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Newsdesk 2004
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RANELAGH HARRIERS E-NEWS # 131 3 MARCH 2004
Web site: www.ranelagh-harriers.com
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HEADLINE NEWS
* Second consecutive 'Clutton' win for Rod Hogg
* Women's Course record for Sarah Seal
* Charterhouse win Ranelagh Cup schools race
TROPHIES
If you're a trophy holder, please make arrangements to return them to Alan
Hedger as soon as possible so that he can arrange for the new winners' names
to be engraved before the annual prize presentation on April 24th. Note that
Alan will be away on holiday during the early part of April so please don't
leave it until the last minute. You can contact Alan on 01372 740626 or
mailto:alan@hedger1st.fsnet.co.uk
INTER-CLUB Saturday March 6th in Richmond Park.
This is a fairly low-key event over one lap of our mob match course. All
members welcome, start time 3pm.
INTER-COUNTIES CHAMPIONSHIPS Saturday March 6th at Nottingham
Good luck to our county representatives - I'm not sure how many Ranelagh
will be there but I think Peter Haarer is in the senior men's race for
Oxfordshire, Sarah Seal and Alice Beverly in the senior women's for Surrey
and Anair Beverly in the under 17s also for Surrey. Sorry if I've missed
anybody!
READING HALF MARATHON Sunday March 7th
A number of our marathon contingent are heading for Reading on Sunday. Anna
McLaughlin writes:
"A couple of us were going to take the train but as the first one from
Richmond arrives at 8.50 (race start at 10am) this is cutting it a bit fine!
Can anyone help with a lift?"
Contact Anna at mailto:anna.mclaughlin@itv.com
THE RANELAGH RAMBLE
The Epping Forest walk being organised by Peter Saw and Carol Barnshaw will
take place on Saturday 20th March. Further details to follow.
GREEN BELT RELAY Saturday May 8th and Sunday May 9th
Another call for all those who might be interested in taking part in this
year's GBR to let me know pdq. It's not a cast-iron commitment at this
stage, but we do have to decide in the next couple of weeks how many teams
to enter. See the race web site www.greenbeltrelay.org.uk for lots of info
and photos.
CHRIS BRASHER MEMORIAL 10km Sunday June 20th in Richmond Park
You might have read about the launch of this one-off event in the national
press recently. It's being organised by Chris's son Hugh and the Sweat Shop,
with all proceeds going to the Petersham Trust. Its aim is to raise £162,000
which will enable the Trust to hand Petersham Meadows to the National Trust
and secure them for future generations.
The course will use the Park's roads, which will be closed to traffic, and
will be similar to that used for the Nike 10km last year. You can get more
information and register for the race at the web site
www.chrisbrashermemorialrun.co.uk
Those of you who read our "Chris Brasher Miscellany" last year might
recognise the quotations used in the "Chris Brasher - the man" section!
Hugh has asked whether Ranelagh would be prepared to man one of the water
stations for the race. Please contact me if you think you might be able to
help.
On the previous evening, Saturday June 19th, there will be a commemorative
dinner at the Richmond Hill Hotel. Celebrities including Sir Roger
Bannister, Sir Christopher Chataway and Lord Coe will attend and a charity
auction will be held during the evening. The cost will be £125 per head plus
VAT and proceeds will go to the Trust. Dress will be "black tie" and the
start time is expected to be 7.15 for 7.45. Tickets are apparently going
fast, so if you are interested in attending please contact Hugh Brasher at
the Sweatshop, 12 Station Road, Hampton, Middlesex TW12 2BX. Cheques should
be payable to the Petersham Trust.
CLUTTON CUP 10 miles handicap Saturday February 28th in Richmond Park
This was the third event we were organising on a bitterly cold afternoon. It
was not a day for spectating yet somehow that's what I found myself doing.
Needless to say, I was wearing all I had and it was interesting to contrast
that with the varied apparel of the runners. Most of the juniors who had
started off the day's proceedings had been well weighed down by layers of
clothing, though some of the more serious contenders bravely stripped off.
For the macho boys in the Ranelagh Cup schools race there was no room for
namby-pambyism and singlets were the order of the day. All those public
school cold showers must make them tough. Two or three singlets appeared at
the start of our Clutton Cup handicap, but most opted for some extra warmth
at least - though the pile of discarded clothing that appeared at the end of
lap one was testament to some over-dressing.
We had 30 taking numbers, which was a welcome increase over recent years for
this our longest handicap race. Pat Hewlett was first away, with a lead of
very nearly 50 minutes over the day's scratch man Andy Bickerstaff. Pat
hadn't quite completed her first lap when Andy set off, but she couldn't
have been far away.
In a two lap handicap, the spectators' game as the runners pass by at
half-way is "spot the winner". Wally came by proclaiming that he was the
oldest in the race, but that evidently hadn't cut much ice with the
handicapper and we discounted his chances. Brian Coles was the first to
stride up looking confident and capable of catching all those in front. "Am
I going well?" he gasped, and we affirmed that he was. Alas, the bad news
was that bearing down on him rapidly was last year's winner Rod Hogg. The
clever money went on Rod straight away. Behind him Tom Reay seemed to be
moving through well and as we got to the faster end of the field, first John
Herries and then Andy Bickerstaff swept by looking impressive.
