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 ****************************************************************************
 RANELAGH HARRIERS E-NEWS # 203                19 January 2006
 Editor: Steve Rowland
 mailto: steverowland@ranelagh-harriers.com  
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 HEADLINE NEWS
 *********************
 *  100% Surrey League records maintained
 *  Men win by 155 points and now lead Div 2 by 556
 *  Individual win for Phil Killingley
 *  Women win by 32 points and now lead Div 1 by 86
 *  Anna McLaughlin first home in 4th place
 *  Under 13 Boys also still at the top of the table
 *  Nadia Fidler 3rd in Middlesex Under 15 championships
 *  All runners needed for the mob match v Blackheath Harriers this Saturday
 *  Junior Points Prize race 3 this Saturday

 SEE HERE
 *************
 MOB MATCH v BLACKHEATH HARRIERS  Saturday 21st January in Richmond Park.
 Blackheath are reported to be coming in strength so we need absolutely every
 runner we can get on the start line, irrespective of speed. You can race or
 treat it as a training run, but just being there is the thing. The race is
 at home in Richmond Park over 7.5 miles starting at 2.30pm. The
 Pelling-Ratcliffe Cup is at stake for the winning team and the race also
 incorporates the club championship for the Wynne Cup and a sealed handicap.
 Don't miss it!

 JUNIOR POINTS PRIZE RACE 3  Saturday 21st January at 2pm.
 The third of the four points prize races will take place before the mob
 match at 2pm over the usual course around Sidmouth Wood.

 BUSHY PARK TIME TRIAL - ROAD CLOSURES!
 Paul Sinton-Hewitt reports:
 "I have received notification from The Royal Parks that Bushy Park will be
 closed on 30th January for four weeks for road reconstruction. Bushy Park is
 closed for vehicular traffic only. Pedestrian access still being maintained.
 The Time Trial will continue to be run on Saturdays at 9am but I advise you
 to either jog to the park or leave your car at the perimeter of the park".

 LONDON MINI MARATHON
 As usual the London Marathon on April 23rd will include a Mini Marathon for
 juniors over the final 4km of the course. Each borough can enter a team in
 each age group and the trial for the Richmond teams will take place in
 Richmond Park on Sunday 5th February. The course is over two laps of
 Sidmouth Wood, the circuit we use for our Henty Relay and Junior Points
 Prize events. The timetable is: girls 13/14 and girls 15/16/17 at 10am, boys
 13/14 and boys 15/16/17 at 10.30am, girls 11/12 at 11am and boys 11/12 at
 11.30am. Entry deadline is Friday 27th January. There are forms at the
 clubhouse or you can call the Richmond Sports Development Group on 020 8831
 6133.

 ROAD RACES
 Our club 20 miles road championship will be with the Finchley 20 at Ruislip
 on Sunday 12th March - an ideal buld-up race for London marathoners. Details
 here: http://www.hillingdonac.co.uk/. A second possibility for marathoners
 is the MABAC League Cranleigh 21 miles (with a 15 miles alternative) on
 Sunday 26th March. Details: http://www.mabac.org.uk/cran2006entryform.pdf.

 The 26.2 RRC Valentines 10km is being held at Chessington on Sunday 12th
 February:
 http://www.26point2.co.uk/unsorted/downloads/public/10kRace/2006Race/2006Val
 entines10kEntryForm.pdf. Fancy a fast flat 10km? A new event is being
 organised at Dunsfold Park Airfield on Sunday 5th March. Details:
 http://www.209events.com/event.php?event=27. 

 The ASICS Kingston Breakfast runs ( 8 or 16 miles) are on Sunday 2nd April:
 http://www.humanrace.co.uk/breakfast/index.html. The popular Thames Towpath
 10 miles will take place on Sunday 9th April. Details here:
 http://west4harriers.org/TTT.htm. On the same day is the Reading Half
 Marathon, details here:
 http://racepayment.mirrorservers.co.uk/readinghalfmarathon/. 

 THAMES TURBO JUNIOR SERIES
 The Thames Turbo triathlon club are holding a series of junior races (runs
 only, not triathlons!) on Saturday mornings from the Cricket Club near
 Hampton Hill Gate in Bushy Park. Dates are 28th January, 25th February, 25th
 March and 29 April, starting at 9am. There are five races at each event for
 ages from 8 to 16.

 NEVER TOO LATE...
 Wally Garrod writes:
 "One of my improvers group, Margaret Nilsen Fehn, who started running in
 Frances's beginners course in the spring of 2004 at the age of 59, initially
 as a result of a bone density scan that indicated signs of osteoporosis, has
 had a repeat bone scan that shows a dramatic reversal in her condition in
 only 18 months of pounding the pavement! Margaret is proof positive that it
 is never too late to reap the benefits of running". 

