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 ****************************************************************************
 RANELAGH HARRIERS E-NEWS # 181              10 June 2005
 Editor: Steve Rowland
 mailto: steverowland@ranelagh-harriers.com
 ****************************************************************************
 HEADLINE NEWS
 *  Marie Synnott-Wells wins Dorking 10 women's race
 *  Paul Doyle third in men's race
 *  More county golds for Ranelagh women's team
 *  Ranelagh third in South Downs Way Relay
 *  David Benton 27th in World Long Distance Duathlon Championships

 SEE HERE
 *************
 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
 Frances Ratchford writes:
 "Ranelagh's AGM will take place on Wednesday July 7th at 7.45pm in the
 clubhouse.

 The purpose of the AGM is to decide on any resolutions which may be
 submitted to the Secretary and circulated two weeks before the meeting, to
 receive reports from the committee, the balance sheet and a statement of
 audited accounts for the preceding financial year, and to elect officers for
 the committee.

 If anyone would like to put forward any resolutions or proposals for the AGM
 could they please email or send them to the Secretary, Frances Ratchford
 (mailto:grapevineproductions@compuserve.com) not later than Friday 17th June
 so we can send them out with papers for the AGM and display them on the
 noticeboard".

 NOT THE SUNDAY LONG RUN...
 Andy Bickerstaff writes:
 "As a super special one-off we are holding a 'Kenyan' hills session from
 just outside the clubhouse at 10:30 this Sunday (June 12th). Don't know what
 it is....turn up and learn while getting fit! All welcome".

 WOMEN'S RUNNING COURSES 10th ANNIVERSARY
 Frances Ratchford writes:
 "2005 is the 10th anniversary of Ranelagh's Women's Running Courses. On
 Tuesday June 14th we are having a relay and party to celebrate the event.
 Everyone in the women's section is invited to take part and all we ask is
 that you give your name to Wally, Sarah, Anna or Frances for the relay and
 that you bring something to eat or drink on the night.

 If you know anyone who has taken part in one of the courses over the last
 ten years please invite them.  It would be great to make this a reunion as
 well as a celebration of the women's section".

 RANELAGH SUMMER PARTY...
 Jo Turner writes:
 "The Ranelagh Summer Party is to be a boat party on the Thames on Friday
 24th June from 8pm until midnight. We will be sailing on the Kingston
 Royale. Tickets will be £20 and include disco and buffet. There are 90
 tickets so it's first come first served! Tickets are available from the club
 on Wednesdays and Tuesdays or contact me (mailto:joturner_45@hotmail.com) or
 Marina (mailto:marina_quayle@hotmail.com)".

 ...AND A BARBECUE!!
 Marina Quayle adds:
 "Janet Turnes is kindly organising a BBQ for after the Harry Hawkes race on
 Sunday 3rd July. This will take place at her pub, the Wych Elm, Elm Road,
 Kingston from 2pm. It will be £10 for 2 courses and half-price for children.
 You don't have to run the race first!! Jo and I will be selling tickets from
 next Tuesday and we will only accept cash. You will also be able to pay on
 the day but Janet would really like to know how many people to expect so we
 would rather have names and money in advance". 

 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 June 11th               Ranelagh Bushy Park Time Trial  5km. 9am
 start 

 Tuesday June 14th               Women's Running Courses 10th Anniversary
 Relay. 7pm in Richmond Park 

 Saturday June 18th               Ranelagh Bushy Park Time Trial  5km. 9am
 start

 Tuesday June 21st               Chris Brasher Ponds Run. 7pm in Richmond
 Park

 Friday June 24th                   Ranelagh Summer Party. 8pm from Kingston 

 Saturday June 25th               Ranelagh Bushy Park Time Trial  5km. 9am
 start

 Sunday June 26th                 Dysart Dash 10km at Ham.  Ranelagh Grand
 Prix Race 6. See below.

 Saturday July 2nd                Ranelagh Bushy Park Time Trial  5km. 9am
 start

 Sunday July 3rd                   Harry Hawkes 8 miles at Thames Ditton.
 Ranelagh Grand Prix Race 7. See below.

