MERRY CHRISTMAS WITH MIRDIF MILERS

Plenty of running on offer with the Milers over the Christmas Period.

Thursday 25th Christmas trot pre turkey starting at Up Town School 1000. Route will be clockwise (lower half first) so if your late (like I probably will be) you should be able to meet up.

Friday 26th: ABRa’S 10 miler at the Meadows 0900

Saturday 27th: 0600 Al Khawaneej Vets for 15K

Sunday 28th: Islamic New Year 0530 at the Vets for 30K ish

Monday 29th: Milers Monday Night 1900 at Mushrif Park.

Friday 02nd January. 0600 at the vets for 20 -25K ish Please note that it’s a FRIDAY run to allow a team (s) entry for the DRR relay on the Saturday.

Saturday 03rd January Dubai Road Runners Relay Predictor 0830 Creek Park, Teams of 5. Any one up for this??? Please send me an email if your interested details can be found at http://www.dubai-road-runners.com/

Monday 05th January Milers Monday Night 1900 at Mushrif Park.

Friday 09th January: Dubai Creek Striders Creek Classic, a gentle 16K pre marathon.

Happy NEW YEAR!!!!!!!!

THE TWELVE COMMANDMENTS OF CHAMPIONS

The twelve commandments of Champions as per Barry Magee, Bronze medal winner at the Rome olympics and now a coach

1. They never give up.

2. They train 80% solo as they can get the pace right and learn how to fight alone.

3. They know that a race never really starts until half way or further.

4. It is not life or death if they can not train - it is much more serious than that (Love it!)

5. If the can not win, they will try for 2nd or 3rd or whatever.

6. If they lose they will come back next time to fight again and again and again

7. They do not know what they can not do!

8. They do not tell others what they can do - they show them.

9. If they are sick they go straight to bed after training.

10. They train once a day if they are sick or crippled with injury - otherwise at least twice a day.

11. They know they can run 30kms or more anytime because they have done it in training.

12. They always help and encourage lesser mortals because they know that they meet the same people on the way down as on the way up.

MILERS CAMEL GETS A MOVE ON

The new milers kit which will soon be available will sport the new Club Badge prepared by our Artistic Director Jim Varley. No more trotting camels for us only a full gallop will do!

RACE CALENDER UPDATE / MM RUNS

The ABRA's have added a 10 Mile race to the calender to be run on Boxing day 26th December 2008 at the Meadows. Entries can be made via their web site
http://www.abrasac.org/

The DRR 10K race scheduled for the 03rd January has been re scheduled for 13th March 2009.

The Mirdif Miler 10 Mile race will be held at Mushrif Park on the 27th February 2009.

DRR Predictor Pursuit Saturday 13th December 2008, Safa Park 1830 see http://www.dubai-road-runners.com/homepage.html for details.

The MM host the DCS run this Friday 12th December 2008 starting at Khawaneej Vets at 0600. There will be a 0530 start for an additional 5k for those who believe that 32K isn't far enough, as a friend of mine recently said "I still don't get the marathon, it just seems like a distance you pass on the way to somewhere else."

Monday runs will continue to be held in Mushrif Park at least until the end of December when "the committee" will make a decision on whether to return to the republic.

If you don't run with us over the next few weeks a Very Happy Christmas and a Fantastic New Year to you all from the Mirdif Milers

CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP

After the DCS 1/2 Marathon the Club Championship placings look like this (remember the lowest number of points taken from you best four performaces wins)

Gents

Chris McCann 2 events / 2 points

Dave Jackson 2 events / 5 points

Graham Spriggs 2 events / 6 points

Malcolm Gatenby 2 events / 7 points

Dave Forsythe 2 events / 8 points

Jim Varley 2 events /11 points

Craig Plumb 1 event / 2 points

Chris Homann 1 event / 3 points

Richard Thomas 1 event / 4 points

Martin Scadden 1 event / 7 points

Dominic Pilkington 1 event / 7 points

Chris Little 1 event / 8 points

Gavin Loy 1 event /9 points

Ladies

Elaine Forsythe 3 events /7 points

Anne Scadden 2 events / 2 points

Melissa Koch 2 events / 7 points

Amelia Varley 1 event / 2 points

Jane Colbeck 1 event / 3 points

On the subject of the club Championship results from the Abu Dhabi 1/2 Marathon and 10K have been disregarded as we only had one entry. The Standard chartered 10K is deleted as a counting race. The Abra's Boxing day 10 mile race is added.

DCS 1/2 MARATHON

On a perfect day for running the Milers had their largest entry yet, fifteen Milers towed the line, fourteen of us even managed to finish. There were some fantastic performances particuarly from Chris McCann, Malcolm Gatenby & Anne Scadden. Proof if it was needed that Saturday morning runs in Khawaneej make you quicker. Our Illustrious chairman Martin Scadden rounded off a truely awful week by dropping out on the Maktoum Bridge there is apaprently no truth in the rumour that the waft of cooking bacon from the Golf Club was the cause of his early departure from the course. Results were as follows (appologies if I have missed anyone out) All times have been rounded to the nearest minute (malcolm?).

Chris McCann 1st Male 35-40, 5th Overall 1-19
Jim Varley 1-35
Malcolm Gatenby 1-35 PB
Graham Spriggs 1-36 PB in this running life!
Dave Jackson 1-37
Craig Plumb 1-38
Gavin Loy 1-38 PB
Amelia Varley 1-41
Chris Little 1-42 PB
Dominic Pilkington 1-45 PB
Anne Scadden 3rd Female 45-50 1-46
Elaine Forsythe 2-07

Jane Colbeck 2-00
Melissa Koch 2-20

FESTIVE RUNNING WITH THE MILERS

The Festive season is almost upon us with holidays through out December so here is the proposed run schedule. ( To all our teachers who have the whole of December off, enjoy your trip home!)

