BA Athletics Club News Digest 20th March 2023
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 |
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Editorial - Rest is important and a change is as good as a rest
There will not be a digest next week. I'm on holiday from Saturday in a
location that may be "off grid" and with a baggage allowance that
doesn't allow for the inclusion of a laptop. The next digest will be
produced on Tuesday 4th April. Feel free to send in submissions, and
please post on Facebook, but you'll get nothing back until then. There
may be a one-off digest at the end of this week incorporating the
results from this week's Club Awards.
Roderick Hoffman
Events over the next two weeks:
- Wed 22nd - Club Awards at the Bedfont Club (pre-event run from
18:00, Awards from 19:30 with food provided)
- Sat 25th - Ian's 500th parkrun at Bushy Park for 9:00. Cake
expected.
- Wed 29th - Five Mile Handicap at the Bedfont Club to finish at
19:00 in the daylight! Over to the Duke of Wellington afterwards.
PS: And if anyone is willing to "cover" for me at Stockley Country
over the next two Saturdays, taking on non-running roles, they would be
most welcome.
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Virginia Water NOW report
 A great turnout at Virginia Water
last Wednesday - all those featured in the
attached photograph and Clara. Most of us ran a 4mile clockwise lap of the lake
- led by Barry Walters showing the rest of us how clean his heels are these
days. Barry had finished his run and his coffee before some of us had got back
to the cafe. I think we should investigate the Yoga at his local leisure centre...or
what they put in their tea. A smaller walking group did an out and back up the east and north
side of the lake.
> Roderick
Hoffman
The next NOW event has been proposed ...
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We can offer a NOW run at Eton, starting and finishing on the Brocas.
Suggested gathering point is outside the Watermans Arms on Brocas
Street, postcode SL4 6BW. The route will be a flat 5km loop heading west
across the Brocas and then open fields from which the Thames will be
visible the whole way. Walkers can do an out and back along the Thames
Path.
There are two public car parks in Eton, one in Meadow Lane and one in
Eton Court. There are also multiple parking options across the
(pedestrian) bridge in Windsor.
For post-run refreshments the Watermans Arms offers ciabattas and
burgers as well as pub classics. Otherwise there are coffee and cake
options in Eton High St.
We suggest Wed 3rd May.
John & Benita
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Awards Evening, 22nd March2023 - reminder
It's time to recall our achievements of the past year, and to congratulate
our various trophy winners. We invite all of you to attend the Bedfont
Club on Wednesday 22nd March, from 19:30, for an evening of celebrations and
fun. Light refreshments will be provided by your club. Please come
along to cheer the winners, as they collected their shiny trophies.
See you there!
Steve Hillier
The changing rooms will be open from 17:45 for those wanting to have a run
prior to the evening's event. There is nothing specific organised, but if we
gather in the carpark at 18:00 we can decide whether to do different runs or the
same. Sunset will be at 18:22.
Green Belt Relay, 13th/14th May 2023 #
The Green Belt Relay is getting closer and to build up the anticipation the
organisers are posting team biographies in order of appearances made, from
bottom up. In twentieth place is British Airways and the biography can be read
on Facebook here and reproduced below.
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British Airways are one of our most prolific prize winners, having
won the Corporate Prize essentially in perpetuity. I retired the prize
because the trophy got full so we just gave it to them to keep.
They're a one-team club but have still run in every single GBR since
2004, and have put in a run of extraordinary consistency either inside
the top 20 or just outside it. Their high point was the 2014 race where
they came 6th overall and narrowly outside the trophies (I mean, as well
as the corporate one), and they had another top ten finish back in 2007.
