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***************************************************
 RANELAGH HARRIERS E-NEWS # 560           15th November 2019
 Editor: Steve Rowland
 mailto: sandsrowland@btinternet.com  
 ***************************************************

 HEADLINE NEWS                                                                     
 ************* 
 *  Ranelagh wins the Lee Cup mob match against Orion
 *  Our mob led by Jackson Creegan and Bonnie Morgan
 *  Club vets championships won by George Howard, Peter Haarer and Chris
     Owens
 *  Pat Wright leads our men’s team to second place in the Surrey League race
     at Wimbledon Common 
 *  Megan de Silva leads our women’s team to tenth place in the Surrey Ladies
     League at Mitcham
 *  Nick Twomey wins the Phoenix Half Marathon at Walton 
 *  All needed for our Mob Match against Thames H&H on Wimbledon Common on
     23rd November
 *  Supper at the King’s Head, Roehampton after the mob match
 *  London Marathon guaranteed club places
 *  Still time to book for our Christmas Party on Saturday 7th December
 *  Bill Harvey memorial

 ATTENTION PLEASE
 ****************
 NEXT JOB FOR THE MOB
 Our next mob match of the season is on Saturday 23rd November against Thames
 and Hounds. Start will be at 2.30pm.  We had 81 runners at the first mob
 match against Orion three weeks ago. Can we repeat that number? It’s not on
 our home course, but the next best thing. It’s on Wimbledon Common just on
 the other side of the A3 by Robin Hood Gate. See here: for venue and course map.
 There is some parking adjacent to Thames‘s HQ and also on-road parking in
 Vale Crescent off the A3. We need as many runners as possible. The more we
 have, the better our chances. Thames will probably field 50 runners – we
 need to match that and more.   
 Maureen Poole of Thames writes to invite us to post-race festivities: 
 “I am Carver at Thames Hare and Hounds and I am writing to invite your
 members to the post Mob Match supper on Saturday 23rd November. It will take
 place in the Hogarth Room at the King's Head, Roehampton High Street from
 6.30pm, a hot buffet will be served and we hope that you will join us for an
 enjoyable evening.”
 We need to give Maureen some idea of numbers so if you’re thinking of
 attending please let Gordon Whitson know without delay:
 ranelagh.hon.secretary@gmail.com. 

 Looking further ahead, the next mob match after the Thames race is away to
 South London Harriers at Coulsdon on December 14th, Put the date in your
 diary! 

 CHRISTMAS PARTY
 RANELAGH HARRIERS SOCIAL COMMITTEE cordially invites you to the 2019
 Christmas Party.
 Saturday 7th December, 6:30pm until midnight at
 The Albert Pub
 57 Kingston Hill, Kingston Upon Thames, KT2 7PX
 0208 546 7669
 Three course meal and DJ
 ENTRY STRICTLY TICKET ONLY
 Dress code: Smart casual. 
 Cost is £45. You need to book AND pay to be on the final list. Limit is 90
 people.
 For menu, go to menu: and click on
 ‘Christmas Feast’.
 For more info and booking please contact Michele Gibson.
 e-mail micheleagibson@hotmail.com or call Michele on 07703 518956.
 Cheques: payable to Ranelagh Harriers
 BACS:  to Ranelagh Harriers, SC 40 13 10, A/C 12154501, Ref ‘XMAS + Your
 name’

 LONDON MARATHON 2020 CLUB GUARANTEED PLACES
 We are expecting to be assigned three guaranteed places this year, and as
 usual there  will be a ballot to decide the lucky trio. To qualify for the
 ballot you  need to have run two mob matches during 2019 or run one mob
 match and helped marshal at a cross-country event. The draw will be made at
 the club Christmas Party on 7th December. To put your name in the hat please
 reply to the Hon Sec at ranelagh.hon.secretary@gmail.com by 6th
 December.

 BILL HARVEY
 Gordon Whitson writes:
 “The family of Bill Harvey, who died recently, are holding a memorial event
 for Bill on 18th December at one of his watering holes. Here are the
 details:
 Wednesday, 18 December 2019 12-5pm upstairs at The Lansdowne pub
 www.thelansdownepub.co.uk/,
 90 Gloucester Avenue NW1 8HX.  (closest
 underground is Chalk Farm, Northern Line, Edgware branch).  During lunchtime
 there will be a toast (or indeed perhaps many toasts!) to Bill.  If you feel
 like saying something, or if there’s a story or memory that you'd like to
 share then, that would be great. 
 Could members wishing to attend contact me at ranelagh.hon.secretary@gmail.com so that I can  provide indicative
 numbers to Bill's family.”

