Jan-15

The Dash
January 2015

Editorial
Happy new year Dashers! Well, here we go again. I wonder what this year will throw at us. If it’s
anything like last year it’s going to be another great one for the club. It really feels like we are going
from strength to strength. A while ago I was out for a drink with a few mates including an ex-Dasher
from the start of the club. He was complaining that he felt the club had become a ‘fell running club’
and that this ‘wasn’t what the club was meant to be’. I couldn’t help but think that he was missing
the point. The club’s strength is that it is not tied to being one thing or another – it’s a fluid, evolving
thing, and all the better for it. Yes, there’s a few of us ‘old school’ fell types around but there is a
fantastic new tranche of members who are eager to try road, fell, trail, parkrun or whatever just for
the sheer pleasure and health benefits it brings. And it’s brilliant!
As I write the Dark Un is now pretty much full so I am now keen to get all the marshal points filled
and if anyone has anything that they would be happy to donate as a prize then I would be extremely
grateful. The race is run on a tight budget and I don’t want to increase the entry price or make it any
less good value than it is. In an ideal world a sponsor to help cover some of the expenses would be
the solution. As yet Richard Branson isn’t returning my calls...
My plea for more articles at the end of last year has, I am very pleased to say, resulted in some great
articles being sent. There is plenty to be entertained and inspired by so dig in! Thanks as always to all
you lovely contributors. Keep it up!
Like many of you I have really enjoyed reading Nerina’s series of articles in the Dash. I am very sad to
report that, for various reasons, she has decided to leave the club as a first claim member. I’d like to
personally thank Nerina for all her hard work, it was much appreciated.
In closing I’d like to show you a pic of something I got sent on twitter – one of the coolest things I’ve
seen in ages. Check this out – our Golden Girl Joanne immortalised on a chocolate bar!
Until next month,
Go get ‘em Dashers!
Mr Sparkle
Cover pic: Barry smugly showing off the success of his new aftershave at Garstang 10k by
Sue Eastham

Aug-13
Sep-13
Oct-13
Nov-13
Dec-13
Jan-14
Feb-14
Mar-14
Apr-14
May-14
Jun-14
Jul-14
Aug-14
Sep-14
Oct-14
Nov-14
Dec-14
Jan-15
Chairman’s chat
may it continue!
Welcome to 2015 The Dashing Christmas activities are always good, but 2014
was better than any I remember. We had the Christmas Do that was very well
attended; the Santa Dash – 30 festively clad Dashers finding out that Santa suits
are not waterproof; The festive curry – I forget how many of us went, but it was
a lot; the hospitality run from house to house to consume any spare mince pies
and sherry; and racing at Whinberry Naze in fancy dress. I think this is a great
show for all to see and is testament of the enthusiasm of the Dashers – Long
Facebook
Love it or hate, you can’t ignore Facebook. While some Facebookers never join the Dashers, the
number of requests to join our group is a good indicator of how many membership applications we
see. It’s great to know that our messages are reaching so many people!
450
400
350
300
250
200
150
100
50
0
Dashers Facebook group membership
David Staff – Massive thanks to Leanne Postlethwaite who will now be race organiser for this race.
We are going to organise 2015 together so that she gets to see how rewarding RO can be.
Clothing – Sue Eastham has done a great job organising the hoodie orders. If you ordered one, can
you please make sure you settle up with her as soon as possible. Thanks.
Jonathan

O Captain! My Captain!
FELL RUN CHAMPIONSHIP NEWS
The first race of the 2015 Fell Race
championship takes place on Saturday
24 th January and is Ashurst Beacon. The
race starts at 12:30 and its category
rating is BS. The distance is 9.5Km (5.9
miles) with 951ft of climb. It is an easy
introduction to the fell championship
and well flagged on good tracks like
those in Sunnyhurst Woods. The uphill
finish to the beacon is a sting in the tail.
Registration is from Prince William Inn,
Dalton, nr Skelmersdale, WN8 7RU and
there is no pre entry so you have to enter on the day at a cost of £4. And if that isn’t enticing
enough, soup and bacon-butties will be on sale after the event.
The next race in the 2015 Fell Race championship is Bleasdale Circle on the 21st February.
ROAD CHAMPIONSHIP NEWS –
The second race of the 2015 Road Race Championship is the Winter Warmer which takes place on
Sunday 8 th February. It starts from Witton Park, Blackburn BB2 2TP.
Entry fee is £10 for members (with an additional £2 if entered on the day). Last year we had an
excellent turn out of twenty two Dashers for this race.
The third race in the 2015 Road Race championship is Lostock 6 on the 22 nd February.
MAUREEN ROBERTS TROPHY (Updated 31/12/14)
The Maureen Roberts trophy will be awarded to the Darwen Dasher who completes the most competitive
races between December 1 st 2014 and November 30 th 2015. In order for the race to count it must be published
in The Dash so if you take part in an event, make sure you send the details to the editor of The Dash. (You will
see similar examples in this issue.) Please note that parkruns, relay races and cross country events do not
count, but Road, Trail and Fell events do, regardless of whether they are part of our championships or not.
NAME # of Races Last Race
Calvin Fergusson 3 Ribble Valley 10K
David Barnes 2 Ribble Valley 10K
Carly Edwards 2 Ribble Valley 10K
Jim Taylor 2 Ribble Valley 10K
Paul Taylor 1 Hurst Green Turkey Trot
Rebecca Simms 1 Lynn Edmonson Memorial
Brian Morris 1 Rudolph 5
Michelle Connolly 1 Rudolph 5
Tina Kuczer 1 Rudolph 5
Don Clarkson 1 Rudolph 5
Des Reilly 1 Ribble Valley 10K
Carol Butterworth 1 Ribble Valley 10K
Dave Shorrock 1 Ribble Valley 10K
Louise Oldfield 1 Ribble Valley 10K
Any races which have been published in the Dash which are not included above will be
caught up in the next issue.

TIP OF THE MONTH – 31 days of running
Finally, I couldn’t close this month without thanking everyone who voted for me as Dasher of the
Year. It was a particularly proud moment to hear my name announced at the Dashers Christmas
party. I have been a member of the Darwen Dashers since 1989, and along with Brian Tull, have
been a member for 25 years. Even when I was working thousands of miles away I was still proud to
run and race as a Dasher in foreign events. But this is the first time I have been considered as Dasher
of the Year and I am proud to have my name placed on the shield alongside some very deserving
winners of the past. I haven’t included any photographs of the ceremony as I’m sure they are
elsewhere in this issue but it was a cracking event which everyone clearly enjoyed, including myself.
So much in fact, that I was even seen dancing for a few numbers. Now, I didn’t do anything special
like spear someone’s foot with my stiletto shoe, but I did rediscover some of my dancing talent with
a few cool moves from my Northern Soul all-nighter days. Karen cruelly said I was performing like a
trained bear in a badly run circus, but after the gales of laughter had subsided, I was still glowing
inside. Thank you everyone.
Happy New Year and see you next month – Captain Baz

