The logo of the baRUNNER website. HOME NEWS DIARY

baRUNNER - a website for the British Airways Athletics Club

The logo of the baRUNNER website.
Events>

BA Athletics Club News Digest 13th September 2021

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

Events Calendar - online here

 

Club Event Map: [Clickable link to Google Maps]


This Week's Events

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.

Solo Mile (submit before Monday 20th September):

Run one mile and send me your time or add the details to the Facebook prompt. I'll then produce a fancy graph showing your time this month compared to those of other people and previous runs over the last year.

Mile Participant Location Date Start Time Duration/Time Comment
 

Weekly Athletic Achievement (by late Sunday) 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 - London Approaches!

It is obvious from the chatter that the London Marathon is approaching with many members reporting long training runs and races.  Ready or not, things are looking good for it actually happening on 3rd October. The club has also got 120+ volunteers limbering up to manage five crossing points on the course and a briefing and kit handover session has been penciled in for Wednesday 29th September (to be confirmed). This will be one week after our 40th anniversary event on 22nd October. The club's launch can be traced back to the first London Marathon (29th March 1981) and the running euphoria that that event generated.

But perhaps in the UK we are at the start of a new sports revolution - with everyone under the age of 19 now picking up a racket and believing that they can achieve anything!...and all those over the age of 19 putting their rackets away and taking up another sport.


Osterley parkrun courseRound-the-Park at Osterley this Wednesday - meet from 12:00 for a 12:30 start

Meet in front of the house in Osterley Park from 12:00. Toilets available. From 12:30 we will do the race around the current two lap parkrun course (pictured - the only tricky turn is the one into the woods but if you miss it and go straight on you don't add any distance, just have a gate you need to pull open to rejoin the course). Afterwards we'll recover using the National Trust Café for drinks and food. We request that participants make a £1 donation which the club will pass on to one of our regular charities.

Note that parking in the park is free for National Trust members. There is a charge for non-members but you no longer have to book in advance. Parking at the end of Osterley Lane (from Norwood Green) is free. There are also some free unrestricted parking in the streets to the south of the park.

If you tell us to expect you we'll look out for you at the start - reply to me or use this events "Sign up" in the diary.

Roderick Hoffman


Surrey Cross-Country League Fixtures

Match fixtures for the 2021-22 season have now been published. For our men’s team (division 4) there are venue changes to those previously reported.

All ladies’ matches will start at 11am. Men’s division 4 matches will start at 3pm, with the exception of the February match which is 2pm. Times (and venues) may be subject to change.

If you have run (or volunteered) with us in the league previously, you are on our database and will be contacted with further information on the individual matches once we receive it from the host clubs. If you haven’t, please consider doing so! It’s a great winter league, and our ladies’ team in particular is short on runners. All welcome. You will need to be a paid-up member of BAAC and England Athletics to take part. Please contact Alan (Membership@barunner.org.uk) to check or add your England Athletics affiliation. The club pays an affiliation fee to the Surrey League each season; there is no charge for members to race.

Each men’s race is approximately 8km. Ladies race over approximately 6km for the first two matches and 8km for the second two.

Contact us for further info, and please spread the word!

   16-Oct  13-Nov  15-Jan  19-Feb 
Division 1 Richmond Park 
Organisers: Ranelagh with help from Belgrave 
Wimbledon Common  
Organisers: Fulham Runners and Thames Hare and Hounds 
Mitcham Common  
Organisers: Herne Hill with help from Clapham Chasers  
Effingham Common  
Organisers: Guildford and Godalming 
Division 2  Epsom Downs  
Organisers: Epsom and Ewell Harriers 
Denbies (TBC)  
Organisers: Dorking and Mole Valley 
Richmond Park  
Organisers: Stragglers 
Lloyd Park 
Organisers: Striders of Croydon & Croydon Harriers 
Division 3 & 4 (incl. BA) Epsom Downs  
Organisers: 26.6 
Denbies (TBC)  
Organisers: Walton AC 
Richmond Park  
Organisers: Wimbledon Windmilers 
Lloyd Park 
Organisers: Ful on Tri/other clubs 
Ladies (BA)  Richmond Park  
Organisers:Ranelagh with help from Belgrave 
Wimbledon Common  
Organinsers: Fulham Runners and Thames Hare and Hounds 
Mitcham Common  
Organsisers: Herne Hill with help from Clapham Chasers 
Effingham Common  
Organisers: Guildford and Godalming 

Amanda Coombs > Ladiescaptain@barunner.org.uk

Gary Rushmer > Menscaptain@barunner.org.uk


Activity Achievements for the week 6th September to 12th September 2021

19 activities recorded.

