Congratulations to the five Pacers who ran the Hereford 10k race on Sunday, 20 May. Jordan McQueen had particular reason to feel pleased with himself after an excellent run saw him finish fifth overall. But well done also to Helen Carter, Barbara Owens, Jo Preece and Carrol Stocker, all of whom put in encouraging performances in what was an enjoyable race.

There are more details on the Pacers' performances on the Results page of the site, so please click on the relevant link on the left-hand side of the page and you will be redirected to the Results section.

There have been a few dramatic names for races and events over the years, but the 'Mud Runner Oblivion' has to be right up there!

A host of Presteigne Pacers will be taking part in this event - if we continue with the recent levels of rainfall, then the name could prove very apt indeed.

The Pacers have no fewer than five teams due to take part - I take no credit for the names of those teams, this is how they were reported to me:

Wagaritos - Gary Lewis; Rita Tomkins; Wayne Lewis; Tom Bennett

Carries Convicts - Carrie Tomkins; Dave Lloyd; Donovan Tomkins [This team was going to be called 'Rachel's Rascals' but Rach had to pull out due to a foot injury]

Whiff's Wenches - Geraint Whiffen; Sue Lewis; Dawn Lloyd

Donna's Dummies - Donna Evans; Terry Evans; Mark Freake

Tasha's Twinkles - Tasha Clee; Steve Dyer; Steve Davies

Jordan McQueen will also be running as a solo athlete.

The course is over 10 kilometres but it has something of a sting in the tail every kilometre as there will be an obstacle of some kind.

Among the treats in story - there are two lakes to cross; three eight-foot obstacles; monkey bars; a ladder on its side to crawl through; a cargo net and a mile-long stream with obstacles in it.

Club secretary Dawn Lloyd informs me: 'There is one more thing to go through or over but I think I have blocked this from my mind as I can't remember, or don't want to remember!"

Speaking (well, typing) from the comfort of my office desk, it is official - you are all mad!  But best of luck, and may the best team win.

Many congratulations to all of those Pacers who were out either pounding the pavements of the capital in the London Marathon, or the pathways of Shobdon in the Shobdon Wood race over the weekend.

In total, 18 runners were taking part - not bad at all for a reasonably small club on the welsh borders!

Jordan McQueen and Mandy Evans both posted sub-four hour times for the London Marathon, while Tina Sparey also successfully completed her first run over the distance.

Meanwhile, at Shobdon, Gary Lewis and Adie Brown both finished in the top 30 of the Shobdon Wood race, with the ladies cleaning up in their age group and team awards.

Helen Carter, Rita Tomkins and Pru Napolitano won their individual age group titles while, as a trio, they brought home the Ladies title.

For more details on both events, click on the 'Results' page in the left-hand menu and you will be redirected to a report on both races, while the detailed results of the Shobdon Wood race can be found towards the top of the Results page.

It is great regret that Presteigne Pacers report the sad death of one of the club's great supporters and unsung heroes, Les Powell.

Les was well known in the Presteigne area for his work as a driving instructor and he was responsible for generations of youngsters from the area achieving that landmark passage to freedom - the passing of their test.

He was a keen supporter of the Pacers for many years and he and his wife Rose often drove the 'sweepers' car for club events in which he followed round at the end in case any competitor was forced to withdraw from the race and needed an unexpected lift home.

As someone who is only a 'social Pacer', I will always remember his excellent company at club dinners and other events and I know everyone connected with the club would like to pass on their sympathy and condolences to Rose and the family at this very sad time.

Details of the funeral arrangements will be posted online as soon as these become available.

The dates have been confirmed for this season's summer cross country programme and these have been posted on the Events page of the site - click on the relevant link on the left-hand menu and you will be redirected to the relevant page.

The four-race programme will comprise runs at Aconbury, Kinnersley, Westhope and Shobdon with the first race scheduled for Aconbury on Wednesday, 20 June.

All the races will be on Wednesday nights and they will start at 7.15pm.

If anyone intends running in the races, can they please let either Mark Freake or Rita Tomkins know.

Dave Lloyd informs me that arrangements are now firmly in place for a new Beginners Night for people who fancy getting into running.

