*************************************************** RANELAGH HARRIERS E-NEWS # 288 22 August 2008 Editor: Steve Rowland mailto: steverowland@ranelagh-harriers.com *************************************************** HEADLINE NEWS ************* * Surrey Road League - individual M40 and M50 titles for Paul Doyle and Jonathan Robinson * Road GP victories for Chris Brook, Paul Doyle, Jonathan Robinson, Kath Phillips, Heather Martingell and Janet Turnes * Marie Synnott-Wells wins W35 gold in Surrey 5km championship * Kath Phillips, Heather Martingell and Deirdre Inman win Ratchford Relay * Double Ranelagh victory in Milland Valley Trail race from Richard Gregory and Marie Synnott-Wells * Andy Bickerstaff, Clive Beauvais and Rachel Rowan category winners in Richmond Park Trail Run SEE HERE ******** OPENING RUN and THOMAS CUP HANDICAP Where did summer go? The Opening Run of our 128th winter season takes place on Saturday 6th September and all members are warmly encouraged to attend. The race is a 3.8 miles handicap in the Park starting at 3pm and it is preceded by the annual club photo in the Park opposite the clubhouse. Do try to come along! SURREY ROAD RELAYS The county road relay championships take place on Saturday 13th September at Wimbledon Park starting at 12 noon. There are senior, over 40 and over 50 categories for men and senior and over 35 categories for women, all over the same lap of just under 3 miles. Entries have to be sent in by early September so if you are interested in taking part please contact Marc or Marie as soon as possible (contact details in What's Coming below). Non-Surrey qualified members are welcome to run in B teams. RIVER RELAY Windsor to Ham Heather Martingell writes: "The River Relay - organised by Stragglers - is on Sunday 14th September. It's relatively local - 6 legs starting in Windsor Great Park and finishing at the Hawker Centre in Ham, mostly on the Thames tow path. Stage lengths vary from under 4 miles to nearly 8. We have up to 30th August to enter a team - so please let me know if you are interested: heathermartingell@hotmail.co.uk. Further details can be found on the Stragglers website. RANELAGH ROAD GRAND PRIX Our Road Grand Prix came to a conclusion at the Belgrave Bolt 5km, though most of the category winners had already been decided. One section went down to the wire: this was the Open category. Paul Doyle held a good lead after eight of the nine events but missed the 5km. Chris Brook took full advantage of the opportunity and scored the maximum 12 points as the first Ranelagh finisher in the 5km. This brought him level on points with Paul but on countback the GP title goes to Chris. Iain Wilson was a distant third. Paul Doyle can take consolation from winning the Over 40 category ahead of Steve Grout and Chris Read. Over 50 winner by just four points was Jonathan Robinson with Iain Wilson runner-up and Martin Clark third. Clear winner of the Women's section was Kath Phillips, with Marie Synnott-Wells and Carola Richter following. Marie also placed second in the Over 40 category behind winner Heather Martingell, with Wiebke Kortum in third place. The greatest margin of victory was that of Janet Turnes in the Over 50s, a full 24 points ahead of Lorraine Clifton and Sonia Rowland. The total number of members who scored points in at least one of the races was 117. Full scoreboard: SURREY ROAD LEAGUE The Belgrave Bolt 5km was also the concluding fixture of the 2008 Surrey Road League. Ranelagh's men's and women's teams both held onto their third places, with the titles going to Stragglers and Clapham Chasers respectively. However, we did provide two individual category winners in Paul Doyle and Jonathan Robinson. They had the Over 40 and Over 50 titles sewn up even before the final race, though Iain Wilson was only two points behind Jonathan in the Over 50s. As expected, long-time leader Kath Phillips was