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Newsdesk 2006
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RANELAGH HARRIERS E-NEWS # 203 19 January 2006
Editor: Steve Rowland
mailto: steverowland@ranelagh-harriers.com
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HEADLINE NEWS
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* 100% Surrey League records maintained
* Men win by 155 points and now lead Div 2 by 556
* Individual win for Phil Killingley
* Women win by 32 points and now lead Div 1 by 86
* Anna McLaughlin first home in 4th place
* Under 13 Boys also still at the top of the table
* Nadia Fidler 3rd in Middlesex Under 15 championships
* All runners needed for the mob match v Blackheath Harriers this Saturday
* Junior Points Prize race 3 this Saturday
SEE HERE
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MOB MATCH v BLACKHEATH HARRIERS Saturday 21st January in Richmond Park.
Blackheath are reported to be coming in strength so we need absolutely every
runner we can get on the start line, irrespective of speed. You can race or
treat it as a training run, but just being there is the thing. The race is
at home in Richmond Park over 7.5 miles starting at 2.30pm. The
Pelling-Ratcliffe Cup is at stake for the winning team and the race also
incorporates the club championship for the Wynne Cup and a sealed handicap.
Don't miss it!
JUNIOR POINTS PRIZE RACE 3 Saturday 21st January at 2pm.
The third of the four points prize races will take place before the mob
match at 2pm over the usual course around Sidmouth Wood.
BUSHY PARK TIME TRIAL - ROAD CLOSURES!
Paul Sinton-Hewitt reports:
"I have received notification from The Royal Parks that Bushy Park will be
closed on 30th January for four weeks for road reconstruction. Bushy Park is
closed for vehicular traffic only. Pedestrian access still being maintained.
The Time Trial will continue to be run on Saturdays at 9am but I advise you
to either jog to the park or leave your car at the perimeter of the park".
LONDON MINI MARATHON
As usual the London Marathon on April 23rd will include a Mini Marathon for
juniors over the final 4km of the course. Each borough can enter a team in
each age group and the trial for the Richmond teams will take place in
Richmond Park on Sunday 5th February. The course is over two laps of
Sidmouth Wood, the circuit we use for our Henty Relay and Junior Points
Prize events. The timetable is: girls 13/14 and girls 15/16/17 at 10am, boys
13/14 and boys 15/16/17 at 10.30am, girls 11/12 at 11am and boys 11/12 at
11.30am. Entry deadline is Friday 27th January. There are forms at the
clubhouse or you can call the Richmond Sports Development Group on 020 8831
6133.
ROAD RACES
Our club 20 miles road championship will be with the Finchley 20 at Ruislip
on Sunday 12th March - an ideal buld-up race for London marathoners. Details
here: http://www.hillingdonac.co.uk/. A second possibility for marathoners
is the MABAC League Cranleigh 21 miles (with a 15 miles alternative) on
Sunday 26th March. Details: http://www.mabac.org.uk/cran2006entryform.pdf.
The 26.2 RRC Valentines 10km is being held at Chessington on Sunday 12th
February:
http://www.26point2.co.uk/unsorted/downloads/public/10kRace/2006Race/2006Val
entines10kEntryForm.pdf. Fancy a fast flat 10km? A new event is being
organised at Dunsfold Park Airfield on Sunday 5th March. Details:
http://www.209events.com/event.php?event=27.
The ASICS Kingston Breakfast runs ( 8 or 16 miles) are on Sunday 2nd April:
http://www.humanrace.co.uk/breakfast/index.html. The popular Thames Towpath
10 miles will take place on Sunday 9th April. Details here:
http://west4harriers.org/TTT.htm. On the same day is the Reading Half
Marathon, details here:
http://racepayment.mirrorservers.co.uk/readinghalfmarathon/.
THAMES TURBO JUNIOR SERIES
The Thames Turbo triathlon club are holding a series of junior races (runs
only, not triathlons!) on Saturday mornings from the Cricket Club near
Hampton Hill Gate in Bushy Park. Dates are 28th January, 25th February, 25th
March and 29 April, starting at 9am. There are five races at each event for
ages from 8 to 16.
NEVER TOO LATE...
Wally Garrod writes:
"One of my improvers group, Margaret Nilsen Fehn, who started running in
Frances's beginners course in the spring of 2004 at the age of 59, initially
as a result of a bone density scan that indicated signs of osteoporosis, has
had a repeat bone scan that shows a dramatic reversal in her condition in
only 18 months of pounding the pavement! Margaret is proof positive that it
is never too late to reap the benefits of running".
