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Newsdesk 2002

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 RANELAGH HARRIERS E-NEWS # 79       24 OCTOBER 2002
 Web site: www.ranelagh-harriers.com 
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 MOB MATCH v ORION HARRIERS at Chingford  Saturday October 26th 2.30pm start 
 This Saturday sees the season's first mob match, away to Orion Harriers. For
 the sake of  newcomers we'll have to explain that mob matches are
 all-to-score affairs between two clubs only. To have a chance of winning,
 it's vital to get as many bodies on the start line as possible so please do
 make every effort to attend. 
 The Orion course is a multi-terrain 8 miles, parts will be muddy after the
 rain we're having this week and there are plenty of hills. It's a
 picturesque and challenging route through the ancient woodland of Epping
 Forest. The start is at the Royal Foresters pub in Rangers Road (A1069 on my
 map), Chingford, NE London. From Richmond it's an hour round the M25 to
 Junction 26 (allow extra!), or 30 minutes by train from Liverpool Street.
 Chingford Station is very close to the pub.

 SURREY VETERANS CHAMPIONSHIP  in Richmond Park  Saturday October 19th 
 Marcus Gohar's personal nemesis Mike Boyle ran away with the championship
 for the second year in succession but Marcus, 3rd last year, hacked over a
 minute off his time of 12 months ago to take the silver medal. With Captain
 Bicks also over a minute quicker than last year in 11th place and Mick Lane
 sandwiched between the two of them we were obviously going to be well up in
 the team scoring - but it was Herne Hill, led by Boyle, who take the premier
 position eight points ahead of Ranelagh. Had Chris Owens been a few days
 older he would have been amongst the medals in the over 50 category but
 instead had to settle for 4th over 45.
 It was the high-flying over 60s who were once again the top achieving men's
 team. With Allan Lang and Pete Warren individually 2nd and 3rd and Martin
 Clark right behind in 4th they romped away with the team golds.
 And it was the oldest team category amongst the women - the over 45s - that
 had the greatest success too, in a near-repetition of last year's result.
 Kathy Mallett and Sonia Rowland won individual gold and bronze just as they
 did last year, and not surprisingly the team retained its championship.
 Third member of the team this time was Margaret Auerback who was another
 individual gold medallist in the over 55 category. Our first home in the
 race was Marlene Pautard, 6th overall but sneaking into 3rd place amongst
 the over 35s. Marlene and Kathy were two more to improve by a minute or more
 over last year! 
 Margaret Auerback adds a few words about the Surrey Vets:
 "----or should it be Masters? (at the BVAF AGM in July it was voted
 overwhelmingly to change the name to British Masters Athletic Federation so
 you will no longer be asked if you cure sick animals or if you fought in the
 war). 
 Anyway, thank you to all those who ran in the cross country races on
 Saturday. There were some excellent performances in both races and Ranelagh
 took its fair share of individual and team medals. Well done everybody ---
 those Tuesday night sessions are definitely working!"


 One notable result we missed from the tail end of last month was Margaret's
 victory in the Over 55 category of the British Masters 5km road championship
 at Grimsby on September 29th. Margaret reports:
 "Ray and I made the trip to Grimsby for the National Masters 5km champs held
 on a fast, flat course on an industrial estate (not good for scenery). 
 A slightly downhill start resulted in most people running far too fast for
 the first kilometre and Ray, in his first race since knee surgery in
 January, looked like he might be on for sub 18.00. Common sense prevailed
 however and he settled into an even pace and finished in a respectable
 fourteenth place.
 The women's race started fast and we were all going at a brilliant pace
 until about 3km when it wasn't quite so much fun any more. Thankfully I
 managed to hang on for first W55 so we both had a successful weekend. Since
 then I have been selected for the W55 England team for the Home Countries
 International cross country in November". 
 Men Over 55
 1		J Bell		 		16.17
 14		Ray Auerback		21.34
 Women Over 55
 1		Margaret Auerback	20.17
       