overhauled at the post in the Senior Women's section and had to settle for third. Our best positions in the other categories were Chris Brook (13th in Senior Men), John Hanscomb (5th in Men Over 60), Carola Richter (4th in Women Over 35) and Janet Turnes (7th in Women Over 45). KIT Karen Weir writes: "I know you don't want to think about winter yet, but due to the turnaround time of our kit supplier it's time to get your kit orders in for Winter Kit. I want to reduce the amount of kit the club holds so will be placing an order based on demand. If you want to purchase winter kit, please let me know by the 25th August. (This does not include club vests - I will ensure we are always holding men's, ladies' and juniors' vests.) Kit that is available to purchase includes: * Fluorescent Long Sleeve Technical Tops (Men's and Ladies' - S, M, L and XL) - approx £21 * Blue Long Sleeve Technical Tops (Men's and Ladies' - S, M, L and XL) - approx £21 * Quarter Zip Fleece Top (Men's and Ladies' - S, M, L and XL) - approx £27 * Training Jackets (Unisex - available in S, M, L and XL) - approx £40 All are branded with the Ranelagh logo and examples can be seen at the clubhouse on a Tuesday evening. Prices are based on this year's prices as I am not sure at this stage whether the supplier will be putting up their prices. Kit should arrive 6 - 8 weeks after order date and I want to place an order by early September. I will require payment once kit has arrived. So please send me an email with the kit you require, including size and style (ladies' vs men's) and quantity. Please email karen.weir@ubs.com by the 25th August".
CRAM ALERT Jeff Bull draws our attention to this article in 'The Guardian' about a scheme launched by Steve Cram to encourage runners to wear identification bracelets here: ST MARY'S RICHMOND MASTERS AND OPEN TRACK MEETING Bev Ali writes: "Sunday the 14th September is the St. Mary's Richmond Athletic Club 22nd MASTERS & OPEN MEETING, including male pre-masters 35-39 age group, starting at 10:30 am. All events open to all athletes over 11 years of age, except throws events which are for Masters and pre-Masters only. Medals awarded to winners (where there are three or more athletes in age group). I believe that there will be a barbecue and cash bar available afterwards as well. I will be there in the morning for the throwing events, and for any vet women wishing to compete for St Mary's and borrow vests. I expect that there will also be men's vests available for loan as usual". CONGRATULATIONS... ...to Sarah and Julian Smith on the arrival of Rose Lilly on July 30th, a sister for Alex. WHAT'S COMING ************* More details of the following from Marc Snaith (07717 213035 mailto ( mdsnaith5@hotmail.com ) or Marie Synnott-Wells (07956 431319 / mailto nandmwells@aol.com ) Sunday 31st August MABAC 10km Pairs Relay at Leatherhead. 11am start, enter on the day. Saturday 6th September Opening Run Thomas Cup 3.8m handicap in Richmond Park. 3pm start preceded by club photo.. Saturday 13th September Surrey Road Relays at Wimbledon Park. 12 noon start. Parkruns every Saturday at 9am Bushy Park Diana Fountain car park Richmond Park Richmond Gate Wimbledon Common Windmill car park Banstead Woods Car park off B2219 Park Lane, Chipstead More details and registration at www.parkrun.com WHAT'S HAPPENED *************** RATCHFORD RELAY Tuesday 5th August in Richmond Park This annual women-only event is held over six laps of a circuit of about a kilometre in the Park opposite the clubhouse. Teams of three are supposed to comprise one "fast" who runs three laps, one "medium" who runs two, and one "slow" who runs just one lap, though as always with such events the distinctions become fuzzy! Teams can run the laps in any order. Most teams put out their "fast" runner for the opening lap, and the teams that eventually finished in the top four positions already led the