Colleague Activity Distance Course Start Time Duration Comments
Adrian Haines parkrun 5km Horsham Sat am 00:18:40 4th place. Back in the 80% +age grade. Quite pleased after a night out at my friends wedding reception.
Andy Rayner Running 4miles XC route Tue 00:52:00 Just one report as my birthday falls on 9/11 day. Also 55 minutes on the same course the previous Friday.
Ben Cooper Running 10.44km Cardiff Fri am 00:56:27 Garmin coach training run, decided to explore other local Cardiff estates to keep things interesting. Got absolutely drenched in the last 10 minutes.
Benita Scaife Running 5km Flackwell Heath Park Tue am 00:33:50 Laps of Flackwell Heath park while John sat on a bench reading Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut (foot a bit sore after the weekend).
Clara Halket Running 12.2km Sun 01:00:04 Today's run was hell, though also fastest in a long time. Now taking a 8-week hiatus from running to allow the leg injury to heal properly. [also last week 34.14km run in 3:25:57]
Emma Moreton Running 20miles Windsor to Weybridge Sun 03:03:00 20 miles training for VLM starting with Beat the Boat 10k in Windsor. We did beat the 55 minute boat! .
Jain Reid Running 6.71km Home from Richmond Sat am 00:45:45 Finally back running. Choose a nice downhill run home after parkrun volunteering. It feels like it will be a long road back but v happy to have started again
Jasvir Singh Modaher  Race Half-M Maidenhead Half Last week 02:34:49 Spotted by Alice Banks, still promoting the airline and running club.
Julie Barclay  Race 5km Cosham Wed 00:22:21 Last race of three race series.
Kelly Davis Running 20.01miles Windsor and back Sun 00:04:40 Last long run. We went out for 18 miles but decided we were having too much fun and did 20
Melanie Miller Walking 16.31km Lymington to Barton Sat 03:32:00 Coastal walk via The Lighthouse Cafe near Milford-on-Sea then followed an undulating headland route whereby The Needles were clear to see, a tad windy but lovely route nonetheless.
Michael Ball Running 5km Naked Run Sun 00:27:08 First over 50, doing my first naked run. [no - this wasn't a run without technology, it was a "bare is beautiful" run organised by the Naturist Foundation].
Neil Frediani Running 17.5miles Newcastle Sun Another struggle including getting trapped between the barriers on the GNR course .
Piers Keenleyside  Race 10km Kew Gardens Sat 00:56:15 Another 10k race - times improving but slowly. Over 1 1/2 minutes quicker than last month's EE 10K.
Roderick Hoffman Hill Work 6km Deck of Regal Princess Tue 00:43:38 With the cruise ship sailing into a strong wind this was a tough session - 26 climbs into the wind and 26 times blown to the back of the boat. Earning my "all-you-can-eat" breakfast. [photo from previous day]
Simon Turton Orienteering 9.61km Wargrave Sat am 00:50:22 I repeated the Wargrave Street-O, in the opposite direction to my run last Monday and varied two of the controls.  50 min time limit. Local to me and enjoyed but quite undulating so working hard.
Stephen Taylor  Race 20miles Willen Lake (Milton Keynes) Sun 03:22:58 Part of my London Marathon training, partly for the distance and partly to get used to the routines around a real event and making sure you have everything you need.
Steve Newell Walking 2.51km Bedfont Lakes Wed 00:31:49 With the wheel, measuring the Equinox course.
Tim Bellars  Race Marathon (plus) Brighton Sun 04:15:00 Marathon distance plus 568metres. The website claims the Brighton Marathon is the second largest in the UK…now they can also say that it is the longest! See below.
Weekly Achievements

I couldn't find any pictures of Michael's race, which is perhaps a good thing since I'm still having problems due to the photographs printed of Piers from years ago.

