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 ****************************************************************************
 RANELAGH HARRIERS E-NEWS # 259                20 August 2007
 Editor: Steve Rowland
 mailto: steverowland@ranelagh-harriers.com  
 ****************************************************************************

 HEADLINE NEWS
 *********************
 *  Paul Doyle wins county and Road League M40 titles at Belgrave 5km
 *  Sharon Rowe wins handicap at Belgrave 5km
 *  Ranelagh GP wins for Peter Weir, John Hanscomb, Mandy Westlake, Tanya
    Allen and Corinne Bishop / Anne Baker
 *  Ratchford Relay win for Marie Synnott-Wells, Di Wilson and Lisa Greggains
 *  MABAC League junior win for George Inman
 *  Yateley 10km M40 series win for Mick Lane
 *  Jonathon Stacey 2nd in Regents Park 10km
 *  Four in the top eight at latest BPTT
 *  More M60 wins for Clive Beauvais
 *  All invited to Opening Run handicap, club photo and party on Saturday
    September 1st

 SEE HERE
 *************
 THOMAS CUP 3.8 miles handicap in Richmond Park including club photo and
 party  Saturday 1st September in Richmond Pk
 The traditional opening run of our winter season is very early again this
 year, on Saturday 1st September. All members are welcome for the race at
 3pm, and for the annual club photograph that precedes it. But if you haven't
 yet paid your subs for 2007-08, please bring a cheque along!
 Marina Quayle adds:
 "We are holding a little party after the opening run on September 1st in the
 clubhouse. It will start at 7.30 and we will ask runners and friends to
 bring both a bottle and a dish of their choice. This could be a salad, a
 quiche, a plate of cheeses, cold meat or a pudding - something nice to
 share. We hope to organise music as well".

 SURREY ROAD RELAYS  Saturday 8th September at Wimbledon Park
 The county road relay championships will take place on the Wimbledon Park
 course starting at 12 noon. There will be the usual categories - senior men,
 senior women, men over 40, men over 50 and women over 35 - plus two new
 categories this year - men over 60 and women over 45. The senior men's race
 is 6 x 3 miles, all the others are 4 x 3 miles. Contact Nathan Mills if you
 want to run in any of the men's age groups (07977 051087 / mailto:
 nathanmillsuk@hotmail.com) (Cap'n Bicks is away on holiday) or Marie
 Synnott-Wells for the women's (07956 431319 / mailto: nandmwells@aol.com). 

 SATURDAY MORNING TRAINING
 Frances Ratchford writes:
 "Saturday morning training will start again on September 8th at 10.30 from
 the clubhouse. It is mainly for juniors but adults are also welcome to join
 us. There is a lot of hill work and the session is adjusted according to
 age, experience and event.  I am looking forward to seeing you all at the
 clubhouse on the 8th".

 THE FIRST 125 YEARS OF RANELAGH HARRIERS
 Our updated history book - extended to cover the period up to our 125th
 birthday in October 2006 - is now on sale at £12. Copies are available on
 some club nights or you will definitely be able to get your copy at the
 Opening Run on September 1st. Copies are also available by post for £14
 including P&P from Ranelagh History, 2 Sapte Close, Cranleigh, Surrey GU6
 7HA. Cheques payable to Ranelagh Harriers. Apologies to those who paid £15
 for a copy by post - I was misinformed about the postage costs!

 TUESDAY NIGHT SPORTS MASSAGE
 Karen Broadbent writes:
 "You may have noticed over the past couple of weeks after Tuesday's training
 sessions, a prone woman lying on a couch being massaged! You will also be
 relieved to hear that I am a qualified Sports Masseuse. Subsequently a
 number of people have expressed an interest in getting a post run massage,
 so I have spoken to a friend of mine who qualified at the same time as me
 and she can also come down on a Tuesday night. So we are proposing to offer
 a convenient and regular sports massage service on a Tuesday night. If you
 have a specific area or issue that needs working on, I would suggest booking
 in for a 30 minute session, or if we are not fully booked we can offer 15
 minute post run cool-down rubs on a first come, first served basis. 30
 minute sessions will be available at 8.30 and 9.00pm at a cost of £20, and
 the 15 min rubs (when available) will be £10. If you are interested in
 booking a session or have any questions regarding the benefits of sports
 massage please contact Karen Broadbent on 07876 240031 or mailto: karen.broadbent@ubs.com".

