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Newsdesk 2004
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RANELAGH HARRIERS E-NEWS # 134 31 MARCH 2004
Web site: www.ranelagh-harriers.com
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HEADLINE NEWS
* Andy Bickerstaff retains the Spendlove Cup
* Fast times at Eastleigh
* 1.44 16 miles for Jo Ronaldson
ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTIONS are due on April 1st!
Rates are:
Family membership £60
Senior (over 20) £30
Students/juniors £6
Social/country £10
Retired £5
Please send a cheque payable to Ranelagh Harriers to Robin Drummond at The
Studio, 1 Church Street, Hampton, Middx. TW12 2EB.
Or bring it along to....
BAKER CUP 3 MILES ROAD HANDICAP Saturday April 3rd in Richmond Park,
starting at 3pm.
This is open to all members, all speeds, all ages - the more the merrier. It
starts in the centre of the Park, near White Lodge, but please note that the
car park at the Pen Ponds will be closed for redevelopment at this time.
That should make it quieter for our race, but less convenient for those who
prefer to drive to the start. Robin Hood Gate car park is probably the next
closest, but this is a fairly small one and could well fill up.
THE ANNUAL "BAKER CUP" SUPPER AND PRIZE-GIVING
A reminder that this will not take place on Baker Cup day this year - it
will be on Saturday April 24th upstairs in the Dysart. Price not yet fixed,
but probably about a tenner. Book with Carol Barnshaw on 020 8898 9285 or
c_barnshaw@yahoo.com.
FINCHLEY 20 MILES incl SPENDLOVE CUP CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP Sunday March 21st at
Ruislip
Chris Owens reports:
"The Finchley 20 is held in Hillingdon (don't ask!), and has often been used
a a pre-London Marathon warm up by Ranelagh marathon hopefuls. It was good
to see Hillingdon AC had finally got the hint - the number actually said
'Pre-London' but I don't think we should take the credit. This probably
belonged to the Sweatshop who were sponsoring the race, and had donated nice
waterproof numbers. This was doubly a good idea, as:
A) it got over the problem of a Finchley 20 of several years ago when the
field set off wearing numbers of the sort often worn in Ranelagh mob
matches, into a steady drizzle, which meant the numbers promptly
disintegrated, leaving the officials to ask each runner to shout their
number as they passed (it's four five mile laps.....), and
B) this year's Hillingdon weather looked very like a repeat of the weather
in A) above, as 20mins before the start the clouds rolled up, and the rain
started just as your correspondent, and the other loonies (sorry,
competitors) were starting their warmup
Luckily neither A) nor B) applied as the the traffic was stopped, the road
filled with runners and off we went. A small Ranelagh spearhead (Andy
Bickerstaff and I) edged cautiously into the first 20 runners, while the
other three of our contingent stayed back in the pack. This showed their
tactical awareness and understanding of the conditions, as the first half of
the course was into a stiff breeze on each lap. I managed to find a nice
large bloke to hide behind on the first two laps, but after that ran out of
windshields (and out of puff), lapping at a pace to make Michael Schumacher
go back to worrying about which bank to keep his money in (32, 31, 33, 39)
especially that last lap (ouch!). Lots of fit looking people ran past on
that last lap as I stumbled round to the finish, which appeared to have been
moved further round the course - at least that's my excuse - must try
training more than 75min runs....
Luckily Andy B kept the faith, and the pace, to finish nearer the front and
win the club championship, while the others closed in on me rapidly. Thank
goodness I managed to find the finish before they found me".
1 H Chepkwony (Army) 1.47.56
17 Andy Bickerstaff 2.09.15
26 Chris Owens 2.13.52
37 Andy Hayward 2.17.50
161 Tom Reay 2.49.05
253 Jacqui Reid 3.06.08
EASTLEIGH 10km Sunday March 21st
Allison O'Neill reports:
"David and I went back to the UK on Sunday to run the Eastleigh 10K
(doubling as the Southern Champs and Inter-Area match). We met Paul Doyle
on the start-line who did a good job of persuading us that strong winds
don't really matter - although it didn't feel like it during the last 3K of
the race. David (for whom I had 'negotiated' a late entry - I'm thinking of
becoming his agent) had a great run for 16th place in 31:23 - just 7 seconds
outside his PB - and is now in a state of anticipation for the start of the
duathlon season.
