Round Up 1st -2nd February 2025
Last weekend was a weekend of 2s: 2 events with Tuff participation and 2 kind Tuffs who have written in about each event. It was also a weekend of 4s with the 4 Piers marathon organised by Sussex Trail Events, but as far I am aware no Tuffs competed in that event. If you did, let me know!
Outrun Cancer – Arundel – Sunday 2nd February
At least a dozen Tuffs were represented at Outrun Cancer on Sunday 2nd February. Simon Thistlethwaite, Paul Martin, Hazel Tuppen, Sophie Garbo, Colin Simpson, Adrian Oliver, Clive Harvey, Al Evans, Janet Shepherd, Debbie Birch and Jenny Oliver all took part. Chris Evans was marshalling. There were some great performances with Simon placing as 2nd male and Hazel as 3rd female. A big well done to everyone for taking part and supporting this very worthy cause.
Sophie and Colin share their thoughts below. First Sophie’s report (and great photo):
I arrived early by 7.35am and made my way to registration. It was very cold and slippery. Luckily, the sun was quite warm as it rose and I took a beautiful shot of the mist over the fields. After dropping my coat back to car, I ran back in time to listen to the briefing and catch up with some Tuffs. There were about 8 or 9 of us there. It was freezing.
This was my first race of the year. I’ve been struggling with foot and back issues, and other health problems this winter but remain fairly fit. I set off with Adrian. The hilly route was quite tough and the scenery was lovely. The course was straight out and back. I decided to push on halfway, despite the injuries, as I felt I could. Towards the end I was running alongside another guy at a faster than 5k pace, but it was useful to see how hard I could push it. I was pleased to come in 21/107 and 5th female. The volunteers were great and there were fruit and sweets afterwards.
Now Colin’s brutally honest report, with Adrian making a cameo role as pacer (a role he has taken on for me on more than one occasion):
I haven’t done this run before so made a late decision to enter and up my mileage from Parkruns!
Early alarm and arrive 0730 at a cold and frosty Arundel to enter. Spotted a few Tuffs loitering in the loo queue along with what looked a club outing from Worthing Striders.
The race started 1 min early but luckily(?) I was on the front line. I let Simon zoom off but tagged onto Hazel who looked easy compared to me. Once we hit the hill at the Black Rabbit she was gone, along with a few others.
Now I have never run past the gates to Arundel Park at Offham, so was shocked and surprised at the 2 steep hills before dropping down to South Stoke for the turn round. Also aware that my lack of hill training meant I was going to pay on the way home. At this point Adrian jogged by chatting and hardly breathing whilst I wheezed up the first hill. He decided to help pace me, a double-edged sword but many thanks!
Once back to Offham it’s a nice downhill back to the finish. I was pleased with the run and it looked like Tuff Fitty had a good turnout of 10 or more in a smallish field of what looked less than a hundred. I would definitely recommend this run in future.
Chichester 10km – Goodwood – Sunday 2nd February
Congratulations to our Tuffs running the Chichester 10km, where PBs were very much the order of the day.
First up Stu Harvey’s report:
Sunday 2nd saw the annual Chichester 10k take place once again at the historic Goodwood Motor Circuit.
Now well established at the renowned motorsport venue, this course is billed as fast and flat and despite this claim there is enough elevation sprinkled around the course to get your attention. That said, it is quick and the route takes in a lap of the circuit before making use of some of its perimeter roads before heading out past the Rolls Royce factory, then doubling back past the circuit entrance and along the Lavant Road before a short return back into the circuit for a final 400m push to the finish line.
With good vantage points for spectators from the roof of the pit building and grass verges either side, there was a great atmosphere throughout the race, giving you a boost when you needed it most.
Conditions themselves were ideal, despite being on the frosty side, with not a breath of wind at the notoriously windy airfield circuit, where the sun even made an appearance.
The race attracts a very strong field with well over 250 runners completing the course in sub 40 minutes alone. Whilst there was a tight battle for overall race honours, it was great to see a handful of Tuffs turning out for the event too.
Coach Marchy stated he was looking for around 42 minutes before promptly obliterating that time! There was also a standout PB performance for Juliette Reader as well as a first PB as a father for Gareth Coombes who turned in a usual strong effort despite a lack of sleep! I was also pleased to get my racing year off to a strong start by bagging my 10k PB as well. Kelly Johnson also put in a strong result to round off a great morning of racing for Tuff Fitty members!
Next up, a report from Coach Marchy. Please note his reference to warming up AND drills!
A cold start at Goodwood for Chichester 10k, but being able to park just 100m from the start line meant I could sit in the car with the heaters on, listening to music until it was time to warm up.
I did an easy mile, my usual track drills, then I went to strip off & get race ready. I found Stu Harvey on the start line and we were surprised by Gareth Coombes slapping us on the backs for his first race back as a new dad.
Stu & I knew we had been running fairly similar times for 5k recently, and so we were setting off with an approximate target of 42 minutes.
The initial 3.5k are on the racetrack and we were lucky to have no wind, so we drifted along (editor’s note: I am not sure that ‘drifted’ is the appropriate verb when running sub-42 minute pace) with the group around us before heading out onto the nearby roads.
There’s a couple of out and backs so although I’d moved slightly ahead, I could see that Stu was not far behind me.
In the only 2 previous 10ks I’ve run, I’ve gone out at 5k pace, tried to hang on and paid the price, but for the first time I managed to keep my splits even throughout, mile 5 being entirely uphill the only exception. I had enough in the tank when we turned back onto the track to keep the foot on the gas and pick it up for the last kilometer, recording my fastest split of the race.
I was delighted to see the clock just ticking over 41 mins as I mustered up a sprint finish as I knew my chip time would be enough to go under that. Official time: 40:49 and a new PB for me. A nice one to build off for Brighton Half in a month’s time.
Before I’d even started to get my breath back, Stu came thundering across the line 30 seconds behind me in a new PB, shortly followed by Juliette and Gareth. A massive PB for Juliette by the way – apparently the secret is to run once a week….who knew?
No frills at the finish line, a banana and a medal, and a big queue to ring the PB bell!
Park Run Round Up
10 Tuff regulars ran at Littlehampton Parkrun with Colin Simpson, Adrian Oliver, Fraser and Amy Kidd all finishing within a few seconds of each other. Emma Hinton, Al and Chis Evans, Clive Doughty, Katherine Hill and Debbie Birch all ran too, with Hope Newcomer on regular volunteering duty. It was Clive D’s first Parkrun, so he is now part of the huge Parkrun family.
Ed Lay and Les Pearce ran at Worthing as usual. It is great to see Les running regularly again after enforced time off due to injury. Steve Fryer also swapped Littlehampton Parkrun for Worthing.
Further afield, Clive and Trevor Harvey did a spot of touring and ran together at Great Salterns Parkrun in Portsmouth, while Paul Fielder made another appearance at Hackworth Parkrun in Country Durham.