field. First back in an impressive 3.30 was Estelle Damant. Her subsequent two laps were barely slower and gave her the three fastest laps of the day. Kath Phillips was the only other runner inside 4 minutes on the first lap, though Marie Synnott-Wells, who had elected to run the second lap, recorded 3.46 in moving through from 11th to 4th. Estelle's team held onto the lead after lap two thanks to Kirsty Bangham, but on lap three it was Weibke Kortum's team that had gone ahead, though only three seconds clear of Michelle Beaumont. Lap four saw Kath Phillips repeat her opening lap of 3.53 and move into the lead, which Heather Martingell held on stage five leaving Kath a comfortable buffer for the glory lap. Kath, Heather and Deirdre Inman finished in a time of 26.04, 24 seconds ahead of Estelle, Kirsty and Sue Handley-Jones. Weibke, Sharon Rowe and Teresa Robinson were third another 27 seconds in arrears. Michelle's and Marie's teams came next, and a special mention for 6th placed Sarah Wolfson who managed to get faster on each of her three laps! BELGRAVE BOLT 5km Sunday 10th August at Wimbledon This race served as the Surrey Road 5km Championship as well as the final race of both our own Road Grand Prix and the Surrey Road League. Nevertheless there was relatively little interest from Ranelagh with only 17 taking part. Maybe it was the hills that kept people away - it's a course with barely any flat running at all. Chris Brook was our first finisher in 42nd place a few seconds clear of Vaughan Ramsay and Iain Wilson. Iain was the second Over 50 finisher but is not Surrey qualified so did not feature in the county championship reckoning. Our only county medal winner on this occasion was the ever-present Marie Synnott-Wells, who was 5th overall in the women's race but first Over 35. RICHMOND PARK TRAIL CHALLENGE Tuesday 12th August South London Orienteers used our clubhouse as the HQ for one of their "Trail Challenge" events. These are a hybrid of cross-country and Orienteering - competitors all start together but have to follow the map provided to visit a number of check points. They had a record entry of over a hundred for the two races, including a number of Ranelagh's more intrepid membership. Tony Appleby finished second in the 6km race, while in the main 10km event we enjoyed quite a successful evening. Andy Bickerstaff finished 9th and first Over 40, Rachel Rowan and Holly James running together were the leading women and Clive Beauvais and Martin Clark were the top two Over 60s. Full results, including individual splits between controls, plus a link to race photos by Dodsworld can be found on the SLOW website here: 10km 1 N Barrable (Ton) 39.54 9 Andy Bickerstaff 44.19 15 Rachel Rowan & Holly James 47.14 19 Matthias Mahr 48.41 22 Clive Beauvais 48.50 37 Clive Naish 53.53 43 Chris Wilson 54.13 44 Simon Burrell 54.15 46 Andy Woodhouse 54.30 47 Wyn Williams 54.40 59 Martin Clark 58.31 67 Chris Read 63.48 6km 1 L Curtis (unatt) 31.58 2 Tony Appleby 36.37 BUSHY PARK TIME TRIAL 5km Saturday 2nd August 1 J Trapmore (Shaft B) 15.32 13 Chris Brook 18.16 144 Ian Grange 22.20 173 Michael White 23.15 191 Phil Aiken 23.32 198 Chris Wright 23.45 263 Roger Wilson 25.31 275 Gill Wilson 25.46 RICHMOND PARK TIME TRIAL 5km Saturday 2nd August 1 S Mitchell (West 4) 17.22 9 Iain Wilson 19.21 15 Stephen Instone 19.57 26 Chris Wilson 21.38 29 Stephen Logue 22.02 62 Paul Martingell 26.06 68 Louise Reeder 27.16 69 Lorna Smiith 27.21 94 Rose Constantine 32.59 BUSHY PARK TIME TRIAL 5km Saturday 2nd August 1 T Boardman (Leigh) 15.53 18 Vaughan Ramsay 18.23 19 Nick Wright 18.25 31 Darren Wood 19.20 33 Duncan Mallison 19.24 48 George Inman 20.04 81 Simon Collingridge 21.00 88 Adam Wright 21.15 172 Phil Aiken 23.58 328 John Hanscomb 31.45 BRIGHTON & HOVE TIME TRIAL 5km Saturday 2nd August 1 S Billing (Brighton) 17.38 4 David Rowe 18.18 74 Sharon Rowe 28.49 WIMBLEDON COMMON