Running and solving clues in silly outfits what more could you want!
Its not often you get to play a board game whilst running but at FLRC anything is possible . I am not sure if the residents of Ferring knew what had hit them on Saturday morning, when a whirlwind of Foxy Ladies blew into the village!
A chilly wind gusted them into the car park at Bluebird Café, which they arrived at after solving the first online clue. Once at the starting point, the teams were given the rules and set off to find the murder location, weapon used and the culprit, along with a map and Cluedo tick sheet.
The amazing super sleuths
Viva Las FoxysClucking BrilliantTwister SistersDeviant DivasFoxy Bureau of InvestigationThe Baywatch BabesAin’t got a ClueG’s n TGives us an F
Whatever was missing in terms of rooms, suspect and weapon was the answer.
Always fair always inclusive
As always with every other foxy summer challenge we have ever done, we make it as fair as possible and available to all, regardless of pace and ability, age and fitness. Points were awarded based on the following.
Team Criteria – to include the following members, youth, vintage, injured (allowed to travel on wheels – we had scooters and bikes!) newbie and from a different running session.
Best team names
Outfits
First to start
Best pic with a banana
First to finish
Best video or photo collage showing their morning
Solving the murder
The Suspects
Our fab run leaders were dressed as the Cluedo suspects and dotted around various locations in Ferring that were marked on the team’s map. These along with lots of lovely Foxy volunteers, who were manning other locations and hiding weapons, were where the teams headed in their quest to solve the murder.
Always a little hidden challenge
Upon arrival at a location, they asked the suspect or volunteer for the room and in return for the answer, either had to perform a physical exercise, answer a question, roll a dice or perhaps even tell a joke, sing a tune or recite the alphabet backwards! The same system took place for the weapon and then they just had to guess who the suspect was by what they were wearing which I had hoped was obvious!
Mapping it out
They could choose to run to all locations and get extra bonus points, or try and solve it and hot foot it back to the start for maximum points.
Once all the detective teams were back and gave in their accusations, they then refreshed with watermelon and oranges and we announced the murderer, room and weapon.
It wasn’t until much later Saturday evening when all the teams had submitted their videos and photo collages that I was able to announce the results, once I had finished laughing at what they had all been up to in Ferring.
Congratulations to all our members that took part and to The Baywatch Babes that won. As ever, this was just for fun so all they won was the kudos of coming first but they were happy with that.
Thank you to all the run leaders and all the volunteers without whom it wouldn’t be possible to put on events like this. A big Thank You to the understanding member of the public in Ferring, local shop owners and the bus drivers!
There is always a lot to celebrate at Foxy Ladies with so many inspiring women in our club, we do like to make a fuss of our marathon runners and this year is no exception. With seven members taking on Brighton and a whopping ten in the London Marathon, we believe it’s an absolute bumper year for us and defiantly worth a mention.
Wet n wintery training
So many of our ladies battled through a very wet winter in their bid to get all their necessary training done. Some missed weeks due to injury or illness, but soon bounced back and were back on plan or altered their existing one as required. What was wonderful to witness (and is ever present in our club) was the magnitude of support for the ladies, both during their training runs and then in attending various fundraising events for the charities that some of the ladies organised. The fundraising amount required by charities is quite high these days, so the ladies had to work hard on different events to raise the money for their race place and chosen charity.
First Timers
We had lots of first-time marathon runners at both events, but you wouldn’t have noticed as they efficiently executed their lap of glory to collect that all important medals. Smiles all round from our runners, some stopping for much needed hugs and supplies and others cracking on against the clock. They were all truly amazing and no doubt have already inspired next year’s entrants amongst the club.
Supporters
Again, the support at both races, from the rest of the Foxy members was phenomenal, turning out in their groups in the cold wind (that was present on both the big races) to cheer on their friends, ring bells and provide snacks and hugs as required. Some members ran over to Brighton to support and tick off another training run at the same time, we also had our usual cycle support crew go over. Messages of support were sent, cards and gifts given and lots of love was sent their way on the day. With many ladies supporting from home by watching the tracking app and tuning in on the telly to capture the moment they crossed the line.
Keeping up the tradition
It is always a Foxy tradition to meet up the next day at Sea Lane Cafe for a cuppa or breakfast to celebrate our Marathon legends and to see their medals and hear their stories and of course capture the famous beach shot! Well done to all our marvellous marathoners!
