What a month! Articles have been flying in from all corners, races have been plentiful, the club has enjoyed more success and everyone should be queuing at WH Smith's tomorrow morning to buy this week's copy of Athletics Weekly. Yes, at last Wendy Jones is receiving the recognition her performances deserve with an article featuring her in the national running magazine. Also included is a photograph of Wendy winning last week's Cricklade 10k resplendent in her Cirencester club vest. She is only the second club member to have such publicity - Ellen Leggate being the first when she competed for GB in the World XC Champs in 2001. Read it if you can get hold of a copy - extracts will be published in a later newsletter and a copy posted on the noticeboard. The news only gets better as far as Wendy is concerned as yesterday she received confirmation of her selection to run for England in the veterans home international XC (England v Scotland v Wales v Ireland) in Dublin on 12 November, her first international vest. Well done Wendy!
Congratulations also to Jane Wassell who was first FV35 in the Bristol ½ Marathon , a race that attracted 8,503 finishers, a very fine performance. This also got a mention in Wendy's article.
Apologies for articles submitted that haven't been published - there was no more room! They will be included next time.
With another successful club race promotion just concluded, the most exciting club road race championship in years about to reach a climax and another season of the Oxford League soon to commence, there is plenty to read about below.
CIRENCESTER PARK 10k
A few remarks from race organiser David Edelsten: "The 10k went very well on Sunday although 555 entries (137 on the day) put the organisation to the test. Getting nearly 500 runners to the start by 9.30 was no mean achievement. You will see from the website that results were declared provisional and the final ones will show a few 'runner unknowns' as we had a slight hiccup in the recording around the 52 min. mark." The club remains indebted to the Bathurst Estate for allowing the race to take place in the magnificent surroundings of Cirencester Park .
In an indication of the professionalism of David in ensuring that the race is efficiently organised he has produced some statistics relating to the source of the entries received:
"Downloaded from website 176 (32%); distributed at races or sent to clubs 158 (28%); on-line via Runners World 73 (13%); on the day 137 (25%) and unofficial entry forms 10 (2%). It shows the value of modern technology!" This is pretty important data that can be used in the future. At present the sport is extremely popular, resulting in large entries to swell the coffers of the club. This will not always be the case so to know where to target prospective entrants is vital.
David Edelsten, in a fit of pique, or perhaps out of sheer exhaustion, smashed the glass trophy for the third female onto the ground during the prizegiving! Results below.
RESULTS
18 September Woodchester Park 8m m/t.
1 Lee Rankin (u/a) 49.19, 51 Chris Sherrington (Cirencester) 1.06.18. 95 finished.
25 September Cirencester Park 10k. Andrew Gardiner set a course record in excellent conditions following early morning rain. Wendy Jones continued her winning ways with another easy win and it was good to see Joe Barrowclough before he went back up to university. With most members marshalling (including a number of those who ran, having manned car parks before the race), not many ran in the race.
1 Andrew Gardiner ( Windsor ) 32.02
13 Wendy Jones (Cirencester) 36.37 - 1st lady / 1st FV35
16 Joe Barrowclough 37.18
19 Paul Barlow 37.27
46 Mark Gluning 39.56
193 Corinne Clark 47.41
215 Jim Fallon 48.53
225 Fiona Collings 49.24
234 Sue Brown 49.45
321 Brian Barrowclough 53.58
377 Fred Robson 56.59
480 finished. Full results on www.cirencester-ac.org.uk .
25 September Toronto , Canada . Mixed fortunes for the Ferris family across the pond. The less said about Bob's run on a humid day the better, whereas Lynn finished in the top 10% of her field.
Waterfront Marathon : 1 Simon Bur ( Kenya ) 2.11.56, 657 Bob Ferris (Cirencester) 3.52.33 (3.51.53 chip). 1,719 finished.
Waterfront 5km: 1 Michael Bianchi 16.01, 143 Lynn Ferris (Cirencester) 25.41 (25.37 chip). 1,453 finished.
2 October Bristol ½ Marathon . A fine personal best performance by Jane Wassell earned her the first lady veteran prize in a classy race.
1 Wilfred Taragon ( Kenya ) 1.03.30, 172 Jane Wassell (Cirencester) 1.25.30 (1.25.27 chip) - 13th lady / 1st FV35. A massive 8,503 finished.