 Roderick Hoffman

Tim Bellars in Brighton MarathonBrighton Ultra

I went into this marathon rather anxious. Just over two years since my last one, I struggled to motivate myself through the pandemic. After the Green Belt (virtual) Relay I got back into some sort of running routine. Unfortunately this was cut short when I had a bad fall at the beginning of July where I severely bruised my ribs and curtailed my training for a month. With my entry in London too I thought I would give Brighton a go and if I pulled up I would treat it as a training run!!

Fortunately for me I trained really well over the last month up to 16 miles.

Many of you know my son Luke who has attended a few WARR events was also running. We both set off together at a good pace which was lovely running through the streets together. He then left me as we turned left heading for Ovingdean. I reached halfway in under two hours but I was to pay for it later. When I hit 19 miles the lack of ‘banked’ miles in training showed. My knees were quite painful. I slowed my pace and started swinging my legs rather than bending them. Pace dropped but it worked. Last 5k was really tough but wind behind helped. Finally crossed the finish line just under 4:15 and was very happy with that (second slowest marathon for me) but after hearing the news the distance was wrong and over by 560 metres, Strava indicated that I had actually run marathon distance in 4:10!

FYI Luke struggled in the second half too but came through in his first marathon in 4:33:17.

A week's rest for me then two weeks' preparation for London!

Tim Bellars

Ed: The organisers have officially apologised for the mistake that led to the course that was run being 568metres too long.  But perhaps they should turn this around and proudly announce that all of the event's finishers have completed their first (or next) ultra!


parkrun results for Saturday 11th September 2021

38 runners and volunteers below - get in touch if your result is missing.

Club parkrunner parkrun Pos Time Age Grade PB? Comment
Anne Bannister Bedfont Lakes 57 00:28:04 72.21%
Bob Bannister Bedfont Lakes 17 00:23:29 71.40%
Emma Moreton Bedfont Lakes 100 00:32:08 47.87%
Kelly Davis Bedfont Lakes 117 00:36:46 41.16%
Joe NOLAN Black Park 185 00:29:09 58.09%
Neil FREDIANI Blackhill 47 00:31:04 53.49% New best BA age grade
Di Smith Bushy Park 1007 00:54:50 41.98% Run #2, she needs to be warned it could be habit forming
Ian CUNNINGHAM Bushy Park 655 00:30:20 52.42%
Steve NEWELL Clapham Common 475 00:43:38 45.07% Run #389, 5th at Clapham Common
Trish MCCABE Crane Park 99 00:31:13 50.40%
Julie BARCLAY Cranleigh 29 00:24:50 74.90% club record(F), park #54
Paul WATT Cranleigh 34 00:25:33 60.67% 150th parkrun. Park #50. Limping round with a sore hamstring.
Janet Smith Ferry Meadows 365 00:38:31 46.99%
Alastair Heslop Guildford Funnel Manager at Guildford
David DUGGAN Hanworth 55 00:32:16 50.15%
Scott DAVISON Hanworth 30 00:25:25 58.03% 350th parkrun
Joan FOXLEY Harrow 162 00:37:15 61.79%
John COFFEY Hazelwood 120 00:33:29 61.32%
Maria Jovani Hazelwood 15 00:21:39 73.36% PB   PB by 54 seconds. New BA record.
Mike Dennison Hazelwood 6 00:19:29 84.52% PB   4th PB in 4 weeks (at different parks). By 14 seconds. New BA record.
Alice BANKS Higginson, Marlow 55 00:26:23 78.02% PB   PB by 3 seconds
Adrian Haines Horsham 4 00:18:40 81.61% BA Age Grade record.
Keith Johnson Houghton Hall 18 00:23:25 63.49%
Sarah GORDON Irchester Country 109 00:36:40 55.27% Run #265, park #121, New BA park
Benita Scaife Maidenhead 228 00:32:19 64.67%
John Scaife Maidenhead Marshal at Maidenhead
Alan ANDERSON Osterley 246 00:43:41 57.65% Assisting Anne
Anne ANDERSON Osterley 245 00:43:40 65.99%   (Assisted)
Roderick HOFFMAN Pocket 105 00:29:21 55.14% 398th run. New BA park.
Alan FRIAR Reading 252 00:33:08 58.20%
Christopher T KELLY Reading 288 00:37:53 40.92%
Frankie HOGGE Reading 107 00:25:57 57.03%
Murray HOGGE Reading 106 00:25:56 61.83%
Jain Reid Richmond Park Finish Tokens at Richmond Park
Ray HAMPTON Sale Water 180 00:32:28 61.86% Run #19, park #12, New BA park, 1st run for 37 months
Eddie GILES Salisbury 145 00:26:54 67.22% Improvement at Salisbury every week since lockdown
Barry WALTERS Upton Court 104 00:30:58 54.14%
Jacqueline MUSSELWHITE Woking 48 00:23:08 75.29% 98th parkrun