 Wednesday July 6th            Ranelagh AGM. 7.45pm in the clubhouse.

 Saturday July 10th               Ranelagh Bushy Park Time Trial  5km. 9am
 start

                                            Brickmakers' Arms Relay at
 Windlesham.  2pm start.

 CHRIS BRASHER PONDS RUN  Tuesday 21st June
 Our annual CB commemoration - groups will set off from the clubhouse at 7pm
 with the aim of visiting all of the Park's 20 ponds. For those who might
 find that a bit too much, there will also be groups aiming for just a few of
 them. It's a great chance to see bits of the Park we rarely visit! More
 details including a map on our web site:
 http://www.ranelagh-harriers.com/20ponds05.html.  

 DYSART DASH 10km  Sunday 26th June
 This is the second of our two road race promotions, starting at 10am in
 Meadlands Drive, a 5 mins jog from the clubhouse. Full details are on our
 web site (http://www.ranelagh-harriers.com/dydash_05.html). The race forms
 the Surrey 10km Championship and is included in the Surrey Road League. 
 
 HARRY HAWKES 8 MILES  Sunday 3rd July
 Race 7 in our Grand Prix series. Start is at 10am at Giggs Hill Green in
 Thames Ditton. Details at http://www.hh8.org.uk/. 

 LONGFORD MARATHON AND HALF MARATHON
 Catherine Carthy writes:
 "The Longford Marathon & Half Marathon has been called 'the friendliest
 marathon in Europe' and will take place on Sunday 28th August.  Longford is
 about 80 miles from Dublin and last year six of us took part and had a lot
 of fun (talk to Michele Gibson and Tom Reay). Information and entry form on
 web site www.longfordmarathon.com and give me a call or email if you want
 more information mailto:catherine@aquiladevelopment.co.uk. It's held on our
 August bank holiday weekend and is now in its 4th year and growing in
 popularity every year".

 WHAT'S HAPPENED...
 ****************************
 DORKING 10 MILES  Sunday 5th June
 Top marks to the women's team again! The result reads Marie Synnott-Wells
 1st, Liz Kipling 4th and Anna McLaughlin 5th, all within 44 seconds, but
 that's not the full story. Anna, full of confidence, sped through the first
 mile in 5.47 and led the field until about the seven miles point. Then a
 combination of a big hill and a long tiring Saturday rally-driving around
 the South Downs (see below) caught up with her, and Marie moved smoothly
 through into the lead. Herne Hill's Becky McNicholas tracked her all the way
 but Marie doggedly maintained an advantage of a few seconds right through to
 the finish. Fast-finishing Liz passed Anna in the last mile and all three
 set personal bests - Anna by the neglibile margin of eight minutes! They
 move into 10th, 12th and 14th places respectively on Ranelagh's all-time
 list.

 The team race is four to score and a great club debut from Fari Shams in
 17th place wrapped it up for us. Further back Bev Ali set an age-graded pb
 but was even more pleased to find that she had sixteen finishers behind her! 

 In the men's event Paul Doyle ran the sort of courageous race we have come
 to expect of him and finished in an excellent third place, hot on the heels
 of his training partner Iain Lockett of Herne Hill and ahead of SLH's
 many-times Dorking winner Stuart Major. Marcus Gohar was the second vet home
 in 12th place and there was a good performance from Nathan Mills in 38th.
 Dave Powell, Stephen Instone and Phil Aiken scrapped for the fourth Ranelagh
 finisher with Dave coming out on top, but the team just missed the places in
 fourth. Dave and Stephen were 4th and 5th over 50s to finish and Pete Warren
 was the top over 65.

 The race incorporated the Surrey championships. Marie and Liz took gold and
 bronze individual medals and there was a second gold for Marie as leading
 veteran. Paul won individual bronze and I believe there will be a vets
 silver for Marcus. For the championships the team race is three to score and
 the Ranelagh women added another title to their ever-lengthening list of
 honours. The men's result is yet to be confirmed but we might just have
 slipped into third place.