Recent results round up - Maureen Roberts Trophy counters.
Hurst Green Turkey Trot
14th December 2014
197 runners
1st - 30:21
26th - Paul Taylor 38:38
73rd - Calvin Ferguson 44:53
-----------------------------------------
Sunday 21st December 2014. BS fell
race - 8km/250m' From Penistone Hill
Country Park, Howarth, W York
Simon Taylor - Darwen Dasher
Position= 102 in 42.08~ out of 426 runners
Billy Knox 5k trail race - 1st Jan. 2015
1 17:50
4 1st vet 20:00
32 1st female 24:12
42 Calvin Ferguson 25:47
65 Rebecca Simms 29:19
74 Jim Taylor 30:34
87 TOTAL
Whinberry Naze fell race - 26th Dec. 2014
Winner James Logue - MV45 - 24.43
First Lady Anna Lupton - SenLady - 27.55
Dashers
Nick Murphy - MV45 - 32.11
Brian (Santa) Morris - MV50 - 32.27
Michael Wilding - MV45 - 32.35
David Barnes - MV50 - 34.36
Calvin (Snowman) Ferguson - SenMan - 39.47
Jim (Fairy) Taylor - MV65 - 43.54
Chris (Batman) Cash - MV55 - 48.15
Debbie (Robin) Bevitt - LV50 - 55.18
Tina (Bumblebee) Kuczer - LV40 - 58.16
Don (Elf) Clarkson - MV55 - 58.17
228 runners
A record turnout of 228 starters enjoyed this
short boxing day fell race.
Rudolf Red Nose 5 mile trail race - 21st
December 2014
155 runners
1st - 28:24
16th - Brian Morris - 34:04
48th - Calvin Ferguson - 39:34
100th - Jim Taylor - 46:21
105th - Michelle Connolly - 47:05
146th - Tina Kuczer - 57:14
147th - Don Clarkson - 57:24
------------------------------------------------------------
Ribble Valley 10k - 28th December 2014
1105 runners
1st - 30:01
127th - Derek Reilly - 36:46
375th - David Barnes - 42:27
407th - Carly Edwards - 43:54
501st - Carol Butterworth - 45:27
572nd - Calvin Ferguson - 47:21
733rd - David Shorrock - 50:04
916th - Jim Taylor - 55:43
937th - Louise Oldfield - 56:20
14 th December 2014
Lynn Edmonson Memorial Results
1 Winner 19:12
15 1 st Lady 25:21
35 Rebecca Simms 29:01
70 TOTAL
*************************************
*

Marathon (and Half Marathon) of the Year 2015 Sunday 7 th June 2015
This year we decided not to put a marathon in the championship but instead to choose a marathon
and combine it with a Dashers weekend away.
We have chosen the Lakeland Trails event because it is such a beautiful location but also because
there is a marathon and half marathon on the same day (plus a fun run for the kids).
For both the marathon and half marathon there is a choice of entering as a race or a challenge, the
difference is that you get extra time to complete the challenge (some people even enter the
challenge as a walk). The difference is the challenge events start earlier so that everyone still finishes
around the same time.
If you fancy making a weekend of it, there is a campsite next to the registration plus lots of other
options around Coniston. If you don’t, it isn’t too far to travel there and back in the day.
If you enter soon there is an early bird discount but that will change on 31 st January so enter soon to
get the best price.
It really is an event for everyone wanting a challenge this year so what are you waiting for This is
an event I’ve done a few times now so I can really recommend it, if anyone wants to know more
please just ask.
The following is an excerpt from the website (http://www.lakelandtrails.org/marathon/) :
Starting and finishing at Coniston Hall Landing Point, on the shores of Coniston Water (LA21 8AS),
the Lakeland Trails Marathon takes in a complete circuit of Coniston Water along well marked and
marshalled footpaths and bridleways. Taking in the idyllic beauty spot of Tarn Hows, and the
elevated Beacon Tarn, the whole course gives panoramic views of Lake Coniston and the
surrounding peaks of the Old Man, Swirl How, Wetherlam and Dow Crags. Described by Runners'
World magazine as 'the most scenic trail Marathon in Britain' this event is quickly becoming a classic
European trail marathon.
For those wanting a shorter option, the Lakeland Trails Half Marathon utilises the first 17km section
of the marathon course as far as Tarn Hows, before heading back to Coniston.
A carnival atmosphere is guaranteed for both spectators and competitors, with live music, race
commentary, food and drink all available at the start and finish. So, whether you're new to trail
running, an experienced athlete, or simply looking for an unforgettable day out in the Lake District, a
family-friendly, festival atmosphere and some amazing trail running awaits you!
Rebecca

Diary of a Wimpy Runner!
As I write this there is just 18 weeks until the Red Rose 100 (EEK!)
So the training has begun albeit slowly. Sundays are becoming the long run day.
21 st December slightly hung-over we set off on the roads through Lower Darwen, up on
to the Roman Rd and a loop round through Ewood, up Livesey Branch and back via
Oakdale and it was lovely to be pipped at by Sarah Quinn at Ewood and then greeted by
cyclist at the Golden Cup (Cath Fox).
Sunday 28 th December was the Recce of the Dark’un and we extended the distance by
running to and from the Royal. What a beautiful day it was, snow on the ground and a
touch of ice to keep you alert, and I thoroughly enjoyed the nip of JD at finger post
courtesy of Mr Sparkle.
Rebecca joined us on 4 th January for a 12 ½ Mile steady jaunt over to Abbey village,
through the nature reserve down to Withnell and up over Great Hill, through
Roddlesworth Hall ruins and back via Cartridge Hill to the tower where we bumped
into Sue Taylor and Russ Owen. And so back into the Sunnyhurst where Rebecca
enjoyed a J2O as she is doing Dryathlon in January.
Until next month …… Debbie Bevitt

New Year….. What A Year!!!
Towards the end of 2013, my life, through various reasons, was in a mess. I would pretty much return home
from work and polish off 8 or so cans of lager every evening. At weekends it was easily more. In a major state
of depression I needed to do something.
On the 31 st December as the end of 2013 approached, I decided I had to sort myself out. In what will seem a
moment of madness to many a Dasher at the stroke of midnight I poured the remainder of my pint anyway
and decided I would go for a run the following morning, and not touch a beer for the next 3 months.
On the 1 st January I left my Blacksnape home and set off up to the ‘Last Lamp Post’. There is no exaggeration
when I say I thought I was going to die. I had never felt so out of shape, but I had just taken the first steps into
the year that has totally changed my life.
I signed up for a few events to have something to aim for. Little did I know how additive running was to
become and as I started to lose weight, the hills became easier. Running was no longer hard work, it was fun. I
loved it. From the moment I woke in the morning I couldn’t wait to finish work so I could go out for a run.
Distances grew from 10k’s to half marathons, from half to full marathons. Now I was looking at ultra’s. The 31
mile canalathon started it off, moving onto the Ladybower 50 miler, and peaking at my greatest achievement
so far in the 100km Race to the Stones.
Late summer I decided to join a running club who go by the name of the Darwen Dashers. Basically a bunch of
drinkers and cake eaters who run the roads, paths and trails of Darwen and the surrounding moor lands. On
that first evening, my running was again taken to another level. I knew distances were not a problem, but now
I had to work on speed. Running fast is something I had never been able to do, but over the weeks I found this
group of exceptional people where so supportive of not just me, but of everyone, I was improving in all
aspects. I had been out with another local group once before and they were all competitive and not very
friendly, but the Darwen Dashers, there was something special about this lot.
Towards the end of 2014 I have done Park Runs sub 20 mins, previously I would be happy with 25. I’ve ran in
my first cross country race, lost 3 stone in weight. I can even have a beer without needing more and more…..
These are things I would never have thought possible 12 months ago.
I travelled to Lanzarote to do the marathon there, only for it to be cancelled due to the weather….. I’m from
Darwen, so ran it anyway. Even in the wind and rain I got a suntan!!!
To finish the year I entered the Liverbird Double Marathon. This is a full 26.2 miles on New Years Eve, and
another New Years Day. What a way to finish the year putting everything together and obtaining a marathon
personal best of 3hr 15mins 40 secs – Distance and Speed, my first marathon of 2014 was done in 4hr 1min,
that’s a 45 minute improvement. New Years Day time of 3hr 28mins shows an all round improvement in
recovery and endurance. I can’t put into words I happy I was.
So onto 2015 and the challenges grow even bigger. 2015 is the year of the Triathlon. July 19 th sees me start
and hopefully finish my ultimate challenge in becoming an Ironman.
And the best thing about being a Dasher is I already know that you will support me every stroke, pedal and
step along the way.
Thanks to everyone.
Jonny

