Thursday 16th July saw the 5km race around the NSC and the weekend following saw a number of athletes complete their final time trial as part of the Foxy 5km initiative. The schedules have lasted for 10 weeks and over that time 150 runners have taken part either in following the schedules, recording a time trial and sharing it or taking part in the race around the NSC last week.
| No. | Name | Age Grp. | Age Grade | Time | PB | Race/TT |
| 1 | Rachael Franklin | SenF | 94.06% | 15.42 | PB/Rec | Race |
| 2 | Ollie Lockley | SenM | 91.65% | 14.10 | PB/Rec | Race |
| 3 | Alan Corlett | SenM | 87.84% | 14.48 | PB | Race |
| 4 | Wil Draper | SenM | 86.17% | 15.04 | PB | Race |
| 5 | Andy Fox | V60M | 85.62% | 18.39 | Rec | Race |
| 6 | Caroline Mayers | V45F | 84.98% | 19.14 | Race | |
| 7 | Andy Nash | SenM | 82.88% | 15.42 | PB | Race |
| 8 | Richard Shipway | V50M | 82.77% | 18.23 | PB | Race |
| 9 | Macy Hillier | U15F | 82.61% | 19.07 | PB/Rec | Race |
| 10 | Ieuan Owen | U20M | 82.38% | 15.53 | PB | Race |
| 11 | Christian Varley | V35M | 80.92% | 16.29 | Race | |
| 12 | Paul Sykes | V45M | 80.82% | 17.35 | Race | |
| 13 | Ed Gumbley | V40M | 80.00% | 17.38 | TT | |
| 14 | Andy Watson | V50M | 79.17% | 18.38 | Race | |
| 15 | Corbyn Schade | U15M | 78.17% | 17.31 | PB | Race |
| 16 | Elissa Morris | SenF | 78.08% | 18.55 | Race | |
| 17 | Alex Bell | SenM | 77.05% | 16.51 | PB | Race |
| 18 | Luke Phair | U20M | 76.60% | 16.57 | PB | Race |
| 19 | Ciara Hardisty | SenF | 76.20% | 19.23 | Race | |
| 20 | John Robertson | V65M | 75.14% | 22.33 | Race | |
| 21 | Peter Callin | V45M | 74.89% | 19.07 | PB | Race |
| 22 | Dawn Atherton | V35F | 74.35% | 20.03 | PB | Race |
| 23 | Ryan Corrin | U17M | 74.04% | 18.09 | Race | |
| 24 | Samantha Leahy | V45F | 72.84% | 21.46 | PB | TT |
| 25 | Daniel Pownall | SenM | 72.06% | 18.14 | Race | |
| 26 | Laura Dickinson | SenF | 71.97% | 20.31 | Race | |
| 27 | Paul Rodgers | V40M | 71.77% | 19.06 | Race | |
| 28 | Frank Jones | SenM | 70.69% | 18.31 | PB | TT |
| 29 | James Wright | V35M | 69.43% | 19.28 | PB | Race |
| 30 | Jamie Hayes | V35M | 68.84% | 19.30 | PB | Race |
| 31 | Jake Ashton | U17M | 67.76% | 19.50 | PB | Race |
| 32 | Kathy Lane | V45F | 67.68% | 23.13 | PB | Race |
| 33 | Greg Hoskisson | V40M | 67.62% | 20.25 | PB | TT |
| 34 | Sophie Kaighan | U9F | 67.10% | 27.40 | PB | TT |
| 35 | Mark Corrin | V45M | 66.51% | 21.51 | PB | Race |
| 36 | Guy Wood | SenM | 65.30% | 19.53 | PB | Race |
| 37 | Julie Snape | V55F | 64.86% | 28.14 | PB | TT |
| 38 | Josh Wade | SenM | 64.81% | 20.02 | PB | Race |
| 39 | Dudley Butt | V70M | 63.30% | 29.08 | PB | TT |
| 40 | Keith Green | V60M | 61.26% | 26.04 | PB | Race |
| 41 | Darren Gray | V35M | 61.04% | 22.19 | TT | |
| 42 | Fiona Bullough | V40F | 60.88% | 24.55 | Race | |
| 43 | Sharon Cain | V50F | 60.49% | 27.37 | PB | TT |
| 44 | Anne-Marie Rivers | V45F | 59.42% | 27.13 | Race | |
| 45 | Carol Roy | V65F | 59.03% | 34.20 | TT | |
| 46 | Sarah Corkill | V45F | 58.87% | 26.56 | PB | TT |
| 47 | Niall Killey | SenM | 56.92% | 23.11 | PB | Race |
| 48 | Jan Fox | V60F | 56.54% | 32.47 | PB | TT |
| 49 | Amanda Lawler | V35F | 54.12% | 27.53 | PB | TT |
| 50 | Julie Stanfield | V35F | 53.88% | 27.40 | PB | TT |
| 51 | Katie Lawrence | V35F | 53.61% | 28.09 | PB | Race |
| 52 | Karen Gadsby | V40F | 51.49% | 30.02 | PB | TT |
| Totals | F 21 | 36 PBs | Race 37 | |||
| Totals | M31 | 4 Recs | TT 15 |
