The logo of the baRUNNER website. HOME NEWS DIARY

baRUNNER - a website for the British Airways Athletics Club

The logo of the baRUNNER website.
Events>

BA Athletics Club News Digest 28th August 2017

Events:

  • Tuesday 5th September, Run-of-the-Month, Round-the-Park at Harmondsworth Moor at 12:30*
  • Thursday 7th September, Dream Mile, Bath Road from 12:45*.
  • Monday 11th September, Track & Field Grand Prix, Sprints & Javelin, Uxbridge Track 18:00*

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

*Club Event Map: [Clickable link to Google Maps]

Not for you, no longer interested?  remove me please.

Difficulty viewing this email?  Read it off the website instead - http://www.barunner.org.uk/News Latest.shtml

Club Facebook Page "BARunner" https://www.facebook.com/BARunnerUK/


Wednesday 23rd August, Club-In-house-Event, BBQ on Harmondsworth Moor from 18:00

A pre-event warm-up was led by Trish and Roderick, comprising a one lap jog round the 400m trail relay course followed by dynamic exercises that included knees up/heel flicks and some sidestepping.

For the event itself we had 12 competitors, listed below in their relay pairing, and we were very kindly supported by Harry Wild and John Banks who ‘policed’ the throwing zone.

Each runner ran a lap of the marked 400m course alternatively, completing 3 laps each. The first 30m of each running leg included an uphill ‘hazard zone’ with hurdles – the person who negotiated the zone most effectively in the judgment of the referee would have a bonus of 20secs deducted from their pair overall relay time.  The hurdles demanded some of the fundamentals of running such as balance, coordination and agility and we were looking for nice smooth ‘fluidic’ running and good forward observation through this section. During the session the heights of some of the hurdles, and spacing between them was adjusted without informing competitors !

While one of the pair was on their running leg, the other member was doing a ‘throwing zone’ field event - throwing a selection from golf balls/tennis balls/beach balls/apples/skittles/rugby balls etc. from the top of a bank targeting 3 buckets at about 10m distance away and below. A bonus of 5secs would be deducted from their pair overall time for every ball ‘strike’ (remaining in bucket). Only 5 items were allowed to be thrown in a batch, and the competitors had to go down and back up steep steps to gather another batch ….hill work training !

A warm down was then led by Neil Frediani comprising a one lap jog of the relay course and static stretches to complete whilst the results were being processed.

No competitor met the required standard through the running hazard zone to claim the bonus points as it was re-stated that the brief was to negotiate the zone most effectively …this was demonstrated by running straight through and avoiding all the hurdles …maybe a ‘sting in the tail’ but a lesson ‘not to go looking for hazards when you can just avoid them’ and listen carefully to the words in the briefing !!!! However, it was entertaining watching everyone gallop over the hurdles though using a variety of styles !

Pair Total Running Time (pair) m:s Number of ‘ball strikes’ (bonus time deducted) Total Time Finish Placing
Chris K / Steve H 16:00 5 (-25s) 15:35 1
Simon T / Trish McC 17:06 2 (-10s) 16:56 2
Alice B / Denis F 17:42 3 (-15s) 17:27 3
Neil F / Roderick H 18:06 3 (-15s) 17:51 4
Mark T / Tony B 18:21 3 (-15s) 18:06 5
Barry W / Marion T 18:48 2 (-10s) 18:38 6

So, the overall winners were Chris Kelly and Steve Hillier (fastest AND most ball strikes), who were presented with the customary box of chocs each.  Many thanks again to Harry and John for their great help.

And then ….we were treated to an amazing BBQ spread by Clara …together with beer/wine etc. and had a lovely summers evening chinwag. Steve Taylor had been working late but was able to join us for the chat and food.

Joe Nolan


September Venues for club evenings (repeat - because no one has mailed me re 27th Sept.)

