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***************************************************
 RANELAGH HARRIERS E-NEWS # 448             17 April 2015
 Editor: Steve Rowland
 mailto: steverowland@ranelagh-harriers.com  
 ***************************************************

 HEADLINE NEWS
 *************
 *  Megan de Silva, Marie Synnott-Wells and Heather Martingell finish third
     team in the Maidenhead 10
 *  Michelle Davies finishes third in the Cranleigh 15
 *  Good Marathon performances led by sub-3s from Michael Everard and
     Jonathan Smith  
 *  parkrun placings for Becky Hall, Megan de Silva, Michelle Davies, Rebecca
     Northmore, Eirin McDaid, Nick Twomey, Ted Mockett, Craig Maclellan, Duncan
     Mallison, Jonathan Smith, James Whistler and George Howard 
 *  2015-16 subscriptions are now due
 *  Lots of help needed for the Richmond Half Marathon on May 3rd - please
     volunteer
 *  Carl Nargang obituary

  ATTENTION PLEASE
  ****************
  LONDON MARATHON
  Good luck to all those running next week's "London" (and those marathoning
  elsewhere)!

  SUBSCRIPTIONS...
  ...for 2015-16 are now due.
  Despite the increase in the England Athletics registration fee to £12, we
  are keeping our subscription rates unchanged for at least another year.
  That's £40 for seniors, £20 for second-claim members and those who are
  retired and over 60, £10 for under 20s and students and non-running members.
  There is also a £70 family membership.  Post your cheque to Membership
  Secretary, Ranelagh Harriers, 135a Petersham Road, Richmond, Surrey TW10 7AA
  or leave it in an envelope at the clubhouse. A Standing Order form is
  available from our website here:  . For Bank Transfers, our
  account is at HSBC, sort code 40-23-29, account number 81109847; please add
  a message, for example SubscriptionJSmith. For any queries, e-mail the
  Membership Secretary aachrisowens@yahoo.co.uk. 

 2015 ROAD GRAND PRIX
 Ranelagh's Road Grand Prix begins on Sunday with the Thames Towpath 10.
 Entries closed early but there are over 30 Ranelagh names amongst the 750
 entries. The GP continues with any Spring Marathon up to May 3rd. GP points
 will be awarded in chip time finishing order. Then on May 3rd is our
 Richmond Half Marathon, and on May10th is the Sutton 10km. Details for
 Sutton .  Full details of the Grand Prix here:. 

 SURREY ROAD LEAGUE
 About thirty Surrey clubs, including Ranelagh, compete in the Road League.
 It begins with our Half Marathon, followed by the Sutton 10km and the
 Dorking 10 miles. Full details are on the Surrey Athletics website:. 

 RANELAGH RICHMOND HALF MARATHON  Sunday 3rd May
 The official entry limit has now been reached for our Half Marathon on May
 3rd. If you're not taking part, please consider helping out in some capacity
 - we need large numbers of marshals on the day. See below.

 HELP NEEDED AT OUR HALF MARATHON
 Sunday 3rd May  8.30am start
 Many thanks to those who have already volunteered but we are still looking
 for another twenty or so helpers on the day - marshalling, giving out water,
 helping at the start and/or finish etc . Even if you are running in the
 race, you could still be useful at the start or finish. We need help from
 7.30am through to midday, but we can still use you even if you can only
 spare an hour or two.
 If you can help, please contact Volunteer Co-ordinator Tamsin Burland at
 ranelaghhalfhelpers@hotmail.co.uk. 
 Please specify:
 1.  Time you are available.  
 2.  Preferred jobs / locations if any.
 3.  Whether you are running in the race
 3.  Whether you have transport and would be willing to move between posts.
 4.  Your mobile phone number. 

 Our marshals always come in for praise from the runners - please help to
 make this year's event another successful day. 

 THURSDAY NIGHT TRACK TRAINING AT OSTERLEY
 The club is subsidising track sessions on Thursday evenings at the Osterley
 track for another three months. All groups and all abilities are welcome.
 The sessions are  every Thursday 7.30-8.30pm.  Link to the map is here:.

 RICHMOND 10km
 Entries are open for our Richmond 10km on Sunday 21st June. Entry limit is
 700, so get your application in early! Details:.  

 WIMBLEDON COMMON TRAIL RACES  
 Andy Bickerstaff and the Good Run Guide are repeating their series of scenic
 summer trail races on Wimbledon Common. The races are on the first Wednesday
 of May, June and July, each starting at 7pm from the Windmill. The first two
 - on May 6th and June 3rd - are over 5 miles, while the last on July 1st is
 over 8 miles. Details:.  