2 October Loch Ness Marathon , Scotland . Tim Willson made the long trek north: "Well what a lovely run the Loch Ness Marathon was on Sunday. Very scenic, plenty to look at, and a few hills thrown in to make the run a little bit more 'interesting'. I had forgotten just how far Inverness is from Tetbury. Loch Ness was a bit choppy, but the sun did come out and it did look a picture. Many, including myself, suffered from the 20 mile mark onwards. I guess that my comprehensive marathon training schedule of three weeks reflects my finish time, but it has left me thinking that one day I would like to do it again, and to do it justice."
1 Simon Pride (Metro), 390 Tim Willson (Cirencester) 3.49.19 (3.48.28 chip). 1,129 finished.
2 October Cricklade 10k. Although not a club championship race, there was a good turnout of club members aiming to secure fast times on the reputedly fast course, thus a short report is merited. Most had not run the 10k before and were surprised to find a real sting in the tail in the form of a long drag of a hill from 8k to 9k. Thus fast times were not forthcoming. There were two particularly noteworthy runs: Paul Barlow, who had started the year with a personal best of 41.18, ran yet another PB with an excellent 36.17, with the added bonus of beating Wendy Jones for the first time. His time was a few seconds faster than than Pancho's best for the year, so the head to head at Stroud for the club championship is now promising to be a real epic. Niel Dunnage also produced his best run for the club, albeit an agonisingly close call for breaking 40 minutes, his time being 40.00.38! This was particularly noteworthy as Niel suffered badly with a bacterial infection following the swim section of a recent triathlon. Wendy, of course, won the ladies race but it is only newsworthy these days if she doesn't win! A few veteran prizes were snaffled up by the red & blacks as well and if there had been a team prize the men would have been victorious. Sadly, as befits an organisation with no running club links, the results were a total mess with wrong times and names missed off the listing. Trudi Evans was actually presented, fairly oddly, with the trophy for 2nd FV35 within a minute of crossing the line. She wasn't in that position and gave the trophy back when it became apparent that this was another error by the organisers. In the fun run young Jack Sherrington ran well to finish 11th.
1 Alistair Lockley (Bourton) 34.26
5 Paul Barlow (Cirencester) 36.17
6 Wendy Jones 36.29 - 1st lady / 1st FV35
11 David Wright 37.43 - 2nd V40
13 Keith Firkin 38.19 - 3rd V40
22 Niel Dunnage 40.00
30 Justin Nicholls 41.11
39 Jon Young 42.37
?? Trudi Evans 46.10
?? David Edelsten 53.07
2 October Cricklade ½ Marathon
25 Mark Gluning 1.28.03
?? Fred Robson 2.02.20
Full but flawed results of 10k, ½ marathon and fun run may eventually appear on www.crickladefunrun.co.uk and photos, in finishing order, can already be viewed on www.funrunphotos.com
2005 CLUB ROAD RACE CHAMPIONSHIP
With just Stroud to go the club road race championship is going right down to the wire. Although Paul is apparently well ahead, he has already competed in the maximum six events. Pancho is the only man that can catch him. If Pancho is first home for the club at Stroud, thus gaining 15 points, Paul will need to be second to join him (he would gain 14 points for second which would enable him to drop his worst previous score of 12 points, thus gaining two points if you follow the drift). In the event of a tie it appears that the most 'wins' will decide the issue, which would give the title to Pancho. Despite improving by three positions overall after Witney, Jane Wassell cannot now catch Wendy Jones for the ladies title.
1 Paul Barlow 88pts (6 races), 2 Pancho Gonzalez-Dias 75pts (5), 3 Bill Leggate 71pts, 4 Chris Illman 61pts, 5 Jonathan Young 60pts, 6 Wendy Jones (1st lady), 59pts, 7 Dick Waldron 45pts, 8 Jane Wassell (L) 41pts, 9 Duncan Atkinson 37pts, 10 Niel Dunnage 33pts, 11 David Edelsten 32pts, 12 David Wright 31pts, 13 Carol Clarke (L) 25pts, 14 Dave Cook 24pts, 15 Chris Sherrington 23pts, 16 Justin Nicholls 22pts, 17 Chris Riches, 20pts, 18 Sue Brown (L) 17pts, 19 Kveta Kroulikova (L) 16pts, 20 Joe Barrowclough 14pts, 21 Kim Ingleby (L) 13pts, 22 Sue McKeeman (L) 11pts, 23= Elaine Wilson (L), Kevin Ferris, , Terry Ranger 9pts, 26= Corinne Clark (L), Jim Fallon 8pts, 28 Bob Ferris 7pts, 29= Tony Curry, Dorian Matts 6pts, 31= Diane Moore (L), Chris Brough 5pts, 33 Andrew Fraser 4pts, 34 John Prout 3pts, 35= Lyn Ferris (L), Fred Robson, Ken McAnespie 1pt.
