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BA Athletics Club News Digest End of Year 2018

Events:

  • Thursday 3rd January 2019 - Dream Mile Bath Road from 12:45 *
  • Saturday 12th January - Men's Surrey League Cross-Country at Oxshott at 15:00 #
  • Wednesday 16th January - Club event and social at the Bedfont Club - details tba #

New members and potential members of all fitness levels and abilities are welcome at all of these events. The full diary of club featured events is on the club website at: http://www.barunner.org.uk/Event Diary.shtml. Last updated: 10th December.

* Club Event Map: [Clickable link to Google Maps] (parkrun details updated 10th December) / # Club Points event.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BARunnerUK/ (formal "front window" club page), BA Runner Facebook Group (informal "back office" - ask to join).

Inclusions, with photos, please to Roderick Hoffman at news@barunner.org.uk.

We are meeting at the Bedfont Club on Wednesday 2nd January 2019 and on most Wednesdays throughout the year.


# 2018 Round-the-Block Points Table #

Over the course of 2018, 49 designated events were "Club points scoring" in the annual Round-the-Block competition. The purpose of this competition is to enable us to measure and reward club participation. Individuals got four points for organising an event, two points for just marshalling or supporting and one point for running.

Some facts from the final table:

252 individuals are listed as having run or helped with at least one points event. Note that the club only has about 100 members so this total includes many friends and family members. Many of those 252 were only involved with Marshalling the London Marathon.

101 individuals are listed as having run or helped with more than one event.

15 individuals have done so with ten or more events and 2 individuals have run or helped with 24 of the 49 events - so not quite half!

Two events over the year earned participants a solitary point.  So thank you to Key Trinder at the Homewood Club Featured parkrun and Trish McCabe at the Nonsuch Cross Country for representing the club on your own. The other extreme was the London Marathon which earned participants and volunteers a total of 312 points. Next highest was the Vitality 10000 with 72 points and then the Speedbird Ladies with 55.

20 team members scored ten points or more.  Steve Newell wins the Round the Block trophy for his outstanding contribution throughout 2018.

Participant Sum of Points Count of Event
Steve Newell 51 24
Roderick Hoffman 40 21
Steve Hillier 33 23
Neil Frediani 31 24
Joe Nolan 24 11
Graham Taylor 22 15
Chris Kelly 22 15
Trish McCabe 21 18
Harry Wild 21 11
Simon Turton 18 10
Paul Brandon 18 9
Alan Anderson 15 12
Steve Taylor 15 10
John Scaife 14 11
Benita Scaife 13 10
Ian Cunningham 11 10
Paul Watt 10 8
David Duggan 10 6
Clara Halket 10 4
John Coffey 10 7

Six team members ended the year on nine points: Piers Keenleyside, Mark Taylor, Julie Barclay, Gary Rushmer, Christine Munden and Jacqueline Musselwhite.

The full final table can be viewed here: https://1drv.ms/x/s!Ao4wOv9pbDU1gsMYa0koyGb0MsK9kw {you may need to register your email address with Microsoft for free to use this link - let me know if you have any difficulty}.

# Thank you to everyone who participated - all 252 of you. In January we start again and I'll announce next week what will be points events in 2019.

Roderick Hoffman


Annual Round The Airport (Heathrow) Run - Thursday 27th December

Round the Airport 2018 

All the runners pictured, plus Chris Kelly though he managed to undertake us on his run, set off on the Round the Airport run last Thursday. Thanks to Neil for organising and buying the drinks and chips in the pub at the end. But next year, remember to tell us which pub!

If you weren't with us then you might be surprised to learn that amongst the horses and swans we encountered there was also a Rhea (a seemingly very lost South American flightless bird). Honest...and there is photographic evidence of it on Facebook.


Club parkrun results for Christmas Day and Saturday 29th December 2018

Parkrun review Christmas Day 2018

Christmas Day parkruns were trailed on BBC Radio 4/5 around the time Santa Claus was finishing his rounds and encouraging his reindeer to speed back to wherever it is he really has his HQ and get the turkey in the oven.  With fewer than half the parkruns operating there were large attendances including several record turnouts and our members were part of the record crowds at Bushy Park (2011 – UK record), Norwich (1104), Northala Fields (438) and Dinton Pastures (308).

Paul Knechtl (17:36) left the crowds behind at Bushy and was 29th across the line.  James Shoulder (19:52) achieved a course pb at Crane Park where Maria Jovani (21:50) set a female club record.  Tim Bellars (22:30) set a club record at Mole Valley.  He has now run eleven parkruns, each at different venue {Ed: Another 39 and I'll be able to enroll him in The Hoffman Club!}.  Andrew Jordan (26:10) ran at Walsall Arboretum for the sixth Christmas Day in a row while Sarah Gordon (30:45) ran her fastest parkrun of the year at Braunstone.

