baRUNNER - a website for the British Airways Athletics Club
BA Athletics Club News Digest 22nd May 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 WeekPlease 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:
2023 Concorde One Hour on 4th June and Speedbird Ladies on Wednesday 21st JuneWith two weeks to go we've got 18 registrations for the Concorde event and with a month to go 18 also for the Speedbird Ladies. We haven't yet got three BA first claim runners, so will have difficulty entering a team in our own event! Please do what you can do to promote these club events.
We will need volunteers on the day, particularly for the Concorde event. 2023 Track and Field – Week One Reports - a quiet start to the seasonThe first week of our competitive T&F season involved matches in both the Veteran’s and Rosenheim Leagues. Last Monday, the British Airways team travelled to the Vets match at Battersea. It was a brilliantly sunny evening, but turned really chilly by the end of the event. Mike Ball led the way on the track, cheered on by his currently injured son. Mike finished with competitive times in the 100m and 400m. Steve and Janet covered the field events, with Janet taking comfortable victories in both discus and shot. Mike and Steve moved on to Kingston on Wednesday to tackle the Rosenheim League. A wide range of ages take part in this competition, from Under-18s through to the Vets categories. The final races of the evening were two exciting 4 x 200m relays, contested by men’s and women’s teams. Numbers were down for the first week this year, with several BAAC athletes injured and unable to compete. We’re hoping that several will have recovered for our next competitions: the Vets League at Hillingdon on June 5th, and the Rosenheim League at Ewell on June 14th. New faces would be very welcome to join the team at either event. Just a few more participants will see us racing up the league tables. Full details in the digest next week. Vets League Track & Field, Battersea, 15th May 2023
Rosenheim League Track & Field, Kingston, 17th May 2023
Green Belt Relay 2023 - British Airways Relay Team - 23rd place of 51.As initially reported last week, the BA GBR Relay Team were back in action at the jubilee 25th GBR last weekend, 13-14 May. After a smaller restart in 2022, the event was back up to 51 teams this year, and we were pleased to maintain our top-half position, 23rd, with a total time of 29:22:41. We were in some jeopardy due to losing three runners to medical issues in the last ten days, with no reserves standing by, but fortunately three brave souls responded to the late calls for assistance, and we got back to full strength ahead of race day, and even managed to lend out one backup to another struggling team. We started the weekend with an excellent run from hardy perennial Paul Knechtl, on his old stomping grounds, in blistering form, getting 1st V50 and 9th place overall, putting the team in a corresponding, and unlikely-to-be-maintained 9th position. Last minute returnee Mark Taylor was up next, picking up at Staines where he had finished - first! - on Leg 1 in 2005. The intervening 18 years were hardly noticeable as he set off over the bridge and along the tow path, and then the main challenge was to get Barry, Graham, DaveB, and our Captain to Eton, after a short wait for PK, in one car. After a quick game of where's-the-seatbelt, we were off too, at the double, in order to reach Boveney ahead of our third runner, debutante Alex Caballero, with his BA Shirt and GBR number... We made it on time, and we were then able to switch Barry into Murray's car for the next transfer to Little Marlow, which we followed once Mark finished. With Mark in the front, our three back-seat passengers once again entertained themselves on the drive past Cliveden, and Maidenhead, up to Bourne End, which we just completed in time to see Murray off, and meet up with Team Cars 2 and 3, Roderick and Mike. More numbers were handed over to subsequent runners (though not quite as many as would have been ideal..) and we were also greeted by Steve Newell and Alan Anderson fresh (if that's the right word) from Henley parkrun. With Murray away on the awesomely beautiful, and not unhilly Leg 4, my next target was to get to my start of Leg 5 at Great Kingshill. Leaving the rest of the team to welcome Alex into the end of Leg 3, which he completed admirably, with no navigational issues, we set off around High Wycombe and up Cryers Hill to my start. Don't be fooled, the clues are all there. Meanwhile Roderick set off to set up our first Marshal point at 10 miles into Leg 4, and Mike joined him there [and we coped with BT having dug up the whole lane that the course goes down - it was touch and go so we didn't have the chance to take a photograph of the problem]. Frankie picked up Alex and drove onto pick up Murray. I set off on the 13mile Great Kingshill leg, which is as marvellous as the schedule implies, and Graham and Mark moved my car to the end of the leg. Roderick finished Marshalling and headed for his start at Chipperfield, where there may have been a slight "where's my number" consternation... And at a similar time, in St Albans, a new GBR runner, Keith Johnson, was waiting patiently in a BA shirt for someone to greet him warmly and proffer him a GBR number. The seconds were ticking away, but thanks to the highly-tuned, finely-honed, works-like-clockwork systems analysis employed to develop the BA GBR schedule, both runners were soon brandishing their requisite numericals and were on their ways. Our next Leg was to be run by