MILER DEFEATS BEN NEVIS

Founding Member Pete Larkin ran the Ben Nevis Fell race in his milers vest, sadly no photos but his (brief) report is below.


Weather shyte hence no photos but you be glad to hear that a Miler's vest made it to the top (and back) of this year's Ben Nevis Race. Yours truely completing Saturday's race in 2:36 ... outside the target time of 2:30 (could make excuses such as Weather : Rain - of the West Coast horizontal variety viz <15m above 2000 ft. but what's the point?

Hard race but good craic - needless to say, nobody can touch me in the 'Douglas Bader Impersonation' stakes today !!

Adios,

MIRDIF MILERS CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP

The Milers Club Championship is born. The champion will be the best aggregate time for three races, namely

Dubai Creek Striders 1/2 Marathon

Mirdif Milers 10 Miler

Dubai Road Runners 10K

All times will be age and sex graded using the calculator on http://www.marathonguide.com/

Rules

1. All entrants must have run a minimum of three Monday night club runs in the republic of Mirdifovia.

2. Possess the official club kit.

3. Email the VC on djackson@nobledenton-me.com of their intention to take part.

4. The VC's word on age & sex grading is Final!

5. If you are only a member of MM's then all three runs must be run in club kit, if you are also a DCS or DRR then the races organised by those clubs should be run in their kit.

A suitable Trophy will no doubt be presented to the winner!

COMRADE CHAIRMAN SCADDS

COMRADE SCADDEN IN HIS OWN WORDS

Having complete five marathons in the UAE in the last seven years the time was right for a bigger goal my fellow comrade in Mirdif told me after some red grape juice one afternoon in the sunny republic at his sons birthday party!!!!!

Comrades Marathon 2007 was scheduled for 17th June which coincided with my 40th Birthday and so the goal was set.

Having looked at the 16 week plan I considered it was doable and so I commenced the regular early morning sessions in Mirdif accompanied by my training partner.

Having run in the marathon in Zurich on April Fools day my plan was coming together and the deadline for entry getting closer in early May. It was then I realised when the flights were booked I was past the point of no return...the ultimate running challenge was on.

Having completed over 1000kms on the road in 4 months along with a brutal 60k run in the high 30s in Dubai I was ready at the end of May for the Taper as the experts say.

I reached the day before the flight and my comrades training partner fell badly sick and was unable to travel so I traveled alone to Durban.

Having relaxed watching cricket, rugby and eating pasta for a day the morning of the race arrived at 130am I joined the other hotel guests who were running for breakfast and then joined then in the mini bus to Pietermariztburg.

With temperatures at the start at 3 or 4 degrees I was glad I had bought my throw away bobble hats and gloves. The cannon went after the cock had crowed and we were off for the eleven hour trot to Durban.

The trick I had been told was to not rush the first 20 k s and walk the up hills and I was only too willing to take this advice.

The atmosphere was great and in particular the encouragement received from all those around you as an international runners was very helpful.

At half way (45 kms) I was very comfortable and although 15 minutes inside the cut off I was confident I could roll down the hills to Durban. When my watch ran out of power with 21 kms to go all I had to do now was ask the time along the way.

The final 10 kms and the finish at the Kingsmeade Cricket Ground was really quite an experience and having finished with a bronze medal in under eleven hours, crossing the line actually just makes you say a want to do it again next year.

The support from family, friends and work colleagues was fantastic and can I just thank all the guys at work in particular Colin Pickering, Malcolm Murphy and Nigel Harvey for there help and support in the lead up to, during and after the event.

LOVING THE LANES

The VC ran Halstead Marathon in Essex on Sunday in 3-55-50, thoroughly enjoyable but wet! Appologies for running in a non Milers kit, but two pounds off the entry for entering as a Trotter is too good a deal! There were plenty of hills to test out the Comrades legs, another recommended event run by runners for runners, no FLM hype here!

NOT A LOT IS WHAT WEVE GOT

Not a huge amount going on right now. The local racing season is over and Martin & Dave continue to plod out the miles to be ready for Comrades. Our regular runs continue on Mondays and Saturdays though now the summer has arrived the Saturday run is a 0530 start. The Milers have a table for the Road Runners end of season bash at the Country Club on Thursday the 3rd, contact Martin if you wish to join us. On Monday 07th May its the May social at Elaines after the club run. We have 6 birthdays next week, Carol, Elaine, Amelia, Chris, Jim & Dave! Does this prove that you have to be a Taurean to be a Miler?

ARE YOU A COMRADES WANABEE?

