EXE-HAUSTED
The
newsletter of Exmouth Harriers
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Exe-hausted
March 2001 – No. 18
The times they are a -changing.
Well,
where to begin? So much has
happened since our last issue which came out in Christmas week. Only 10 weeks ago, but blimey, the
country and the athletics world has been turned upside down due to the foot and
mouth outbreak. All the long
winter months training for Sunday’s Grizzly has gone down the tubes with the
race now rescheduled for October. The Bideford Half Marathon will now take place in June
instead of their 10K. The last
Westward Cross Country league match at Rolle has also bitten the dust and will
not be rescheduled. The final
positions will now be determined from the best 4 out of 5 races. This is a particular blow to us as we
won at Paignton and with Plymouth having a poor turnout, we were in with an
outside chance of taking the men’s title.
Still, it’s frustrating but it pales into insignificance alongside the
suffering in the farming community.
Although Exmouth is a busy seaside town, we have had it brought home to
us that we sit in the middle of a rural farming community. All of our off-road training runs have
had to be postponed because they go across farm land or we use footpaths that
are now closed. The committee also
asks that you try to avoid country lanes like Maer Lane, Castle Lane,
Courtlands Lane and Summer Lane.
Although it is apparently very unlikely that we could spread the
disease, the feeling at the last committee meeting was that we should be seen
to be doing our bit. Rivermead
and The Avenues are set to become
our regular runs for the next few weeks or even months.
Sorry
for starting off so down beat but there we are. It’s a particular shame because behind the scenes, the times
are also changing. We have now had three meetings of the new committee and two
of the new race committee, which is chaired and powerfully led by Adrian
Vanstone. This was the first
sub-committee to be set up and it will co-ordinate all our races, using the
same members so that we can apply the same standards to all our races. Specific tasks have been allocated to
the committee members, entry forms will be produced in plenty of time for each
race and we will meet every month to review our plans. Dave Stone will be writing press
reports for the races, not me.
Adrian said he felt Dave could write them from a runner’s perspective -
charming! I’ll be off for a brisk
walk as soon as I finish this, that’s if the lungs will last for a full mile!
It
was probably too early to notice any changes at the Fulfords Five as the new
sub committee had only had one meeting before it took place. However, the race
was very well received by all the runners and getting a set of results to all
finishers within 5 days was a fantastic effort by Adrian and Claire. Pete
Hutcheson also deserves a big thank you for getting the full results onto the
web site before 5pm on Race Day.
The age-graded results made very interesting reading but although the
actual finish position was shown alongside each individual’s result, most
people it seems would prefer the results in race order. So, we are going to go
one better next time and produce results in both formats. Maurice Ault is also putting together
an interchangeable team to handle timekeeping and finishing positions so we
should be self-sufficient and not have to ask for outside help. Not like The Good Life ‘self
sufficient’, but we are on our way!
The Chairman’s Charity 2001.
So
what was his charity in 2000, I hear you ask? Well, there wasn’t one actually,
but you’ve got to start somewhere!
It all forms part of our plans to raise the club profile within the
community and to give something back.
This is not exactly a new idea as in my seven years with the club,
between us we have raised thousands of pounds for good causes, both local and
national. Mike Mears raised a huge
sum for the RNLI and Bev Freeman and Graham Gunn have raised around £2000 on
three occasions to name but three. I’m sure this will continue but we would now
ask that if you are raising money but do not already have a designated charity
that you adopt ours. We have agreed to raise a minimum £1000 for the Devon Air
Ambulance, although hope the final total will be much higher. I had hoped to announce this well
before Christmas but negotiations have been rather protracted. To set us on our way, we will donate £1
from every entry to the Half Marathon to the kitty. This is all part of our plan to get the Half Marathon back
to its former glory, with an entry of around 500 at least. We are determined to once again make
the race the sporting focal point of Exmouth. So now I’m getting to the exciting bit - weather and call
outs permitting, the Air Ambulance will land on the Rugby pitch at 1.30pm and
will be used as the back drop for the presentations at 2pm. People will be welcome to look around -
and in- the helicopter. Imagine if
they are called out for an emergency in the middle of the prize giving -
dramatic or what! With their
tie-in with Gemini Radio, we also hope to have either Black Thunder (here I have to show my ignorance,
never hard I hear you all chorus, because I had never heard of it) an impressive car, apparently or even a
full Gemini Roadshow. I’ll keep
you informed as things progress, but it’s going to be big. Any help towards meeting our total will
be greatly received. To put things
into perspective, Devon Air Ambulance need to raise £1.2 million each year to
keep going. Yes, that’s £3000 per day
whether they fly or not. There is
no help from the NHS or government - it is all raised by charity. Doesn’t bear thinking about - does
it?!!