 CABBAGE PATCH 10 MILES  INCL CALLIS CUP CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP  at Twickenham
 Sunday October 20th  
 A flat course, a competitive race and ideal conditions brought forth a
 plethora of personal bests, not least amongst the Ranelagh contingent.
 Initial fears that the revised course might be a hundred metres or so
 under-distance seem to have receded, but in any case nothing could detract
 from a really outstanding performance from Sarah Seal, whose form in the
 last few weeks has catapulted her into a different class altogether. Her
 63.16 for 7th place swept several minutes off her previous best and ranks
 her 9th in Ranelagh's all-time list. And to be sure, there's more to come. 
 Sarah's efforts won't bring her a tangible reward unfortunately! Kevin
 Jacques had an untroubled run to win the Callis Cup exactly five minutes
 ahead of her. Then, to quote Sarah: "Everyone had really good runs
 yesterday, lots of PB's - oh what a happy bunch of cabbages we were!!"
   


 Anair Beverly travelled up to Liverpool for the season's opening Reebok
 Cross Challenge races on October 19th. She finished 28th in the Under 17s
 race in 13.45. 

 Fuller details from the Kingston Running Festival on October 10th: 
 Marathon
 1		R James (Cornw) 	2.29.42
 35		Adam Tapley		3.12.27
 104		Derek Mason		3.43.54 

 16 miles
 1		P Brenner (Unatt)	1.30.56
 78		Bridget Cuthbert		1.54.55
 584		Carole Desbaux		2.46.04 

 8 miles
 1		S Hayes (Sigma)	42.00
 341		John Hanscomb		66.48
 404		Janet Turnes		68.49
 791		Hazel Carr			81.24
 810		Lynn Barber			82.18
 811		Jane Wyatt			82.27
 910		Gillian Hughes		111.15 

 FIREWORK NIGHT 
 Frances Ratchford reports:
 "The Café Dysart is having a firework display on Tuesday November 5th.  It
 will be held in the car park and is free; there will also be free food.  The
 car park will be shut and they are concerned for safety reasons that the
 Tuesday runners do not try to cross the car park. There will be a fireman
 present so there won't be a fire risk to the club. But anyone who wants to
 attend the fireworks is welcome and all donations will be going to the Star
 & Garter Home. If people want to run then they will have to come in the back
 way and should be aware that there will be fireworks going off from about
 6pm".
 That evening's club committee meeting will take place at the Rose of York
 rather than in the clubhouse.
 
 SOUTHERN MEDALS
 Picking up on the discussion about when the club last won Southern
 Championship medals, Peter Saw writes:
 "I suggest that the 1981 medals were Southern Vets AC medals NOT Southern
 championship medals as the Southern Counties were not promoting for veterans
 at that time".  

 RICHARD CLAY-JONES
 is currently in Charing Cross Hospital. We send him our very best wishes for
 a full return to health.   
 
 NEXT...
 More details of the following from Andy Bickerstaff (07966 552302 /
 mailto:norris.hobs@ndirect.co.uk) or
 Sarah Seal (020 8995 2380 / mailto:sarahs@walker.co.uk). 

 Saturday October 26th	Mob Match v Orion Harriers 7.5 miles at Chingford.
 2.30pm start. See above.
 
 Saturday November 2nd 	Priory Relays at Reigate
 
 Saturday November 9th	South of Thames "Junior" Championship at Hayes, Kent

 Sunday November 10th	National Veterans Relay Championship at Lloyd Park,
 Croydon

 Saturday November 16th	Surrey League Division 1 - men at Kingston Vale,
 women at Wimbledon Common.	Start times 2.30pm for the junior men's
 races, followed by the seniors; 12.30pm for the senior women's race followed
 by the junior women. 

 QUOTE OF THE WEEK
 Small girl to mother, just as your e-news editor was toiling past in the
 Surrey Vets race on Saturday: "Mummy, why are there so many slow people?"  

 FINALLY
 Peter Haarer reports that a colleague from his second-claim club Headington
 Road Runners is making an attempt at the world record for the Half Marathon
 at the Stroud event next Sunday. The man in question, one Gary Harris, is
 looking for someone to run with him to verify his performance. He expects to
 cover the distance in about 80 minutes.
 World record? Oh yes, I forgot to mention that he'll be pushing his baby
 daughter in a buggy...
 
 Steve Rowland
 e-mail: srowland@calorgas.co.uk
 Tel: 01926 318734
 Fax: 0870 4006901