Last week (4th Sep) we had to meet an early deadline for the digest so I’ll start with a few comments that didn’t make the “stop press”.
Paul Watt’s run at Storeys Field took him to 49 different parks. He was also in 50th position which will add an extra challenge next time out. He won’t be invited to join the Hoffman club however as that is reserved for non repeaters who run their first 50 parkruns without ever going back to try for a course pb.  Paul’s collection of 49 parks includes just 10 he has revisited.  Melanie Miller (37:29) ran at the newish parkrun at Itchen Valley and established a new club course record (all genders).

Every week thousands more people apply for a barcode than do their first run and over time the number of never used barcodes has grown into several million.  Lovely to report then that Di Smith decided to wait no longer and finally felt ready to try Bushy Park after such a long delay she can’t really remember how many years it was.  She has been a formidable opponent for the last five decades, we had better well all look out.  A good thing that parkrun is not a race.

Moving on to this week and the number 98 keeps springing up.  Roderick Hoffman, run #398, (29: 21) was treading new ground at the 98th edition of Pocket parkrun in Cambridgeshire, Steve Newell (43:38) was very pleased with his official time at the 98th Clapham Common parkrun while Jacqui Musselwhite completed her 98th parkrun, this latest one at Woking.  Two other courses run for the first time this week were Irchester Country Park in Northamptonshire (Sarah Gordon, 36:40) and Sale Water near Manchester (Ray Hampton, 32:28).  That was Ray’s first parkrun for three and a half years.

Paul Watt (25:33) limped round his 150th parkrun and 50th different venue at Cranleigh  where the locals were celebrating their 300th.  Another parkrun reaching 300 this week was Horsham where Adrian Haines (18:40, 81.61%) clocked our best time this week. He once achieved a 17:50 there when he was much younger and this week’s run improved his best age grade score ever over 63 parkruns.  Eddie Giles (26:57) is on a roll.  Since the end of lockdown he hasn’t missed a run at Salisbury and each Saturday he has been quicker than the week before.

A new parkrun started this week in London, indeed inside the South Circular where only low emission vehicles will soon be welcome.  Sutcliffe Nature Reserve in Eltham (Greenwich Borough) becomes the 57th parkrun within the GLA boundary which means that the 111 parkrunners who were “Londone” are now undone so expect a few tourist visits over the next few weeks.  This cycle could be repeated several times over the coming few months as the lingering effects of the pandemic unravel.

Steve Newell

Full club parkrun database - {read access to club parkrun database} - Download and explore.

The club map marks all parkruns and is updated about once a month. The icons used for parkruns are green trees for those which club members have run and red trees for those that are yet to be run. If you click on a parkrun it will list various items of data including who from the club was the first to run that parkrun and what are currently the fastest male and female times and the best age grade. There is also a link to the parkrun's website page.


Triathlon Update

The "Badlands" 746km bike race in southern Spain started from Granada on Sunday (5th September) and double Olympic triathlon champion Alistair Brownlee finished on Tuesday afternoon in 57 hours and 20 minutes (ave speed 13km/h).  He claims to have had 7 hours of sleep and spent another 7 hours fixing punctures so might have done better than finish 7th. The winner finished in 45 hours and by Friday afternoon (10th Sep) about 75 solo entrants had finished and most others had given up with just a handful still crawling towards the finish. Some people entered in pairs taking turns on the bike but none of them did any better. Alistair might try again next year if his Ironman schedule allows. 

Alistair praised the organisers for the amazing course which includes crossing deserts, going over mountains and along beaches and suggests that anyone who finishes at all has really achieved.  I'm not going to argue. 

https://www.transiberica.cc/

Steve Newell


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.


 

      

Full Index