The logo of the baRUNNER website. HOME NEWS DIARY

baRUNNER - a website for the British Airways Athletics Club

The logo of the baRUNNER website.
Events>

BA Athletics Club News Digest 22nd October 2012

This News Digest

This is being sent to you because you are on the BA Athletics Club email list.  If you wish to be removed please email us at news@barunner.org.uk.

Difficulty viewing this email? Read it off the website instead - http://www.barunner.org.uk/News Latest.shtml.


Forthcoming Events

Don't forget the following priority club events:

  • All Wednesdays 24th October to 28th November - Sports Hall Fitness Session - 18:00 to 19:00
  • Wednesday 31st October - Winter 5 mile Handicap run - starts early from 17:00
  • Sunday 4th November Run-of-the-Month - Marlow Half-Marathon - details below - starts 9:30 - enter in advance: http://www.marlowstriders.co.uk/msdb/

New members and non-members of all fitness levels and abilities are welcome at all of these events. 

The full events diary is on the club website at: http://www.barunner.org.uk/Event Diary.shtml.


World Airline Road Race 2012 Qingdao Results

The outstanding result of the 2012 World Airline Road Race in Qingdao, China is that the races were held and included about 300 airline participants including six runners for British Airways. The detail of distances run, times and positions are almost incidental.

But I must also add that the British Airways Team was successful: Gareth Snook won third place in his age category in the long course race. Roderick Hoffman was fourth in the same category – though a long ten minutes behind Gareth.  Other BA finishers in the long course were John Scaife and Steve Newell.  BA representatives in the short course were Sue Newell and Benita Scaife. The trophy winners are listed on the WARR website and full results are expected to be published shortly.

Speaking personally I found this to be one of the better WARRs to have attended and this was because of, not despite, the problems encountered and overcome through the spirit and strength or the WARR family.  A newcomer to WARR would inevitably have seen things differently and might have come away a bit bemused but, on the whole, positive from the experience.  A brief summary of those experiences:

  • A reasonable hotel, not overpriced and conveniently positioned,
  • Efficient race registration in the hotel though without a WARR shirt or other “giveaways”,
  • Meet and Greet party in the presentation area of the local brewery (Tsingtao) – all you could drink for £5,
  • Magical Mystery coach tour organised by Dave the photographer. Dave was as mystified as the rest of us!,
  • T Shirt party underneath the Olympic Torch in Qingdao harbour. BA had not submitted a T Shirt this year but at least twelve teams had,
  • Coaches to and from the race course – a politically safe distance away from Qingdao,
  • An ideal setting for the race courses – a landscaped manmade lake with scenic bridges to run over and the usual pagoda. Ample marshals, timekeepers, loos and water – and a basic finish medal provided by Neil and Anne Campbell,
  • On the downside the short and the long races were started simultaneously and the distances were just over 4k and just under 8k respectively,
  • A good awards evening with all you could eat food (not too Chinese), free beer for two hours and a pay bar thereafter. Trophies aplenty and a popular disco afterwards,
  • Nice weather throughout – dry, still and cool for the races and blue skies with only a hint of air pollution on all days – including in Beijing and Shanghai before and after.

Roderick Hoffman

Photographs: On Facebook


Men's Surrey League Results at Lightwater 20/10

A good start to the season for the men's team in the Division 4 match at Lightwater last Saturday. Despite only having 7 runners they performed well with Paul Knechtl leading the team home in 3rd place. He was followed by John Taylor in 13th, Barry Walters 15th, Graham Taylor 36th, John Coffey 45th, Denis Foxley 46th and Neil Frediani 65th. The team placed 4th overall. Thanks to the ladies Ann, Clara and Marion for their support and providing tea and cakes afterwards. Full results attached.

Barry Walters.

Race Pos* Name Club Age Cat Time Div 4 Pos Div 4 Pts Race No.
5 Steve Bishop HOL V40 0:29:36 1 1 805
25 Paul Knechtl BAC V40 0:31:22 3 3 755
66 John Taylor BAC V40 0:34:13 13 13 756
72 Barry Walters BAC V50 0:34:24 15 15 752
141 Graham Taylor BAC V50 0:39:02 36 33 751
160 John Coffey BAC V60 0:41:01 45 41 750
162 Denis Foxley BAC V60 0:41:07 46 42 753
185 Neil Frediani BAC V50 0:47:54 65 55 754

* Race position includes Division 3 finishers. There were 70 Division 4 finishers in all.

