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Newsdesk 2001

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RANELAGH HARRIERS E-NEWS # 29            16 MAY 2001

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Somebody switched the sun on for our Richmond Half Marathon on Sunday. "It
was horribly hot," gasped a Serpie as she crossed the line. It certainly was
- about 27 degrees, according to that nice Mr Fish on the telly. Since this
seemed about 15 degrees higher than any other day this year, a lot of the
300+ starters found it very hard going indeed; and more than a few of them
found the lure of shady trees and swimming pool at the end of the first lap
just too tempting.

Stuart Dickinson of New Marske Harriers travelled all the way down from
Middlesborough specifically for the race, fleeing Foot and Mouth
restrictions. He was well clear from early in the proceedings and eventually
won by over half a mile in the very respectable time, given the conditions,
of 71.32. Darryl tottered home second in a time that he didn't feel to be
respectable at all. He would rather people didn't know that he finished in
76.07. That's seventy-six minutes and seven seconds. 76.07. Respectable or
no, it was good enough to win the Ranelagh championship for the Jim Williams
Cup and the Surrey county championship to boot. Pause for enthusiastic
whoops.

David and Giles followed on in high enough positions to give us the men's
team race and - presumably - the Surrey team medals.

In the women's race, the runner in second place was one of the first lap
drop-outs, leaving Ayling of the RAF well ahead. Margaret - training for a
50km event in France - was 5th, earning her the White Rose Bowl as Ranelagh
champ. Serpentine won the women's team prizes, but Margaret, Eleanor and
Corinne may have been in the frame for the county team race.

Over 300 finished and notwithstanding some problems with traffic and
recalcitrant cyclists the day was generally adjudged to be a success. All
the usual plaudits therefore to Robin and Julie and everyone who helped on
the day.

The weather had been cooler for our small party at the Keswick Half Marathon
the week before, but instead the runners had to face local demonstrators
protesting that the race should not have gone ahead. Runners on a road
apparently spead FMD where walkers, cyclists and motorists on the same road
do not.

1	A Bowness (Border)		70.30
128	Chris Read			97.10
183	John Keep			101.20
316	John Hanscomb			112.52
363	David Rowntree			117.50

Ed Whitlock ran the London Marathon on Sunday - London, Ontario, that is.
Steve Coad of the London Free Press reports:
"Ed Whitlock set a world record yesterday, then needed cheering up.
Whitlock, fit and trim as they come, ran the London Life Marathon in three
hours, 24 seconds -- faster than any runner 70 and up had ever covered the
42.2-kilometre distance before.
Sounds great, and it was.
But Whitlock, from Milton, wanted to break the three-hour barrier, and
despite a string of well-wishers at the finish of the Forest City Road
Races' headline event, he was disappointed and vowed to try again, probably
at the Columbus, Ohio, Marathon in October.
'I hope I'm running better then,' said Whitlock who, at 69, ran a 2:52 last
year in Columbus. 'I just had a feeling it would be a tough day today. I'm
not running that well right now and I don't know why. If I did, I'd change
some things,' he said, managing a smile.
Whitlock broke the record of 3:00.58 previously held by John Keston of the
U.S. 'It's not what I wanted,' he said softly, 'but I guess people always
want more. One thing about today is the encouragement I received, the
cheering all of the runners received, all the way around the course. It was
amazing. And when I got inside the stadium, it was deafening. You'd think I
was a real runner,' he said, smiling again."

The Modern Pentathlon World Cup circuit came to Bath last weekend and Liz
Kipling was one of a strong British team that eventually filled three of the
top four places, led by Olympic Gold Medallist Steph Cook. Liz herself
excelled to qualify for Sunday's final. She takes up the story:
"Unfortunately things did not go to plan - I had the worst ever fence of my
life which has probably put paid to my chances for the European and World
Championships although I am competing in Switzerland this coming weekend so
may be able to redeem myself. Apart from the fencing, the other events went
well, I shot, swam and ran personal bests and rode one of only three clear
rounds. I ended up 17th but it was rather a case of what could have been!"

Kathleen Harris writes from Oz: "Best wishes to everyone at the club. I'm
hoping to catch up with you guys between the 15th June and the 2nd July
sometime. If not once then two or three times."

GRAND PRIX
Leading scores after three races:
Open: Giles Marshall 29, Stephen Instone 24, Darryl McDonald 24, Mike Peace
19, Milos Dusek 13, Graeme MacFadyen 12, Ken Fotherby 11, Mick Lane 11,
David Wright 11, Martin Clark 9, Marlene Pautard 8, Alan Davidson 8
Over 40: Stephen Instone 15, Mick Lane 6, Ken Fotherby 6, David Wright 6,
Mike Holman 4, Clive Naish 4
Over 50: Martin Clark 13, Mike Peace 12, Tim Woolmer 10, John Hanscomb 6,
Alan Davidson 6, Alan Meaden 4
Women: Eleanor Grey 10, Corinne Bishop 7, Eliete Nascimento 6, Marlene
Pautard 6, Margaret Auerback 6, Pat Hewlett 5, Carol Barnshaw 5

COMING UP
Sunday May 20th   Sunday in the Country. A social run in the Surrey Hills.
Meet 10.30-ish at Coldharbour near Leith Hill. Maps will be provided, groups
of various speeds will then get themselves lost for an hour or so, and then
- optionally - lunch will be taken at the Plough pub. More details from
Chris Owens (chris.owens@unilever.com).

Sunday June 3rd   Dorking 10 miles. Surrey county championship and Ranelagh
Grand Prix race 4. Entries £6.50 payable to Dorking & Mole Valley AC to
Event Secretary, 4 Henfold Cottages, Henfold Lane, Newdigate, Surrey RH5
5AG. Forms can be downloaded from http://www.dmvac.org.uk  Entries on the
day £9.

Sunday June 24th  Dysart Dash 10km. Surrey county championship and Ranelagh
Grand Prix race 5. 10am at Ham (3 mins from the clubhouse). Entries £5
payable to Ranelagh Harriers to Dysart Dash, 2 Sapte Close, Cranleigh,
Surrey GU6 7HA. Forms can be downloaded from :
http://www.surreyweb.net/rharriers Entries on the day £6.

FINALLY
All the Ranelagh finishers in our Half Marathon on Sunday beat an Olympic
Gold Medallist!  303rd in a time of 134.12 was the "Little Mouse" Don
Thompson, who won the 50km Walk 41 years ago in Rome....

Steve Rowland
Tel:  01926 318734
Fax: 01926 318718
e-mail: srowland@calorgas.co.uk