Newsletter – June 2000

 
Newsletter
June 00
ISSUE 275
Andover Road Race May 7^th from Franny
Five weeks after the race the results have turned up. I now have the complete team results for the fun run but none at all for the main event!. The course was officially 600 metres short of ten kilometres due to a fault with the official B.A.F. measuring equipment and a covering letter from the race organisers apologises for this.The best thing that could be said was that we all recorded PB’s for 9.4 km.
First home for the club was Paul with a top 10 placing followed by Dave Mills. Eric had a good run that would have beaten 40 minutes over the proper distance. Next, and I believe 3rd lady overall was Audra, who would also have clocked close to 40 minutes. I was next and found the very hot conditions uncomfortable after working the previous night.
Mike put in a rare appearance to just miss out on a top 50 spot ahead of JT who realised the course was short early in the race and was none too pleased afterwards. Jill, running for Overton Warriers, edged out Liz but I think they won the team event. Helen completed the squad and can look to improve with more training during the summer.
The associated fun run attracted 219 finishers. The start was changed several times and the organisation at the start was pitiful as the local paper held a photo shoot of the fancey dress runners while the rest sweated it out whilst waiting for the mayor to arrive from the main race prize-giving to start the run. Frank was another making a rare outing to finish 16th. Young Adam had a storming run to finish well up the field ahead of young Chris who sadly didn’nt feature in the result sheet.
Apt team name in the main race result list:
TIDWORTH WOTTASHAMBLES MEDICS.

FUN RUN:

16th F.KENNY 13m 31 sec.
50th A.FRANCIS 15m 50sec. 217 finished.
C.WOODS no time available.
Ropley 10K May 28^th from JT
On this notoriously hilly course was added a strong wind blowing persistently on some sections of the return route. Nobody who I spoke to seemed paticularly pleased with their efforts as times were somewhat slower than other recent 10k’s.
Ian did have the satisfaction in coming second in a moderate time of 34 minutes to take the vets. title with Mark gaining a high position in 11th. Sadly it needed another high placing to get amongst the team prizes.
Eric, psychologically, was easing down for his holiday but was still somewhat concerned over his moderate time whilst Steve continued with his efforts to regain his fitness following his layoff. JT enjoyed the race except for the wind, hills, heat and some nasty down hill bits!!!! NOT ALOT OF WHOOSH.

 

259 FINISHED.Overton Harriers Committee Meeting 12/6/00
Present:- Paul, Gwyneth, Geoff, Cath. Apologies from Mark (watching the football)
Matters Arising:-

Treasurers Report.
Income £1060.11
Expenditure £999.41
Current £488.80
Reserve £1426.12
Secretaries Report.
Nothing to report this month.
A.O.B.
Nothing to report this month.
Date of next meeting 12/7/00
Meeting closed 8.50pm.
Mob Match at Down Grange 8^th June from Franny
Another good turnout for the return mob match saw us retain the trophy with another clear victory, this time by 140 points, WELL DONE EVERYBODY. On a fairly flat but twisting 5km course Jamie lead the team home ahead of Mike and Ian. With Mark, Voss and Keith completing the top six a solid foundation was laid for victory.
Several close battles were fought-out down the field, notably Mick and Audra, whilst the very fast starting Nicky and Aaron both had me worried for sometime. The team was completed by three of our juniors who all counted towards the final result.
The handicap was won by Adam who found the course much easier than last months harrow way (from whence the handicaps were set), whilst Aaron showed continued improvment for second ahead of Blissy. Less than a minute covered the next 15 runners.

 
 

41 FINISHED.
MOB MATCH RESULTS: OVERTON AC.

BASINGSTOKE ACRACE 1 292 660
RACE 2 340 480
TOTAL 632 1140
Wargrave 10K 10^th June from Mike
I didn’t know anything about this race beforehand but being local (just outside Reading) and needing to get some races under my belt, I entered it. It turned out that the Berkshire 10K championships were also included in the event. However there was not much opposition and I was able to lead from gun to tape, running the race on my own to win by half a minute in 32:51.
The race was very well organised and marshalled and the course was practically all gently undulating country lanes. I would recommend this race and would liken it to Braishfield and Ropley in setting and quality of runners. We would certainly have done well in both men and women team events. I also picked up my first ever age-graded prize with 88% for 3^rd place.
Note for STATTO:
This is the third County Road Race Championship I have won (that I know of). A few years ago I won the Cornwall 5 mile Road Champs. And have previously won Hampshire Road Champs.
 