 LONDON MARATHON  Sunday 13th April 2008
 The latest edition of "Marathon News" is now available free from most good
 sports shops. It includes the race entry form, which must be returned by
 October 20th.

 CABBAGE PATCH 10 miles  Sunday 14th October at Twickenham
 It's still two months away but the popular Cabbage Patch 10 is already
 filling up fast. The entry limit is 2000 and nearly 1400 names are already
 down for it, including 47 from Ranelagh. If you're thinking of running,
 don't delay too long in getting your entry in or you may be disappointed. Be
 aware, though, that this is unfortunately taking place the day after the
 opening Surrey Cross-Country League fixtures at Wimbledon (men) and Esher
 (women).

 SOUTH DOWNS WAY RELAY  Sunday 2nd September
 A team of over 60s - Clive Beauvais, John Pratt, Pete Warren plus Jim
 Forrest as their driver - is planning to set an inaugural over 60s record
 for the Chris Brasher version of the South Downs Way Relay on September 2nd.
 A couple of other teams have taken up the challenge - Neil Walford is
 raising a trio from Brighton and Hove, and Chris Brasher's son Hugh is
 planning to set a record for a mixed team. A couple of other individuals
 have expressed an interest, but we need at least one more to make up another
 three-person team. Anyone interested? The route is about 70 miles, broken
 down into between 28 and 30 stages; so each runner does 9 or 10 stages
 totalling about 23 miles. Contact me for more information.

 HORSLEY 5km  Sunday 16th September
 Louise Piears writes:
 "I am helping to organise the 3rd annual Horsley 5K fun run which takes
 place on Sunday 16th September at a nice civilised time of 1.30pm. It's a
 pleasant low key race on a flat mainly-off road course around West Horsley
 (10 minutes from junction 10 of the M25). It would be great to see some more
 Ranelagh Harriers members in the race this year.

 TRAIL CHALLENGE HALF MARATHON / 12km / 6km  Sunday 23rd September in Ham and
 Richmond Park.
 The South London Orienteers and Wayfarers club will be using our changing
 rooms again on Sunday 23rd September to host their Trail Challenge Half
 Marathon, plus shorter options. These events are a cross between
 orienteering and cross-country races and provide another chance to see some
 unfamilar bits of the Park and Ham. The Half Marathon will start at 10.30am,
 a 2km race for juniors (under 15 at 31/12/07) will follow at 10.45am, then
 the 12km at 11am and the 6km at 11.15am.  

 GREAT CLARENDON MARATHON RELAY  Sunday 30th September
 Evelyn Joslin writes:
 "Fancy a Sunday run (~10K) in some beautiful countryside? The Great
 Clarendon Marathon Relay is a multiterrain race, running from Salisbury to
 Winchester. Teams are made up of 4 (mixed), with average legs of 10.5K, so
 well within most of our reaches. In the Runners World's top 100 best races,
 here's what previous entrants have to say about it...
 "We greatly enjoyed the Clarendon Way course, including the hills, and were
 most impressed by all the organisation - even down to the weather control.
 We look forward to doing it again some time in the future." Sir Ranulph
 Fiennes 2003.
 "...just wanted to say thanks to everyone involved for a fantastic day". 

 I thought it would be a different and fun day out if others are up for it -
 we could enter several teams. If you are interested please let me know
 mailto: joslinem@yahoo.com 

 *********************
  WHAT'S COMING...
 *********************
 More details of the following from
 Andy Bickerstaff ( 07772 111491 / mailto: andy@norris-hobs.co.uk ) or 
 Marie Synnott-Wells (07956 431319 / mailto: nandmwells@aol.com ).     

 Saturday 1st September  Thomas Cup 3.8 miles handicap in Richmond Park
 starting at 3pm.

 Saturday 8th September  Surrey Road Relays at Wimbledon Park starting at 12
 noon.

 Saturday 22nd September  Page Cup 5 miles handicap in Richmond Park starting
 at 3pm.

