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BA Athletics Club News Digest 17th February 2020

Events:

  • Saturday 23rd February - BA Cross-Country Championships, Cranford Park, 10:30 # (see below)
  • Wednesday 26th February - Five Mile Handicap at the Bedfont Club from 18:00 #
  • Wednesday 4th March - BAAC Annual Awards evening at the Bedfont Club from 20:00 (with food, and an ad hoc training run before)

Our next Bedfont Club meeting will be on February 26th (Five Mile Handicap). March club evenings will be 4th (Awards evening) and 25th (Handicap). All members are welcome.

New members and potential members of all fitness levels and abilities are welcome at most of our events. The full diary of club featured events is on the club website at: http://www.barunner.org.uk/Event Diary.shtml. Last updated: 8th January.

* Club Event Map: [Clickable link to Google Maps] (parkrun details updated 12th February 2020) / # Club Points event.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BARunnerUK/ (formal "front window" club page), BA Runner Facebook Group (informal "back office", ask to join).

Inclusions, with photos, please to Roderick Hoffman at news@barunner.org.uk.


Editorial - Value of Volunteers

Whilst running the Harrow Hill 10k on Sunday, in the aftermath of Storm Dennis, I was reminded of the value of the volunteers of these events. The course had volunteers throughout its length and they were all cheering you on as you ran past. I was warm from the running and could think of getting dry once my time was achieved - the volunteers just had to stand there until the end.

I have initiated this year's Club Points table, which acknowledges and thanks club participation especially marshalling. We have already had seven points scoring events and whilst the early leaders inevitably include myself, Steve Newell and Steve Hillier there are others not that far behind. Already 40 of us feature in the table!

You may not have noticed but we haven't had to publish requests for marshals for either the Big Half (1st March) or the London Marathon (26th April). That isn't because we haven't been asked to provide marshals this year, we have, but because sufficient numbers have contacted us in advance with offers to marshal, many associated with this year's runners. Perhaps next year we'll have to operate a waitlist for the London Marathon marshaling, or have a ballot! We do anticipate needing marshals later in the year for other events including the Vitality 10km (25th May), Great City Race (21st July) and Ride London (15th/16th August).

Roderick Hoffman - Acting Chair


Reminder - Sunday 23rd February BA Cross Country 10:30 Start, Cranford Park #

Please let Gary know of runners and marshals for this event.

And please pass the massage onto other runners, including friends and runners from other clubs, who may want to join us on the day - email me with names (runners and marshal please). There is no entrance fee...but also no prizes.

Many thanks,

Gary Rushmer {Menscaptain@barunner.org.uk}.


Men's Surrey League match report

Men's Cross-Country teamBelated report from the last men's Surrey League fixture of 2019-20 at Lloyd Park, Croydon.

We arrived in the middle of storm Ciara probably expecting the worst of weather conditions but 'enjoyed' a surprisingly sunny early afternoon.

We finished 7th on the day led home by Paul Knechtl for a final position of 8th, one better than last year.

Our scoring was consistent throughout the season thanks to being able to field a full team in all races. Thanks to all who turned out and especially Paul Knechtl and Mike Dennison. Paul returned to form so that he was able to be 5th best runner in the league as well as top equal in the over 40s, losing top place only due to relative positions in the last race. Mike, in his debut season, despite the shoes, came first in the over 60s age group, with a second and two first places. Barry Walters was also 4th in the over 60s.

Let's hope that shifts and personal lives allow a few more of our top runners to partake more often next year so that we can aim even higher.

Neil Frediani


World Airline Road Race update

Registration is OPEN and there are already four of us entered for the BA team (myself, Tim Bellars, Nancy Pinchen and Caroline Yarnell). Including the booking fee the event entry cost me US$53.38, and that has to be considered the best value for money part of the trip, so why don't you sign up now, and then worry about how to get there later?

Event registration: https://raceroster.com/events/2020/28034/39th-world-airline-road-race-waikiki-hawaii

