baRUNNER - a website for the British Airways Athletics Club
BA Athletics Club News Digest 29th April 2024
Club Event Map: [Clickable link to Google Maps] [parkrun run by club members updated April 2024] 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. Monthly Mile - please submit your April Mile performance for publication in the first May digest (6th May):Run one mile and send me your time or add the details to the prompt in Facebook. The mile can be somebody else's formal event or even one mile within a longer run. I'll then produce a fancy graph showing your time this month compared to those of other people and previous runs over the last year:
Your Athletic Achievement of the Week (or use the prompt in the BAAC Facebook group):
Future Events - including Maidenhead NOW confirmationDon't forget Feltham Track from 18:00 on Wednesday for distances from 1500m to 100m. Next Tuesday, 7th May, we have a lunchtime NOW event in Maidenhead, hosted by John and Benita Scaife. This was originally planned to take place in Ockwells Park but this year's rains have proved too much and large areas of the park are still under water or very muddy. Ockwells is still a suitable venue in principle but we will perhaps come back to it later in the year. For the 7th May the route(s) will start and finish at the Scaife's house at 9 Abell Gardens, Maidenhead SL6 6PS with the usual 12.00 start.
London Marathon 2024 - ReportsBAAC & Friends Results - reminder (no additions or changes)
How did it go?For full reports see: LM2024_runners_stories.shtml . Slightly abridged texts below... Harjit Jhooti
I however surprised myself by completing the London marathon and I felt strong. I really felt that it was the best year having done it 3 years in a row now. The crowds are amazing and I felt supported all the way. I met so many wonderful people on my way and I chatted to lots of volunteers on the course. I have entered the ballot for next year. Harjit Ed: And she didn't mention her fight with a barbed wire fence during her early April long training run. The photo is at the start of the marathon - she also submitted a photograph taken at the end. I can't include that one because it is clearly photoshopped suggesting that she was as fresh at the end as six hours and 26miles earlier! Stephen_TaylorBig Steve's London Marathon Run ReportAn early morning wake up call isn't needed on Marathon morning. Apart from not sleeping well and dreaming that I'd forgotten to wear any shorts the wave starts meant that I didn't need to leave the house until just after 8am as my start wave was 10:50. I took the Elizabeth line, Jubilee and mainline to get to Greenwich, standing room only but a real sense of community and actually talking to strangers and exchanging training woes and hopes for the run. Somehow the train from London Bridge didn't stop at Greenwich but went on to Maize Hill which meant an even longer walk to the start area. I'd left plenty of time though. Red start, Wave 8. It was a chilly morning, perfect for running but not for standing around, and the charity shop jumper was doing a good job of keeping me warm. The whole wave then shuffles down to the start line, dump the jumper, down a gel, then we're all off running and over the start. There's a sense of excitement and a bit of fear and trepidation for the miles to come but the first few miles are ones to enjoy as I take in the cheers of the supporters and take advantage of some of the down hills on this first section. The first half went to plan. There are plenty of live music bands, drumming groups, DJ's, kids high fiving and humorous banners to keep your mind off the running. My wife was at her usual spot at mile 11 and I stopped for a quick chat and to top up on gels. Then over the river, I love the iconic Tower Bridge and running over it just before the halfway mark is a high point for me. Then the course turns the wrong way and you head out along the two-way stretch towards the Isle of Dogs and Canary Wharf. The cold wind picked up as it funneled through the tall buildings and it felt noticeably colder in places. There's plenty of support here too and generally on the course if felt like there were more spectators out cheering you on than in previous years. I met my wife again at mile 19 and still felt OK. My pace was doing OK, I knew I would slow a little and was keen not to have to walk at any point. I always find the two-way stretch tough on the way back as there are little bits of uphill here and there. From mile 20 onwards is where it really starts to get tough and I alternate between a head down, must keep running approach and a heads up, look around, take in the support approach. The miles slowly count down and I look forward to seeing some friendly BA marshal faces in the last stretch. It really does help the last miles tick down and before I know it I've turned off the Embankment and past Parliament Square. I check my watch and see that I could be on for around 4:45 which gives me the encouragement to keep going. I raise my hands as I approach the finish but my finish photo didn't capture