JOHN ATKINSON
has gone to Canada for three months. He writes:
"Bit nippy here in London, Ontario - did a 30k-ish run yesterday & couldn't
feel my face afterwards. Was good to be back out though, as I'd previously
spent a week on the sidelines with tonsilitis.
Have been in touch with Ed Whitlock and also London Pacers (the main running
club in London, Ontario! ) - I joined their 'Pack Run' for about 10k last
Sunday, before faltering health forced me to abort! Good effort in
respective Surrey Leagues at weekend - somehow you seem to be managing
without me!"
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WHAT'S COMING...
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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 21st January Mob match v Blackheath Harriers for the
Pelling-Ratcliffe Cup. 7.5 miles in Richmond Park at 2.30pm
Junior Points Prize Race 3 in
Richmond Park at 2pm.
Bushy Park Time Trial 5km. 9am
start.
Saturday 28th January South of England Championships at Exmouth
Bushy Park Time Trial 5km. 9am
start.
Saturday 4th February Sweatshop Surrey League Div 2 in Richmond Park
from 2.30pm.
Surrey Ladies League in Richmond
Park from 12.30pm.
Bushy Park Time Trial 5km. 9am
start.
Sunday 5th February Junior Mini-Marathon Trials in Richmond Park
from 10am.
MABAC League 5 miles at Farley
Heath. 11am start. Details: http://www.mabac.org.uk/.
WHAT'S HAPPENED...
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SWEATSHOP SURREY LEAGUE DIVISION 2 Saturday 14th January at Lloyd Park,
Croydon
Phil Killingley reports:
"Ranelagh men's team took the tram to the stunning National Park of Lloyd in
Croydon for the second time in two weeks, hoping not to win by too
embarrassing a margin.
A fast start from Chris Owens surprised everyone, even Richard Xerri of
Stragglers who appeared to be running a 400m race. But normal service
resumed, as Phil Killingley took the lead and raced away to a convincing,
effortless and magnificent victory (sorry - this is the one perk of having
to write the race report!). Paul Doyle cruised into 5th place, closely
followed by a resplendent Julian Smith, who has apparently only run five
miles since last February - not bad considering!
Duncan Bell (who finished 9th in the Cheshire Champs last Sunday) was 7th,
despite tripping over his dog at several points on the course. Then came
Nathan Mills, who has hit a rich vein of form and probably would have won
without the self-imposed handicap of a 20kg wrist-watch. Good performances
from Rob 'Biceps' Stillwell, Mick Lane, Chris Owens, Captain Bickers and
Lord Paul of Bushypark finished off the scoring for Ranelagh, who once again
trounced all comers to win in a total score of 204 points. We are now top
of Division Two with just half the number of points of second placed
Dulwich - it will be a big challenge to lose it from here.
Finally, a 'big-up' must go to Marc Snaith, who really won it for us -
bamboozling the opposition with his pink socks".
Our under 13 team was missing one or two runners this time, but we still
fielded a strong quintet headed by Joshua Keisler and Matthew Wilson 6th and
7th. Richard Crowther, Toby Piachaud and George Inman completed the team
which finished 2nd to the locals from Croydon, but they retain an overall
lead of 38 points over Hercules Wimbledon. A good turnout for the last race
on February 4th should tie up the league title.
Morgan Evans and Alfie Purdue were our only runners in the combined U17/U15
age group but they managed to finish 4th and remain 4th overall.
SURREY LADIES LEAGUE DIVISION 1 Saturday 14th January at Merrow Downs,
Guildford
Robin Drummond reports:
"You might think that the only thing that could drag me out to the North
Downs on a cold, windy January day is the knowledge that the Ranelagh ladies
always run in skimpy clothing and still manage to look very attractive even
when bathed in mud.
What really takes me out there, however, is the sure and certain knowledge
that they will all run their socks off on behalf of the team. There are no
prima donnas and they have all got there by dint of sheer hard work.
We won this match and the last two because the Ranelagh team spirit is
stronger than any of the individual athletes and they all believe that if
you turn up and work hard enough then the results will come.
Sure enough, on a difficult course, our positions at the end of the first
lap, became pretty much the positions at the finish: our first 5 in the top
twenty and the others fighting for positions all the way down the field and
not allowing others past them just in case it made a difference to the
points score of another team.
In the absence of Emily Nelson, competition at the front of the field was
pretty fierce and the lead positions were contested from the start to the
finish with less than a minute covering the first 13 places. Anna confirmed
her current form in fourth place but only 15 seconds adrift of eventual
winner, Clare Nicholson of Stragglers. The others backed her all the way and
even after our scoring five had finished we still had Sara Grosvenor at 21st
and Rachel Rowan at 29th as back up.
