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 ****************************************************************************
 RANELAGH HARRIERS E-NEWS # 178              12 MAY 2005
 Editor: Steve Rowland
 mailto: steverowland@ranelagh-harriers.com
 ****************************************************************************
 HEADLINE NEWS
 *  Sarah Smith and Anna McLaughlin one-two in the Hogsmill 5
 *  Richmond Half Marathon this Sunday
 *  Thames Turbo Junior Series wins for Amelie Hunton and Luke Wilson
 *  St Mary's track now available for training
 *  Green Belt Relay urgent!

 WHAT'S COMING...
 ************************
 The fixture list for the 2004/05 winter season, can be found on our web site.
 More details of the following from
 Andy Bickerstaff (07966 552302 / mailto: andy@norris-hobs.co.uk ) or 
 Phil Aiken (07739 035189 / mailto: phil.aiken@rnid.org.uk ) or 
 Anna McLaughlin (07971 606521 / mailto: anna.mclaughlin@itv.com ).

 Saturday May 14th                Ranelagh Bushy Park Time Trial  5km. 9am
 start
 
 Sunday May15th                   Richmond Half Marathon.  Ranelagh Grand
 Prix Race 4. Info http://www.ranelagh-harriers.com. 

 Saturday May 21st                Ranelagh Bushy Park Time Trial  5km. 9am
 start

 Saturday May 21st and
 Sunday May 22nd                  Green Belt Relay. 9am start at Hampton
 Court.

 Saturday May 28th                Ranelagh Bushy Park Time Trial  5km. 9am
 start

 Saturday June 4th                Ranelagh Bushy Park Time Trial  5km. 9am
 start
 
 Sunday June 5th                  Dorking 10 miles.  Ranelagh Grand Prix
 Race 5. See below. 

 RANELAGH RICHMOND HALF MARATHON  Sunday 15th May
 Entries are nearly closed. You may still be able to register on-line
 (http://www.sportsystems.net/ranelagh/Scripts/default.asp) but there may not
 be entries on the day. We do need some more helpers for marshalling and
 officiating - the race starts at 8.30am so if you can spare a couple of
 hours on Sunday morning please contact Alan Hedger on 01372 740626. 

 
 GREEN BELT RELAY  Saturday May 21st and Sunday May 22nd
 Last appeal!! We urgently need one or two more runners! Please help if you
 can. You have to be able to run both Saturday and Sunday but speed is
 absolutely NOT important! Details about the event are at
 www.greenbeltrelay.org.uk. Please contact me or Bev Ali now
 (mailto:bev.ali@blueyonder.co.uk).

 RANELAGH BOAT PARTY
 Jo Turner writes:
 "We are thinking of organising a boat party on the Thames on Friday 24th
 June. It would cost about £15 each for food and disco and we could take 70
 people. We need to book soon so I would like people to e-mail me just to
 declare an interest. So if you like the idea please contact me at
 mailto:joturner_45@hotmail.com."

 2005 RANELAGH ROAD RUNNING GRAND PRIX
 The next events are the Richmond Half Marathon this Sunday followed by the
 Dorking 10 miles on June 5th and the Dysart Dash 10km on June 26th. Full
 details can be found on our web site and entry forms can be found in the
 folder at the clubhouse..

 DORKING 10 MILES  Sunday 5th June
 This road 10 miler features not only in our own Grand Prix but also in the
 Surrey Road League and incorporates the Surrey Championship. Details at
 http://www.dmvac.org.uk/dorking10/.

 WHAT'S HAPPENED...
 ****************************
 HOGSMILL LADIES 5 MILES  Sunday 8th May at West Ewell
 It was skipper Anna's idea to return to the scene of Ranelagh's momentous
 Surrey Cross-Country League victory back in February. The reason was to take
 part in one of the few women-only road races, the Hogsmill 5 miles. In fact
 the course is part road and part grassland, but the going underfoot on the
 grass was thankfully a great deal drier than it had been back in the winter.