"Times they are a changing" and we do expect to finally lose access to the Heston Venue changing rooms from the end of September.  These are our plans for Wednesday evenings in September as we continue to look around for alternatives:

  • 6th September - Wraysbury Lake, Sailing Base Club House - ad hoc run from 18:00, Neil will point out some run options, followed by our monthly Committee Meeting - NOTE no catering provided so bring your own food & drink (unless you are happy to drink the Carling Lager we've overstocked on!).
  • 13th September - ad hoc runs from Heston Venue, optional visit to the Queen's Head afterwards - 15% discount for those with BA Club's card (so not as generous as it was before).
  • 20th September - Equinox 5k from Heston Venue, then the Queen's Head from 19:30. This could be our last use of Heston Venue.
  • 27th September - We have been invited to join Hayes and Harlington Runners for their regular Wednesday evening run.  This is from the Hayes and Harlington Community Centre (Albert Road, Hayes, UB3 4HR) and be ready to run AT 19:30 (so much later than we normally run). We can change there and shower afterwards and join the H&H Runners in the bar for a chat afterwards. They normally have half a dozen to a dozen runners on a Wednesday, with mixed speeds, so we could make good company for them. It would be good if there were at least half a dozen of us, and if we could tell them in advance how many to expect, so please consider it and let me know you'll be expected.

Roderick Hoffman {roderick@rhoff.org.uk}


Club parkrun results for Saturday 26th August

26th August family & friends time parkrun commentary grade
Dave Dixon 17:45 Hackney Marshes M-5, run #8, 5th at Hackney 85%
Caroline Yarnell 22:31 Curl Curl run #26, 23rd at Curl Curl 82%
Sharon Kassemzadeh 25:59 South Oxhey F-1, course pb, age cat rec 77%
Alice Banks 25:46 Maidenhead run #94 75%
Chris Kelly 19:58 Reading run #348 75%
John Coffey 25:58 Bushy Park run #250 73%
Barry Walters 22:17 South Oxhey M-6, 1st run at South Oxhey 73%
Anne Bannister 27:36 Bedfont Lakes run #146 69%
Alan Anderson 32:07 Gunnersbury run #472 69%
Jeremy Short 22:40 Osterley run #87, 13th at Osterley 68%
Ian Cunningham 22:33 Bushy Park run #298 68%
Oliver Mathai 24:21 Gunnersbury run #45 68%
Alan Friar 27:53 Reading run #240 65%
Caroline Cockram 25:37 Mile End run #280, club rec(F) 64%
Benita Scaife 31:02 Maidenhead run #87 63%
Ian Cockram 23:27 Mile End run #400, 1st at Mile End 63%
Kimberley Turner 26:01 Clover Point course pb, club record 62%
Ben Chaytow 22:05 Swansea Bay club course record 62%
Chris Evans 24:18 Bedfont Lakes run #175 62%
Eddie Giles 28:18 Salisbury 11th run at Salisbury 61%
Piers Keenleyside 26:45 Gunnersbury run #175 60%
Roderick Hoffman 26:44 Cannock Chase park #204 58%
Petra Otto 35:46 March run #23, 20th at March 58%
Tony Barnwell 32:56 Rickmansworth 8th run at Rickmansworth 58%
David Duggan 27:51 Bedfont Lakes run #214 56%
Trish McCabe 27:27 Richmond Park course pb, club rec(F) 56%
Joan Foxley 38:44 Harrow Hot ! 56%
Joe Nolan 29:24 Black Park run #288 56%
John Scaife 31:02 Maidenhead run #100 53%
Colin Russell 26:42 Oak Hill 6th run of 2017 52%
Janet Smith 33:33 Harrow 1st run at Harrow, park #23 51%
Steve Newell 36:40 South Norwood lon-done status re-instated 50%
James Shoulder 30:55 St Albans 1st run at St Albans 42%
Denis Foxley volunteer Harrow run director
Bob Bannister volunteer Bedfont Lakes timekeeper
Neil Frediani volunteer Bedfont Lakes lead bike
Kerstin Luksch volunteer Gunnersbury lead bike

It is time to pay to tribute to the man who was arguably our original parkrunner – John Coffey – who  first recorded a finish at the Bushy Park Time Trial as long ago as Christmas Eve 2005 when he was just a young lad (well, below state pension age anyway). Four weeks later he achieved his solitary Bushy pb of 20:17 (81.18%, still his highest %). He was 43rd out of a field of a mere 153 that day.  He has a total of 13 runs at Bushy with an age graded score of 80% or better.  This week John Coffey (25:54, 73.17%) finally made it across the line for the 250th time and qualifies for a free green Tribe Sports running vest.  John is our 12th member to make the 250 club with Alan Friar, currently on 240, likely to be the next.

John Scaife (31:02) also reached a landmark this week with his 100th run and will be eligible for a black vest with delivery in due course.  With John and Benita having just returned from a month in Australia, former member Caroline Yarnell (now with Sydney Striders) decided it was time for a springtime outing at Curl Curl (22:31, 81.5%) and achieved her lifetime best age grade score at a parkrun - she reported on Facebook that this was despite her having a cold that wouldn't go away.  Ian Cockram (23:27) reached a barely recognised milestone of 400 runs on a first visit to Mile End.  He set a new club course record.