Paul went one better and scored a new PB of 32:22 which leaves him within
striking distance of the all-important 32 minute barrier. As for me, I
finished 5th woman in 36:33, which wasn't the performance I would have hoped
for a few weeks earlier, but was pretty good given a bad cold, some patchy
training and a few gained pounds in weight! I'm now having a much-needed
end-of-season break when I'm sure another few pounds will be welcomed back
on board!"
Men
1 P Riley (Trafford) 29.40
16 David Benton 31.23
29 Paul Doyle 32.22
Women
1 M McCallum (Winch) 34.38
5 Allison O'Neill 36.33
KINGSTON BREAKFAST RUNS Sunday March 21st
The final pre-Marathon preparation found a good crowd of Ranelagh amongst
the thousands in the Kingston Breakfast runs, as well as smaller numbers at
other further-flung events. Star turn was again Jo Ronaldson who despite
having to weave through crowds of backmarkers from the main event recorded
an excellent 1.44.43 in the elite women's 16-miler. It might have been
interesting had Jo plumped for the Finchley 20 instead of Kingston - she
might well have given Andy B a run for his money for the Spendlove Cup!
Coming in 7th and only some five minutes behind Jo was second-claimer Marie
Synnott-Wells in the colours of Wimbledon Windmilers.
Jo's time turned out to be our fastest of the day as Stephen Instone in the
main event was a minute or so down. Then we had a good pack in the 2.10 to
2.20 range and half a dozen others spread through the huge field of runners.
We had another half-dozen opting for 8 miles only, led by Trevor Maguire.
16 miles
Women's Elite
1 L Hasell (Bristol) 1.37.45
3 Jo Ronaldson 1.44.43
7 Marie Synnott-Wells 1.50.07
14 Thérèse Panetta 2.41.04
Women
78 Evelyn Joslin 2.11.56
98 Jenni Kruse 2.14.32
133 Eleonora Zona 2.17.49
386 Catherine Gadd 2.33.59
492 Joanne Turner 2.40.05
493 Bernadette Weber 2.40.07
623 Bev Ali 2.53.21
Men
1 P Sly (Thames H&H) 1.24.12
54 Stephen Instone 1.46.02
644 Garry Walsh 2.13.19
736 Simon Burrell 2.16.28
756 Scott Haddow 2.17.01
1062 John Hanscomb 2.29.04
8 miles
1 J Trapmore (Shaft B) 42.35
41 Trevor Maguire 53.16
708 Clodagh Fahy 73.39
711 Janet Turnes 73.43
812 Frances Ratchford 76.01
884 Geoff Bell 77.55
1035 Daphne Moynier 82.19
CRANLEIGH 21 MILES Sunday March 21st
1 A Weir (Thames H&H) 1.58.55
96 Wyn Williams 2.46.00
129 Derek Mason 2.52.04
WORTHING 20 MILES Sunday March 28th
1 D Carter (Phoenix) 1.56.22
167 Jenni Kruse 2.35.47
317 Simon Burrell 2.50.19
489 John Hanscomb 3.10.38
576 Steve McClune 3.25.28
ROME MARATHON Sunday March 28th
Simon Tyler reports:
"Certainly not the best organized race in the world and most definitely the
worst supported. I would have thought that plodding around the hot cobbled
streets of Italy's capital would have enticed a few locals out, if only to
laugh at the mad few running around Rome's hills ... but no! As far as a
sightseeing tour of the city goes this is one I thoroughly recommend
otherwise give it a wide berth! None the less it was a real experience even
if there were only 7640 finishers (and with 4.18 I didn't finish last which
I was a little concerned about)".
