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BA Athletics Club News Digest 1st January 2013

This News Digest

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Forthcoming Events

Don't forget the following priority club events:

  • Saturday 12th January 2013 - BA hosted Men's Surrey League Cross Country at Cranford Park 14:30 or earlier. Ladies excused - see below.
  • Wednesday 16th January - Forrester "4-way Folly" from Concorde Centre from 18:00
  • Tuesday 22nd January - Round-the-Block - Traditional* 3.5 mile race round the Concorde Centre from 12:30

* John Williams recalls running this back in 1978 so therefore it predates the formation of the BA Athletics Club.

New members and non-members of all fitness levels and abilities are welcome at all of these events.

The full events diary is on the club website at: http://www.barunner.org.uk/Event Diary.shtml.

parkrun Celebrations

Pride of place this week has to go to Alan Anderson who ran his 250th parkrun last week at Gunnersbury.  Also a big thank you to all of you who managed to be there to cheer Alan in (or in many cases to chase him round the course since he was faster on the day).  The photograph below was taken by Steve Taylor.  {Ed - I think that Steve captured Neil's wild hair look particularly well!}

Other pictures from Steve Taylor: https://picasaweb.google.com/109384856997368992821/AlanAnderson250Parkruns?authuser=0&authkey=Gv1sRgCO6v_5eD2rK4fQ&feat=directlink

The race director had this to say in the weekly news:

And then Arlene stood up and said lovely things
About one of the parkrun's longstanding kings.

Commitment you want? A target to beat?
Alan's just pulled off an incredible feat.
He's quick on the course and ever so nifty,
And today was his parkrun two hundred and fifty!

Arlene revealed that as well as great times,
Alan made all the run’s direction signs.
An inspiration to all and a lovely man too,
The Gunnersbury runners say “Well Done To You”.
 

{full report - http://www.parkrun.org.uk/gunnersbury/news/ }

The founder of parkrun, Paul Sinton-Hewitt, was also there to cheer Alan to his 250th - Alan entering an elite of only 26 parkrunners.  And there was even a cake afterwards - thanks to Marion Woodhouse for this picture:

But it wasn't just about Alan - Chris Kelly was third finisher in a new parkrun PB which was remarkably good considering the poor conditions (muddy and windy).  Perhaps his training partner pulled him through?

Meanwhile on the same day Roderick ran at the Balyang Sanctuary parkrun in Victoria, Australia and upon his return, just 5 hours after landing from 24 hours flying, he ran the New Year's Day special parkrun at Dulwich to notch up his personal 43rd parkrun venue, the club's 50th and the first by a club member at a parkrun starting with the letter "D".  Note that "I", "J", "Q", "Y" and "Z" are still to be achieved - there are parkruns at Ipswich, Inverness, Queens and York if you want a challenge.

Ian Cunningham undertook a different New Year's Day parkrun challenge - running at Bushy (9am) and Kingston (10am).  He ran faster at Kingston so perhaps he had been saving himself - or perhaps the New Year's hangover was wearing off?

In all there had been seven BAAC parkrunners running on New Year's Day. There had also been special parkruns on Christmas Day with 5 BAAC runners plus Neil at Bushy to take photographs of runners - though on the day it had proved too wet for Neil to spot Ian and Alan there let alone take photographs.

Roderick Hoffman with statistics from Steve Newell.

Ladies Cross Country Details

Basic Details: Saturday 12th January, 12:00 start, Mitcham Common. Race Headquarters are located at the MillHouse Ecology Centre Windmill Road, Mitcham CR4 1HT.

Full details including course map: http://www.barunner.org.uk/attachments/Clapham_Chasers_Cross_Country_Course_Mitcham_Common_Jan2013.pdf

Attached is an information sheet prepared by the host club - CLAPHAM CHASERS.

Please note that only a course map has been provided but you can find the Race HQ by using Google Maps Linkas shown on the information sheet. I have been asked to stress that there is very limited car parking at the Race HQ (max 20 cars!) and local streets, and people are advised to use public transport where possible. Public transport directions are in the attached. The Race HQ postcode, for satnav users, is CR4 1HT.

Please be advised that it is a 3 (THREE) lap course.

Runners must wear the same numbers as they did in previous matches.

Any new 2nd claimers should be declared to me by 3rd January.

Finally, best wishes for a very Happy New Year.

Clara Halket Team Captain

Round Norfolk Relay Photographs

Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/8677286@N06/sets/72157632394342280/ 

or Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.3800364006149.2168190.1188765022&type=1#!/media/set/?set=a.3958386050393.2137101.1602526517&type=1

From the cheery beginnings, through a variety of handovers, glaringly omitting any night coverage, but culminating in PK's victorious-looking tape-breakage. Pip Pip.

Regards,

Chris Kelly

Why Orienteering?

1. The sport exercises your brain, not just your body.
2. Running fast doesn't always help; you need to be running fast in the right direction!
3. You learn to read a map so you don't have to rely on a 'satnav' when out driving.
4. You get to visit parts of the Country (and the World!) you might never have thought of going to.
5. Orienteering's a Sport for all ages from string courses for youngsters through to technical challenges on intricate terrain.
6. If you're retired or have some holiday to use up you can run at Army organised mid-week events; great areas and cheap!
7. There's so many different types of events from City runs, to Park runs (no, not those parkruns!) to middle of nowhere runs, there's even night events.
8. Orienteering's a Sport for all abilities, you can be as competitive as you want to be.
9. You will never have a 'perfect' run (could have run faster, could have punched quicker, could have navigated cleaner) so are always striving for perfection.
10. The advent of electronic punching means you can analyse yours and other orienteers runs till the cows come home.
11. Many Councils have set up permanent Orienteering courses in conjunction with local Orienteering Clubs so you can still get a 'fix' even when there's no event on.
12. Tom's burger van provides excellent post race refreshments!

Simon Turton

Contact Simon if you want to give Orienteering a go.

Birthday Thanks (and photographs)

Paddy O'Shea would like to pass on his thanks to the club, on behalf of himself and Harry, for the kind gift of the 80th birthday cakes. Both had an enjoyable evening at the social.

There are some photographs from that evening on the BARunner website at www.barunner.org.uk/photos/2012yearend/index.htm

News for the next BAAC News Digest? Thank you to Simon and the regulars for their input this time - next week could it be you?

Please let us have your ideas for how club communications can be improved and please send us items for inclusion in the next Digest.  Results, news, feedback, jokes, stores - send it to us at news@barunner.org,uk.

Club website:

www.barunner.org.uk.

 

      

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