Foxy classic
We also celebrated Leah Simms collecting her classics medal after the London Marathon. To get this whopper of a medal, Leah also had to endure the “Ride London 100” mile bike ride and the “Swim the Serpentine” 2-mile river swim! She’s one tough cookie and brilliant at all three disciplines, she regularly takes part in triathlons as well as coaching triathletes. Congratulations Leah what a mega medal!
Ultra distances achieved
From road marathons to Ultra trail marathons. Amy Perry one of our supreme Ultra distance runners, quietly took on the South Downs Way 50-mile challenge just a couple of weeks ago. This mammoth run was from Worthing to Eastbourne with lots of hills along the way. Amy had been packing in training around work and family life often running long distances back-to-back in preparation. She has now also invested in some poles after seeing other runners have success with them in other ultra events. Amy was worried about making the 13-hour cut off time but came in with plenty of time to spare, true testament to all her training and prep. This is Amy’s longest run to date, but I am not sure it is her last. Way to go Amy this is an outstanding achievement.
Off to the seaside
A gorgeous sunny day saw five foxes take on the Ultraviolet “Run to the Sea” 50km https://www.ultravioletrun.co.uk/. Starting in the beautiful grounds of Christ’s Hospital and following the downs link route to Bramber, this stunning run then took a turn upwards to incorporate Truleigh Hill, Devils Dyke and other such climbs. It was the gift that kept on giving but so worth it for the amazing views and peaceful countryside. All these ladies were first time Ultra runners, but have done road marathons before, (some only a couple of weeks ago) so this was unknown territory for them. The support from Foxy members along the route was incredible as well as friends and family. Everyone came in with smiles on their faces for what they had just achieved. Amazing efforts ladies.
Then finishing in Mid Sussex
11 Foxes took on and completed the Mid Sussex 3-day marathon event https://midsussexmarathon.co.uk/. With three different start points, East Grinstead-10 miles, Haywards Heath-10 miles, and Burgess Hill-6 miles, it makes for an interesting run. These runners experienced all weather fronts too and over varying terrains …trails, hills, mud up to their ankles and a little bit of road running thrown into the mix too. Some say it’s harder to do then a marathon in a day, as you eat, sleep, run, repeat but that didn’t put them off and neither did the relentless rain. On completing day 3 they could then collect their beautiful medals that all stack together. Awesome job ladies.
Think Richard Whitely and Carol Vorderman then erase that from your mind and think more along the lines of Jimmy Carr, Rachel Ripley and inflatable hippos, buzzing bees, Harry Potters and nuns!! This is how Saturday 1st July unfolded.
The Challenge
All our summer challenges are designed to be a free fun event for club members to bring different people together that may not have met before and to have a laugh.
The challenge this year simply put ….was a letter running relay with questions to solve a conundrum.
In more detail….Members of the club were invited to form teams of six to take part. Bonus points were given if they included a new member, a vintage one (60+), a youth member, an injured fox, and someone from a different training session.
A clue was released on our private Facebook page at 8am to give the location of the meet up point. This turned out be Shoreham FootBridge on the beach side.
The injured team member (Team member no 1 -TM1) was left at the Footbridge where they would take part in a quiz and a series of challenges, including some conundrums and earn vital points for the team. The rest of the team were given clues to the next location where they found a former Countdown presenter (marshal). Each marshal asked a question to the next team member and when they got that right, they would be given some letters to run back to TM1. TM1 collected the letters which would form a conundrum once all the other 5 members were back at base. The distance between team members was approximately 0.5 miles, spread along the river path. Each time they received the letters, they had to run back to the team member before them.
The Teams
Teams submitted their team names prior to the event and were awarded points for clever, funn,y or imaginative names.
Team names included The Rule Breakers, 6 go Conundrunning, The Yabbadabadoos, The Bounty Hunters, Taking The Mickey, Potters Plodders to name but a few.
As 0815 rolled around so the teams appeared, and the efforts that had gone into the costumes and the characters was not only amazing but hilarious. Points were awarded to the teams in the order in which they arrived.
From Top to Bottom : Hungry Hippos, The Proud Foxies and The Rule Breakers looking like they are lost!
The Points
As well as TM1 gathering points from the quiz, bonus points were given over the course of the morning for other achievements. Team names and outfits earnt points along with answering the questions at each marshal point and having a picture taken with a wooden object. They also obtained points by solving the conundrum, being the first team back with all the letters and for producing a photo collage or video of their morning. This levels out the fairness so it’s not all about the running or the speed at which you can complete the task.
