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Newsdesk 2010
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RANELAGH HARRIERS E-NEWS # 341 17 November 2010
Editor: Steve Rowland
mailto: steverowland@ranelagh-harriers.com
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HEADLINE NEWS
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* Second Surrey League races - our men win Division 2 again but our women
finish 15th in Division 1
* Phil Killingley and Peter Haarer finish 2nd and 3rd in the men's race,
Iona Robertson 14th in the women's
* parkrun placings for Duncan Mallison, Mark Herbert, Hugh Brasher and
David Bell
* All needed for the Thames mob match on Saturday
* Book your place for the Thames supper on Saturday and the Christmas Party
on December 11th
* Dennis Moffatt obituary
SEE HERE
********
MOB MATCH v THAMES HARE & HOUNDS Saturday 20th November in Richmond Park
Niall O'Connor writes:
"This Saturday's visit of Thames Hare and Hounds, for our second mob match
of season, promises to be a tough challenge. We're without several of our
quicker runners, making it possible that Thames might fill the top ten
positions. A (non-mob) match in North London has further decimated the ranks
meaning that everyone available is required on the start line. To claw back
the deficit at the head of the field we need to get as many bodies as
possible ahead of the fourth-last Thames scorer. Dig out your blue singlets!
The race is on our home ground with the start at 2:30. It is two laps
totalling 7.5m (a good way to kick-off your marathon training). Numbers will
be available for collection from 1:00 at the clubhouse, or at the start.
There are several recent sequences at stake. As Captain Marc writes "It has
been 20 years since we last won three consecutive mob matches against Thames
and 26 years since we won four consecutive mob matches so come out and
support the club, run as hard or as easy as you want - just don't let anyone
outsprint you (county 800m champions aside)!"
This Saturday, represent your club on a classic course against a famous
rival - Ranelagh needs you!"
THAMES SUPPER
After the mob match on Saturday we'll be treating our visitors to supper in
the clubhouse. Anyone who has attended a Thames supper in the past will know
that they are always enjoyable occasions thanks in no small part to Thames's
irrepressible John Bryant. It will be an entertaining evening, don't miss
it! The cost is £6 a head and we'll have beer, wine and soft drinks
available. It'll be fish and chips (or veggie alternative - please specify
this when you book). We're aiming to start at about 6pm and the main part of
the proceedings will be over by mid-evening. Book your place with Andy
Hayward (andrewhayward@catalinare.com).
MOB MATCH v ORION HARRIERS
Looking further ahead, our third mob match is on December 11th away to Orion
in Epping Forest. We'll run at least one minibus from the clubhouse - but to
give us an idea of whether we need a second one, please let me know if you
think you might want to use it. Our Christmas party is in the evening, so
buses will return fairly soon after the race.
CHRISTMAS PARTY
Date:- Saturday 11th December
Time:- from 7.00pm
Location:- Strawberry Hill Banqueting, St Mary's University College,
Waldegrave Road, Strawberry Hill, Twickenham, TW1 4SX - Tel 0208 240 4044.
There is secure parking on the premises.
Dress:- To Impress!!
Dancing from 9 - 12.30 DJ
£40 per person, £44 non members
Cheques payable to Ranelagh Harriers - Please give cash/ cheques to Michele
or leave in an envelope addressed to Michele Gibson at the club with your
name and the number of people. Pay at door facility limited!!
To reserve your place...
Email:- Michele Gibson - micheleagibson@hotmail.com
or text Michele 07703 518 956
or grab me at the club on Tuesdays and Wednesdays!!
CLUB LONDON MARATHON PLACES
We have five guaranteed places assigned to us this year, which we usually
allocate through a draw at the Christmas Party. Some of you will remember
that we conducted the draw for our five places last year, only for the
places not to materialise because our application was lost somewhere. It was
agreed that those whose names were drawn out last time should be given first
refusal for the 2011 race. So far, three of the five have confirmed that
they want to take up their places, one has declined and we are still waiting
to hear from the last one. This means that we will have at least one place
available for a ballot, and perhaps two places. So, if your application for
the 2011 marathon has been rejected AND if you meet the qualifying criteria
(see clublmplaces.html) give your name to
Hon Sec Jo Sinton-Hewitt (josintonhewitt@gmail.com) by December 10th.
