Farewell from Village Road Runners

It is with great sadness that I have to report that our running club folded last week after over 25 years. Thank you to all those who supported Dave Goodall who has been an inspiration. Our club was always an official exercise class of the Village Hotel. Our sincere thanks to leisure manager Mark Critchley and the hotel who have been so generous and supportive.

Message from Alex

If anyone keen to do this for my works charity please chat me up….I mean to discuss the race obvs!

Alex Bee

From The Bloom Appeal

Have you set any resolutions for 2020? If you’re trying to get fit this year, why not set yourself a goal to keep you on track? Sign up for a race and run for Bloom! We’ll give you loads of support and encouragement, help with your fundraising activities, and a bold bright red tshirt to wear with pride on race day!

Upcoming local events include:

🏃‍♀️Run Aintree 5K, 10K & Half Marathon – Saturday 1st Februrary

🏃‍♂️Liverpool Half Marathon: Sunday 15th March

🏃‍♀️Mersey Tunnel 10K: Sunday 19th April

🏃‍♂️Liverpool Rock n Roll Marathon: Saturday 23rd & Sunday 24th May

Fancy it? Let us know in the comments or email fundraising@thebloomappeal.org.uk

Farewell 2019!

Farewell to 2019 🎉🎉🍾🍺🏃🏻‍♂️🏃‍♀️ what a great turnout to what’s been another great year of running for all at VRR, yes another twelve months have passed us by quicker than what Steven Leslie can run 😉😉. The year started off with several runners competing in the four villages half marathon 💪 all those hills so early in the year 😫 then of course, the winter handicap, the one most of us dread 🥺 but still give it our best , Charlie Anderson 🏃🏻‍♂️and Carolyn Brennan 🏃‍♀️ the worthy champions 🏆. Into February, races in Wrexham and a new club record for the females in the village bakery half by Katie Stuthridge 👏👏. March brought us two tours, the first in Benidorm 🇪🇸 a night race half or 10k which was enjoyed by all, solely because we could spend more time on the beach 🌞🏖during the day, special mentions to Marc Williams for his Chester 50 mile challenge and Shaun Sager in the Barcelona marathon 👏👏, after Benidorm it was back on the ✈️ to Pathos 🇨🇾🇬🇷 to sample Cypriot hospitality for the second spring tour, again blessed by the weather 🌞, myself, Gary Jenkinson and Donna Mckeown toiled in the sometimes lonely landscape during the Half Marathon, the rest of the group sampling the 10k, but again a hugely successful tour. Next it was April, the London Marathon, I was lucky to be pulled out of the hat during the club ballot for this, my second attempt at this iconic race, but i wasn’t the only competitor representing the club, Jennifer Keenan also had a brilliant run 🏃‍♀️💪. The races were coming thick and fast now, May saw most of us head back down to the capital for the vitality Westminster races, while Raul Mur and Dave Leece took on the Rock and Roll Liverpool Marathon and Half Marathon 🏅🏅the bling is mounting up, and a “ sneaky “ trip to Geneva 🇨🇭for me, Mark Daniels and Jo Dutton ,halfway through the year and it’s the Summer Handicap and the summer champions were Jo Dutton 🏃‍♀️and Tony Clixby 🏃🏻‍♂️ two worthy winners, Tony overcoming injuries that had blighted him since the travelator mishap , so it was great to see him back to his best 👏. July saw a group of us take on a challenge with a difference, a 17 mile run, walk, bit of both for a good cause, dementia.. calling in at various nursing homes for refreshments before finishing one off with a celebratory party 🎉🍾. August was the quietest month, just the Tuesday and Thursday runs, except for one runner..Sue Hadley, she went one better by jumping out of an aeroplane 🛩🪂 for a charity skydive, huge respect 👏, September and a “ sneaky “ trip to Vilnius 🇱🇹 in Lithuania for some of us 😉. October saw the Autumn Tour to Ghent 🇧🇪 and this was an outstanding choice courtesy of John Milward, the city had everything, the marathon which Steven Leslie and Raul Mur completed, the rest doing the half, 10k or 5k, some doing two in a day, but the beers 🍺 as prizes swayed that 😂, this place will be visited again in the future I’m sure, also in this month congratulations went to Ian Evans and Shaun Sager for brilliance in the Chicago Marathon 🇺🇸, Ian defying hamstring trouble to charge through 👏. November is of course..who’s going to be rejected for London..basically most who entered, but it makes the club place ballot one of the highlights of the winter.. this time it’s Marc Williams turn to do the club proud 👏. So there it is.. a great year of running, but we have had loads of laughs on the way, forgetful Dave losing his keys at the Hilbre run, a shoe in a cow pat muddy field in storeton 😂😂 three great fancy dress pub runs, Amy Walker and the Bowling nights and crazy summer picnics, summer and winter parties 🎉 🎉🍺🍾🕺🏼💃, a truly fantastic year I reckon.. Now we get to do it all again in 2020 👍 can’t wait.. Have a great New Year everybody involved in this amazing running club, and let’s have a happy, healthy, prosperous one 🍺🍺🍺🍾