PARKRUN REPORT FOR DECEMBER 2014
DECEMBER REPORT:
Week one 6/12/14: On the weekend of the final Cross Country races, and the coldest snap so
far, (it was around freezing at 9am) there were 8 Dashers running at 3 parkruns so a gentle
start to the new Championship season. Gareth Taylor ran the fastest time of the day at
Preston. Cath Fox also ran at Preston and registered the highest grading of the day which
was over 75% for her second time. She ran a Personal Best, taking 12 seconds from the time
set 36 weeks ago and was 3 rd lady which is her highest ever position at Preston. Her time of
21:34 was her third fastest ever parkrun time. George Thompson ran at Preston and
registered a grading of 67.82% which was his highest there for 9 months. Dave Shorrock ran
at Bolton where his last three runs there have been his three highest gradings of the year.
Brian Tull also ran at Bolton going under 30 minutes for the first time in 4 months. Linda
Coffey was at Bolton for her 42 nd parkrun and is just 8 events away from being the next and
sixth Dasher parkrun half centurion. The total number of parkruns which have been
completed by Darwen Dashers running today was 541.
Week two 13/12/14: On the
coldest weekend of the year when
many parkruns were cancelled,
and we attended the Darwen
Dashers Christmas extravaganza,
and the day when Dr Ron Hill
chose South Manchester parkrun
to celebrate 50 years of running
every day, there were 15 Dashers
on tour at one parkrun in
Ormskirk, and one Dasher on
tour in Aberdeen. At Ormskirk
Jonny Bromilow ran the fastest
time of the day which was also
the first time he has ever run under 20 minutes in 6 events. Cath Fox registered the highest
grading of the day. Calvin Ferguson ran his fastest ever parkrun by over two minutes.
George Thompson ran his best time for 5 months. Karen Atherton ran her fastest time
since Fountains Abbey over two months ago. Chris Cash ran his fastest parkrun. Debbie
Bevitt ran in her 25 th parkrun of which 14 have been at Cuerden Valley. Don Clarkson ran
his fastest ever parkrun in 9 events and is closing in on grading over 50% for the first time.
Calum Rigby and Helen Jones ran their second ever fastest parkrun times. Tina Kuczer
returned from injury to run her fastest parkrun time in 10 weeks. Over at Aberdeen Linda
Coffey ran for the first time there in 21 weeks.

Assisted by the touring Dashers Ormskirk parkrun registered their second highest
attendance ever of 106 which was just 12 short of their record (which was on their inaugural
event). They went past 850 different runners on the course where Cath Fox was the 849 th and
Calvin Ferguson was the 851 st . They also past more than 3,000 finishers where Debbie Bevitt
was the 2,994 th and Don Clarkson was the 3,011 th . The total number of parkruns which have
been completed by Darwen Dashers running today was 586.
Week three 20/12/14 On the weekend of the Rudolph race in Blackpool which attracted half a
dozen Dashers there were 11 running at 5 different parkruns. George Thompson ran a Years
Best time at Bolton by beating the time he set 5 weeks ago by 2 seconds. This was his best
grading at Bolton for 93 weeks. Nerina Gill ran her 10 th Bolton parkrun in 2014 and Brian
Tull ran his 130 th run at Leverhulme Park. Chris Cash was a First Timer at Burnley. Debbie
Bevitt ran her first Burnley event in 21 weeks. She has now run twice at Burnley and finished
in 100 th place both times. Derek Reilly ran the fastest time of the day and achieved the
highest grading. He finished in first place overall at Cuerden Valley. This was his second
visit on the course and he has won both times. He is the 31 st fastest runner on the course.
Barry Shackleton ran a Personal Best at Newby Bridge by taking 45 seconds from the time
set 4 weeks ago. This was also his 50 th consecutive parkrun. Jonathan Stubbs ran his second
fastest time at Preston this year.
Newby Bridge parkrun set a new course record with a Kendal AC runner coming home in
16:45. They went past 400 Personal Bests of which Barry Shackleton was number 406. They
went past 1500 finishers where Karen Atherton was number 1482. The total number of
parkruns which have been completed by Darwen Dashers running today was 658.
Week four (a) 25/12/14 On Christmas Day
there were four Dashers running at Ormskirk
parkrun among 69 runners taking part on the
day. Jonny Bromilow equalled his Personal
Best time by finishing in fourth place overall
in 19:37. James France was a First Timer at
Ormskirk in his 5 th parkrun, finishing just one
place and 28 seconds behind Jonny. Don
Clarkson ran a Personal Best by taking 1:22
from the time he set a fortnight earlier, and
achieved over 50% grading for the first time
ever. This was Don’s 10 th parkrun, which have
been shared between Ormskirk, Bolton,
Preston and Rochdale. Barry Shackleton ran his third Ormskirk parkrun and improved his time of
two weeks ago by 16 seconds. The total number of parkruns which have been completed by Darwen
Dashers running today was 204.

Week four (b) 27/12/14 On a second icy Saturday of the month with snow falling the day before, and
temperatures down to -6°C overnight, the parkruns at Preston, Cuerden Valley, Bolton, Wigan and
Rochdale were all cancelled, but seven Dashers still found a parkrun at two different events. Six of
them went to Burnley where Joanne Nelson was a First Timer and finished as first lady, only 11
seconds outside the Burnley category record. Her time of 19:11 was her joint fastest parkrun time
ever. This was her seventh different parkrun and she has been first lady at all of them. She is the 156 th
fastest runner ever to finish the Burnley course and only the 9 th lady ever to run under twenty minutes,
and only three ladies have ever run faster. Karen Atherton ran her 5 th Burnley parkrun in 2014.
Brian Tull ran his first event at Burnley for 20 months and was away from Bolton for only the third
time in 133 parkruns. Barry Shackleton ran his 25 th Burnley parkrun, the first one being in July 2012
which was its 5 th event. Sarah Quinn was a First Timer and ran her second fastest parkrun ever.
Alison Abbott also ran at Burnley as a First Timer in her 4 th different parkrun. Paul Brain was the
only Dasher to run away from Burnley when he visited Sewerby as a First Timer for his 7 th different
parkrun in 11 outings. He is the third Dasher to run at Sewerby in North Humberside. He is the 26 th
Dasher to run a parkrun during this championship season.
Sewerby parkrun have had over 10,000 finishers where Paul was the 10,079 th . The total number of
parkruns which have been completed by Darwen Dashers running today was 499. The record is 786
which was set on 8 th November.
Here are the facts and figures for December 2014, the first month of the championship:
Venue Date Dashers Time Grading PB ever YB 2014 # Run
Preston
6/12/14 Gareth Taylor
21:04
61.23%
20:33
20:33
16
Preston
Cath Fox
21:34
75.89%
21:04PB
21:04
76
Preston
George Thompson
24:30
67.82%
23:15
24:07
61
Bolton
Dave Shorrock
25:53
64.78%
24:45
25:39
26
Cuerden
Barry Shackleton
28:07
55.60%
23:01
23:01
179
Bolton
Brian Tull
29:59
58.14%
24:06
26:12
131
Bolton
Linda Coffey
30:53
63.73%
28:48
29:22
42
Ormskirk
13/12/14 Jonny Bromilow
19:37
68.05%
First
Timer
6
Ormskirk
Cath Fox
22:09
73.89%
First
Timer
77
Ormskirk
Calvin Ferguson
23:44
54.38%
First
Timer
3
Ormskirk
George Thompson
24:18
68.38%
First
Timer
62
Ormskirk
Barry Shackleton
25:11
62.08%
21:39
21:39
180