Run22nd Decemberparkrunner Time parkrun Comment Age Grade
Sat. Alan Anderson 43:43 Osterley Park run #539, 9th at Osterley, run #51 of 2018 52%
Sat. Alan Friar 31:35 Woodley run #265, 82nd at Woodley 59%
Xmas Andrew Jordan 26:10 Walsall Arboretum 6th consecutive Xmas Day run at Walsall 58%
Xmas Anne Bannister 30:21 Bushy Park run #183, 3rd at Bushy 64%
Sat. Anne Bannister 31:15 Bedfont Lakes run #184, 151st at Bedfont 62%
Sat. Ben Chaytow 22:57 Crane Park run #215, 186th at Crane 60%
Xmas Bob Bannister 23:55 Bushy Park run #340, 5th at Bushy, course pb 68%
Sat. Bob Bannister 24:01 Bedfont Lakes run #341, 284th at Bedfont 68%
Xmas Caroline Cockram 25:02 Bushy Park run #340 66%
Sat. Caroline Cockram 26:40 Bedfont Lakes run #341, 198th at Bedfont 62%
Xmas Chris Kelly 21:13 Dinton Pastures run 412, 2nd at Dinton Pastures 71%
Sat. Chris Kelly 22:15 Reading run #413, 322nd at Reading, run #50 of 2018 68%
Sat. Chris Evans 23:56 Bedfont Lakes run #224 63%
Xmas Christine Munden 31:10 Northala Fields run #14, 1st at Northala Fields 53%
Sat. Darren Wood 23:19 Frimley Lodge run #700, 371st at Frimley Lodge 57%
Xmas David Duggan 28:08 Bushy Park run #285 56%
Sat. David Duggan 29:14 Bedfont Lakes run #286, 194th at Bedfont, run #54 of 2018 54%
Xmas Denis Foxley 28:57 Rickmansworth run #120, 10th at Rickmansworth 60%
Sat. Denis Foxley 29:45 Harrow run #121, 102nd at Harrow 59%
Xmas Ian Cockram 23:15 Bushy Park run #460 64%
Xmas Ian Cunningham 28:22 Bushy Park run #357 55%
Sat. Ian Cockram volunteer Bedfont Lakes run director
Sat. Ian Cunningham 25:45 Bushy Park run #358, 290th at Bushy (5th this Dec) 60%
Sat. Jacqui Musselwhite 23:49 Woking run #69, 61st at Woking 70%
Sat. Jain Reid 35:00 Hyde run #39, 1st at Hyde, BA park#462 50%
Xmas James Shoulder 19:52 Crane Park run #34, 6th at Crane, course pb 65%
Sat. James Shoulder 20:33 Bedfont Lakes on a streak at Bedfont - 20:35, 20:34, 20:33 63%
Xmas Janet Smith 35:14 Southsea run #94, 2nd at Southsea 50%
Sat. Janet Smith 34:19 Black Park run #95, best at Black Park this year 51%
Xmas Jeremy Short 22:48 Cassiobury run #107, 2nd at Cassiobury, course pb 69%
Xmas Joan Foxley 38:42 Rickmansworth run #125, 16th at Rickmansworth 58%
Sat. Joan Foxley 40:17 Harrow run #126, 107th at Harrow 55%
Sat. Joanne Sinton-Hewitt volunteer Bedfont Lakes finish tokens
Sat. Joe Nolan 59:57 Black Park run #312, first for over six months 27%
Xmas John Coffey 27:46 Bushy Park run #311 69%
Xmas John Scaife 26:22 Norwich run #158, 3rd at Norwich 63%
Xmas John Taylor 24:34 Rickmansworth run #13, 3rd at Rickmansworth 62%
Sat. John Coffey 29:19 Hazelwood 34th run at Hazelwood (out of 42 in total) 66%
Sat. John Lennon 32:15 Guildford run #283, 3rd at Guildford 48%
Xmas Jonathan Cox 28:01 Crane Park run #373 56%
Sat. Julie Barclay 23:54 Hazelwood F-2, 3rd run at Hazelwood 75%
Sat. Kelly Davis 31:26 Bushy Park run #73, 4th at Bushy (annual visit) 48%
Sat. Lesley Chamberlin 29:10 Bushy Park run #182, 55th at Bushy (4th this year) 66%
Xmas Maria Jovani 21:50 Crane Park run #253, club course record (F) 71%
Sat. Maria Jovani 23:55 Bedfont Lakes 24' pacer 65%
Xmas Marion Woodhouse 31:39 Rickmansworth run #33, 6th at Rickmansworth 56%
Sat. Michael Ball 24:46 Brooklands run #141, 4th at Brooklands 63%
Xmas Natalie Ruffell 24:33 Rickmansworth 1st run at Rickmansworth 60%
Xmas Neil Frediani 24:39 Bushy Park run #212 66%
Sat. Neil Frediani 28:02 Bedfont Lakes 28' pacer 58%
Sat. Oliver Mathai 24:56 Gunnersbury run #56, 32nd at Gunnersbury (8th of 2018) 67%
Xmas Paul Knechtl 17:36 Bushy Park M-29, run #20 82%
Sat. Paul Watt volunteer Hazelwood finish token support
Sat. Paul Sinton-Hewitt 22:44 Bedfont Lakes run #409, 6th at Bedfont Lakes 69%
Sat. Paul Davis 47:43 Bushy Park run #128, 3rd at Bushy (annual visit) 28%
Xmas Petra Otto 36:48 Huntingdon 1st run at Huntingdon, park #10, club rec(F) 57%
Sat. Petra Otto 32:59 March run #72, 53rd at March 63%
Xmas Piers Keenleyside 24:58 Northala Fields run #216, 10th at Northala, best pr this year 65%
Sat. Piers Keenleyside 27:51 Fire Service College run #217, park #38, BA park #460 58%
Xmas Richard Ruffell 24:33 Rickmansworth 3rd run at Rickmansworth 64%
Xmas Roderick Hoffman volunteer Northala Fields timekeeper
Sat. Roderick Hofffman 31:03 Witney run #327, 1st at Witney, BA park #461 51%
Xmas Sarah Gordon 30:45 Braunstone best run at Braunstone in 2018 63%
Xmas Scott Davison 23:33 Crane Park run #280 61%
Sat. Scott Davison 23:24 Crane Park run #281, 31st at Crane 62%
Sat. Steve Newell 38:42 Black Park run #339, 4th at Black Park 48%
Sat. Steve Taylor 24:47 Northala Fields run #109, 73rd at Northala Fields 62%
Xmas Tim Bellars 22:30 Mole Valley run #11, park #11, club course record 67%
Xmas Trish McCabe 28:21 Crane Park run #265 54%
Sat. Trish McCabe 27:18 Osterley Park run #266, 11th at Osterley, run #50 of 2018 56%

