Home
Newsdesk 2004

 ****************************************************************************
 RANELAGH HARRIERS E-NEWS # 157       10 NOVEMBER 2004
 Editor: Steve Rowland
 mailto: steverowland@ranelagh-harriers.com
 ****************************************************************************
 HEADLINE NEWS
 *   Farewell run from Lauren Shelley
 *   Important races coming up!

 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 November 13th        South of the Thames 5 miles Championship in
 Richmond Park. Men's and women's races starting at 2.30pm
                                            Ranelagh 5 km Time Trial in
 Bushy Park. 9am start

 Saturday November 20th         Mob Match v Thames Hare and Hounds in
 Richmond Park. 7.5 miles starting at 2.30pm See below.
                                            Junior Points prize races in
 Richmond Park. 1.3 miles starting at 2.35pm. See below.
                                            Ranelagh 5 km Time Trial in
 Bushy Park. 9am start

 Saturday November 27th         Surrey League Division 1  All are welcome to
 take part.
                                             Men at Kingston Vale (Wimbledon
 Common) - HQ 200 metres up the A3 from Robin Hood Gate. Juniors at 2.30pm,
 seniors at 3pm. Map
                                              Women at Kingston Gate
 (Richmond Park). Note the car park at Kingston Gate is small, so allow time
 to park outside the park or at the larger car park near Isabella Plantation.
 Seniors at 12.30pm followed by U17s at 1.15pm and U15s/U13s at 1.45pm. Map

                                             Ranelagh 5 km Time Trial in
 Bushy Park. 9am start

 SOUTH OF THE THAMES 5 MILES CHAMPIONSHIP  Saturday 13th November in Richmond
 Park
 We are hosting this event on behalf of the South of the Thames Cross-Country
 Association. It will be over our 5 miles "League" course, starting at
 2.30pm. Please be at the clubhouse by 2pm if you're planning to take part.

 MOB MATCH v THAMES HARE & HOUNDS  Saturday 20th November in Richmond Park
 This year we're at home to the mighty Thames Hare and Hounds so we'll need
 every runner we can get on the starting line. It's 7.5 miles on our own
 course in Richmond Park starting at 2.30pm. Race it or use it as a training
 run - it's the size of the "mob" that counts. Absolutely everyone welcome!!

 The race incorporates the club men's veterans championships for the Hastings
 Cup (over 40s), McDowell Salver (over 50s) and Maslin Mug (over 60s). It
 also sees the inaugural presentation of the Richard Clay-Jones Pint for the
 first over 50 to finish. This trophy has been donated in memory of Richard
 by his many friends and will be presented after the race by Mrs Clay-Jones.

 In the evening we'll be hosting our guests to a supper in our clubhouse.
 Those who attended the supper at Thames last year will attest that these are
 extremely sociable occasions! Cost will be about £8 - please book your
 places with Jo Turner (mailto:joturner_45@hotmail.com) or Marina Quayle
 (mailto:marina_quayle@hotmail.com).

 JUNIOR CROSS-COUNTRY POINTS PRIZE
 We are repeating last season's series of races for juniors, each over one
 lap of Sidmouth Wood, about 1.3 miles. They will take place on Saturdays
 20th November, 11th December, 22nd January and 28th February, starting at
 about 2.30pm. All under 17s are welcome. If possible register at the
 clubhouse by 2pm, but otherwise come straight to the start opposite Pembroke
 Lodge. There will be separate categories for under 13s, under 15s and under
 17s, boys and girls, and there will be prizes at the end of the series for
 the overall winners.

 SURREY LEAGUE DIVISION 1  Saturday 27th November
 The second Surrey League races of the season will be vital to both our men's
 and women's teams - but for very different reasons! The men have to dig
 themselves out of the relegation spot they currently hold, while the women
 have to build on the lead they established in the first race. But the bottom
 line is the same - we desperately need everybody who might be in with a
 chance of making the scoring teams to turn up and run!

 REEBOK CROSS CHALLENGE  Saturday 30th October at Senneleys Park, Birmingham
 Alice Beverly writes:
 "Very very muddy (think Parliament Hill at the National in February at the
 end of the day after 800 men have all run round a few times!). Wasn't in
 Ranelagh colours I'm afraid as was running for Oxford Uni, but was pleased
 with my run, but not pleased at having to clean my spikes..."
 This was Lauren Shelley's final race before returning to a West Australian
 summer. The mud and water splashes lovingly depicted in Athletics Weekly
 will I'm sure be quite a memory for her to take away!