Ormskirk
Karen Atherton
25:50
66.52%
25:13
25:13
130
Ormskirk
Sue Taylor
27:11
67.50%
First
Timer
15
Ormskirk
Chris Cash
28:00
56.31%
First
Timer
3
Ormskirk
Debbie Bevitt
28:26
59.67%
First
Timer
25
Aberdeen
Linda Coffey
29:40
66.35%
27:33
27:33
43
Ormskirk
Don Clarkson
32:06
48.70%
First
Timer
9
Ormskirk
Calum Rigby
32:37
41.85%
First
Timer
9
Ormskirk
Orin Jones
34:06
44.87%
First
Timer
3
Ormskirk
Kathryn Bamber
36:04
41.22%
First
Timer
6
Ormskirk
Helen Jones
37:51
40.16%
First
Timer
6
Ormskirk
Tina Kuczer
37:51
40.42%
First
Timer
9
Cuerden
20/12/14 Des Reilly
19:42
72.50%
19:13
19:13
8
Preston
Jonathan Stubbs
20:38
72.05%
19:13
20:00
19
Bolton
George Thompson
24:44
67.18%
22:29
24:44YB
63
Bolton
Nerina Gill
27:17
58.22%
24:04
24:25
34
Newby Br
Karen Atherton
27:37
62.22%
27:20
27:10
131
Newby Br
Barry Shackleton
27:41
56.47%
27:41PB
27:41
181
Preston
Sue Taylor
28:12
65.07%
26:25
26:25
16
Burnley
Chris Cash
29:35
53.30%
First
Timer
4
Bolton
Brian Tull
31:03
56.15%
24:06
26:12
132
Bolton
Linda Coffey
31:21
62.79%
28:48
29:22
44
Burnley
Debbie Bevitt
32:17
52.56%
28:55
28:55
26
Ormskirk
25/12/14 Jonny Bromilow
19:37
68.05%
19:37=PB
19:37
7
Ormskirk
James France
20:05
64.23%
First
Timer
5
Ormskirk
Barry Shackleton
24:55
62.74%
21:39
21:39
182
Ormskirk
Don Clarkson
30:44
50.87%
30:44PB
30:44
10
Burnley
27/12/14 Joanne Nelson
19:11
81.41%
First
Timer
24
Burnley
Karen Atherton
27:34
62.33%
25:40
25:40
132
Burnley
Brian Tull
29:28
59.16%
26:00
29:28
133

Burnley
Barry Shackleton
29:29
53.02%
21:41
21:41
183
Burnley
Sarah Quinn
31:11
47.51%
First
Timer
4
Burnley
Alison Abbott
37:19
42.16%
First
Timer
12
Sewerby
Paul Brain
37:45
36.69%
First
Timer
11
PARKRUN CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS 2015 (Up dated 31/12/14)
Pos Name Grade Best 2015 PB’s 2015 YB’s 2015 1 st Times
2015
# of runs
(Q = >6)
1 Barry Shackleton 57.98% 62.74% 1 0 0 5
2 George Thompson 67.79% 68.38% 0 1 0 3
3 Linda Coffey 64.29% 66.35% 0 0 0 3
4 Karen Atherton 63.69% 66.52% 0 0 0 3
5 Brian Tull 57.82% 59.16% 0 0 0 3
6 Cath Fox 74.89% 75.89% 1 0 1 2
7 Jonny Bromilow 68.05% 68.05% 1 0 1 2
8 Sue Taylor 66.29% 67.50% 0 0 1 2
9 Debbie Bevitt 56.17% 59.67% 0 0 1 2
10 Chris Cash 54.81% 56.31% 0 0 2 2
11 Don Clarkson 49.79% 50.87% 1 0 1 2
12 Joanne Nelson 81.41% 81.41% 0 0 1 1
13 Derek Reilly 72.50% 72.50% 0 0 0 1
14 Jonathan Stubbs 72.05% 72.05% 0 0 0 1
15 Dave Shorrock 64.78% 64.78% 0 0 0 1
16 James France 64.23% 64.23% 0 0 1 1
17 Gareth Taylor 61.23% 61.23% 0 0 0 1
18 Nerina Gill 58.22% 58.22% 0 0 0 1
19 Calvin Ferguson 54.35% 54.35% 0 0 1 1
20 Sarah Quinn 47.51% 47.51% 0 0 1 1
21 Orin Jones 44.87% 44.87% 0 0 1 1
22 Alsion Abbott 42.16% 42.16% 0 0 1 1
23 Calum Rigby 41.81% 41.85% 0 0 1 1
24 Kathryn Bamber 41.22% 41.22% 0 0 1 1
25 Tina Kuczer 40.42% 40.42% 0 0 1 1
26 Helen Jones 40.16% 40.16% 0 0 1 1
27 Paul Brain 36.69% 36.69% 0 0 1 1

The Diversity of Running
As we move into 2015 I thought it was a good time to reflect on our chosen sport and
celebrate its diversity.
We all regard ourselves as runners, but what does that mean I suspect it means something
different to each of us, some of us have been running for many years, some of us have only
been running for a few weeks, yet we all do the same thing, we run ! Some runners are
content to just run socially, some are happy to just do park runs, others run massive ultras,
but fundamentally we still all do the same thing, we run !
Those who are fairly new to running may not yet have tried all forms of running so I thought
I’d have a go at defining the different types of running out there. But first, I’d better declare
an interest, we all have particular favourites and mine are Fell and Trail. I’ll try and not let
that cloud my impartiality in the descriptions but I can’t promise! I have added some facts
along the way but fundamentally this should be read as my personal opinions rather than a
series of facts, that is certainly how I’ve written it.
Road Running
The majority of us probably start by running on the roads, I know I did, it seemed the easier
way to start. In winter it does become a necessity for all but the dedicated head-torch
runners but some people really love the roads and actually run on them through choice!
Road running certainly helps you to maintain your pace, I know I find that if I don’t run at all
on roads that I start to get slower. A lot of people think roads are safer but I don’t think it is
as clear cut as that, there are hazards i.e. cars, to contend with, and I think the more regular
cadence can lead to some of the more common running injuries but it is true that you are
less likely to fall over and injure yourself that way. Horses for Courses I reckon on the injury
front. For a few years I avoided roads all together but I think I have gradually returned to a
love/hate relationship with them which I know will be sorely tested over the coming months
as my London Marathon training will mean me spending far more time on the roads than
usual. There are a lot of road races out there and the majority are measured in fairly
standard lengths, 5k, 10k, Half Marathon, Marathon etc. , for that reason PB chasing is a lot
clearer than in other forms of running. Road races are generally run under England Athletics
(or more widely UK Athletics) license and the competition license you get when the club
register you with England Athletics gives you insurance on race day, that is why unattached
runners pay more on the day as that goes to fund their race day insurance.
Fell Running
A lot of people think that Fell Running is harder than Road Running, I don’t think it is harder,
it is just different. I was always in awe of people who could actually run up on to the top of
the fells, one of the first things I learnt when I entered a race is that very few people actually
run all the way up, most people walk the steep bits, some just walk them faster than others.

