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BA Athletics Club News Digest 30th January 2017

Events:

  • Tuesday 31st January - Round-the-Block 5k at Heston Venue at 12:30*
  • Thursday 2nd February - Dream Mile - Bath Road from 12:45*
  • Wednesday 15th February - Heartthob Hash - Heston Venue from 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. Last updated 9th January.

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

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

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Running related gossip and chat: Facebook Page "BARunner" https://www.facebook.com/BARunnerUK/


Round-the-Block annual 5k road race 12:30 Tuesday 31st January

Don't forget this race tomorrow (if you are reading this on Monday 30th).

Founded in or before 1982 this event is probably the oldest fixture in the BA calendar. As in past years the race is a single lap course of about 5k, around the Heston area, shown below. The start will be at 12:30 a short walk from the changing rooms at Heston Venue (Concorde Centre). Those leaving on the dot of 12 from Waterside or the Engineering Base will have enough time to get to the start and be back within the lunch (two) hour.  Anybody and everybody is welcome to take part including mixed teams of four. This is a fun event and ALL levels of runners/joggers are welcomed.  Please pass this information on to anyone else who might be interested.  Lifts can be offered from and back to Waterside and other locations.  There is a £1 entry fee which will be donated to the White Lodge Centre charity.

Questions etc. - email neil.frediani@ba.com

Concorde Rount-the-Block course


The Tom Rowley Birthday Woking parkrun Results

Tom Rowley running at Woking parkrunAlthough most of us don't like the concept of getting older (Gary K Rushmer is perhaps the exception) there is an inevitability about aging.  We would like to think though that not only will we get to experience a 90th birthday but that on that day we might still be capable of putting on a pair of shoes. Now to not only put on a pair of shoes but for them to be running shoes and to negotiate around the Woking parkrun course on one's 90th birthday is surely hoping for too much fitness in our later life, but that is exactly what Tom Rowley managed to do on Saturday.  And many of us were there to cheer him on. We weren't the only ones - there were large number of Woking Ladies (and others) wearing "There's only one Tom Rowley" T Shirts and facemasks.

In all there was a record 410 finishers at Woking - ten percent more than their previous record and 100 up on recent field sizes.  Here are the results in age order - so from Tom (first parkrun) down to Gary (on his second).  You'll also note rare parkrun outings by Steve Hillier and the Taylors.

Pos parkrunner Time Age Cat Age Grade Gender Gender Pos Club Note Total Runs
401 Tom ROWLEY 1:00:18 VM90-94 49.50% M 220 Woking AC First Timer! 1
398 John COFFEY 0:58:43 VM70-74 31.73% M 219 British Airways AC PB stays at 00:24:48 225
288 Kevin HOLLAND 0:31:33 VM65-69 55.26% M 179 British Airways AC PB stays at 00:27:57 71
154 Alice BANKS 0:27:07 VW60-64 70.56% F 36 British Airways AC First Timer! 72
303 Helen SMITH 0:32:46 VW60-64 59.21% F 122 British Airways AC PB stays at 00:29:03 34
370 Steve HILLIER 0:38:56 VM60-64 41.91% M 208 British Airways AC First Timer! 3
207 Roderick HOFFMAN 0:28:52 VM55-59 53.70% M 150 British Airways AC PB stays at 00:24:28 241
249 Janet CUNNINGHAM 0:30:05 VW55-59 59.39% F 81 Epsom Allsorts PB stays at 00:26:55 144
364 Mark TAYLOR 0:38:44 VM55-59 40.36% M 204 British Airways AC First Timer! 4
367 Graham TAYLOR 0:38:51 VM55-59 40.24% M 205 British Airways AC First Timer! 6
369 Gary RUSHMER 0:38:55 VM55-59 39.49% M 207 British Airways AC First Timer! 65
16 Christopher T KELLY 0:20:35 VM50-54 72.23% M 16 British Airways AC First Timer! 324
35 Paul WATT 0:21:58 VM50-54 67.68% M 33 Woking AC PB stays at 00:21:10 40
79 Ian CUNNINGHAM 0:24:14 VM50-54 62.86% M 67 British Airways AC PB stays at 00:22:10 274
328 Janet SMITH 0:34:22 VW50-54 50.00% F 140 Windsor, Slough, Eton & Hounslow AC First Timer! 59
407 Julie BARCLAY 1:00:19 VW50-54 28.88% F 185 Woking AC PB stays at 00:21:12 90
368 Gary K RUSHMER 0:38:55 JM10 50.79% M 206 British Airways AC First Timer! 2

