costume that’s comfortable to run in, do plenty of training so you can enjoy the day, pick a good bunch of people to run with and drink plenty of water… as well as wine.
PAC Debut at Northern Road Relays
Prestwich AC made their much welcomed debut in the Northern Road Relays last Sunday. Our super six took on the 6.8km course that encompassed the Sports City complex and excelled with great individual times that contributed to a cracking team performance. The lads finished a very creditable 63rd out of 120 that included an epic sprint finish by Richard Shuttleworth on the final leg. Team organiser Rob Fowler, "It was a fantastic event and had a range of abilities... I'm hoping to see Prestwich represented with a few more teams next year."
Meet our members - 10 questions with Mike Connaughton
1 - How and when did you start running? At secondary school I was on the athletics team but I was a sprinter so it was the short stuff, 100m and 200m. Anything over a lap was a big no-no. It wasn’t until New Years Day 2012 that I took up running again. I was carrying a bit of excess ballast that needed shifting and I'd also heard it was good for stress relief. I put on some old trainers and give it a go, hated it and thought I was going to die but I kept at it. To date it’s the only New Years resolution I’ve kept to.
2 - What is your favourite race of all time? It’s got to be Marathon du Médoc. I ran it in 2019 and it was a fabulous experience. Running through the Médoc vineyards with mates sampling/over-imbibing on the local product at the twenty or so châteaux along the route dressed as Éric Cantona will live long in my hazy memory.
I know it’s not a race but I also loved Portrush parkrun in Ireland. A few of us from PAC went over to do it in 2018. It’s along a beach on the North Antrim coast and it’s simply beautiful. At one point three galloping horses passed us by, it was almost dreamlike.
3 - Which bit of running kit could you not be without and why? Apart from the obvious running shoes and clobber not much really. I’m not that into tech so if my watch packed up I wouldn’t be in too much of a rush to replace it. The only thing that springs to mind is on long runs I can’t be having the nipple chaff, absolute agony especially in the after run shower, so suitable area protection is necessary.
4 - What’s the most embarrassing/funniest thing you have seen or has happened to you whilst out running or on a race? Thankfully, to date, I’ve not had any cringingly embarrassing events whilst running. The closest running related thing I can think of is on the flight to Belfast en route to Portrush my fellow PAC travellers conspired with a friendly flight attendant to embarrass me with a surprise in flight announcement regarding my recent 40th birthday. Had a hole opened up in the fuselage beneath me I’d have gladly fallen into the Irish Sea below.
5 - What is the hardest run you have ever done and why was it so hard? I suppose any race can be hard depending on how you run it but I had a brief foray into fell running in 2018. I ran the Stan Bradshaw race on Pendle Hill, it had snowed heavily and although the distance had been cut down a bit it was still very hard going. Running through snow drifts and against the biting icy wind on Pendle Hill wasn’t fun at all. I also ran the Two Towers race at Holcombe later that year with Neil Swan, previously of this running parish. That was quite ridiculous. Why is it that fell race organisers always choose the steepest part of a hill to go up and down? My mum is from Holcombe Village so I know the area well but I wasn’t prepared for the bits of the hill that numerous marshals pointed at for us to go up or down. Calf and glut destroyingly steep. Anyway I respect fell runners, a lot, but I fathomed quite quickly that I would never be one. They’re just bloody insane and I value my ankles way too much.
6 - Which runner do you most admire and why? I hold a pretty cynical attitude toward professional athletics so stay clear of excessive admiration toward runners on the circuit that may fall foul of a future drug test. For me it’s the likes of Jim Smith, a regular at Heaton parkrun before he sadly passed away a few years back and Malcolm Pittock from Bolton parkrun that I admire. Both were cracking runners in their prime and as they aged their passion for running, participation and encouragement was clear for all to see. Inspiring figures.
7 - If you could do any race in the world that you haven’t already done which would it be? Pretty sure that my marathon running days are behind me but if I ever did get the 26.2 mile notions again it would have to be the Athens Authentic Marathon. It is near enough on the route that Pheidippides took back in 490BC and I'd love to follow in his footsteps, apart from the running it naked and dying at the finish bits of course. I'd definitely shout 'Nikomen!' at the end though, like the man himself.
8 - What do you think about when you’re out running? Absolutely anything. Football, politics, food, the make of a car that just passed me, the shape of a cloud in the sky. Pretty much anything to pass the time away.
9 - What’s your favourite post run food? To quote Oscar Wilde ‘I can resist everything except temptation’ and that sums up my attitude to food. I’ll take anything given to me after a race and devour it but I especially like the small races and their homemade cakey bun stalls. I spend a good bit of time, and money, at them. I do love a good lemon drizzle cake if I had to choose.
10 - And finally, what do you get out of running? In as simple terms, it’s great piece of mind knowing that I’m doing something good for both my physical and mental wellbeing. You always feel better after a run, it’s a good tonic. To make friends along the way and have memorable experiences is just a bonus. That sounds bloody corny when I read it back, but it’s true.
Life as a LIRF....
Alia Braithwaite is one of our newest Run Leaders. We asked Alia to share her early experiences.