PARIS MARATHON
Good luck to all those RH in Paris this weekend.
MORE MARATHONS
While others have 'Paris' or 'London' in their sights, Andy Hayward already
has two marathons under his belt this year:
"Last March was the test of my return from an achilles injury, when I
entered two marathons a week apart in the USA as build up for last year's
trip to the Two Oceans Ultra in Cape Town (see e-news of about a year ago).
My ankles held up fairly well, and I went on to run a number of marathons
and ultras throughout the year (see various e-news). I ended up the twelve
month period that started with the Abilene, Texas Marathon in March 2003, by
running two more marathons in the USA in February this year. This brought
the total for the year to nine marathons and four ultramarathons, or an
average of more than one a month for a year. This is also good preparation
again for another go at the Two Oceans this April.
The first one was the Desert Classic Marathon, in Scottsdale (Phoenix)
Arizona on 15th February. We arrived at the hotel after travelling direct
from London, at 7:45pm, less than twelve hours before the start of the race.
It started along with a half marathon from a college car park, and proceeded
around some quiet roads on the Pima-Maricopa Indian Tribal Reservation for
seven miles. Then out onto a flat but very rutted and stony canal path for
an out and back seventeen miles (the half only had to do an out and back
four miles along this path, and it got pretty lonely after they turned back)
before finishing with a final two miles along the roads back to the college.
The path was rutted in both directions, like a cross hatching in places. It
apparently is normally graded before the race, but as they were expecting
rain in the next day or so, had decided to wait! Temperature at the start
was a chilly 40'F, but the race started at sunrise, and the sun was barely
above the horizon when the temperature began to quickly climb. It was 75'F
in no time, but thankfully didn't get any higher than that.
Having checked the times for last year, I thought I may have a chance of
placing, and I went off fairly fast. A bit too fast, with the half
marathoners, completing the first mile in 6:30. I slowed at that point (too
much), and covered the next two in 7:15 pace. Finally got the pacing right
(target was 6:50 pace, or just sub 3:00 hours) in the fourth and fifth
miles, but couldn't hold the pace. It was a small race, with only 135
completing the full marathon. I finished in 3:09:03 - 7th overall, 6th
male, and 2nd in age group 45-49 (missed 1st by 40 seconds!). The race was
actually won overall by a woman from the Olympic Training Centre in
Flagstaff in 2:48, who missed the US Olympic Trials qualification time by a
few seconds. Only three runners ran sub 3:00. The same time last year would
have got third overall, so it just depends on who turns up.
The second run two weeks later was even closer to the end of my trip than
the first one had been to the beginning, and was in New Orleans, Louisiana.
It was a bit of a disaster. I developed a cough right after I got there on
the Wednesday evening (missing Mardi Gras by 24 hours - bad planning!). I
registered for the race on the Friday hoping that things would improve by
Sunday, but by then it wasn't looking good. I know you are not supposed to
run hard during a viral infection because of the dangers of taking the virus
into the heart membrane. I felt worse Saturday, but a little better Sunday
morning, so I decided rather stupidly to start the run (well I'd already got
the T-shirt now!) and either pull out right away if I felt too bad, or at
the most do the half.
The temperature and humidity remained constant - it was 75'F and 90+%
humidity for the 24 hours up to and including the race, which was a problem
with keeping hydrated. The course started outside the Superdome (where the
Superbowl was held last year) and headed out east through the French Quarter
for a thirteen mile loop back to the Superdome. I felt awful for the first
mile (an easy 7:30 pace) and had trouble with my breathing, but felt a bit
better after that. I maintained the easy pace and went through ten right on
1:15. I struggled between ten and twelve, but again recovered a little after
that. The half way point approached. Decision time. I could turn left into
the stadium, still finish on the 50 yard line of the Superdome, and put
myself out of my misery. My head said stop, but my legs wouldn't let me. I
turned right (passing the half in 1:39:45) to begin a different thirteen
mile loop to the west of the city, through the Garden District and Audubon
Park. Big mistake. At mile 16 I really started suffering. At 19 I had to
walk for a couple of minutes. I ran/walked from there on in, and struggled
over the line in 3:37:45. Probably my worst positive split ever! I grabbed
my medal and then rushed back to the hotel, had a shower, and drove
straight out to the airport to fly back to London. I felt like death on the
whole flight home. Cold progressed to a respiratory virus requiring
antibiotics. I learned my lesson - I won't do that again.