 SOUTH DOWNS WAY RELAY  Beachy Head to Winchester  Saturday 4th June
 Beetle reports:
 "'Are you the Ranelagh team?' said the race organiser, 'Well come over here
 for a special briefing'. He cleared his throat. 'The South Downs can be
 tough,' he said, 'in the years the race has been on, we have had two
 helicopter evacuations and several ambulance callouts'. He scanned the
 gnarly figures before him (Phil was at the back and looking the other way).
 'However,' he said, 'You do look pretty experienced'.

 The team exchanged glances and shuffled their feet. It was 8:00am on June
 4th. At the top of Beachy Head, the wind was gusting strongly, the
 temperature was about 8C, and what could be seen of the tough South Downs
 was partly obscured by a very grey, rainy looking cloudbank. Why had Julian
 'Agent' Smith persuaded them to do this? Had Cap'n Bixie's normal Friday
 night (when in Brighton) been ruined in vain? He and Neil 'Where's Wally'
 Walford had only had four each - a big sacrifice. However, we were there,
 the Ladies' Captain was on the 10:22 to Lewes, psyching up for her role as
 pilot of the Ranelagh Rover 2, and the rest of us had got up indecently
 early on a Saturday morning to stand in a field near Eastbourne.

 'OK guys,' said the organiser, 'last wave start is in 45 mins - better get
 the first runner warming up. You have 34 other teams in front of you'.

 Eleven and quarter hours later it was all over. We ran 18 legs, covered 97
 miles in ten hours 39 minutes, experienced four seasons in a day, travelled
 from Eastbourne to Winchester, ran up and down some of the nicest scenery in
 the South East of England, heard a Ranelagh Vice President utter language
 only normally heard on the Green Belt Relay (sample '..where XXXXX XXXX is
 Walford?..'), caught nearly all the teams except the two we started with,
 and had a wonderful day.

 Particular highlights included: 

 - Phil 'Psycho' Killingley's leg to Ditchling Beacon where he took six
 minutes out of the leaders
 - 'Agent' Smith's language at the start of Leg 12
 - Andrew 'notLacLac's' hat - if that's what real mountaineers wear, no
 wonder they stay up high
 - Chris 'Dormouse' Owens, cow herding on Leg 16 - not normally done during a
 relay leg
 - Winchester on a Saturday night - at least when Ranelagh are at Pizza
 Express
 - Super support from some of the usual suspects (thanks Sonia, Steve and
 Alan), Phil's Mum and Dad, and Mrs 'Agent' Smith
 - Anna's driving, which so frightened Neil that he only missed one
 changeover
 - Cap'n Bixie for stepping into the breach on Leg 12, only 10 seconds before
 'Psycho' arrived 

 We were third. We are hooked. We'll be back - probably with a Ladies team
 too - and some proper maps (sorry Anna). 

 1 Stubbington Green 10.21.04
 2 Hailsham 10.25.32
 3 Ranelagh 10.39.12

 Individual split times were not officially recorded, but Julian has put
 together the following estimates (place name is the starting point for the
 stage):

 1 Beachy Head 4.5m Neil Walford 28.52
 2 Jevington Church 6m Andy Bickerstaff 42.38
 3 Bo Peep Farm 4.5m Andrew McLauchlan 29.37
 4 A26 Itford Farm 7.5m Chris Owens 51.23
 5 A27 5.5m Phil Killingley 31.10
 6 Ditchling Beacon 5m Julian Smith 30.30
 7 Saddlescombe Farm 5.25m Neil Walford 36.12
 8 River Adur 6m Andy Bickerstaff 46.54
 9 Washington 4.5m Andrew McLauchlan 29.31
 10 Springhead Hill 3.75m Chris Owens c26
 11 Houghton Lane 5.25m Phil Killingley c33.30
 12 A285 Littleton Farm 5.25m Andy Bickerstaff 38.08
 13 A286 Hill Barn 6.5m Julian Smith c42
 14 Harting Hill 4m Neil Walford c26.20
 15 Buriton (QE CPk) 5.5m Andrew McLauchlan 38.19
 16 Sustainability Centre 4m Chris Owens c26
 17 Winchester Hill 8m Phil Killingley 49.45
 18 Holden Farm 5.5m Julian Smith 32.43