Fell Races are much more varied in length and have categorisation which takes into account
both their length and their steepness. Races are categorised using two letters. where the
first letter is A, B or C and tells you how steep and the second one is S, M or L and tells you
how long it is.
A – should average not less than 50 metres climb per kilometre, should not have more than
20% of the race distance on the road, should be at least 1.5 kilometres in length.
B- should average not less than 25 metres climb per kilometre, should have not more than
30% of the race distance on the road.
C – should average not less than 20 metres climb per kilometre, should have not more than
40% of the race distance on the road, should contain some genuine fell terrain.
S – 10 kilometres or less
M – between 10 and 20 kilometres
L – 20 kilometres or more
On the injury front I have seen some bad ones over the years but I think generally the fell
runners I know are injured less overall than the road runners. There are a lot of local fell
races some of which are on more moorland than fell and of course there are even more
races in some of the most beautiful places in the country i.e. Lake District, Snowdonia etc
etc. The number of participants in each race is typically lower than on the roads but that is
often by choice because organisers don’t want the extra work involved in having significant
numbers plus they may have difficulties with access to land if the numbers increased too
much. You do still get a real variety of abilities on the fells but on anything other than the
really short races you are expected to be able to navigate in case you lose sight of the
people ahead, for that reason people often start by entering with friends who are already
able to do that and you often see small groups running round together. Each race in the
calendar stipulates whether navigation is required (NS) and whether experience is required
(ER) and all the information can be found in the FRA calendar or on the FRA website. The
other most important thing to consider is kit requirements. On some races organisers can
use their own judgement on what kit to ask people to carry, on many short local races only a
waterproof is requested or in good weather nothing is made compulsory, but you have to
be prepared to carry full-kit if requested so you should always have it with you if the
weather is unpredictable. On longer races it is now compulsory to carry full kit, which is
waterproof top, waterproof pants, hat, gloves, compass, whistle, map and emergency food
(long races). On some really long races additional equipment is also made compulsory.
Please don’t let the kit requirements put you off if you have never tried the fells before as
there are many summertime short races in the championship this year where kit

equirements will be limited and you can fall in love with the fells before you then spend
money on getting the right kit for the big stuff.
The Fell Running Association (FRA) governs most Fell Races, although you do see some that
aren’t under FRA rules, the definitions above are FRA definitions. The FRA is affiliated to UK
Athletics but if you want to join the FRA you do that directly rather than via the club,
membership provides you with an annual book of races and a quarterly magazine (which is
really good !).
Apologies for the length of this section but I think this is the one that is sometimes clouded
in mystery for some people and I do think that is a shame.
Trail (or Multi Terrain) Running
Trail is a description often used to mean it can’t be described as Fell or Road but there are
some key characteristics that are worth mentioning. I think the difference between Road
and Trail is clear, it isn’t on the road (although we do have a Trail race, Roddlesworth Roller
in our Road Championship this year to confuse matters !). The distinction between Fell and
Trail can be more grey, I tend to find that if they have called it Trail it means it will be on
clear footpaths and some of them will be hard under foot, so I then choose shoes with some
cushioning. If it is called Fell it could be on good footpaths at times but at least some of it is
likely to be on open fell or moorland away from paths, so I then choose shoes with really
good grips. However, every time I reflect on that definition I think of many exceptions so it
really isn’t that clear. If it is called Multi-Terrain you almost invariably seem to find yourself
on a road at some stage of the race in my experience. Another distinction between Fell and
Trail is often that Fell tends to go over the top of the hills whereas Trail tends to go over the
passes between the fells, but again I can find exceptions to that rule as well. There is no
official governing body but there is a Trail Running association which I have to admit I know
very little about. What I do know though is that Trail races are often in very beautiful places
and tend to be very relaxed and friendly. There are a lot of local ones to look out for and
you’ll notice a Trail Marathon and Half Marathon advertised somewhere in this copy of the
Dash and on Facebook.
Cross Country
Mud, glorious mud ! If you don’t mind getting muddy these are brilliant fun, good grips are
required on your shoes but even that won’t guarantee you’ll stay on your feet. These are
always really sociable events as you are generally representing the club as well as yourself.
There are other races around but we always enter any pay the entry fees for the Red Rose
Cross Country so those are a good introduction if you haven’t tried this before (or not since
school !).

Ultra Running
An Ultra marathon race is anything that is more than 26.2 miles, so can be just 27 miles or
over 100 miles. Most are effectively long Trail races and often also involve a lot of climbing.
There are some classic ones like the Haworth Hobble (32 miles) and Calderdale (37 miles)
which really are more approachable than they sound. You do get some very fast ultra
runners but you also get many other runners who have just found that their strength is
more about stamina than speed and so have turned to ultras. It is fair to say for most ultra
runners that the running is interspersed with sections of walking, particularly on the hills.
LDWAs
LDWA stands for Long Distance Walking Association, they organise something called
Challenge Events and you can enter as either a runner or a walker. Most events are over 20
miles but they also often have a shorter option (10-13 miles) available on the same day.
They are a really good way to increase your mileage but are also a really good day out. The
fact that they are also walking events mean you can do them as a mixture or running and
walking plus you can take part in the same event as a non-running friend or partner and
share the experience. They are cheap to enter and there is usually food and drink available
at checkpoints plus a meal at the end. If you enjoy just getting out in the countryside they
are really worth a try.
Park Runs
No article would be complete without mentioning these but there isn’t really much I can say
that you won’t already know as our Facebook page is full of information on a regular basis.
They are free at point of use as they get all their funding through sponsorship. I think they
are a great introduction to running, they are great for returning from injury and an excellent
way of checking your improvements from time to time.
So now that’s all clear, let’s get out there and enjoy all that running in 2015.
Vive La Difference
Rebecca

Fell running. How scary is it really
This year’s fell championship concentrates on short local races. Yes there are some fantastic long
races further afield that you might want to consider in the future but let’s concentrate on enjoying
the easier ones first.
Fell race distances are split in to
Short – under 10km
Medium – between 10 and 20 km
Long – over 20 km
The short races do not always require you to carry full kit, but the race organiser might insist if the
weather is expected to be bad. In my experience, I’ve not come across a short race that has required
more than a waterproof top except for Mr Sparkle’s Dark ‘Un. I suppose your choice is to either
arrive with all the kit just in case, or accept you might not be able to take part in bad weather.
The essential kit list
1. A waterproof jacket. There is a lot of talk about ‘taped seams’. This is just the way
waterproof jackets are constructed now. – You probably already have one of these. A jacket
with a hood is better than a hat which is more likely to blow away. Serious fell runners will
spend over £100 on a waterproof jacket that will pack very small, but a normal waterproof
will do until you get very competitive.
2. Waterproof overtrousers – These are to help keep you warm if you get stuck. You are
unlikely to be running in them so roll them up tightly and keep them in your bag.
3. Gloves
4. Whistle
5. Map and compass – a lot of races have maps available. An alternative is to print off a Bing OS
map and put it in a plastic wallet.
6. Emergency food such as energy gel. Very few fell races have water stations so you might
want to carry some. I drink from streams – it’s what keeps me looking so young. Don’t forget
that mountain top streams can dry up in hot weather.
You’ll need something to carry all this in, so a well stuffed small rucksack may be your easiest option
unless your kit is small enough to fit in a bum bag. Try to get in to the habit of taking all your kit to
every race, just in case.
Remember the essential kit is there for an emergency rather than to run in. If you get hurt or lost in
bad weather your biggest risk is the cold.
Most short races are well flagged and marshalled. I do wonder how many runners can read a map
and how many of those that can actually concentrate on keeping track of their position in case they
do get lost. There is an understandable tendency to follow the runner in front – this can lead to
whole groups of runners getting lost together. ‘NS’ means a race requires navigational skills, so have
a look for that.
Continued…

