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BA Athletics Club News Digest 5th February 2024

Events Calendar - online here

Club Event Map: [Clickable link to Google Maps] [parkrun run by club members updated January 2024]

For future weeks: inclusions, with photos, please to Roderick Hoffman at news@barunner.org.uk.

Results for Next Week

Please help me by sending in your results, for instance by filling in the tables below and forwarding to News@barunner.org.uk. Some events will have "Prompts" set up in Facebook. These allow the posting of a single image and some text and make it easy to flip through everyone's entries.

Your Athletic Achievement of the Week (or use the prompt in the BAAC Facebook group):

Participant Event Distance Location Day/Start Time or Duration Details or comment, and other achievements
e.g. Running

January Monthly Mile

January Mile results

There are four mile results from last month. February is always a squeeze so to give everyone a better chance of running a mile in February we've added an extra day, Thursday 29th February, for you to complete your mile.

Harry Wild running a cross country raceBAAC / Harry Wild Cross Country, Sunday 3rd March 2024, Cranford Park, 10:30

We hold our club cross-country championships in the park each Spring, and it has for many years been graced by Harry Wild, either running, marshalling or acting as starter in chief.  Sadly, we lost Harry last September. So this year, we plan to stage the event in honour of Harry, and we would like to field an enthusiastic group of BAAC runners to celebrate Harry's contribution to our club.  Also taking part will be members of Harry's other club, Hillingdon AC. 

The course will be flat and probably muddy, although we no longer run through the river.  It is a loop of approximately 1.5 miles of open park and woodland trails.  Men will run three laps.  Ladies will run two laps, but are welcome to run the third lap if they wish.

We will be joined by Harry's family, who will be starting the race and cheering on the runners.

Please let me know ASAP if you intend to run.  Early advice on numbers would be useful!  Marshals would also be welcome if you don't plan to run.

Parking is limited in Cranford Park.  Alternative parking is available in Roseville Road, Hayes, just five minutes walk from the start via a subway under the M4.

Steve Hillier

Five Mile Handicap on Wednesday

On Wednesday we have the January Handicap run - with the target of finishing the five mile run at 19:00. Runners will set off from 18:00 (or earlier, if you advise us that you'll need more than 60 minutes). This year's competition has already had ten different participants but we'll welcome a few more, and with February and March's events still to come you can still achieve a good finish to the series. The changing rooms will be available before and after the event and we'll probably go across the road for a drink and a meal afterwards.

> Steve Newell

Recent Activity Achievements

15 members' achievements were communicated to me before this week's publication time.

Colleague Activity Distance Course When Duration Comments
Andy Rayner Various Monday: XC 1hr 35s (very muddy). Wed: Fast walk estate 12m 36s. Fri: Cycle Ockwells/Cox Green 20m 23s. Sun: Fast walk Park/Harvest Hill/Cox Green, dog trot last 400m - 67m 41s.
Barry Walters Running 5km Bracknell Wed 00:26:27 Short run this morning as I was pushed for time. Splits were 13:25 and 13:02. In the evening did a one hour body balance workout. Completed my January running challenge finishing 7th out of 255 with 194km against 148km for December.
Benita Scaife parkrun 5km Stamford Park Sat am 00:35:02 We did Stamford Park parkrun, Stalybridge. Hilly. Muddy. Drizzly. Lovely. Stayed with friends in nearby Hyde Fri night prior to driving to Southport jazz festival.
John Scaife parkrun 5km Stamford Park Sat am 00:35:03 As Benita
Chris Kelly Running 15miles Manchester 02:45:00 Manchester Marathon training... 15 miles in 2:45. Up Dunsden to Crowsley park - quietly so as not to disturb the BBC.
David Cowell  Race 5.35miles NEMAA XC, Newcastle Sat pm 00:37:25 My first cross country race since 1999. Reminded me why I’ve been avoiding cross country since 1999!
David Duggan parkrun 5km Baltimore & Annapolis Trail Sat am Got to do my 500th parkrun at B&A Trail parkrun in Maryland USA [see also below]
Jain Reid Running 17.7km Chiswick-Putney river loop Sun 02:00:00 Riverside loop Chiswick to Putney. 2 hour run:walk. 17.7k
Janet Smith parkrun 5km Henlow Bridge Lakes Sat am Just a slow parkrun this week after having had the lurgy. My 72nd different one so on a good streak at the moment ‍♀️
Julie Barclay Running 5.5km Ash Tue 00:33:00 Gentle run along the canal to Ash Lock and back.
Paul Watt Running 5.5km Ash Tue 00:33:00 As Julie
Neil Frediani Running 14miles Prodhoe to Chopwell Sat am 02:56:27 Been struggling with back and hip niggles but got out for 14miles yesterday over the hills to my second closest parkrun arriving bang on start time. I say ran but I walked up just about all of the 1,700ft of hills.
Piers Keenleyside parkrun 5km Gloucester North Sat am 00:26:31 New parkrun for me and BA A.C. at Gloucester North. Time of 26:31 on my watch - not bad for me considering it was 3 laps all on a soft grass playing field.
Roderick Hoffman Running 10km Stockley Country Park Fri 01:08:36 First I did a freedom run of the current parkrun course, then I ran an alternate 3lap figure of eight course I'm researching as a back-up course. On Saturday I had no sympathies for anyone mentioning our hill…having run up it five times on the Friday.
Stephen Taylor Running 18miles Thames path 03:16:00 Marathon training run along the Thames to Hammersmith bridge, which is still being repaired. 18 miles, 3:16:00

