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BA Athletics Club News Digest 5th June 2023

Events Calendar - online here

Events marked "#" are points scoring for the club's participation trophy - for the 2023 title.

Club Event Map: [Clickable link to Google Maps]

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.

Weekly Athletic Achievement (by Sunday evening) or use the Facebook group prompt:

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

Editorial - Was last week's digest delivered?

Last week I asked you all to reply to the digest email so that I had an assessment of receipt.  Although I didn't intend that to be a formal survey its results nevertheless are interesting. The digest was issued by about 10pm on Monday. The distribution list has 259 names in it. There were seven instant, automated, "Out-of-Office" replies. Then still on the Monday evening 17 people replied that they had received the digest. The following day another 20 responded. Since then another 5 have responded. So about 200 haven't responded.  The response rate therefore is around 1 in 5 but, as an optimist, I'd say that at least 42 of you are reading the digest. Or 40 of you are, and me twice.

Anyway, the BT users did receive the digest last week, so the cause of this need to check has been resolved for now. I will consolidate those who have given me two addresses but this will now be next week due to time pressures this week.

>>> Roderick Hoffman

PS I don't know when this digest is being issued - it could be anytime between Sunday evening and early Wednesday.

AGM News

Note that this year's AGM has appeared in the diary on Wednesday 5th July. Please plan on being at Bedfont on that date. More details next week.

2023 Speedbird Ladies on Wednesday 21st June

With two weeks to go we've got 35 registered for the Speedbird Ladies. At the committee meeting on Wednesday we'll decide whether to stick with the current limit of 50 or, more likely, allow more runners.

We will need volunteers on the day, although that hasn't proved a problem in the past.

>>> Roderick Hoffman

Concorde One Hour Timing Teams2023 Concorde One Hour Race result

On Sunday we held our second Concorde One Hour event. We hadn't deliberately chosen the hottest afternoon of the year to hold it but it was, and distances covered were down as a consequence. Nine of the 22 participants were running for a second year  but none of them exceeded last year's distances. We would have liked to have had more entrants, and I'd have liked there to be more club members both running and volunteering, but in the circumstances the event was successful and, including the generosity of the caterers (Jas), we will have raised over £100 for Dreamflight.

For the second year running local boy Jonathon Horan ran the furthest distance - 16k (he ran 17.34k last year). First BA male was Mike Dennison in 4th place with 13.45k. The lady running the furthest was Zoe Butterworth (Waverley Harriers, and also Mike's daughter) with 11.275km. Second was Trish McCabe for BAAC in a new club record of 10.25km.

Many thanks not only to Jas and family members but also for Steve Hillier on First Aid duties (none required), two timing teams (pictured) of Maria Jovani, Steve Newell, Paul Brandon and Amanda Coombs and typing into the results computer Stephen Taylor. We had one marshal, linked to one of the runners, whose name I didn't catch.

The immediate feedback from the participants was positive, apart from the heat, but obviously the low number of participants is a cause of concern for this event.

Roderick Hoffman

Track and Field League: Second round of matches

The second Vets League match at Hillingdon will have finished before this edition of the Digest is published.  Full results next Monday.

Our second Rosenheim League match will take place at Epsom & Ewell next Wednesday evening, June 14th.  A full range of races, throws and jumps.  You are very welcome to join the team at this pretty track.  Please let me know if you are available – all abilities are welcome!

Steve Hillier

Standard Chartered Great City Race - Tue 18 Jul '23

A few weeks ago I requested help for the STANDARD CHARTERED GREAT CITY RACE (5km) (www.cityrace.co.uk) on TUESDAY 18th JULY. Not going to lie, bit disappointed I’ve only got 9 volunteers so far as I need 21 volunteers to man a box crossing at Finsbury Square and course marshal in sector 2 (all within a stones throw of the start / finish). The race start is 19:15 with road closures going in at 18:30 and we’ll meet at the HAC from 17:00 for kit pick up (T-shirt & jacket for everyone). Hopefully there’ll be a drinks voucher or two to use for post-race refreshments in the HAC grounds.

Thanks in advance for your continued support.

Regards,

>> Simon Turton

Recent Activity Achievements

Only 9 members communicated their achievements to me, but I didn't search very hard and I could have included those in the Concorde event. Also one of the pictures I'm not showing features Graham Taylor and perhaps the other Taylors were also involved. Your achievement not listed? It could be because you didn't submit it.