 WORLD ELITE LONG DISTANCE DUATHLON CHAMPIONSHIPS  Sunday 29th May in Barcis,
 Italy
 David Benton reports:
 "Last weekend saw my first Long Distance duathlon - the World Championships
 in Barcis, Italy. The setting was the edge of the Dolomite Mountains, with a
 race distance of 16.5km run, 80km (non-drafting) bike, 11 km run. The run
 lap was 5.5km round a lake (ie 3 laps for run 1, 2 laps on run 2), with
 beautiful views onto the mountains - and a 800m climb halfway round.

 I took the first run steadily, enjoying it, and came into T1 in around 15th.
 Out on to the bike course, which followed the river valley (again, very
 scenic - must come back as a tourist!) climbing gradually for 15km, then
 kicking up to the Passo del Something-or-other. At the top was a drinks
 station, a 180 degree turn, and the pleasing prospect of whizzing back down
 the Passo to retrace the road along the valley to Barcis. Back at the town,
 after a circuit round the houses, the course headed out along the valley
 again for the second lap. I lost about a dozen places on the bike leg as
 stronger cyclists came through, but felt OK heading into T2.

 So, 3 hours 20 mins after the gun went, I'm back at the transition (some 15
 mins down on the leader!), with "only" an 11km run to go. Allison shouts
 'Come on, you'll catch some of them in front, they're only jogging!' - yeah
 right, wish I could go that fast! My legs feel like lead and every step is
 an effort. I slow a bit (!) and try to relax. Manage to get going and after
 a mile or so my plod becomes a run. Halfway round the lap, up the hill, I
 feel my legs tighten, and my right adductor begins to spasm, then cramp. I
 have to stop, walk, stretch, ..and hey! Here's the drinks station, halfway
 up the hill! Excellent! Walk/limp a bit more, then finally the cramp eases
 and I'm off again.

 Going into the second lap, I get into a decent rhythm and actually manage to
 close on some of those guys in front. Oh no, I've got to start racing! It
 all seemed a bit surreal, like a race run in slow motion or one of those
 dreams where you want to run but can't move. Reality hit soon enough, with
 the second climb of The Hill. Again, I feel my leg spasm, then the adductor
 cramp. Once again, I slow down, walk, stretch the muscle and the cramp
 passes - as do the three guys whom I'd bust a gut catching. However, with my
 legs now cramp-free, a downhill stretch coming up and the finish only about
 a mile away, I start running again.

 Felt good on the last part and re-caught the three guys very quickly, then
 caught one more, to finish 27th and 4th Brit. Not a bad performance,
 certainly good enough to justify the trip. With a total time of 4 hrs 02
 mins and 17 secs, this far exceeeded any event I'd done previously, and was
 a good introduction to long distance racing. Recovery has been suprisingly
 quick. I'm back in training for the upcoming British Duathlon Champs (Milton
 Keynes 12th June), and was even able to do a tourist run in Venice the
 following day with Allison - although I had to keep asking her to slow
 down!"

 1 B Vansteelant (Belgium) 3.40.59  (run 54.59, bike 2.04.08, run 40.26)
 27 David Benton 4.02.17  (run 58.27, bike 2.20.09, run 42.24)

 BUSHY PARK TIME TRIAL 5km  Saturday 4th June
 1 S Perkins (Unatt) 17.59
 14 Darren Wood 20.13
 17 Alan Davidson 20.30
 22 Roger Wilson 21.14
 29 Gill Wilson 26.05
 30 John Hanscomb 26.08

 LAST FRIDAY OF THE MONTH 5km  Friday 27th May in Hyde Park
 This was the hottest May day for 60 years, according to the BBC.
 1 O Edwards (Shaft B) 15.48
 68 Alan Davidson 20.17
 90 Pete Warren 21.15
 111 John Pratt 22.20
 161 Mike Rowland 24.37
 195 John Hanscomb 27.38 