Saturday 29th November 0500 al Khawaneej for 35K

National day 02nd December 0630 at khawaneej for 15 -20K with a 0530 start for the keen

and slightly mad

Friday 05th December DCS 1/2M (if you haven't entered you better hurry up)

Saturday 06th December 0700 at uptown for 10 – 15K Around Waaqa?

Eid probably 09/10/11 Al Khawaneej for 1 long run 30K Plus date to be decided

Friday 12th December Long run in Khawaneej will be on the Friday as MM Xmas

Bash in evening.

Friday 19th December Long run with Dubai Creek Striders at Khawaneej

Saturday 20th December 0700 10K around Mirdif?

Thursday 25th December 1030 10K around Mirdif?

Friday 26th December 0700 for the Milers Boxing day run, somewhere around the

creek with Brunch!

Saturday 27th December Khawaneej long run

Monday 29th December Islamic New year AM Al Khawaneej PM Milers on Monday

Monday 29th Islamic new year a Double day Morning & Evening?

Tuesday 01st January Your'e on your own!

MUSHRIF MILERS???

We have temporarily shifted our club runs to Mushrif park until such time as we sort out disclaimers etc. Meet at the Al Khawaneej road end of the approach road at 1900. AED 3 to enter the park on foot. AED 5 for drinks provided by the club.

THE MAGNIFICENT EIGHT PLUS ONE MIRDIF MILERS MUNICH MARATHONERS

Alternatively ANOTHER CITY, ANOTHER MARATHON, ANOTHER GARAGE

Once again our illustrious chairman upheld club honour by stopping a Shell garage at 40K to but a bottle of Coca Cola, this man is a legend in his own lifetime.

Otherwise the Milers annual Marathon trip was without any major controversy, we all travelled on the same plane, all stayed in the same hotel and we didn't lose anyone all weekend, we must be getting either soft or organised!

Eight Milers and our latest "Country Member" Gerard trained, entered and ran Munich Marathon, all nine crossed the finish line. The magnificent nine were

Chris McCann 3-06

Dave Jackson 3-43

Malcolm Gatenby 3-45

Gavin Loy 3-47

Colin Foreman 4-11

Gary Wells 4-12

Dominic Pilkington 4-12

Gerard McHugh 4-29

Martin Scadden 4-40

Special congratulations must go to the Marathon Virgins, Gary, Dominic, Gerard, lets hope that their the first of many more marathons for all three.

Special moment of the tour

Malcolm G " Don't worry I speak German, Nine tickets please whilst holding up 5 fingers!

New Official Club Positions

Martin Scadden: Club Nutritionist. Anyone looking for advice on a healthy marathon training diet should avoid asking Martin. A special feature on his amazing diet will be featured here shortly.

Dominic Pilkington: TEAM DAD Dominic spent all weekend making sure we got on the right train, carried the kitty and generally kept the troops in order.

THE SOCIAL ELEMENT

Following the run copious amounts of beer were consumed firstly in a Beer Garden in the middle of an allotment plot (we find them!) thence to the Hofhaus for the traditional steins of beer, it went downhill from then on.

Congratulations to all Nine, lets see you all running Dubai marathon come January in a Milers Vest.

2008 / 2009 CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP

CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP

Once again we will be running our club championship, however with a slightly different method from last year. last year the male and Female club champions were the only two to complete all three of the designated races, given that we all get injured, travel etc we have come up with a different format for this season to give more members a chance to become the club champion.

Award will be made based upon your best four results from the following scheduled races:
18 Sept 08 - DRR Iftar Challenge/ 5k
17 Oct 08 - ABRaS 10K
14 Nov 08 - Abu Dhabi Half Marathon
14 Nov 08 - Abu Dhabi 10k
05 Dec 08 - DCS Half Marathon
03 Jan 09 - DRR 10k
16 Jan 09 - Dubai SC Marathon
16 Jan 09 - Dubai SC 10k
03 Feb 09 - RAK Half Marathon
xx Feb 09 - Mirdif Milers 10 Miles
27 Mar 09 - ABRas 10K

All results will be age graded to a 30 year old Male or Female as applicable.
Points will be awarded based upon your race position after age grading relative to the other Competing MMMembers. The higher you finish in the respective male / female field the lower your points i.e. 1st place receives one point, 2nd place receives two points, etc.

The title of Club Champion will be awarded to the male and female with the lowest points total from their best four races. In the event of a draw for Club Champion the results of those drawing will be extended to consider the best five results, the best six results, etc, until a clear champion is established.

Only those running in Mirdif Milers vest will be eligible. At least one counting race must be a half or full marathon.

Lastly appologies to the ABRa's for blatant stealing of their club championship rules but they are better than our old ones!

So following the IFTAR CHALLENGE initial places after age grading look like this

GUYS

1 Chris McCann 16-30
2 Dave Jackson 18-06
3 Malcolm Gatenby 18-31
4 Richard Thomas 18-34
5 Jim Varley 20-15
6 Dave Forsythe 21-03
7 Mars Scadden 21-44

GIRLS

1 Anne Scadden 20-53
2 Elaine Forsythe 23-44