Colleague Activity Distance Course When Duration Comments
Barry Walters Running 5km Bracknell Mon am 00:30:20 Ran a hard effort over Swinley Forest in the morning doing an out and back short tempo run. Conditions were dry and pleasant. In the evening did a one-hour yoga session at my local leisure centre.
Benita Scaife Running 6.9km Runnymede We rehearsed the upcoming NOW run to check the route and access. There is a new path being laid between the Writ in Water and Magna Carta memorials, but we were reassured that the work will not impede us…
John Scaife Running 6.9km Runnymede     ...It’s a significant climb to the Air Forces Memorial at the top of Cooper’s Hill but on a beautiful day like Friday it was well worth it. 6.9km with the visit to AFM but this section can be missed out.
Emma Moreton  Race 10km Weybridge 10k Sun am 00:45:43 Not a PB but 1st female V40 and 4th female overall - it was a warm morning!
Julie Barclay Running 9k Amsterdam Tue 0:54:00 ...Beatrixpark (not the parkrun course) which is infamous for attracting ill-prepared parkrunners to the wrong location.
Paul Watt Running 9k Amsterdam Tue 0:54:00 A run from the hotel that incorporated three parks: Amstelveen Park, Martin Luther King Park and…
Roderick Hoffman Running 18.78km Thames Marlow to Shiplake Thur 02:24:28 Starting my June "Canalathon" although the aim is to have covered 365 different canal towpath and river path miles in 365 days from 1st July 2022.
Stephen Taylor Running 10miles Grand Union Canal / River Brent Circuit Sat am 01:44:17 A run along the canal, I had planned to go a little further but my legs had other ideas. 10 miles 1:44:17
Steve Hillier Running 3.8km Roxborne Park Sat am 00:27:51 Plus, on Sunday, cycling to/from the BAAC one hour race.  Warm, dry and breezy...slower going home!  Twelve miles in 1:15.

No pictures 'cos I'm in Sweden and don't have my picture editor here. Perhaps next week.

Roderick Hoffman

parkrun Results for Monday May 29th and Saturday 3rd June

5 and 34 activities are recorded below. Please get in touch if your activity is missing.