Also present were:

Barry Walters was also there having volunteered to be a course marshal. Others in the supporting cast included Anne Coffey, Clara Halket, Joe Nolan, Paul Brandon and, straight from the airport, Monica Alonso.  Paul took many photographs and these are loaded in the Facebook club group (https://www.facebook.com/groups/636199849751546/).  In this photograph you will note that we have all got mud on our shoes apart from young Gary (questions will be asked). The Woking course is 90% good tarmac paths but a 10% muddy section through the woods.

2017Jan Team photo at Woking parkrun

PS That isn't a pint in Graham's hand - he was holding Tom's tea for him!

PPS The reason most of us aren't looking at the camera is that Paul's camera had a telephoto lens on it and so he had to go back 100 meters to take this shot...and at our age, at that distance, we couldn't see where he was.

And the last word on this topic has to go to Tom...

Thanks so much to the magnificent BA turn-out who all travelled a 40 mile round trip.  A total of 19 including Julie/Paul running for WAC who came along to help celebrate my 90th birthday.  I hope you had fun and enjoyed your morning as much as I did.  I felt so honoured and humble.  I hope Barry Walters who marshalled, Paul taking photos and those that did not run did not get too cold waiting an hour for me to dash round. 

 Sorry I was 6 minutes slower than in Chicago but J. Coffey kept leaving me, he kept stopping to have a chat.  My granddaughter over from Chicago noticed that Anne Coffey gave me a MARS bar at the finish as she did at WARR.   Both daughter/granddaughter only ran the first and third laps so no time given although they do have a bar-code.  Gary K Rushmer came along with granddad as my pace pacemaker but got fed-up walking so left me but only finished 20 minutes before me, he also ran a PB time of 38.55, good boy.

Many thanks for the cards and prezzies  including Monica’s famous Bread Pudding  and Clara’s life saving cuppa also a few CUDDLES (not from the two Taylors).  Unfortunately I could not stay long afterwards as I was off to Parliament Hill with Julie/Paul and wanting to catch 11.21 train from Weybridge.  Thanks to every one for making me really honoured. Better than winning the lottery ?????  You contributed to making it a record attendance of 410 and helped me to become the 90-94 course record holder, at least for a week.

See you all soon, keep running so I can come and watch you.
 
Small point of interest  - today was my 90th and also Julie’s 90th??  My birthday and Julie’s 90th parkrun - coincidence odds 1,000,000 to 1?

Nearly old Tom


Result - Parlimud Hill (Cross Country Championships, Parliament Hill, 28th Jan 2017)

"Parlimud Hill" being Julie Barclay’s nickname for this magnificent XC course.  A tough two lap 5mile course with the start being at the foot of ½ mile ascent that is considered the vital section, IF run up too quick you will surely pay latter.

Julie was pleased with today’s run, not only feeling more confident than her first attempt last year and maybe help her run a PB time with 41.04 to last year's 43.15 and today finished 320th of 574.

Tom Rowley


BA Athletics Club Survey - Results (part 2)

Membership:

What do members value from the club? 

Different people value different things though it is clear that being part of a running community is very important with nearly 50% of you rating it as high value.

Having actual running companions is valuable but not as important - reflecting perhaps our disparate geography, second claim running clubs and parkrun options.  

Many people rate "International Events" as high value.  We usually get a large turnout for the WARR International Event but other events such as ASCA don't attract so many - something for the committee to mull over. 

Things are important even at the "bottom" of this list - nearly 20% say that the Heston Venue facilities are of high value and only 40% say they are not of value (and remember that 45% of us are based more than ten miles away).

For new members word of mouth from "a running colleague" is critical with nearly 75% quoting this.  Most quoted something else as well though most of these are events rather than publicity material.

Club value

 

New Members

Changes

Coaching

Suggestions for Club Change

There are very few negative suggestions - nothing listed appears unpopular so we are unlikely to consider stopping doing anything. 