John Brown

December race starts

There were a lot of VRR participants in various races this month (many involving beards and red hats!) and park runs were done locally. It’s good to see some of our much younger runners taking part too this month! A total of 214k – approx. 134 miles – were run in races.

December races

West Kirby Santa Dash

2k Olivia Critchley, Jamie Goodall, Lisa Critchley, Will Critchley, Jennie Langston, George Langston, Donna McKeown

5k Andy Crowe , Emma Evans, Carolyn Brennan , Trish Monks, Anne Fleming, Jo Dutton, Ian Evans, Jackie Allison, John Brown

10k Steve Leslie, Brian Seal , John Brown,Phil Allison

Liverpool Santa Dash

Joe McCardle, Emily McCardle, Mel McCardle, Lucy McCardle, Laura Reece, Mo Osborne , Amanda Parkinson , Debbie Spencer

Buxton Litton Christmas cracker 7.5 miles

Donna McKeown

Gail Stuthridge

Steve Stuthridge

Andy Lacey

Hawarden Estate winter 10k trail race

Carolyn Brennan, Trish Monks

Aintree 5k

Tim Plested

Arrowe Park Trail Race

Brian Seal

Gail Stuthridge

Steve Stuthridge

Gerry Owens

Charlie Anderson

And finally, a challenge! Here’s DONNA with her 2019 medal haul! This year she picked up 20 – can you beat her in 2020??!!

VRR party night!

💃🕺🏼🎤🎄Oh what a night, mid December in the Lever Club..yes, it was the annual Christmas party, a great occasion when we can all get our glad rags on,get together and after a year of hard running 🏃‍♀️ 🏃🏻‍♂️we can let our hair down, and last night was no exception. Pre dance drinking 🍾🍺🍷🥃 and a grand buffet 🍗🥓🍤🥪🍱 to start off with before we headed into the “ strictly come dancing “ ballroom, hosted by the legendary king of disco 🎤 Dave Leece belting out the classics to get the 🎉 in full swing as well as Grandad Dave’s traditional “ heads or tails “ game, Marc Williams being the victor this year. Then onto the serious stuff, the dancing 🕺🏼💃 some serious moves going on here, and of course..nobody dances like Garry Swaby, his chair routine with Steven Leslie wowing the judges 😂 tens all round for that 👏👏 it couldn’t be topped but there was some serious contenders, could hardly get Jennie Brown off the dance floor ( though it meant I could spend more time at the bar 😉 ) and I did resist partaking in the jäger bomb challenge 🤪 I wonder who will suffer the most this morning 🤢😂 But it was again a great night, well organised, again thanks to all involved, and well done to Barry Cottier who won himself entry to the Chester Half Marathon 👏🏃🏻‍♂️. Next stop..The Christmas Eve green lodge run. Happy Christmas Everybody still have fun 👍