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Newsdesk 2004
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RANELAGH HARRIERS E-NEWS # 152 29 SEPTEMBER 2004
Editor: Steve Rowland
mailto: steverowland@ranelagh-harriers.com
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HEADLINE NEWS
* 2.54 marathon by 73-year-old Ed Whitlock
* 12th place for women's team in Southern Road Relay Championships
* 75.58 half marathon by Lauren Shelley
* European Duathlon Championships frustration for David Benton
* Ranelagh weekly 5km time trial to start this Saturday
WELCOME...
...to the following new members:
Anna Comerford, Georgia Mianscrow, Becky Chapman, Sally Piesse, Rachel
Turtle, Rebecca Clayden, Katie Clare, Stephen Logue, Stephen Roberts, Paul
Bristow, Martin Crosby, Gary Croke.
WHAT'S COMING...
The fixture list for the 2004/05 winter season, can be found on our web site.
More details of the following from
Andy Bickerstaff (07966 552302 / mailto: andy@norris-hobs.co.uk ) or
Phil Aiken (07739 035189 / mailto: phil.aiken@rnid.org.uk ) or
Anna McLaughlin (07971 606521 / mailto: anna.mclaughlin@itv.com ).
Saturday October 2nd Page Cup 5 miles handicap in Richmond Park.
All members welcome - enter on the day in the clubhouse. 3pm start. See our
web site for more details of the course and the history of the Cup.
Ranelagh 5 km Time Trial in
Bushy Park. 9am start. See below and look on our web site for more info.
Saturday October 9th Surrey Women's Cross-Country League on
Wimbledon Common starting at 12.30pm (seniors, followed by junior races)
Surrey Men's Cross-Country
League in Brockwell Park starting at 2.30pm (juniors, followed by seniors at
3pm)
Ranelagh 5 km Time Trial in
Bushy Park. 9am start.
Saturday October 16th Surrey Veterans' Cross-Country Championships
in Richmond Park (women 6km at 2.30pm, men 8km at 3pm). See below.
Invitation match v Oxford
University and others at Shotover, Oxford.
Ranelagh 5 km Time Trial in
Bushy Park. 9am start
Sunday October 17th Cabbage Patch 10 miles road race at
Twickenham. Entries now closed.
Saturday October 23rd Lee Cup Mob Match v Orion Harriers at
Chingford. 7.5 miles. 2.30pm start. Free transport will leave from the
clubhouse at 12 noon.
Ranelagh 5 km Time Trial in
Bushy Park. 9am start
RANELAGH WEEKLY BUSHY PARK TIME TRIAL
This Saturday sees the inaugural Ranelagh weekly 5km time trial in Bushy
Park. Start is at 9am sharp from the big car park by the Diana Fountain
(close to the Hampton Court entrance). This event will be held every
Saturday morning from now on. No pre-entry is required - just turn up and
run. See our web site for full details including course map.
Paul Sinton-Hewitt is the main organiser, and the intention is that only the
minimum number of helpers will be required. But Paul would be pleased to
hear from anyone who can help regularly or occasionally
(mailto:p.sintonhewitt@btinternet.com).
SURREY VETERANS' CROSS-COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS Saturday 16th October in
Richmond Park starting at 2.30pm.
A reminder that entries have to be made in advance for this event. It's open
to women aged 35 and over (who run 6km) and men aged 40 and over (10km),
entry fee £3. Women who want to run should contact Margaret Auerback either
on Tuesday night at the club or by e-mail at
margaret.auerback@btinternet.com. Men who want to run should contact Chris
Owens (mailto:aachrisowens@yahoo.co.uk).
COACHING
And a reminder too about Robin Drummond's coaching talks currently under way
on Thursday evenings at 7pm at the clubhouse. Everybody who wants to improve
their 10km times are welcome.
BLOODY BUT UNBOWED...
Aileen Cahill writes:
"On Tuesday last week I took a tumble over the speed bump on the way into
the car park and went flying. I am fine if a bit battered and bruised! I
gouged a lump out of the bridge of my nose which couldn't be sutured but
will recover in time. I have two lovely bashed knees and a very sore
shoulder - but really am fine. It could have been a lot worse.