The founder of this success was the late Brian Bennett, who ran eight
GBRs between 2005 and 2012 despite already being a V65 when he started
and still getting top 20 stage finishes well into his seventies. It’s
backed up by quite a few runners who have run dozens of stages over the
years. They have won three men’s stages during that time – by Dave Dixon
and Mark Taylor – while Frankie Hogge took two stage wins just last year
as well as the stage 3 women’s record. BA hold quite a few category
stage records – Dave Dixon’s 2019 V50 record for stage 5 looks hard to
beat, as does Duncan Wright’s in stage 10 (and Dave holds the old course
record for 10 too), and the same goes for Maria Jovani’s stage 15 V45
record set last year. Then of course there’s Roderick Hoffman, who was
awarded a Stage Winner’s t-shirt for running the old stage 22 during the
cancelled 2021 race, and as such was the last GBR runner ever to finish
at the Hawker Centre.
In other words, if you line up against a BA runner, however old they
may look, don’t be too surprised if they vanish off into the distance
ahead of you…
Team captain is Chris Kelly, who has run a ludicrous 30 GBR stages -
only four runners have run more - and including stage 4 eight times.
He’s also been a source of sage advice to me since our event relaunch in
2014 as well as an extremely effective team captain and I’d like to
thank him for that.
Welcome back British Airways, the world's favourite GBR corporate
club.
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We do now have a full team for this year's event - but we could yet need a reserve runner and if you
put yourself forward you could quickly find yourself in the full team.
> Chris Kelly
Recent Activity Achievements
Only 12 club members and friends' achievements are listed below. Your
achievement not listed? It could be because you didn't submit it. Or you
were too busy watching the 2023 Barkley Marathons to exercise yourself.
| Colleague |
Activity |
Distance |
Course |
When |
Duration |
Comments |
| Andy Rayner |
Fast walk |
3miles |
Cox Green |
Thur |
00:40:40 |
Tues 14 Mar - Cox Green cycle in 19:10s (no distance measure). Thurs
16 Mar - Fast walk 3miles XC (very muddy) +part Cox Green in 40:40. |
| Barry Walters |
Running |
10km |
Bracknell |
Mon am |
00:56:42 |
Ran a steady effort over Swinley Forest in the morning in mild windy
conditions. Moving much better than yesterday. In the evening did one
hour of yoga at my local leisure centre. |
| Benita Scaife |
Running |
4miles |
Sonning to Reading on Thames Path |
Sun |
00:48:55 |
Super slippery in places, including the section that forms part of
the Reading parkrun course which must have been as muddy as Woking
parkrun yesterday… |
| John Scaife |
Running |
4miles |
Sonning to Reading on Thames Path |
Sun |
00:48:55 |
...Nice to have seen Jacqui Haines at Woking. |
| Ian Cunningham |
Race |
20miles |
Not the Kingston Breakfast Run |
Sun am |
00:02:55 |
The race that used to be the Kingston Breakfast Run. Last long run
in the bank before Rotterdam in 4 weeks. Pleased with a strong last 5
miles! |
| Jain Reid |
Running |
16.08km |
Thames: Putney and Kew |
Sun |
01:49:17 |
A 16k river run between Putney and Kew bridges. |
| Michael Ball |
Sprints |
|
|
|
|
This week's activity 6x30 3x40 2x60 1x120 mtrs 4min between sprints |
| Piers Keenleyside |
Race |
Marathon |
Rome |
Sun am |
03:53:57 |
Fantastic start with 6+ jets flying low over us leaving green, white
and red vapour trail. St Peter's Square was one of the highlights of the
route along with the start/ finish at the Colosseum. |
| Roderick Hoffman |
Orienteering |
8.09km |
Notting Hill |
Tue eve |
01:02:40 |
15 controls visited. Answers had to be written in a small box. Photo
shows the sign for "When is parking permitted?". Write an
essay in that
small box! Also on Sunday; full Notting Hill map - 38 controls in 17.88km and
2:25:39. |
| Simon Turton |
Orienteering |
9.21km |
Great Ridge, Wiltshire |
Sun |
01:10:23 |
Sarum Saunter. The planner made a good job of avoiding the worst of
the climb and brashings. Lovely day to be out and able to test my new
thumb compass after smashing the last one on its first outing at the
British Night Champs a few weeks ago. 180m climb. |
| Steve Hillier |
Running |
3.8km |
Roxbourne Park |
Sun |
00:27:50 |
Friday's figure of eight, by bike through Ealing and Hillingdon.