 SURREY CROSS-COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS  Sunday 5th January at Denbies Vineyard
 Surrey Athletics who organise the championships are looking for help. They
 need plenty of marshals on the course at Denbies Vineyard, Dorking, and are
 looking for volunteers. The first race is at 10.30am but volunteers aren’t
 expected to cover the whole day. If you can help for part of the day please
 contact David Clarke on enduranceofficials@surreyathletics.uk   

 RANELAGH HARRIERS GAZETTE
 In a bid to catch up with publication of our club magazine, the Editors have
 produced a bumper two-year edition which includes results and reports up to
 the spring of 2019. It was published a few weeks ago and there are copies in
 the clubhouse. Please help yourself! If you don’t get to the clubhouse and
 would like a copy sent to you please reply to this email giving your postal
 address.  

 RANELAGH RICHMOND HALF MARATHON - 10th May 2020
 Rick Jenner writes:
 “Our own Half Marathon is now open for entries and we wanted you to be the
 first to know and sign up. This year the race is two weeks after the London
 Marathon, and if you haven't taken part before it's a great event that we
 put on with huge help from volunteers from the club, so please do support it
 in any way you can. It's over a fast, flat course which includes Hampton
 Court and the River Thames, starting near the clubhouse and finishing in
 Ham. And it's only £20 for club members. For more information and how to
 enter go to here:. Please spread the word
 too, including posts on our social media channels.”

 RUNNING IN PARIS
 New member Andy Griffin is relocating to Paris for a while and would like to
 know if anyone is aware of a running club or group he might be able to join
 while he is there. If you have any ideas please contact Andy at
 andygriffin73@gmail.com.   

 SPORTING FEET
 Richmond Sporting Feet manager Michael Morris writes:
 “This year Sporting Feet have entered the Richmond Business Awards in four
 categories: best small business, best retailer, best customer service and
 people's choice award.
 The people's choice award is decided by an online vote, so I thought I’d be
 cheeky and ask if you'd mind voting for us. We do have several Ranelagh
 Harriers as customers so it would be good to get the club’s support. To vote
 for us, please
 click here:. When the voting process asks for Sporting Feet’s URL, use
 this:. 

 EASY NUTRITION FOR HEALTHY RUNNERS
 Elisa Ferrua writes:
 “Private FB Group – ‘Runners Health Hub’ exclusive free 14 day programme.
 Get expert sports nutrition advice from our resident nutritional therapists
 and experienced runners.
 Register here:
 using discount code ‘CLUB’:
 . The next programme launches on 16th November.” 

 CLUB KIT
 Our supplier for club singlets, men’s and women’s, is iProsports. Details and orders:

 TUESDAY NIGHT SOCIALS
 Don’t forget that we meet for a casual drink after training on the first
 Tuesday of each month. Venue is the Roebuck on Richmond Hill. All welcome.

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

 FACEBOOK
 Follow Ranelagh on Facebook. 

 WHAT’S COMING
 *************
 Our provisional winter fixture list is now up on our website here:. 
 More details of the following from the men’s Captains (ranelagh.men@gmail.com)
 or the women’s Captain / Team Manager (ranelagh.women@gmail.com
      
 Saturday 16th November  London Championships at Parliament Hill. Women at
 1.15pm, men at 2pm. Entries closed.

 Saturday 23rd November  Mob Match v Thames Hare & Hounds  All needed! 2.30pm
 start at Kingston Vale
                                          Also…South of the Thames team race
 5 miles at Morden Park  2pm start.

 Saturday 14th December  Stubbs Cup Mob Match v South London Harriers away at
 Coulsdon 2.30pm start 

 5km parkruns every Saturday at 9am and 2km junior parkruns weekly or monthly
 on Sundays.
 Venues, more details and registration at www.parkrun.com or
 www.parkrun.org.uk/events/juniorevents/. 

 WHAT’S HAPPENED
 ***************
 HAROLD LEE CUP MOB MATCH v ORION HARRIERS  7.67miles  Saturday 2nd November
 in Richmond Park
 The mob match that was nearly blown away! High winds had been sweeping
 across the country and on the Friday morning the Park Superintendent warned
 us that we might have to cancel the race on safety grounds. Fortunately by
 Saturday morning conditions were kinder and we were left with a squally,
 blustery but safe afternoon for the race.