Lifts to races

Can you ask if people need a lift to men's Cross-Country events (next event 10th November) then to contact me and I will see if I can arrange a lift with someone. We only had seven on Saturday (ten score), I had meant to ask beforehand if anyone needed help getting there but was too busy and didn't get around to it.

Neil Frediani


Results Cabbage Patch 21st October

Place Time Name Team Category Number Grading
84  1:01:59 Chris Kelly British Airways AC  Men (45-49) 1380  78.05 (PPB!)
261 1:09:37 Colin Haylock British Airways AC  Men (40-44) 694 67.44
307 1:11:34 Richard Ruffell British Airways AC  Men (50-59) 320 69.75
726 1:21:49 Scott Davison British Airways AC  Men (40-44) 296 56.55
877 1:24:50 Joe Nolan British Airways AC  Men (50-59) 1886  61.9
      Extended Family:
116 1:03:47 Jeremy Short   Men (50-59) 783 78.26
144 1:05:30 David Bird Runnymede Runners Men (45-49) 626 74.43
206 1:07:59 Adam Hughes The Stragglers RC Men (Up to 39)  521 66.63
222 1:08:33 David Tyas   Men (45-49) 1422  70.58
263 1:09:39 Natalie Ruffell   Ladies (Up to 34) 319 70.9
316 1:11:49 Ben Chaytow The Stragglers RC Men (Up to 39)  355 62.22 (PPB)
562 1:17:42 Brian Bennett Runnymede Runners Men (60+) 277 79.27
986 1:26:57 Baljit Dhanda Ealing Eagles Running Club  Men (45-49) 1173 56.5

Great conditions temperature wise - good race for runners - perhaps apart from the start - no chips, so could be a bit slow if not in the right place, and miles 8 and 9 rather longer than marked... though perhaps it spurs people on!

Chris Kelly

ED: I never liked the derogatory term "Dorised" to describe the situation where a supposedly fast male runner was beaten by the leading lady.  However I think that being "Natalied" should be seen as a complement to Richard for fine breeding and nurturing.


Marlow Half Marathon reminder and apology

This year's Marlow Half Marathon will be on Sunday, 4th November at 9:30 am, and has been designated November's Run-Of-The-Month.

It is set in fabulous countryside, with glorious views down the valley between miles 7 and 8 (weather permitting). It's reasonably priced, for which you get a long sleeved shirt, and a good results service. It is a reassuringly challenging run, possibly the third hardest UK Half - it goes up, down, up, down, up and down again, and the weather can be bad.

I'd love to do it myself, but can't actually make it, as it clashes with the 5th Didsbury Beer Festival.

Enter via the website - http://www.marlowstriders.co.uk/msdb/?page_id=594 - note that the event is known to sell out so enter quickly.

Chris Kelly

ED: Given Chris' excuse for not running I'm sure he'll offer to buy a pint for everyone who does enter and run!


parkrun Update

Not many parkruns last weekend due to priority club participation in the Cross Countries. But there were still five runners including Alan Anderson completing his 239th run and Roderick Hoffman running his 33rd different parkrun - a list that doesn't include Leamington run by Chris Kelly at the weekend or Woodley Park run by Simon Turton the previous week. Note that Steve Newell is currently working out the complete list of parkruns run at by BA Club Members to date - are we up to 50 yet?


Fancy putting your Sports Hall Session fitness to good purpose at a Barn Dance?

The ballroom dance section are holding another barn dance and would like to invite section members to join us and help make it a fun filled evening. No experience required, it's about having fun.
  • Date: Friday November 30th
  • Time: 7:30-11:30
  • Venue: Olympus Hall, Concorde
  • Club Band: Local Yokels
  • Price: £12.50 includes a fish n chip supper

Tickets in advance only from Concorde reception 020 8513 2000/2001 Credit cards accepted.

Phil Ellison Chairman, Ballroom Dance Section


News for the next BAAC News Digest? Thanks in particular to Chris Kelly this week - next week could it be you?

The idea of this communication is to consolidate some of the news items that would otherwise be forwarded individually to all club members.  We will still send out prompt announcements for key events as separate emails. Please let us have your ideas for how club communications can be improved and please send us items for inclusion in the next Digest.  Results, news, feedback, jokes, stores - send it to us at news@barunner.org,uk.


Club website:

www.barunner.org.uk.


 

      

Full Index