GBR stalwart Dave Dixon, but in a new twist, he would be facing off against an old team member, Richard Ruffell, who was the runner we had nearly needed ourselves before Alex, Mark and Steve stepped up. Instead, on Friday morning, another team, the Shaef Shifters, had enquired if we knew anyone willing and able to do one leg only at this point on the Saturday. A quick check revealed that Richard was available, even with his Triathlon 70.3 training commitments, and could be persuaded to run, so we all descended on Stage 8, to see the erstwhile colleagues lining up on the same start line. Happy times were remembered, handshakes exchanged, and after the start was slightly delayed - by the Clapham Chaser on Leg 7 arriving at his finish in almost record time - they were off. At this point we needed to move multiple cars to the finish, and also pick up Keith which he helped by doing a terrific time on his first attempt. Once again, my priority was to get to the Leg 9 start before our final last-minute volunteer, and GBR noob, Steve Taylor, had to set off, to handover his number, and a new shirt. This was accomplished successfully, and although parking was a bit tricky, we met up and Steve was sounding comfortable with the leg navigation - seven miles straight down the canal, then a tricky bit over three bridges, and a big hill. Our marshal station was at mile 7.9 on the course, between the bridges and the hill, which Roderick, Barry, PK and DB would establish, and I was to pick up DB from there to get him to his leg, the last of the day. Meanwhile Mike would head up to Stage 10 for his - second - run of the day - something to do with parkrun apparently (!) - but before that we just had time to see Dave finish his leg in good order - 7th (and 3rd V50!) and Richard not far behind. At the Marshal point, while picking up DB, I could see the Stage was being keenly fought, with the top three within 30 seconds of each other, and a Clapham Chaser Woman in 2nd. Things were clearly heating up, and the same was true for our Marshals, as the genteel resident of the house on the corner came out to ask what was going on, and when it was explained to her, asked if any of our sterling men-in-yellow would like a refreshing cup of tea! PK was not about to turn that down, and was still able to guide runners around the corner with his remaining free hand. For DB and I it was then off to Toot Hill for the last Leg, which we were able to prefix with a quick visit to the Green Man, for a swift half and a bag of nuts. Dave got off promptly, and we awaited Mike. Mike's opponents included a Team Bushy member, who may be familiar to readers of last year's report, as she was somewhat taken aback by the last-minute nature of that year's BA runner's on-the-line overtaking manoeuvre. This year, determined to avoid a similar denouement, she ran hard all the way to beyond the finish, only then turning to applaud Mike in. She was keen to clarify it was nothing personal, but definitely payback for 2022! Finally, we all converged on Blackmore, where it was clear that DaveB had had an excellent run (9th), and then we headed for our evening's accommodation, in Bulphan. For the first time in our 17-year history there was a disconcerting, but ultimately resolved mix up with the rooms and food but once we had ordered food and drinks, we were able to grab quick showers and were back in our private dining room for some beers, starters, mains, puddings! and a debriefing on the day's events. We also quickly reviewed Sunday's plan, but happily, needed no major changes. With a varying variety of minor trepidations, Sunday panned out in a sunnier, but otherwise similar way. Once again, all legs were run - if mostly slower - and cars proceeded around the glorious Green Belt. PK was first V50, in 58:35 on his Stage 19, which looks like it should be a V50 Record, and over both days, we obtained 10 Category Position Podiums (1st-3rd), with the rest of us managing our contributions, to limit our descent on the leader board to 2 positions - not bad for a bunch of 90% OFs (Over Fifties, not Old Farts!). Once again, we owe enormous thanks to event directors Peter Kennedy, Alex Cutting, and all the Stragglers for their months of work putting on such an enjoyable event. And to all the other teams for providing the excellent competition and looking out for us at the Marshal Points too. If anyone wants to register interest for next year's event you're more than welcome - as this year certainly proved that a full team is no such thing, and reserves are priceless. Let me know. Captain Chris Kelly (22-May-23) Roderick's photographs: https://1drv.ms/a/s!Ao4wOv9pbDU1ioRgYDMph3Hkl_4goA?e=hhKNAs Chris+Paul's photos: https://photos.app.goo.gl/EJSXtLtz8yK8jKBz5 GBR Organisers & Helpers Video: https://youtu.be/4hPnaRWOgXI May Monthly Mile Results
Six results this month with three of them (Bob, Mike and Ian) having been recorded at the resumed Arethusa Mile races which during the lighter months take place every Wednesday in Bushy Park starting, coincidently, near the Arethusa Statue. For the June club mile we'll propose a meet-up at one of these mile races - they are free to enter and operate in a similar way to parkrun (indeed, they use the original finish position disks that were made for Bushy parkrun). The proposed date for this is Wednesday 28th June but this needs to be confirmed. Recent Activity Achievements17 members communicated their achievements to me or found on Facebook (plus two missed from last week). Your achievement not listed? It could be because you didn't submit it.