21km in 1hr 33min, exploring the byways of Hayes End. It turns out
I cycled a Scotty dog shaped route. Also Sunday's 3.8km local
circuit of Roxbourne Park. 3.8km in 27:50. No interesting
shapes to report. |
| Steve Waite |
Orienteering |
|
Brasted Chart, near Seven Oaks |
Thur 8th |
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Kent Night Cup Week 19, "Lost in a Foggy wood!" [from last week…it
also got lost in my spam filter] |
Photos:
 Roderick Hoffman
parkrun Results for Saturday 18th March
36 activities are recorded below. Please get in touch if your activity is
missing.
| Club parkrunner |
parkrun |
Run# |
Pos |
Time |
Age Grade |
Comment |
| David
Cowell |
Beeston |
389 |
|
|
|
Timekeeper at Beeston (20th different volunteer location). |
| Joe NOLAN |
Black Park |
651 |
216 |
0:32:17 |
52.92% |
run #414, 369th at Black Park |
| David
DUGGAN |
Broadwater |
78 |
124 |
0:56:11 |
29.31% |
first run at Broadwater, run #451, park #121, Wilson Index stays on
16 |
| Kevin
HOLLAND |
Brooklands |
137 |
222 |
0:37:31 |
50.51% |
fifth consecutive month at Brooklands, 23rd visit in total |
| Ian
CUNNINGHAM |
Bushy Park |
922 |
601 |
0:30:59 |
51.75% |
run #499, Champagne is on ice. |
| Piers
KEENLEYSIDE |
Caffarella |
145 |
67 |
0:26:59 |
62.14% |
run #323, park #60, First BA male at Caffarella, Rome |
| Scott
DAVISON |
Crane Park |
497 |
38 |
0:27:31 |
54.03% |
79th run at Crane Park |
| Murray
Hogge |
Dinton Pastures |
178 |
176 |
0:31:47 |
51.34% |
P Index is 4 |
| Melanie
Miller |
Ganger Farm |
18 |
149 |
0:40:53 |
43.70% |
run #133, park#107, New BA parkrun #712 |
| Alastair
HESLOP |
Guildford |
466 |
|
|
|
Timekeeper at Guildford |
| Denis
FOXLEY |
Harrow |
339 |
105 |
0:31:29 |
58.28% |
Third actual run at Harrow this month, though hampered a nasty
cough. |
| Joan
FOXLEY |
Harrow |
339 |
156 |
0:50:59 |
46.71% |
Tail Walker at Harrow |
| Alice
BANKS |
Higginson, Marlow |
144 |
|
|
|
Marshal at Higginson |
| Barry
WALTERS |
Osterley |
415 |
94 |
0:27:09 |
62.92% |
P-Index moves up to 7, seven runs at seven different parkruns |
| Jeremy
SHORT |
Osterley |
415 |
130 |
0:30:05 |
53.80% |
fifth fortnightly run at Osterley in 2023 |
| Neil
FREDIANI |
Prudhoe Riverside |
250 |
84 |
0:31:18 |
54.10% |
ninth parkrun of 2023, fifth at Prudhoe Riverside. |
| Fiona
Bishop |
Pymmes |
549 |
29 |
0:24:01 |
83.14% |
8th Pymmes run, PB from 2018 run, by 1second (they all count).