 RIVER THAMES HALF MARATHON   Sunday 18th October
 Roy Reeder of Stragglers writes:
 "I'm once again organising the River Thames Half Marathon. The start is in
 Walton-on-Thames and a fair bit of the route is along the towpath, so it's
 flat, scenic and mostly traffic free. Full details here:
 www.riverthamesrunning.co.uk.  I'm offering £4 off the entry fee to Ranelagh
 Harriers runners till 18th July. Use the entry code ranh4off at the Sport
 Systems store." 
 
 GREEN BELT RELAY - Saturday 16th and Sunday 17th May
 Roy Reeder again:
 "If you would like to be part of this event but aren't able to race 20 miles
 or thereabouts over two days you can be, as Stragglers are looking for
 helpers. This could be help with course marking on the Friday before or over
 the weekend, time-keeping or just doing some marshalling on leg 1 from
 Hampton Court Palace to Staines on Saturday morning or leg 22 from Walton
 Bridge to the Hawker Centre on Sunday afternoon. Contact Roy for more
 details, . Thanks. It's a little known fact that ALL
 the surplus from the relay goes to charity! Last year's race raised £2500
 for Princess Alice Hospice." 

 FACEBOOK
 Follow Ranelagh on Facebook:. 

 RANELAGH JUNIORS
 Check out what's happening in our junior section at ranelagh-harriers-juniors.com/. 

 STRAGGLERS JUNIOR HANDICAP SERIES
 The junior handicap series is held on Thursday evenings between April and
 August at the Hawker Centre off Lower Ham Road in Kingston, as follows:

 Thursday 23rd April - Registration  7 p.m. for 7.30 p.m. start
 Thursday 21st May - Registration 7 p.m. for 7.30 p.m. start
 Thursday 11th June - Registration 7 p.m. for 7.30 p.m. start
 Thursday 25th June - Registration 7 p.m. for 7.30 p.m. start
 Thursday 16th July - Registration 7 p.m. for 7.30 p.m. start
 Thursday 27th August - Registration 7 p.m. for 7.30 p.m. start

 Runners are allotted a start time depending on their previous performances,
 with the slower runners starting first. First time runners are given a
 handicap according to their age. The course is just over 2 km on the grass
 area in front of the Hawker Centre. It consists of four laps of the
 perimeter of the grass area, which will be marked out. After the end of the
 fourth lap the runners will cross the finish line and go down the finish
 funnel in the order in which they crossed the line. New or inexperienced
 runners, if they find 2 km a bit far, can run one lap - they will be given a
 time, but their results will not count towards any individual or team
 scores.

 Points are scored for your club according to finishing position and personal
 best times. First timers receive a medal for completing the course. In each
 race medals are awarded to the first boy and first girl (regardless of their
 overall place), and further medals are awarded to the 2nd and 3rd overall
 places (whether boys or girls). The overall trophy and shields for first,
 second and third places and the team trophy will be presented on the last
 Thursday of either September or October. We will announce the actual date as
 widely as possible.In order to take part in the junior handicap, entrants
 must have a consent and medical form signed by a parent or legal guardian.
 See here:. Please pre-register with coaches Colin, Heather or Maia.

 CARL NARGANG
 As previously reported, our oldest and longest-standing member Carl Nargang
 died peacefully at his retirement home in Eastbourne at the end of January.
 The funeral took place on 26th February on what would have been his 101st
 birthday. He had been a member of Ranelagh Harriers since 1933, which gave
 him an extraordinary uninterrupted membership of over 81 years. Certainly
 no-one in Ranelagh has ever matched that longevity and I would venture that
 few from any other club could approach it either. 

 Carl and his twin brother Victor were born in Battersea in February 1914 and
 attended Emanuel School. Both brothers were keen sportsmen and at school
 were introduced to cross-country running. Ranelagh's annual Schools race had
 been instigated in 1927 and as well as taking part in the race Emanuel for
 many years made use of Ranelagh's facilities for their own inter-school
 events. It was natural therefore that Carl and Victor should in due course
 become members of Ranelagh. 

 Carl's first appearance in the Ranelagh annals appears to have been the
 "Novices" race on 14th October 1933 in which, aged 19, he finished in second
 place. He is listed as a new member that year, but for some reason four
 years were to pass before he made his debut in a club race. Thereafter
 appearances were sporadic until the outbreak of war in 1939. By then Carl
 was working for a heavy engineering company and as this was a reserved
 occupation he was not allowed to join up. Nevertheless, he did his bit by
 working as a part-time telephonist and fire watcher. He married Joan in 1940
 and their daughter Anne arrived in 1943. After the war he worked for the
 local council in Battersea and also as a part-time driving instructor.

