BA Athletics Club News Digest 5th June 2023
Events marked "#" are points scoring for the club's participation trophy - for the 2023 title. Club Event Map: [Clickable link to Google Maps] 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. Weekly Athletic Achievement (by Sunday evening) or use the Facebook group prompt:
AGM NewsNote that this year's AGM has appeared in the diary on Wednesday 5th July. Please plan on being at Bedfont on that date. More details next week. 2023 Speedbird Ladies on Wednesday 21st JuneWith two weeks to go we've got 35 registered for the Speedbird Ladies. At the committee meeting on Wednesday we'll decide whether to stick with the current limit of 50 or, more likely, allow more runners.
We will need volunteers on the day, although that hasn't proved a problem in the past.
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Colleague | Activity | Distance | Course | When | Duration | Comments |
Barry Walters | Running | 5km | Bracknell | Mon am | 00:30:20 | Ran a hard effort over Swinley Forest in the morning doing an out and back short tempo run. Conditions were dry and pleasant. In the evening did a one-hour yoga session at my local leisure centre. |
Benita Scaife | Running | 6.9km | Runnymede | We rehearsed the upcoming NOW run to check the route and access. There is a new path being laid between the Writ in Water and Magna Carta memorials, but we were reassured that the work will not impede us… | ||
John Scaife | Running | 6.9km | Runnymede | ...It’s a significant climb to the Air Forces Memorial at the top of Cooper’s Hill but on a beautiful day like Friday it was well worth it. 6.9km with the visit to AFM but this section can be missed out. | ||
Emma Moreton | Race | 10km | Weybridge 10k | Sun am | 00:45:43 | Not a PB but 1st female V40 and 4th female overall - it was a warm morning! |
Julie Barclay | Running | 9k | Amsterdam | Tue | 0:54:00 | ...Beatrixpark (not the parkrun course) which is infamous for attracting ill-prepared parkrunners to the wrong location. |
Paul Watt | Running | 9k | Amsterdam | Tue | 0:54:00 | A run from the hotel that incorporated three parks: Amstelveen Park, Martin Luther King Park and… |
Roderick Hoffman | Running | 18.78km | Thames Marlow to Shiplake | Thur | 02:24:28 | Starting my June "Canalathon" although the aim is to have covered 365 different canal towpath and river path miles in 365 days from 1st July 2022. |
Stephen Taylor | Running | 10miles | Grand Union Canal / River Brent Circuit | Sat am | 01:44:17 | A run along the canal, I had planned to go a little further but my legs had other ideas. 10 miles 1:44:17 |
Steve Hillier | Running | 3.8km | Roxborne Park | Sat am | 00:27:51 | Plus, on Sunday, cycling to/from the BAAC one hour race. Warm, dry and breezy...slower going home! Twelve miles in 1:15. |
No pictures 'cos I'm in Sweden and don't have my picture editor here. Perhaps next week.
Roderick Hoffman
5 and 34 activities are recorded below. Please get in touch if your activity is missing.
Club parkrunner | parkrun 29th May | Run# | Pos | Time | Age Grade | Comment |
Paul WATT | Beatrixpark | 35 | 11 | 0:19:40 | 80.17% | run #243, park #141, first timer at a run number #35, Wilson Index still on 26. New BA park - #731. |
Julie BARCLAY | Beatrixpark | 35 | 38 | 0:22:57 | 82.21% | run #295, park #145, ran a #35 at Woking years ago, Wilson Index still on 26 |
Melanie Miller | Reeuwijkse Hout | 66 | 49 | 0:37:39 | 47.45% | run #143, park #117. New BA parkrun #734. |
Roderick HOFFMAN | Schoterbos | 88 | 59 | 0:27:32 | 59.26% | run #460, park #353. New BA park #732. |
Marcia DUBBELAAR | Schoterbos | 88 | Non-member, KLM WARRior - Timekeeper at Schoterbos | |||
David DUGGAN | Tapijn | 89 | 90 | 0:33:50 | 48.67% | run #462, park #128. New BA parkrun #733. (Maastricht area) |