FORTHCOMING RACES & CONTACT DETAILS: 27 November (Sun) Eynsham 10k. Fast flat course and as a consequence entries always close some time before the day so enter early at the fairly stiff fee of £8. No entries on the day. For Pancho's information this race incorporates the Oxon county championship - do not tick this box, you are from Uruguay not Oxford ! Entry forms at the leisure centre or from www.eynsham.org following the prompts to sports clubs.
23 April 2006 London Marathon . The closing date for entries to the marathon via the ballot system is 21st October. Log on to www.london-marathon.co.uk for full details.
OXFORD LEAGUE As promised here is the much anticipated rallying call from new capitaino Pancho Gonzalez-Dias. Although the editor usually exercises his right to do what his title implies when receiving articles for publication, this one has been left almost untouched for dramatic effect. Here goes (think South American): "Hi everyone, it is me. I am your conscience (if you still have one); I am the voice in your head (if you are as mad as me); I am the pain in the a.. (if you behave like ...). OK stop there, blady foreigner. But in this occasion I have the pleasure to announce good news. Believe it or not Christmas will come early this year. It is expected that loads of red & black crazy but happy creatures (runners) will flood the Oxford cross-country courses this year. Following last year's success, the club has a great and challenging task ahead. Considering that there is nothing better for a runner than a new challenge, this year looks like it will be very exciting.
Remember that the ladies aim for three in a row (no many club members are able to remember when was last time that they had three in a row). A third title is perfectly achievable, but this year more than ever the club needs all you ladies, because one of our star runners will be very busy with motherhood duties. We all know that the club has in its records some successful races won by runners with big bellies, but just in case we have to be prepare.
Regarding the male team, we have to finish third, at least. In order to achieve this, we have introduced a new rule, "it will become totally forbidden for any Ciren runner to walk on the hills" ( ed: a thinly veiled attack, thanks Pancho) . Last year the third position was only three points away, and if you have an idea how the point system works, it is not acceptable to lose for three points. Shouldn't be any problem this year, considering the new bunch of runners and the massive improvement of some of last year incorporations. But we cannot be complacent because some of our star runners are going to be away for most of the season, so the responsibility is among us, the "usual" Tuesday and Sunday runners.
In addition to this, I have been told that the rules of the league have changed, what makes the season even more challenging. Next year will be three divisions instead of two, so we have to put in the best second team possible, in order to avoid going to the third division. This, I think, will motivate those runners who are unlucky enough to have passed their fastest years. So, finally I have to say that I cannot wait, there so many challenges that I can already feel the butterflies in my stomach. Come on ladies!!! Wouldn't it be nice to feel proud of achieving a third great result in a row, just think of those butterflies? Gents!!!
Would you like to be part of the team that will achieve the highest position in the history of the club! Let's flood the field with creatures in red & black and enjoy the days as much as we did last year's. If some of you are not confident about finishing, do not worry. Tony will be mopping up the back of the course with his Sledge and the drunken Reindeer. See you all there . if not, your conscience, the voice, the pain .will never stop."
In translation: the club desperately needs a big turnout for the first fixture on Sunday November 6 at Ascott-under-Wychwood. Momentum built from the first race can sustain the club through the winter - a poor turnout and the season is over. Ascott is just beyond Burford so is no great distance away. If going independently, take the A361 out of Burford towards Chipping Norton, then right onto the B4437, probably signposted to Ascott. The course is on the right of this road and there will probably be signs to the "XC" on a small right hand turn before reaching the village. The car park is in a field for which there is usually a £1 charge levied. The club erects a tent at the race so look out for lingering members in red & black congregating around the temporary HQ. Alternatively meet at the leisure centre at 09:30 for a convoy to the race. The course includes a water jump and a few hills. Remember it is a team event - the more runners the club turns out the more teams finish. In the ladies three score in each team so if nine ladies turn up the club will have three teams; in the men seven are needed per team. There is no entry fee, just turn up. The ladies have won the league for the last two years - a hat trick would be a wonderful achievement. The men finished fourth in Division One last winter and will do well to match that so turn out to get the season off to a flying start. The ladies race, approximately three miles, starts at 11:10 and the men (5½ miles) at 11:40
Sadly the excellent Oxford League web site has ceased to function due to some internal politics. For the time being the former site www.geocities.com/oxmailxc remains "live" purely to show archived results for the past few years (always an interesting read). A new web site will be advised should it materialise.