There is clearly demand for coaching, for more team events such as relays, and for gym sessions.  Up until a couple of years ago we ran a winter series of gym sessions and they were popular.  We stopped due to availability issues with the gym but perhaps we need to find a way to reinstate these.

On the coaching topic we probably need to do some more work to find out what the club can deliver that will meet the requirement - the suggestions made go across all options.  In the past we have provided Track&Field opportunities but these haven't been well attended.  There already are (informal) lunchtime sessions from Waterside but clearly most people do not have access to Waterside for lunchtimes.

 

What happens next?  At the next Committee Meeting we will discuss these results, and the individual suggestions also entered, and start planning some new initiatives.  These won't happen overnight but you should see some changes over the next few months.

Roderick Hoffman (roderick@rhoff.org.uk)


Club parkrun results for Saturday 28th January

Steve's away so not the usual table and report this week.  The following table mainly features first claim club members. Results from Woking parkrun are excluded - see above.

28th January Position Gender Position parkrunner Club Run Time Commentary
Bedfont Lakes 69 63 David DUGGAN British Airways AC 00:27:59
Bedfont Lakes 73 66 John LENNON British Airways AC 00:28:28
Bedfont Lakes 94 19 Trish MCCABE British Airways AC 00:31:13
Braunstone parkrun Sarah Gordon British Airways AC n/a Marshal
Bushy parkrun 138 131 Andrew William JORDAN British Airways AC 00:21:48
Cardiff parkrun 114 103 Christopher CHAMBERLAIN British Airways AC 00:22:31
Catton parkrun 134 118 John SCAIFE Maidenhead AC 00:26:08
Gunnersbury parkrun 286 197 Alan ANDERSON British Airways AC 00:31:27
Harrow parkrun 159 98 Denis FOXLEY British Airways AC 00:44:05 Tail runner
Harrow parkrun Joan Foxley n/a Finish Tokens
Oak Hill parkrun 59 52 Colin RUSSELL British Airways AC 00:25:12
St Peters parkrun (Sydney) 18 18 Colin HAYLOCK British Airways AC 00:20:24 Club best time
Sunderland parkrun 74 6 Linda DODSWORTH British Airways AC 00:26:00 11 seconds outside her best BUT best age grade.
Sunderland parkrun 24 24 Steve DODSWORTH British Airways AC 00:22:23 3 seconds outside his best BUT best age grade.
Tooting Common 263 52 Caroline COCKRAM British Airways AC 00:26:55
Tooting Common 264 212 Ian COCKRAM British Airways AC 00:26:56
Wycombe Rye 347 226 Tony BARNWELL British Airways AC 00:34:50

Roderick Hoffman

parkrun Records

It wasn't just Woking that had record numbers on Saturday - several other parkruns did as well although overall UK numbers were slightly down on the New Year peak. Worldwide parkruns continue to flourish with participation numbers doubling in the New Year in both Ireland and South Africa.  Bushy had a good 1,125 finishers this week which is a good number but only enough to make Bushy the ninth largest parkrun on Saturday behind eight South African parkruns.  Top of the pile was Voortrekker Monument parkrun with a world record 2,092 finishers recorded.  This was a well advertised event - this will be the last parkrun on that site near Pretoria with a number of alternative parkruns starting up in the vicinity from next Saturday.


Hash trail markingKnow your Hash from your Elbow...

I posted this a couple of weeks ago.  The correct answer to the "What does it indicate?" question was "E] None of the above".  It is a sign from a hash trail, the circle indicates a checkpoint where the course of the trail is interrupted and will start again somewhere nearby (so "Check it out!").  However the arrow on this checkpoint sign indicates that this is AFTER the hash has been run - the arrow has been added by the Hare to indicate to runners yet to reach the checkpoint that the trail has already been re-found and is in the direction indicated.

After seeing this marker next to the canal near my house I checked out to find out which Hash had laid it.  Research showed that it was the London Hash House Harriers who are currently running every Saturday from 12:00.  Their next run is in Putney. See http://www.londonhash.org//a> for details.


Next Digest?

Is it your turn to send something in this week?

Results, news, pictures, feedback, jokes, stories - send it to us at news@barunner.org.uk.


Club website:

www.barunner.org.uk.


 

      

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