 The organising club Epsom Allsorts usually win the special "mob" trophy at
 the Wedding Day race in July, and have copied the idea for their own event.
 A cup is presented to the club with the most finishers, excluding the
 Allsorts themselves. This was Anna's target for the active part of the day,
 with a club picnic to follow.

 But with Anna herself and the new Mrs Smith both taking part, it was clear
 we'd have an interest at the sharp end of the race too. The opening 300
 metres were on the Ewell track, and by the time the field streamed out onto
 the road Sarah and Anna were already well established in the top two
 positions. Thereafter, on a very twisting but mostly flat course, the gaps
 widened relentlessly. Just as Sarah stretched away from Anna, so Anna left
 the rest behind. As Sarah entered the arena for the final run in to the
 finish the organisers began to check their wallets, for it was certain that
 the bonus on offer for a new course record would be going Sarah's way. 30.54
 was the target and it was well and truly smashed with a great 29.31.

 Two minutes later Anna was on the track too and sprinted in only 43 seconds
 outside the old record. Another two minutes was to pass before the third
 finisher crossed the line.

 Frances Pennycook was the third Ranelagh runner for the opening mile but
 suffered a little in the closing stages as Sonia Rowland moved past to
 finish 12th. Frances held on to come in just ahead of Karen Broadbent with
 Anna-Maria Plaza and Carol Barnshaw not far behind and just inside 40
 minutes. Carol was 3rd in the over 55 category. Seventeen more Ranelagh
 Harriers were amongst the 250-odd runners and there were some spirited races
 up the finishing straight.

 Sarah and Anna one-two, our 24-strong "mob" winning the trophy and the sun
 shining on the picnic. What more could you ask?


 KESWICK HALF MARATHON  Sunday 1st May
 Chris Read reports:
 "Weather conditions were less than ideal for the four Ranelagh runners in
 the Keswick Half Marathon. There was torrential rain before the start.  The
 drainage system was so overwhelmed that water was coming up through the
 drains in the centre of town.  Fortunately the worst of the rain was over by
 the time the race started.  Bob Beatson was the first Ranelagh man home.
 The first lady was Angela Walker of Belgrave. She finished in 1.30.54, a
 time which some of the faster Ranelagh ladies might well have beaten".
 Bob Beatson adds:
 "I was pleased to get inside 100 minutes, about 5 minutes outside my PB for
 the course, but that was many years ago now, and sub-100 is the best I've
 managed for a few years. Sheltering in my car before the race, in the middle
 of a torrential downpour, with thunder & lightning around, I may well have
 been the only competitor putting on sun cream! I was glad I did. As
 forecast, the storms moved away (in fact just in time for the start), and
 about half way round the sun came out. There wasn't wall to wall sunshine,
 but the rain had cleared the air, so the sun was strong when it was out. I
 know I burn much quicker up here than in London, so, without the (water
 resistant) sun cream, the second half of the race, together with the time I
 spent at the finish, would have been enough to turn me a nice shade of red.
 Complaints from my legs in the next few days were enough without sunburn as
 well!"

 1 P Newton (Claremont) 1.12.23
 195 Bob Beatson 1.39.09
 472 John Keep 1.56.11
 593 John Hanscomb 2.07.43
 693 David Rowntree 2.33.55 

 BARRY JONES 10km  Monday 2nd May at Wimbledon Park
 Stephen Instone was 2nd over 50.
 1 D Kebede (Herc Wimb) 30.29
 26 Stephen Instone 39.58

 BUSHY PARK TIME TRIAL 5km  Saturday 7th May
 It was back to the regular 3rd place for Nick Wright this week, just missing
 the 18 minute barrier. Behind Nick, Darren Wood took a few more seconds off
 his pb, as did Roger Wilson, there was a huge improvment for Chris Hunton
 and excellent debut runs from juniors Rachael Pryce and Georgia Miansarow.
 1 M Levett (Unatt) 17.13
 3 Nick Wright 18.01
 8 Darren Wood 19.33
 10 Chris Hunton 20.20
 13 Adam Wright 20.48
 15 Roger Wilson 21.02
 20 Rachael Pryce 22.26
 22 Georgia Miansarow 22.38
 28 John Hanscomb 25.39 