This could be with a view to getting into running for the first time, or maybe returning to the sport after a period out of it for whatever reason.

The new Beginners Night will start on Monday, 16 April at 6.30pm on the John Beddoes School field - the session is expected to last for around an hour.

So, spread the word - here's hoping we can bring on the next generation of Pacers!

My thanks to Dawn Lloyd for forwarding me a list of all the races and other major events for 2012 - and there are already a lot of them.

These have been added on to the Events page of the site - click on the link on the left-hand menu and you should be redirected to the list.

I have left the list of meetings at the top of the page, so please scroll down below this and you will find the fixture list just below.

'Ice, Ice Baby'

...or maybe that ought to read: 'Icebreaker, Icebreaker Baby' as this was the latest event in which the Pacers took part - and a fine job they made of it too.

Rita Tomkins, Gary Lewis and Tom Bennett made up our intrepid trio that took on this particular challenge at Eastnor Castle.

Their overall time for the event as 3 hours, 22 minutes and 30 seconds on a course in which they had to run 12 kilometres, then cycle 20 kilometres before finally running a further 3 kilometres.

They did well to stick together throughout as Rita finished 122nd, Gary 123rd and Tom 124th in a field of 318 competitors.

Rita was the third lady overall and the first lady over 45 (can't believe she qualifies for that age group!), while the team finished fourth overall and was first mixed team.

This sounds as though it really was an excellent effort by the Pacers representatives, who said they all really enjoyed the day - congratulations to the three of you; apparently photos are to follow and these will be added in when I get them.

Monkhall Farm cross country results:

 

Well done to all those Pacers who braved the mud for what was a taxing race on Sunday, 8 January and, in particular to Jordan McQueen and Rita Tomkins who were the first Pacers home in their respective races.

 

There is a more detailed report on the race up on the Results page of the site, while there is also a copy of the results posted on this page, too.

 

Simply click on the 'Results' button on the left sidebar and you will be redirected to the page - but well run to those Pacers who took part.

 

 

Club secretary Dawn Lloyd has provided a list of proposed dates for the meetings in 2012 and these have been uploaded on to the Events page of the site.

 

So, dig out your diary and then click on the Events link on the sidebar menu to the left and you can make sure you are up to speed.

 

Dawn has also provided details of some of the major issues to be discussed at certain meetings - included among these is the Annual General Meeting which is to be held on Sunday, 1 April.

 

Clearly, at the AGM there will be the chance to re-elect your officers - or elect some new ones.  Any officer who is not planning on standing for re-election is asked to let Dawn know in writing by the meeting scheduled for 4 March.

 

Your current club officers are:

 

President	John Davies
Chairman	Dave Lloyd
Vice Chairman	Mandy Evans
Secretary	Dawn Lloyd
Treasurer	Phil Jones
Men’s Captain	Glyn Williams
Ladies’ Captain	Rita Tomkins

 

 

 

 

A number of Pacers 'warmed up' for the Christmas Social by heading off that morning in the general direction of Hundred House to run in the Fforest Fields cross country.

Fair play to those who did take part as the course was reportedly 'up hill and down dale' - but then anyone who has ever driven to Builth by way of Hundred House could probably have guessed as much - Hundred House is a lovely place, but surrounded by hills, so there was always every chance competitors would end up running up a few of them!

The results have been added into the grid on the Results page of the site, so just click on the link in the left-hand menu and you will be redirected.

Once again, well done to those Pacers who took part - I hope the beer/cider at the social later in the day tasted all the sweeter for it!

Silver medal for Helen:

Helen (centre) struck silver in Cardiff

Congratulations to Helen Carter (pictured centre) whom, it has been confirmed, won a silver medal in her age-group for her run in the Cardiff half-marathon. We have been aware this was in the offing for some time but have held off posting it on the website in the faint hope the medal might turn up so we could have a photo of Helen with said medal. But presumably the race organisers are still deep below the earth's crust trying to mine the necessary silver as it hasn't yet arrived...

More information on the news page, but in the meantime, congratulations again to Helen on a fine achievement.