 Carl was one of the relatively few Ranelagh members who re-assembled after
 the war to hoist the club's flag again. They were hampered by the fact that
 the Park remained officially closed to the public for some time after the
 cessation of hostilities. Barbed wire, camps and bomb ranges were new
 hazards for the intrepid Ranelagh scouts. It was not until October 1946 that
 a cross-country race was once again to be seen in the Park, with 23 members
 turning out for the Thomas Cup handicap.

 During the 1950s Carl's enthusiasm grew and he became a regular in mob
 matches and handicaps, though seldom appearing in our championship teams.
 Handicap success was not long in coming and on a very hot day in the summer
 of 1952 he won the Coad Cup 5 miles handicap. According to the Gazette he
 "remembered little of the hour or so after the race". His brother Victor was
 5th. Perhaps buoyed by this victory Carl took on the mantle of club
 handicapper in 1953 and only a few months later in very different icy
 conditions the whole field was set off together for the Clutton Cup 10 miles
 handicap. Carl proceeded to do the unthinkable and win his own handicap. "We
 ignore the remarks heard in the dressing room afterwards," wrote the Gazette
 correspondent, "and congratulate Carl on an excellent run". Carl ran 71.08
 just a few seconds quicker than his brother who won the silver medal. 

 Carl was still handicapper when he did the doubly unthinkable and won
 another handicap - this time the Baker Cup 3 miles road in 1959. "A popular
 win by one of the club's stalwarts" was the Gazette's verdict. He was far
 from finished with handicaps, and though no longer handicapper himself, he
 won three more - the Coad in 1969 and the Page in both 1986 and 1988. In the
 latter two, aged 72 and 74, he lashed the incumbent handicapper with wins by
 5 minutes and 2 minutes respectively, recording an actual time of 48.24 in
 1986. There was also a handful of handicap silver and bronze medals amassed
 over the years. 

 After retirement Carl and his wife moved to Eastbourne and reputedly he
 continued to take short runs along the Promenade right up to his 90th year.

 Carl was a member of the club committee for many years and served the club
 in many ways - as junior captain, catering manager when we had post-race
 teas in the Dysart, organiser and cox of our Franckeiss Cup rowing crew,
 regular course marshal and so on, as well as handicapper. He was elected
 Vice President in 1964, but never served a term as President, an omission
 which was rectified with the presentation just after his 100th birthday of
 an engraved tankard proclaiming him Honorary President for Life. 

 His wife predeceased him but to his remaining family we offer our sincere
 condolences.               

WHAT'S COMING
*************
More details of the following from the men's Captains ( e-mail Phil, Duncan
or Trevor ) ranelagh.men@gmail.com
 or the women's Captain / Team Manager ( e-mail Becky or Phil ranelagh.women@gmail.com  )      


 Sunday 19th April               Thames Towpath 10 miles. 9am start. Entries
 closed

 Thursday 23rd April             Stragglers Junior Handicap Race 1 - see
 above.

 Sunday 26th April               London Marathon

 Sunday 3rd May                 Ranelagh Richmond Half Marathon - see above

 Sunday 10th May               Sutton 10km 9.30am start.  Details:. 

 Saturday 16th & Sunday 17th May    Green Belt Relay

 Thursday 21st May             Stragglers Junior Handicap Race 2 - see above.

 Sunday 7th June                Dorking 10 miles  9am start.   Details:.  

 Sunday 21st June              Ranelagh Richmond 10km. 9am start.  Details:. 

 parkruns every Saturday at 9am
 Bushy Park                            Diana Fountain car park
 Richmond Park                      Richmond Gate
 Wimbledon Common             Windmill car park
 Bedfont Lakes                       Bedfont Lakes Country Park, Ashford,
 Middlesex
 Kingston                               The Hawker Centre
 Old Deer Park                        Pools in the Park on the A316
 Crane Park                             Near the Hospital Bridge Roundabout
 on the A316 in Twickenham
 Other venues, more details and registration at 
 2km junior parkruns for under 14s take place on the first Sunday of each
 month from Bushy Park's Teddington Gate (11am start) and from Savill Garden
 car park, Windsor Great Park (9.30am start), and also every Sunday at 9.30am
 in Wimbledon Park. 

 WHAT'S HAPPENED
 ***************
 SOUTH OF ENGLAND AA ROAD RELAY CHAMPIONSHIPS  Sunday March 29th at Milton
 Keynes
 Results were in the last e-news. Phil Aiken reports:
 "Little pig, little pig, let me in"
 "Not by the hair on my chinny chin chin"
 "Then I'll huff and I'll puff and I'll blow your house in"
 And the wolf did huff and the wolf did puff and the tents, gazebos and
 shelters were indeed blown in.