 SURREY VETERANS TRACK CHAMPIONSHIPS  Saturday 28th May at Kingsmeadow,
 KIngston
 We were well represented in the 5000 metres with medals going to Allan Lang
 (gold) and Marcus Gohar (silver).
 M45
 1 R Marriott (SLH) 16.31.3
 2 Marcus Gohar 16.49.5

 M50
 1 S Newton (Herc Wimb) 17.07.4
 4 Stephen Instone ntt (approx 19.10)

 M55
 1 M Mann (Herne Hill) 17.44.1
 5 Alan Davidson 19.57.3

 M65
 1 Allan Lang 22.10.9

 SILVA SURREY HILL RACES  Monday 30th May at The Nower, Dorking
 With three different distances on offer John Pratt and Bill Harvey opted for
 the full monty 18 miler which takes in Leith, Holmbury and Pitch Hills. They
 crossed the line together as the first over 60s home.
 1 M Wilkins (Sax) 2.12.09
 18= John Pratt 3.00.35
 Bill Harvey 3.00.35

 KINTBURY 5 MILES  Monday 30th May
 The untireable Pete Warren was first over 65 in 34.12.

 KINGFIELD CANTER  2.85 miles handicap  Wednesday 1st June at Woking
 1 K Woodman (Unatt) 25.22  (actual time 24.22)
 16 Sonia Rowland 26.45  (actual time 20.30)
 21 Steve Rowland 26.51  (actual time 17.21)
 23 Alan Davidson 26.55  (actual time 18.10)

 YATELEY 10km  Wednesday 1st June
 1 D McCarthy (AFD) 33.41
 283 Joanne Muirlittle 45.38

 STOCKHOLM MARATHON  Saturday 4th June
 Tom Reay reports:
 "I finished in 4.02.06. The course is very nice and I would recommend it to
 anyone, but that aside, I'm a bit sad. I would really have liked to have
 done 3:45, having done 3:50 before and thinking I could improve on that a
 bit.

 Race day began with heavy rain, which stopped before the start and the sun
 broke through during the run. I did fairly well until 20 miles which I went
 through in about 2:53:45, but very soon after that I experienced a sort of
 energy breakdown and without any reason just stopped running. I didn't even
 want to stop - I was forced to. I think I must have hit the 'wall'. I
 remember standing to one side and thinking how on earth am I going to finish
 the run. I set a target of trying to jog to each water station and walking a
 bit either side, which I barely managed to do. My only consolation was that
 just before the finish I did overtake a girl who was also hoping to do 3:45.
 It's a lot easier when you're younger!! The finish in the Olympic Stadium is
 rather special though, and I did have a nice holiday!!" 

 1 K Sita (Zimbabwe) 2.13.30
 4780 Tom Reay 4.02.06

 SOUTHERN COUNTIES VETERANS TRACK LEAGUE  Monday 23rd May at Battersea Park
 No report yet but there were some impressive-looking performances from
 everyone, especially Jo Ronaldson. The next fixture is at Battersea Park on
 Monday 20th June from about 6.30pm onwards. Margaret would be pleased to see
 any over 35s for the women's team and don't forget there are races for men's
 over 40 and over 50 groups too.

 W35
 200m 3  Julie Drummond  37.6
 800m 1  Jo Ronaldson 2.33.0
 3000m 1  Jo Ronaldson 10.30.5

 W40
 200m 2  Lorna Smith 38.4
 800m 3  Lorna Smith 3.40.5

 W50
 200m 1  Margaret Auerback 37.1
 800mA 1  Margaret Auerback 2.59.9
 800mB 1  Julie Drummond 3.16.5
 3000m 1  Margaret Auerback 12.46.1

 PAUL BEAUVAIS
 Mike Hubbert reports that Paul won the Victorian Masters 10km track
 championship on Sunday 22nd May in 35.38. For those who fear that Paul
 appears to be ageing rapidly, it should be pointed out that he was competing
 in the M35 age group.