Improves own BA records. |
| Ben
Kelly |
Reading |
588 |
51 |
0:24:35 |
52.54% |
|
Christopher T KELLY |
Reading |
588 |
190 |
0:39:52 |
39.21% |
| Mike
DENNISON |
Richmond Park |
747 |
19 |
0:20:42 |
81.00% |
Richmond's jumbo run - 747 |
| Maria
JOVANI |
Richmond Park |
747 |
73 |
0:24:59 |
64.84% |
| Jain
REID |
Richmond Park |
747 |
185 |
0:33:20 |
55.05% |
eighth run at Richmond this year |
| Alan
ANDERSON |
Rickmansworth |
245 |
390 |
0:47:14 |
55.36% |
run #649, Second run at Rickmansworth - 38 second PB |
| Steve
NEWELL |
Rickmansworth |
245 |
391 |
0:47:22 |
42.40% |
plenty of puddles at the Aquadrome ! |
| Stephen K
TAYLOR |
Sheringham |
462 |
52 |
0:29:07 |
55.07% |
first run at Sheringham (Norfolk), park #19 |
| Harjit
Jhooti |
Southwark |
412 |
254 |
0:50:23 |
35.46% |
parkwalker at Southwark |
| Trish
MCCABE |
Squerryes Winery |
110 |
33 |
0:30:38 |
52.34% |
first run at Squerryes, park #117 |
| Sarah
GORDON |
Stockley Country |
10 |
75 |
0:40:51 |
51.16% |
park #136, Wilson Index is 17 |
|
Charlotte Habgood |
Stockley Country |
10 |
85 |
1:01:16 |
30.79% |
[non-member] Roderick's other sister for Stockley Country's
Ex-Hoffman meet-up |
| Roderick
HOFFMAN |
Stockley Country |
10 |
|
|
|
Run Director at Stockley Country |
| Paul
TIMMS |
Tetbury Goods Shed |
125 |
20 |
0:23:08 |
68.73% |
run#94, 21st at Tetbury Goods Shed |
| Julie
BARCLAY |
Walthamstow |
444 |
141 |
0:52:48 |
35.73% |
Nice slow walk/jog around the course, saving energy for the token
sorting, park #132. Trish and Roderick retain the club records. |
| Paul
WATT |
Walthamstow |
444 |
142 |
0:52:49 |
29.85% |
run #230, park #128. Paul reports that he needs a stopwatch bingo time of '48 seconds and a
position of 141. In retrospect he was too much of a "Scaifesque gent". |
|
Jacqueline MUSSELWHITE |
Woking |
358 |
94 |
0:26:39 |
66.17% |
| Benita
SCAIFE |
Woking |
358 |
167 |
0:34:14 |
61.98% |
[Corrected position] |
| John
SCAIFE |
Woking |
358 |
168 |
0:34:16 |
50.88% |
[Corrected position] |
parkrun review Saturday 18th March 2023
Memories of the dry winter are fading fast, as puddles and mud return even on
Saturday mornings. We can however look forward to days with twelve or more
hours of daylight and setting off in the dark to reach a parkrun shouldn’t be an
issue for the next few months. The attendance at Bushy Park was the lowest
since last October, in fact the weekend the clocks changed to GMT. By this
time next week we will be back to BST but the last act to be played out during
winter time promises to be our latest member – Ian Cunningham – reaching his
500th parkrun. Venue Bushy Park, time 09:00, don’t forget your barcode!
We had one just one pioneering tourist this week. Melanie Miller
(40:53) was at Ganger Farm (near Romsey) which started last November. Her
Wilson Index creeps up to 21. The club total moves up to 712.
We have one foreign visit to report this week. Piers Keenleyside
(26:59) was at Caffarella (Rome) to chalk up his 60th different parkrun. Maria
Jovani has run there in the past so the club total is not in play with that one.
Julie Barclay (52:48) and Paul Watt (52:49) were in no shape to race round
the parkrun course at Walthamstow which is never easy after rain. But they
had volunteered to sort out the finish tokens afterwards anyway. In any
case the run number of “444” was irresistible.
Stephen Taylor (29:07) visited his 19th different parkrun at Sheringham in
Norfolk. One more and he will be classified as “tourist”. He has
been very loyal to Northala Fields, Gunnersbury and Osterley throughout the last
decade.
Steve Newell
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]
Letters to the Editor
Nothing specific - but several people pass on their best regards to Petra
following her correspondence last week. Also I note that both Paola Howard, Ian
Monk and Caroline Yarnell say hello on Facebook through the picture of us at the
NOW.
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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