Parkrun review 29th December 2018

As 2018 draws to a close it is time to tot up the scores.  David Duggan (29:14 at Bedfont Lakes) finished the year with a club record of 54 runs in the calendar year which included a special “Thanksgiving” run in Florida in November.  Something for tourists to look out for in the future.  Christmas Day (25 Dec) runs are becoming increasingly popular in UK and other countries but for the nimble ones there are other opportunities to be had such as Boxing Day in Germany and Poland, Orthodox Christmas in Russia and Chinese New Year in Singapore.  1st January remains the only day when two runs can be counted.  This last fell on a Saturday in 2011 before many parkruns had extra events, the next time will be 1st January 2022.  Maybe there will be bank holiday Monday parkruns in lieu.  Volunteers needed for an extra shift.

The other members to notch up 50 runs during the year were Alan Anderson (51), Chris Kelly (50) and Trish McCabe (50).

The most prolific parkrunner of all time, still running just about every week and still under 40 is Darren Wood.  He ran his 700th this week (23:19) at Frimley Lodge, his most recent 100 have taken only 23 months.  The odds on his achieving a 1000 shirt within the next six years must be coming down all the time.

Janet Smith (34:19), Steve Newell (38:42) and Joe Nolan (59:57) were part of a record attendance of 803 at Black Park to celebrate the 500th parkrun there.  It was Joe Nolan’s first outing for six months as he has battled with sore feet and a bout of pneumonia. Black Park parkrun was started by Fred Ashford back on 18th July 2009 with 60 runners and former member Colette O’Neil run a useful 20:42 in week 2.

The best performance this week was achieved by Julie Barclay (23:54, 74.76%) at Hazelwood where the going is now getting very soft in places but if you are looking for a course that is kind on the joints then it is normally a good choice.  Coach Tom Rowley reported his disappointment that whoever normally fries the bacon was not on duty this week!

Three new parks were added to the club collection this week taking the total to 462.  Piers Keenleyside (27:51) visited the Fire Service College (Gloucestershire), Roderick Hoffman (31:03) went to Witney (Oxfordshire) and Jain Reid (35:00) was at Hyde (Greater Manchester).