 The South of England Women's 6 Stage Relays in Milton Keynes doesn't do
 weather by halves. Two years ago snow, followed by sub-zero temperatures,
 caused the event to be iced off. Last year, we cultivated a pre-Easter sun
 tan. And this year? The BBC forecast was for 25mph winds and heavy rain
 showers. The worst of the rain was encountered on the journey up, but there
 was to be no respite from the wind. Ellen described it as "like standing at
 the front of a ferry". I'm left wondering why anyone would stand at the
 front of a ferry. Do you have to stand out in the open on Canadian ferries?
 Does the last person on board have to stand at the front? I can't imagine
 you go there by choice, if Sunday is anything to go by. 

 Estelle was last to arrive last year, after I had submitted the team
 declaration. As a result she earned the running equivalent of standing at
 the front of a ferry - the sixth and final leg. Clearly learning her lesson,
 she arrived in good time this year and was rewarded with the opening leg.
 Lara, take note! I say rewarded, but it was as the women's race was about to
 start at one o'clock that the increasingly threatening clouds decided to
 empty themselves, the rain lashing down almost horizontally.

 Not that that seemed to affect Estelle, however. In the cavalry charge that
 is the opening leg, she came home in 6th place with the joint 17th fastest
 time of the day, 18.12. Maryse Haynes of Windsor Slough Eton & Hounslow was
 quickest, just ahead of Clapham Chasers' Lucie Custance. Such is the
 dominance shown by Aldershot Farnham & District these days that it was
 surprising to see them 'only' in 4th place.

 Estelle handed over to Becky for leg 2, who breezed round the course and
 broke 20 minutes by the narrowest margin possible. Ranelagh had slipped to
 10th but the leading three teams would not be in contention by the end of
 the day.

 Charlotte Firth, heading, like Lucie Custance, to Richmond for our half
 marathon next month, kept Windsor in the lead, but they were to last just a
 couple more legs before departing. Rachel Felton recorded the quickest 2nd
 leg to put Shaftesbury Barnet Harriers into second but, with only one more
 runner, they would be gone before Windsor. Seven days earlier, as part of
 the Salomon City Trail Half Marathon in Old Deer Park, Reeve Walcott-Nolan
 had finished 2nd in the Elite Women's Mile. Today she was 3rd fastest on the
 leg, lifting Luton up to the same position They had a full complement of
 runners, but not of sufficient quality to maintain their lofty position.

 Thames Valley Harriers were the biggest gainers on leg 2, rising 16 places
 to 8th. They continued that ascent on leg 3, leaping into top spot ahead of
 Cambridge & Coleridge and, ominously, Aldershot. Just outside the top six,
 Belgrave had also leapt up the leaderboard but the biggest risers were Herne
 Hill, courtesy of the Stacey Ward running the fastest 3rd leg. The previous
 leading duo of Windsor and Shaftesbury were big losers, dropping a dozen
 places each, Despite a spirited run, Marilyn was unable to prevent Ranelagh
 also suffering a double digit fall.

 Onto leg 4 and a below par Liz ran 20.08, a time that many of us would
 struggle to match if we were above par. It lifted us four places. The
 standings at the top were starting to settle down. Bryony Proctor had
 carried Aldershot into top spot, ahead of Cambridge & Coleridge with Thames
 Valley dropping to 3rd. Consistent running saw Belgrave move up to 4th, with
 small, yet significant, gaps to Serpentine and Herne Hill. Disconcertingly
 for those chasing Aldershot, Estelle reported seeing Georgie Bruinvels and
 Emelia Gorecka in the toilets.

 A recent illness meant Julia was not on the form that saw her run Bushy Park
 just over 20 minutes, but she was only just outside 21, good enough for us
 to climb one more place to 15th. It would have been two were it not for the
 Kent AC express that was Amy Clements. Running the 2nd fastest time of the
 leg, she lifted the south east London club up a dozen places from 26th.
 Champion of Kent (the county) and a top five finisher in the Surrey League,
 this hardly came as a surprise.

 Neither was seeing Aldershot's Georgie Bruinvels on the start line for leg
 5. She has been a prolific racer over the winter, a team manager's dream.
 Starting with a guest win on Wimbledon Common in the South of Thames 5 Miles
 Championship, she then finished 2nd for Surrey in the Southern
 Inter-Counties at Oxford. High finishes in all the major Championships
 followed after Christmas - 1st in the Surreys, 2nd in the Southerns, 4th in
 the Nationals and 7th in the Inter-Counties. As if that wasn't enough she
 also squeezed in a couple of internationals and the European Clubs Cross
 Country Championships. 