Club parkrunner | parkrun 3rd June | Run# | Pos | Time | Age Grade | Comment |
Ralph BEHRENS | Alstervorland | 156 | 187 | 0:53:06 | 32.83% | [non-member] WARR associate - parkwalker at Alstervorland (Hamburg) |
Paul WATT | Amager Strandpark | 518 | 15 | 0:20:00 | 78.83% | BA male record from Roderick. * |
Julie BARCLAY | Amager Strandpark | 518 | 51 | 0:22:50 | 82.63% | BA Grade record (Natalie Ruffell retains the time record) * |
Murray Hogge | Bath Skyline | 374 | 215 | 0:30:07 | 54.18% | 3rd run at Bath Skyline |
Scott DAVISON | Bedfont Lakes | 644 | 95 | 0:29:57 | 50.03% | run #418, 276th at Bedfont Lakes |
Anne Bannister | Bedfont Lakes | 644 | 156 | 0:56:54 | 36.73% | tailwalker companion ? |
Bob BANNISTER | Bedfont Lakes | 644 | 157 | 0:56:55 | 29.75% | run #461, tailwalker companion ? |
Sarah GORDON | Braunstone | 587 | 209 | 0:37:16 | 56.08% | 119th run at Braunstone |
Kevin HOLLAND | Brooklands | 147 | 270 | 0:35:49 | 52.91% | PB by 2 seconds (on 29th run at Brooklands) |
Ian Haylock | Bushy Park | 933 | 152 | 0:20:45 | 72.21% | run #368 |
Ian CUNNINGHAM | Bushy Park | 933 | 794 | 0:28:25 | 56.42% | run #508 |
Paul TIMMS | Cirencester | 197 | 40 | 0:23:19 | 68.76% | run #102 |
Ben CHAYTOW | Crane Park | 508 | 20 | 0:23:29 | 60.82% | 20th place at Crane Park for 4th time this year |
Trish MCCABE | Crane Park | 508 | 67 | 0:27:08 | 59.09% | gentle warm-up for the one hour event on Sunday |
Steve NEWELL | Dinton Pastures | 188 | 282 | 0:49:03 | 41.86% | 9th run at Dinton Pastures, Wilson Index creeps up to 191 |
Alan ANDERSON | Dinton Pastures | 188 | 284 | 0:50:32 | 53.92% | run #660, 2nd at Dinton Pastures |
Vera Simms | Eastbourne | 534 | 201 | 0:27:41 | 71.10% | first run at Eastbourne, park #31 |
Janet SMITH | Ekebergsletta | 38 | 105 | 0:52:56 | 35.14% | Park walker at Ekebergsletta (south of Oslo). Run #151, park #58 * |
Alastair HESLOP | Guildford | 475 | 352 | 0:54:12 | 32.16% | Tail walker at Guildford. 12th parkrun. |
Piers KEENLEYSIDE | Gunnersbury | 525 | 518 | 0:39:21 | 43.03% | 207th run at Gunnersbury |
Joan FOXLEY | Harrow | 350 | 195 | 0:37:50 | 62.95% | 222nd run at Harrow out of the 350 plus loads of volunteering |
Denis FOXLEY | Harrow | 350 | Token Support at Harrow | |||
Harjit Jhooti | Henlow Bridge Lakes | 85 | 98 | 0:32:23 | 55.17% | 200th parkrun,1st at Henlow Bridge, park #84 |
Melanie Miller | Henlow Bridge Lakes | 85 | 130 | 0:40:24 | 44.22% | run #144, park #118 |
Petra OTTO | March | 302 | 129 | 0:46:47 | 47.60% | Park walker at March |
Jeremy SHORT | Osterley | 426 | 249 | 0:47:56 | 34.04% | 44th run at Osterley |
Steve Waite | Riddlesdown | 574 | 168 | 0:38:49 | 47.27% | run #40 |
Benita SCAIFE | Salisbury | 345 | 265 | 0:32:18 | 66.72% | First BA lady. 100th different parkrun (Cowell). |
John SCAIFE | Salisbury | 345 | 266 | 0:32:19 | 53.95% | 1st run at Salisbury |
David DUGGAN | Southall | 71 | 33 | 0:32:17 | 51.01% | run #463, 12th at Southall, P-Index is 6 |
Mike DENNISON | Stockley Country | 21 | 8 | 0:20:42 | 81.00% | 3rd run at Stockley Country |
Maria JOVANI | Stockley Country | 21 | 21 | 0:22:43 | 71.31% | PB by two minutes, improves her BA ladies record, and course age grade record (of 148 runners in that age grade). |
Roderick HOFFMAN | Stockley Country | 21 | 148 | 0:58:04 | 28.10% | Tail walker at Stockley Country, slowest ever parkrun! |
David Cowell | Stockley Country | 21 | Marshal at Stockley Country | |||
David GALL | Western Springs | 334 | 157 | 0:55:43 | 28.30% | [non-member] WARR associate. Tailwalker at Western Springs (nz) |
Judy TURTON | Woodley | 481 | 276 | 0:32:55 | 54.28% | First parkrun since Feb 2022 |
* Guess who will be doing the Scandinavian extra parkruns on Monday and/or Tuesday (plus at least one more of us). Find out in next week's digest.