Can you pass on my thanks to Wally's group who cleaned and fixed me me up
(and the nurse whose name I don't know) and most particularly to Beverley
who drove me to A+E. I will be back!! In a few weeks when my knees have
recovered sufficiently - that is if Wally will have me back. He may well
consider me too much of a liability!
In the meantime while I still look like I have done a couple of rounds with
Amir Khan I may well pop into the pub and see if I can persuade them to do
something about making that speed bump more visible after dark".
RANELAGH CHRISTMAS PARTY
This will be taking place at the Turk's Head pub in St Margarets on Friday
10th December. It will be a sit-down three-course meal followed by a disco,
price £18 per head. Please book with Jo Turner
(mailto:joturner_45@hotmail.com) or Marina Quayle
(mailto:marina_quayle@hotmail.com) by the end of October, and also make your
selection from the menu:
Starters
1. Home-made broccoli and stilton soup
2. Warm goats cheese and red onion tart with salad garnish
3. Prawn and smoked salmon pate with lemon dressed salad
4. Chargrilled asparagus with parma ham, rocket, parmesan and olive oil
Main
1. Traditional roast turkey with roast potatoes, seasonal veg. and all the
trimmings.
2. Pan-fried snapper fillet with mango salsa, braised rice and winter veg.
3. Braised beef steak in a rich red wine sauce with mushrooms, button onions
and bacon pieces, and seasonal veg.
4. Roasted winter risotto with rocket, Parmesan and chive oil.
Dessert
1. Traditional Christmas pudding with brandy sauce.
2. Dark and white chocolate mousse with strawberry sauce.
3. Rhubarb and blackberry crumble tart with custard.
4. Selection of cheese and biscuits
TORONTO WATERFRONT MARATHON Sunday 26th September
Ed Whitlock ran an absolutely astounding race to hack five full minutes off
the previous best-ever time by an over 70 (which was his own 2.59 in this
race last year). Ed is now 73 years old but finished 26th out of 1462
finishers in a time of 2.54.49. Superlatives fail us! You can see a photo of
Ed - sporting his Ranelagh vest - on our web site.
Ed writes: "Showing the Ranelagh colours this year! Picture was taken about
750m from the finish, about the time I had the last of the 3 or 4 leg cramps
I had in the last 2k, looking a lot better than last year though. Time at
half marathon 1:27:31. I am naturally overjoyed".
The following comes from the 'Toronto Star' report:
"While Kassap (the race winner) was applauded with some gusto as he took the
tape, Whitlock was saluted with a deafening ovation and cries of his name
from the crowd. And yes, he noticed it. 'I guess I'm a pretty low-key
person,' said Whitlock. 'But the noise does hit you. It's not something I'm
used to. It has an impact.'
'It's a little like being with a rock star,' said Whitlock's son Neil, a
pretty solid runner in his own right, but a spectator on this day. 'We go to
a race, and after it's over, every 10 feet someone wants to come over and
talk and shake his hand.'
Whitlock said this week that he felt stronger than last year, and his better
preparation and overall fitness showed early. He reckoned at the halfway
point he was headed for 2:56 or thereabouts, comfortably under last year.
'I thought last year was the last one under three hours for me,' said
Whitlock, who hasn't decided on accepting an invite to next year's Rotterdam
Marathon or competing in the World Masters Games. "I don't think I'll be
able to beat this one. Realistically, this is the end.'"
Ken Powley reports that the WAVA age-graded tables rate this performance at
an unprecedented 99.96%. Chris Chataway, also 73 and who himself ran 1.39 in
the Great North Run, said, "Whitlock (formerly Ted now Ed) is in a different
class. As 18 year olds we ran together at Walton Athletic Club before he
emigrated to Canada and eventually emerged as the phenomenon of veterans'
distance running".
Ed's was not the only record set in the race - 93-year-old Brit Fauja Singh
completed the half marathon in 2.30.02 and Michal Kapral set a
"pram-pushers" record by wheeling his 20-month-old daughter through the full
marathon in 2.49.43.
You can read more at the race web site www.torontowaterfrontmarathon.com.