this, you've got to remember to stop your watch. I finished in 4:44:48 which I'm really pleased with. Thanks to the BAAC and all of the volunteer marshals for making this a special day for myself and 52,000 other runners. Stephen Taylor 25936 Michael O’HaganA Hard Day at the Office - Michael O’HaganI had hoped to be able to achieve a GFA time but having lost three weeks of peak training due to an injury it was always going to be a tall order, and so it proved but I still approached the day with a sense of excitement and apprehension. As others have indicated it was a little chilly at the Start and even though I’m a Northern Lad I would have challenged Antarctic Penguins to be comfortable on Blackheath in the biting wind. The start as a result was very measured simply because it was an opportunity to warm up. As the miles ticked by at a steady pace I found the crowds to be larger and more raucous that I remembered especially at Cutty Sark and it was certainly an emotional crossing of Tower Bridge. I was pleased with the Half Marathon time of 2hrs 6 mins and managed to keep the same pace until about 18 miles. My nutrition and drink strategy had worked to this point but the loss of really long run training finally caught up with me. I found for each of the next three miles that a 30 second walk and then run the remainder seemed to work. At 21 miles I got a second wind and stubbornness kicked in so I was able to keep running albeit at a slow pace. I knew I was going to finish and it was on the approach to the Embankment that two signs lifted my spirits: “ PAIN is the French word for bread” “ I have trained for 12 months to hold up this sign KEEP RUNNING” Taking the right turn off the Embankment and running down to Parliament Square was brilliant especially being recognised by marshalling friends giving chance for a few catch up words and photos. Thanks to Mike Thorn I was also introduced to the crowds by megaphone together with some “motivational” advice (!!) for the remainder of the run. The last 600 metres passed in a blur but the legs still had a little left for a kick on the Mall, and then it was all over in 4hrs 33mins. In summary it was a “ hard day at the office” such I was pleased to have finished but a little disappointed at the time. The LM therefore is “unfinished business”. It only remains for me to thanks all the Marshalls and Volunteers who actually make it all possible, and they are the unsung heroes. Michael Piers KeenleysideI ran my 23rd London Marathon on Sunday. The weather was quite good with none
of the forecast rain. My muscles felt really stiff from the cold over the first half mile and I
thought my first mile split would be way off my target of close to 8 minute
miles but I wasn't too far away. I felt the course was very crowded even with
the wave starts - I was in wave 2 at the red start. For the first half of the
race I felt a lot of people had started ahead of where they should have as
I was constantly having to overtake slower runners. As usual the crowds were great and as it was dry I felt there
were more people out cheering than last year when it was wet but perhaps a bit
warmer. Was feeling good at Cutty Sark and got to the 10K mark in around 50
minutes - bang on target. Slowed a little over the next 11K and reached the
half-way point in 1:48 - would have liked to be nearer 1:45. My target time for
the race was sub 3:45 and I still hoped to get this. I always slow a fair bit in
the second half but was feeling quite comfortable as we approached Canary Wharf.
However, just as happened last year, my Garmin Forerunner 45 recorded some
random GPS points as the course wound its way around the skyscrapers. From then on I could never trust what the watch was
saying for distance and pace - a bit of a handicap over the final 1/3 of the
race. Still, until I was a couple of miles from the finish I thought I might
still be in with a chance of a sub 3:45 but then I realised that I'd need to do
8 minute miles rather than the 8:30/8:40 I was now doing. Despite a sprint
finish to go sub 3:46 my time was 3:46:06 so a second half of 1:58 vs. a 1:48
first half. The new GFA target for MV65's is now 3:55 but with being nearly 9
minutes inside that I'm fairly sure I'll be back for another go in 2025. Trevor BakerMy first London Marathon and wow what an amazing experience, so grateful to have received a BAAC ballot place having been in LM ballots for several years. After staying overnight in Barking I started the train journey to Greenwich on the Sunday morning. Arriving at Blackheath station was ideal for my ‘Blue' start colour area, once in the park the atmosphere was buzzing, however the cold air temperature and Northerly wind made sure you kept moving to keep warm. After an hour of little jogs and a few drills my wave 15 set off so off I set with thousands of others down the first road lined with cheering spectators. Getting warmed up and setting down into my race pace was my first objective, then enjoying a little bit of sunshine (circa 11.30am), first milestone landmark around Cutty Sark which was brilliant, next