Delightful? Are You Sure?
Another extremely successful Tadworth Ten has now been completed so huge congratulations to Andrew, the zone managers and their teams of marshals for making this so. But I ask – are our marshals ‘delightful’? According to runabc South we are all a delightful bunch or, at least, one of the runners thinks so and runabc South seems to support this view. Now, this is just a personal opinion, and no names named, but I can think of a few who might just about be described as delightful but I can also think of many more who may not precisely fit this description. Maybe those who fall into the latter category can adopt this as a new year’s resolution to attain a delightful persona in time for next year’s Tad Tens and then there can be no argument. You can read runabc South’s review of the race in these pages. We also have a review from race director, Andrew Morrison who, whilst being very complimentary about the roles played by all contributors, managed to avoid using the ‘D’ word in his commentary.
And fresh from being delightful our Ladies’ and Men’s XC teams excelled once again just a week later at Oxshott Woods in the 3rd fixture of the Surrey XC League. You can find out how both teams fared in this month’s newsletter.
Also in this month’s edition we have Running Secretary, Darren Marshall’s Club Championship schedule for 2024 along with this year’s Surrey Road League fixtures, a Christmas present review from Ian Matthews and if you are preparing yourself for a spring marathon you may wish to call on Louise Acher to help you with your preparation and recovery with your training runs. A few Taddies, including myself, have already availed ourselves of Louise’s specialist skills. All this together with the usual training, results and diary features in the first newsletter of the new year.
And remember………the TAC membership renewal is due and it is quick and simple to do by following the easy steps in the attached article.
JD
2023/4 Autumn/Winter Training Plan
New Members
We are delighted to welcome the following new members who have joined TAC this month:
Tony Caldwell
Paul Harris
Andy Ward
Jade Warner
We look forward to meeting them at future club events.
Membership Renewal
Dear All,
It’s that time of year again, where we would like to take the opportunity to remind everyone that it’s approaching renewal time of your TAC membership.
At the AGM in November, we agreed to keep the TAC membership fees the same for this coming period April 2024– March 2025.
We offer the following types of memberships:
– Individual Adult Membership: Fee £25
– Joint Adult Membership (same home address): Fee £17.50 per person
– Student Membership: Fee £17.50
– Social (Non-running) Membership: Fee £10
In addition, those wishing to have affiliation with England Athletics,
there is an additional fee of £19 (having EA affiliation also allows you to get £2 off most races). This fee is set by England Athletics. Note that you do need to have EA affiliation to participate in the Cross-Country events.
If you are currently on a month’s trial membership and you wish to join as a paid-up member now, then your membership will be valid until March 2025.
Renewal is straight forward and can be accessed through the TAC Website or through this link: https://membermojo.co.uk/tadworthac/signin. When you login you should see a box that looks something like this:
We take bank card through the portal, or you can make a bank transfer direct to the TAC bank account.
If anyone doesn’t intend to renew their membership, please get in touch with our membership secretary Nick Hawthorne on:
tadworthacmembership@gmail.com, who is keen to understand your reason, and whether as a club there is anything we could do differently to change your mind.
As always, any questions or if anyone is having any trouble with the renewal process, please get in touch, and we will be delighted to help you.
Many thanks,
Akshay (Akkers) [Treasurer] & Nick [Membership Secretary]
tadworthtreasurer@gmail.com & tadworthacmembership@gmail.com
Tadworth Ten Review by runabc SOUTH
TAD TENS 2024 by Andrew Morrison
Storm Henk tried hard to wreck the 2024 TAD10 but our clerk of the course, marshals and zone
managers aren’t that easily beaten, the yearly draining gullies were dug at the bottom of
Ebbisham lane, pruning of bushes on the tight sections and the sawing through fallen trees to
bring the route back from a steeplechase to a multi-terrain run. This being my first year of
directing the TAD10, I had some tough acts to follow, Alan Matthews, Steve Burke and Peter
Cattermole to name but a few all had 100% TAD10 success under their belt.
Fortunately for me the handover notes were comprehensive, and Peter had compiled these in a
very methodical time lined list of do’s and don’ts. Despite a few grumbles I decided to add in a
10k route as peer group clubs seem to be enhancing their longer running events by doing this.
After a lot of google mapping and wandering aimlessly around the downs I finally got a
reasonable route +- 50 metres using the first lap of the 10 miler and a small loop at the top of
the downs.