If we turn out again at Richmond Park for the final fixture on February 4th
with the talent that is available at Ranelagh at the moment then we stand a
good chance of winning not just the League for the second year but all four
matches. The historians in the club will tell us if this has happened before
but it would be a remarkable feat if we can pull it off.
It would be even more amazing if all the Ranelagh ladies that could run, did
run and we fielded a record team on our home ground. That would be something
to make any celebrations even more memorable".
In response to Robin's "clean sweep" question - yes, it has been done before
by Belgrave Harriers as recently as 2003/2004. But they scored four narrow
wins and held a total points advantage of only 44 points at the end of the
season. We are currently 86 points ahead...
Robin had to leave before the junior races - wisely as it transpired, as the
"cold, windy January day" turned into a cold, windy and wet January day.
Under 17s Rebecca Clayden and Emily Ball were our two representatives in the
combined U20/U17 race and had fairly isolated runs in the small field that
always musters for this age group. 12th and 15th gave them 6th team place.
We had a round dozen on the line for the U15/U13 race, all but two of them
in the younger age group. Sadly we lost Stephanie Espinosa, our leading
under 13 in the last League event, with a knee injury at the furthest point
of the course. She was faced with a long cold walk back while the others
raced on.
Our two under 15s, Georgia Miansarow and Lucy Edmunds, were our first two
home, 8th and 11th in their age group, but in the long finishing straight
Amelie Hunton was doing her utmost to catch Lucy. Emily Johnston, Eve
Edmunds and Holly Clemens came in almost together a minute behind Amelie to
complete our A team in 5th place. Lara Denaro, Laura Wells, Rosie Francis
and Holly Nicholds formed the B team which stands in 12th place but 2nd
amongst the Bs. And one-woman C team Bea Purdue ensured we remain as the
leading C!
MIDDLESEX CHAMPIONSHIPS Saturday 14th January at Wormwood Scrubs
After her disappointment in missing out on a bronze medal in the Surrey
Championships - where she crossed the line in third place but was excluded
because she lacked a Surrey qualification - Nadia Fidler was able to get a
second bite of the cherry with a late entry to the Middlesex Championships.
On a mostly flat Wormwood Scrubs, Nadia finished an excellent 3rd again -
and this time she'll keep the medal!
Under 15
1 M Reynolds (ES&M) 17.08
3 Nadia Fidler 17.52
OTHER COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIPS...
Representing Headington Road Runners Peter Haarer finished 8th in
Oxfordshire, and in Cheshire Duncan Bell finished 9th for West Cheshire AC.
BUSHY PARK TIME TRIAL 5km Saturday 14th January
Winner from a field of 134 this week was Richard Stannard, world champion at
Biathle and world silver medallist at Aquathon, both of which are
combinations of swimming and running. 76-year-old Eric Shirley, an Olympic
Steeplechase team mate of Chris Brasher back in 1956, completed the course
in 24.44.
1 R Stannard (Unatt) 17.07
13 Paul Murphy 18.44
23 Stephen Instone 20.04
31 Darren Wood 20.41
32 Chris Hunton 20.42
38 Roger Wilson 21.05
42 Chris Wright 21.30
46 Stephen Logue 21.46
48 Joss Moran 21.51
51 Adam Wright 22.14
64 Jim Forrest 23.05
66 Charlie Withycombe 23.12
78 Alistair Sinclair 24.02
82 Julie Drummond 24.21
91 Gill Wilson 25.13
123 Janet Turnes 29.40
MABAC LEAGUE 8 miles Sunday 8th January in Windsor Great Park
It was a mostly low-key first appearance for Ranelagh in the MABAC League.
The race was a hilly scenic tour of the Great Park's roads and Sara
Grosvenor chose it as her comeback race after injury. She finished as 4th
woman.
1 N Hodges (Dorking) 44.43
29 Steve Rowland (Cranleigh) 51.47
34 Sara Grosvenor 52.16
133 Sonia Rowland (Cranleigh) 64.15
190 Clodagh Fahy 73.51
223 Pat Hewlett 83.06
226 Bev Ali 88.45
228 Cindy Croucher 92.16
BRIDGES 2.3 miles handicap Wednesday 11th January at Westminster
Alan Davidson was 3rd fastest at 15.41 and John Hanscomb was the leading
over 70 with 20.09.
FINALLY...
For only £9.99 you can now buy a Talking Pedometer. "This handy little
pedometer not only counts the number of steps and distances you have walked
or jogged but also announces the distance you have travelled". Form an
orderly queue...