 Running the fastest leg and the 4th fastest time of the day, she allowed
 Emelia Gorecka (aka "the one in the bikini") to start the final leg with a
 lead of more than two minutes over the ever-rising Belgrave, not that she
 needed the advantage. At the start of the month she was representing Great
 Britain, running in the final of the 3000m at the European Indoor
 Championships in Prague and she tore round the course in 16.32, the fastest
 time of the day by over half a minute. Almost four minutes had elapsed
 before Mel Wilkins brought Belgrave home in 2nd. Cambridge and Coleridge had
 started the final leg in 3rd, with Serpentine 1.22 back and, at 6th, with a
 deficit of 1.50, were one-time leaders Thames Valley. However, Tracey Barlow
 sped round in the 2nd fastest time, but this was only good enough to lift
 Thames Valley up to 4th, Cambridge and Coleridge holding on by just 13
 seconds. One minute back a gap of 14 seconds separated 5th placed Serpentine
 from Herne Hill.

 Lara was running the glory leg for Ranelagh, not that she seemed to be
 enjoying the experience much. It was her misfortune to find herself trying
 to defend 16th place against South London's Steph McCall. The last time she
 was seen this side of Exeter was at the Surrey Cross Country Championships
 in January, when she finished 4th, leading South London to a team silver. It
 was such an obviously unequal contest that there was no point urging Lara on
 to stay ahead. So we finished 17th out of 37, in a time of 2:03.56. But at
 least we didn't suffer the ignominy of being beaten by the first B team,
 Serpentine, though we only had 15 seconds to spare at the end.

 Ranelagh also fielded a B team this year, even if it required Estelle, Becky
 and Marilyn to race round again. Ellen and Rachel are no strangers to the
 Ranelagh team but it was good to welcome a new face, Ann, to the fold. And a
 successful welcome it was too, later proclaiming to me that she wasn't the
 slowest. Chief cheerleader Josie, you can be proud of your mum!

 Estelle reprised her 6th place finish from the opening leg on leg 4 in what
 was the fastest time on the day by a B runner, though she's clearly upset
 the weather gods because she again ran to the accompaniment of rain. Becky
 and Marilyn closed out proceedings to finish in 31st place as the 5th B
 team, with a time of 2:15.15."

 CRANLEIGH 15 miles  Sunday 29th March
 In addition to the results listed in the last e-news, Michelle Davies ran
 well to finish 31st overall and third woman in a time of 1:56.50.

 KINGFIELD CANTER 2.85 miles handicap  Wednesday 1st April at Woking
 1   H Kuwairi (unatt)      25.25  (actual time 23.40)
 5   Steve Rowland          25.49  (24.04)
 9   Sonia Rowland          26.39  (21.09)
 11  Alan Davidson          27.09  (22.39)


 MAIDENHEAD EASTER 10 miles  Friday 3rd April
 Our trio of Megan de Silva, Marie Synnott-Wells and Heather Martingell took
 third place in the women's team competition.
 
 1   A Greenleaf (Serp)     51.10
 20  A Clements (Kent)      57.12  (1st woman)
 88  Megan de Slva          63.11
 129 Mick Lane              65.10
 149 Peter Weir             65.47
 170 Marie Synnott-Wells    67.17
 273 Simon Burrell          71.40
 447 Heather Martingell     79.17
 886 Katie Walton          111.39
 898 Deborah Blakemore     117.41   
  
 SELF TRANSCENDENCE 10km  Saturday 4th April in Battersea Park
 Martin Halvey was the first over 55.

 1   M Unterreiner (Ox U)   31.36
 28  E Burgess (High)       38.44  (1st woman)
 32  Martin Halvey          39.08
 101 Alan Davidson          51.54  

 HELMSLEY 10km CHALLENGE  Sunday 5th April
 Phil Jackson was 2nd over 65 in this multi-terrain event.

 1   S O'Grady (New Marske) 35.26
 16  K Pickering (Pudsey)   40.31  (1st woman)
 115 Phil Jackson           50.09 

 ENDURANCE LIFE COASTAL 10km  Saturday 11th April at Exmoor
 Phil Killingley writes:
 "It wasn't 10km.  For a start, the organisers measured it at 7.1 miles.  But
 then, over a minute in the lead at half way, I was enjoying the coastal
 views so much I missed the turnoff inland and ran an extra 1.5 miles.
 Anyway, it was a great event with some serious hills and descents, and I got
 more miles per £ of my entry fee than anyone else."

 1   K Groves (unatt)       57.51
 5   O Ross-Hurst (unatt)   61.40  (1st woman)
 7   Phil Killingley        61.55

 BRIGHTON MARATHON  Sunday 12th April
 Conditions at Brighton were bright and breezy. Michael Everard led our
 contingent with a sub-3 hours clocking, but there were personal bests all
 down the list. Special mention for Bronwen Northmore whose sub-5 hours run
 places her 5th in Ranelagh's all-time W55 rankings. The official results
 don't allow selection by club, so the following list may be incomplete. In
 addition, Tanya Allen is reported to have finished in 5:08 but the official
 result does not currently show her beyond 30km. 