Entertaining the Public
In past challenges, the public have absolutely loved being entertained by the antics and this year was no different. We had people sitting and watching the quiz take place whilst various team members ran back in their fancy dress over the footbridge with the letters. Ladies asking to join the club saying, “this is just what I am looking for”. After the event, we were told, that café owners were happy as customers bought extra drinks as they wanted to stay and watch the action along the high street. Some people took to social media sharing their pics and wondering what it was all about … just some women who love running having a bit of fun!
The Queen Bees
The Bounty Hunters
The Vixen People
The Yabbadabados
6 go Conundrunning
The Winners
It’s always a close race in terms of points and this year Potters Plodders claimed 1st place, just pipping The Rule Breakers to the post by 40 points. Closely followed by joint third place winners 6 go Conundrunning and The Queen Bees. To be honest everyone has such a fun morning that the winning is just the icing on the cake.
Thank you
Big thank you to all the marshals for giving up their time on a Saturday morning to help set up and be part of the madness. Massive thanks to all the teams that took part you went to so much thought and effort with the team names and outfits. Lastly thank you to Shoreham residents for putting up with our shenanigans hope you enjoyed the show!
Top row: Bottoms up, , D’Ice Maidens, Taking the Mickey. 2nd row: The marshals, Winers – Potters Plodders, Alll the teams.
It’s been a bit busy over the last 6 months…. what have we been up to?
London to BrightonBike Ride
Back in June last year, a group of Foxes who had previously signed up in 2019 (pre pandemic) to the London to Brighton Bike Ride, finally got to take part. Ten members (plus a friend of the foxes Laura) swapped their running trainers for wheels, to challenge themselves and raise money for the British Heart Foundation https://www.bhf.org.uk/how-you-can-help/events/london-to-brighton-bike-ride a charity close to many of their hearts.
With Leah (a tri-athlete and former half iron man competitor) at the helm, the group all trained hard. Often enduring the strong winds along the south’s coastal paths on lengthy training rides from Worthing to places like Rottingdean and back, or Bognor. Their training had to incorporate hills in preparation for some of the nasty ones along the route, thankfully this is something they all were familiar with from their hill running sessions.
The ladies meticulous planning and logistical prep worked well, however the hostel was 3 miles from the start at Clapham Common. Even with the scheduled start times the sheer number of participants and bikes on the road was overwhelming on occasions but spread out after the first 10 miles. The group naturally divided with the miles but they ensured in true foxy style that no fox was left behind. Sticking to one of the two groups of ladies they waited for each other at the fuel stops that were really well placed every few miles along the route. Extra vaseline, sun cream, food and hydration were applied, eaten and drunk when necessary and they considered themselves really lucky with the weather and only a couple of minor scrapes and no punctures! Ditchling Beacon was certainly a challenge and all the ladies were chuffed with their achievements up that mighty hill, some managing it non stop.
All of the Foxy ladies Go Cycling group made it to the finish line triumphant, relieved and tired but absolutely buzzing with excitement at completing it. They then had another few miles to get to Hove Station for bike pick up and the journey home. Even more rewarding was a few days after the ride seeing that they had raised over £2500 and in the top 5% of fundraisers for the event.
Leaving the HostelAt the startAll smiles at top of the BeaconWe made it to the top of Ditchling BeaconFeeling great at the finish
Swim n Run
Every summer for the first Monday of each month the Foxy Ladies pitch up at Arundel Lido at 6pm and swim 16th lengths and then run a 5km and why not! We encourage all our members to try something different whether its this or something else. This is a great way without any pressure to try out a mini aquathlon and to see if its for you before committing to a race.
Its about the experience and sharing that experience with others that leaves people feeling so exhilarated after. Everyone that tried it out for the first time last year was so delighted that they had done it and said they would not have done it without the club and other members support but couldn’t wait for the next opportunity to try it again.
The Lido is in an ideal location for a road or trail run after a brisk outdoor swim and the stunning Arundel Castle it’s back drop. The ladies hop out the water pull on their trainers and run off straight away to replicate minimal transition times as if they were to race. The Lido are very accommodating and staff always happy to help so why not give it a try.https://arundel-lido.com/
June 2022August 2022
Races ….so many races
As a club we take part in so many races every month so we often don’t really mention them apart from on our own club or personal social media. In 2022 we saw an absolutely magnificent amount of races and members attending them, mainly due to the fact that so many were postponed in the previous years. What we love as always is trying a new or different race, supporting our ladies around a course and being at the end for the all important race finish and obligatory pics.
