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Newsdesk 2003
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RANELAGH HARRIERS E-NEWS # 115 8 OCTOBER 2003
Web site: www.ranelagh-harriers.com
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SURREY VETERANS CHAMPIONSHIP Saturday October 11th in Richmond Park
Pre-entries have closed but you can still enter on the day though it will
cost you £4. The race is organised by the Surrey County AA but it's based at
our clubhouse and the start and finish is just around the first corner from
our usual race start by Sidmouth Wood. The women's race (over 35s) is 6km
starting at 2.30pm, the men's (over 40) is 10km starting at 3pm.
PAGE CUP 5 miles handicap Saturday October 4th in Richmond Park
From my vantage point - starting in the middle of the field and going
rapidly backwards - I enjoyed a good, if brief, view of the day's faster
runners as they whistled past me. To help pass the interminable period it
was going to take me to complete the course, I amused myself by observing
styles, breathing and so on. One of the first past was Ed Barker, on his
toes and carrying not an ounce of fat. Not quite the speed of old perhaps,
but looking good. Mike Peace seemed to want to stop for a chat before
heading into the distance and John Herries looked workmanlike as he squeezed
past the mobile chicane I provided on the narrower sections of the course.
Handicapper Will apologised as he went past, as if my progress rearwards was
his fault rather than mine. Quietest breathing came from Liz Kipling, though
her final time belies any interpretation of that as indicating lack of
effort. Some of the men, on the other hand, seemed to be trying to outdo the
stags' rutting calls that filled the Park's air. Last past me was Paul
Doyle, striding out to the day's fastest time.
Ed, I later discovered, had gone on to win, thwarting Phil Aiken's hopes in
the last mile. Bill Harvey held on for the bronze, and Paul and Sarah Seal
won the fastest time medals.
Ed comments: "Well, I have been a member for 20 odd years, and the biggest
motivation on the day must have been looking on the club noticeboard at
Ken's 'age best performances'. That told me I had run sub 31 minutes at the
age of 13 on this course, so I was worried that I wouldn't even run that
fast!! So when I could tell I was getting near the front on Saturday I also
knew I had finished second, third and fourth too many times to count in
handicap races so I put in a final spurt to try and catch everyone I could
not knowing who was or wasn't a guest.
Other than that I have of course become a Dad to baby Ella, and 2 weeks
paternity leave actually allowed me to do some training. Thanks of course
must go to my long term coaches and mentors - Julian, Jim and the club
president............errr I think I'll stop there!!"
Back in the clubhouse after the race there was a presentation to Alf Pearce
of an engraved tankard to mark his 50 years of membership. "I backed a
winner 50 years ago," said Alf.
And up at the Rose of York we drank a toast to Ed Whitlock, who generously
stood us all a round to celebrate his achievement the previous weekend of
becoming the first over 70 ever to record a sub-3 hour marathon.
Here's to Alf and Ed!
NATIONAL 10km incorporating AAA championship and CAU Inter-Counties
championship Sunday October 5th at Bourton-on-the-Water
Peter Haarer writes:
"I was called up for this at short notice to run for Oxfordshire. There
were hiccups on the day - the tail end of a cold, and some disappointing
arrangements at the start which added one or two seconds to my gun time, but
I still managed to clock my fastest 10k for four years. The quality of the
field was excellent, and the course designed so as to afford views of the
lead runners on several occasions for inspiration (or was it just depressing
- they hardly seemed to be making an effort)".
1 J Kibet (Kenya) 28:42
46 Peter Haarer 32:12
NOTTINGHAM MARATHON Sunday September 14th
Andy Hayward reports:
"Another scorcher on the 14th September made for good spectating along the
banks of the Trent. There were 5,126 finishers in the half marathon, and 815
in the full, which meant it got fairly lonely after the 13 mile point. Chris
Read and I represented Ranelagh in the full marathon, but we were both
running for different reasons. Chris wanted to break four hours in only his
second marathon, and I wanted a last long run before the London to Brighton
race on the 5th October. Mission accomplished by both of us, with Chris
getting well under target in 3:52, and me finishing my highest mileage week
with an enjoyable run."