 1    D Maiyo (Kenya)       2:10.15  (chip time 2:10.15)
 9    P Wanjiru (Kenya)     2:34.25  (2:34.25 - 1st woman))
 47   Michael Everard       2:55.42  (2:55.37)
 392  Lars Lundqvist        3:18.17  (3:18.00)
 639  Rob Curtis            3:27.10  (3:26.57)
 2899 Ian Grange            4:05.18  (4:03.16)
 3009 Ashleigh Ferris       4:07.05  (3:57.00)
 3076 Jane Craigie-Payne    4:08.02  (3:57.57)
 4058 Mel Davison           4:23.25  (4:13.20)
 4103 Ally Salisbury        4:23.57  (4:18.37)
 4586 Ann Kearey            4:30.47  (4:20.42)
 6999 Bronwen Northmore     5:12.41  (4:57.56) 
 8028 Cindy Croucher        5:40.50  (5:24.13) 

 BRIGHTON 10km  Sunday 12th April
 1   J Taylor (Morpeth)     29.13  (chip time 29.13)
 29  S Twell (AFD)          32.49  (29.48 - 1st woman)
 78  Paul Sinton-Hewitt     40.09  (40.05)
 539 Jo Sinton-Hewitt       52.23  (51.15)

 PARIS MARATHON  Sunday 12th April
 Jonathan Smith sneaked inside 3 hours....

 1    M Korir (Kenya)       2:05.48
 29   M Meseret (Ethiopia)  2:23.26  (1st woman)
 1083 Jonathan Smith        2:59.40

 MILAN MARATHON  Sunday 12th April
 ...and Heather Martingell sneaked inside 4, running a very even-paced race.
 The winner set a new world record for over 40s!

 1    K Mungara (Kenya)     2:08.44  
 12   L Karimi (Kenya)      2:27.35  (1st woman)
 2213 Heather Martingell    4:00.40  (3:59.07)    

 CONNEMARATHON  Sunday 12th April at Connemara, Ireland
 Martin Halvey reports:
 "As I'm not running London this year I decided to visit Connemara and run
 the Connemarathon instead. It's not suited for fast times and until we join
 the half marathoners we are more or less isolated. Instead of mass crowds
 urging us on in cockney accents we had a few 6 or 7 year old boy and girl
 shepherds giving us encouragement in Gaelic. I don't know if the sheep were
 bilingual or not but together with their incredulous stares and efforts at
 vocalising I seemed to detect they might have given the impression we were
 maaad, baaa maaad.

 Weather was beautiful, heavy rain and snow overnight giving way to a bright
 and initially cool day with snow on the mountains until the sun appeared
 after about seven miles. The organisers said they produced the snow to add
 to the overall scenic view. The furze (gorse) bushes were alive with scent
 and colour inducing one to stop and have a good old sniff! The T- shirt is
 printed with the slogan 'I hit the wall in Connemara' but there is not a
 sign of a wall anywhere to be seen, the course is wide open to the elements.
 As one runner remarked, 'If you train well you eliminate all walls not just
 in Connemara'."

 Martin won the over 50 class.

 1   E Blanchard (Ireland)  2:48.07  (chip time 2:48.07)
 4   M Laverty (Ireland)    2:57.41  (2:57.38 - 1st woman)
 11  Martin Halvey          3:03.29  (3:03.26) 

 PUTNEY AND FULHAM RIVERSIDE HALF MARATHON  Sunday 12th April
 1   J Parslow (Dac & T)    74.35  (chip time 74.34)
 4   Carl Selya-Hammer      78.27  (78.25)
 24  J Manning (unatt)      86.19  (86.16 - 1st woman)
 35  Nick Wright            88.54  (88.54)   
   
 RICHMOND PARK parkrun 5km  Saturday 4th April
 1   P Lowe (Strag)         16.45
 22  C Clover (Newbury)     19.44  (1st woman)
 29  Stewart Anderson       20.29
 41  Steve Aikin            21.27
 66  Amrut Sharma           22.51
 100 Andrew Brown           24.40
 102 Paul Noel              24.45
 104 Carol Aikin            24.47
 124 Sally Yau              25.28
 143 Tony Appleby           26.26
 152 Rob Kitchen            26.47
 196 Deepa Sharma           28.23
 204 Val Lowman             28.51
 224 Bronwen Northmore      29.41
 225 Leeanne Bryce          29.42
 234 Peter Lowman           30.48
 242 Philippa Kitchen       31.28
 268 Katie Walton           35.00
 281 Martin Clark           38.13     
 282 Bev Ali                38.34   
 283 Pat Hewlett            38.46

 CRANE PARK parkrun 5km  Saturday 4th April
 It was Eirin McDaid's turn to win, making 15 in a row for Ranelagh. Nick
 Twomey and Duncan Mallison finished 3rd and 4th.

