Newsletter – March 2001

1748 Finished

FOXDOWN HANDICAP.
Another season came to an end on a cold clear night and Dave Henry’s early starting position was met with ridicule by some runners. He didn’t let it affect him as he made full use of his advantage to win by well over a minute and improved his PB by almost two minutes. Alistair improved on last months 3rd place to take second on the night ahead of Liz who had a comfortable gap over Cath. In fifth, Jill recorded the other PB of the night with an 8 second improvement. Promising debut runs came from Chris Jones who finished 3rd fastest and Andy Hartley (6th). Fastest on the night was Jamie with a time only he and Patrick Hoare have bettered. Second fastest was Blissy despite running a personal worst time as all his previous efforts have been sub 20 minutes. It appears to have been a night for PW’s as Mike was joined by Tom, Matt, Geoff and Voss in running slower than ever before.
1st MARCH.

The winter handicaps appear to be more popular than ever with a record total of 46 runners participating this season. Only a dozen ran the required five events to remain in the leagues and well done to all of you. Winner of this years handicap league is Keith Clark ahead of perennial medal winner Liz. Dave Bright took the third spot after a good season. Winner of the time league is Mark Simcox who had set this as a target very early on. Runner up is Keith with another perennial medallist, Nick beating Cath for third place. Many thanks to all those who helped out with the timekeeping and marshalling at the Institute, especially JOHN HOARE and BELINDA. Below are a summary of the final tables……FULL TABLES ARE ON THE NOTICE BOARD.

FINALLY: The first race next season will be the Foxdown course in October.

 

During the training weekend in Cornwall a couple of club members, who shall remain nameless, pointed out that one of our much respected seniors left nothing to chance when going to a race. In fact it was mentioned that he took everything but the kitchen sink in his car to the Wokingham half….. so the two nameless runners (no doubt fuelled by a pint or two) have prepared a checklist to ensure that no runner should leave home without the full compliment of equipment that is necessary when turning out for the club. 

 
 
EASTLEIGH 10Km
The current foot and mouth crisis ensured that there would be no shortage of entrants for this years’ event, with so many others being cancelled or postponed. It is understood that 1300 entries were accepted with a further 300 refused, there being no entries on the day. In fact 1078 runners finished which is up on previous years.
In cold and windy conditions Ian was our first man home in 34:28, an excellent time considering a 90 minute stint on a stationary bike just before the race! This was sufficient to give Ian the club championship for this years 10k. Next to finish was Martin who did well to get the better of an improving Dave Vosser who was running under Keith Clark’s number. Nick “took” the seniors title being the only non-vet running and well pleased with his good run in 38:56.
Eric was well psyched up for this event having not raced for some weeks and had a good running 39:37 but, “only” finished 9th in the over 55 category. Mick Woods and Liz had spirited runs in good times and Liz was only 20 odd seconds outside the prize list. JT and Moira, who took 5th lady in the over 55 age group, completed the club interest. JT was slightly disappointed with his time but the consistency points that he picked up moved him above the absent Dave Henery in the final table where he took third place overall.
18th MARCH. REPORT FROM JT.

1078 Finished.
 
 
CONSISTENCEY LEAGUE.

This years league has sadly been beset with problems with races cancelled and missing the entry date of the Christchurch 10k. However the twelve races that finally compiled the league saw many good performances which made the league competitive to the end. Congratulations therefore to the winners in each category. The senior men’s title goes to Nick who was the only club member able to compete in every event. Second overall was Keith Clark who picked up maximum points in three races including both the half-marathons. Mark Simcox was third senior but was beaten by no less than eight Old Gits.The veteran men’s competition was the one that attracted most comment, mainly from Dave Henery whose whole season was geared to take the title. He led going into the final fixture which he was forced to miss, thus letting in that wily old fox, JT, to steal the title. Nice one John. Equal on points with Dave was Ian Ford who scored maximum points in five races.
Cath scored a maximum in every race she ran but, with her missing at Eastleigh, Liz was able to take advantage of the double points available to win the ladies title. Well done also to Helen whose participation in the cross-country league paces scored her enough point to beat Nicky for third place. Below are listed the final points, the full table is on the notice board.