Ben Chaytow (22:05) set a new club record at Swansea Bay while at Hackney Marshes Dave Dixon (17:45, 85.16%) recorded the best age group score anywhere by a member so far this year.  Trish McCabe (27:27) established a female club course record at Richmond Park.  Barry Walters (22:17) grabbed a sixth place finish on his first run at South Oxhey but couldn’t snatch the club course record which is still held by Richard Ruffell (22:02).  Former member Sharon Kassemzadeh (25:59, pb) was the leading female and is top there in her age category.

Steve Newell (36:40) travelled by tube, rail and tram to reach South Norwood Country Park to run the only current parkrun in London he hadn’t been too before.  While not entirely flat it is far and away the least hilly of the parkruns in Croydon borough.  There is car parking and a promise of post run coffee at some stage in the future.

Steve Newell

Updated club parkrun stats

International parkrun growth

Norway held its first parkrun last Saturday with 132 runners at Tøyen parkrun, Oslo. The 132 contained some familiar English names, with high run counts, but there were 83 runners doing their first ever parkrun, many with names including the "ø" character.  Across the border in Sweden a total of 160 parkrunners ran across the four venues - two getting record numbers.

And I'll present the following facts and allow you to decide for yourself if there is any link between them:

  • Late last year I introduced Ralph Behrens (Lufthansa / WARR photographer) to Paul Sinton-Hewett and Tom Williams of parkrun head office,
  • On Saturday Ralph ran his third parkrun, this one in Gdansk in Poland, finishing in 39:45,
  • One second behind Ralph was Jakub FEDOROWICZ, Poland's parkrun country manager, who normally finishes much faster,
  • The German Facebook page became active again this week - see https://www.facebook.com/parkrunDE/ - though with no news of specific venues,
  • Paul Sinton-Hewett and Tom Williams are touring Germany next week.

Roderick Hoffman


Pacer day at Black Park parkrun 2nd September

Gosh, has a month gone by already since the BAAC run of the month at Black Park....just a reminder that next Saturday 2nd September (first Saturday of month, always) is pacer day again so come along and get helped towards a new PB  - and if you would like to be a pacer just ask.

Joe Nolan {thejoenolan@gmail.com}


Ride London write-up

Tim Bellars took up the offer of a guaranteed entry for this summers Ride London event.  This is what he had to say about the experience...

I got the confirmation from Steve Hillier on May 4th that I had been given a place, this gave me precisely twelve weeks to prepare! I dusted of the old treader that hadn't seen the light of day since the Etape du Tour last summer and did a 33 mile ride. All was well as I chose a relatively flat profile but I had forgotten that, as in the Etape, I only had 8 gears that actually worked out of 24! Still I had 12 weeks and I'd get round to fixing that. I also cycle all year round to work so I was ahead of the game so to speak. After a couple of weeks I realised that I was not getting enough miles in the saddle and took to getting up at 4am on a work day to do an extra 15 miles each way to work. This seemed to do the trick and get me back on target. My last training ride was a week before the event and totalled nearly 70 miles but included Ditchling Beacon and considering it was just before a night shift, I deemed myself ready!

So the big day arrived. My son (Jack) gave me a lift to West Croydon station at 04:30 on that Sunday morning to catch the specially chartered train to Dalston Junction. The train departed spot on 5am and arrived at Dalston at 05:40. This gave me 20 minutes to get to my Wave start before it closed. Didn't know where I was going so I just followed the pack. After a couple of U-turns arrived at my wave start with 3 minutes to spare. At this point the most alarming thing was the amount of punctures I had seen, at least 20 and we hadn't started yet! My wave start got off spot on time at 06:40 and we were the wave behind ex-England rugby captain Martin Johnson. The skies over London were a bit grey but the forecast was good so I just kept my head down. The ride through London at that time of the morning was lovely. It wasn't long before we were passing the Fullers brewery and heading to Richmond Park. The witnessing of punctures was ever increasing and the thought that I might not get away with it played on my mind forever more. After a brief 'comfort break' and feed I was heading out of the Park and onto Kingston and Hampton Court. It was at this point I saw the first crash, always a bit sad to see. Pressing on and feeling very happy the halfway point was looming. A glance at the clock just before Newlands corner displayed 2hrs 42mins with the hills to come, my target of 5 hours was slipping away. I knew what was ahead of me as this is where I train all the time. So Leith Hill came and went as did Box Hill. 30 miles to go now! Everything started speeding up as we headed for Leatherhead. I could now see light at the end of the tunnel. It was at Oxshot when my second wind kicked in. A quick intake of an energy gel and I was away. In fact so much so I was now keeping the speedo indicating between 25 and 30 mph. This was now quite oddly the most enjoyable part of the ride. The only 'fly in the ointment' was Wimbledon Hill which had been pointed out to me. Again not too bad just a brief change in pace and soon I was back on the flat. Central London and the Houses of Parliament were soon in sight meaning the finish was too. As I passed the Cenotaph I got a shout from Luke my son who was marshalling for BA (some of you might remember Luke from past WARR events). A quick sprint up to Trafalgar Square under Admiralty Arch and the finish was in sight. Crossing the line in 5hrs 52 minutes I was very happy with that! The whole event was so well organised from start to finish. So much so that I was soon on the train and heading home and in my local pub for 1.30pm! It was a great day and I would recommend it to everyone at least once in their life! One last thing those gears I intended to get fixed? Never happened, did the whole ride on 8!!!!!!

