Newsletter – NOVEMBER 2003

NEWSLETTER
NOVEMBER 2003 ISSUE 316
Visit us on our Web Site at www.overtonharriers.org.uk
And www.british-athletics.co.uk/clubs/club0077.htm
This Newsletter is typed under Word for Windows 95. Please let Franny have your reports on disk.
Or you can email them directly to me at geoff.cloke@iptest.com and geoff@staddles.fsnet.co.uk
EVENTS DIARY:

FOR FURTHER DETAILS SEE NOTICE BOARD OR FRANNY.
FRANNYS’ BITS:
Injuries and other prior engagements continue to handicap our progress on the cross-country front. Despite this the senior men’s team saw an improved team result at Goodwood which has lifted the team up to 4^th spot in division two. It looks as if the turnout will improve at Reading with several runners making their late seasons debuts on what promises to be a very sloshy course. Promotion for the men is still a real possibility if we can get the bodies out. The Vets currently lie in 6^th place after two races.
The ladies are flying the senior flag this season lying in 8^th place in a very close league. A second convincing victory at Goodwood sees the Vets. Team topping the table and with an excellent chance of taking the table. Once again getting the bodies onto the start line is the priority, please support the senior teams if you can.
Great runs yet again from Aaron in the U17 race and Josh whose victory in the U15’s shows great promise for the championship events later in the season. If you intend running at any of the cross-country league fixtures why not get there early and give the lads your support.
The Christmas festivities are in hand with John Hoare still chasing up your menu choices for the post cyclists race meal. See the notice board for further plans for the holiday period.
The consistency league table is now on the notice board; the biggest grudge battle for many years has pushed the two protagonists clear at the top. Dave Titcomb leads ET by 10 points though that will soon change…..According to ET.
Cath tops the ladies league ahead of Dorothy who picked up bumper points at Hardly. Whoever runs the most races could take either title.
Finally races are a bit thin on the ground at this time of year so, if you know of any that I have missed please let me know.
FOXDOWN HANDICAP. NOVEMBER 13^th
A clear win for Josh who is showing sparkling form with a 68 second PB with the next five runners all clocking PB’s as well. Two more of our promising juniors took the minor placings with Robert holding off Mark with the two Dave’s leading home the chasing seniors with Aaron 6^th . Down the field Greg recorded the 7^th PB of the night while it was good to see Mike getting back into it.
Fastest on the night was Aaron ahead of Keith Vallis and Dave Maughn with Josh 4^th. Full tables will be available after the third race, which is on the Thursday before Christmas. Please watch out for the carol singers as you run round.

CONSISTENCY LEAGUE:
Here are the current standings prior to the cross-country fixture at Reading,
MENS