TIME TRIAL 5km Saturday 2nd August 1 G Garnier (TH&H) 16.47 23 Steve Grout 20.40 62 Roger Wilson 23.17 90 Gill Wilson 25.38 MILLAND VALLEY TRAIL RUN 14 miles Sunday 3rd August It has been a long time since Ranelagh registered such a double victory in an open race. Richard Gregory and Marie Synnott-Wells won the men's and women's categories, each with a minute or more in hand over their nearest rivals. Richard comments: "A bit different from the usual races - multi-terrain and some long, hard hills made for a very tough course. I took a wrong turn and got lost at one point. Overall a good event - worth trying to get a larger Ranelagh contingent along in future - though mixed showers were 'interesting'." 1 Richard Gregory 1.31.29 44 Marie Synnott-Wells 1.46.41 60 Clive Beauvais 1.50.12 215 Sue Ashley 2.12.29 KINGFIELD CANTER 2.85 miles handicap Wednesday 6th August at Woking 1 I Perrins (unatt) 24.59 (actual time 18.14) 13 Louise Piears 27.27 (21.37) 17 Alan Davidson 27.35 (19.35) BUSHY PARK TIME TRIAL 5km Saturday 9th August 1 P Tulba (Basingstoke) 15.52 21 David Rowe 18.28 33 Duncan Mallison 18.57 57 Darren Wood 20.35 74 Adam Wright 21.11 106 Ian Grange 21.58 162 Phil Aiken 23.36 238 Gill Wilson 25.50 239 Roger Wilson 25.51 284 John Hanscomb 28.01 305 Sharon Rowe 29.26 337 Daniel Hobbs 32.04 RICHMOND PARK TIME TRIAL 5km Saturday 9th August 1 P Wright (Tadworth) 17.19 2 Jamie Taylor-Caldwell 17.31 5 Andy Bickerstaff 18.42 9 Sean Paynter 19.58 11 Stephen Instone 20.15 20 Chris Wilson 21.47 39 Paul Martingell 25.48 54 Rose Constantine 32.32 BRIDGES 2.3 miles handicap Wednesday 13th August at Westminster 1 H Thillainathan (u/a) 20.48 (actual time 17.02) 8 Alan Davidson 21.24 (16.29) 16 Simon Hedger 21.34 (15.11) 19 John Hanscomb 21.41 (21.41) STRAGGLERS 10km CHAMPIONSHIP Thursday 14th August David Rowe reports: "A few Ranelagh members (who are either first or second claim members of The Stragglers) took part in the members-only Stragglers 10k Championship. The course takes in part of the Dysart Dash route - don't you just love Riverside Drive and the towpath and after some rain in the afternoon much of the towpath running was spent trying to dodge the larger puddles. I beat my PB by two seconds!". 1 W Smith (Stragglers) 33.47 4 Danny Norman 35.26 16 David Rowe 38.55 64 Kirsty Bangham 50.24 72 Joanne Muir-Little 52.10 91 Sharon Rowe 59.41 BUSHY PARK TIME TRIAL 5km Saturday 16th August 1 J Hamblen (Walton) 16.05 21 David Rowe 18.33 49 Darren Wood 20.11 60 Simon Collingridge 20.40 63 Adam Wright 20.43 92 Ian Grange 21.39 147 Michelle Beaumont 23.06 160 Michael White 23.27 243 Paul Martingell 26.14 264 John Hanscomb 27.26 325 Daniel Hobbs 31.21 WIMBLEDON COMMON TIME TRIAL 5km Saturday 16nd August 1 V Maughan (Herne H) 16.50 72 Paul Sinton-Hewitt 24.28 80 Joanne Turner 25.09 BANSTEAD WOODS TIME TRIAL 5km Saturday 16nd August 1 D Sinclair (SLH) 17.37 27 Steve Rowland 20.59 RICHMOND PARK TIME TRIAL 5km Saturday 16th August 1 B Osborn (Stragglers) 17.11 13 Stephen Instone 20.05 24 Chris Wilson 21.31 28 Sandra Prosser 21.44 35 Karen Weir 23.02 56 Phil Aiken 25.41 59 Andrew Prosser 26.19 NORTH HAMPSHIRE TIME TRIAL 5km Saturday 16th August 1 M Shepherd (Kennet) 16.42 14 Alan Davidson 21.55 BURNHAM BEECHES HALF MARATHON Sunday 17th August This is one of the more scenic Half Marathons in the calendar and our small contingent seems to have enjoyed good runs as well as pleasant surroundings. Howard Gleave was third Over 50. 