The 10M and 10K was a mass start and with nearly 600 runners crossing the line this seemed
to go off without a hitch. At the end of the first lap Michael Lowther was on hand with much
support to ensure the 10m & 10k runners went their separate ways. With very few dropouts and
no injuries more than a couple of sprains, all runners returned safely, phew!
There are too many people to mention ensuring the success of the 41 st TAD 10’s but I will try at
the risk of missing someone out, so forgive me in advance.
In the HQ, Mark Todd did a sterling job with his team helped by Phil and Heather Fenton, Alan
and Mary Matthews multi-tasking on various activities as there is always a peak of activity just
before the race, ably assisted by John Pickup and Jim Duffy, Sandra Marsh who performed heroically at the extremely busy Entries On The Day desk whilst also dealing with those wishing to switch events, Adam Hempenstall- master of ceremonies, a contingent from the Sunnybank Trust and the Epsom Wells community association helping out in the HQ.
At the Start/Finish line Phil Stevens and his team testing out the chocolates and bananas
On the course Steve Hill/Dave Williamson/ Mark Lowther and Jane Munn with the many
marshals having prepped the course well were giving guidance and encouragement to all the
runners which is echoed in the many appreciative contributions by the runners on our web page
Our front runner bikes covered by Alison and Tash, one on-road one off-road, who discovered
just how fast the front guys go up hill.
Paul Taylor had the much-loved task of TAD 10 snail to ensure no one was left on the course
And Steve McCormick with his band of photographers who all volunteer raising money for
charity
Luckily the weather was dry throughout the race unlike the sideways hail we had across the
finishing line last year.
Meanwhile I was drinking coffee and wandering around surplus to requirement.
The team spirit within TAC is so good that if anything had gone wrong you can feel confident
that someone would immediately step in to help or sort things out which seems to rub off onto
the competitors.
Next years event is already booked for 5 th January and a few runners have already signed up!
Club Championships Series 2024 by Darren Marshall
The Series involves a variety of running fixtures that are open to all club members. At the end of the year there are trophies for First Overall, First Vet (50+) and First Super-Vet (60+) for each of the ladies’ and the men’s section.
How does the scoring work?
In each race TAC finishers will be awarded points based on their finishing position relative to other club runners, M & F finishers ranked separately. For instance, being 5th lady home in a XC fixture, but where you are the first TAC runner home would earn you 1 point, second TAC lady finisher 2 points, etc.
The Series winners in each category will be determined by the lowest total score for each runner, starting with those who have completed 5 or more races. Where a runner finishes more than 5 races, only the best 5 results will count. In the event of the trophies not all being awarded to those who have run 5 or more races, the scoring then moves onto those who have completed four races, and then three, and so on.
In the following example, Runner A wins by virtue of having the lowest score in those running 5 or more races:
2024 Series
What are the races?
| Date | Race | League? | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10/02/2024 | XC 4 | XC | Lloyd Park |
| 07/04/2024 | Sutton 10k | RL | 10k Club Champ Enter here |
| 12/05/2024 | Ranelagh Richmond Half Marathon | RL | Enter here |
| 28/05/2024 | Hogsmill 5 | Ladies only Enter here | |
| 02/06/2024 | Dorking 10 mile | RL | 10M Club Champ Enter here |
| TBC (June) | Nonsuch Relays | ||
| TBC (July) | Elmore 7 | RL | |
| TBC (Aug) | Summer Handicap | ||
| 05/10/2024 | Banstead Woods Parkrun | 5K Age-Grade Club Champ | |
| TBC (Oct) | XC 1 | XC | |
| 24/11/2024 | Bushy Park Christmas 10k |
Showing 1 to 11 of 11 entries
What should I do now?
Enter some races, run hard and have fun! Remember, it is not about being the fastest – it is about completing the races and engaging in some firendly support (or competition) with your fellow club runners.
Surrey Road League by Darren Marshall
The league are looking forward to seeing many SCAA affiliated clubs again for this year’s Road League competition. Last season 38 men’s teams and 36 women’s teams took part, and nearly 1,200 athletes in total.
The schedule has been confirmed as follows:
7 April 2024 – Sutton 10k
12 May 2024 – Richmond Half
2 June 2024 – Dorking 10m
23 June 2024 – Richmond 10k
13 July 2024– Elmore 7
21 July 2024– Elmbridge 10k
26 July 2024 (Friday) – Wedding Day 7k
As always, get involved by signing up for whatever you can. Some of the races are part of the club championships.
