baRUNNER - a website for the British Airways Athletics Club

BA Athletics Club News Digest 26th April 2021

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

For Coronavirus related restrictions and advice see News_Coronavirus_Guidance_April_2021.shtml [no changes].

Club Event Map: [Clickable link to Google Maps]

This Week's and Future Solo 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, such as the weekend achievement, 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.

Weekend Achievement (by 5pm on the Monday) or use the Facebook prompt that will be added on Friday:

In-Person Events - please register in advance. Please provide suggestions and offer to organise.

There are two in-person events this week, on Wednesday evening and Sunday morning. See the diary and below for details.

Please register your interest for these in-person events even if you are only a possible. Either by email or using the "Signup" option on the diary entry > Roderick Hoffman (register interest) .  Future In-Person events will be added to the diary as organisers put themselves forward.

Wednesday's Five Mile Handicap will be run so that all participants finish at around 7pm. Steve Newell will be manning the clock so I'll be running this time as well. This will be the last of the winter series and we have the opportunity to retire to a (outside but covered) table at the Duke of Wellington afterwards (in groups of up to six, but they don't accept reservations so we may not get a table). Please tell us that you are running. We expect the changing rooms to be available, but probably without hot showers.

Track-on-Field April Results

April's event included three of us, Michael, Stephen and I, running together at the track at Feltham. At the longer events Michael and Stephen were well matched. Michael went out fast but was then chased down by Stephen in each of the 1500m and 800m events. For the shorter events Michael was way out in front and it was the case of Stephen starting well and myself clawing him back on the finish straight. I didn't quite catch him - but we recorded our times in the 100m as 20.6 (Stephen) and 20.8 (Roderick) and it did feel that close. For the 200m event it is a pity that we didn't have Steve Hillier and Chris Kelly at Feltham as well. Perhaps in the May event. Perhaps...but we have the prospect of Track and Field matches returning soon and clogging up the diary! Hopefully so, anyway. The first Veterans Event is now penciled in for 7th June in Hillingdon (the hoped for 10th May event at Battersea has been cancelled due to the difficulties of getting sufficient volunteers to manage the complex operation required).

Roderick Hoffman

Cooper Test 21st April 2021 (NOW)

The plans to celebrate the 45th anniversary of the day some of the older members first ran together at the Kings College Track in Ruislip in 1976 had been on hold since January but finally became legal in mid month.  Two of the original trialists (Denis Foxley and Steve Hillier) were joined by Barry Walters and Roderick Hoffman while Steve Newell took on the roles of judge and timekeeper.

The test was designed by a Dr. Cooper to measure the VO2 Max of US Army recruits in the middle of the last century. Those taking the test run as far as they can in 12 minutes. Tables are available to provide a rating based on age, gender and distance achieved.
The original tests were conducted using a 440 yard track.  The Kings College track is a rare remaining example of such a track but obviously a 400m track works just as well.  Markers were placed on the inside kerb every 50m (c 55 yards).

The four runners started together (social distanced (no masks) a lane apart) and soon formed a file in lane 1.  The proprietor of the local cafe (outside tables only) soon latched on to event and started his own commentary for the benefit of his customers.  The possibility of Steve Hillier being lapped by Barry Walters became a commentators delight but it never quite happened as Barry was still about 25 yards short when the 12 minutes whistle sounded!

All runners successfully chose a sustainable pace and no overtaking took place.    Split times for each 440 yard lap were as follows: Barry Walters - 2:00, 1:59, 2:03, 2:01, 2:06; Denis Foxley - 2:05, 2:06. 2:09, 2:10, 2:13; Roderick Hoffman - 2:07, 2:11, 2:11, 2:13, 2:12; Steve Hillier - 2:17, 2:28, 2:29, 2:31.  The laps completed were Barry 5 7/8, Denis 5 5/8, Roderick 5 1/2 and Steve 4 15/16.