 1   Eirin McDaid           16.39
 3   Nick Twomey            17.20
 4   Duncan Mallison        17.37
 13  L Killip (Strag)       20.24  (1st woman)
 71  Lynne Barber           29.05  
 73  Christine David        29.28
 77  Cindy Croucher         30.30
 78  Tamsin Burland         30.43
 79  Stacey Barber          30.57  
 86  Tanya Allen            33.42

 BUSHY PARK parkrun 5km  Saturday 4th April
 1   A Jaksevicius (Belg)   16.31
 13  Nick Wright            18.18
 14  K Towerton (Winch)     18.20  (1st woman)
 52  David Ready            19.57
 55  Paul Sinton-Hewitt     20.01
 59  Richard Kennedy        20.08 
 872 Wally Garrod           37.54 

 OLD DEER PARK parkrun 5km  Saturday 4th April
 Craig Maclellan finished 2nd.

 1   G Williams (unatt)     19.01
 2   Craig Maclellan        19.08
 7   C Sacks (unatt)        21.40  (1st woman)
 11  Kris Davidson          22.16

 KINGSTON parkrun 5km  Saturday 4th April
 1   M Finbow (Witham)      17.58
 8   M Garner (Strag)       19.47  (1st woman)
 10  Peter Weir             20.05
 20  Chris Camacho          21.49
 37  Simon Taylor           23.44 
 38  Karen Weir             23.54
 44  Luke Wilson            24.37
 62  Fiona Pugh             26.50
 83  Alison Dicks           28.58
 91  Jackie Dunkley         29.41

 BLACK PARK parkrun 5km  Saturday 4th April
 Michelle Davies was third woman home.

 1   M McDaniel (unatt)     17.16
 15  Mark Herbert           19.50
 23  E Bannister (Hill Tri) 20.01  (1st woman)
 50  Michelle Davies        21.37 

 LLYN LECH OWAIN parkrun 5km  Saturday 4th April
 Jonathan Smith finished third.

 1   J Tramlett (Taf RO)    17.45
 3   Jonathan Smith         18.17
 19  E Kiff (Carm & D)      21.10  (1st woman)

 OSTERLEY parkrun 5km  Saturday 4th April
 Rebecca Northmore was the leading woman.

 1   M Nagi (unatt)         19.58
 26  Rebecca Northmore      25.20  (1st woman)
 57  Cathy Holman           30.15

 POMPHREY HILL parkrun 5km  Saturday 4th April
 Becky Hall was first in the women's category.

 1   D Cannon (unatt)       18.50
 5   Becky Hall             20.28  (1st woman)

 BOGNOR REGIS parkrun 5km  Saturday 4th April
 James Whistler finished third.

 1   J Leonard (Chich)      18.00
 3   James Whistler         18.41   
 22  L Albrecht (Worth)     22.04  (1st woman)
 26  David Rowe             22.28
 56  Ally Salisbury         25.09
 185 Sharon Rowe            36.12

 OTHER parkruns  (Saturday 4th April)...
 Bedfont Lakes: 30 Paul Wapshott 23.47
 Bournemouth: 92 Eugenio Carmo 24.06
 York: 139 Phil Jackson 23.18
 Oxford: 113 Evelyn Joslin 28.38
 Woking: 5 Ed Barker 18.43  
 Andover: 4 Colin Brett 19.28,  113 Colette Doran 29.51
 Edinburgh: 9 Rick Jenner 17.57
 Ipswich: 62 Rachel Revett 24.47
 Nonsuch: 35 Paul Rider 20.48
 Banstead Woods: 102 Tom Reay 26.14 
 Killerton: 155 Julian Holden 27.26 
 Medina IOW: 50 Colin Lloyd 22.54 
 Delta, South Africa: 4 Ted Mockett 19.00,  281 Ellen Van Keulen 33.31
 Harrow Lodge: 30 Peter Fordham 25.22 
 Longrun Meadow: 27 Alberto Esguevillas 20.54,  33 Chris Spink 21.11 
 Keswick: 37 Lloyd Camp 22.42, 80 Sue Camp 28.17 

 RICHMOND PARK parkrun 5km  Saturday 11th April
 A double first for Eirin McDaid and Megan de Silva.