BAAC Facebook Event: https://www.facebook.com/events/215504352952416/

Race venue: Waikiki, Hawaii

Race date: 25th October 2020

Roderick Hoffman


parkrun Review Saturday 15th February 2020

15Feb Member parkrun Place Time Grade PB Comment
TRUE Trish MCCABE Ally Pally 186 00:30:20 51.48% park #64, establishes club rec (F)
TRUE Paul PRESCOTT Bedfont Lakes 5 00:20:53 61.85% M-5, first run at Bedfont this year
TRUE Emma Moreton Bedfont Lakes 86 00:30:13 50.30% Recent Joiner - plus volunteering as communications person
TRUE Zoe OSTLEY Bedfont Lakes 138 00:36:45 49.93% run #247, 160th at Bedfont Lakes
TRUE Bob Bannister Bedfont Lakes Timekeeper
TRUE Anne Bannister Bedfont Lakes Marshal
TRUE Neil FREDIANI Bedfont Lakes Finish Tokens
TRUE Sarah GORDON Bedworth 256 00:34:48 57.38% Slower than previous visits. Record attendance 379
TRUE Roderick HOFFMAN Bedworth 188 00:30:34 52.02% Slower than previous visit, 2020 challenge point
TRUE Joe NOLAN Black Park 328 00:31:47 52.28% 2020 challenge - first point
TRUE Julie BARCLAY Bushy Park 216 00:22:57 78.87% second run at Bushy parkrun
TRUE Paul WATT Bushy Park 164 00:22:09 68.77% first run at Bushy parkrun, park #39
TRUE Ian CUNNINGHAM Bushy Park 617 00:27:14 57.41% run #417, 329th at Bushy
TRUE Paul TIMMS Cirencester 31 00:26:56 57.55% run #46, 24th at Cirencester
TRUE Mike Dennison Crane Park 11 00:19:59 80.98% top age grade% at Crane Park this week
TRUE Maria Jovani Crane Park 57 00:23:49 66.06% F-6, 66th run at Crane Park
TRUE Mark TAYLOR Frimley Lodge 141 00:25:34 62.71% 3rd run at Frimley
TRUE John TAYLOR Frimley Lodge 125 00:25:11 60.49% 4th run at Frimley
TRUE Mike Gratton Frimley Lodge 00:25:35 65.54% run #15, 1983 London Marathon winner (2:09:43)
TRUE Graham TAYLOR Frimley Lodge 321 00:30:39 52.31% 5th run at Frimley
TRUE Paula Fudge Frimley Lodge 00:34:38 61.26% run #500, former 5000m world record holder (15:14.51)
TRUE Piers KEENLEYSIDE Gunnersbury 370 00:29:01 56.23% run #263, 172nd at Gunnersbury
TRUE Caroline Cockram Hampstead Heath 201 00:28:58 57.88% 4th run at Hampstead
TRUE Ian Cockram Hampstead Heath 145 00:26:39 56.22% 4th run at Hampstead
TRUE Denis Foxley Harrow 117 00:28:36 61.66% Not to be blamed for the weather
FALSE Joan FOXLEY Harrow 231 00:38:47 58.36%
TRUE John COFFEY Hazelwood 73 00:32:54 61.04% wet and windy !
TRUE Adrian Haines Ifield Mill Pond 5 00:18:39 80.34% PB   M-5, 6th run at Ifield Mill Pond, course pb by 16 seconds
TRUE Christopher T KELLY Lac de Divonne 67 00:37:16 40.88% With Sarah Kelly, and 2 minutes ahead of the backmarker/tailwalker
TRUE Benita Scaife Maidenhead 279 00:33:06 61.23% run #181, 93rd at Maidenhead
TRUE John Scaife Maidenhead 280 00:33:07 51.13% run #208, 97th at Maidenhead
TRUE Petra OTTO Manor Field, Whittlesey Marshal
TRUE Scott DAVISON Osterley 47 00:23:50 60.91% run #340, 5th at Osterley, age grade% improvement
TRUE Alan & Ann ANDERSON Osterley 302 00:50:01 54.55% wheelchair passenger acts as windbreak!
TRUE Alan ANDERSON Osterley 301 00:50:01 46.98% run #581, 47th at Osterley
TRUE Steve NEWELL Osterley 298 00:46:20 40.90% run #378, 9th at Osterley
TRUE Jain Reid Richmond Park 183 00:26:37 66.25% PB   6th PB in a row, another 16 seconds. Total improvement 77s.
TRUE Steve Waite Riddlesdown 70 00:32:35 54.12% run #29, all at Riddlesdown, first run since last July
TRUE David DUGGAN Rondebosch Common 249 00:30:26 52.68% run #353, park #83, BApark #567, 249th/944
TRUE James Shoulder Rushmoor 7 00:18:55 68.19% M-7, 3rd run at Rushmoor
TRUE Keith Johnson St Albans 119 00:24:39 59.84% PB   course pb by 21 seconds
TRUE Kay Trinder Woking 30 00:21:24 82.40% 99th run at Woking, top age grade% at Woking this week
TRUE Micheal BALL Woking 155 00:26:41 59.09% run #170, 152nd at Woking
TRUE Tom ROWLEY Woking Marshal
TRUE Alan FRIAR Woodley 344 00:34:16 55.30% 93rd run at Woodley, fifth this year (ran 6 times in 2019)
TRUE Ben Chaytow Renton 3 00:21:55 63.73% M-3, run #264, 1st at Renton, club record, park #26

Storm Dennis caused several cancellations this week and the Sunday junior parkruns were very badly hit again.  The weather forecast even deterred possible volunteers at Fulham Palace and with recent attendances there topping 800 that is very worrying.