SOUTH OF ENGLAND ROAD RELAY CHAMPIONSHIPS Sunday 26th September at
Aldershot
Sarah Seal declared herself "gobsmacked" that she had managed to run only
one second slower than last year, despite having barely trained through the
summer due to injury. "Chasing Kristina definitely helped," added Sarah.
This referred to Kristina Semple, who became available to run only at the
last minute and had not been one of our official entries. So Kristina ran as
a one-woman B team and she and Sarah battled the whole way round the opening
lap to finish 9th and 10th respectively.
New member Sally Piesse was thrown in at the deep end on lap 2 and swam well
against some tough opposition to bring us in 16th. Estelle Damant took over
and put in another fine performance to hand over to Alice Beverly in 17th
place. Alice is evidently gaining a taste for grandstand finishes as she
gained ground steadily and with a storming sprint passed two more athletes
on the final lap round Rushmoor Arena. Our total time and final position of
12th both seem to have been our best ever results in this event.
BUPA WINDSOR HALF MARATHON Sunday 26th September
A massive field of over 4000 runners assembled for this event on the rolling
roads of Windsor Great Park. Jo Ronaldson and Marie Synnott-Wells were
always prominent in the women's race, eventually finishing 4th and 7th
respectively - but 1st and 3rd amongst the over 35s. Jo finished in a
Ranelagh bunch in the 84 minute bracket, just behind Grant Lemke, Simon
Tyler and Adam Tapley.
1 E Kimeli (Kenya) 1.04.06
14 L Hasell (Bristol- 1st W) 1.18.16
42 Grant Lemke 1.24.15
44 Gary Croke 1.24.19
46 Adam Tapley 1.24.24
50 Jo Ronaldson 1.24.43
68 Marie Synnott-Wells 1.27.41
884 Lee O'Flaherty 1.49.56
1020 Alice Gilks 1.51.53
1888 Julia Langensiepen 2.03.15
2887 Lorna Smith 2.15.46
3298 Susan Booth 2.22.13
3353 Emma Corbett 2.23.15
3380 Lynne Barber 2.23.41
3381 Hazel Carr 2.23.41
3382 Jane Wyatt 2.23.41
3681 Val Lowman 2.29.49
GREAT NORTH RUN HALF MARATHON Sunday 26th September at Newcastle
Allison O'Neill reports:
"Our newest lady recruit, Aussie Lauren Shelley, was in action at the Great
North Run on Sunday and ran a truly awesome half marathon PB of 75:58. Here
are her comments on the weekend: 'Yep got the PB - 1:15:58 - and actually
got a 10km PB on the way through too! But great day - good atmosphere and
nice to run against some of the big guns and to see a fellow Aussie win!
Didn't even try to stay with them though...'."
Women
1 B Johnson (Australia) 67.55
14 Lauren Shelley 75.58
EUROPEAN DUATHLON CHAMPIONSHIPS Sunday 26th September at Swansea
Allison O'Neill reports:
"Meanwhile, in Swansea, David Benton's GB elite debut in the European
Duathlon Champs was memorable but for the wrong reasons. David arrived in
Wales two days before the race as requested by the Team Manager - but his
luggage didn't. The airline had somehow left everything but the passengers
behind in Paris and David found himself due to represent his country for the
first time in his sporting career with no racing shoes, no bike shoes, no
sports kit, and, most important of all, no bike. So, instead of enjoying
pre-race warm-up sessions with his GB team-mates, David spent the best part
of 2 days making increasingly desperate phone calls to the airline and
finally borrowing shoes, clothes and a bike to be able to make it to the
start line.
In the circumstances, he ran a strong first 10k, arriving into T1 well in
contention in the second pack of nine or ten and alongside four of his GB
colleagues. But then the inevitable happened. Robbed of his usual bike
shoes, he couldn't get his feet into the alternatives he'd been forced to
wear and lost touch entirely with the main pack - before the bike leg had
even begun. Cycling virtually solo for most of the 40k bike leg, there was
never a chance he could get back in contention and the temptation to "do a
Paula" must have been overwhelming as he ploughed a lonely path up and down
the Swansea sea front. But, all credit to David, he didn't even consider
giving up, entered T2 somewhere in the second half of the field and put in a
solid (if somewhat weary) second run to cross the line in 30th.