1 P Tucker (Blackheath) 1:10.01 (chip time 1:10.01) 26 Howard Gleave 1:20.38 (1:20.36) 43 Mick Lane 1:23.32 (1:23.32) 148 Kath Phillips 1:32.55 (1:32.39) 184 Steve Grout 1:35.44 (1:35.27) 315 Carola Richter 1:42.53 (1:42.36) 613 Tom Reay 1:57.49 (1:57.08) 680 Paul Martingell 2:01.45 (2:01.28) 811 John Hanscomb 2:12.07 (2:11.37) WOLVERHAMPTON CLASSIC TRIATHLON Sunday 17th August In his triathlon debut Chris Owens was the leading over 50. The distances were 1500m swim, 40km bike and 10km run. 1 J Ratcliffe (BCT) 1:53.43 (swim 16.10, T1 0.42, bike 60.28, T2 0.22, run 37.01) 35 Chris Owens 2:21.04 (21.38, 2.25, 74.24, 0.55, 42.17) LONDON CENTENARY MARATHON - THE HUGH JONES VERSION Thursday 24th July Windsor Castle to White City Andy Hayward wrote in the last e-news about a run commemorating the 1908 London Olympics Marathon. Andy had travelled to Windsor hoping to meet up with Hugh Jones but unexpectedly found that the 100 Marathon Club were putting on a semi-organised event and joined in with that instead. Hugh, meanwhile, was doing his own thing: "I think Mike Peace relayed my plans to Andy Hayward during the Chris Brasher Run, although these only ever amounted to a desire to run the original route at the relevant time on the anniversary day. Various people had previously approached me about making a more public commemoration of the event, but it was clear that no dedicated event was ever likely to get organised, and staying private was the best way to do it. Bikely.com also approached me about the route, and I gave them a description of it. This is in the archives of The Times (July 1908) for all to see, and very well described, but it probably does take some local knowledge to piece it all together. I must admit I was under a misconception about the final mile of the route until very late on, and I feel guilty for inflicting unnecessary distress on Andy via the copied directions to emerge on Scrubs Lane north of Burlington Danes School. In fact, from seeing a picture in the commemorative book published by the Italians, I revised my final mile, going right at the NE corner of Wormwood Scrubs Prison - due south on to Du Cane Road - and then left along it until reaching the junction with Wood Lane, where a right turn brings you under the M40 Western Avenue to the site of the old White City Stadium. The very final bit is complete guesswork, as Pietri would have turned right off Wood Lane into the Stadium (parallel to the ramp up onto the Oxford-bound A40) and then sharp left around the track. When I got to this point, I just ran on to the sign outside the main entrance to BBC TV (about 100m down on the right). I had never seen the 100 Marathon Club plans, so did not pay any attention to the 'official' finish. I never wanted to do anything official anyway. I spoke with John Bryant several times in the preceding few months, and he was always keen to do something to mark the occasion, although it sounded too publicity-seeking for my taste (his book on the 1908 Olympics 'Marathon Makers' would clearly benefit in future sales from any continuing publicity). When London Marathon got in on the act - Dave Bedford quotes and all - I really did not want any part of it. So it was a relief when they said they would start at 11.00. I had always intended to start at 14.33 - or a minute or two after that when the 1908 leaders would have emerged onto Castle Hill in Windsor - the first publicly-accessible bit of the course. On 24 July I rode my bike to Paddington and took the train to Windsor, arriving at 14.26. I strolled up to the Winsdor Castle car park entrance (about 500m into the 1908 course) and found those 66 '100 Marathon Club' members lined up for the team photo. It was nice to see that some people remembered this anniversary, but it was not really what I wanted to do. They set off at 14.30, but I waited until 14.33 - at which point I was engaged in conversation with Mike Peace. I left at about 14.34, maybe a minute ahead of those ghost runners of 1908. I had (since about 1996) always seen myself running this route at this time on this day, alone. The main point of it was really to imagine what it must have been like. That the temperature on the day (28C) pretty much matched that of 1908 was a good thing, and maybe also that I had shown up without adequate preparation and with no fluids. That