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BA Athletics Club News Digest 28th March 2022

Events Calendar - online here

Events marked "#" are points scoring for the club's participation trophy - for the 2022 title.

Club Event Map: [Clickable link to Google Maps]

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

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.

Track-on-Field (by end of Sunday 3rd April, to be reported on in the following digest):

Name Date 1500m time 800m time 400m time 200m time 100m time Comment:
              e.g. Location

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

Although I haven't been promoting Track-On-Field for the last couple of months Steve Hillier has submitted an entry this month. Let me have any others before next Monday.

Concorde Promotion

This is an A5 size leaflet for the Concorde One Hour Race (2 copies on an A4 sheet) - please consider how you could use this to promote the event: pdf attachment [corrected link]

Bargain of the Year!

Dear BAAC & England Athletics Affiliates,

It's that time of year again, when we "offer" you the chance to renew your membership of the club - and also membership/affiliation to England Athletics.   This is principally a reminder that the "perfect" time to do this is by the end of next weekend - Sunday 3rd April - which is the start of the club's financial year, and allows me to see your receipts on the bank statement issued on 5th, so I can prepare the onward Affiliation payments to England Athletics in the same month (otherwise your EA affiliation may be late).

I also need to alert you to the fact that the England Athletics payment has risen this year, to £16 - so that in conjunction with subs which remain at £9 - full membership is now £25. So if you can ideally schedule/organise payment of that amount £25 to arrive by 4th April, then it will be much appreciated.

Information and benefits of England Athletics Affiliation: https://www.englandathletics.org/athletics-and-running/athlete-registration/athlete-registration/

If you do not require England Athletics, then just the £9 at that time will be just as appreciated.

The bank details are unchanged - contact me if you need to be reminded.

Regards,

Chris Kelly

BAAC Treasurer

The Chairman adds - I think that our Treasurer is being far too polite and is grossly understating what you are getting for your £9. Even if you only ever get these digests from the club, for £9 for a year that works out at under 20p each - compare that to the price of a pair of running shoes. In the past we have been very lenient towards people renewing late but we are discussing whether we should tighten up. To ensure that your name keeps appearing please renew promptly and drop Chris and Alan an email to say that you have done so.

If you do not plan to renew then please tell us, and also if you plan to change your status with respect to BA Clubs please tell us. Note that we expect visitors to the Bedfont Club to be either members of BA Clubs or members of the Bedfont and Feltham Football and Social Club (forms at the bar).

Chris (Treasurer) - Chris Kelly

Alan (Membership) - Membership@barunner.org.uk

Final Handicap of the Year this Wednesday

Bedfont Club have promised that the changing rooms and showers are available this week (after last Wednesday's late arranged memorial match for which they apologised). Steve Newell is on a cruise this week so it'll be me and Julie Barclay in charge of the clock.

  • Changing rooms open from 17:40,
  • First runners away from 18:00,
  • All to target their finishes for 19:00, [in the light, sunset is at 19:31]
  • Drink and chat in the bar afterwards.

This is the last of the winter series so for some of you it will be the chance to improve on your worst result so far, for others it may be the chance to get one score on the board!

Roderick Hoffman

Club Awards 2021 (part 1)

The 2021 Awards were held very successfully last week at the Bedfont Club. Steve Hillier did most of the managing and arranging. Paul Brandon and I debated which way up the Union Flag should be and John Williams did a fine job in presenting the awards.

Award recipiants 1 to 3

I presented the first award, the Chairman's Trophy, to Amanda Coombs. Although a relatively recent joiner to the club, Amanda has taken on the challenge of being the Ladies Captain and she has also volunteered to be the club's Welfare Officer.  As well as that she is usually the first to respond to any questions on club matters.

Bob Bannister was presented with the Brian Forrester 10k Trophy.  Unusually this has been awarded for a track performance, rather than for a road race.  Bob had a great 2021, with age group PBs at parkrun and ten miles.  He also gained a silver medal over 5k at the Surrey County Championships.  His outstanding 10K performance, completed in 47:46, meant that he is now ranked 10th in the country in his age group.