 
 
CLUB RECORD FOR SIMCOX ??? from Franny
EPSOM ODDBALLS 2000 PERCH Multi-terrain Race. 28th JANUARY
With not running at Parliament Hill, I decided to enter the second running of this excellent multi-terrain race. The location being right near the main stand at Epsom racecourse made this a great scenic race, much better than the Goodwood Hants. league. The course was measured in the old unit of PERCHES. And amounted to 6.25 miles in total.
The course starts off on road, up a hill, and then does a loop round the boundary of the racecourse. It then leads onto a large loop of various muddy tracks, road and woodland before finishing in a valley with a steep uphill to the finish line.
A group of four of us got away after about a mile and I took the lead at halfway with only one other runner with me. He stuck with me from here on in and just got me on the steep uphill with about 30 meters to go. I won a new pair of tracksters and a tenner for my efforts. I recommend this race to anyone and will hopefully go for it next year.
RESULT: 1st T. FROST 36m 43secs. (Liss Runners)
2nd M. SIMCOX 36m 45secs.
Approx. 350 Runners.
MANY THANKS TO MARK FOR THE ABOVE REPORT.
WELL: Does this qualify as an inaugural club record?. A perch is an old unit of distance that equates to roughly 5.5 yards. Already I have been told that some club members have been CARPING on about this record’s legitimacy. I now await a landslide of record claims covering the full gamut of the many weird imaginations in this club…….However 2nd place in such a large field was a fine performance by Mark who, with his recent form is starting to show a more competitive edge to his running.
STATTO.Editors Note
Franny with your references to Perch and Carp, isn’t this the report of the Harriers Angling Competition held at Laverstoke Lake last Saturday, and if so it is not clear who won, or how the consistency points were allocated.
EASTLEIGH 10Km HANDICAP.
The handicap event run in conjunction with this event resulted in a clear victory for Eric. Martin Crawshaw took the silver with Nick pipping Liz for the bronze.
NEXT MONTHS NEWSLETTER LOOKS AS IF IT WILL BE ON THE THIN SIDE SO, IF YOU HAVE ANY ARTICLES OR REPORTS THAT MAY FILL IT OUT PLEASE PASS THEM TO GEOFF OR FRANNY.
FROM THE ARCHIVES.
With the foot and mouth outbreak causing the cancellation of several events this month the newsletter is a bit thin on race reports. So, to pad it out a bit it seems a good time to recall the ever popular archive archive report. This months report comes from 1984 when timekeeping WAS accurate, and not done with a candle clock as suggested by Nick.
COMBE GIBBET 1st APRIL 1984.
In cold, windy conditions fast times did not appear to be on, but Voss defied the elements with a magnificent run to knock some three minutes off his previous best time to win the Pugh Cup as first Overton athlete. Dave Perren also had an excellent run in 9th place to take the runner’s up trophy for the club, while Franny narrowly defeated JT. in the closest finish of the day for the third place trophy. Another fine run from Maurice gave us five in the top twenty, while a couple of minutes behind Pete was another to gain a PB. for the course. Eric had a rather diappointing run although he did edge out the improving Derek Graves with both getting well inside the two hour mark. Larry put in another improved performance, finishing some ten minutes clear of newcomer Peter Benger with Morton completing a good club contingent for such an event.

 
 
 
 

Editors Note
Franny I think you are being modest for not trumpeting your own result in this race. A time of 1:44 is a very fast time and prompts me to take back all that I have said about you.
NEXT MONTHS NEWSLETTER LOOKS AS IF IT WILL BE ON THE THIN SIDE SO, IF YOU HAVE ANY ARTICLES OR REPORTS THAT MAY FILL IT OUT PLEASE PASS THEM TO GEOFF OR FRANNY.
 
BIONIC
An enforced quiet month with the foot and mouth epidemic depriving us of some key races making it impossible to select a winner

Rather belatedly, the writer is providing a brief report of this years club championship for the half-marathon. Only six male members were attracted to this excellent course plus Jamie who was running under his other hat. The only problem with the event seems to be that it is a victim of it’s own popularity plus a change of start down a very narrow, stony track instead of the road used last year. Keith Clark had a superb run taking some two and a half minutes off his PB and a very respectable 12th place in the field. A run well worth the club championship. Next to finish was Nick who seemed to be satisfied with his run despite being slower than last year.
Newcomer Andy was a surprise because nobody knew he was running and he acquitted himself well with a time of 1:29. Dave had a much better run than last year when he started at the back of the field. This year he started farther forward and finished first veteran home with a run that seems a bit below his potential considering the panic training he put in leading up to the event. Mick continued the improved form he showed at Bournemouth and only lost out to Dave Henery in the closing stages. Our final interest was JT who was severely affected by the stiff breeze on the return towards the finish and slowed as a result.
The club handicap run in conjunction was unsurprisingly won by Keith with Mick’s gutsy effort taking the silver. JT took a well deserved bronze ahead of Nick and Dave.