 1 H Yelling (WSEH) 22.16
 36 Lauren Shelley 25.11
 49 Alice Beverly 25.44

 PRIORY RELAYS  Saturday 6th November at Reigate
 We fielded a couple of scratch teams in both men's and women's events. We
 were actually expecting only enough men for a team and a half, so some
 doubling up was planned for the B team - only for a non-arrival in the A
 team ("I forgot") to necessitate "top and tail" efforts from the Captain.
 Andy's first circuit was our fastest of the day, though Matt Morgan was not
 far behind. Phil Aiken managed to run faster on his second time around!

 Star performer for the women was Sally Piesse who enjoyed an excellent run
 on the opener. Special mention for Karen Broadbent who also took part in the
 Bushy Park time trial in the morning and Jo Nascimento in her first open
 race.

 We currently have official times and positions only for the women, but
 suffice it to say that we did not trouble the officials at the prize
 presentation!


 KARRIMOR INTERNATIONAL MOUNTAIN MARATHON  Saturday 30th and Sunday 31st
 October in the Brecon Beacons
 Chris Owens reports:
 "The KIMM was founded in 1968 and is the forerunner of all adventure racing.
 The formula remains a challenging 2-day Mountain event (the Elite course
 being 2 sequential marathon lengths) where a team of two navigate their way
 around a course in mountainous terrain, in a new location each year,
 carrying all food, stove, tent and equipment for an overnight camp. 

 We didn't do Elite! 

 For us, B class was quite enough of a challenge - just over 50km (32miles)
 of yomping over the Brecon Beacons (the last four years have been in the
 Lake District, Ayrshire, Cheviots and Dumfries and Galloway respectively).
 As with other orienteering events, you have to find a series of 'controls' -
 wastebin-sized orange markers - collect the electronic signature (id and
 time) of each control in a chip issued to each team - think the Champion
 Chip used in big city marathons - in the correct order and as fast as
 possible. Teams start at minute intervals in each class, and only see the
 map marked with the controls a minute before that, so each start is a low
 key affair with lots of earnest discussion of possible routes, rather than
 the usual adrenaline rush. As there are six classes, following other teams
 is not recommended (or allowed). Neither are mobile phones nor GPS
 navigation systems, to keep alive the traditional challenge of navigating
 with map and compass. C class or Short Score are ideal introductions to this
 sort of racing, but some experience of orienteering and wild country camping
 is essential.

 As for the last four years, my role was to be the 'donkey' carrying as much
 as possible and following my running partner Mike Hynd's choice of routes -
 although as usual the 'donkey' had something to say about the route now and
 again. Biggest difference from newer 'adventure' races? - at least 12 hours
 break for food and rest is compulsory. Nice to catch up with others'
 experience at the overnight camp too!

 This year's memories - relief that all the Welsh rain fell on the Friday -
 fear over navigating in the mist at the start of each day - happiness when
 the sun burned off the mist - elation when the sun revealed that we were
 heading in the right direction - enjoyment of the beautiful Brecon Beacons
 under an autumn sun - the slog over the last 10km with dead legs - joy when
 the results revealed our results were the best in five years of trying - 289
 teams started B class, 200 finished and we were 34th - an improvement of
 over 20 places on our previous best". 

 1 J Helme & S Richardson 8.18.22
 34 Chris Owens & Mike Hynd 10.32.07 

 LAST FRIDAY OF THE MONTH 5Km  Friday 29th October in Hyde Park
 1 E Malloch (Barnet) 15.41
 34 Andy Bickerstaff 18.05
 35 Matt Morgan 18.13
 42 Neil Walford 18.31
 95 Pete Warren 20.18
 133 John Pratt 21.11
 209 Mike Rowland 24.35
 223 Wally Garrod 25.08
 241 John Hanscomb 26.27

 BUSHY PARK 5Km TIME TRIAL  Saturday 30th October
 A clear win for Saturday morning "regular" Tim Elsey, who had run off course
 the previous week. There was course pbs for Stephen Instone and Rachel
 Rowan, who was first woman home.
 1 T Elsey (Dorking & MV) 17.15
 2 Stephen Instone 19.28
 3 Andy Bickerstaff 19.44
 4 Steve Rowland 19.58
 5 Peter Wright 20.39
 6 Rachel Rowan 20.43
 8 Andy Hayward 22.19
 10 Alan Craig 23.38
 11 Sonia Rowland 23.41
 13 Karen Broadbent 24.47
 15 Hilary Saw 27.42