We tried out the new trail race at National Trust Leonardslee Gardens. That was a bit different, few different laps and a bit hilly in places and lots of lovely statues, trees and plants to look at whilst we ran. https://www.leonardsleegardens.co.uk/all-events/seasonal-series
Chilly LeonardsLee start
Soon warmed up by the end
Medal pose!
Marathon Heroes
Our ladies race for themselves, but also often with others in mind. Usually for reasons very close to their hearts, sometimes for lost loved ones or their own personal challenges with illnesses. Most raising money for national or local charities. Whatever their reason or motivation they are never alone, the support on training runs from others foxy members or on the side lines is always immense.
This year our ever inspiring members did that again training relentlessly through the summer for October Marathons, in London, Loch Ness and Beachy Head. They captured our hearts following their training journeys and then seeing them in action on the day. Well done to all our Marathon Heroes and Ultra-Marathon runners this year.
Supporting at Tower BridgeSara Hunter with all of her marathon medalsEmma Kirwin with her Loch Ness medalDonna Wignall & Amy Perry Run to the Sea Ultramarathon Oct 20222(From left to right) Claire Boak, Heather Wincell, Jennifer Freeman and Philippa Barker with their London Marathon medals.
The races continued with a small group travelling up North for the Great North Run and loving the route atmosphere and experience but perhaps not the travelling involved. We had another bumper turn out for the Great South Run, many doing it for the first time and making it their furthest distance, so it was good to talk about it afterwards over dinner at a great local restaurant.
Enjoying a nice meal after the 10 mile event.
Many more races have happened over the last 6 months too many to mention. We always attend the Chestnut Tree House Littlehampton 10km https://www.chestnut-tree-house.org.uk/events/littlehampton10k/ in September and every year the Foxes swarm in their masses to support Worthing 10km. This year it was in October, which was a refreshing change from the usual hot day we usually experience in June. Again, we saw many ladies complete this distance for their first time or come away with some great personal bests, all staying to cheer in the last foxy.
Learn to Run … done!
We also squeezed a new “learn to Run Course ” in September on a Thursday evening. We were delighted when all the ladies went on to graduate late in October, supported by existing Foxy members on a blustery seafront run. Completing their non-stop 5km and obtaining their certificate with pride. This group now have their own session they attend regularly.
Festive Frolics
The year finished with our usual festive antics. Our running routes included the charity lights in the Offington area and Saxifrage way. We also the obligatory town lights run and Soldier Trail that has become a familiar event in the Foxy Calendar. We had a huge turn out for the festive park run on Christmas Eve, some members achieving pbs even dressed as elves!!
After Christmas we completed our annual Pier to Pier run. This year opting for the wind behind us and running from Worthing to Brighton instead before catching the train home. Last but by no means least approximately 30 members turned out in the pouring rain to get even wetter and muddier at the Brutal. https://brutal.run/events This is an 8km course in the old Army base in Longmoor, Hampshire on New Years Eve. With waist high water, steep hills and muddy bogs to crawl through everyone did so well to come back with smiles on their faces and both shoes on their feet. We had whole families take part and we have the ultimate respect for our junior girls that took part that day as water levels were so high and conditions very bleak.
That concludes the end to another fun packed running year for the Foxy Ladies Running Club. Can’t wait to see what’s in store for 2023.
Following Foxy Ladies fundraising efforts at The First ever Cissbury Ring Marathon Relay 2021 we were delighted to raise enough money to buy two defibrillators through Sussex Heart Charity’s https://sussexheartcharity.org/ grant scheme. The grant, once approved, means your organisation contributes for the cost of the defibrillator and in return you receive a heated defib outer case, a Heartsine AED and AED familiarisation training for 10 people with Pulse South Coast https://pulsesouthcoast.co.uk/. We were really grateful to be able to apply and be approved for two defibs through this scheme.
The Cissbury Marathon Relay event
In Loving memory
The fundraising was done by the members of Foxy Ladies Running Club, both adult and youth squad. It was in memory of Nick Votta, life partner of one of our dear long-term members Sam Merrick. Nick’s life was sadly taken too soon when he suffered a cardiac arrest in June 2021. Nick was a valued and respected member of the Findon Valley Community who loved walking up Cissbury Ring all year round.