Two other members also tried the test remotely.  Eddie Giles ran an estimated 1.52 miles (equ 6 laps) round a hill fort circle in Wiltshire while Chris Kelly managed 1.74 miles (equivalent to almost 7 laps) up and down a stretch of canal in Berkshire (including locks!).

The next NOW will probably be towards the end of May, possible Wednesday lunchtimes 19th or 26th.  The exact date will be dependent on some clarification of the post Covid track & field calendars and also organisers' availabilities. The possibilities and organisers are Burnham Beeches (John Scaife) and Osterley (Roderick Hoffman).

Steve Newell

Ed: In terms of the grading used in January most of us remain in the same grades despite some small improvements. Barry however moves from "Average" to "Excellent" and Denis from "Average" to "Good".

BAAC Cross Country Championships - Sunday 2nd May Crane Park - Reminder

The Sunday is the annual BA Cross Country race in scenic Cranford Park.  We want members and friends to take part in this traditional feature of the BAAC Spring calendar.  The two winners get awarded the prestigious BAAC Cross Country trophy.  The course involves two very flat laps of the park for ladies (just over 3 miles) and three laps for men (almost 5 miles).  Keen lady runners are welcome to complete the third lap! The Sunday morning start time will be 10:30.

Please be aware that we have to abide by a number of COVID regulations, and all participants should register in advance to be able to take part - runners, volunteers and spectators.  The race has a maximum entry limit for members and friends, but we are unlikely to approach that limit so please join us.

Please run if you can, but we would also welcome volunteers to help with the smooth running of the event.  If you can help, please contact me:

> Steve Hillier (Secretary@barunner.org.uk)

You can park in Cranford Park car park off the A312/M4 roundabout.  That car park may get busy so if you arrive slightly early you might like to consider parking in Roseville Road and use the underpass to get to the start/finish area. Note that for those coming from Cranford that the underpass from Church Road is completely blocked by a flood so you are strongly advised to use the footbridge and footpath on the Parkway instead.

Paul "New Shoes" Watt and Julie Barclay have confirmed that they expect to join us on Sunday as has Adrian Haines, fresh from his sub-five minute mile. Will the Cranford Park course act as a leveler for the rest of us? Probably not, I ran two laps around it last week and the grass and paths were already firming up throughout and there is very little rain forecast for the rest of the week. I've made it clear that "I don't do cross-country" but I will be jogging round towards the back of the field on Sunday (provided I'm not needed for finish duties) and will challenge myself to do the third lap. I may even nominate myself to be an official tail runner.

Roderick Hoffman

Monthly Solo Challenge - Street Sentence

Perhaps I should be thankful that I didn't get more entries for this! These are the ones I got:

I said I'd declare a winner but how can I judge any of these to be better, or worse, than any of the others? But I will judge Amanda's to be the best for being quite close to what I had intended for the entries and for her inventive use of " 'Ave" from "Avenue" and "Nag" from "Sunna Gardens".

Roderick Hoffman

Meet the Committee - Stephen Taylor

Ed: In the digest I usually change Steve's name to "Stephen" so that there is just a little bit of differentiation between him and each of Steve Hillier and Steve Newell. Fortunately for me he uses "Stephen" in his Facebook name, since I have another "Steve Taylor" as a Facebook friend as well.

WARR date - 23rd October 2021, yes 2021!

A venue and date has been selected for this year's World Airline Road Race. This is Saturday 23rd October at Waikiki in Hawaii, USA. Obviously, for this to become a reality and for BAAC to send a significant team we would need:

• The UK to be opened up post COVID - due from June 21st,
• The USA to be opened up post COVID - Hawaii but also intermediate locations,
• A travel corridor to be opened up between the UK and the USA,
• No significant reduction in the effectiveness of the vaccines against newer mutations of the virus,
• Enough team members able and willing to make the trip.

Whilst personally I consider this unlikely to be the case, it is certainly not impossible and I'll be making arrangements for myself in the hope that it happens. Please let me know your hopes and intentions.