Fortunately, David will have a chance to don his GB kit again in 3 weeks
time for the final ITU duathlon event of the season in Italy, this time
flying Air Italia. Hopefully it'll be a case of different airline, different
result!"
1 J Dereere (Belgium) 1.50.47 (run 34.02, bike 59.51, run 16.28)
30 David Benton 1.55.45 (run 34.52, bike 61.25, run 18.30)
WIMBLEDON PREMIER 10km Sunday 19th September
Phil Aiken, who timed himself at 42.37, mysteriously finds himself bumped
down to 50 minutes plus in the official results:
1 A Liddell (Unatt) 31.51
64 Stephen Instone 39.11
207 Jacqui Reid 45.41
349 Phil Aiken 50.46??
LAST FRIDAY OF THE MONTH 5Km Friday 24th September in Hyde Park
Due to a marshalling error, this month's race was 150 metres over-distance.
Pete Warren was the second over 60 to finish.
1 S Major (WG & EL) 16.41
80 Pete Warren 20.53
158 Martin Harrison 23.39
192 Mike Rowland 25.37
JULIAN FARRELL MEMORIAL 10km Sunday 26th September at Camberley
1 D Thomson (Ports) 36.09
17 Phil Aiken 42.59
NEW FOREST MARATHON Sunday 19th September at New Milton
1 M Feighan (Exeter) 2.34.40
222 Simon Burrell 4.05.55
WINDSCHOTEN WORLD CUP 100km Saturday 11th September
Andy Hayward reports:
"I did run, but not surprisingly didn't win the Sutton Park 50k in
Birmingham in May, which would have guaranteed selection for the GB team for
the 100km World Championships. I also did run in the UKA 100km Championships
in Cardiff in June, but didn't run under 7:25 which is the GB team
qualifying time for the Worlds. However, the thought of participating in a
World Championship race, at the longest distance at which World Records are
recognised by the IAAF was attractive, and so I entered the open "Solo"
category of the race on my own. It was held on Saturday 11th September in
Windschoten in the Netherlands (last year was in Taiwan, and next year is in
Japan, so this was my only realistic opportunity). Having run the 100km
distance (62.1 miles) in June, I knew I could complete the distance, so the
goal was to both improve my time (8:45:47), and see how I would place
against the best ultra runners in the world.
We flew to Amsterdam the day before, and as there had been no hotels left
near Windschoten we arranged to stay about an hour outside Amsterdam. The
race didn't start until 1:00pm so I was able to get up at a reasonable time,
have breakfast and drive the (supposed) three hours up to the town of
Windschoten, close to the German border in the very north-east of the
Netherlands. Two sets of road closures for repairs meant a fairly stressful
run up there which actually took four hours, and we eventually arrived about
half an hour before the registration deadline of noon. I then had an hour to
get ready and soak in all the atmosphere of the international event. I had a
chance to catch up with some of the GB team who had all done some of the
ultra races that I had run in during the course of the year, including local
runner Matt Lynas of TH&H. (There are only a comparatively few loonies
around who do the ultras, so you get to know them all).
The course was on a reasonably interesting and attractive 10km loop around
the town, which was run ten times. The start and finish of the race, and
each loop was in "De Klinker" which was a large sports hall near a big
windmill in the centre of town. It had two sets of big hangar-style doors on
one side of the gymnasium which were opened, and the race actually ran
through the hall at the start, and at the completion of each lap. After
leaving the hall, the route passed the windmill, and then took a 3km
circuit, through a residential area, and a woodland park. Passing the
windmill again (the other side) we then had a convoluted 7km run out around
the (closed and traffic free) streets. We passed another windmill at 4km
before encountering the long line of tables which made up the first of the
two official feed stations at 5km, then out to the canal, coming back
through quiet residential lanes to another town park. The last kilometre
was lined with the second of the feeding areas, which like the first one at
4-5km saw all of the national teams having their own station (about fifty of
them in total) before the small table for the "Solo" runners. Then it was
back through "De Klinker" and over the ChampionChip mat in the hall to
record the lap.