 JOHN ATKINSON
 has gone to Canada for three months. He writes:
 "Bit nippy here in London, Ontario - did a 30k-ish run yesterday & couldn't
 feel my face afterwards. Was good to be back out though, as I'd previously
 spent a week on the sidelines with tonsilitis. 

 Have been in touch with Ed Whitlock and also London Pacers (the main running
 club in London, Ontario! ) - I joined their 'Pack Run' for about 10k last
 Sunday, before faltering health forced me to abort! Good effort in
 respective Surrey Leagues at weekend - somehow you seem to be managing
 without me!" 

 *********************
  WHAT'S COMING...
 *********************
 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 21st January        Mob match v Blackheath Harriers for the
 Pelling-Ratcliffe Cup. 7.5 miles in Richmond Park at 2.30pm
                                          Junior Points Prize Race 3 in
 Richmond Park at 2pm.
                                         Bushy Park Time Trial  5km. 9am
 start. 

 Saturday 28th January       South of England Championships at Exmouth
                                         Bushy Park Time Trial  5km. 9am
 start. 

 Saturday 4th February       Sweatshop Surrey League Div 2 in Richmond Park
 from 2.30pm.
                                         Surrey Ladies League in Richmond
 Park from 12.30pm.
                                         Bushy Park Time Trial  5km. 9am
 start. 

 Sunday 5th February         Junior Mini-Marathon Trials in Richmond Park
 from 10am.
                                         MABAC League 5 miles at Farley
 Heath. 11am start. Details: http://www.mabac.org.uk/. 

 WHAT'S HAPPENED...
 ****************************
 SWEATSHOP SURREY LEAGUE DIVISION 2  Saturday 14th January at Lloyd Park,
 Croydon
 Phil Killingley reports:
 "Ranelagh men's team took the tram to the stunning National Park of Lloyd in
 Croydon for the second time in two weeks, hoping not to win by too
 embarrassing a margin.
 
 A fast start from Chris Owens surprised everyone, even Richard Xerri of
 Stragglers who appeared to be running a 400m race. But normal service
 resumed, as Phil Killingley took the lead and raced away to a convincing,
 effortless and magnificent victory (sorry - this is the one perk of having
 to write the race report!).  Paul Doyle cruised into 5th place, closely
 followed by a resplendent Julian Smith, who has apparently only run five
 miles since last February - not bad considering!

 Duncan Bell (who finished 9th in the Cheshire Champs last Sunday) was 7th,
 despite tripping over his dog at several points on the course.  Then came
 Nathan Mills, who has hit a rich vein of form and probably would have won
 without the self-imposed handicap of a 20kg wrist-watch.  Good performances
 from Rob 'Biceps' Stillwell, Mick Lane, Chris Owens, Captain Bickers and
 Lord Paul of Bushypark finished off the scoring for Ranelagh, who once again
 trounced all comers to win in a total score of 204 points.  We are now top
 of Division Two with just half the number of points of second placed
 Dulwich - it will be a big challenge to lose it from here. 

 Finally, a 'big-up' must go to Marc Snaith, who really won it for us -
 bamboozling the opposition with his pink socks".

 Our under 13 team was missing one or two runners this time, but we still
 fielded a strong quintet headed by Joshua Keisler and Matthew Wilson 6th and
 7th. Richard Crowther, Toby Piachaud and George Inman completed the team
 which finished 2nd to the locals from Croydon, but they retain an overall
 lead of 38 points over Hercules Wimbledon. A good turnout for the last race
 on February 4th should tie up the league title.

 Morgan Evans and Alfie Purdue were our only runners in the combined U17/U15
 age group but they managed to finish 4th and remain 4th overall.

 
 SURREY LADIES LEAGUE DIVISION 1  Saturday 14th January at Merrow Downs,
 Guildford
 Robin Drummond reports:
 "You might think that the only thing that could drag me out to the North
 Downs on a cold, windy January day is the knowledge that the Ranelagh ladies
 always run in skimpy clothing and still manage to look very attractive even
 when bathed in mud.

 What really takes me out there, however, is the sure and certain knowledge
 that they will all run their socks off on behalf of the team. There are no
 prima donnas and they have all got there by dint of sheer hard work. 

 We won this match and the last two because the Ranelagh team spirit is
 stronger than any of the individual athletes and they all believe that if
 you turn up and work hard enough then the results will come.

 Sure enough, on a difficult course, our positions at the end of the first
 lap, became pretty much the positions at the finish: our first 5 in the top
 twenty and the others fighting for positions all the way down the field and
 not allowing others past them just in case it made a difference to the
 points score of another team. 

 In the absence of Emily Nelson, competition at the front of the field was
 pretty fierce and the lead positions were contested from the start to the
 finish with less than a minute covering the first 13 places. Anna confirmed
 her current form in fourth place but only 15 seconds adrift of eventual
 winner, Clare Nicholson of Stragglers. The others backed her all the way and
 even after our scoring five had finished we still had Sara Grosvenor at 21st
 and Rachel Rowan at 29th as back up.