We started early again this week with special events in Netherlands on Pentecost Monday (also a bank holiday in the UK, but not every year). Paul Watt (19:40) and Julie Barclay (22:57) led the way with fast (80% +) runs at Beatrixpark in Almere to the East of Amsterdam. This reporter has fond memories (from half an adult lifetime ago!) of an Ironman distance triathlon there with a 3800m swim in a skimpy wetsuit in the nearby Gooimeer and the chance to linger in a warm shower before moving on what turned out to be a puncture ridden 180km bike ride. Paul and Julie are accumulating parkruns this year at a furious pace and with runs in Denmark on Saturday have already done 26 in 2023.
Still in Holland last Monday, Roderick Hoffman (27:32) was at Schoterbus in Haarlem to the West of Amsterdam while Melanie Miller (37:39) went to Reeuwijkse Hout, well to the South and nearer Rotterdam. The European Circus moves on to Denmark and Sweden next week. 5th June is Constitution Day in Denmark, 6th June is Swedish National Day so expect to see a few members there this Tuesday.
Germany will celebrate Unity Day on Tuesday 3rd October. Historically special parkruns in France have been held on Christmas Day rather than Bastille Day. If parkruns restart a change might be seen as appropriate! Some USA parkruns have an extra run at Thanksgiving in November.
News has reached us of a new parkrun (inaugural 3rd June 2023) on the Aran island of Inis Meain in Galway Bay. An unusually late start time of 11.00 am but getting there in time could still be a challenge as visitors are dependent on a small aerodrome or a ferry (probably on a Friday!) from Rossaveel (Connemara) on the mainland followed by a trip on shank’s pony. An enthusiastic group of parkrun tourists has chartered a boat (capacity 50) for 29th July. Low lie the Fields of Athenry.
Back home on Saturday, Benita Scaife (32:18) chose Salisbury as her 100th different parkrun venue and became the latest member to join the Cowell Club.
Roderick Hoffman (58:04) tried out the tailwalker role at Stockley Country where David Cowell also volunteered as a marshal. 21 runs into the mission the attendance still fluctuates quite widely and Fibonacci run numbers do seem to attract a significant dedicated group. The next one to look out for will be #34 in 3 months' time. Visiting volunteers are always most welcome (every week).
Steve Newell
What a weekend that was. Eleven months ago we booked tickets to see Bruce Springsteen at the Johann Cruyff Arena in Amsterdam but as luck would have it, the date fell on the Double-Dutch parkrun weekend. After quick amendments to hotel and flight bookings, two parkruns became possible with Zuiderpark in The Hague and then Beatrixpark in Almere on the Monday being chosen. Both runs were fast and flat with the British accounting for 90% of the turnout. But parkruns aside, this trip just showed how perfect The Netherlands
is for a short city break. Some will be aware of the historic city of
Den Haag and of the fabulous stretch of wide sandy beaches which are
easily accessed by tram from the city. Two parkruns, a concert, a visit to Ann Frank’s house and a morning at the beach were all reached by public transport that was so simple to use and was not one second delayed. And who would have thought that in Zuiderpark, we saw hares and deer during the run and in Amstelpark in Amsterdam we saw red squirrels and wallabies: quite amazing. If you haven’t already, consider The Netherlands for a trip away and next May will also give you two parkruns in three days. What’s not to love? Paul Watt |
There are currently 16 Dutch parkruns. Eleven of the 16 held a special parkrun on 29th May, on their Whit Monday holiday. This enabled many parkrun tourists to fit in an extra parkrun. Many of these come from outside the Netherlands and many of those had also done a Dutch parkrun on Saturday 27th May.
Record attendances were set - but not across the board.
On Saturday 27th May although three records were set, at Kagerzoom, Sonsbeek and Zuiderpark, at seven of the other parkruns numbers were down from the previous Saturday. The new records at Sonsbeek and Zuiderpark would have been partly because they were not hosting a Whitson Special parkrun - hence tourists visited those two on the Saturday, and also Amsterdamse Bos (where a new record wasn't set). The 1290 total attendance on Saturday 27th was around 400 higher than the 884 of the previous Saturday - around 50%. 300 of that increase was shared between Amsterdamse Bos and Zuiderpark.
On Monday Stadpark had a drop in numbers from the Saturday but all the other ten parkruns increased their attendance and 7 of them set new records. The increases were spread around but being at smaller parkruns this still resulted in significant increases. Beatrixpark had the biggest percentage increase - 146 extra parkrunners added 330% to the event's record attendance and 475% growth from Saturday's event. Delfte Hout had 290% growth of its record and 310% from its Saturday numbers. In total 1298 parkrunners attended Dutch parkruns on Monday - an increase from Saturday of only 8 finishers, but consider that five parkruns didn't operate, including the two largest Dutch parkruns.
But these numbers are small perhaps compared to the numbers visiting the Denmark and Swedish special parkruns this week with the Scandinavian treble really catching the eye of the parkrun tourists - see next week's digest.
Roderick Hoffman
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
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