What about your shoes
Road shoes are not the best as they do not have the grip and the cushioning makes them quite high
so there is an increased risk of ankle twists. Trail shoes are a good compromise as they have some
grip, have a little less cushioning and normally cost less than road shoes. If you really get hooked,
then you will want some fell shoes. These have very little, or no, cushioning and a very rugged sole
that will give you confidence to control steep grassy descents.
Why bother
Well you will get to see some lovely parts of the country on routes that you probably would never
know about. Fell races are friendly and ‘low key’ with many attracting fewer than 150 runners.
Unlike the roads, fell races are rarely held to make money. Additionally, the cost of road closures is
not a problem so £4 is a typical entry fee.
When I joined the Dashers I only ran on the roads, but once my knees and shins started to hurt all
the time I went off road. To be honest, I’ve never looked back; the scenery is so much better than a
trudge around the streets of Darwen and to race up and down a new hill is brilliant, unlike an
anonymous road stretching in to the distance.
So come on, have a look at the fell championship races and read the race previews. We won’t
encourage you to do any race that you are not ready for and there are plenty of experienced
Dashers who would be happy to accompany you around a race, so just ask!
Jonathan

Fell championship races
Ashurst
Beacon
Bleasdale
Circle
BS 24/1/15 Skelmersdale Easy introduction to the fell championship. Well
flagged and on good tracks like those in Sunnyhurst
Woods. The uphill finish to the beacon is a sting in the
tail.
BS 21/2/15
notice this
corrected
date!
Bowland
Across a few fields then up on to fell tops. Joyous
running along the high fells and then a steep descent
down Parlick before more flat fields to the finish.
Make the effort to pre-enter and save some money!
Liver Hill BS 31/3/15 Rawtenstall Always has a good turnout of Dashers. First midweek
race after the clocks change. FREE!
Pendle AS 4/4/15 Barley. Fast start along the concrete waterboard track, up
some fields then a short but steep climb to the top of
the hill. The downhill run is great fun on quite good
tracks. Good cakes.
The Cake Race BM 2/5/15 Saddleworth Idiosyncratic race: Rumour has it that the entry is £4
or a homemade cake. Excellent tracks around the
moors with great views. Cake competition tip: make it
look like a hill and stick a doll in running kit on top.
Mearley
Clough
AS 12/5/15 Worston. Superb short race. One steep ascent – just image you
are climbing the stairs, but don’t look up! The descent
is not quite as steep, but shoes with some grip will be
an advantage. Free pasta supper.
Paddy's Pole AS 2/6/15 Chipping Great running along the tops between a tough climb
and descent of Parlick. Free cheese and onion pie.
Holcombe 2
Towers
AS 10/6/15 Bury Climb up to Peel Tower then up again to the peak
beyond it. Drop down, then back up to the tower
again before storming down to the finish.
Bull Hill BS 9/7/15 Hawkshaw Proper fell race with some running on pathless
Kentmere
Horseshoe
moorland. Some tough climbs and steep descents.
AM 19/7/15 Lake District Challenging race around this beautiful horseshoe.
Steady climb up, some challenging rocky sections,
superb grassy descents and a tricky stream bed just
when your legs are tired. Just like all Lakeland races,
navigation is a challenge when the cloud base is low.
Turnslack BM 25/7/15 Summit Bit of everything in this one. Easy tracks, rough
moorland, bogs, stream crossings and peat hags.
Tougher than it looks!
Cakes in the church hall are good. To avoid
disappointment, ask them to put your favourite under
the counter before the race.
Whittle Pike AS 5/8/15 Waterfoot Mostly on narrow tracks, but there is some open
moorland that can be a bit wet underfoot. What else
would you be doing on a Wednesday evening
Pilgrims Cross BM 12/8/15 Helmshore Narrow start so make sure you don’t get held up /
trampled on. Soon opens out on to good moorland
tracks. Expect to see a few sprint finishes on the
tarmac road to the finish line.
Pendle
Memorial
AS Sep Clitheroe New race. I don’t know anything about it.

Withins
Skyline
Tour of
Pendle
BM 11/10/15 Haworth Windswept Bronte country. Bits of Pennine Way,
narrow tracks and boggy moorland. Free Curly Wurly
for each finisher.
AL 14/11/15 Barley It’s a monster and not one for the ill prepared! A great
way of finishing off the championship.
A = steep, very little tarmac B = not as steep
S = less than 10km M = from 10 to 20 km L = over 20km
Dashers races in 2015
Mr Sparkle’s Dark ‘Un 20/2/15
Aggies Staircase 18/6/15
Tockholes Evening 2/7/15
David Staff Memorial 29/11/15
Bleasdale Circle Fell Race Preview
Sat 21st Feb 2015. 8km with 381m of ascent. Category BS.
This is a lovely little race. It starts at Bleasdale Parish Hall, PR3 1UY. Tie your shoes on well as the
race crosses a few fields that were quite muddy last year; the special type of mud that sucks shoes
off. After the fields the race crosses a farm yard and the runners start to spread out as the only climb
starts. Take the time to look up the hill occasionally and you’ll get a glimpse of the leaders making it
all look easy.
Once at the top of the hill, the route turns right (south) and heads along the ridge. This is one of my
favourite pieces of run in any race; the route follows the ridge, the views are excellent (if you take
the time to look) and it is a great time to catch your breath after the climb. From here you should be
able to see the other runners stretching out in front of you so set your sights on somebody and catch
them!
From the top of the descent you can see a clump of trees in the distance that hides the village hall.
At the bottom of the descent, there are a few farm tracks and fields to cross that take you to the
finish where you can experience the true fell race hospitality including a hose pipe to wash your
muddy legs and cup of tea. What if you don’t want your cup of tea washing Editor
If you are thinking about doing this race, make the effort to pre-enter for £4 and avoid the £2 on the
day penalty for the disorganised!
Notice that I got the date wrong – this is the correct one and I’ve corrected the web site too.
Jonathan

WALSHIES PUZZLE PAGE.
With thanks to Chris Maslanka of the Guardian.
WORDPOOL.
In each case find the correct definition:
MASJID.
Imams assistant.
Religious war.
Holy saying.
Mosque.
ACULES.
Prickle.
Turning point.
Forceps.
Blackhead.
POTTO.
Small African primate.
Dotty.
Alcoholic liquor
Brightly-coloured parrot in Guyana.
Same Difference.
Identify these two words that differ only in the letters shown.
***B*** (rubbish…)
****** (….sort of rock)
E pluribus.
Rearrange the letters of SPICE DIET to make a single word.
CRYPTIC.
Nobels honour (3).
God who reversed into a canal (4)
One falsehood leading to a state of estrangement (10)
MISSING LINKS.
Find a word which follows the first word in the clue and precedes the second in each case making a
fresh word or phrase. E.g. the answer to fish mix could be cake (fishcake & cake mix) and to bat man
it could be he (bathe & he-man)…
Super rocket. b meteor cap c) political boots d) lost carousel e) track case. F kebab guard.
Answers to the Puzzle Page.
˙pɹɐnƃ/uɐʌ/qɐqǝʞ (ɟ ǝsɐɔ/ʇıns/ʞɔɐɹʇ (ǝ dɐɔ/ɹǝʍoɥs/ɹoǝʇǝɯ(p
sʇooq/llɐqʇooɟ/lɐɔıʇılod (ɔ dɐɔ/ɹǝʍoɥs/ɹoǝʇǝɯ (q ʇǝʞɔoɹ/uooɯ/ɹǝdns (ɐ ˙sʞuıl ƃuıssıɯ
˙uoıʇɐuǝılɐ `snǝz `ǝqo ˙ ɔıʇdʎɹɔ
˙ǝpıɔıʇsǝd ˙ndǝ ˙ǝƃɐɹɐƃ `ǝƃɐqɹɐƃ ǝɔuǝɹǝɟɟıp ǝɯɐs (ɐ `(ɐ `(p ˙loodpɹoʍ