 Sunday 23rd September  Trail Challenge Half Marathon / 12km / 6km at Ham and
 Richmond Park. See above.

 Every Saturday              Bushy Park Time Trial: 9am start at the Diana
 Fountain car park.
                                     Wimbledon Common Time Trial: 9am start
 at the Windmill car park.
                                     Banstead Woods Time Trial: 9am start off
 B2219 Park Lane, Chipstead
                                     More details.

 RANELAGH ROAD GRAND PRIX
 The 2007 GP came to a close with the Belgrave 5km on 12th August. Peter Weir
 just held on to top spot in both the Open and Men's Over 40 categories,
 holding off a late charge from Paul Doyle. Long-time pursuer Trevor Maguire
 had to settle for third place in both. In the over 50s, John Hanscomb clung
 onto the lead  by a single point from Martin Clark. Mandy Westlake was the
 clear winner of the women's section, Tanya Allen secured the over 40s and
 Corinne Bishop and Anne Baker tied at the top of the over 50s.

 Top six in each category:
 Open  Peter Weir 73, Paul Doyle 71, Trevor Maguire 62, Nathan Mills 55,
 David Rowe 52, Marc Snaith 35
 Over 40  Peter Weir 40, Paul Doyle 36, Trevor Maguire 31, Mick Lane 16, then
 four on eight points
 Over 50  John Hanscomb 26, Martin Clark 25, Chris Owens 17, Clive Beauvais
 16, Iain Wilson 15, Howard Gleave 12
 Women  Mandy Westlake 42, Marie Synnott-Wells 24, Karen Braodbent 20, Evelyn
 Joslin 17, Carola Richter 14, Sharon Rowe 13
 Over 40  Tanya Allen 29, Marie Synnott-Wells 24, Lorna Smith 18, Michele
 Gibson 16, Heather Martingell 15, Lynne Barber 11
 Over 50  Corinne Bishop 12, Anne Baker 12, Jane Wyatt 11, Catherine Carthy
 10, Lorraine Clifton 6, Janet Turnes 5

 There are 109 names in all on the GP scoreboard.  Full details

 SURREY ROAD LEAGUE
 This competiton also ended with the Belgrave 5km. Paul Doyle maintained our
 record of always coming away from the League presentations with at least one
 trophy. He was victorious in the men's over 40 category, in which Peter Weir
 and Trevor Maguire were handily placed too, 3rd and 5th. Martin Clark was
 3rd in the men's over 60 category and Mandy Westlake was 5th in the women's
 over 35s. Our men's team finished in 3rd place and our women's team -
 champions for the past two years - were 5th.  

 WHAT'S HAPPENED...
 ***************************
 TRIANDRUN BELGRAVE 5km  Sunday 12th August.
 As usual this was a pretty small race by today's standards, with 213
 finishers. But on the testing Wimbledon course there was reasonable quality
 at the front with the first five at 16 minutes or better and Paul Doyle
 finding 16.16 only good enough for 9th. Happily it was also good enough to
 bring him the county over 40s title by a clear half-minute and also secured
 him the top spot in that age group in the Surrey Road League. 

 Nathan Mills and Marc Snaith closed in the Ranelagh men's team which missed
 Surrey bronzes by the narrowest whisker. We tied on points with Stragglers
 so the decider was the position of the last scorer: Stragglers' Peter
 Kennedy finished 35th, one place and five seconds ahead of Marc.

 Peter Weir followed in close behind Marc, ensuring himself the Ranelagh
 Grand Prix open and over 40 titles. Trevor Maguire was next, chased by David
 Rowe. Martin Clark and John Hanscomb were the only Ranelagh over 50s taking
 part, so John only had to get round to win the GP for that age group. Mandy
 Westlake was the first Ranelagh woman home, 13th overall in the women's
 race, completing a convincing Grand Prix victory. Evelyn Joslin and Karen
 Broadbent completed the 6th placed team. Tanya Allen was our final finisher
 today but that was enough to bring home the over 40s GP title.