HUGH BRASHER
It was announced last month that Hugh Brasher is to take over the role of
London Marathon Race Director from Dave Bedford. Hugh is of course the son
of the event's founder Chris Brasher and has been a Ranelagh member for many
years. Hugh is CEO of Brasher Leisure, which owns the Sweatshop chain, but
has also been a director of the London Marathon since 2008. He will work
alongside Bedford from January as part of a gradual handover of the role. He
will be joint race director in 2012 and is then expected to take sole
responsibility for the position in 2013.
Hugh writes: "I am very honoured and excited about my new responsibility as
Deputy Race Director of the 2011 Virgin London Marathon, leading on to be
joint race director in 2012 and sole race director in 2013. It was Ranelagh
members who travelled to New York for the marathon in 1978 and eulogised
about it over pints of beer with my father Chris and John Disley. As a
result they were persuaded that they must travel to New York and experience
the race for themselves. Sure enough in 1979 they went and my father wrote
his famous article in the Observer asking whether London had the heart to
stage such a festival. So I am very pleased to be carrying on the unique
relationship between Ranelagh and the London Marathon that was started over
30 years ago."
RANELAGH FORUM
Don't forget to log in to our forum at ranelagh-talk.com
. There's also a link from our home
page.
DENNIS MOFFATT
With the death on 10th September of Dennis Moffatt the club lost one of its
oldest and longest-serving members. Dennis was 90 years old and had been
suffering from Alzheimer's Disease for several years. He joined Ranelagh in
1951 at a time when the club was still rebuilding after the second world
war. Although already in his thirties he proved a valuable asset and made
the scoring six in the Southern Championships at the end of his first winter
season. Shortly afterwards he finished 3rd - with the 4th fastest time of
19.08 - in the Baker Cup 3 miles handicap. If the time seems relatively
slow, there was a good reason: the course at that time was a three-lap
affair starting outside the Dysart and taking in the Thames towpath. The
Gazette report talks of snow, slush and a biting head wind, and "Then the
tide took a hand. It was just spilling over the river edge as we negotiated
the towpath on the first lap, but on the third about twelve minutes later
there was a hundred yard stretch of water nearly waist-deep in places." It
goes on: "Fuller just beat Moffatt for second place. The latter avers that
he would have reversed these positions but for the fact that his sensitive
soul was deeply shocked by Fuller's too vivid description of the habits and
ancestry of a careless taxi driver who showered them both with muddy snow."
Dennis had already acquired a reputation as a joker, and this stayed with
him throughout his active time at the club. His only handicap success was
the Page Cup in 1960. The Gazette report described him as a popular winner,
"a member who has fairly earned the title of club jester". "'I have noticed
the Captain watching me lately,' said Dennis, 'So no doubt I shall be asked
to hold myself in readiness for more future races. He's probably short of
officials again!'"
Dennis was elected onto the club committee within a couple of years of first
becoming a member, and served on it for more than a decade. He was a regular
in club handicaps and mob matches for many years - notching up a tally of
forty "mobs" - and tried his hand at everything up to the club's 20 miles
road race.
Bill Bird writes: "I had the company of Jack Ellicock and Rex Lofts and
family at the funeral. The church was packed out and there was a loudspeaker
for the overflow. I guess there were probably 150 people in all. Luckily the
day was brilliant, and the vicar suggested Dennis obviously had some good
connections up there. The tributes to Dennis included references to his days
with Ranelagh Harriers and his numerous other activities once his legs went,
such as ocean sailing, dramatics and mountain biking; but most of all his
tremendous humour, which for those that were fortunate enough to know him
was always on hand. One story I heard was his quick-witted response to a
rather pompous Rear Admiral at a sailing reception. Dennis's crew had done
rather well for once and as such were invited to the 'do', but they were all
tired and rather the worse for having some refreshment. Dennis let out a
rather loud burp. The Admiral took exception at this and said that he felt
it was disgusting that Dennis should do this in front of his wife. Dennis's
immediate reply was that he was sorry, but he did not realise that the
Admiral's wife had also wished to burp, had he realised he would have
waited. Dennis was given the send off that I am sure he would have
appreciated, full of joy and happy memories,"
Rex Lofts adds: "Members running the South Downs Relay or walking the South
Downs Way will have passed the Moffatt house in the small hamlet of
Chilcomb, just before reaching Winchester."