 1   Eirin McDaid           16.45
 10  Megan de Silva         18.48  (1st woman)
 25  Marie Synnott-Wells    20.07
 26  Peter Weir             20.12
 39  Tom Bradley            21.14
 55  Steve Aikin            21.53
 71  Nick Fordham           22.48
 73  Colin Lloyd            22.51
 95  Simon Taylor           23.37
 107 John Ricketts          24.03
 120 Andrew Brown           24.31
 128 Carol Aikin            24.50
 135 Rachael Holmes         25.04
 182 James Rushby           26.52
 195 Colin Rogal            27.15
 214 Sam Rushby             28.04
 215 Daniel Rushby          28.04
 216 Phil Rushby            28.05
 254 Val Lowman             29.58
 289 Peter Lowman           32.27
 318 Bev Ali                39.54   
 319 Pat Hewlett            40.01

 CRANE PARK parkrun 5km  Saturday 11th April
 Nick Twomey and Michelle Davies gave us another pair of wins, with Duncan
 Mallison in 2nd place. Mike White celebrated his 250th parkrun, the 225th
 parkrunner to join the 250 club.

 1   Nick Twomey            17.08
 2   Duncan Mallison        17.38
 11  Kevin Kearey           20.54
 13  Tom Kearey             21.05  
 15  Michelle Davies        21.26  (1st woman)
 16  Andy Bickerstaff       21.29
 18  Daniel Chiechi         21.53
 19  Alberto Esguevillas    22.07
 24  Amrut Sharma           22.31
 54  Rachel Revett          25.08
 57  Rob Kitchen            25.32
 64  Josie Kearey           26.16
 69  Rachel Allen           26.37
 81  Colette Doran          26.59
 91  Deepa Sharma           28.12
 100 Wiebke Kortum          30.00
 101 Alison Dicks           30.00
 102 Mike White             30.25
 105 Tamsin Burland         31.05
 108 Paul Wapshott          31.20
 113 Ellen Clague           32.44  

 OLD DEER PARK parkrun 5km  Saturday 11th April
 One place down to third this week for Craig Maclellan, with Colin Brett and
 Vaughan Ramsay in pursuit.

 1   R Ward (Belgrave)      18.06
 3   Craig Maclellan        18.52
 4   Colin Brett            19.10
 5   Vaughan Ramsay         19.59
 11  B Farr (Sheen)         21.48  (1st woman)
 34  Julian Holden          26.34
 36  Tor Heron-Brett        26.45
 37  Luke Maguire           26.45
 40  Lorna Smith            27.21
 50  Deborah Blakemore      32.08
 51  Katie Walton           32.10
 52  Jessica Maguire        33.22      

 BUSHY PARK parkrun 5km  Saturday 11th April
 George Howard finished third.

 1    R Best (New Marske)   15.08
 3    George Howard         16.18
 7    Ian Kenton            16.59    
 16   Nick Wright           17.53
 20   E Baker (Herts P)     18.11  (1st woman)
 57   Richard Kennedy       19.43
 115  David Rowe            21.09
 123  Adam Wright           21.16
 570  Clive Naish           26.52
 648  Kirsty Bangham        27.49
 745  Jackie Dunkley        29.12
 935  Sharon Rowe           33.38
 969  Wally Garrod          37.54
 1053 John Hanscomb         42.02 

 PRESTON PARK parkrun 5km  Saturday 11th April
 Another win for Becky Hall.

 1   S Gregory (Holme P)    17.10
 14  Becky Hall             19.14  (1st woman)
 168 Rob Curtis             27.01

 GREENPOINT parkrun 5km  Saturday 11th April
 A win in South Africa for Ted Mockett.

 1   Ted Mockett            17.54
 8   C Hall (Carbin)        19.33  (1st woman)
 228 Ellen Van Keulen       30.20

 OTHER parkruns  (Saturday 11th April)...
 Gunnersbury: 287 Waldron Slaughter 33.49,  306 Lexi Slaughter 37.20
 Bournemouth: 58 Eugenio Carmo 24.03
 York: 119 Phil Jackson 24.00
 Cranleigh: 11 Paul Sinton-Hewitt 23.18,  22 Jo Sinton-Hewitt 27.28
 Banstead Woods: 82 Tom Reay 24.53 
 Longrun Meadow: 25 Chris Spink 21.25 
 Osterley: 42 Rebecca Northmore 25.39,  59 Cathy Holman 27.50 
 Cuerden Valley: 19 Bruce McLaren 22.00
 Bracknell: 79 Peter Fordham 26.13 
 Kingston: 27 Chris Camacho 21.44, 64 Alan Davidson 24.40 
 Frimley Lodge: 383 Deirdre Inman 33.38 

 FINALLY...
 The original "London Marathon" - the Windsor to Chiswick Poly Marathon on a
 hot June day in 1949 (with some motor racing thrown in): Video:.
 The winner, Jack Holden of Tipton, ran 2.42. There were four RH in the race
 - second-claimer Jack Stubbs ran 3.01 for 20th, then came D C Whelan 41st in
 3.10, Ron Callis 100th in 3.33 and Arthur Winter 118th in 3.41.