 Belgrave were able to include their race in the National Endurance Handicap
 Scheme. All athletes who had run in at least one Road League event in 2006
 or 2007 were allotted a handicap rating (a bit like a golf handicap) and
 this rating was translated into an appropriate time allowance for the 5km
 distance. Prizes on offer for men and women were £75, £50 and £25 for the
 first three. Quoting race organiser Alan Mead: "The handicapper was caught a
 beauty by Sharon Rowe of Ranelagh: her previous outings in the Surrey Road
 League in 2007 had given her handicap ratings of 31 (Sutton 10k), 31
 (Elmbridge 10k) and 38 (Dorking 10 miles) - here she ran the equivalent of a
 25 rating to scoop first prize". Congratulations Sharon - that's a bigger
 prize than most of us have ever had a sniff at in years of pounding the
 roads! David Rowe and Darren Wood were our best placed in the men's handicap
 at joint 12th.  Full results are on Belgrave's website here.

 RATCHFORD RELAY  Tuesday 31st July in Richmond Park
 The annual Ratchford Relay for women is always a fairly informal event, even
 more so this year as the results only listed first names! I have included
 surnames where possible in the results shown below, but some of these are
 little more than inspired guesswork. If any readers can identify themselves,
 please let me know!

 For those unfamiliar with the event, it's teams of three, the "fast" runner
 covering three laps, the "medium" two laps and the "slow" one lap. All terms
 are relative! The lap was slightly longer this year, owing to the new path
 that has been driven up the slope towards the golf course.

 Anna Scally ran the fastest lap of 3.36, leading the fifteen teams home on
 the opening stage ahead of Marie Synnott-Wells and Mandy Westlake.
 Anna-Maria Plaza was back in 8th place but it was her team that progressed
 steadily through the field to lead the way into the final lap. However,
 Marie was in hot pursuit and swept past to a clear victory for her team of
 self, Di Wilson and Lisa Greggains. Anna-Maria held off the attentions of
 Michele Gibson for second place, with Mandy Westlake fourth. First prize for
 pace judgement must go to Leigh Pedersen who ran her three laps in precisely
 the same time!