If any of you want to find out what running a Ultra feels like then you are welcome to join Martin & Dave on their epic 60K trek across Dubai next Friday. Were going to start at 0400 from UpTown Mirdif School for a trot (and it will be a trot!) through Mizhar, Al Mulla Plaza, Hamiyah port, Corniche, Shindagha, Trade centre to join up with the DCS run and then continue to who knows where until we reach the magic 60K. Plan is then to retire to the Country club and drink Stella! Feel free to join us for all or part of this epic trek!

CUBAN PETE CHILLS IN THE CAIRNGORMS

The attached photo was received from founding member "Cuban" Pete Larkin. This is probably the first outing for a MM vest in sub zero conditions... However the photographic evidence does not actually show anyone wearing a MM vest, there again you would have to be completely mental to only be wearing a MM vest in those conditions.

So MM vests have now been sighted in Scotland, Switzerland, South Africa...Where next? Jumeriah???

ONE MILER, TWO OCEANS, THIRTY FIVE MILES

The VC proving that the MM vest travels well!

Starting in the dark at 0620 on a blustery Capetown day the VC set off determined to run his own race for once and not some misguided attempt to run a time. Hence a leisurely trot was the order of the day. The first two or three K were slow due to the sheer numbers of runners on the road and the first 10K passed in just under 1 hour. By then we were running along the Indian Ocean coast through Kalk Bay & Fish Hoek. Eventually after about 30 K we came to the first hill of any note, Chapmans peak. I was determined to run this all the way and helped by the wind on my back I did. On creasting the top I promptly fell over a cats eye! The run down in to Hout Bay was scenic but the wind was almost as much of a hinderance as the gravity assistance was a help!

After seeing the family at Hout Bay I crossed the marathon point in 4-03 and then the wheels fell off! The long 5K walk to the top of Constantia Nek was hot and torrid, but several cups of coke and a ice cream latter the legs decided to function again and i trotted down the far side to finish in a satisfactory 5-38. All in all I can recommend this run to anyone looking for a manageable Ultra and a holiday in a beautiful place.

Congratulations to Marek (4- 48) Jane (5-09) and Margret (6-38) for their runs and just a note to a certain Mr Murphy, Marek and Jane whilst having complied with the MM membership rules given that they have run in Mirdif on a Monday Night chose to run in DCS Vests but will be opening negotiations for their entry into our ever growing team of relay runners shortly.

Now bring on Comrades! Have It!

THE ZURICH GNOME DISPLAYS HIS MEDAL

Our very own Gnome displays his medal.
Your chairman landed at midday and imeadiately headed off to secure a marathon entry..no need to worry lots of non runners looking to sell thier numbers back to wandering gnomes from mirdovia!!!!!!Job done it was back to the digs for a chinky and staight to bo bos!!
Rest day on sat and there is snow on the ground and time to buy some slinky running tights very fetching...the chairman always was in touch with his feminine side with the next club polos shirts likely to be pink!!!!
The morning of the match arrives and although no snow today its brass monkeys at 530am on the way to catch the train to the start.
Get off the train and the scarily efficient swiss weigh your chairman and then offload his bag into the numbered railway carriages. Stood alone with 5000 other runners proudly dispaying his respendent club vest the chairman picks the 415 pacemaker as a target!!!!!
Ahead of schedule at 10 and 21 k he runs at under 6mins a k untill hitting the wall at 25 to 32 k....untill refuelling with loads of Pepsi at 34 k and then found a new lease of life the belt past loads of stragglers in the last 7 k running at just over 5minutes a k pace for the last 5k.....just like the night he won the xmas handicap..no cramp and loads in the tank as he crossed the line!!!!!!!Weird feeling having crawled over the line in dubai and ad 5 times!!!!!!!!
Great event great atmosphere with loads of support on route very flat course and good temperature for running in the end...suggest a milers field trip next easter????
Your Illustrious Chairman Scadds

CHAIRMAN CANTERS COURSE TO CLAIM PB

Our Illustrious chairman scampered to a PB yesterday in the 2007 Zurich Marathon. His splits are below, we await his detailed report and photo's!

3419. Scadden Martin 1967 UAE-Dubai 4:18.42,0 2:10.22,8 (9658) M40 799. 6.07 ¦ 1:02.05 3665.¦ 1:02.34 3677.¦ 1:05.50 3464.¦ 1:08.11 3120.¦

Congratulations to the two further Dubai runners whom competed, Andrea Manetti ran 3-17-54 (Andrea has run with the Milers so we'll claim him for ourselves!)and the astonishing Antonio Di Somma who ran a 2-57-21 at the age of 53. This I might add age grades Antonio at 88% (that is his performance is 88% when compared to the world record for a athlete of his age) anything over 90% is normally considered a world class time. Yes he is that good.