Our condolences go to Dennis's family.
WHAT'S COMING
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More details of the following from Marc Snaith (07717 213035 mailto ( mdsnaith5@hotmail.com ) or
Marie Synnott-Wells (07956 431319 (After 5pm Weekdays) / mailto nandmwells@aol.com )
Saturday 20th November Mob match v Thames Hare & Hounds in Richmond
Park followed by supper - see above.
Saturday 27th November South of the Thames 5 miles championships (men
and women) on Wimbledon Common
Saturday 4th December Dysart Cup women's race including Hugh Jones
Salver club women's championship. 1.45pm start in Richmond Park
Ellis Cup men's 5 miles race.
2.30pm start in Richmond Park
Saturday 11th November Lee Cup mob match v Orion Harriers at Chingford,
Epping Forest
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
Bedfont Lakes Bedfont Lakes Country Park, Ashford,
Middlesex
Kingston The Hawker Centre
Old Deer Park Pools in the Park on the A316
Other venues, more details and registration at www.parkrun.com
The 2km junior parkrun for under 15s takes place at 11am on the first Sunday
of each month from Bushy Park's Teddington Gate.
WHAT'S HAPPENED
***************
2XU SURREY LEAGUE Saturday 13th November on Wimbledon Common
Marc Snaith reports:
"Another great turnout of twenty runners and a deserved, comfortable
victory. Phil Killingley spearheaded our team with second place and was
unlucky to be pipped on the line by the Surrey 800m champion - this is in
spite of struggling with injury and Phil will now take a deserved rest.
Peter Haarer battled the effects of an alcohol-heavy dinner on Thursday
night and managed to improve upon his position in the first race and came
third. Steve Whitehead continued his excellent autumn in seventh and will be
looking for a top five place in the next meeting. Nathan Mills and Ed Barker
were once again our fourth and fifth scorers then I finally had a consistent
race in sixth just outrunning Niall O'Connor into seventh. John Shaw
continued his dominance of the V50 category and was also our eighth scorer
with Chris Bundhun and new member Mark Wyldbore, making his Surrey League
debut, closing out our scoring ten. Well done to everyone who ran and thanks
for all the on-course support. It is always motivating to hear someone shout
'Come on Ranelagh' about five seconds after you pass them!
We are now over 100pts ahead of Clapham and over 200pts ahead of Kingston &
Poly who are in third. One more big performance at Epsom Downs in January
and then we can relax and enjoy our home meeting in February."
SURREY LADIES LEAGUE Saturday 13th November at Denbies Vineyard, Dorking
In contrast to the men, it was a day best forgotten for our women's team who
recorded their worst league performance for many years. The scenic
surroundings of Denbies Vineyard near Dorking were clearly not sufficiently
attractive - perhaps people remembered the torrential rain last time we were
here! At any rate, the list of potential members of the scoring team who
were absent for one reason or another was far longer than the list of those
who made it to the start line. The result was that we finished in 15th
place, behind all but one of the first division 'A' teams and one 'B' team.
Fortunately overall scores are fairly close and we dropped only three place
to 8th. However, we can't afford another such poor result.
To add to our troubles, the usually consistent Marie Synnott-Wells was
off-colour and finished fifteen or twenty places down on what she would
normally expect. This left Iona Robertson as our only runner near the sharp
end of the race and she put in another good performance in 14th place, 80
seconds ahead of Marie in 32nd. All credit to Sandra Prosser, Kathy Mallett
and the strong-finishing Louise Piears for being there to complete the' A'
team of five, but they would be the first to agree that they shouldn't have
been needed. Daniela Mingham, Sonia Rowland and Bronwen Fisher were all
within 100 metres of Louise at the finish and our 'B' team was completed by
Kirsty Bangham and Heather Martingell.