 1 Marie Synnott-Wells 3.41 / 3.39 / 3.43
 Di Wilson 5.15 / 5.35
 Lisa Greggains 5.00
 Total 26.53

 2 Anna-Maria Plaza 4.14 / 4.21 / 4.24
 Sally Stembridge 4.38 / 4.48
 Hannah Bradshaw 5.03
 Total 27.28

 3 Michele Gibson 4.08 / 4.28 / 4.29
 Lorna Smith 4.35 / 4.43
 May Nadir 5.25
 Total 27.48

 4 Mandy Westlake 3.43 / 3.54 / 3.54
 Bev Walsh 5.04 / 5.36
 Rupinder Sohal 5.58
 Total 28.09

 5 Marion Rayner 4.09 / 4.18 / 4.16
 Deborah Blakemore 5.16 / 5.21
 Gill Clay-Jones 5.24
 Total 28.44

 6 Alison Cullen 4.26 / 4.27 / 4.22
 Hazel Carr 5.01 / 5.13
 Penny Merrett 5.23
 Total 28.52

 7 Karen O'Hara 4.04 / 4.27 / 4.12
 Katherine Hall 5.06 / 5.26
 Sian Tingley 5.46
 Total 29.00

 8 Anna Scally 3.36 / 3.43 / 3.44
 Geraldine Conneely 6.06 / 6.00
 Bev Ali 5.56
 Total 29.02

 10 Claire 4.28 / 4.52 / 4.56
 Lorraine Clifton 5.06 / 5.11
 Cindy Croucher 5.11
 Total 29.09

 11 Karen Broadbent 4.18 / 4.26 / 4.25
 Teresa 5.17
 Monica Ayliffe 5.20 / 5.35
 Total 29.21

 12 Leigh Pedersen 4.10 / 4.10 / 4.10
 Molly Smith 4.31 / 4.53
 Margaret Fehn 7.56
 Total 29.50

 13 Heather Martingell 4.31 / 4.52 / 4.57
 Natasha Taroghion 5.02 / 4.57
 Laura Harrigan 6.22
 Total 30.25

 14 Fay 4.47 / 5.12 / 5.12
 Sharon Rowe 5.05 / 5.07
 Eileen Woodley 5.44
 Total 31.07

 15 Tanya Allen 5.09 / 5.20
 Marina Quayle 5.14 / 5.12
 Juliette Chan 4.47
 Helen 6.05
 Total 31.47

 MABAC LEAGUE 5 miles  Tuesday 7th August on Wimbledon Common
 A couple of the Tusday night groups decamped en masse to Wimbledon Common to
 run in the MABAC League event there, giving us our best ever MABAC turnout
 of 25 runners. George Inman won the junior race with ease, Simon Burrell and
 Heather Martingell led our team in the main race and Gabrielle McNamara was
 our first home in the one-lap event.

 1 T Matthews (Wimb W) 28.14
 105 Simon Burrell 38.44
 118 Heather Martingell 41.21
 143 Juliette Chan 44.02
 164 Tanya Allen 46.23
 167 Lynne Barber 46.35
 170 Sharon Rowe 47.16
 171 Hazel Carr 48.24
 177 Sally Stembridge 49.14
 186 Cindy Croucher 52.34
 189 Bev Walsh 53.02
 190 Deborah Blakemore 53.47
 193 Christine Goodsell 54.43
 195 Gill Clay-Jones 55.08
 197 Bev Ali 56.22
 198 Pat Hewlett 56.38
 199 May Nadir 57.11
 200 Sian Tingley 57.11 

 One lap (2.5 miles)
 1 J Anstee (Wimb W) 18.57
 5 Gabrielle McNamara 29.34
 15 Stacey Barber 30.45
 20 Deirdre Inman 31.59
 23 Di Wilson 32.44
 27 Elaine Coffey 34.37
 29 Laura Harrigan 36.03
 31 Gill Higgins 37.20

 Juniors (2.5 miles)
 1 George Inman 21.00

 DOWNLAND 30 miles  Sunday 29th July on the South Downs Way from Clayton,
 West Sussex
 "Give or take about 3,000 feet of climbing it was pretty flat...main
 casualties were due to altitude sickness and frostbite," writes Neil
 Walford, whose impressive 12th place was in Brighton and Hove colours. Clive
 Beauvais was the leading over 60 and Sue Ashley for SLH was the first over
 50.

 1 M Lynas (TH&H) 3.33.38
 12 Neil Walford 4.18.55
 35 Clive Beauvais 4.50.52
 67 Sue Ashley 5.24.55

 JACK AND JILL CHALLENGE 5.5 miles  Sunday 29th July at Clayton, West Sussex
 Andy Bickerstaff opted for the shorter option - a mere vertical slog up to
 the twin windmills and back.

 1 J Baker (Chichester) 32.11
 7 Andy Bickerstaff 37.14

 GREAT WELSH RUN 10km  Sunday 29th July at Cardiff
 Anna Scally was called up to don the Welsh vest again, despite having only a
 couple of weeks training behind her following her and John's Caribbean
 honeymoon. In the circumstances, Anna was well pleased with her own timing
 of 39.23 but less happy with the official results which mysteriously show
 her finishing outside 44 minutes.

 1 F Kibiwott (Kenya) 28.36
 Anna Scally 39.23
 1708 John Scally 61.33

 DOWN TOW UP FLOW THAMES TOWPATH HALF MARATHON  Sunday 29th July Marlow to
 Windsor
 As the Thames burst its banks this was not the ideal time to be holding a
 towpath race, but with some last minute re-routing it went ahead
 successfully.

 1 N Jeffs (Bracknell FR) 1.14.47
 83 Tom Reay 1.50.24

 YATELEY 10km  Wednesday 1st August
 Mick Lane registered his second straight victory in the over 40s class after
 finishing runner-up in the first of the three-race series. This was easily
 sufficient to secure him the overall series title. Furhter back there was a
 PB for Evelyn Joslin.