Nick Votta
It was important to both Sam and the ladies of the club to try to get a defib in this area not only for sentimental reasons but as it is so widely used by members of the public and the nearest one was located at Lime Tree Surgery. We wanted to ensure if required it was in an accessible spot used by hikers, dog walkers, runners and mountain bikers.
A lengthy process
In November we took delivery of the two defibrillators and work had already begun in earnest working with local authorities to secure and approve locations and work out logistics, protecting the defibs and their all important battery life.
Receiving the defibs
Many months of administrative work followed in order to get the defibs placed in these rural locations. Permissions were needed from Adur & Worthing Council for defib 1, now located in Storringtion Rise Car Park and from the National Trust for defib 2, located on the south side of Cissbury ring. We also worked hard to source electricity in these areas but to no avail and were then advised they could be kept in medical insulation bags which would protect the four year battery life. The sourcing of the bags to fit the cases required time and patience as did the alterations to the cases to remove electrics and obstructions that may impact the construction of the specialist bags.
Finally in February, the post went up followed by the defib case in March. Defib 1 is now live in Storrington rise car park and we pass our thanks to Council Ranger Graeme Brooker for making this happen. Two weeks later and Defib 2 has been installed and is live up at Cissbury, put in by National Trust Ranger for the area Graham Welfare. Again we are really grateful to him and the National Trust for giving their time to fix this up.
Council ranger Graeme installing defib 1 in Storrington Rise
His heart beats on
As you can imagine both occasions have been very moving and emotional for Sam and her family and the members of club who are delighted to see what their running and fundraising have achieved. As Sam placed the battery in the defib and the light started to flash she felt like it was Nick’s heart beat living on. A plaque in loving memory of Nick will be placed with defib 2 and Sam thinks he would feel very honoured and humbled to know that he has a special place up at Cissbury and his name rests with something so positive.
I am aware had we gone for the easier option of the defibs being placed somewhere accessible to electricity (outside of a building and wired into electrics) this would have been much more straightforward and they could have been up in a few days. I do hope this does not discourage anyone from installing a defib in future and hopefully now people will look to install them in rural areas ….as we now know this is possible!
CPR Training
During March approximately 60 club members received CPR and AED familiarisation over 5 separate evenings and from two different training providers. We now feel more informed and confident should we ever be the first on scene and need to perform CPR and use a defib. Our thanks go to Sally Holmes a community first responder with Secamb in Rustington https://www.secamb.nhs.uk/join-us/community-first-responders/ and Craig Sharples from Pulse South Coast for sharing their invaluable skills and knowledge.
We hope no one ever has to use them but at least there is a little peace of mind to know there are some in the area if we ever do.
Public Response
We have all ready received messages of thanks from local residents and members of the public, grateful that they now have these vital pieces of equipment in their local vicinity. Some have also told us they have now booked into defib training too which is just brilliant.
Specific Defib Locations
Defib 1 – Storrington Rise Car Park, Storrington Rise, Worthing, BN14 0HT . What 3 words location “similar.correctly.canyons” Directions on left hand side of car park entrance.
Defib 2 – Cissbury Ring, Agricultural land Mount Carvey, nr Cissbury Ring. What 3 words location “initiated.shuttled.steps” Directions near fingerpost in middle of grass area the grid reference for TQ138075.
Special Thanks
To Sam and her family for investing time, energy and emotion into this at such a difficult time in their lives.
To all the members of Foxy Ladies Running Club who gave so generously with their donations and time to the event, raising enough money to provide these life saving pieces of equipment.
To Terry and his team at Sussex Heart Charity, Dan and Graham at the National Trust and Graeme at the council.
Thank you to Sue and Ian Hart for the venue for the defib training.
Huge thanks to Sally Holmes and Craig Sharples for the CPR & AED familiarisation.
The biggest thanks go to Jenny Blower for stepping up right at the beginning to help, working hard with me to see this project right through to the end, you are an absolute star.
Raising money for a life saving cause in memory of Nick Votta
Here at Foxy Ladies Running club we pride ourselves on being one of the most supportive clubs around, more like a big family, so when something tragic happens to one of our members we all pull together to help them in any way we can.