 2005 RANELAGH ROAD RUNNING GRAND PRIX
 The next events are the Dysart Dash 10km on June 26th and the Harry Hawkes 8
 miles on July 3rd. Full details can be found on our web site and entry forms
 can be found in the folder at the clubhouse.
 There's a full score sheet after five events on the web site too, but the
 current leaders are:
 Open:  Marus Gohar 33,  Nathan Mills 24,  Paul Doyle 24,  Stephen Instone
 23,  Mick Lane 20,  Trevor Maguire 19,  Marie Synnott-Wells 18,  Dave Powell
 16,  Mike Peace 15,  Pete Warren 15
 Men Over 40:  Marcus Gohar 17,  Mick Lane 11,  Stephen Logue 10,  Chris Read
 9,  Ken Fotherby 6,  Simon Lawrence 5
 Men Over 50:  Stephen Instone 20,  Mike Peace 18,  Dave Powell 18,  Pete
 Warren 11,  John Hanscomb 6,  Alan Meaden 6
 Women:  Marie Synnott-Wells 11,  Anna McLaughlin 10,  Janet Turnes 8,
 Anna-Maria Plaza 7,  Estelle Damant 6,  Lauren Shelley 6,  Louise Dunn 6,
 Kathy Mallett 5,  Liz Kipling 5,  Morgane de Verdiere 5,  Sandra Foot 5
 Women Over 40:  Janet Turnes 21,  Marie Synnott-Wells 12,  Joanne Muirlittle
 6,  Hazel Carr 5,  Louise Piears 5,  Lynne Barber 4
 Women Over 50:  Corinne Bishop 12,  Kathy Mallett 6,  Celia Beverly 6,  Pat
 Hewlett 6,  Catherine Carthy 5,  Bev Ali 4

 RUNNING FITNESS MAGAZINE
 **************************************
 Those of you who don't already subscribe might like to get hold of a copy of
 the July issue, which features a two-page article by Pete Mulholland on Ed
 Whitlock. It includes photos of Ed winning the Ranelagh Schools Race back in
 1947, during his 2.54 marathon in Toronto and receiving his club honours
 award from Brian Chard and Alan Hedger.

 TRAINING
 ************
 TRACK
 Frances Ratchford writes:
 "The track at St Mary's College is now open and even better we can use it.
 The track has been designed for endurance runners not sprinters so you will
 find it a little kinder to your legs. There will be training on Wednesdays
 and Thursdays from 7.30 with Frances & Margaret.

 The cost is £2.50 per session, or £10 per month. If you are coming along
 bring a cheque made out to St Mary's College and a passport photo. St Mary's
 College is on Waldegrave Road, Twickenham.  Enter by the white gate and the
 track is straight in front of you. Changing room and showers are available.

 If you are under 18 and a member of Ranelagh there are training sessions on
 Saturdays at 10.30am. Contact Frances
 (mailto:grapevineproductions@compuserve.com) for details".

 GENERAL
 Tough Tuesdays continue as normal, with speed work for various groups and
 Wally's beginners' club, at 7pm from the clubhouse. Full details are on our
 web site, the next few sessions for the faster groups are shown below.

 Robin Drummond's  "Improvers Sessions" continue on Thursday nights at 7pm
 from the clubhouse, concentrating on speed and technique.

 Also Wednesdays at 6.30pm and Sundays at 10am at the clubhouse for a steady
 run in the Park.

 Tuesday sessions. Each also includes a steady run warm up and warm down.
 June 7th 7 x short loop around Pen Ponds
 June 14th 5 x (30 secs, 30 secs, 1 min, 1 min efforts) on Holly Lodge hill
 June 21st Ponds Run!

 FINALLY
 Watch out if you record your own finishing time at races! Chief Timekeeper
 at the Surrey Vets Championships Peter Hawkes has taken umbrage at what he
 percieves a lack of respect, and withheld the official times for all those
 competitors in the 1500 and 5000 metres races who clicked their watches at
 the finish. "Runners who take their times are basically saying they don't
 need us and make timekeepers feel they are wasting their time," he is quoted
 in 'Athletics Weekly'. "I can understand a runner taking his lap times and
 looking at them afterwards but not in taking a final time when the correct
 one will soon be readily available". Stephen Instone was one of those
 penalised even though he was not actually timing himself, with the result
 that he has no recorded result, either official or unofficial...