Club parkrunner parkrun 29th May Run# Pos Time Age Grade Comment
Paul WATT Beatrixpark 35 11 0:19:40 80.17% run #243, park #141, first timer at a run number #35, Wilson Index still on 26. New BA park - #731.
Julie BARCLAY Beatrixpark 35 38 0:22:57 82.21% run #295, park #145, ran a #35 at Woking years ago, Wilson Index still on 26
Melanie Miller Reeuwijkse Hout 66 49 0:37:39 47.45% run #143, park #117. New BA parkrun #734.
Roderick HOFFMAN Schoterbos 88 59 0:27:32 59.26% run #460, park #353. New BA park #732.
Marcia DUBBELAAR Schoterbos 88 Non-member, KLM WARRior - Timekeeper at Schoterbos
David DUGGAN Tapijn 89 90 0:33:50 48.67% run #462, park #128. New BA parkrun #733. (Maastricht area)
Club parkrunner parkrun 3rd June Run# Pos Time Age Grade Comment
Ralph BEHRENS Alstervorland 156 187 0:53:06 32.83% [non-member] WARR associate - parkwalker at Alstervorland (Hamburg)
Paul WATT Amager Strandpark 518 15 0:20:00 78.83% BA male record from Roderick. *
Julie BARCLAY Amager Strandpark 518 51 0:22:50 82.63% BA Grade record (Natalie Ruffell retains the time record) *
Murray Hogge Bath Skyline 374 215 0:30:07 54.18% 3rd run at Bath Skyline
Scott DAVISON Bedfont Lakes 644 95 0:29:57 50.03% run #418, 276th at Bedfont Lakes
Anne Bannister Bedfont Lakes 644 156 0:56:54 36.73% tailwalker companion ?
Bob BANNISTER Bedfont Lakes 644 157 0:56:55 29.75% run #461, tailwalker companion ?
Sarah GORDON Braunstone 587 209 0:37:16 56.08% 119th run at Braunstone
Kevin HOLLAND Brooklands 147 270 0:35:49 52.91% PB by 2 seconds (on 29th run at Brooklands)
Ian Haylock Bushy Park 933 152 0:20:45 72.21% run #368
Ian CUNNINGHAM Bushy Park 933 794 0:28:25 56.42% run #508
Paul TIMMS Cirencester 197 40 0:23:19 68.76% run #102
Ben CHAYTOW Crane Park 508 20 0:23:29 60.82% 20th place at Crane Park for 4th time this year
Trish MCCABE Crane Park 508 67 0:27:08 59.09% gentle warm-up for the one hour event on Sunday
Steve NEWELL Dinton Pastures 188 282 0:49:03 41.86% 9th run at Dinton Pastures, Wilson Index creeps up to 191
Alan ANDERSON Dinton Pastures 188 284 0:50:32 53.92% run #660, 2nd at Dinton Pastures
Vera Simms Eastbourne 534 201 0:27:41 71.10% first run at Eastbourne, park #31
Janet SMITH Ekebergsletta 38 105 0:52:56 35.14% Park walker at Ekebergsletta (south of Oslo). Run #151, park #58 *
Alastair HESLOP Guildford 475 352 0:54:12 32.16% Tail walker at Guildford. 12th parkrun.
Piers KEENLEYSIDE Gunnersbury 525 518 0:39:21 43.03% 207th run at Gunnersbury
Joan FOXLEY Harrow 350 195 0:37:50 62.95% 222nd run at Harrow out of the 350 plus loads of volunteering
Denis FOXLEY Harrow 350 Token Support at Harrow
Harjit Jhooti Henlow Bridge Lakes 85 98 0:32:23 55.17% 200th parkrun,1st at Henlow Bridge, park #84
Melanie Miller Henlow Bridge Lakes 85 130 0:40:24 44.22% run #144, park #118
Petra OTTO March 302 129 0:46:47 47.60% Park walker at March
Jeremy SHORT Osterley 426 249 0:47:56 34.04% 44th run at Osterley
Steve Waite Riddlesdown 574 168 0:38:49 47.27% run #40
Benita SCAIFE Salisbury 345 265 0:32:18 66.72% First BA lady. 100th different parkrun (Cowell).
John SCAIFE Salisbury 345 266 0:32:19 53.95% 1st run at Salisbury
David DUGGAN Southall 71 33 0:32:17 51.01% run #463, 12th at Southall, P-Index is 6
Mike DENNISON Stockley Country 21 8 0:20:42 81.00% 3rd run at Stockley Country
Maria JOVANI Stockley Country 21 21 0:22:43 71.31% PB by two minutes, improves her BA ladies record, and course age grade record (of 148 runners in that age grade).
Roderick HOFFMAN Stockley Country 21 148 0:58:04 28.10% Tail walker at Stockley Country, slowest ever parkrun!
David Cowell Stockley Country 21 Marshal at Stockley Country
David GALL Western Springs 334 157 0:55:43 28.30% [non-member] WARR associate. Tailwalker at Western Springs (nz)
Judy TURTON Woodley 481 276 0:32:55 54.28% First parkrun since Feb 2022

 

* Guess who will be doing the Scandinavian extra parkruns on Monday and/or Tuesday (plus at least one more of us). Find out in next week's digest.

parkrun Review 27th May 2023

We started early again this week with special events in Netherlands on Pentecost Monday (also a bank holiday in the UK, but not every year).  Paul Watt (19:40) and Julie Barclay (22:57) led the way with fast (80% +) runs at Beatrixpark in Almere to the East of Amsterdam.  This reporter has fond memories (from half an adult lifetime ago!) of an Ironman distance triathlon there with a 3800m swim in a skimpy wetsuit in the nearby Gooimeer and the chance to linger in a warm shower before moving on what turned out to be a puncture ridden 180km bike ride. Paul and Julie are accumulating parkruns this year at a furious pace and with runs in Denmark on Saturday have already done 26 in 2023.

Still in Holland last Monday, Roderick Hoffman (27:32) was at Schoterbus in Haarlem to the West of Amsterdam while Melanie Miller (37:39) went to Reeuwijkse Hout, well to the South and nearer Rotterdam.  The European Circus moves on to Denmark and Sweden next week.  5th June is Constitution Day in Denmark, 6th June is Swedish National Day so expect to see a few members there this Tuesday.

Germany will celebrate Unity Day on Tuesday 3rd October.  Historically special parkruns in France have been held on Christmas Day rather than Bastille Day.  If parkruns restart a change might be seen as appropriate!  Some USA parkruns have an extra run at Thanksgiving in November.