was probably why, after 15 miles of satisfying contemplation of what it might have been like 100 years ago, I was returned to the present through the effects of a bad stitch which slowed me dramatically from 20 miles on. I stopped in Wembley and went into a newsagents, buying a 75p bottle of Lucozade with the £1 coin I had secreted in my shorts' pocket. That did revive me, and even temporarily relieved the stitch. This was almost exactly where, on the 'dusty road from Harrow' (now a dual carriageway known as the Watford Road) Tom Longboat had given up. I ploughed on through Harlesden (I was born less than a mile away) and saw my wife waiting for me, as arranged, at Willesden Junction, just before the 24 mile point. By now the stitch had reasserted its grip, and I stopped to walk for a second time almost exactly where Charles Hefferon would have done, just after the bridge over the Grand Union Canal. Another drink and more slight relief for the stitch, and I set off down Old Oak Common Lane, where just before reaching the Scrubs I met D Bedford, coming back in the opposite direction on his motorbike 'awright then?' - 'Alright'. Then around the Scrubs Prison and onto Du Cane Road. I finished at 17.43, about the time of the first GB finisher in 1908. I had lost the 15 minutes on Dorando over the last 5 miles, and probably suffered some similar feelings as several of the 1908 field. It was an instructive afternoon. And in recompense to Andy Hayward, I also suffered some last-minute diversions: getting on the Central Line at White City to find all ground to a standstill. So I staggered to Shepherds Bush Met line, breathing the scarce oxygen in the overcrowded carriages, and emerged at Paddington to take a slow, therapeutic bike ride through Regent's Park back home". EUROPEAN VETERANS TRACK AND FIELD CHAMPIONSHIPS 23rd July to 8th August at Ljubljana, Slovenia Alan Davidson reports: "I had a great time. The 10,000 metres was a straight final in very humid conditions and although tough to run in it did help the hamstring strain I had gained at last Vets League, also so did plastering it with maximum strength Deep Heat. A number of runners finished on drips after collapsing during and after the race and I had to go very steadily until the hamstring felt OK, so I got the expected PW of 46.44. They tried to get me to do an extra lap but after protest agreed I had done the full 25, unlike the Brit I had lapped who was stopped with only 24 laps completed (as he realised but didn't argue). Another Brit who finished 4th was shown as DNF and an athlete who hadn't even run the race was shown as finishing 5th! Corrections were made after protests. The 5,000 metres took place under blue skies and in temperatures of 37C (99F). The final was split into A and B races and originally my slow race was timetabled second, but when I went to the track I found it already underway as the A and B races had been reversed! I decided to go to the call room and speak to officials who took me with two others to see the starter and marksman. The marksman said we are here for the athletes and let us three run in the A race but we had to have a split start because of the extra numbers (what a great attitude). I felt a bit uneasy being in the A race but four dropped out of that with heat exhaustion so in the circumstances 17th in 21.20 was OK for me. Yet again they had tried to get me to do an extra lap but a British official helped and the camera shots of each crossing of the line eventually backed me up! A trip to Lake Bled in the mountains was a good way to relax afterwards. All Slovenian people we encountered were very pleasant and helpful". FINALLY... "The difference between the mile and the marathon is the difference between burning your fingers with a match and being slowly roasted over hot coals". American athletics writer Hal Higdon in 'On the Run from Dogs and People'.