The Taylor brothers met up at Frimley Lodge to mix it with the great and the good of earlier eras.  John Taylor (25:11) got home first followed by Mark Taylor (25:34) who edged out 1983 London Marathon winner Mike Gratton (25:35).  Graham Taylor (30:39) was running at Frimley for the fifth time.  The day was all about Paula Fudge (34:38) completing her 500th parkrun and joining the 500 club which now has just over 100 members.  In her younger days Paula Fudge was world record holder for 5000m on the track with 15:14.51.  She has run at Bedfont Lakes just once, finishing 3rd overall in 21:56 in December 2010.  She was just one place ahead of Scott Davison (22:10) on that occasion.

Adrian Haines (18:39, 80.34% at Ifield Mill Pond) was our fastest runner this week, James Shoulder (18:55) at Rushmoor was also quick. Kay Trinder (21:24, 82.4%) under the watchful eye of coach Tom Rowley at Woking and Mike Dennison (19:59, 80.98%) at Crane Park both topped the age-grade% lists at their respective runs this week.

15th Feb cancellationsWe’ve had no reports of any UK* parkrun being cancelled because of concerns about spreading a mystery virus but Preston parkrun was cancelled because no defibrillator was available this week. Our intrepid tourists continued to boldly go nevertheless.  David Duggan (30:26) ran at a parkrun in South Africa for the first time at Rondesbosch Bosch (Cape Town area).  Chris Kelly (37:16) was at a parkrun in France for the first time at Lac de Divonne (very close to the Swiss border and Lake Geneva) where the tailwalker beat the 40 minute barrier and Ben Chaytow (21:55) set a club record at Renton in Washington State, USA.

Steve Newell

Steve's parkrun stats - club parkrun stats (updated to 4th Jan)

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

Note that we've just added recent joiner Emma Moreton into the excel files. If we don't list your result, and you believe yourself to be a paid up member, then please contact me with your parkrun barcode number. You can also help us by including "British Airways AC" as your club in your parkrun registration data (if we are your first claim club).

Roderick Hoffman

Cancellations Update

* Although no UK parkruns were cancelled due to the Coronavirus all four of the Singapore parkruns are currently unable to be run for that reason. Club friend Ralph Behrens is one whose plans have been impacted since he was passing through Singapore this weekend on his way to New Zealand and had hoped to include one of the Singapore parkruns.

A map showing all of last Saturday's cancellations - due to viruses, storms, whatever - is here: https://drive.google.com/open?id=11kOknOw_-3fUJl2sK3HoRoZddMCpoUY7&usp=sharing . An extract of this is shown above, the green trees show the parkruns that (probably) operated.

Roderick Hoffman


Harrow Hill 10k result and report

Harrow Hill 10k FloodWhen I drove to the race, ahead of the final course inspection, I saw this flood and thought to myself that it was inevitable that the race would be called off. It could not be safe for 100+ road runners to traverse the Red Sea. However the race did go ahead, the Race Director thought on his feet and gave us a revised two identical lap course so avoiding this corner. 

The revised course was near enough exactly 10k in length (though Hugh Jones hadn't done the measuring) but it did mean that there was an extra climb up Harrow Hill this year - so 190m of elevation gain versus the normal 160m. Both the winner and club friend Stephen Norris (1st MV50) time's this year were about 1 minutes slower than last year. I was simply pleased not to get lapped!

On the course we ran there were no deep puddles, though at one point there was a stream with a strong current gushing across the pavement and a big risk of getting hit by a tsunami from a passing vehicle.

Roderick Hoffman

Pos  No Name Category Cat Pos Gender Gen Pos Club 5K Split Gun Time Net Time
1 79 ... Senior 1 Male 1 ... 0:18:27 0:37:26 0:37:24
7 159 STEPHEN NORRIS M50 1 Male 6 Thames Valley Harriers 0:19:57 0:40:24 0:40:22
145 86 RODERICK HOFFMAN M50 27 Male 107 BRITISH AIRWAYS AC 0:31:51 1:06:14 1:05:59
188 92 ... W50 19 Female 67 ... 0:43:39 1:25:03 1:24:33

Ian and MikeValentine's 10k

An update from this morning’s Storm Dennis affected Valentine's 10k

Despite apocalyptic forecasts the Valentine's 10k found a relatively quiet weather window for this local annual favourite. Numbers were well down on previous years due to the forecasted weather but the race organisation was as efficient as ever. Highly recommended race for first timers and experienced runners / racers.

Ian Cunningham

Results (BA & friends):

...   1 0:31:42 1st finisher
Mike Dennison 60 0:41:47 3rd MV60
Maria Jovani Runnymede Runners 88 0:43:55
Ian Cunningham British Airways AC 141 0:47:33 9 year streak
Janet Cunningham Epsom Allsorts 329 1:00:33
Sue Dennison 369 1:05:39 1st ever 10k
...   416 1:18:29 last finisher


Running Shorts

Dave Barnard speculates, in the light of the vaporfly debate (e.g. theguardian.com/sport/2020/feb/10/running-crossroads-nike-vaporfly-footwear-arms-race-mainstream) that perhaps we should all go back to bare foot running. It worked for Bruce Tulloh and Zola Budd.


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.

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Club website: www.barunner.org.uk.


 

      

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