 As usual Orion brought over a coachload from their base in Epping Forest and
 47 runners in white vests lined up at the start. When our officials left the
 clubhouse our contingent numbered less than 60 but fortunately another 20 or
 so were waiting to pick up a number at the start. This caused a delay in
 getting the race underway, but in the end Mike Peace led 81 Ranelagh blue
 and ambers in a resounding “Hobble Gobble”. 

 The disparity in numbers gave us a distinct advantage before the field had
 even disappeared around the first bend. In the first mile or so the two
 Carls were prominent for us, together with Jackson Creegan and Marc Leyshon.
 George Howard and Ted Mockett were sitting just off the pace. It wasn’t long
 before Jackson began to assert himself, moving clear of the rest before the
 first lap was over and building up a tidy lead which he stretched
 impressively on lap two. By now the rain had become heavy and persistent,
 and often horizontal, especially so each time Alan Hedger expressed the
 opinion that it was easing off. Truly it was not a day to be out marking the
 course or officiating. All credit must go to our stalwart band of
 volunteers. 

 George Howard made steady progress on lap two and eventually finished third,
 splitting the leading two Orion men. That excellent performance won him the
 Hastings Cup club veterans championship. The Carls were 5th and 7th,
 sandwiching international triathlete Reece Barclay for Orion. Then came Marc
 and Ted, pursued by leading over 50 Peter Haarer. Peter therefore keeps his
 hands on the McDowell Salver for the club’s leading over 50. Further back
 Chris Owens secured the Maslin Mug as over 60 champion.

 Honours had been divided at the front with three of each club featuring in
 the top six. However then came the first blue wave as Ranelagh vests filled
 positions 7 to 12. The pressure on our guests was unrelenting and they were
 restricted to only 6 of the first 20. There was something of a fight back
 with 14 Orion in the top 35 and 30 in the top 71 but it was too little and
 too late to influence the final outcome. The coup de grace was another blue
 wave from positions 91 to 97 and another from 109 to 117. 

 Bonnie Morgan was the leading woman for 99% of the race before being pipped
 at the post by Orion’s Jasmin Fitzpatrick. Kathy Henry was third and Clare
 Fowler fourth. Bonnie had the consolation of winning the vets sealed
 handicap. Ed Forbes was second and Peter Haarer third.  

 The team result was a comprehensive victory of 1,647 to 2,555, scoring 45 a
 side, meaning we took back the Harold Lee Cup for the year.

 A delighted men’s Captain Rich Kimber adds: “In fact, there was silverware
 galore. Alan Hedger recently unearthed a piece of history when he found a
 silver tankard presented by Orion to Ranelagh in 1939/40 as a thanks for
 providing them training facilities during the first part of second world
 war. Orion have agreed to our proposal that this should be presented to the
 overall winner of the race each year, which means our own Jackson Creegan,
 who put in another superb performance, took the tankard (or he will once
 it's had a little makeover after its years in storage).”
                                           

 SURREY CROSS COUNTRY LEAGUE DIVISION 2  Saturday 9th November on  Wimbledon
 Common
 Fulham RC devised a new course on the familiar surroundings of Wimbledon
 Common, taking in the notorious Alps and a strategically positioned fallen
 tree which required hurdling or clambering over. General opinion on the
 course afterwards was that it was a corker. 
    
 We had high hopes of building up a healthy lead at the mid-way point of the
 2019/2020 League. In the first race we had come away victorious, setting up
 a lead over our main rivals Fulham RC of 197 to 285. For the second race
 men’s captain Rich Kimber spoke bullishly of getting our scoring 10 home
 inside the first 30 and substantially stretching our lead. Alas “The best
 laid schemes o’ mice an’ men gang aft agley,” as Chris Owens probably
 doesn’t say. Last time we had five men home in the top 20. Of those five
 only Phil Killingley features in the result today. Jackson Creegan was on
 the start line but a dodgy Achilles tendon forced him out of the race inside
 the opening mile. The others all had excellent reasons for being absent but
 the rest of the team were going to have to work hard. Fortunately we had our
 secret weapon – the dreaded blue wave.   

 But first there was Pat Wright. In his first race after several months’
 absence owing to injury, Pat fought strongly throughout the race, contesting
 a top ten place for much of the way.  In the end he placed an excellent 13th
 just escaping the attentions of a fast finishing Marc Leyshon. 