Tim Bellars


Other results & reports - New Forest Triathlon

It has been over a year now since leaving BA, but I have not been too ideal with plenty of training to keep me busy, especially on the bike. Too much running always ends in tears and injury, hence the move to three disciplines to maintain some level of fitness, but with less pounding of the legs. So on Sunday 20th August I completed the New Forest Middle Distance Triathlon. This is a tough event, a 2k swim, then as an added bonus a 1.1mile run from swim to bike, a 60 mile bike round the hills and moors of the New Forest. The locals, mainly ponies, cows and the odd donkey, have right of way on the roads so you always have to be careful and slow or stop when they are wondering across the road. Finally a tough 13.2 mile run, all off road on bumpy tracks, with more hills than the Berkhamsted Half. Very pleased to see the end in 6 hours, 64th out of 175, and 3rd in my age group. Further ahead of me was Natalie, 5th lady and 1st in her age group, and her other half even further ahead, finishing 2nd.

Richard Ruffell


Greetings

Greetings from one of your BA Marshalls at The London Marathon, etc.  I noticed the digest mention of the Vancouver Island Parkrun. Vancouver itself has a nice run itself down on the Park and by the water. It is like a promontory itself and you can keep the Inuit statues 'company' and get an ice cream at the end. You can do as many circuits as you like and it is always on the water's edge. Did it quite a few times back in the nineties.

As Mr. Hillier and Mr. Barnwell know I do a run at Maidenhead, sometimes by the Rugby pitches used for the parkrun but generally I run a cross country route BUT I always 'pay for it.'  Recovery from two ops has left my physical state less than it should be so lots to catch up on.

Best regards,

Andy Rayner


Rules - use of watches during races

This topic came up during the week. UK Athletics provide the rules of competition that most UK races are run under - including track, cross country and road races. They have tried to combine their rules with those of the IAAF. The "Assistance to Athletes" rules have recently been updated to outlaw the use of some real time aids. This includes "the use of any technology or appliance that provides the user with an advantage which he would not have obtained using the equipment specified in, or permitted by, the Rules." However, a subsequent rule states "For the purpose of this Rule, the following shall not be considered assistance, and are therefore allowed: (144.4.d) ...speed distance monitors or stride sensors or similar devices carried or worn personally by athletes during an event, provided that such device cannot be used to communicate with any other person. "  My interpretation therefore is that sports watches can be used during events but you may be challenged on this in "serious" events.

The rules are more specific when it comes to phones - "For the purpose of this Rule, the following examples shall be considered assistance, and are therefore not allowed: (b) Possession or use of ... mobile phone or similar devices in the competition area."  It'll be interesting to see if half the field in long distance road races get disqualified for having a phone strapped to their arms. I suspect this won't happen.

There are clarifications for these rules for Road Running but only two - one to ban the use of headphones if roads are not closed and the other is to ban the use of dogs.  I don't think that that implies that you CAN use a dog to pull you round the 10,000m in the Olympics!

parkruns are not covered by these rules.

UKA and IAAF Rule Book 2016-2018 pdf 1.66MB

Roderick Hoffman


Next Digest?

Results, news, pictures, feedback, jokes, stories - send it to the editor, Roderick Hoffman, at news@barunner.org.uk.


Club website:

www.barunner.org.uk.


 

      

Full Index