David Duggan wins the parkrun Trophy for the second time. Despite the late restart he managed to squeeze in 26 2021 parkruns by visiting Northern Ireland in July and not missing a single Saturday between 10th July and Christmas.  He also visited USA for Thanksgiving to get in an extra run.  He also keeps in almost daily touch with his home run at Bedfont Lakes where he has been an almost permanent fixture as volunteer coordinator and supported the fledgling Hanworth parkrun through its first year.  He often writes the report for parkruns which he visits and altogether has notched up a staggering 400 volunteer credits.

Award recipiants 4 to 6

It was good to be back on the track last summer.  The club competed in the Veterans League and the Rosenheim League, with some success in both.  Amongst the men Paul Watt stood out and wins the Men's Track and Field Trophy. He produced our best times in all distances from 800m to 3000m.  He also contributed some rapid sprinting in individual and relay events.  His highlight came in achieving an age group club record in the 800m at Battersea.

 Janet Smith is a national record holder in the Weight Throw.  Anyone wishing to throw 16 pounds off a short wire a distance of 16 metres is welcome to give it a try.  Whilst the Weight Throw didn’t feature in last summer’s BA programme four other throws did.  Janet excelled at each of the throwing events, picking up some club age group records along the way, and helped the club to a successful season and deserving the Ladies Track and Field Trophy.

 We used the 2021 Awards Evening as an opportunity to present Maria Jovani (jointly with Paul Knechtl) the BA Cross-Country Championship Trophy for 2022, won the previous weekend at the Tom Rowley race. Maria and Paul take over as club champions from Julie Barclay and Adrian Haines who won the trophy for 2021.

Six more awards next week. For those who no longer have the patience to wait for next week's installment, you can jump ahead and see next week's winners on the catch-up service at baRUNNER News Trophies page.

Photos by Paul Brandon, words mostly by Steve Hillier.

Roderick Hoffman

Recent Activity Achievements

I picked up on 17 club members and friends reporting recent activity achievements - but I could have included more from yesterday's cross-country.

Colleague Activity Distance Course When Duration Comments
Andy Rayner Running 4miles XC Wed 00:55:25 Also 2.2mile cycle in 16:55 from hot to cold.
Barry Walters Running 11km Swinley Forest Sun am 01:21:58 Ran over at Swinley Forest on an undulating route and reached halfway in around 40 minutes. I slowed slightly during the second half of the run. Conditions were cool and breezy.
Ben Cooper Running 5km Penmark Sun pm 00:25:47 A sunny slog down and back up around Penmark from BAMC lunchtime today
Benita Scaife Running 4.5miles Sonning to Caversham Thur 00:50:21 Uneventful but the walk back took unexpected turns as the footbridge spanning the mouth of the Kennet had been closed for emergency repairs. We followed the diversion through a Tesco car park, through a tunnel under the western region main line railway and threading through a recently built housing estate to regain the path back to Sonning...
John Scaife Running 4.5miles Sonning to Caversham Thur 00:50:21 ...We stopped to watch a gas holder being demolished. Two men wielding oxyacetylene torches on a section of the structure which looked as though it would fall on their heads when they cut through it, but we didn’t wait to find out.
Chris Kelly parkrun 5km University Parks Sat am University parks parkrun #7 in the Spring sunshine, plus a bit of token sorting after. Mind calmed.
Jacqui Musselwhite parkrun 5km Les Dougnes Sat am parkrun in France after a week of running and cycling here in the Dordogne. E.g. 5x1 mile around a lake with the guys and some long cycle rides on quiet roads and trails. The environment here is absolute bliss. [Ed: Talk to Adrian Haines and you could train there also]
Janet Smith Running 4miles Woosehill? Sun 4 miles with the Woosehill Wanderers ‍♀️
Jasvir Singh Modaher  Race 20miles Kingston 20 Sun am 04:00:05
Julie Barclay Walking 5km Basingstoke Canal Sun 00:45:00 Walk along canal to hand out finish tokens at Queens Parade Junior parkrun. Knee still injured!
Michael Ball parkrun 5km Woking Sat am 00:27:07 Slowly getting quicker.
Paul Watt Running 12km Rushmoor Sun 00:54:00 Training run home after volunteering at Queens Parade Junior parkrun.
Piers Keenleyside  Race 5km Serpentine Last Friday of the Month (Hyde Park) Fri 00:25:05 With the help of my new Nike Air Zoom Tempo Next% Flyknit running shoes I did my fastest pace in any race since December 2017! I clocked 25:05 for a pace of 8:05 minute miles.
Roderick Hoffman Orienteering 8.33km Brixton Sun pm 00:56:53 I'd done this badly two weeks ago. Easier in the daylight, having studied the map and having street knowledge but even so - two week's ago 180pts / today 350pts AND 3 minutes in hand.
Stephen Taylor  Race 20miles Kingston 20 Sun am 03:47:42 A bit too soon after C19 although it wasn't my lungs that were complaining but my legs from not having done any activity for ten days.  One in the bank for Edinburgh but will be stiff for a couple of days.
Steve Hillier Running 3.8km Roxbourne Park Sun am 00:25:14 We've also done some Thames Walking, on around the Boat race course (5 miles) and 14 miles of cycling.
Steve Newell Swim 1600m Indoor Pool 00:51:30 Steve has also reported a longish walk around Arles in the Rhone Valley today, prior to boarding his river cruise.