Roderick Hoffman parkrun Results for Saturday 18th and 20th May34 activities are recorded below. Please get in touch if your activity is missing.
parkrun Review 20th May 2023“Special” events on Thursday (Ascension Day) in Finland created an opportunity to attend an “extra” parkrun this week. For Roderick Hoffman (30:01) who travelled to Lahden satama, 100+ km to the North from Helsinki it was break from his weekly duties at the fledgling Stockley Country parkrun. Paul Watt (20:47) and Julie Barclay (24:21) went to Tokoinranta in Helsinki (where Roderick visited in pre-Covid times). The attendance (a record 166) was swelled by many UK parkrunning tourists. So, moving onto Saturday and the fun-loving opportunistic youth(?) of Hillingdon were up to no good and by 9 a.m. adjusted the “direction of travel” signs at Stockley Country which Roderick had had in place by 08:30. The parkrun is still attracting more first timers than runners familiar with the course and some of the former spent some time “out of bounds“ to coin a golf links' expression. But everyone found their way to the finish. Paul Watt (20:58) and Julie Barclay (24:30) were also back in the UK trying the newish parkrun at Leavesden Country Park in Hertfordshire and setting club records there. Elsewhere, Adrian Haines (18:57, 81.79%) was first home at Ifield Mill Pond for the fourth time and with his best age grade% there. Mike Dennison (20:06, 83:42) at Bushy, and Fiona Bishop (24:31, 81.44%) at Woking, were both also over 80%. There was a pb for Keith Johnson (22:40) at Houghton Hall, winding down after the Green Belt Relay. Alan Anderson is more used to celebrating another 100 parkruns than the occasional birthday. He can now stop telling everyone he is nearly 88, he is 88! And on 688 parkruns. And he was marshalling at Osterley Junior parkrun on Sunday where 76 years' younger (12) Jack Hayward (6:58, Ealing Southall and Middlesex) was first home with a pb – a name to keep an eye on. Steve Newell Finland Ascension Day parkrunThere were a total of 296 finishers across the six Finland special parkruns on Ascension Day. That is roughly double their normal Saturday attendance. An analysis by myself (parkrun statsgeek group | Finland Ascension Day Report | Facebook) shows that they got the same normal of local attendees but they were supplemented by an equivalent number of international visitors. 122 of those normally run in the UK, 11 normally in Australia and 16 from other parkrun countries. Tokoinranta, in Helsinki, had the most number of visitors, over 100, whereas the most northerly parkrun, Pokkinen only had six, although another eight made it there for their Saturday parkrun. 78 of the visitors had run on Norway's special day on 1st May and five had also run on South Africa's special day in April. The next special day is on Monday, 29th May, with The Netherlands celebrating Whit Monday and with 11 of their parkruns running a special parkrun. Five aren't operating - including the popular Zuiderpark and also Amsterdamse Bos, near Schiphol. The Facebook World Tourist parkrun site already has over 188 people listed to attend the Dutch special parkruns. The following week has two special days - Denmark's Constitution Day on 5th June followed by Sweden's National Day on 6th June.
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 Runnymede Runners Relays - 15th JulyNo one has yet stepped forward to organise a BAAC team for this. We'd need a couple of members to show an interest, then I'm sure we'd pick up a few more.
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.
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