Why
In June, one of our long-term members Sam Merrick lost her life partner Nick Votta of 35 years, in an unexpected heart attack, despite every effort to resuscitate him. He was a loving father of two, to his boys Matthew and Robbie. A real community-based man involved with the local Scouts organisation and always willing to lend a hand. He loved walking up Cissbury ring with his family and more recently with their foster dogs and of course the Findon Scout Group.
We wanted to do something that celebrated his life and love for the countryside but that would also benefit the community. We set about organising the Cissbury Ring Marathon Relay in his memory. The aim being, to raise enough money for a defibrillator to be accessible in the local area for walkers, runners and cyclists.
How
The Foxy members were asked to take part in teams of eight and to pay an entrance fee per person to raise the necessary funds. We were overwhelmed with the response and received a whopping sign up of 19 teams. With permission given from the National Trust to run through the ring and along the inside, we mapped out a route that was 1.2 miles, which meant 22 laps in total, equating to 26.4 miles, just over a marathon distance for each team.
When
On a cold, windy but sunny November morning about 150 Foxy Ladies traipsed up the steep hill to the start line. Some in fancy dress or team colours and some with face paints but all with a great spirit. Picnic rugs were laid down and teams set about organising themselves and keeping warm. Flasks of hot drinks were produced, a cake table was set up and team attire was arranged.
What
The lap had one upward hill climb to start and then into the biting wind followed by a more sheltered and down hill return. Ladies ran in pairs from each team, not only for company but for safety although the route was well covered by all our lovely volunteer marshalls. The laps were marked up on the scoreboard and it was exciting to see them being crossed off every time the ladies came in.
A few hours later all had completed their team marathons, even our youth girls aged 14 -18 took part and often helped other teams out by running laps for them. It was an emotional day for all that took part. Sam and her team “Vottas Vixens” all ran the last lap together in their specially designed red t-shirts. We are grateful to our club members and to all their partners for marshalling and volunteering on the day. All members were rewarded with a bespoke medal designed especially for the event and a unique one for Sam.
Members of the public also donated money on the day and purchased some of the lovely homemade cakes during the event. We were lucky enough to have another Foxy husband, Gareth Blower run the London Marathon back in October and the sponsorship he raised of £625 has gone directly to this cause.
The best news is that we have raised enough money to provide two rural defibrillators. This is in conjunction with The Sussex Heart Charity https://sussexheartcharity.org/ who provide a grant system to help with purchase, organisation and training of the defibs. We have now been given permission to place one up near Cissbury Ring and the other at Storrington Rise car park in their special cases and within a thermal bag to protect the defibs from the elements.
We hope these devices may never be needed but if they help to save just one life, then it has been very worthwhile.
On 8th August, 51 Foxy Ladies and six of their fox cubs took part in the 4Louis 5K Fun Run “Down South”. The 4Louis 5K Fun Run is organised by the Darlingon Harriers (up North!) https://4louis.co.uk/fundraising-events . For us Foxy Ladies that is just a bit too far to travel…! In true foxy spirit, five creative foxes decided to organise their own spin off fun run “Down South”. The fun run took place at Goring Gap and followed a loop, finishing off along the sea front. The fox cubs ran the children’s “mini mile” on the day around the field.
Foxy Ladies and their cubs who were unable to attend ran their own virtual fun runs from wherever they were in the country! Everyone who took part received a gorgeous 4Louis pin badge and the top three runners won handmade medals produced by a fabulous foxy friend. Once the runs were over, everyone enjoyed the delicious cakes that were made and brought along. The event was a great success (despite the rain!) and we managed to raise a whopping £740 for 4Louis.
About 4Louis
4Louis is a UK charity based in Sunderland and founded by Louis’ parents Kirsty and Michael. In 2009, Kirsty and Michael lost their baby boy Louis at 38 weeks of pregnancy. They realised that there was very little support and memory making available for families who experience miscarriage, still birth, baby, or child death. Every day in the UK 15 babies die either before, during or soon after birth. 1 in 4 pregnancies sadly end before 12 weeks. The charity provides the staff of hospitals and hospices with the tools and equipment to capture precious memories of families’ babies and children. They also fund study days, conferences, and courses for health professionals to improve their knowledge and help support families at this incredibly difficult time.