As a postscript, the layout of the course allowed the runners to see the
leaders at a couple of points, the first time for me was around six miles,
and then again around sixteen. The leader doing his first marathon was about
a minute ahead of second place the first time I saw him, and two minutes the
second time. In true Peters and Pietri style, he collapsed 200 yards from
the finish. He got back up but went down again, staying down long enough to
be passed. He got up again, and staggered and was helped over the line in
2:35. He was initially given second place but was later disqualified for
being carried across the line. Another reminder, if more are needed, to
respect the distance!"
THE ENGADIN SKIMARATHON Sunday March 14th
Angus Cater writes:
"Skimarathon, I thought. No trouble. I've run a 3.40 marathon; should be
able to knock this out in under three hours. Ignorance is bliss!
Anne and I arrived in St Moritz on the Wednesday with our fellow WellChild
''athletes'' and prepared for our two days' training. The next morning
dawned grey, snowing and cold, but after a hearty Swiss breakfast we trooped
out for instruction from Ceri, our ex Royal Marine, now turned undertaker,
Instructor. (somehow it felt appropriate to be trained by an undertaker).
The first thing I learned was that there are two styles of XC skiing. There
is classic (which I had learnt in Norway in 1967) and skating, which the
rest of the world now does. The principal difference is that when 'skating'
you go three times as fast. I was told that I was too old, and there wasn't
enough time for me to train the requisite muscle groups, for skating!
So for two days we were instructed to 'burst from the thighs' and propel our
skis along the tracks. We practiced on part of the course - the up and down
part - and by Saturday most of my body was aching; the perfect preparation
for a marathon. My only consolation was that my fellow 'athletes' ( I use
the term loosely) were in even worse shape, particularly the 84 year old
Polish (war evacuee) gentleman who hadn't even skied before!
On Saturday Anne and I walked around the gorgeous, immaculate St Moritz
slopes and Anne politely enquired the price of a rather nice coral necklace
in a cute little antique shop. £175,000! We didn't like it that much anyway!
Sunday dawned cold and overcast and we were on the bus to the start at
Majola at 0715 along with 12,500 others. We had to hang around for an hour
and a half before the start but as we had to queue for 45 minutes to get to
the loos it was just as well we were there early. Our group (the marathon
virgins) was the last to go at 0920. The exercises before the start, to
evergreen Swiss pop tunes, was entertaining, and the various folk who had
laid their skis down in the snow, and then were unable to find them, even
more so.
I shot away, with much 'bursting from the thighs' and settled down into what
I hoped was a sustainable rhythm. Ten K went by in 65 minutes, 5 minutes
outside my now adjusted 4 hour schedule, and I was not feeling too bad. The
second 10K was hard; very hilly (called Mattress Hill after the treatment
the trees get to stop them being damaged by skiers!) and there was a traffic
jam up a particularly narrow icy slope which took us 20 minutes to
negotiate. At half way there was a beaming Annie and my stop watch said 2.5
hours (half an hour adrift). Happily the third ten was gently downhill or
flat so 'thigh bursting' was back on the agenda. Unfortunately this was
having a diminishing effect on my forward momentum.