 If we turn out again at Richmond Park for the final fixture on February 4th
 with the talent that is available at Ranelagh at the moment then we stand a
 good chance of winning not just the League for the second year but all four
 matches. The historians in the club will tell us if this has happened before
 but it would be a remarkable feat if we can pull it off.

 It would be even more amazing if all the Ranelagh ladies that could run, did
 run and we fielded a record team on our home ground. That would be something
 to make any celebrations even more memorable". 

 In response to Robin's "clean sweep" question - yes, it has been done before
 by Belgrave Harriers as recently as 2003/2004. But they scored four narrow
 wins and held a total points advantage of only 44 points at the end of the
 season. We are currently 86 points ahead...

 Robin had to leave before the junior races - wisely as it transpired, as the
 "cold, windy January day" turned into a cold, windy and wet January day.
 Under 17s Rebecca Clayden and Emily Ball were our two representatives in the
 combined U20/U17 race and had fairly isolated runs in the small field that
 always musters for this age group. 12th and 15th gave them 6th team place.

 We had a round dozen on the line for the U15/U13 race, all but two of them
 in the younger age group. Sadly we lost Stephanie Espinosa, our leading
 under 13 in the last League event, with a knee injury at the furthest point
 of the course. She was faced with a long cold walk back while the others
 raced on.

 Our two under 15s, Georgia Miansarow and Lucy Edmunds, were our first two
 home, 8th and 11th in their age group, but in the long finishing straight
 Amelie Hunton was doing her utmost to catch Lucy. Emily Johnston, Eve
 Edmunds and Holly Clemens came in almost together a minute behind Amelie to
 complete our A team in 5th place. Lara Denaro, Laura Wells, Rosie Francis
 and Holly Nicholds formed the B team which stands in 12th place but 2nd
 amongst the Bs. And one-woman C team Bea Purdue ensured we remain as the
 leading C!


 MIDDLESEX CHAMPIONSHIPS  Saturday 14th January at Wormwood Scrubs
 After her disappointment in missing out on a bronze medal in the Surrey
 Championships - where she crossed the line in third place but was excluded
 because she lacked a Surrey qualification - Nadia Fidler was able to get a
 second bite of the cherry with a late entry to the Middlesex Championships.
 On a mostly flat Wormwood Scrubs, Nadia finished an excellent 3rd again -
 and this time she'll keep the medal!
 Under 15
 1 M Reynolds (ES&M) 17.08
 3 Nadia Fidler 17.52

 OTHER COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIPS...
 Representing Headington Road Runners Peter Haarer finished 8th in
 Oxfordshire, and in Cheshire Duncan Bell finished 9th for West Cheshire AC.

 BUSHY PARK TIME TRIAL 5km  Saturday 14th January
 Winner from a field of 134 this week was Richard Stannard, world champion at
 Biathle and world silver medallist at Aquathon, both of which are
 combinations of swimming and running. 76-year-old Eric Shirley, an Olympic
 Steeplechase team mate of Chris Brasher back in 1956, completed the course
 in 24.44.

 1 R Stannard (Unatt) 17.07
 13 Paul Murphy 18.44
 23 Stephen Instone 20.04
 31 Darren Wood 20.41
 32 Chris Hunton 20.42
 38 Roger Wilson 21.05
 42 Chris Wright 21.30
 46 Stephen Logue 21.46
 48 Joss Moran 21.51
 51 Adam Wright 22.14
 64 Jim Forrest 23.05
 66 Charlie Withycombe 23.12
 78 Alistair Sinclair 24.02
 82 Julie Drummond 24.21
 91 Gill Wilson 25.13
 123 Janet Turnes 29.40

 MABAC LEAGUE 8 miles  Sunday 8th January in Windsor Great Park
 It was a mostly low-key first appearance for Ranelagh in the MABAC League.
 The race was a hilly scenic tour of the Great Park's roads and Sara
 Grosvenor chose it as her comeback race after injury. She finished as 4th
 woman.

 1 N Hodges (Dorking) 44.43
 29 Steve Rowland (Cranleigh) 51.47
 34 Sara Grosvenor 52.16
 133 Sonia Rowland (Cranleigh) 64.15
 190 Clodagh Fahy 73.51
 223 Pat Hewlett 83.06
 226 Bev Ali 88.45
 228 Cindy Croucher 92.16 

 BRIDGES 2.3 miles handicap  Wednesday 11th January at Westminster
 Alan Davidson was 3rd fastest at 15.41 and John Hanscomb was the leading
 over 70 with 20.09.

 FINALLY...
 For only £9.99 you can now buy a Talking Pedometer. "This handy little
 pedometer not only counts the number of steps and distances you have walked
 or jogged but also announces the distance you have travelled". Form an
 orderly queue...