Approximately 110 runners have followed the schedules, even if all have not completed the time trials, and have challenged themselves with hill sessions, fartleks and repetition runs. In the schedules 16 sessions were attempted, 3 time trials and over 20 steady runs of differing lengths. This is in addition to other training activities the runners would have completed. This has all resulted in some fantastic running and 140 recorded performances in the two 5km challenges and one 3 km challenge attempted. Of these 57 PBs were recorded as far as we aware. The figure will actually be higher as not all PBs were recorded in the first 2 challenges. In addition 4 Manx Records were recorded, 2 by runners following Foxy Schedules. This is even more impressive when one considers the first 5km and 3km time trials were run over rather blustery weekends of poor weather.
Some excellent improvement has been seen throughout for all runners. However, in the time trials this is clearly evident with many runners taking a minute or more off their original performance. However, pride of place has to go to Sammy Leahy who took 6 minutes of her first 5km time compared to her final time of 21 mins 46 seconds with an age grading of 72.84%. Every improvement is to be applauded as is every attempt to challenge and move forward.
The results this time around are listed in age grading order. A guide as to how this works is as follows – we had an 8 year old female and 74 year old male take part in the recent time trials and races. It is difficult to gain an understanding of how runners performed and compare results with such an age range hence the age grading % gives an interesting way of doing this rather than relying purely on time. This gives the runners time as a percentage of the fastest time in the world recorded for anyone of their age. A rule of thumb used with age grading suggests 90%+ is world standard, 80%+ is national standard, 70%+ is regional standard, 60%+ is island standard and 40%+ is local standard.
Most performances this time round took place on the Isle of Man, however, Ed Gumbley continued his great work running his individual time trial in Hong Kong with over 30 degree heat and amazing humidity even very early in the morning!!!
It is hoped that all runners have found the experience fun, rewarding and also encouraging. The aim was to support runners with their activity over lockdown and beyond. Hopefully we will see many of the Foxy 5km guys training and maybe racing over many years to come.
To this end we have two initiatives under way to keep things going if you wish to. Firstly there is a new Facebook group called Foxy’s Flyers! Now you may well say you are not a flyer, but I believe you all are in comparison with those who have not got off the couch yet and of course many of you have improved over the 10 weeks so you perhaps are flying compared to where you started so do not hide your light under a bushel as the old saying goes!!! The idea we can share tips, training sessions, pics, maybe races coming up that are not too serious and a good place to try out competition if you would like to (although no pressure to do so) and just chat about training and racing and be a support group for each other.
If you would like to join I think there are two ways to do it – you could send me an email and I add you to the group or search for the group on Facebook and request entry and then I let you in that way. At the minute I am the one and only member of the group so feeling a little exposed and lonely so I am hoping many of you will join up!!!
Do not forget that there is now a Social Running Group meeting on Mondays at 6.30pm and heading out from Manx Harriers Clubhouse for a run and a cuppa and a chat afterwards. Anyone of any ability can go along – you do not need to be in a club and hopefully this initiative will help get you started or keep you going with your running.
Finally, I have enjoyed setting the plans and also working on the performances and age grading etc. I hope you have enjoyed taking part and challenging yourselves. Hopefully, over time I can meet you all in person and we can chat about this very unusual time and how we came through it.
All the best,
Andy