 1 J Jones (Overton) 33.51  (chip time 33.50)
 8 Mick Lane 34.42  (34.41)
 192 Evelyn Joslin 43.57  (43.42)

 KINGFIELD CANTER 2.85 miles handicap  Wednesday 1st August at Woking
 1 J Innemee (Unatt) 23.24  (actual time 22.24)
 14 Alan Davidson 26.36  (18.51)
 21 Steve Rowland 26.48  (19.18)

 REGENTS PARK 10km  Saturday 4th August
 Jonathon Stacey couldn't quite emulate Darryl McDonald's victory in the June
 version of this race...but finished an isolated second, 150 metres or so
 behind the winner.

 1 A Lindsay (Highgate) 35.01
 2 Jonathon Stacey 35.28

 BUSHY PARK TIME TRIAL 5km  Saturday 4th August
 More PBs from the unstoppable Mr and Mrs Rowe...and also from Anna-Maria
 Plaza. Wally got the better of John for once in the battle of the
 over-seventies.

 1 N Hall (Bedford) 15.49
 21 David Rowe 18.33
 28 Darren Wood 19.15
 43 Edward Smith 19.57
 63 Chris Hunton 20.37
 70 Phil Aiken 20.56
 104 Adam Wright 21.53
 144 Anna-Maria Plaza 23.13
 152 Roger Wilson 23.20
 161 Jim Forrest 23.34
 234 Heather Martingell 26.28
 245 Wally Garrod 26.50
 249 John Hanscomb 26.59
 255 Sharon Rowe 27.22
 291 Hannah Bradshaw 29.55
 311 Katherine Hall 30.34 

 WIMBLEDON COMMON TIME TRIAL 5km  Saturday 4th August
 1 R Marriott (SLH) 16.59
 21 Chris Read 21.02
 50 Catherine Carthy 28.21

 BANSTEAD WOODS TIME TRIAL 5km  Saturday 4th August
 1 I Kitching (SLH) 18.01
 69 Brian Chard 27.38

 TENBURY 10km  Sunday 5th August
 There can't be room in Clive's house for many more over 60s prizes...

 1 M James (Hereford) 36.34
 14 Clive Beauvais 41.34

 BRIDGES 2.3 miles handicap  Wednesday 8th August at Westminster
 1 T Henderson (Unatt) 14.53  (actual time 14.53)
 16 Alan Davidson 20.51  (16.01)
 22 John Hanscomb 21.09  (19.59)

 BUSHY PARK TIME TRIAL 5km  Saturday 11th August
 PBs today from Chris Jones, Paul Bisping, Anna-Maria Plaza and Penny
 Merrett.

 1 J Goulis (Stragglers) 15.48
 8 Chris Jones 17.38
 17 Sean Paynter 18.08
 22 Jonny Peacock 18.51
 35 Darren Rowe 19.40
 36 David Rowe 19.40
 74 Paul Bisping 21.09
 118 Anna-Maria Plaza 22.39
 251 John Hanscomb 27.20
 288 Sharon Rowe 29.29
 310 Penny Merrett 31.33

 WIMBLEDON COMMON TIME TRIAL 5km  Saturday 11th August
 1 S Fraser (Unatt) 17.25
 56 Catherine Carthy 27.34

 BANSTEAD WOODS TIME TRIAL 5km  Saturday 11th August
 1 J Wolf (Unatt) 16.38
 46 Edward Hedger 26.20
 47 Simon Hedger 26.20
 65 Brian Chard 28.52

 BUSHY PARK TIME TRIAL 5km  Saturday 18th August
 A good Ranelagh representation at the sharp end this week, including a very
 nifty piece of work from Ed Barker and welcome returns to action by Phil
 Killingley (from injury) and Duncan Bell (from Afghanistan). PBs too for
 Nathan Mills and Hannah Bradshaw. 