As the last runners disappeared for their second circuit we were left
waiting in the gloom and the cold once again. Would everybody be in before
the Park's gates were locked? Brian Chard caused a momentary stir as the
first runner to appear round the last corner, but it transpired that he had
retired with an injury one mile into the second lap. We had to wait only a
few more minutes for the real winner to appear, and of course it was Rod
Hogg. He had a whopping four minutes in hand at the finish and had time to
get his track suit on and reveal that he was in marathon training before the
silver medallist appeared. This was John Herries, who had just passed Brian
Coles.
Christian Vaughan and Kathy Mallett were a further minute back, followed in
by Andy Bickerstaff with the day's fastest time of 61.01. Back in the middle
of the pack came Sarah Seal. Her aim for the day had been to stick with
Handicapper Will and to crack the women's course record. At the finish she
thought she had just missed the record but the result sheet shows that her
65.22 beat Linda Cartwright's time from 1999 by 26 seconds.
RANELAGH CUP SCHOOLS RACE Saturday February 28th in Richmond Park
Thirteen schools were represented in a 120-strong field. There was no
runaway winner this year, with Sheppard of Cranleigh only moving to the
front in the closing stages. Charterhouse, with four home in the first
sixteen, easily retained their trophy.
1 D Sheppard (Cranleigh) 22.09
2 Hyman (Charterhouse) 22.15
3 G Allen (Harrow) 22.29
4 S Atkins (Caterham) 22.32
5 P Holden (Caterham) 22.42
6 C King (St Paul's) 22.48
Teams (4 to score)
1 Charterhouse 36
2 Harrow 58
3 RGS Guildford 66
JUNIOR POINTS PRIZE RACE 4 Saturday February 28th in Richmond Park
This was the showdown, the final race in the junior points prize
competition. But I have to apologise that I haven't been able to get hold
of the results in time for this week's edition! Next time...
BRAMLEY 10m / 20m Sunday February 29th
Anna McLaughlin reports setting 10 mile and half marathon personal bests en
route to an excellent 2.25.37 clocking in the longer event. She was 27th in
the women's section.
20 miles
1 H Lobb (Bedford) 1.44.34
231 Anna McLaughlin 2.25.37
557 Martin Harrison 2.55.52
10 miles
1 R Street (B'brook) 54.45
154 Jenni Kruse 78.03
305 Walter Wickham 93.38
379 Mei Fei Wickham 122.50
SPRING MARATHON FORUM
Anna McLaughlin writes:
"We have now had for just over a month a very active e-mail forum for those
running spring marathons. I have tried to include in this everyone I know to
be tackling a marathon but if there is anyone out there that I have missed
off please let me know!" Contact Anna at mailto:anna.mclaughlin@itv.com
PRAGUE MARATHON Sunday May 23rd
Tom Reay writes :-
"I hope to be running the Prague Marathon this year. Are there any club
members who are planning to do this event, or who are interested in doing
it, or have run this marathon in the past ?
If so could you let me know. It might be beneficial comparing schedules,
plans, notes etc. My e-mail address is mailto:reayta@aol.com
KRISTINA SEMPLE...
...is this month's cover girl on the triathlon 220 magazine, and there's an
interview with her inside. She writes from New Zealand to tell us that she
now has her own web site too:
"Friends, Romans, Countrymen,
Lend me your um....eyes......(and pointy finger)...
I have now got a lovely new website at http://www.kristinasemple.co.uk
During my time as a professional triathlete I am dotting around the World
training and racing, and it's hard for people to keep up with where I am,
and what I am up to. So I thought I would like to make it easy for you.....
in case you are interested.
I have got a race calendar up there and a training page so that all you need
to do, to find out where I am and what I am doing is have a wee look at it.
I also have a diary which I keep updated every couple of days to give you
the low down on what's happening my end".
BAKER CUP SUPPER AND AWARDS PRESENTATION
Here's another reminder that the Baker Cup supper and awards presentation
will now take place on Saturday April 24th upstairs in the Dysart. The Baker
Cup 3 miles road handicap race itself will go ahead as originally scheduled
on Saturday April 3rd.
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 March 6th Inter-club 3.8m in Richmond Park starting
at 3pm
Sunday March 7th Reading Half Marathon
Saturday March 13th South of the Thames "Senior" Championships
7.5 miles at Stanmer Park, Brighton starting at 2.30pm
Sunday March 21st Finchley 20 miles incl Spendlove Cup club
championship; Kingston Breakfast Run 8 and 16 miles
Sunday March 28th Worthing 20 miles
Saturday April 3rd Baker Cup 3 miles road handicap in
Richmond Park. Start near White Lodge in the centre of the Park at 3pm. Note
that the Pen Ponds car park will be closed at this time.
Sunday April 4th Thames Towpath 10 miles at Chiswick.
See www.west4harriers.org
Sunday April 18th London Marathon
Steve Rowland
e-mail: srowland@calor.co.uk
Tel: 01926 318734
Fax: 0870 4006901