After completing Couch to 5k with the club and becoming a fully fledged member back in February 2020, I started to become somewhat of a club run regular. It quite quickly became apparent how much time, effort and energy goes into running (pun intended) the club. The weekly running has been an absolute lifeline for me so I had been wanting to give something back and get more involved with the club for a while but with most of my time taken up by 2 small people at home I wasn’t sure how.
When the opportunity came up recently to become a run leader, I jumped at the chance. My only concern was my regular habit of getting lost on my own planned routes, although I was assured on good authority that getting lost is all part of the fun! With the club kindly subsiding a large chunk of the qualification cost, it was a no-brainer and I asked if could get on board.
The Leader in Running Fitness course itself is made up of four online modules and a 90 minute virtual classroom session with a group of other enthusiastic prospective LiRFers. The modules cover areas such as risk assessment, warm-ups, cool downs, performance factors and energy systems, but most importantly, how to lead fun running sessions for a mixed ability group of runners.
The course also requires students to film themselves leading a 5 minute warm up and 5 minute running activity which is submitted for feedback. Being the awkward person I am, this was the part I was dreading the most but Ciara kindly let me hijack her Thursday night group and the whole gang were excellent sports as I made them do hill sprints up Heartbreak Hill!
Once I had completed all the elements of the course (with full marks I should add!) I had the green light to lead my first run so popped my name down for the next club run. When I checked a few days later I had a full group - no pressure! I planned a route that I thought I knew like the back of my hand but still lost my bearings in Drinkwater park. I did manage to get everyone back in one piece which I think is the sign of a successful run!
I’m a few runs in now and enjoying it more and more, even managed a couple without getting lost! I would definitely encourage anyone who is thinking of becoming a run leader to go for it, you won’t regret it.
Thanks to Alia and all the rest the Run Leaders who generously give their time to leading runs, without them we would not be able to offer regular runs or track sessions. If you would like to discuss becoming a Run Leader at some point in the future please feel free to have an informal chat with Run Coordinators Jo Houghton or Tony Ryan.
Running at night
Sadly it's that time of year when we are no longer able to offer off road runs unless it is a "head torch" run. While many members have plenty of experience of our runs at night we thought a few tips for newer members may be helpful, so here goes.
Make sure you are seen! It’s better to be lit up like a Christmas Tree than look like a Milk Tray man or woman (ask your parents if you are under 30 years old 😉). You can wear hi-viz or reflective clothing, lights and head torches, all of which will help you be seen. Head torches have the added benefit of helping you to see any trip hazards and what is in front of you too. If you would like some suave and sophisticated reflective clothing you can check out the especially designed PAC reflective running tops, they fit the bill.
If you are difficult to see you are difficult to insure. Our UKA membership includes insurance. Should something go wrong on a Club organised run, including night runs, this might come into play. This this is not valid however if you are not dressed appropriately and / or cannot be seen easily. If you turn up for a run and cannot be seen the Run Leader has the right to turn you away. They are likely to advise that you read this newsletter piece!
You will have noticed that our meeting point changes when the nights are darker. We meet under the Metro Bridge at Prestwich Metro station. This is to improve safety. Please keep an eye out for fellow runners and be aware that some people can feel uncomfortable about waiting round for others at the start. If this is the case, you can arrive a few minutes before the start when there is a crowd already gathered. People tend to start turning up at least five minutes before the start times. What can less easy to manage is the end of the run when a runner is waiting for a lift or the person giving them a lift is on another run that hasn’t yet got back. Members are very supportive in our Club and if you find yourself in this position ask a fellow member if they could wait with you until your friend or lift arrives.
News roundup and dates for your diaries
3rd October deadline for next Pizza Night orders (10th October at 8.15pm): - The recent pizza night on Thursday 22 September was another great success. If you want to come along to the next one you'll need to get your order in sharpish on the booking spreadsheet, the deadline is the 3rd October. Remember, you don't need to run to join in!
8th October: PAC Volunteer takeover at Heaton Park parkrun - PAC is providing the core volunteers for the the parkrun on 8th October. Thank you to everyone who has stepped up and signed up to volunteer - please remember to wear club kit if you can so that we can promote the club. If you haven't signed up yet but are able to help out please click this link to sign up.
17th November: Prestwich AC Annual General Meeting - This year’s AGM has been set for Thursday 17th November 2022 at 8.00pm and will be held at Prestwich Cricket Club. Members will receive more information shortly by email. This will include information about Committee roles and how to put yourself forward. Although we are a small running club there is a lot that goes on behind the scenes to make it work successfully. Details of all of the roles and the activities the Committee members undertake was in the last newsletter so please have a read. Fresh faces with fresh ideas are always welcome.
Caption competition....
Shock, horror...... there were no entries last month, so no one won a limited edition PAC mug! So we have decided to do something different. Anyone wishing to enter, here's the quiz question.....
"How many runners will finish Heaton parkrun on Saturday 15th October?"
Email entries to prestwichacnews@gmail.com on or before the 14th October.
That's it for this month except to say......
"Most people never run far enough on their first wind to find out if they’ve got a second." (William James)