WOMENS

Some Rare Reports from Jamie Jones
Franny keeps on at me so I have written a bit of blurb about the races I have done lately:
After a summer of lazing around and not doing very much except putting on weight and generally moaning about my decline in fitness I decided to do something about it by entering some races and racing myself fit. After a wake up call at the Highclere castle 10km where some old codger tried to out sprint me at the end (unsuccessfully I might add) I thought I should knuckle down and do some training. In a state of general malaise I had foolishly entered the National 10km at Bourton-On-The-Water and that generous benefit for Brendan Foster – The Great South Run. A sudden realisation that I might be beaten by (God forbid) a woman 2 weeks before made me do a few speedy sessions on the treadmill and before I knew it I was lined up next to John Downes at the start of the National 10km. Being a bit of a guy that you don’t mess with I thought I would be safe with him but this did not stop about a million people piling in front of me. The gun went and I was stood still with no where to go. The scarey Mr Downes elbowed his way to the front and got going while I just waited for the little Kenyan women in front of me to get going. Unlike the 15 miler held here (where Mark Simcox famously fell in a hedge with exhaustion) this course was virtually flat as a pancake but as twisty and turny as JT’s route to the cash point. At 2 miles I got out of the crowd and managed to pass the Kenyan women (yippee). The route in and around the village was very scenic although seeing the leading Kenyan who ran 28 minutes was a bit of a downer. I managed to finish 65th in 32.30 which although a long way outside my best was an encouraging return to some semblance of form. Karen Burton and I both travelled down to Brendan Fosters benefit bash (The Great South Run) with 12,000 other silly sods on a very blustery day. I had the great fortune to be looking at Sonia O’Sullivan’s bottom for the first mile…very pert but decided that as she was on world record pace I had better throttle back. Unfortunately I throttled back too much and finished 30th in 54.38 (2 minutes outside PB) and was passed by European Junior XC champion Charlotte Dale in the last mile. Karen also had a slower than usual run as she ran 87.22 which was 2 minutes slower than last year although weather conditions this year were not conducive to fast running
BELGIUM 2004
We have received an invitation to travel to Belgium for a race next April. It is a 10Km race at Kortessem on Saturday 24^th April 2004. We will be staying in Belgium for the weekend. If you are interested or would like more details please contact John Hoare on 01256 770489 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 01256 770489 end_of_the_skype_highlighting or e-mail to johnhoare@overtonharriers.org.uk
Clarendon Way Half Marathon Sunday 5th October 2003 from Dave Vosser
In an effort to boost my training I decided, on Franny’s recommendation to try out the Clarendon Way Half marathon. It is basically a fun event geared to raising money for charity, however from previous years reports the weather had made this a very challenging run. The main event is a full Marathon that follows the Clarendon Way from Winchester to Salisbury. The Half was added a couple of years later, which, not surprisingly is now as popular as the full marathon.
The start for the Half is in Broughton and after a small lap round the village heads up a nasty climb onto the main bridal way. The weather was absolutely perfect and the course was bone dry. I had no plans to race hard and settled into 10^th before the first climb, but I soon got caught up with a couple of guys and we ran together until around 9 miles. I pushed on trying to catch young Jeremy Brains from Winchester, which I did at 12miles but he took one look at me and dropped me leaving me in 6^th place.
If the weather is good this really is an excellent early winter season training run, which I would recommend.
6th Dave Vosser M40 2nd 1.24.50
281 Finished
Committee Meeting. 14/11/03
Present G. Cloke, M. Dennison, N. Clark, C. Wheeler, P. Wheeler, G. Mclaughlin.
Apologies, J. Jones.
Matters Arising.
1) Sponsorship, Still awaiting news.
2) Overton 5 Still waiting for final payment.
3) London Marathon club places, still no news.
4) Christmas Party, venue will be at football club due to majority vote of club members.
5) Harrow way race taken place, went very well.
Treasurers Report
Income £171.00
Expenditure £539.18
Current £63.21 dr.
Reserve £1749.08
AOB
1) Letter from ORC re: increase in subscriptions. Each “number” will increase by £6, so the cost to the club will be approx. £180. Also each training session increased to £13 totalling £150 annually.
2) Club young athlete of the year for under eighteen, committee to put forward Josh.
3) Hants X.C in January. Geoff to ask D. Bright for tent, also Nicky to speak to Julie about car parking supervised by the Rugby club members.. Cost of parking £1 per car.
4) Club of the year award by Basingstoke Sports Council, have asked member to submit details, unfortunately nothing forth coming.
Meeting closed at 9.15 p.m. Date of next meeting 8/12/03
Hants XC League 1st November 2003 from Geoff
Our lowest turnout for many years, competed in this season’s second Hampshire Cross Country League match at Goodwood in warm sunny and blustery conditions, over a hilly downland and forest course.
First in action was Josh Bliss in the under 15 Boys category, running his first race in six weeks due to a niggling calf strain. Under strict orders to temper his enthusiasm, Josh heeded this advice and started cautiously at the back of the lead group. Gradually Josh took control and with about 800metres to go made the decisive break, destroying the opposition to win by six seconds.
In the under 17 Boys Aaron Harris got off to a good start, maintained his position, and finished in a very creditable 9th place.
The ladies were next in action over a two lap course of 5Km, and once again Cath Wheeler, up against some very quick Junior Ladies, was the Harrier’s first counter, finishing in a well deserved 8th place. Cath was well supported in the team event by Audra Dennison who was 39th , newcomer Helen Heaps 45th, Nicki Clark 72nd, Liz Sandal-Ball 79th, Dorothy Wicke 96th, Moira West 118th, and finally Helen McMahon in 130th place. The Ladies Team were seventh overall, and first in the Veteran’s category.
In the men’s race, Jamie Jones competing for the first time in this league for Overton, led the team home in 22nd place. Paul Wheeler making a welcome return after a two year absence due to recurrent injury was 91st. Paul was followed by Martin Crawshaw 95th, Mike Bliss 96th, Keith Clark 104th, and Geoff Cloke 207th.
Results