 BUSHY PARK 5 Km TIME TRIAL  Saturday 6th November
 A new course record from Dave Symons and another near-half minute
 improvement from Stephen Instone. Rachel Rowan was again the leading woman
 and won a spot prize as 6th finisher in the 6th Bushy Park run.
 1 D Symons (TH&H) 16.29
 2 Stephen Instone 19.02
 5 Jonny Rowan 20.52
 6 Rachel Rowan 20.54
 10 Darren Wood 22.21
 14 Karen Broadbent 24.21
 15 Wally Garrod 24.38
 16 Janet Turnes 26.53

 BARNS GREEN HALF MARATHON  Sunday October 31st
 Angus Cater writes:
 "Today has been a beautiful day and I have been running the Barns Green Half
 Marathon, our local run. 1450 turned out in perfect conditions to enjoy an
 undulating course with a couple of short,sharp hills. I met a Ranelagh lady
 before the start and we decided we were both hoping to run about 1.50.She
 was obviously being cautious because she overtook me at the first drinks
 station and I never saw her again.She must have run under 1.45. Not bad for
 her first 1/2. I took it fairly easy over the first 7 and then upped the
 pace a bit in the 2nd half. Finished in 1.47.34. All those Epping Forest
 hills must have done me some good".

 1 D Taylor (Blackheath) 1.06.45
 509 Stephen Arneil 1.44.57
 520 Nicola MacGillivray 1.45.13
 583 Angus Cater 1.47.33

 RUN EALING RAGGED 10Km  Sunday 31st October
 Pete Warren was first over 60 in 42.11.

 REGENTS PARK 10Km  Sunday 7th November
 "I want to recce the course and run a semi-decent time" was Phil Aiken's
 plan for the day after running two laps at Reigate. "In the end I did
 slightly better - a Ranelagh 10k best by half a minute!"
 
 1 S Barrett (Serpentine) 34.07
 67 Phil Aiken 42.04
 98 John Pratt 44.38

 AUCKLAND MARATHON  Sunday 7th November
 After spending some time in the States, Marius Acker is now in New Zealand,
 from where he writes:
 "I completed the Auckland Marathon this week in 2.48. It was my second
 marathon and I did not do enough long training sessions. With 10km to go I
 was in 9th place but over the last 10km my 'wheels' came to a halt. I was on
 course for 2.35 at that stage - I went through halfway in 1.17 and felt
 really relaxed. In the last 10ks we were joined by people running a 10k
 event and this helped me to the end. I walked for probably 200m before I
 could get myself going again. I eventually finished 25th and earned a silver
 medal for running under 3 hours. Next year I hope to try for a gold (first
 ten finishers). Today I am walking like a real old man - legs are wasted!" 

 McLEOD CUP
 This trophy goes to the person who scores the most points in races during
 the cross-country season, based on 100 points for the first Ranelagh
 finisher, 99 for the second and so on. There have been four counting events
 so far and the next is the Thames mob match. Full details and score sheets
 can be found on our web site (click on the "Ranelagh Statistics" section).
 64 names appear on the men's list so far and 33 on the women's. Top ten to
 date:

 Men
 Marcus Gohar  391,  Andy Bickerstaff  388,  Mike Peace  352,  Julian Smith
 298,  Will Graves  280,  Trevor Maguire  275,  Graham Quick  270,  Chris
 Brook  256,  Clive Naish  244,  Phil Aiken  242.

 Women
 Sonia Rowland  380,  Kathy Mallett  289,  Corinne Bishop  265,  Allison
 O'Neill  200,  Lauren Shelley  198,  Michele Gibson  194,  Sarah Seal  193,
 Clodagh Fahy  180,  Janet Turnes  174,  Lizzie Clifford  100.


 FINALLY
 David Benton writes:
 "Following her super-fast performance in the National Road Relays, Allison
 O'Neill was delighted earlier this week to receive an invitation to
 represent England in the cross-country international at Margate on 13th
 November. Only problem is - she's not English! Representing Northern Ireland
 doesn't quite have the same ring to it..."