Steve Newell will be out on the high seas for the next two weeks so those who have not registered their club as “British Airways AC” may care to help Digest Editor Roderick Hoffman by forwarding their results to him directly.

Steve Newell

Updated parkrun stats - club parkrun stats

New parkruns

Over the course of 2018 I produced forecasts and analysis for 84 new UK regular 5k parkruns (so excluding Junior parkruns and the Prison parkruns). One of the new UK parkruns last year was Witney where I ran on Saturday, and talking of new parkruns and Witney Houston is getting a parkrun from 19th January at Terry Hershey - the first in Texas. That brings the number of parkruns in the USA to 27 - up from 13 in twelve months.  So, if you want to achieve the target of having run at all of the parkruns in the States you'd better get a move on because it might soon be an impossible feat. The number of runners has also doubled in the same time. Growth in the UK went from about 13 events to 27 over 2009 and then rose to 64 events twelve months later.

Roderick Hoffman


2018 the year that was, 2019 the year that will be

Club Member 2018 Achievement 2019 Target
Roderick Hoffman Managed my 1001st running mile on 30th December, an annual target that had seemed out of reach earlier due to my stay in hospital in April and other issues over the year.
Maintained my position in the top twenty of International parkrunners (currently in 18th place but only one parkrun ahead of Becky Thurtell and three others, and that is despite doing 41 new parkruns last year). Particularly interesting parkruns I did included Hasenheide (Berlin), Penrhyn (castle), South Boulder Creek (Colorado), Victoria Dock (2010 WARR venue), Eden Project (Eden Project), Toyan (Oslo) and the Seven Bridge (250th different).
I will drop out of the top 20 in the International parkrunners table because, whilst I’ll still do many new parkruns I hope to repeat some favorites.
I intend to run better by adopting an easier, more relaxed style (come back Joe, all is forgiven).
Piers Keenleyside Ran only 9 marathons last year vs 23 in 2017 due to injury and posted PW after PW. For 2019 I want to be injury free and get a sub 3:45 marathon time by August in time to apply for a GFA place for the 2020 London Marathon.
John Scaife Aiming to do my 200th parkrun in 2019. Xmas Day 2018 was no. 158.
Neil Frediani Broke 50mins for 10k at last after 3 years of getting 50:0x. Ran a first marathon outside London. took 45mins off my Snowdonia trail half and most importantly seen newcomers to the cross country and track teams.
This year will be a record number of parkruns for me of 29 after tomorrow.
2019, just to survive will do me!! am entered in Endure24, Snowdon trail marathon and Beachy Head again. Also sub23 parkrun would make me happy.
If I run 38 parkruns next year I will get to 250 maybe on Christmas day.
Maria Jovani I reached my 250th parkrun and also came 2nd being part of a female large team in Endure 24.
We are aiming for 1st place in 2019 with the same team. I would like to run a fast marathon to qualify for GFA Boston 2020 and I’m hoping to be part of BA Green Belt relay team in May.
Richard Ruffell Finish my first (and only) full Ironman in Sweden in August.
Clara Clara Not much running in 2018 due to 2 eye surgeries even though I'd entered some events but not able to make them, and rather demotivated. Hoping 2019 will get my mojo back having entered Testway 50 (April), Henley 24hrs (June), Chester Marathon and Ultra Tour of Edinburgh (both October).
Trish McCabe My running highlights this year have been running my 2nd VMLM and raising awareness and much needed funding for Action for Pulmonary Fibrosis and reaching my 250th parkrun. My New Year’s goals are to: improve my time at Cliveden XC race on 6/01, completing a marathon outside of London, visiting at least 10 new parkruns and running a sub 25 min time at parkrun.
Stephen Taylor I missed a lot of running at the beginning of the year recovering from illness. Cycled ride London instead which was a first and Ealing half in 1:53. For 2019, London marathon, ride London in the dry and possibly the serpentine 2mile swim to make the triple.
Kelly Davis I did my first marathon (Beachyhead) I also broke my parkrun, 10k and 10mile pbs. I would like to do my second trail marathon this year and I wanna do more trail runs and cross country. If I get faster then that's a bonus!
Janet Smith I didn't have a great parkrun year not breaking 33 mins. Had a great throwing year winning 2 bronze medals at the World Masters in HT and WT in September then breaking the hammer decathlon world record in October. Am at 95 parkruns so looking forward to my hundredth in 2019 and getting closer to that elusive 30 mins. Next championships is the World Indoors in Poland in March 2019.
Ian Cunningham Just the one marathon in 2018 but it was on Southend Pier so certainly unique! Managed to run 100 miles every month of the year for the first time. Next year brings the challenge of Comrades and another attempt at a Boston qualifying time if all goes well in Berlin... and most importantly to keep enjoying the running
David Barnard Want to get sub-12minute km so I can do my 4th ParkRun (ParkWalk?) under an hour. (In 2017 3rd ParkRun took 40’ odd, so it’s a bit of a comedown, but better than nowt.)
Paul Goldsmith Still no running. Age plus injury is a bitch. Cycled well over 5000 miles this year including London Revolution. Hope to do a couple of jogs this year.
Jacqui Musselwhite It’s got to be the track for me. I loved 2018 and doing 400’s and 800’s so more of that in 2019 hopefully. We need a bigger team for the Wednesday Rosenheim League and Monday Vets League so anyone who has not had a go on track and field it starts in May. My current challenge is to run every day as I know it benefits me so much on a daily basis.
Adrian Richard Haines From the start of the 2018 year my main focus was always the World championships in Malaga in the 800m.
On the way, with the cross country season I was M50 Sussex league champion and a runner up in the Sussex Masters championship.
I quickly turned to 1500/mile track of which I broke the British indoor mile record M50 by 12 seconds (4:40).
Next up was the European indoors in Madrid,  Silver in 800& 1500.
I attempted the mile outdoor record in the summer but fell short.
I had various races in the summer but was waiting to peak for September in Malaga. I qualified through heats and semis comfortably to make 800m final of which I gained a silver in 2-03.54. I led through in 60.1 seconds and was pipped on the line. It was the fastest M50 race in the World so I ended up as the 2nd fastest in the 2018 world rankings.
I’ve had an incredible year with 34 track races. Including a lifetime 400m pb of 56 seconds. Included in this was a world record 4 x 800 attempt. We fell short by 0.08 of a second. So close!!! (8:25.87)
My plan is to get back in the gym and increase my mileage for my endurance base. Leading to the World Masters indoors in Torun, Poland.
I haven’t raced since Malaga, but plan a few indoors before the Worlds and may even try a street mile in Bermuda at the end of January
Tim Bellars The year began with the goal of getting onto the podium at WARR after several previous attempts. 
I started out training for 10k’s but soon upped to half marathons and finished the last quarter of the year running marathons!
Most enjoyable run of the year was Marathon du Medoc in September. Managed a 4:25 time but I did partake in wine at more than half the 23 chateaus! 
I managed three quinquagenarian PB’s. 43.55 10k (Chichester), 1:36:30 half marathon (Las Vegas) and 3.55 marathon (Barbados) I also came 2nd in the WARR 10k (50-60) in Canada.
Also ran 3 times in South Africa and a 17k trail run in the Alps.
Next year I have signed up for the Two Oceans Marathon in Cape Town and the Rapa Nui (Easter Island) Marathon.
First marathon of the year Gran Canaria end of Jan.
The Club Moved and became established at the Bedfont & Feltham Football & Social Club.  Increased membership and had big turnouts for the London Marathon (165 involved!), WARR the far side of Canada (23), men’s Surrey League (15) and even one of the Rosenheim’s (10). More consistency with attendance at various events and Wednesday nights at the club. Club members to have run at 500 different parkruns. New committee members and a new chairman from June (Roderick has announced that he will be standing down from that role, though not from the Communications role).