About the run organisers
The 4Louis 5K Fun Run “Down South” was organised by five special Foxy Ladies who met and became friends through the running club. Michelle, Emma, Caroline, Karen, and Anya have all experienced the loss of a baby. They catch up regularly either for a run, breakfast or often a glass of wine to chat and share their experiences. Having the support of each other, especially on anniversaries, has provided a huge comfort for them.
Following the success of last year’s 4Louis virtual run and the overwhelming support the ladies have received from their fellow foxes, it only seemed right to organise a Fun Run “Down South”!They hope that this will become a regular fixture in the foxy calendar and that opening up about their experiences will allow other women and their families the opportunity to talk about baby loss. You can read more about their stories http://sme.e22.mytemp.website/2020/10/run-a-mile-in-my-shoes/
“Can we do this every week” “The best morning ever” “I felt like a kid again” “So much fun” were some of the comments flying around after our second ever “prison break” style event, this year named The Enormous Escapade. Everyone was buzzing after the mornings activities and then the photos started pouring in and the laughing began.
This year we had a massive 17 teams turn out with 5 or 6 members. All in amazing fancy dress and with funny team names, they had to solve a clue and meet at the mystery start point.
Arundel bound
Once the clue was solved which led them to the back of Swanbourne Lake in Arundel, the games could begin. They had the option to win a leader by throwing a ball in to a cone and then select one lucky leader from the 118 pack! Teams stuck in their packs of 6 and socially distanced to avoid breaking any Covid 19 health & safety guidance.
Points mean prizes…or just points!
With rules clearly outlined and the various ways to win points confirmed, they set off with the main aim being to get as far away as they could. Once at their location they had to send a pin drop and a team photo with the packet of skittles given to them at the start. They then had to make it back to base for 11am and not before.
Points were also awarded for best team name, fancy dress, team photo, team criteria (mixing up members – new, experienced, from different sessions), arriving on time to right locations, winning a leader, returning on time. This way it was not all about the running but more the team spirit which was absolutely in abundance.
Everyone’s a winner
All the teams were back by 11am and to avoid a stampede to the volunteers starting table, another game of ball in the bucket decided the points for finishing on time. Refreshments were served and all the teams were happy, slightly damp and some a little bedraggled but elated. Some teams had run through fields and up n down hills , some had gone through the town, others to Arundel castle, some along the river, some in the playground and others visited the nearby convent! I heard the residents and visitors of Arundel were absolutely delighted to see the fancy dressed teams darting about, many were stopped and asked to have pictures or told “they had made their day”.
Once back home the locations were mapped “as the crow flies” and points awarded. The results and hundreds of hilarious photos of the teams in action posted on our private group page. We had joint winners of “Nuns on the Run” and “50 Shades of Age” our colour pencil crayons. As you will see from the photos so much effort was made by the teams and we were all left buzzing after such a successful event. Great to be back together as a club after a particularly difficult 16 months. Massive well done to every who took part.
The Teams and Leaders that took part on this years Enormous Escapade
We were so delighted to finally see our Learn to Run Courses graduate in May, we nearly burst!
Both the ladies adult course and the youth course were originally due to start back in January. Just as we were about to launch we went into a second country wide lockdown. Despite the three month delay we managed to hang on to the 30 ladies that had signed up for the adult course (max capacity). We were able to start in earnest on the 27th March, adhering to the government guidelines and in accordance with Sport England/ England Athletics regulations.
Our learn to run courses are always fun and each week taken gradually, to avoid injury and maintain motivation. We encourage all our participants to meet up with others on the course during the week to do their homework. This group were particularly great at getting together either along the promenade or around their local parks or streets. The progress is clear to see and quickly they are able to feel the benefits of the repetition.
8 weeks on and our adult graduation saw us down at Splashpoint for a flat 5km out to Brooklands and back. Although flat we were accompanied by the wind and the rain! This did not stop this amazing group of ladies from running the whole 5km, coming in to rapturous applause from waiting family and friends. They were then presented with their certificates.
The ladies in action!
Active youth course
We were lucky enough to receive funding from Active Sussex https://www.activesussex.org/ to set up a Satellite club. This is an extension of our own club to specifically target the 14-24 girls age group. Whilst we do already have junior members, this is the first time we had offered a learn to run course solely for youths. Our aim was to make the younger girls feel more comfortable and at ease. Coaching them in how to run properly, promoting a healthy attitude towards mental & physical well being whilst mixing with others of a similar age.