Week achievement photos

Roderick Hoffman

parkrun Results for Saturday 26th March 2022

41 activities are recorded this week. Please get in touch if your activity is missing.

Club parkrunner parkrun Run# Pos Time Age Grade PB? Comment
Paul WATT Bartley Park 15 9 0:20:04 77.91% BA Men's and Grade record.
Julie BARCLAY Bartley Park 15 107 0:48:28 38.38% Bad knee but finished. Melanie retains her lady's record.
Murray Hogge Bath Skyline 314 170 0:29:48 54.31%
Trish MCCABE Beckton 446 34 0:28:53 54.99% BA Ladies record.  A step nearer to Londone
Michael Dennison Bedfont Lakes 586 8 0:20:45 80.08%
Maria JOVANI Bedfont Lakes 586 15 0:21:54 73.21% Fastest of the year - Also gave the first "First Timers Welcome" at Bedfont Lakes.
Paul PRESCOTT Bedfont Lakes 586 18 0:22:14 58.32%
Anne Bannister Bedfont Lakes 586 49 0:27:53 73.82%
Bob BANNISTER Bedfont Lakes 585 Marshal and Barcode Scanning at Bedfont Lakes
Joe NOLAN Black Park 599 259 0:32:02 52.86% Black Park run 599 - next week is the 600
Sarah GORDON Braunstone 523 Marshal at Braunstone
Kevin HOLLAND Brooklands 90 249 0:37:41 49.45% PB   13 second improvement.
Ian Haylock Bushy Park 869 75 0:20:26 72.76% Fastest of the year
Ian CUNNINGHAM Bushy Park 869 185 0:22:41 70.10% Fastest of the year
Neil FREDIANI Chopwell Wood 13 Marshal at Chopwell Wood
Steve NEWELL Clapham Common 122 555 0:45:12 43.51% Wilson Index creeps up to 123.  8th run at Clapham Common
Ben CHAYTOW Crane Park 448 31 0:25:14 56.21%
David DUGGAN Crane Park 448 76 0:31:52 51.20%
Melanie Miller Edgbaston Reservoir 31 179 0:54:26 32.39% Tail walker at Edgbaston Reservoir, park #61
Roderick HOFFMAN Grove Fields 29 71 0:29:17 55.26% 1,000 miles of parkrun tourism! (322nd event) / BA Men's record (Benita keeps the grade record)
Alastair HESLOP Guildford 423 351 0:48:44 35.40% Tail Walker (rehearsal for April 9th?) at Guildford (249th volunteer occasion). 9th timed parkrun.
Piers KEENLEYSIDE Gunnersbury 463 151 0:25:51 64.86% New shoes. Fastest run of the year.
Joan FOXLEY Harrow 289 156 0:36:57 63.37%
John COFFEY Hazelwood 131 92 0:36:33 57.50%
Barry WALTERS Henley-on-Thames 169 27 0:29:30 57.40% First run at Henley-on-Thames. Event #51.
Keith Johnson Houghton Hall 150 23 0:23:34 63.58%
Adrian HAINES Les Dougnes 293 1 0:19:40 77.46% PB   They all count! One second improvement. Improves own BA Men's and grade record
Jacqui Musselwhite Les Dougnes 293 5 0:25:35 68.08%
Benita SCAIFE Maidenhead 297 188 0:32:32 64.24%
John SCAIFE Maidenhead 297 189 0:32:34 52.97%
Petra OTTO Manor Field, Whittlesey 117 68 0:53:34 40.88% Tail Walker at Manor Field
Janet CUNNINGHAM Nonsuch 477 540 0:35:52 53.35% [non-member] With Kiki, as featured in the Telegraph this week.
Harjit Jhooti Old Deer Park 519 72 0:31:38 55.74% first run at ODP, park #41
Anne Anderson Osterley 368 237 0:46:56 61.40% (Assisted)
Alan ANDERSON Osterley 368 238 0:46:57 53.64%
Ben Kelly Reading 545 52 0:22:56 56.25%
Alan FRIAR Reading 545 197 0:32:22 60.76% Woodley cancelled this week
Eddie GILES Salisbury 285 142 0:27:20 67.13% 150th parkrun, best time this year
Christopher T KELLY University Parks 7 346 0:36:32 42.43% Wilson Index bounds up to 19. Ten minutes slower than last week (with Sarah Kelly).
Sarah Kelly University Parks 7 345 0:36:32 54.65% First run at University Parks
Micheal BALL Woking 308 109 0:27:07 59.13% Fastest time since the restart.