The Five Minute Mile

The Guardian repeated a selection of the year’s obituaries, including this one:

Diane Leather

Athlete, died 5 September, aged 85

Diane Leather was the first woman to run a mile in under five minutes. Her achievement came just 23 days after Roger Bannister’s sub-four-minute mile, but with only a fraction of the acclaim.

Leather’s great feat took place on 29 May 1954, at the women’s athletics championships in Birmingham. She had already come close to beating the five-minute mark on a number of occasions, and the quest to be first was hotly contested. In the previous year, Anne Oliver of Britain had run a record time of 5min 8sec, later bettered by Edith Treybal of Romania with 5min 3sec. On 26 May 1954, at the Alexander Sports Ground in Birmingham, Leather beat Treybal’s best with 5min 0.2sec. Three days later she tried again and this time she made history.
Unlike Bannister’s historical marker, Leather’s was a genuine race, without pacemakers, and she led from start to finish. After a final surge in the last 100m she crossed the line in 4min 59.6sec. On being told her time, she said: “Oh good, at last!”

Anna Kessel

As it says, only a fraction of the acclaim.

David Barnard


Running shorts...

  • Last jog of 2018 (28Dec). Park run split (33.30) plus 'road' =total 50.35. Happy New Year everyone esp. Marathon entries in your training (c'mon Jas!).   Andy Rayner

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