1 D Bilton (Leeds) 2:25:15
77 Andy Hayward 3:13:30
272 Chris Read 3:52:28
LONDON TO BRIGHTON 54 miles Sunday October 5th
Full report promised for next week, but Andy Hayward had a great run to
finish 10th overall, winning a silver standard medal and the bronze third
place medal in the South of England AA Ultra Championships. Like Andy, Chris
Spink ran a pb for the course and was delighted with his run.
1 B Hennessy (Crawley) 6.24.04
10 Andy Hayward 7.08.10
53 Chris Spink 8.48.41
NEW FOREST TRAINING WEEKEND
Paul Graham writes:
"November is a relatively peaceful month in racing terms, hence we have
organised a training weekend (21-23 Nov) in the New Forest. Please contact
me for further info if you are interested". See below for contact details.
TUESDAY NIGHT SESSIONS
Look on our web site for full details of the sessions, which all start at
7pm from the clubhouse.
14 Oct 3 x 3 x Ham Gate hill
21 Oct 2 x 7min efforts, 2 x 5min efforts
28 Oct 3 x 3 x Holly Lodge hill
4 Nov 10, 8, 6 & 4 min effort, plus 3 x 30sec effort
Wednesday night (6.30pm) training continues from the clubhouse too, plus
Sunday morning runs at 10am.
TRIATHLON COACHING DAY
Chris Spink writes:
"My tri club www.fulontri.com will be hosting a coaching day with Julian
Goater (former international athlete and world duathlon champion) on
November 30th. The cost will be £30.00 per head and it will include two
practical running sessions with video analasys, a theory bike session and
lunch. It will be around the Bracknell area which will provide a lovely
running venue. Contact me at mailto:chrisspink4@aol.com for more details."
ROGER BRANKIN...
...has arrived safely in Chile for a seven-month jaunt around South America.
Next stop Bolivia...
SOMETHING A LITTLE DIFFERENT?
An Orienteering event - beginners welcome - is being held in Richmond Park
this Sunday, October 12th. Registration is at the Broomfield Hill car park
(between Kingston and Robin Hood gates) from 9.30 to 11.30, entry fee £4
plus £1 for the hire of an electronic card punch. You can't get too far lost
in the Park!
NEXT...
A full fixture list for the 2003/04 winter season is available on our web
site.
More details of the following from Andy Bickerstaff (07966 552302 /
mailto:andy@norris-hobs.co.uk ) or Paul Graham (mailto:paulgraham28@hotmail.com )
or Clare Nicholson (07710 348030 / mailto:clarenicholson@hotmail.com ).
Saturday October 11th Surrey Veterans Cross-Country championships
in Richmond Park. Women 6km at 2.30pm, men 10km at 3pm. Entries on the day
£4.
Sunday October 12th Kingston Running Festival - marathon, 16
miles or 8 miles events. See www.humanrace.co.uk
Saturday October 18th Surrey Cross-Country League Div 1 in Richmond
Park (Kingston Gate). Women from 12.30pm, men from 2.30pm.
Sunday October 19th Cabbage Patch 10 miles road race at
Twickenham. Likely to be popular so get your entries in early to avoid
disappointment. See www.cabbagepatch10.com
Also today, the Founders' Challenge 26 miles
at Peaslake. See above.
Saturday October 25th Lee Cup mob match v Orion Harriers 7.5
miles in Richmond Park. All members encouraged to run please!
FINALLY
A footnote from Computer Ken on last week's marathon records: the WAVA
age-graded tables rate Andres Espinosa's 2.08.46 at age 40 as the best of
the vet performances, scoring 100.15%. Ed Whitlock's 2.59.10 at 72 is not
far behind on 96.3% but 92-year-old Fauja Singh's 5.40.01 rates only 69%...
Steve Rowland
e-mail: srowland@calor.co.uk
Tel: 01926 318734
Fax: 0870 4006901