There were children's races an hour before the start of the 100km, and a
marathon and a large 10 x 10km relay (hundreds of teams) which started
shortly after it, so there was plenty of activity, lots of runners, and
great crowd support. The whole community got involved in what was a whole
day event (the race started at 1:00pm, and there was a twelve hour cut off,
so it was going on until 1:00am on Sunday morning, and the town really does
make a day of it. There was support all around the course, albeit patchy in
some places, but where we ran past houses and pubs there were countless
outdoor barbeques and parties set up to support the runners. People were
quite literally out there shouting, cheering and waving football rattles all
day - a feat of endurance on its own. Towards the end some of them were
staggering more than the runners, but that was mainly due to the Grolsch and
Heineken!!!
As for the race, the weather was mixed. It had rained just before the start,
but then the sun came out and it got quite warm. And of course the end of
the run (the last lap for me) was in the dark. I started off fairly slowly,
completing the first 10km in 48:55. I then felt warmed up and increased the
speed a little, covering the next two laps in 46:30 and 46:50. As before I
was fine through the first 50km (31 miles) and the fourth and fifth laps in
47:50 and 48:25 meant I got to half way in 3:58:35, about a minute ahead of
my Cardiff time at that point. Then it started to get a bit tough. I managed
another lap in 51:33 before I started feeling it and had to walk for five
minutes a couple of times to regroup, pulling the lap time down to 57:22. I
did the same on the eighth lap for 60:03. This period between 60 and 80km
was my worst patch, and the beauty (?!) of a race this long is that you can
come through a bad patch. I realised that if I could just keep going, I
would improve my previous time. Also the fact that I had only been lapped by
two of the GB team (and I saw one of them drop out minutes afterwards) gave
me hope that I could make a good showing, and this was spurring me on. My
last two laps were very tough, but quite strong, 53:43 and 54:06, although I
had a really weird sensation of heavy eyes and fighting sleep despite being
in forward motion at a reasonable pace. I came home in 8:35:22, about 8:15
per mile average pace for the 62.1 miles, and a pb by over ten minutes.
Despite a strong finish, I had to sit for half an hour in the athletes' area
in the hall before I found the strength to walk outside to find (a rather
worried) Connie, who had done her usual fantastic job of waiting on the
course the whole time to provide me with replacement powergels etc.
Of the 339 starters 202 finished within the time limit. I finished in 89th
position overall, 8th in the 45-49 age group out of 40 starters and 24
finishers. Considering that most of the runners were internationals running
for their countries, I was well pleased with that. I also finished second
Briton, ahead of all other Solo runners from Britain, and ahead of four of
the five GB national team who dropped out during the race. The race was won
by an Italian veteran, in a new world record time for an M40. The World Cup
was won by Italy. The first British finisher was Brian Hennessey of Crawley
(who won in Cardiff in June in 7:07:23) who here cracked seven hours for the
first time.
The awards etc. and party were the next afternoon, but I missed it.
Unfortunately due to a business trip whose timing was beyond my control, I
had to leave straight after the race and drive the three hours back to the
hotel near Amsterdam, which was harder than the run! After a couple of hours
sleep I had to get up to fly to Heathrow and then straight on to Boston. I
was asleep before we took off!"
1 M Ardemagni (Italy) 6.18.24
89 Andy Hayward 8.35.22
TUESDAY NIGHT TORTURE
Tuesday sessions for the "fast" group over next few weeks, starting from the
clubhouse at 7pm:
5/10 1 x 10 mins effort + 3 x 4 mins
12/10 3 x 3 x Ham Gate hill
19/10 2 x 7 mins efforts + 2 x 5 mins
26/10 2x 4 x Holly Lodge Hill
See our web site for more complete details.
HANDICAP MEDALS
The committee has decided that we will revert to awarding medals to the
fastest three men and women in each of our handicap races, and that these
will be presented on the day of the race - starting with the Page Cup this
Saturday.
FINALLY
Stop blaming lactic acid when your legs turn into tree-trunks! According to
a report in 'The Times', scientists have discovered that lactic acid
actually prevents tiredness. Research teams in Melbourne and Aarhus
experimented on rats and discovered that as lactic levels increased, muscle
fibres fatigued less quickly...