It was good to see Amelie Hunton representing us in the Under 17s race and
she ran strongly for 18th.
ALGARVE RUNNING CHALLENGE Thursday 4th - Sunday 7th November at Monte Gordo,
Portugal
Alan Davidson reports:
"Another very enjoyable Track & Field Tours Algarve Running Challenge based
at Monte Gordo (eastern Algarve), as usual well organised by Steve Smythe
(Athletics Weekly). A small, friendly group of runners had superb hotel
apartments, 22-24C sunshine and four races in four days. Before the serious
stuff I viewed flamingos, storks etc in the Castro Marim reserve and had a
trundle through the countryside on the rickety old Algarve railway. Race 1
was a three lap 5k pine forest race on undulating sandy trails and I
finished in 22.18 (laps 7.16/7.33/7.29). Race 2 was 10k mainly on stony or
gravelly pine forest tracks but with a short road section where I got a
cheer from some harbourside workers who probably felt sorry for this poor
old man plodding down the road! 47.14 in that run. Race 3 in lovely warm
sunshine at the magnificent Vila Real stadium was a 1 mile track time trial
in 6.25. The three races repeated for me a frequent event at home - chasing
after Ros Tabor (Dulwich Runners) and I told her I only recognised her from
the back! Sadly a problem I sometimes have with a niggly left adductor made
me miss the Guardiana 10 miles but I went out onto the narrow causeway to
act as a one man supporter group but was worried by the behaviour of some
impatient motorists who cut up the runners. A motorcycle policeman sped
after one driver and pulled him over. Back home in chilly GB I saw cars
stuck in flooded roads and wished I was still on the Algarve!"
NEW YORK CITY MARATHON Sunday 7th November
1 G Gebrmariam (Eth) 2:08.14
1166 John Atkinson 3:03.41
27265 Dee Mondair 4:35.04
LOSELEY 10km Sunday 7th November at Guildford
1 G Bell 38.51
54 Michael Beverly 47.07
70 Anair Beverly 48.07
666 Celia Beverly 74.07
MARLOW HALF MARATHON Sunday 7th November
1 E O'Gorman (Chiltern) 1:14.12 (chip time 1:14.12)
172 Peter Simmons 1:39.14 (1:38.18)
509 Jo Sinton-Hewitt 1:54.49 (1:53.53)
555 Sharon Dooley 1:56.56 (1:56.37)
LEATHERHEAD FIRE STATION 10km Sunday 14th November
1 A Tugwell (unatt) 37.11
13 Mark Herbert 39.32
78 Michelle Davies 45.57
104 Lee Davies 47.40
143 Mike White 50.25
325 John Hanscomb 69.25
RICHMOND parkrun 5km Saturday 6th November
1 D Agustus (Scarb) 15.52
12 Jerym Brunton 19.20
17 Bill Neely 19.35
34 Simon Burrell 20.27
45 Alexander Fordham 21.13
47 Michael Beverly 21.14
51 Stewart Anderson 21.19
54 Eric Plue 21.29
68 Michael Cawley 22.23
83 Peter Fordham 23.23
102 Rob Kitchen 24.58
114 Sandra Prosser 25.25
118 Philippa Shaw 25.36
121 Roger Wilson 26.00
126 Danny Hobbs 26.18
131 Tony Clark 26.43
141 Sue Camp 27.34
148 Marina Quayle 28.00
158 Val Lowman 29.18
174 Annemarie Goodridge 30.54
181 Penny Merrett 31.47
182 Peter Lowman 31.56
186 Bronwen Northmore 32.22
187 Pat Hewlett 32.46
CANNON HILL parkrun 5km Saturday 6th November
1 M Turner (Hales) 16.33
6 Sean Paynter 17.58
BUSHY parkrun 5km Saturday 6th November
1 B Whitby (WSEH) 15.06
25 David Rowe 18.44
31 Nick Wright 19.14
92 Adam Wright 21.45
137 Ian Grange 22.36
175 Jose Scheuer 23.20
181 Chris Wright 23.30
299 Simon Rothwell 25.30
431 Mary Hickson 28.12
575 John Hanscomb 32.18
KINGSTON parkrun 5km Saturday 6th November
Mark Herbert finished in third place.