News has reached us of a new parkrun (inaugural 3rd June 2023) on the Aran island of Inis Meain in Galway Bay. An unusually late start time of 11.00 am but getting there in time could still be a challenge as visitors are dependent on a small aerodrome or a ferry (probably on a Friday!) from Rossaveel (Connemara) on the mainland followed by a trip on shank’s pony.  An enthusiastic group of parkrun tourists has chartered a boat (capacity 50) for 29th July.  Low lie the Fields of Athenry.

Back home on Saturday, Benita Scaife (32:18) chose Salisbury as her 100th different parkrun venue and became the latest member to join the Cowell Club.

Roderick Hoffman (58:04) tried out the tailwalker role at Stockley Country where David Cowell also volunteered as a marshal.  21 runs into the mission the attendance still fluctuates quite widely and Fibonacci run numbers do seem to attract a significant dedicated group.  The next one to look out for will be #34 in 3 months' time.  Visiting volunteers are always most welcome (every week).

Steve Newell

Dutch Whit Monday parkruns

What a weekend that was.

Eleven months ago we booked tickets to see Bruce Springsteen at the Johann Cruyff Arena in Amsterdam but as luck would have it, the date fell on the Double-Dutch parkrun weekend. After quick amendments to hotel and flight bookings, two parkruns became possible with Zuiderpark in The Hague and then Beatrixpark in Almere on the Monday being chosen. Both runs were fast and flat with the British accounting for 90% of the turnout.

But parkruns aside, this trip just showed how perfect The Netherlands is for a short city break. Some will be aware of the historic city of Den Haag and of the fabulous stretch of wide sandy beaches which are easily accessed by tram from the city.
Almere, a new town, is built entirely on reclaimed land which uncovered so much history. Hundreds of ships were discovered on the seabed as were 25 Luftwaffe aircraft. There are poles around the park with small anchors as tributes to the lost sailors from those ships. They love their park and their parkrun.

Two parkruns, a concert, a visit to Ann Frank’s house and a morning at the beach were all reached by public transport that was so simple to use and was not one second delayed.

And who would have thought that in Zuiderpark, we saw hares and deer during the run and in Amstelpark in Amsterdam we saw red squirrels and wallabies: quite amazing.

If you haven’t already, consider The Netherlands for a trip away and next May will also give you two parkruns in three days. What’s not to love?

Paul Watt

Records

There are currently 16 Dutch parkruns. Eleven of the 16 held a special parkrun on 29th May, on their Whit Monday holiday. This enabled many parkrun tourists to fit in an extra parkrun. Many of these come from outside the Netherlands and many of those had also done a Dutch parkrun on Saturday 27th May.

Record attendances were set - but not across the board.

On Saturday 27th May although three records were set, at Kagerzoom, Sonsbeek and Zuiderpark, at seven of the other parkruns numbers were down from the previous Saturday. The new records at Sonsbeek and Zuiderpark would have been partly because they were not hosting a Whitson Special parkrun - hence tourists visited those two on the Saturday, and also Amsterdamse Bos (where a new record wasn't set). The 1290 total attendance on Saturday 27th was around 400 higher than the 884 of the previous Saturday - around 50%. 300 of that increase was shared between Amsterdamse Bos and Zuiderpark.

On Monday Stadpark had a drop in numbers from the Saturday but all the other ten parkruns increased their attendance and 7 of them set new records. The increases were spread around but being at smaller parkruns this still resulted in significant increases. Beatrixpark had the biggest percentage increase - 146 extra parkrunners added 330% to the event's record attendance and 475% growth from Saturday's event. Delfte Hout had 290% growth of its record and 310% from its Saturday numbers. In total 1298 parkrunners attended Dutch parkruns on Monday - an increase from Saturday of only 8 finishers, but consider that five parkruns didn't operate, including the two largest Dutch parkruns.

But these numbers are small perhaps compared to the numbers visiting the Denmark and Swedish special parkruns this week with the Scandinavian treble really catching the eye of the parkrun tourists - see next week's digest.

Roderick Hoffman

 

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

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

Not for you, no longer interested? remove me please.

Difficulty viewing this? Read it from the website:- http://www.barunner.org.uk/News Latest.shtml. Club website: www.barunner.org.uk.

 

      

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