 That was it for us as far as the top twenty were concerned. Fulham, on the
 other hand, already had six men home and even Croydon had four. Our
 prospects for the team race looked bleak. Then Phil Killingley appeared,
 then Ted Mockett, then newcomer Joe Gomes, then James Riley, then Jonathan
 Smith. All in the next eight finishers. A blue wave par excellence! Then
 Dave Lawley, Ed Forbes and David Ready gave us another wavelet, closing our
 scoring ten by position 36. And right behind them came our B team leaders
 Rich Kimber and Graham Brook. 

 We didn’t quite manage to close the deficit on Fulham, but it was a close
 thing – just 12 points, leaving us with a healthy overall lead of 76. As for
 our B team – they would have taken a bit of beating. We filled positions 1,
 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7, then 12, 14 and 16 for a grand total of 70 points. 
 We fielded an excellent 27 runners altogether. David Ready won the anchorman
 trophy for the last counter for the A team, while Rick Jenner took the
 equivalent for the Bs.  Euan and Finlay Sinclair both ran well in the young
 athletes race, with junior just getting the better of senior.

 A final word from skipper Rich Kimber: “The stand-out performance of the day
 came from Surrey League debutant Joe Gomes, who ran a masterclass in cross
 country finishing, cruising the first lap with me and surging through the
 field for a brilliant 24th place, making it all look easy. A classy run.”

  
 SURREY LADIES LEAGUE Division 1  Saturday 9th November on Mitcham Common
 The women’s League race was held on the alternately flat and rolling terrain
 of Mitcham Common. Comfortable winner was Steph McCall, who has recently
 changed her allegiance from South London to Herne Hill. This win enabled her
 new club to snatch the team victory. For Ranelagh Megan de Silva ran
 strongly again for 16th place, a minute ahead of Fanny Vein. Putting in an
 impressive run as third scorer and hard on Fanny’s heels was new member and
 League debutante Fenella Ross. There was a bit of a gap after Fenella before
 Bonnie Morgan and Becky Northmore closed in our scoring five in 10th team
 place.  Helen Shires and Kathy Henry fought hard to grab the leading place
 in our B team, ahead of Marie Synnott-Wells, Marianne Malam and Rebecca
 Bissell. The Bs also placed 10th. Carol Aikin and Sally Bamford provided the
 backup.     

Only Safia Chaoui represented us in the junior races, and she finished a
very creditable 23rd in the combined U15 and U17 race. 


 NEW YORK CITY MARATHON  Sunday 3rd November
 Paul Doyle set himself a tough schedule – Chicago Marathon on 13th October,
 River Thames Half Marathon on 27th October and then the New York City
 Marathon on 3rd November. Nevertheless he clocked an excellent 3:01.10 for
 83rd spot in the over 50 category. “I ran hard from the start,” he said. 

 1     G Kamworor (Kenya)     2:08.13
 1664  Paul Doyle             3:01.10
 2210  Simon Wolnitzer        3:06.47
 29771 Siobhan Sharp          4:37.13    

 RUN UK RICHMOND HALF MARATHON  Sunday 3rd November
 1   M Weikert (Kent)         1:14.25
 393 Ella Stanbrook           2:05.21

 MARLOW HALF MARATHON  Sunday 3rd November
 1   S Macdougal (Fulham)     1:18.07
 576 Colette Doran            2:13.15

 PHOENIX REMEMBRANCE DAY HALF MARATHON  Sunday 10th November at Walton
 Nick Twomey won by a full minute, delighted to duck inside 80 minutes.

 1   Nick Twomey              1:19.37

 SECOND SUNDAY 5 miles  Sunday 10th November on Wimbledon Common
 1   T Grimes (East London)   30.40
 38  Steve Aikin              42.11
 50  Dave Kew                 46.40
 53  Carol Aikin              47.40     

 parkrun results...
 Follow this link for the latest Ranelagh results:. Then follow
 the “Previously” link at the bottom of the parkrun screen to access previous
 weeks’ results.      

 FINALLY…
 There were 457,861 applicants for the 2020 Virgin Money London Marathon. The
 world record number of hopefuls included 373,736 applicants from the UK, an
 increase of 25,860 from the record number that applied for the 2019 race. A
 total of 84,125 people applied in the international ballot. More than 56 per
 cent of the UK applications for 2020 were from people who have never run a
 marathon before and just under 48 per cent of the total UK applicants were
 women.

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