 1 T Boardman (Leigh) 16.00
 3 Phil Killingley 16.21
 5 Ed Barker 16.46
 6 Duncan Bell 16.49
 8 Nathan Mills 17.18
 20 Iain Wilson 18.25
 36 Darren Wood 19.19
 72 Chris Camacho 20.49
 80 Adam Wright 21.02
 94 Roger Wilson 21.48
 118 Martin Harrison 22.32
 210 Gill Wilson 26.04
 224 Heather Martingell 26.35
 226 John Hanscomb 26.44
 227 Julie Drummond 26.45
 282 Hannah Bradshaw 29.22
 324 Jo Turner 33.47 

 WIMBLEDON COMMON TIME TRIAL 5km  Saturday 18th August
 1 A Weir (Thames H&H) 16.24
 18 Stephen Instone 19.47
 40 Martin Clark 23.22
 42 Kathy Mallett 23.37 

 BANSTEAD WOODS TIME TRIAL 5km  Saturday 18th August
 1 W Smith (Stragglers) 16.54
 6 Andy Bickerstaff 18.27

 BURNHAM BEECHES HALF MARATHON  Sunday 19th August
 1 A Buckley (Gateshead) 1.09.17
 56 Andrew Forth 1.26.37
 465 Neil Myland 1.50.33
 472 Heather Martingell 1.50.58
 736 John Hanscomb 2.05.45

 ELMORE 7 miles  Saturday 14th July
 1 K Quinn (AFD) 38.45
 180 John Hanscomb 65.11
 194 Wally Garrod 66.28

 SAN FRANCISCO MARATHON  Sunday 29th July
 Iain Wilson reports:
 "No, really.it was only after we'd booked our San Francisco holiday that I
 discovered that the Marathon was being held on the weekend that we were due
 to arrive. And I could hardly pass up the opportunity to run over the Golden
 Gate Bridge. So that would be the Sunday morning taken care of then. Oh, and
 the Saturday morning too, of course, at the Expo.

 However, I certainly wasn't planning a death-or-glory bid, what with the
 jetlag, the 5:30am(!) scheduled start-time and with a fair few of SF's hills
 included. But the prospect of a reasonably stiff workout would do me just
 fine. So, I had an idea to start with 7min miles and hold them until I felt
 I was working too hard (for a holiday run, that is).

 In the event, I was only slightly dazed by the 3:30 alarm call and felt
 reasonably fit at the start line, albeit in the pre-dawn darkness. The early
 start, by the way, is to avoid the risk of the field overheating in the
 midday sun and heat, and takes advantage of San Francisco's guaranteed
 morning fogs. Running in a relatively small pack, I took the first small
 hill in my stride and hit the first real hill up to the Bridge at mile 5. Up
 and on to the bridge, we were exposed to the cold, flying mist and rain
 coming straight off the ocean and the work suddenly got very hard indeed..
 Definitely daylight now and once we reached the north bank, we looped right
 round and back over the bridge again. I had to take off my glasses to see
 anything at all. I stuck with the pace until we got back to the city, but at
 the next big hills (miles 10 and 11) I was clearly working way too hard and
 decided then to put discretion before valour and so I eased back to about
 7:20 and then 7:30 pace by halfway. Some interesting twists and turns
 through Golden Gate Park...then more ups and downs through residential areas
 until the route levelled out again at around mile 21. Along most of the way,
 I'd have to say there were more marshals than spectators (I guess it was
 rather early). For the last five miles, I kept it going reasonably well,
 losing but a few places to those with a better race plan than mine. The
 finish was great, past the Ballpark (home of the Giants) and under the Bay
 Bridge. I clocked 3:09 and discovered afterwards that I'd nicked a 3rd place
 finish in my age group (50-54). I look forward to receiving the promised
 plaque. If the finisher's medal is anything to go by, it'll be a veritable
 obelisk". 

 1 A Cook (USA) 2.25.57
 79 Iain Wilson 3.09.53  (chip time 3.09.43)

 MORE FROM CANADA
 John Atkinson writes:
 "I ran the Squamish Days 10k on Sunday - event 14 of 15 in the 2007 Timex BC
 Road Running Series - and managed to knock another 30 seconds chunk off my
 PB - finishing 17th in 36:20. The race was again won by Simon Driver (he
 having also won the Summerfast 10k 15 days earlier), this time 10 seconds
 quicker in 32:26".

 FINALLY...
 "I feel the earth and the wind and the trees. I feel its spirit. It puts me
 in the moment. I feel the rhythm of the race. It's like music. When the
 rhythm gets dissonant and chaotic, it is either a jazzy driving force behind
 me or demons inside me".
 American 1500 metres runner Gabriel Harmony Jennings