Captains Corner

Hey all,

GW & WG checking in! So spring has officially sprung. We can’t believe we’re a third of the way through the year already! Where does the time go!? We hope you’re all enjoying the nice light evenings. It's a happy bonus that we can actually see each other on club nights now!

It’s great to see that so many of us have been out and about this month clocking up the miles. A hardy bunch battled the heat to make it far from a horror show in Hanham. Fair play to you all for grinding out 6.2 miles in such tough conditions. By the powers of modern technology we were also able to track in real time the progress of another hardy bunch who ventured further afield - to the north! No we don’t mean Bradley Stoke. To Manchester! To knock out 26.2 miles. They made us feel very tired watching them from the comfort of our sofas and as if to rub it in - they all got PB’s and some unbelievable times! See the results page if you don’t believe us! And check out Jack Pitcher's race report on the Well (hard) Runner Page.

Still, a marathon is just a stroll in the park for some. Especially for one Danny Smith who, not content with knocking out 46 miles a month prior as part of our stoic Green Man Ultra team, thought he’d go one longer and knock out 50 miles at the South Down Way! Wow. Just - wow.  To find out more see Danny's Race Report here.  

Whether you’ve been bashing out a cheeky 5k or a 10k or half, or whether you’ve gone for the crazy marathon distance - or even more ridiculous in some cases! - they all count - and it’s great to see so many of us pushing our boundaries and representing EGRC at so many different events.

Speaking of getting out and about, on Sunday 14th April a couple dozen EGRC members took a lovely turn around Ashton Court via Leigh Woods - led by Matt Bessell our social butterfly-in-chief. What a wonderful magical mystery tour it was! As well as the resplendent Ashton Court, we took in the views from the suspension bridge, ran down cobbled winding alleys we never knew were there - complete with random bus stops with nowhere for buses to stop - and popped out at the end of the world! Or Hotwells as the locals call it. Then finished up at a lovely café restaurant called the Lockside, underneath the underpass of all places just across the bridge from the Pump House, for a slap-up brekkie. We had definitely earned it after the hill up through Leigh Woods! 

Just 2 months to go to the Cotswold Way Relay on Saturday 29th June (!) and recceing has begun. Get your recce’s booked in you crazy 30 if you haven’t already – and anyone else suffering from CWR envy – just message the EGRC Social group and we’ll hook you up for a recce if you fancy a trot in the Cots. 2 top tips on that front y’all: 1. A Cotswold mile is a bit longer than average. I.e. expect some hills! 2. Go prepared for all conditions. I.e. slap on the factor 50 and also take an extra layer in case of a snow storm! The scenery is spectacular but it can be exposed up there. Stay safe.

Next month we’ll let you know how team EGRC got on at the Frenchay 10K and Horton Bull Run on the 28th April – and the Bristol 10K and the Newport marathon on the 5th May. So watch this space! Finally, just a few upcoming dates for your diary:

- Hogweed Trot – Mon 27th May 2019 at 7.00pm

- Chippenham Longest Day – Weds 19th June at 7.30pm*

- Bradley Stoke 10k - Sunday 9th June at 9.30am - Club Champs Race 6 (race now full – but come along to cheer and see Bradley Stoke Community Festival)

- Cheddar Gorge Half Marathon - Sunday 16th June at 10.30am - Club Champs Race 7*

- The Flying Monk Malmesbury 10k – Sat 31st August at 11.00am - Club Champs Race 13*

- Stroud Half Marathon - Club Champs Race 13 – Sunday 27th October at 9.00am* - see Captain’s email or #Team EGRC before entering and deadline of 31st May.

* Discount alert! – See #TeamEGRC Facebook page

 Happy running all!

Graham & Wendy