 

 

 

Presteigne Pacers stalwart Cynthia Cooper has become the latest club member to take to two wheels in support of charity. Cynthia was among around 75 cyclists who took part in the Presteigne to Llandrindod Wells 'Bike for Bracken' in support of the Bracken Trust. The weather was kind - just as well, for BBC Wales weather forecaster Sue Charles, who both started and took part in the event.

Cynthia worked hard with her fundraising in the build up to the event and, at the time of posting this report, she had reached around £480.00 in pledges in support of the Bracken Trust.

The charity works with those suffering from cancer and, crucially, their carers who all too often can be overlooked as, naturally enough, most concern is for the victims of the disease themselves.

A delighted Cynthia tells me she completed the course - around 24 miles - in around two-and-a-half hours.

 

My thanks to Ian and Helen Carter for the excellent photo of Cynth 'in action' as she headed to Llan'dod via Llangunllo and Llanbister.

Many congratulations to Cynth and I know she would like to pass on her thanks to all those Pacers who supported her, both financially and in terms of moral support.

 

 

Ian Wright - Ian the Vet - has been in touch to let us know that he has left Kington, and for a very good reason.

Ian is about to undertake an epic bike ride from the UK to South Africa during which he will be raising funds for the Born Free Foundation.

 

There are further details on Ian's trip on the News page of the site - so just click on the link on the left sidebar to read more about the trip.

But, as Ian puts it: "If anyone is interested in following my progress, they can do so by having a look at www.VetonaBike.co.uk.  If anyone would like to sponsor me, you can do so either through the website or at www.justgiving.co.uk/vetonabike".

 

The field for this year's Two Rivers race was up on last year's entry -onwards and upwards?

The results of the Two Rivers race - together with a report on the event are now available on the results page of the site.   Many thanks to everyone who played a part in the day - either in the organisation, marshalling, catering or timekeeping on the day - or, indeed, by representing the club in the race itself. Just a reminder there is a club meeting on Sunday, 2 October.  This will be held at the Royal Oak and it is due to get underway at 7.00pm. All Pacers are welcome and it is hoped that as many members as possible will turn up as part of the meeting no doubt will form something of a 'debrief' after the Two Rivers, so all feedback would be welcome.

 

 

Trophy Winners at Shobdon

Well done to all of those Pacers who headed for the Shobdon round of the Herefordshire Cross Country League. Once again, there was a very decent turn out of runners for the event and there were some notable individual achievements. There is a more detailed report of the race on the Results page of the site so click on the relevant link on the left and all will be revealed - as it were. Thanks to Tina Sparey for the photos - top job!

Well done also to Laura Skyrme who successfully completed her epic bike ride from London to Paris arriving slightly ahead of time and - together with her 130 fellow riders - managing to clog up the Arc de Triomphe on their way into Paris!

Laura is collecting for the Midlands Air Ambulance and, if you think you can help out be sparing her a few pounds, then all you need to do is click here to be taken to her Just Giving page.

Well done, Laura - it is hoped to upload an interview with Laura in the next few days, so watch this space!

 

 

Many congratulations to Presteigne Pacer member Laura Skyrme who swapped two legs for two wheels over the last week as she completed the London-to-Paris bike ride.

 

Leaving Crystal Palace on Wednesday morning (27 July), Laura and her fellow cyclists had a long first day that took them down through Kent to Dover, and then on to the ferry across the channel.

 

From here, they then continued across France on what was a very long day.   She then continued across France over the next three days as the cyclists ended up at the foot of the Eiffel Tower on Saturday afternoon.

 

Laura was cycling in support of the Midlands Air Ambulance after her family had need of the helicopter in Kington when her father had been taken ill - fortunately he has since fully recovered.

 

Many congratulations again to Laura - this was an excellent effort and I am sure she would not mind me saying that she is still more than happy to take any donations that Pacers or their friends and family might be able to spare in support of her bike ride.

 

You can find Laura's Just Giving site here - so if you can spare a few quid in support of her efforts, go on - you know it makes sense...!

On a more general note...

 

Presteigne Pacers was founded in 1983. We are a small club of around 25 members of all abilities. We run from two miles to marathon distance and beyond. 

 

Please check out the 'News' page for all the latest details on what is going on - including entrants in the London marathon, and upcoming events organised by the club.