Week Achievement Photos

Remember that this coming Saturday it is the final Surrey League Cross Country matches for this year - so we all have the opportunity to remember what it is about cross country that we either love or hate. The venue is Lloyd Park (CR0 5RA). The men's event starts at 12:00, the ladies at 14:00.

parkrun Results for Saturday 3rd February 2024

36 activities are recorded below. Please get in touch if your activity is missing.

Club parkrunner parkrun Run# Pos Time Age Grade Comment
Paul WATT Aldenham 379 13 0:22:43 69.41% first run at Aldenham, park #183
Julie BARCLAY Aldenham 379 20 0:24:46 77.25% F1. BA fastest lady and best age grade (both from Alice), park #185
Frankie HOGGE Ally Pally 532 99 0:26:26 55.99% first run at Ally Pally
David DUGGAN Baltimore and Annapolis Trail 121 32 0:35:18 47.07% 500th run. Plus 674 volunteer credits
Emma Moreton Bedfont Lakes 678 25 0:23:31 66.41% 350th parkrun.
Melanie Miller Blandford 429 178 0:37:48 47.88% First BA lady at Blandford (Dorset), park #155
Kevin HOLLAND Brooklands 180 472 0:39:45 48.51% 36th run at Brooklands
Ian Haylock Bushy Park 970 135 0:21:04 71.76% 384th run at Bushy
Colin HAYLOCK Bushy Park 970 190 0:21:53 69.61% 2nd run at Bushy this year, as many as whole of 2023 already!
Diana Smith Bushy Park 970 1567 0:46:06 51.66% PB for second week in a row - a further 34second improvement.
Steve NEWELL Catford 230 186 0:47:40 43.08% 11th run at Catford, P-Index remains 10
Neil FREDIANI Chopwell Wood 103 53 0:34:34 49.42% first run at Chopwell Wood this year
Paul TIMMS Cirencester 230 26 0:24:24 65.71% three weeks in a row at Cirencester, 13 second spread
Trish MCCABE Crane Park 544 77 0:27:10 59.63% nine seconds quicker than on Christmas Day
Scott DAVISON Crane Park 544 83 0:27:31 54.45% fourth run at Crane Park this year
Piers KEENLEYSIDE Gloucester North 340 24 0:26:31 63.86% run #360, [park #74. New BA parkrun #799.
Alastair HESLOP Guildford 505 Run Director at Guildford.
Joan FOXLEY Harrow 385 274 0:47:49 50.71% parkwalker, helping a lady whose last parkrun was in mid-2021.
Denis FOXLEY Harrow 385 Run Director at Harrow.
Mike DENNISON Hazelwood 222 6 0:21:08 79.34% has run the two fastest times in his age category at Hazelwood - ever
Janet Smith Henlow Bridge Lakes 118 74 0:40:44 46.32% first run at Henlow  Bridge Lakes, run #173, park #73
Sarah GORDON Monsal Trail 222 196 0:40:41 52.15% First BA lady at Monsal Trail (Bakewell). Park #152
Ben CHAYTOW Osterley 462 16 0:21:32 66.87% 49second PB (on 2020 time), almost six minutes faster than New Year's Day
Oliver MATHAI Osterley 462 111 0:26:53 65.59% run #99, 15th at Osterley
Alan ANDERSON Osterley 462 338 0:46:23 58.75% run #697, sixth at Osterley in 2024 already
Fiona Bishop Queen Elizabeth 498 53 0:29:06 69.64% Now just the "z" short of a full achievable alphabet. Park #91
Ben Kelly Reading 624 33 0:24:38 52.44% 99th parkrun, 79th at Reading
Christopher T KELLY Reading 624 39 0:24:53 63.36% run #596, 416th at Reading.  Reading
Murray Hogge Reading 624 71 0:27:04 60.84% 317th run at Reading
Jain REID Richmond Park 795 438 0:36:34 50.87% 142nd run at Richmond Park (out of 152)
Benita SCAIFE Stamford Park 369 92 0:35:02 61.51% run #303, park #115,  New BA parkrun #800!
John SCAIFE Stamford Park 369 93 0:35:03 49.74% run #328, park #123
Roderick HOFFMAN Stockley Country 55 Run Director at Stockley Country. 99th volunteer occasion.
Elise LAWRENSON Victoria Dock 196 68 0:24:09 67.77% first run at Victoria Dock, 20th different parkrun
David Cowell Wetherby 335 Marshal at Wetherby
Maria JOVANI Woking 402 17 0:20:46 78.81% F1. PB by 14seconds (on 2018 time).