The remainder of the fixtures are as follows:
4 December at Enslow Quarry, Bletchingdon
1 January (may change to bank holiday Monday, the 2nd) at Lambourn
5 February at Cirencester Park
5 March at Drayton School , Banbury
OTHER CROSS COUNTRY
In great Gloucestershire tradition, late changes have been made to two of the venues for this winter's Gloucestershire League, including this weekend's fixture. Therefore ignore the last newsletter and note dates and venues below (look out on the noticeboard for more details or ask captain Pancho):
15 October Blackbridge, Gloucester (Ladies race over 6k at 14:05 , men 10k at 14:45 ).
19 November Dursley
10 December Leamington
21 January Forest of Dean
SOCIAL
Per social sec Jenny Hill: "The club's Christmas party and annual prize giving will be held on Friday 9th December at the Corinium Court Hotel, Gloucester St. Cirencester. It is not a date to be missed, even for those, like me, who haven't won anything! The evening usually starts with drinks (if you're there on time), a three course meal (veggie available) and coffee. We then have the prize giving, possibly a raffle, and then it's all downhill from there; generally involving copious amounts of alcohol, lots of jigging, dancing, swaying, singing, and falling down or chatting in the bar (for non party animals and oldies!). Prices to be arranged, but I will start hassling for numbers soon!" See Jenny for more details; she is usually at the club on Tuesday evenings. Demand is likely to be high for a venue with restricted numbers so book early.
MISCELLANY
. when Rupert Chesmore races it is never anything as straightforward as the local 10k. He doesn't compete very often but when he does he makes it worthwhile. Herewith his latest exploit, sadly not with the perfect ending but spell binding nonetheless: "The curse of every ultra runner is trying to complete a race with a little 'friend' characterised by a forked tail and horns sitting on your shoulder. I met this gentleman one night high up in the French Alps . "You don't have to finish this.....you've nothing to prove" and on and on he went.
The North Face Ultra Tour du Mont Blanc, 150 km, 8,000 odd metres sounded easy in metric units but 28,000+ feet, equal to climbing Mount Everest from sea level, not base camp and then down again. I suppose I should have realised how tough it was going to be when I pitched my tent in Chamonix and started looking around at all the mountains. Come back Big Bertha!
Typical excellent French organisation, good atmosphere for the 2,000 starters at 7pm and an easy 10km down the valley before the inevitable up. The race follows a recognised path Chamonix ( France ) - Courmayeur ( Italy ) - Champex ( Switzerland ) - Chamonix , anticlockwise, normally walked in 11 days, using the passes linking the ridges radiating off Mont Blanc . Nowhere in Gloucestershire (or even Wales ) could I have trained for the extreme steepness let alone the duration of the inclines. Despite using running poles I was struggling after the first couple of hours. Into the darkness, typically two hour ascents and then the inevitable two hour descents before going up yet again. Mentally very hard, all that height being gained, then lost and then regained again and again. One ascent alone was 5 miles long, plenty of time for thinking and to have a discussion with my little red friend. Many of the tracks followed the ski pistes, far too steep to run up and even too steep to run down.
All the locals in the towns and villages we passed through were out partying all night long, cheering us along with cow bells and calls of Bravo! and Courage! The valley floors were hot and humid but as we climbed higher I put on more of the necessary safety clothing we carried and above the glacier line I was feeling very cold and uncomfortable, before the next descent and the inevitable removal of the layers.
Dawn above Courmayeur and it took an hour to descend to the top of the downhill piste and the another hour to get to the bottom. Having got this far, 45 miles and discarded my friend in the dark, I decided independently that enough was enough. I was certainly not enjoying myself, I had not trained specifically enough for this type of terrain, French energy food does not agree with me and as the weather was setting in I pulled the plug and retired.
Failure? DNF not good on the results sheet but endurance running is a journey in discovering one's limits. I know a bit more of what I can do and what I can not. Results wise more than half dropped out, but the winner completed in 21hrs 13 mins (last year he beat the second placed Nepalese runner by two hrs!) and the first lady home was a Brit in 25th place so it can be done.