1 B Challis (Sutton) 18.23
3 Mark Herbert 18.57
5 Iain Wilson 19.12
11 Chris Camacho 20.46
14 Andrew Brown 21.59
25 Mike White 23.36
37 Alison Dicks 26.17
38 Jar O'Brien 26.18
50 Janet Turnes 32.41
BEDFONT LAKES parkrun 5km Saturday 6th November
David Bell was second.
1 C Payne (Cran T&H) 17.17
2 David Bell 18.55
44 Lynne Barber 27.16
57 Christine Goodsell 29.24
74 Cindy Croucher 33.07
FRIMLEY LODGE parkrun 5km Saturday 6th November
1 D Symes (unatt) 18.21
19 Darren Wood 20.59
LEEDS parkrun 5km Saturday 6th November
1 R Bridges (Leeds Met) 16.58
4 Duncan Mallison 17.43
WATERWORKS parkrun 5km Saturday 6th November
This was the inaugural run of the first parkrun in Northern Ireland. Winner
was former Ranelagh member Dinger Bell.
1 D Bell (Willowfield) 17.03
31 Jo Sinton-Hewitt 24.12
33 Paul Sinton-Hewitt 24.16
GLASGOW parkrun 5km Saturday 6th November
1 D Munro (Cambuslang) 16.59
81 Karl Garvey 22.41
BUSHY JUNIORS parkrun 2km Sunday 7th November
1 Z Clark (unatt) 8.24
12 Livvy Ricketts 10.39
RICHMOND parkrun 5km Saturday 13th November
Mark Herbert got a parkrun top three placing for the second consecutive
week.
1 J Millen (Harpenden) 17.56
2 Mark Herbert 18.54
5 Jerym Brunton 19.20
7 Bill Neely 19.39
31 Stewart Anderson 21.41
40 Michael Cawley 22.14
49 Michelle Davies 22.32
51 Andrew Brown 22.37
61 Daniel Chiechi 23.22
69 Jennie McGrath 23.49
79 Rob Kitchen 24.44
83 Philippa Shaw 25.09
108 Jar O'Brien 26.53
109 Alison Dicks 26.54
122 Sue Camp 28.09
130 Peter Lowman 28.47
138 Lorna Smith 29.52
145 Bronwen Northmore 30.57
146 Val Lowman 31.21
152 Pat Hewlett 33.07
CANNON HILL parkrun 5km Saturday 13th November
1 E Banks (Birm Row) 15.58
7 Sean Paynter 17.09
BUSHY parkrun 5km Saturday 13th November
1 unknown 16.53
12 David Rowe 18.08
35 Luke Wilson 19.37
44 Pater Simmons 20.07
252 Jose Scheuer 24.10
331 Danny Hobbs 25.41
591 John Hanscomb 31.40
616 Roger Wilson 32.36
KINGSTON parkrun 5km Saturday 13th November
1 M Shurlock (unatt) 19.03
4 Chris Camacho 20.56
15 Julie Naismith 25.55
19 Janet Turnes 28.49
WIMBLEDON COMMON parkrun 5km Saturday 13th November
Hugh Brasher was second home.
1 J Mutch (Brighton) 17.30
2 Hugh Brasher 18.26
BEDFONT LAKES parkrun 5km Saturday 13th November
1 J Durrant (Runnymede) 18.50
54 Deirdre Inman 30.53
58 Cindy Croucher 32.16
FRIMLEY LODGE parkrun 5km Saturday 13th November
1 D Symes (unatt) 17.52
7 Darren Wood 19.33
OLD DEER PARK parkrun 5km Saturday 13th November
A victory for Duncan Mallison.
1 Duncan Mallison 20.01
13 Jo Sinton-Hewitt 30.28
14 Deborah Blakemore 32.24
BANSTEAD WOODS parkrun 5km Saturday 13th November
1 I Dixon (unatt) 19.04
95 Tom Reay 27.53
FINALLY...
There's no end to the Kenyan conveyor belt: Commonwealth Games marathon
gold-medallist John Kelai, who won in a time of 2:14.35, is ranked 93rd in
Kenya in 2010!