David Duggan's 500th parkrunparkrun Review Saturday 3rd February 2024 - 500 and 800 achievements

Congratulations this week go to David Duggan (35:18) who flew to USA to run his 500th parkrun at Baltimore and Annapolis Trail in Maryland where he had run five times before.  He even clocked up a volunteer credit to add to the 673 already earned.  David is well travelled but can often be found helping out locally at Hanworth and Southall. 

Thanks to those who passed on feedback on the articles about parkruns in Essex.  Paul Watt correctly pointed out that there was one missing – Markshall Estate (near Coggeshall, not far from the A120) and three members (Paul Watt, Julie Barclay and Melanie Miller) have all run there.  I should acknowledge the valuable research carried out by Richard Gower, a parkrunner with a passion for county boundaries. 

At one stage last year it looked as if, as a club, we might reach 800 different parkruns by the end of December.  It wasn’t to be but it hasn’t taken long to get the job done before the totally arbitrary target of Shrove Tuesday.  This week Piers Keenleyside (26:31) made a first visit to Gloucester North which has been waiting for one of us drop in since October 2015 so that was number 799.  Minutes later, Benita Scaife (35:02) and John Scaife (35:03) reached the finish line at Stamford Park (Ashton-under-Lyne) which was celebrating its 9th anniversary to make it 800.  I’m sure there will be further additions very soon. 

Second only to Bushy Park in London, attendances at Clapham Common are now exceeding 1000 regularly and it is now believed that a two lap parkrun at Battersea Park with its full width roads could start this year.  It was first suggested a decade ago and is bound to be popular if it gets the go-ahead. 

Steve Newell

Matters Arising - 500 parkruns

David Duggan is our fifth current member to have achieved 500 parkrun finishes (although another, Ian Cockram, did complete his 500 whilst a member). The first four are Alan Anderson (now on 697), Chris Kelly (596), Mike Dennison (544) and Ian Cunningham (540). The next could be Steve Newell currently on 497, currently considering where and when his 500th will be. But if Steve hesitates then Bob Bannister could be next since he is only one behind Steve. I'm on 479, having had a non-running role at Stockley Country over 21 times in the last twelve months. But I'm still well ahead of Trish McCabe on 453 and Scott Davison on 452.

 

Full club parkrun database - {read access to club parkrun database} - Download or save a copy, and explore at your leisure.

Club Event Map: [Clickable link to Google Maps]

Roderick Hoffman

Swans at Southall BridgeRunning Shorts

The Canal & River Trust has recently published a "Towpaths for Everyone" document. The full document can be read here:

Towpaths for Everyone (canalrivertrust.org.uk) and the pertinent section for people taking exercise is:

"8. Cyclists and runners must watch out for and slow down around others. Pedestrians have priority and those travelling faster must control and moderate their speed when approaching other users or narrow sections where sight lines are poor. Keeping all users safe is of paramount importance. Those in a hurry, or who want to travel at a faster pace, should take a different route."

I don't think that the swans and geese at Southall Bridge have read the section on sharing the towpath - there will often be fifty or more on the path, though only a few for today's photo call.

Next Digest - Results, news, pictures, feedback, jokes, stories - send them to the editor, Roderick Hoffman, at news@barunner.org.uk.

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