I do not feel mentally strong enough to have another go next year but have found something less arduous further south. Only 100 km and 4,000m, just say it quickly.........any chance of including it in the club Championship?"
. the great editors' curse has struck: it appears that someone reads the newsletters! What is worse is that the reader is from another club. A long e-mail from Lynn Spedding, the race organiser of the Bourton 10k, was recently received and whilst not entirely complimentary, was written in such a pleasant manner that it deserves to be aired to the club. The good bit was to state that she thoroughly enjoyed the Cirencester Park 10k "that was so nicely organised by your club" , despite personally having "an appalling run" and she kindly asked that " all members who organised and helped be thanked for their efforts" . She did raise one or two important and worrying issues concerning the accuracy of the results, which will be addressed by the club. She was also very gracious in her praise of the newsletters in general. Her main gripe was in the perceived "fairly stinging criticism" of this year's Bourton 10k published in newsletter no. 11. For those that don't recall, the Bourton course changed this year as a result of risk assessment dictates and the revised route wasn't universally popular. The article, which was written by your editor, also raised some issues with the marshalling and finishing recording. The point made by Lynn , and absolutely accepted by this writer, was to ask for "a little more generosity in attitude towards other peoples' organisational failings - please remember we are all volunteers." A courteous reply was sent to Lynn, who in turn wrote back in thanks for what was seen as constructive criticism. An entente cordiale remains between our two clubs!
. to celebrate Fred Robson's 75th birthday this week herewith another of his inspiring essays: "Mellow autumn days 2005 by Long Distance Runner. The beginning of September always seems to be a time of the year when one feels pretty good, especially if regular and varied training has managed to survive things like holidays, painting the landing and re-doing the kitchen. For me it's been a pretty good year running. Although some would debate the fact, and suggest that running nine and ten minute miles, is nothing more than fast walking. Never mind, it passes for what I would have liked to do, if I had had the time, in my thirties and forties. While having the desire to take part in a late summer marathon again, something like the Budapest Marathon (October), the Pavvo (Pavel) Nurmi Marathon, Turku, Finland (July), or maybe just one more in the USA (sometime), something always seems to come in the way. A marathon by preference because I have less chance of coming in last, (even at my time of 4 hours 36 minutes), and also because it is my favorite distance, it feels very good during the performance and even better after, and it makes me feel fit and on top of the world. A number of things (not least cost) have conspired to prevent my attempt on any of these this year. So still feeling like having a fling (mind you, this feeling quickly goes off with the colder weather and the dark nights), I sent away for the Abingdon forms (you may think a poor substitute for the exotic names above, but then I have enjoyed doing Abingdon, before I knew of the existence of Cirencester A.C. I have enjoyed pretty good times on their flat if boring course. Mind you I did not find it so boring, way back in the 80's and early 90's, seeing all PIC's (Pig Industry Companys) lovely animals in the fields around the course, although some runners complained of the exhilarating smell. Also, I have been given prizes at the finish that I still have. One year I won a rose bush 'Peace', which is still going strong in the garden, with the blooms winning prizes at flower shows now. Another Abingdon prize I have, is a fluted ashtray, in recocca style, which keeps getting in the way on its shelf in the toilet and will not get broken, even though one tries. Anyway, by entering the Abingdon, it has turned out that I have given myself a 10k (Cirencester), a half marathon (Cricklade) and the Abingdon, all within the space of a month. I did not intend to do this, but that is the way it has happened. I was not pleased with my 10k time at Cirencester. I have been doing better times than that in training. I think I could have beaten 'Norm's', (from Bourton) time. Never mind he's a good running man, and many times I have enjoyed talking to him. Cricklade I ran as hard as I could. I met good friends from the Reading Club who I expect to see again at Abingdon. Cricklade was a great run, and contained the high point of my running year, when I heard these loud noises and glancing across saw I was getting wonderful encouragement from this road hogging vehicle with Wendy, Justin and their crew passing me on their way home, as I was on the finishing mile. Thank you so much to them all. It made me feel so good to get their support and to be part of their club. And now all I ask is a few good nights sleep before the 16 October. Oh yes, and best of luck to all running in the Stroud Half the following Sunday. "
David Wright: wrights@tesco.net or 01285 641224
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