Any member queries should be directed to the road running captains Simon B and Laura, or failing that to Darren.
See you on the start line.
Christmas Present Review – the Therabody Theragun Mini by Ian Matthews
It’s always difficult writing reviews of Christmas presents – particularly when you know the gift-giver will be reading it. On this occasion I am on safe ground.
Last Christmas [please don’t sing that song – even in your head!] I was the lucky recipient of a Theragun Mini massage gun from Sharon and her parents. But let’s rewind briefly.
As anyone who knows me will attest, I hate stretching and foam-rollering and I have the flexibility of an arthiritic tortoise. I wonder if those things are connected? Well, I read a great article in Runner’s World about massage guns and thought “this could be it”. “It” being the lazy runner’s guide to not seizing up while putting in minimum effort.
So, anyway, back to Christmas. The Theragun Mini comes in a foamy, neoprene pouch roughly the size and shape of a man’s posing pouch. This only added to the bemusement of my in-laws, who thought its purpose was not entirely therapeutic. It didn’t seem to allay their concerns when the first programmes I tried were my pecs and glutes.
What’s included
As well as the motorised massage gun, you get a USB-C mini charging cable and three attachments which are used to pummel your body. As already described, it comes in a neoprene posing pouch. One drawback is that this bag, as I shall now call it, is big enough to hold the gun and one attachment, but not the other two. But that’s a minor point.
How you use it
Like all good consumer electronics, the Theragun Mini comes with its own app. I was sceptical at first, because I view a lot of apps as being designed to fill up your mobile phone and monetise your personal details. This app is useful, though. It guides you through massage and recovery routines. The app can start the massage gun, control the pressure and time the routines. It also plays therapeutic music – though that is a little bit ‘electronica-tinkly style’ and hard to hear over the seeming 100 HP pummelling being delivered by the gun.
Of course, the device can also be used manually when it has three speed settings and lots of battery longevity.
What it does
Basically it operates a piston that punches the attachment up and down into the muscle to simulate kneading pressure. The amplitude (depth it punches to) is fixed, but the speed is variable. It is the speed and, to a degree, how hard you hold the gun against your muscles, that determine how hard the massage is, so you are still in control.
Would I recommend it?
Absolutely. I have found the post-run recovery programme and the pre-run warm-up to both be really good for loosening the muscles and making me feel livelier during the runs. I have fewer days where I get out of bed and wince in advance of putting my feet on the ground. Which I count as “a good thing”. I also love the compact size of the device, which makes it the ideal travelling companion.
Overall, I think massage guns are just part of a runner’s armoury – there will always be space for strength and flexibility activities such as The Rascal’s Club and for sports massages from our very own Louise Acher.
Editor’s note: I was given a Fitindex Deep Tissue Muscle Massage Gun for Christmas a couple of years ago. I haven’t really used it because I’ve been unable to run ever since but my daughter’s boyfriend who plays international hockey for Scotland has borrowed it from time to time. I got a ukulele for Christmas this year.
Calling all marathon runners.
Hi, you may have seen me recently giving post race sports massages at the Tadworth 10! If you didn’t, then here I am Louise your local Sports Therapist.
I am calling all those taking part in a Spring Marathon. Are you running London or Brighton or even further afield like Paris?
If you are, then look no further and start thinking about how a sports massage can help you with your training and benefit you for race day and also for recovery from those long runs.
We sometimes forget that a Marathon is not just about the day itself, it’s all the hard long days of training and the amount of distance we put our bodies through over 4-6 months leading up to race day.
So with all the training, give yourself some TLC to balance out the body from pounding the streets to a relaxing with a deep tissue massage.
Benefits of a sports massage are –
- Relieve stress in the muscles
- Eases sore muscles and joints
- Improves movement in the joints
- Promotes soft tissue healing
- Helps with relaxation and well being
- Helps to prevent injury.
During your treatment I will also be able to advise you on training tips and fuelling so you don’t ‘hit the wall’ on marathon day.
To book a Sports Massage with me head to my website www.la-sportsmassage.com where you will also find out more about me and what I do.
Good luck to everyone taking part in a marathon this Spring.