Around the World in 4648 Days
In the summer of 2014 it occurred to me that I would soon be reaching the landmark equivalent to
running around the world. That is 24901 miles according to Wikipedia.
It may be sad but the engineer in me led me to record the date, miles, time, pace, weather conditions,
how I felt, route taken and shoes worn for every run since I started in Feb 2002.
day date miles time pace
conditio
ns feeling
mile/
week route shoe
mo 02/01/12 10.6 1:37:41 09:11 windy ok donk,sun,steep,tow,toboldv,tow,toboldv,tow,diag,tow,diag,tow,stpbk,royal sal
tu 03/01/12 8.0 1:08:30 08:34 windy good lbr,ewood,witton,fieldens,lbr,green,fieldens,lbr 2120c
we 04/01/12 8.3 1:03:20 07:38 wndrain sore heel No 23 - Fenny/Ewood 8.3M 2150a
th 05/01/12 12.4 1:56:00 09:21 ok sore heel home to sunny+darwen hills - bold,marsh,pole,cranberry,llamp,whitehall 2120c
sa 07/01/12 22.9 2:56:42 07:42 windy sore heel 62.2 Long Run No1 - 37:14,37:55,39:28,37:44,24:21 2140b
A snapshot from my running log
I calculated that I would reach the mark around about the beginning of October then forgot all about it
until the last Friday in October when I started adding up the miles again thinking that I would have
passed the mark without realising it, but was pleasantly surprised to discover I was up to 24882 miles,
just 19 miles to go.
I wanted to reach the landmark somewhere I enjoyed running so I planned a 10 mile run on Saturday
followed by a run on Sunday with the 9 mile point being at Darwen Tower. All went to plan and I
arrived at the Tower with 0.2 miles to go so ran around the base a few times to make up the distance.
Having completed the circuit I thought I would recall some of the events / experiences en route. Since
most of my training and racing is focused on endurance running most of my recollections are
connected with marathons.
4 miles My running days started in February 2002 when Sue took me on a 4 mile plod around
Abbey Village, Houghton Arms and Withnell. It took 41 minutes but I was hooked.
800 miles Manchester Marathon Oct 2002. My first marathon. I enjoyed it and wanted more.
2000 miles David Staff Nov 2003. Looking back I can't believe I "ran" down Aggies Staircase.
2500 miles Pennine Bridleway Relay Feb 2004. A team event that sadly no longer takes place
usually followed by a curry and a few beers in Darwen.

4000 miles Snowdonia Marathon Oct 2004. A great challenging marathon with good views when
weather permits.
Llanberis Pass
The first 5 miles of
Snowdonia Marathon.
5000 miles London Marathon Apr 2005. I prefer low key events so initially the London Marathon did
not appeal to me but it was and still is an amazing experience that I have repeated
eight times so far. Value for money, organisation, transport, goodie bag, water/feed
stations and crowd support are second to none.
6700 miles Dumfries Marathon Mar 2006. I had been chasing a sub 3 hour marathon for a year and
achieved it at this event. Also Sue, Colin Fitzjohn and myself won the team prize for the
Dashers.
9000 miles Coniston 14 Miles Mar 2007. An unusual distance for a race that takes you up and
down the hills that surround Coniston Water.
10000 miles Great Langdale Marathon Sep 2007. A favourite of mine. This year the weather was
awful - strong winds, heavy rain and flooded roads. I remember seeing only one other
human being in the last 10 miles of this race but was rewarded with a 3rd place finish.
12400 miles Half Way. Sardinia Oct 2008. Sue and I were on holiday in Sardinia when I reckon I
reached half way. I was running along a 6 mile beachside track in the Costa Smeralda.
14000 miles London Marathon Apr 2009. When I started running I read somewhere that if you start
running in your middle ages your performances continue to improve for 7 years. It
proved true in my case, I achieved most of my PB's in 2009/2010 including my
Marathon PB at London this year.
14500 miles French Alps Jul 2009. A few of us Dashers went to the French Alps to watch two stages
of the Tour de France. On the morning that the tour was due to pass through I ran to
the top of Col de La Colombiere (it was only 4 miles from our gite but all uphill) then
back down again for breakfast. It was 6:30 in the morning but people were already
The summit of Col de
la Colombiere.
Alt 1613 metres
(5300 feet)

camped out at the side of the road.
15600 miles Barcelona Marathon Mar 2010. Not very scenic for most of the route but a fast flat
route. Sue and I decided to stay over for a few days but the day after the race
Barcelona had its heaviest snow in 50 years so we had to spend 3 days sheltering in
the local hostelries.
18500 miles Coniston Trail Marathon Jul 2011. My nemesis in endurance running has always been
calf cramps at about 18-20 miles and I remember this race as the worst occurrence.
When I suffer cramp I can usually carry on running by slowing down and not bending
the cramped leg at the knee for a few strides until it subsides. With about 3 miles to go I
stopped to open a style and both legs cramped up. All I could do was stand in pain for
about 2 minutes holding the gate open for other runners to go through before I could
carry on.
20000 miles Rome Marathon Mar 2012. Some city marathons start and finish on the outskirts but not
Rome. It starts and finishes at the Coliseum and takes in most of the major sightseeing
spots. There are a few cobbled sections but is a good overseas marathon to run. (Sue
will tell you otherwise).
22000 miles Bolton Hill Marathon Mar 2013. A challenging winter trail marathon that passes to within
3 miles of my house. It would have been rude not to enter it. So I did. And again in
2014.
23000 miles Palma Marathon Oct 2013. Sue and I decided to run this one and stay over for a
holiday. We both won our age categories and were rewarded with a hot and sunny
week after the race.
24901 miles Darwen Tower Nov 2014. There can't be a better place to mark the occasion.
A few mementoes picked up on the way:
Good
A limited edition print of Greenburn Beck (near the Three Shires Pub) for finishing 3rd in
the Great Langdale Marathon.
Cans of London Pride Beer in the London Marathon goodie bag.
Delicious cheese at the Blacksticks Blue 10k.
As much beer as you could drink after finishing Palma Marathon (but it was alcohol free
beer).
Not so good A mug emblazoned with "Best Golfer in the World" for winning the V50 category at
Gloucester Marathon.
Not my prize, but I remember the Burnden 10k in 2004 when the Dashing Ladies won
the team prize. Sue, Linda and Janine were presented with a box of house cleaning
products.
Practical
Two chicken breasts, two large potatoes, 1lb of carrots and a cabbage for winning the
V50 category at Run The Lanes 10 miler, June 2013.

14200 miles-I was snapped at about mile 23 running the Edinburgh Marathon in 2009 and it made the
front cover of Distance Running magazine.
And some statistics:
Total Miles 24901
Calendar Days 4648
Running Days 2595 average miles per run 9.6 miles
Marathons completed 43 average time per marathon 3 hrs 07 mins
Half Marathons 37 10 Milers 43
10k's 58 other races 50+
Fell Races 23
Just 3 days after completing my circumnavigation of the earth my right knee decided that was
enough.
But now after 6 weeks rest and physio I have started my second lap...........
Tune in again in September 2027 for the next instalment.
Phileas Fogg II (aka Russ Corsini)