the run to Tower Bridge (halfway) which was fantastic as I had two lots of family & friends cheering me on and providing quick hugs. Going into the Canary Whalf area was ok to start off with but from mile 20 to 23 I was getting bit mentally low, however once I saw Tower Bridge again I knew I was only a parkrun + away from the finish - what a boost! Past Somerset House where I’ve volunteered for the past few years to experience more cheering and quick hugs from my running buddies / volunteer marshals. Off now to Westminster, Buckingham Place and although my legs were tired ,I was feeling good and had a few smiles to myself knowing I could actual finish! Crossing the finish was truly amazing and getting the medal placed around my neck was a bit emotional! Finishing time 04.48.33 (21mins under my GFA) which might get me a place next year??, if not I’ll enjoy being a BAAC volunteer again. Well done to the other runners this year hope you enjoyed it too with no injuries and a good recovery. So finally, sincere thanks to BAAC for this fantastic opportunity, all the Volunteers along the course and the background staff, plus who could forget the thousands of crowds, supporter and bands and music. An experience like no other and it will be a forever memory, thank you. Trevor - race number 68801 Icy reminder - don't forget to trainOne guy collapsed in front of our Somerset House box crossing and had to be carried away by St John Ambulance helpers. He came to in a first-aid tent as he was being packed with ice - a bit ironic considering he is the head of the supermarket chain Iceland. Now he knows what the cod feels like. He admitted that he had forgotten to do enough training but had been determined to raise funds for his chosen charity - Alzheimer's Research UK. It is believed that he has made a full recovery. Thank you to Neil Harper and anyone else in his team who assisted or witnessed this and other incidents. Recent Activity Achievements12 entries this week, although I could have included more from the Marathon.
parkrun Results for Saturday 27th April 202440 activities are recorded below. Please get in touch if your activity is missing (last week we managed to miss David Duggan's run at Southall and Ian Haylock's at Bushy Park. Both are now in our database).
parkrun Review Saturday 27th April 2024I know that the parkrun news is usually at the end of the weekly digest and in a busy week your mailhandler may deem the email to be so long that you never even get to read stuff this far down but ……. If you haven’t paid your £9 annual BAAC sub yet please get round to it soon or risk your greatest achievement not getting a mention! And thanks to the 67% of the membership who paid by the end of April. The weather continues to make the headlines, especially for farmers, but most UK parkruns went ahead this week even if it was still cold and miserable in some places. Reading parkrun took place for a second successive week for the first time this year and Chris Kelly (25:12) was there for the 418th time out of a total of 608 parkruns in total. Meanwhile Ian Haylock (20:40) has run 394 of his 403 runs at Bushy Park. Bob Bannister (28:12) has run Bedfont Lakes 347 times, Alan Anderson has run Gunnersbury 312 times and Ben Chaytow has run Crane Park 308 times. Other members have ambitions to run at 400 different parkruns but at the moment details are not as readily available as they once were – but never give up, things might change. [Ed - did I see a pig fly through the finish funnel on Saturday? See below] There was one new parkrun in UK this week – Cycle Route 43, Ystalyfera. This has a “flat” out and back course up the valley from Swansea and accessible for junction 45 of M4 (free parking). 200 were there for the inaugural. One reporter found it up-hill all the way with hills on one side of the tarmac and a river on the other – some valleys are like that. Road shoes recommended. The Green Belt relay will soon be up us (18/19 May). Melanie Miller (45:09) and Harjit Jhooti (45:18) called in at the challenging Lullingstone parkrun this week. It was run#400 for Lullingstone. It is just outside the M25. The GBR route passes close by on the Sunday morning, using the carpark and cafe (and toilets). Steve Newell
At the moment we still have parkrun results and in terms of different parkruns run or walked at, the club members table is:
[give or take a run or two - but let me know] And Fiona Bishop is likely to be our next member of the "Cowell Club" for 100 different events - she is currently on 97.
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 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. Please mention older email addresses I may have you registered under. 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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What a year this has been for me. I changed career and was on a 6 week
training course from the end of January and after that I was flying mainly
longhaul. Unfortunately I had no time to do a training plan because I was
studying and having assessments to do everyday.