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Newsdesk 2004
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RANELAGH HARRIERS E-NEWS # 138 28 APRIL 2004
Web site: www.ranelagh-harriers.com
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HEADLINE NEWS
* Duathlon international vest for David Benton
* Richmond Half Marathon entries closed
RICHMOND HALF MARATHON Sunday May 16th
The entry limit has already been reached so regrettably no more entries can
be accepted. If any more Ranelagh members had planned to run, they should
contact Robin Drummond (mailto:thedrummonds@blueyonder.co.uk ) for any returns.
The new course needs even more marshalls than the old, so anyone who can help
on the day will be very welcome. Contact Alan Hedger on 01372 740626 or
mailto:alan@hedger1st.fsnet.co.uk . The race starts at 8.30am in Meadlands
Drive (5 mins from clubhouse - the same starting point as the Dysart Dash).
GREEN BELT RELAY Saturday May 8th and Sunday May 9th
Bev Ali is still looking for one more not-too-fast runner to complete her
team which will be aiming to retain the Toilet Seat Trophy for the last team
to finish! You have to be able to cover 10 miles+ on each day, but speed is
definitely unimportant. Contact Bev at mailto:bev.ali@blueyonder.co.uk
See the race web site www.greenbeltrelay.org.uk for more info.
CHRIS BRASHER MEMORIAL 10Km Sunday June 20th in Richmond Park
This is a one-off event being organised by Chris's son Hugh and the Sweat
Shop, with part of the 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.
DYSART DASH 10Km Sunday June 27th in Ham
Our own 10km follows a week later. It's becoming common for entry limits to
be reached nowadays, so if you want to run get your entry in early. Forms
are available on our web site.
LONDON MARATHON Sunday April 18th
One additional Ranelagh finisher not reported last week:
20293 Bernadette Weber 4.37.57
ASHBOURNE DUATHLON Sunday April 25th
Allison O'Neill reports on a great performance from David Benton:
"At the Ashbourne Duathlon last Sunday - the GB qualifying event for the
World Champs in Belgium at the end of May - David became the 'Tracey Morris'
of the duathlon world, delivering a performance that shocked even himself!
Bidding for a place in the 35-39 GB age group team, David destroyed the
field in the 12k run/40k bike/4k run over one of the toughest duathlon
courses in the country, easily booking his place for Belgium. And then,
when the overall results were posted combining all age groups and the elite
field (who had started slightly earlier than David's age-group), it emerged
that not only had David dominated his age-group but he had also turned in
the 2nd fastest performance of the day, headed only by one 'elite' athlete,
Mark McKay! For a brief moment, the prospect of a full elite GB vest looked
likely as the first 5 finishers of the day were to be selected for
Belgium...only for David to be told that his outstanding performance could
not be taken into account as he hadn't been in the same race as the Elites.
So despite David finishing 3 minutes faster than the 5th elite finisher
Martin Yelling (Liz's husband and former UK duathlon champion), the
selectors were 'forced' to pick Martin instead. A genuine disappointment
for David but not one that should tarnish one of those rare and wonderful
days in sport when you completely out-perform your wildest expectations.
Surely the start of great things to come from David in duathlon - from now
on certainly on the elite start line!"
TRACK TRAINING
Margaret Auerback writes:
"The Thursday track sessions (7pm at Barn Elms) are well under way, we have
a good group of all standards but there is plenty of room for more to join
us. The masters league is fast approaching with the first match on May 10th
and there are also some Southern League races and county championships to
aim for".
COMMISERATIONS...
...to Stephen Instone, who writes:
"Just to apologise for absence from GB Relay etc. Incapacitated at present
with broken right arm sustained in the Guisely Gallop over Easter, an Easter
trip / break with a difference (tree root)".
...to Kathleen Harris in Australia, who congratulates everyone on their
London Marathon performances:
"Alas, I've not been running for the last 6 weeks as yesterday I had a knee
reconstruction. Yes, all those years of playing international netball and
nothing untoward ever occurred, then I do my good deed of helping out a
friend whose netball team only had 6 players and what do I go and do......
put a tear in my lateral ligament, completely lose the ACL, and extensively
damage my medial. Can you believe it? So it's lots of hard work from here on
in to get it back on track. No more netball that's for sure but I will be
back running in about 2 months".
...and to Hugh Jones, who won the Sahara Marathon in Algeria by some 20
minutes in 2.46, but subsequently tore a calf muscle in another marathon -
meaning that he too will miss the Green Belt Relay in which he currently
stands top of the table with a total of eight stage wins.
SAM HAUGHIAN
It was very sad at the weekend to read of the death in a road accident in
South Africa of Sam Haughian. Only 24, Sam was one of the few bright hopes
of British men's distance running. He was a member of Windsor, Slough, Eton
& Hounslow, but also ran second-claim with Ranelagh for a while when he was
a teenager.
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 Anna McLaughlin (07971 606521 /
mailto:anna.mclaughlin@itv.com ).
Thursday April 29th Summer Junior Handicap Series 2km race 1.
7pm at the Hawker Centre, Kingston. All under 17s welcome.
Sunday May 2nd Sutton 10km. Ranelagh Road GP race 3 and
Surrey Road League race 1. 11am start. Entry form at
www.suttonrunners.cwc.net
Saturday May 8th / Sunday May 9th Green Belt Relay. See above
Sunday May 16th Richmond Half Marathon. Ranelagh Road GP
race 4 and Surrey Half Marathon Championship. Our Half Marathon is on a
different course this year, starting where our Dysart Dash 10km starts, in
Meadlands Drive. See our web site for details.
Sunday May 23rd Coombe Hill 5 miles
Thursday May 27th Summer Junior Handicap Series 2km race 2.
7pm at the Hawker Centre, Kingston. All under 17s welcome.
Sunday June 6th Dorking 10 miles. Ranelagh Road GP race 5
and Surrey 10 miles Championship.
FINALLY
Bev Ali writes:
"Pat, Deborah, Bev and Lorna received an impromptu audience with the Queen
and Prince Philip on Sunday as they ran a reconnaissance mission on the leg
2 of the Green Belt Relay through Windsor Great Park. Her Majesty regretted
that her religious obligations prevented her from donning her kit and
joining the ladies, but did hint that she may be persuaded another time, and
drove off with a cheery wave of the royal hand!"
Steve Rowland
e-mail: srowland@calor.co.uk
Tel: 01926 318734
Fax: 0870 4006901