The weekend saw several Gade Valley Harriers in tough long-distance endurance races across the UK. Four athletes alone managed to complete more than 370 miles of competitive action between them, including an Ironman triathlon.A hundred of those miles were completed by Chris Dowling, who as well as taking on the physical challenge of a century of hilly miles along rough trails and loose paths, also had to deal with the repetitiveness of ten laps of ten miles. Dowling started the Wendover Woods 100 on Friday morning along with 44 others for the one-off event, which included 20,000 feet of ascent and descent, in near-perfect conditions for the time of year. He put mind over matter from the start and reached the first split in just over an hour in 14th place. As the competitors dealt with five energy-sapping climbs and quad-busting descents on each lap, Dowling knew the only way to complete the course would be to walk the downhill sections in the early laps and evaluate things as day … [Read more...] about Harriers show their toughness in arduous long-distance tests
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Long-distance swim turned dramatic
July 9, 2019 Organizers of a long-distance swim over the Oslo Fjord were facing criticism this week, after more than half the participants had to be plucked out of the water by search and rescue vessels. “This was more dramatic than I had hoped,” one well-trained participant told state broadcaster NRK. Frank Løke was among those swimming over the fjord in the event called Open Water Horten-Moss. He’s a former member of the national men’s handball team and didn’t think the 10,000-meter-long swim would be so difficult. He had a frighteningly close encounter, however, with a ferry. “I panicked and was scared I’d be caught in the wake of the boat and dragged under it,” Løke told NRK. “Fortunately the captain saw me and reversed, but I felt the strong drag from the boat.” Another experienced triathalon athlete, Ann-Kristin Lien of Størdal, also described the event as “dramatic” when she found herself … [Read more...] about Long-distance swim turned dramatic
The trouble with being a long-distance grandparent
Precisely five years ago, I found myself in the same situation as Meghan Markle. Minus the husband prince. And the fancy maternity wardrobe. Or the floating yoga room. Ok, maybe not that similar at all. But I had just given birth (mercifully, with zero press interest) and my parents also lived on the other side of the world. While Meghan’s mum Doria Ragland flew from Los Angeles, my mum – and personal cavalry – also flew in from South Africa, a few days before my baby’s birth. For my mum, it meant she got to spend as much time as possible with her brand new grandson. Two weeks later, she left knowing that, as a long-distance granny, the newborn cuddles were over and she wouldn’t get to hold him for at least another year. On Tuesday, Doria was seen walking her two dogs near her home in Los Angeles, two weeks after the birth of Master Archie. She had reportedly arrived in Britain three weeks prior to Archie’s birth, to help Meghan through the final … [Read more...] about The trouble with being a long-distance grandparent
101 fabulous faces of the long distance runners
Thousands of seasoned runners, first-timers, occasional joggers and charity fundraisers took to the streets of Plymouth on a beautiful sunny day to run the Ocean City Half Marathon. Setting off from the Hoe at 8.30am, they raced through the city, cheered on by massive crowds along the 13.1 mile route, through the city and out along the Embankment to Salltram House. They were joined by around 3,000 schoolchildren who also took part in their own event - the DELT Shared Services Primary Schools Challenge - and numerous mascots. It's one of Plymouth's biggest events of the year and one of the UK's most picturesque half marathon events, attracting thousands of people to the city. We've captured the faces of all those crossing the finish line and making their way around the route - faces of determination, exhaustion, pain, relief and happiness. The faces of the long distance runner. Enjoy our picture gallery below and see if you can spot your friends. Plymouth Half Marathon in pictures as … [Read more...] about 101 fabulous faces of the long distance runners
The marathon has vanquished other long-distance running events
THERE WAS once a time when races on the track represented the pinnacle of long-distance running. Few rankings of history’s greatest athletes include any marathon specialists from before 1970. By contrast Paavo Nurmi and Emil Zatopek, who dominated the 5,000-metres and 10,000-metres track events in the 1920s and 1950s respectively, are revered by athletics aficionados. The 26.2-mile (42.2km) road race, which was only invented in 1896 for the first modern Olympics, was still something of a second-class event in the middle of the 20th century. At the 1952 games Zatopek, who had just won the 5,000-metres and 10,000-metres but had never run a marathon before, entered the race and triumphed by more than two minutes. When recalling America’s “running boom” of the 1970s—a surge of interest in jogging that included President Jimmy Carter taking to the tarmac—Runner’s World noted that “road running up to the 1960s was an unfashionable add-on to … [Read more...] about The marathon has vanquished other long-distance running events