Timed Road Run - January
The first of this season’s timed runs saw a whopping 36 runners take part. Good to see a mix of
familiar and new faces. Remember the plan is to run this again on the second Thursday of February
and March and determine who has improved the most.
Paul Brindle 00:30:21 Hannah Caulfield 00:52:52
Jonny Bromilow 00:31:21 Alison Pickup 00:52:54
Brian Morris 00:33:32 Don Clarkson 00:53:22
James France 00:34:59 Sam Clarkson 00:53:23
Barry Ross 00:38:39 Viki Walsh 00:55:00
Steve Astley 00:39:09 Hannah Fielding 00:55:01
Amy Freeman 00:39:29 Tina Kuczer 00:56:20
Steve Whitehead 00:42:10 Alison Abbott 00:56:42
Chris Cash 00:45:35 Mark Gleave 00:58:16
Paul Astin 00:47:43 Andrea Skelton 00:58:26
Deborah Robinson 00:48:52 Tracy Morante 01:00:15
Debbie Bevitt 00:49:15 Laura Staffa 01:00:16
Alice Capstick 00:49:40 Paul Brain 01:03:20
Louise Oldfield 00:50:07 Amy Hasler 01:06:23
Anna Capstick 00:50:08 Samantha Blair 01:09:30
Linda Coffey 00:51:00 Carmel McCormack 01:11:36
Michelle Connolly 00:52:20 Chris Gosling DNF
Jo Maxwell 00:52:30 Neil Duerden sweep
The route is 4.6 miles. Start at The Sunnyhurst, down Earnsdale. Left at main road. Left at The
Fernhurst and through the estate back to the main road. Then follow the route back up to start.
Jonathan

The Christmas Do

18,700 km from Coed Y Brenin
Happy New Year! For the summer holidays here we’ve been tripping around various relative’s
homes in the lower North Island before heading out to a beach on the East Coast. We actually live
pretty close to a Waikanae Beach but holidays in NZ must be accompanied by a 3hr drive with
annoyed children hence we head elsewhere.
This year we stayed at a bach at Castle Point. It’s a rather spectacular setting. It’s most well known
for the lighthouse but for the kids it has the advantage of a lagoon that you can see in the top left of
the above picture. It’s pretty shallow and no nasty currents in it so good for them to swim in. The
only downer is that the waters not that warm – which is rather standard for NZ beaches.
An interesting find I had was that the Castlepoint daisy Brachyglottis compactus grows only on the
crumbled limestone of the reef and Castle Rock. The other interesting find I had was that I’m getting
rather scared of heights in my advancing age. Taking the kids up to the lighthouse proved very nerve
wracking. They have no fear of anything (including cartwheels along the edge of cliffs) so I had to be

terrified for two people. But I successfully conquered fear that by running up there for the next
couple of days by myself.
I was less successful at dealing with it when I tried to run up Castle Rock – the sheer cliffed 164m tall
percipice on the right hand side of the photo below.
I’m sure in my younger days I’d have been doing cartwheels along the ridge of this but no more.
Now I got to about 150m, had a look over the edge and that was enough – I became a jibbering
wreck and pretty much had to crawl away. On my next couple of runs I gave it a damn good look
from about beach level but never managed to get much higher. Makes me wonder how I’d go on the
Sca Fell scree slope nowadays…
Kia ora!
Danny
daniel.headifen@kiwirail.co.nz

It’s good to talk about festive running
I think I’m taking a bit of a chance with this month’s article, by talking about Christmas events at the
exact time of year when most of us enjoyed the celebrations enough to make us grateful to put
them behind us for another year, and also by talking about parkrun.....again. You all know that mine
and Barry’s love of parkrun knows no bounds and I’m not certain that I can say anything that hasn’t
already been said, but I need to share the Darwen Dashers on tour pre-Christmas outing to Ormskirk
parkrun on 13 th December.
Barry and I had visited Ormskirk last August. The course, which is on the playing fields of the new
Edge Hill University campus is reasonably flat and averages 80 runners each week. Every parkrun has
its individual traits and idiosyncrasies with Ormskirks’ being a pre-run motivational poem. In August
the story of Ulysses by Alfred Lord Tennyson offered inspiration to the more mature runners. On 13 th
December we were treated to a 3 rd century Chinese poem which translated into something relevant
to all of us on the start line that day. The Ormskirk parkrun Director loves the literary word and it set
the scene for a very stimulating run that day. He also had 2 younger marshals informing the cast of
Christmas runners what would happen to them if they weren’t wearing any Christmas attire. Those
who had been remiss enough not to wear anything festive were informed they could only avoid
being charged with bringing the parkrun family into disrepute, or worse still, having their barcode
torn up into tiny pieces by singing ‘jingle bells’ very loudly as they crossed the finish line. Fortunately
all 15 Dashers in attendance had entered into the Christmas spirit of things, as you can see from the
photos.
It was actually a good thing that Deborah Robinson and Chris Gosling, inventors of the Darwen
Dashers parkrun tour, had chosen for us to go to Ormskirk because it was so frosty and icy that all
the local parkruns bar Burnley were cancelled for safety reasons. What fun we had on the run with
lots of personal achievements: Jonny Bromilow, in a rather special festive Dashers hat that his Mum
had made for him, achieved the fastest time of the day and ran under 20 minutes for the first time at
a parkrun on this favourable course. Cath Fox managed the highest age grading of the day. Calvin
Ferguson gained a parkrun PB by over 2 minutes. George Thompson ran his fastest time for 5
months. I managed to get under 26 minutes for the first time since early October and the onset of
the lurgy. Chris Cash, Helen Jones, and Calum Rigby ran their fastest ever parkrun times and Tina
Kuczer and Sue Taylor, were returning to running after injury and clearly enjoying every moment.
The Ormskirk parkrun just kept on giving and after the run we continued the Christmas theme by
singing a couple of carols. Darwen Dashers got a special mention prior to enjoying the very generous
post run festive fodder and mulled wine. Some people, namely George Thompson and Cath Fox
tucked in particularly enthusiastically when they snuck off after the first carol!
Some people might think it’s not worth the effort of getting up at stupid o’clock on such a cold and
dark morning to drive for 40 minutes for a 5k run but I know everyone there that morning would beg
to differ, these are the experiences that feed the soul and make us forget our problems and realise
how fortunate we are. That’s the thing about parkrun, it’s not a race and it’s for everyone. It’s for
the great and better good. Nothing negative can be said about it. If you read the weekly national
parkrun report it’s full of stories from people whose lives have been transformed by taking up
running and joining the parkrun family. Running has had an epiphany, it’s seen the light. It’s no

longer the domain of the elite athlete and fast club runner. At the risk of sounding like an evangelist,
it’s probably the best thing that could have happened for running, along with the Darwen Dashers
beginners group (other C25K groups are available........but not half as much fun!)
On the way to Ormskirk
Chilly pre run Dashers
Enjoying mince pies and mulled wine at 10am
Jonny Bromilow and the Dashers tree
Happy post run Dashers

Here’s wishing everyone a happy running new year.
And if you need any more inspiration ..........
And this months motivational tune, I can’t believe we haven’t had this one before.
http://www.youtube.com/watchv=HgzGwKwLmgM
Karen Atherton

Founded 1990
Club committee
Chairman Jonathan Stubbs 15 Chapels, Darwen, BB3 0EE
07747 398 384 jonathanstubbs@gmail.com
Ladies’ Captain Carly Edwards 07881 017 426 carly_e@hotmail.co.uk
Men’s Captain Barry Shackleton shakatak57@hotmail.com
President Brian Tull brian_tull@yahoo.co.uk
Secretary
Chris Cash
Treasurer Rebecca Simms 01254 692 677 reb.simms@gmail.com
When / where to meet us
Tuesday The Sunnyhurst, Tockholes Rd, Darwen, BB3 1JX. 19:00 All welcome
Wednesday Darwen Leisure Centre, 18:30 Beginners
Thursday The Sunnyhurst, Tockholes Rd, Darwen, BB3 1JX. 19:00 All welcome
If you have not run with us before, please get in touch before you come so we can arrange for
somebody to meet you.
www.dashers.org.uk
@darwendashers
“Darwen Dashers Running Club”
Any articles for the Dash to Simon Fox, Editor, the.dash@hotmail.co.uk, 01254 707 216, by the 10 th
of the month.