Minimal report this week due to Steve Newell's absence (and me having everything else in this issue to write!). I report above that no one ran at Hastings this week. I say that because we nearly featured three Hastings. My Melbourne sister (not a member) did run at Hastings Foreshore in Victoria. When I heard this (at 7am on Saturday) I quickly checked with my Leicester sister (who is a member) to see if she had heard about and was planning on attending Hastings High School parkrun which was having its inaugural quite close to where she lives (it'll be her third nearest). She was committed to Braunstone so I stuck with plan A, rather than dash round the M25 to collect Hastings and a few speeding points. Three different Hastings in the same list would have looked good - but now only in my imagination.

The improvement in the weather seemed to lead to better running with a couple of PBs reported this week and some best times of the year. It may be a false Spring - the forecast warns of a frozen start for next week's parkrun.

Jacque's picture above reminds me that one of the parkrun Facebook groups had a series of comments made by enthusiasts about parkruns with Electricity Pylons. I told them about the ones at Les Dougnes.

Roderick Hoffman (obo Steve Newell)

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

Club Event Map: [Clickable link to Google Maps]

Roderick Hoffman

Wembley!

Wembley Football Stadium photoDependent upon whether you found our football-run stories interesting or otherwise, you will be either disappointed or pleased to learn that our challenge status now reads ‘mission accomplished’ as Wembley Stadium was conquered on Tuesday.

Julie and I went back to what we know and parked the car by Hatton Cross station to catch the Piccadilly Line train to Leicester Square. This was followed by a short walk to our start point of the ‘Centre of London’ plaque at Trafalgar Square in Charring Cross.

We set off in a new direction travelling north-west along Cockspur Street and thus completing the six exit routes from Trafalgar Square during our challenge. For the first time this season we passed Piccadilly Circus and proceeded up Regent and Oxford Streets. A long stretch along Edgware Road/A5 followed that took us through Camden and Kilburn. It was at Kilburn that we caught first sight of the Wembley Arch but having seen it from such faraway places as Terminal 5 and Craven Cottage, we knew that seeing it was no indication of its proximity. It is also one of those things that no matter how hard you try, it just does not seem to get any closer! However we persevered past Dollis Hill before skirting Gladstone Park - not visited by us yet on a Saturday - and on our way to Wembley Park Station. We aimed for the station so that the final stretch of the challenge would be along the famous Wembley Way to the stadium and although it added some distance to the run, we both think that it was worth taking the best route to the stadium.

London Football Grounds MapThis, the fourteenth, run took the total distance to 98.7 miles taking us 16 hours and 6 minutes encompassing 20 of the 32 London boroughs plus the ceremonial county of City of London.

This entire challenge certainly has improved our knowledge of London which for me, was inexcusably poor. Now off to think of a new challenge and thank you for reading and following the challenge.

Paul Watt and Julie Barclay

Ed: The 14 grounds are Wembley and those in the image down to League Two.

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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