Unfortunately of the girls that signed up for the course some pulled out prior to the start, stating exactly the reasons we wanted to help alleviate through running – exam stress, mental health and anxiety and Covid 19 concerns. Others had either completed 0- 5km app or working on Saturday’s and no longer able to attend. This is such a shame but understandable especially due to the 3 month delay due to lockdown restrictions.
Finally the course was underway at the beginning of April with a small but perfectly formed group. The girls worked hard both during the sessions and in the week to repeat their timings. We were able to witness their confidence grow and friendships start to form.
We lost some girls after a couple of weeks and gained others along the way. By the time their graduation came our three remaining devoted girls gave it their all, completing 5km non stop. This is so impressive after starting on week one with 2 or 3 minutes jogging at a time.
Congratulations to all our girls. We are delighted to say all three girls have now become members. We are now able to offer a dedicated youth session every Saturday morning. If you know someone already active aged 14-18 that would like to join our junior session please do get in touch info@foxyladiesrunningclub.com quoting YOUTH.
Well you maybe wondering why it’s been so quiet on the Foxy Ladies Blog post for a few months. That’s because we have been so busy. Even during this third and hopefully final lockdown, where we have been restricted to running with just one other we have managed to find time to put a lot of fun into our running.
What have we been up to?
You may have seen in our January blog we got creative with “running map art” and the virtual team Colour Challenge http://sme.e22.mytemp.website/blog/ . Since then we tasked our members with a streak challenge. The ladies set their own length of streak, some chose a few days on the trot, others aimed for a week or two. Some members achieved the whole of January, running everyday and raising money for various charities along the way. A few well experienced runners even went beyond that, eventually finishing in February or March. Foxy Lady Kari, finished with a very impressive 100 day streak and some ladies are still going now squeezing a mile a day in between other runs to keep the streak alive! We witnessed ladies pushing themselves way beyond the goals they set which was fantastic.
It was not compulsory to take part in any of our challenges, they are just there if the members want to. Most of them receive a good response and we hoped by setting different aims there would be something that appeals to everyone. Depending on how the Ladies prefer to operate – solo, pairs or virtual teams and what they enjoy doing, there was hopefully a task set to suit. There were more serious ones for those that like to push themselves. Or funny light hearted ones like spotting and jotting things. Ones to appeal and express mental health, with emotion and feeling led posts. Others to take them out of their comfort zone and to try new and different things.
Challenge Accepted
Over the last 3 months here are some of the Foxy challenges the ladies took part in;
#5kbpb which was helping a run buddy gain their 5km personal best
#Frebruage – run your age in miles/ Km’s within the month of February or within a week or double it if they could.
Duathlon – Bike / Run /Bike varying levels available depending on ability and a family option to get the kids involved.
LOVE – to tie in with Valentines day the ladies were given a week to say something on every run post that they LOVE about that run or running in general
#trysomethingnew involved options for the ladies to try on each of their runs- see below
#trysomethingnew
#runthemeanstreets
#Runthemeanstreets – run every street in a small zone close to your home – you will be amazed how many miles you clock up!
Frebemoji – post only with emojis, reply in comments only in emojis – a lot harder than you think.
DUOSPOTATHON – the ladies could work in pairs to tick random items of lists and rewarded with different level status from Bronze through to Platinum, depending on number of items ticked off.
#lockdownrunninglife to identify a ➕positive a ➖negative and ✅something they achieved during the 3rd lockdown whilst running.
What else?
As well as all these challenges we also continued with twice weekly online strength sessions. We had some live “cook along with me” online cooking classes. This was a fun way to get together to make healthier choices for pre or post run fuel. We made protein & energy balls, cereal bars, overnight oats and stacked yoghurts along with tasty homemade granola whatever like it.
St Patricks day – Craic 10k
62 Foxy Ladies signed up to support the Spar Craic virtual 10k on 17th March making us the second biggest team taking part. Turning out in green running wear or fancy dress to take part in this big event that was live streaming through out the day led by our very own Emerald Isle leader Sinead.
Last but by no means least
Many of our ladies have also been taking part in some of the virtual charity runs or challenges that have been taking place. These have come in many different guises: either month long challenges, completing a set number of miles; or virtual races set on a certain day and all raising money for great causes.
Although these challenges have kept our members busy and perhaps offered them some headspace outside of home, family and work life, what has been testament to our club culture is the way the ladies have supported each other at such a unpredictable time. Well done Foxy Ladies for getting through the latest Lockdown.