The last 12K, as it is in every marathon, was pretty hellish. All natural
energy gone, in spite of my gorging on hot drinks and various energy
sustainers (I was even given a banana by the very enthusiastic Swiss
spectators and helpers) and it was a question of hanging in there. David,
one of my WellChild colleagues, went past me at this stage looking horribly
fresh. The last five K were counted down by kilometre, a bit sadistic it
seemed at the time, and then disaster struck. I was whizzing down a steepish
hill and there in front of me was a skier more or less stationary. I had two
choices: hit him or jump tracks. I chose the latter and finished up head
down in the snow with my skis around my neck. It took me a couple of minutes
to disentangle myself by which time he had disappeared, oblivious to the
drama that had just taken place behind him. Bang went my sub 5 hours time
and I dragged myself over the line in 5.01.59. Such is life.
It took me, particularly my thighs, the best part of a week to recover but
it was definitely worth it and... I have raised over £1300 for WellChild, so
a big thank you to all of you who contributed so generously.
For those of you of a statistical nature: I finished the 42.2K 9294th in
5.01.59.6. I was 5th out of a WellChild group of 32 (unfortunately three,
including my 84 year old Polish friend, did not finish). There were approx
12,000 skaters and 500 classic skiers. So yes, I beat some skaters; but only
those with an average age of 93".
As a matter of interest, is this a Ranelagh club record for a ski marathon?
Probably not, so I'll wait to hear from you...
MODERN PENTATHLON
Heather Fell has been busy with the new Pentathlon season: on February 21st
she was placed 22nd in the indoor championship in Budapest with 4956 points
and then a week later in the African Open championship she finished 4th on
5364 points.
HOUSE CLEANING SERVICE (SW LONDON)
Price between £8 to £10 per hour. Contact: Lorena Calvo (tel. 07984465205).
There are references available.
TUESDAY NIGHT SESSIONS
Speed / hill sessions lined up to torture you over the next few weeks -
starting from the clubhouse at 7pm. Marathoners excused!
April 6th 10 x 2 mins
April 13th 7 x (30 secs + 1 min) Holly Lodge Hill
April 20th 3 x 5 mins and 3 x 3 mins
April 27th 1500 metres time trial + 3 x 3 mins
NEXT...
The 2003/04 fixture list, together with details of the 2004 Ranelagh Road
Grand Prix, can be found 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 April 3rd Baker Cup 3 miles road handicap in
Richmond Park. Start near White Lodge in the centre of the Park at 3pm.
Sunday April 4th Thames Towpath 10 miles at Chiswick.
See www.west4harriers.org Ranelagh Road GP race 1
Sunday April 18th London Marathon. Ranelagh Road GP race 2
Sunday May 2nd Sutton 10km. Ranelagh Road GP race 3 and
Surrey Road League race 1
Saturday May 8th / Sunday May 9th Green Belt Relay
FINALLY
Deborah Young contributes the following extracts from a Times on-line
article. See http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,7-1047319,00.html
for the full text. It deals with the 92-year-old marathon runner Fauja
Singh, who has just signed an advertising deal with adidas:
"He is to co-front a major advertising campaign that also features David
Beckham, Jonny Wilkinson and Laila Ali, the daughter of Muhammad Ali. From
this week, Singh's face will adorn billboards in cities across the UK as
part of the campaign called Impossible is Nothing. Adidas hopes that its
departure will appeal to the growing number of people over 50 who are
joining gyms.
He no longer pounds the pavements in plimsolls and a fading, baggy
tracksuit; his new sponsorship deal provides him with as much fashionable,
high-tech running kit as he needs. For our interview he models a sleek
ensemble of black Lycra tights with reflective silver flashes, a black
sweat-wicking shirt and a pair of the latest featherlight racing shoes. It
is, says adidas, the kind of outfit usually issued to international athletes
a quarter of his age. How much longer can he keep it up? 'It isn't always
easy,' he says. 'I get worn out like any other athlete. But running has
given me a goal in life. If I had to stop, then that would be it. I think I
would drop dead in the morning'."
Steve Rowland
e-mail: srowland@calor.co.uk
Tel: 01926 318734
Fax: 0870 4006901