 
 
BOURTON ON THE WATER ‘15’ 24^th June
 

Having been concentrating on track work and shorter stuff and, for me, not putting in many miles, I only did this race as Julie and the family wanted a day out at this scenic village calling itself “The Venice of the Cotswolds”. On the hottest day of the year up to that date, the race was too warm, too tough, and too far. However, I was quite pleased to finish third having, I thought, ran sensibly in the conditions. Even so, I ‘hit the wall’ at 13 miles but still had the misfortune to be catching the second placed runner who was dying quicker than Eric at the end of a handicap when he tries to outsprint you by kicking before the church! It must have seemed to the spectators near the finish, like the second coming of ‘the ministry of funny walks’. One beetroot coloured, and yes Dave, balding Overton Harrier, apparently sprinting from the waist up with arms pumping, screwed up eyes and grimacing face, but with legs like, well Eric again, after an overlong session at one of his beer festivals, over imbibing on Old Freckled Men or some such ale. The mind was willing but the legs were **cked.
With wacked legs, (there are younger members in the club what word did you think I would use) and gaining faster than JT when he races you to the bar, ‘first there buys a round’, I just failed to out wobble him by 13 seconds. Ah well…., back to the track and being outsprinted by Cath in the 100 metres. Just as embarrassing, but less far to run and with the excuse of being outdipped by a bigger chest…. But only just!
I meant the race was very close Cath, honest.
Mike Bliss
P.S. A fine example of how to insult half the club in a race report. Why doesn’t someone else give it a go.
P.P.S. It’s a lie that I wrote this on a Thursday night after the bar.
P.P.P.S. Paddy Keenan is not my editor.
P.P.P.P.S. Got to stop, time for a P.

 

1. Dennis Walmsley – Bourton Roadrunners (international) 1.23.20
2. Garry Payne – George Elliot Striders (made up club?) 1.26.27
3. Mike Bliss – Overton Harriers (Knackered) 1.26.40

 
SOUTHERN LEAGUE MATCH 2 LINDFORD CHRISTIE STADIUM 3^rd JUNE 2000
Jamie Jones made his long awaited debut on the track for the Harriers at the dump next to Wormwood Scrubs. It was pleasing to note that the toilets hadn’t been cleaned to mark this special occasion. Jamie gaining 7 points from his two events. Team Manager ‘Mr Wheeler’ advised before the match that this was probably going to be the weakest match in terms of opposition that we would encounter all season so we had planned on a good result.
We gained a fantastic start with a double victory in the Shot from debutant T.Jenner and last years Southern League athlete of the year S. Morgan (Simon gaining another win in the Hammer). A dark stranger from the past made a welcome return to win the Pole Vault – Brian Benham also gaining 2^nd in the discus.
Tim Stagg and Dave Bush gave us a good start on the track gaining 7 of the 10 points in the 400m Hurdles. Having no sprinters cost us dearly in the shorter events the best result being Dave Bush getting 4^th in the B 100m. Jamie struggled a bit for pace in the A 800m for 3^rd spot, I was both short of pace and balance falling with 50metres to go.
Wins on the track came in the 5000m (A&B) from Mike and Ian followed by another double in the Steeple. Keith running very comfortably to win the A and Paul Wheeler coming through to take the B. Keith Clark got his second win of the year in the B 1500m. The 4*400m squad of Dave B, Tim, Keith and myself ran our fastest for some years for 4^th spot. Final match result: –

JAMIE’S BIG DEBUT MOTIVATES TEAM TO SECOND PLACE

SOUTHERN LEAGUE MATCH 3 BASINGSTOKE 24^th JUNE 2000

GEOFF’S PROTEGES BRING PROMISING FUTURE

 

 
The form book suggested that this was always going to be a tough match and the strongest team in the league this year North Devon didn’t disappoint winning by a massive 50 points. They will clearly get promoted this year. For the best part of the match we were in contention for 2^nd place however a couple of our regulars were missing which meant some valuable points were lost.
However Geoff’s team of younger athletes grasped the opportunity to ensure that we covered all the events: Jeremy Reynolds, Richard Spreadbury and Simon Gubby all made debuts together with Adam Gold in his second Harriers senior outing, between them they covered 14 events. I’m sure that together with John Ruffle these athletes will be guaranteeing our future in the Southern League.
Wins on the day came once again from Mike Bliss and Ian Ford in the 5000m (did they hold hands at the finish?). The Steeple also brought us a double victory from Keith Vallis (unbeaten this year) and Mark Simcox. B string wins were gained in the 800, 1500m and from Brian Benham in the Pole Vault. We did struggle for points in the sprints however, North Devon and Havant also completely dominated the throwing events leaving us down in 4^th place for the Match.
 
 

 
 
SOUTHERN MENS LEAGUE 2000 TABLE AFTER MATCH3