> Roderick Hoffman

Or, Closer to home, The Cabbage Patch 10

Those with less hope are welcome to register for the Cabbage Patch 10 which is planned for the streets of Twickenham on 17th October, the previous Sunday. Piers Keenleyside has offered to champion that event as a club Run-of-the-Month. For details and entries see: Welcome to the Cabbage Patch 10

BA Athletics Club Records - Hurdles

Anne Hurn had many hurdles put in front of her in her time at the club, including those for the 100m that she cleared with some ease, equaling Janet's previously set record. This is one of six records she still holds at the club (also including the 400m record listed last week).

To qualify as a record the event has to be competitive and accurately measured and the participant has to be a paid-up member of the club and wearing a club vest (or in an in-house organised event). Members for whom BA is a second claim club may need permission from their first claim club for them to run in a BA vest and claim the record (so the same performance cannot be claimed by two different clubs).

If you know better please send us your claim - we want to get these in the best shape possible. New records or questions: Stats@barunner.org.uk . 

Roderick Hoffman

* The record that Anne equaled was set by Janet Smith who is much better known as a thrower of heavy objects rather than a runner. Janet holds four discus records, five hammer records, two javelin records and four shot put records (and five "GB Vest" mentions). But she is always willing to help out the team so as well as this hurdles record she is also the holder of a high jump record and a 2km walk record.

** Similar to Janet, Steve Hillier is more commonly thought of as a thrower of heavy objects but he holds this record for the 400m hurdles and also a 2km walk record. At the Rosenheim event in May 2000 Steve was busy, also taking part in the 100m, 800m, 4x200m relay, the Triple Jump and the Hammer - but the only record set that day was in the 400m hurdles.

parkrun Update

parkrun was come a step closer to a return in the UK mainland on June 5th with the publication of a report into the anticipated relative safety of undertaking the parkrun activity even given low levels of Coronavirus infection. This should be seen as aiming to convince landowners of the safety so that most events will be given permission to restart on that date. Meanwhile Jersey parkrun was held last Saturday for the first time for over the year and had 429 participants - a large number but fewer than ran there on two weekends in January 2020.

Meanwhile on the mainland more Junior parkruns are returning. Those club runners wanting to combine under 11s childcare with Sunday's Club Cross Country Championships can chose to take the kids to Osterley first or, on its first week back, Northala Fields Junior parkrun.

Letters to the Editor

"BA Runner was a great read, It brought a few good memory tears. Good news re the 40th anniversary.

Thirteen months post Martin and I feel I could well be on the home straight. I know where Martin is and, at last, I believe I know where I am.

I am staying local for the remainder of 2021.  Maybe I can find a race which includes walkers in 2022. My knees object to running, despite doing all the well advised exercises.

Is anyone in contact with anyone in the Manchester BA running club?  I have some of Martin's running vests, in good condition, which I would like to pass on.

I have a lovely apartment, great location in the village centre and lovely view as attached.

God bless and keep safe

Dorothy Cook"

"I occasionally find it frustrating and I imagine other members do too that the membership at large does not get a regular (annual) list of members and contact details.  The Communications Officer role should not be reduced to message forwarding boy.  The BA Golf Section website has a members' section which is only accessible using an individual password which enables members to get in touch with one another to arrange casual or competitive rounds without bothering a committee member.  Members who prefer to keep such information private are catered for but even that liberal policy triggers the question of why people would join a club in the first place.  My sailing club issues an annual calendar along with a list of members and contact details. This is essential as everyone is volunteered to help out two or three times a year to crew the safety boat, etc. and individual plans can change during a long season so being able to arrange a swap at short notice has to be simple and possible.  I believe both these examples are legal.

Steve Newell"

The Communications Officer responds, in the style of most big organisations,: "The membership functionality requested is provided through our social media account on Facebook. Members and friends of the club are welcome to join this private group and exchange ideas and arrangements. Any agreed events can also be entered in the club diary as 'Colleague Run" events."

However the Editor would welcome other correspondence on the subject since it is known that Steve isn't the only member to be low key when it comes to Facebook and other social media networks.

> To the Editor

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.