 THAMES TURBO JUNIOR SERIES Race 3 of 3  Saturday 7th May at Bushy Park
 Just across Bushy Park from the BPTT Amelie Hunton and Luke Wilson were
 winning their respective age groups and Amelie also took the overall prize
 for the 10 and under category. Luke had to settle for second overall,
 despite beating the winner today.
 Girls 10 and under  2km
 1 Amelie Hunton 8.42
 Overall
 1 Amelie Hunton
 5 Holly Wilson 

 Boys 11 and under  2.5km
 1 Luke Wilson 10.51
 Overall
 1 James Stanhope
 2 Luke Wilson 

 ALTON 10 MILES  Sunday 8th May
 Tom Reay reports:
 "I'm rather disppointed in not breaking the 80 min barrier, but the course
 is very hilly. I can cope with the ascents but you need to be a rapid
 descender as well!! The scenery is very nice though!"
 1 T Lambert (Alton) 52.25
 253 Tom Reay 80.28

 LAST FRIDAY OF THE MONTH 5km  Friday 29th April in Hyde Park
 1 E Malloch (WGEL) 15.07
 61 Alan Davidson 20.01
 66 Pete Warren 20.12
 89 John Pratt 21.21
 97 Margaret Auerback 21.51

 SHEFFIELD HALF MARATHON  Sunday 1st May
 John Pratt was 3rd over 60 in 97.07.

 TRAINING
 ************
 TRACK
 Frances Ratchford writes:
 "The track at St Mary's College is now open and even better we can use it.
 The track has been designed for endurance runners not sprinters so you will
 find it a little kinder to your legs. From 12th May there will be training
 on Thursdays from 7.30 with Frances & Margaret and there will also be
 training on Wednesdays from May 17th.

 The cost is £2.50 per session, or £10 per month. If you are coming along
 bring a cheque made out to St Mary's College and a passport photo. St Mary's
 College is on Waldegrave Road, Twickenham.  Enter by the white gate and the
 track is straight in front of you. Changing room and showers are available. 

 If you are under 18 and a member of Ranelagh there will be a training
 session on Saturdays from 14th May at 10.30am. Contact Frances
 (mailto:grapevineproductions@compuserve.com) for details".

 GENERAL
 Tough Tuesdays continue as normal, with speed work for various groups and
 Wally's beginners' club, at 7pm from the clubhouse. Full details are on our
 web site, the next few sessions for the faster groups are shown below.

 Robin Drummond's  "Improvers Sessions" continue on Thursday nights at 7pm
 from the clubhouse, concentrating on speed and technique.

 As an alternative on Thursday nights, Margaret Auerback and Frances
 Ratchford are holding Strength and Conditioning coaching sessions at 7.30pm
 in the free-weights room at the gym at St Mary's College, Waldegrave Road.
 Coaching at the gym on other days is negotiable. For more information
 contact Frances at mailto:grapevineproductions@compuserve.com.

 Also Wednesdays at 6.30pm and Sundays at 10am at the clubhouse for a steady
 run in the Park.

 Tuesday sessions. Each also includes a steady run warm up and warm down.
 May 17th 7 x Queen's Ride loops in pairs
 May 24th 25 mins continuous relay around grassy triangle at Sidmouth Wood.
 May 31st 7 x various hills at White Lodge
 June 7th 7 x short loop around Pen Ponds 

 VETS RANKINGS
 Mike McDowell writes:
 "I have obtained some masters ranking lists for 2004 and abstracted the
 Ranelagh I can find:
 5km M60 32nd Bill Harvey 19.28
        51st Peter Warren 20.09
 M65  51st Wally Garrod 24.35
 M75 8th Mike McDowell 29.19

 5 miles M75 2nd Mike McDowell 49.26
 
 10km M75 16th Mike McDowell 62.32

 Earlier this year I received the gold medal for the Gloucestershire over 75
 short course cross-country champs, my nearest opposition was two over 60s".