Marlborough Harriers Club

Running and walking in marlborough!

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2012 Road Champs

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The club road champs were held on the Grovetown circuit on Saturday afternoon.

Dale Smit and Kiri Johnson were comfortable winners in the senior grades with Dale claiming back-to-back senior mens titles. Michelle Harris, Margaret Hazelwood, Peter Dick and Rab Rodger claimed the veteran titles. Non-member Phillip Sim finished eight seconds ahead of Peter in the veteran mens grade.

In the junior grades the closest finish came in the Boys 10 and under. Dylan Endesrby out-sprinted Hunter Bendell to take the title with just one second separating them. Lucy Bendell, Sophia Bendell, Connor Endesrby and Hannah Munro were other winners in their respective grades…

Hellen Munro won the 5 km walk.

The Guerin Trophy is also associated with the road champs and is awarded in the veteran mens category under a sealed handicap. The winner is kept under wraps and is announced at the end of season prize-giving.

Results

What does the Handicapper do?

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Stop WatchBill Hunter reports:

I am often asked how did I arrive at the handicap for a runner? When compared with someone else.

The workings of the handicapper are pretty straightforward and rely sometimes on the honesty of runners I have no history for. Take the Novice cup for instance. Times are used from the scratch race and Novice cup the previous year plus the scratch race run before the Novice cup.

All the times are correlated and the FASTEST time from those 3 races is used as the handicappers expected time the runner should do for the race.

Unfortunately we don’t always get it right, but generally it is a tried and true method of getting a time that the runner should be able to run.

New runners with no history are a problem, so after asking a few questions regarding what they have done or how long to run 5k, I slot them in a space that I feel is about their ability.

No account is taken for runners who say that they are injured or haven’t trained much. The time given on the handicap sheet is the time they will start.

“These Shoes Were Made for Walking”

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Do walkers need different shoes for walking, race walking, tramping or endurance walking?  Does it really matter?

Yes, different ways of walking require different shoe designs and materials. Here’s a rundown (walk-down) of the things you should look for in your shoes:

Casual Walking
For casual fitness walking, those who aren’t planning to cover more than four to eight kms at a time are safe using anything from lightweight running shoes to cross-trainers to race walking shoes. Walkers generally impact the ground with less than half the force of runners, so they don’t need excessive cushioning. In fact, too much heel cushioning can lead to shin pain and other problems.

Race walking
Race walking uses a lot more muscles and relies on the feet much more than fitness walking does. Consequently, the right shoes are critical. Race walking shoes need to be very flexible to allow the feet to roll from heel to toe, and they should have a very low heel to reduce leverage that can cause the feet to slap the ground after heel contact. Real race walking shoes or running racing flats are the best.

Marathon & Ultra-Marathon Walking
Here the fit of the shoe is the most critical factor when you’re on your feet for many hours. Shoes that are too tight (or too loose) can cause painful blisters or black toenails.

Off-road Walking
All-terrains, or anything with a treaded, high-grip outsole are best for negotiating waterways and algae-covered rocks.

Good luck finding your perfect fit and keep walking!

Harriers – Not just for runners

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Hi, perhaps there’s something about walking, as a sport, that interests you – be it fitness, socializing or competition; if so, we think Harriers may suit you.

I was once a Vet runner at Harriers, but no longer run.   I have since started entering the competitive events at Harriers with a small group of walkers.   Competitive events for runners have been adapted to include walkers and now there are several walking trophies to be won.

Some races are handicapped, giving everyone a chance at winning.

The enjoyment I get from competitive walking has led me to enter half marathon events around NZ as a competitive walker (not judged race walking).

If on the other hand you just want to enjoy a social walk there are members at  Harriers who prefer to do just that.

We are currently a small group of walkers who would welcome you regardless of your walking speed or style.

By the way don’t let age be a barrier: I’m over 70.

Sheila Waters.