Louise
Ladies’ Surrey XC League by Laura Palmer
Match 3: 13th January, Oxshott Woods
It was another good turnout for the ladies at Oxshott Woods on 13th January. Eight intrepid ladies braved the ridiculous hill (twice), dodged the tree roots, navigated the tight turns, hurdled the fallen trees and generally smiled their way round the longer-than-the-last-two-events course. In fact, one marshal commented to me that the women from all the clubs looked a lot happier than those who ran in the previous men’s race. “Well,” I replied, “this is a whole hour when no-one can ask us for a snack.”
Alison and Sharon made their debut this season with excellent runs, and there were brilliant performances too from Sarah D, Meg, Gemma, Jane and Donna. We were also very grateful for the support from some of the men’s team, particularly Ian, who came back from tucking Nick and his broken shoulder up in A&E (get better soon Nick), and Simon, whose cheering is on a par with his running form right now. Overall we were 10th in Division 3, plus there was a plethora of cake on offer (Sharon’s brownies went down particularly well), which of course is pretty important in the woods on a very cold January day. For me, the race wasn’t the best, particularly at 200m to go when I heard a distinct crunch in my ankle as it rolled beneath me, but luckily my slightly pretentious new arm warmers doubled as a right elbow protector and the adrenaline kept me going to the end; still, I fear I won’t be back running in time for Lloyd Park in 10 days or so. Like they say though, worse things happen at sea, or indeed, Oxshott Woods. Just ask Nick.
Next up is Lloyd Park on 10th February 2pm. Any ladies who fancy it, please let me know! Laura x
Individual results:
Current standings (after 3 matches):
No Laura in this photograph as she was elsewhere having her injured ankle attended to.
4th & final match: Saturday, 10th February, 2.00pm. Lloyd Park, CRO 5RA
Men’s Surrey XC League
Match 3: 13th January, Oxshott Woods
A few drop-outs because of injury, illness and work commitments depleted our teams at Oxshott Woods but despite this our men put in a strong performance to maintain our position in Division 3. Our numbers were further depleted when Nick Hawthorne took a heavy tumble during the race and had to spend the evening at the A & E department of the local hospital when he would have much preferred an evening at home watching the new series of Gladiators. Nick sadly suffered a broken shoulder and has now undergone corrective surgery. We wish him a speedy recovery.
Now only an absolute disaster in the 4th & final match would deprive the TAC Men’s A team from maintaining their Division 3 status for next season. Nevertheless, we urge everyone possible to turn out for the Green Army at Lloyd Park on Saturday, 10th February. Captain Dan will be on your backs very shortly to get you to commit.
Division 3 match results (A Teams):
Division 3 match results (B Teams):
Individual positions:
Current standings (after 3 matches): A Teams:
Current standings (after 3 matches): B Teams:
* B teams table by courtesy of Brian Hunton
4th & final match: Saturday, 10th February, 12.00 noon. Lloyd Park, CRO 5RA
Results
21st January, 2024
Farnborough Half Marathon
356 Darren Marshall 1.35:01
LDWA Winter Tanners 30 miles
Simon Booth 4h 59m
John Pickup 5h 30m
Paul Schnell 6h 21m
LDWA Winter Tanners 20 miles
James McClintock 3h 53m
Diary
February, 2024
Saturday, 10th Ladies’ Surrey XC League #4. Lloyd Park, CRO 5RA. 2.00pm.
Saturday, 10th Men’s Surrey XC League #4. Lloyd Park, CRO 5RA. 12.00 noon.
Sunday, 11th Valentine’s 10K. Chessington School, Garrison Lane KT9 2JS. 8.00am. £18.
Club Info
Our next newsletter editor is Jim Duffy.
All contributions to the newsletter should be emailed to Jim Duffy
The February, 2024 issue is expected to be out at the beginning of March.
From the October, 2021 edition onwards the newsletter is available on the TAC website https://www.tadworthac.org.uk/ under the ‘news’ tab.
Members with Internet access can download copies of past newsletters in Adobe Acrobat format by going to our members-only website at http://news.tadworth.org.uk.
The current Committee comprises:
| Role | Role Holder |
| | |
| Chairperson | Andrew Morrison |
| Treasurer | Akshay Kumar |
| General Secretary | Alan Imeson |
| Running Secretary | Darren Marshall |
| Communications Officer | Jim Duffy |
| Membership & Recruitment Secretary | Nick Hawthorne |
| Social Secretary | Donna Dove |