exmouth-harriers.co.uk
Yes,
at last we have our own domain name. The site will be easy to find with a simple
address which we hope will attract more people to it. At the moment, you won’t
notice many changes but with Sarah Allsopp our new web co-ordinator, I’m sure
we soon will. While talking web-matters, we now also have our own e-mail group
which has been set up courtesy of Roger Rowe. Every member of the group can send a message to just one
address and everyone will receive it. There are currently 30 members - anyone
else interested should contact Roger at arborfield@lineone.net and he’ll do the rest. Request partners
for a run or just send your thoughts, it all gets passed on. As examples of the
advantages of e-mail, the following pieces by Maurice and our ‘little kangaroo’
Kellie will make the point far better than I can.
Date: 21/02/01
From
: keltrollipe@hotmail.com
Hi
everyone, hope all is well in sunny old Exmouth. I’m still in Thailand at the
moment having a fantastic time, not running alot however and due to food being
so amazing here, putting on weight! Oh boy! Anyway I left my running shoes in
Bangkok with the intention of not running for a few weeks but have weakened
today and bought a new pair, feeling too guilty. Going to hit the road tomorrow morning. By the way, CONGRATULATIONS on all the
cross country results, good effort gang.
As
I said in Thailand and having a
sensational time. Just got back
from a three day trek in northern Thailand, went bamboo rafting, elephant
riding and walked some pretty amazing mountains. We camped in hill tribe villages, sleeping on the floor with
mosquito nets over us and eating traditional Thai food. It was so much fun.
The
week before that I was out in west of the country. I went to Kanachanaburi and visited the Bridge over the
River Kwai, pretty eerie really, but lovely scenery. I then jumped on a public bus with all the locals and went
out to camp at a National Park for a few nights. It was really pretty. Spent my time hiking though some
pretty rugged hillsides, got picked up by a lovely family that owned the
guesthouse where I was staying. We
had traditional Thai food and whiskey on a raft in the river, it was pretty
amazing. Most people speak a
little English, but not a lot and I can’t speak hardly any Thai, so it always
leads to a pretty dramatic evening, bus ride, motorbike ride or whatever - lots
of acting and hand actions.
The
week before that I was in Bangkok for a few days but the highlight of that time
was being down in the south east with a mate of mine from Australia on a
gorgeous island, staying in a
little bamboo triangle hut, right on the water’s edge, very relaxing I must
admit.
Anyhow,
I’m in Chaing Mia at the moment heading out to walk up Thailand’s highest
mountain tomorrow (after my run), then Friday I’m heading out east for a couple
of days to have a look around, before making my way back to Bangkok and flying
out to Nepal on 5 March.
Overall
Thailand is amazing! The people are so friendly, the countryside so pretty, the
cities so busy, the food is amazing and everything is so cheap. My three day
trek cost £15, that included everything!! Pretty good value. Looking forward to Nepal and seeing Mt
Everest, can’t believe I’ll be there next month.
Anyhow,
I hope everyone is well and training hard. Stef, could you put in a few miles for me here and there
please? Darren, could you do a few
sessions for me, did 6 sets of 400m in Australia and couldn’t get them under
1:13, not good. Maurice, I need
some motivational advice, someone has to kick me into gear. I won’t be able to finish a 10k if I
keep this up!!!!!!! Mike, how’s the
ankle? Sorry to hear that. Also congrats Dave on the third place, keep it
up. John, are you still providing
all those lovely lunches? Club man
of the year this year. Last but
not least, Hatchard would you please e-mail me back sometime!!
Well
must go so until next time, take care and remember to keep having fun.
Missing
you all heaps.
Love,
hugs and sloppy kisses Kellie xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
PS
Feel free to drop me a line everyone, I love to hear how everyone is going, my
e-mail address is keltrollipe@hotmail.com
Hi
all!!
Anyone
out there at this time?
When
I awakened early this morning several thoughts, not entirely at random, floated
around my brain. Should I drive
fast to Plymouth to add a bit of speed to our vets team? No! in a word. Didn’t they do well? Was it a wise decision to agree to a 10
mile plus run up to and around Woodbury Common - you all know how I love hills and long runs. Perhaps one
of the other nuts might phone and suggest something a little more to my liking.
No! they did not. Oh well, suppose I had better get ready.
The
run with Sarah P, Dawn T, Claire B and Dave W encountered snow, ice, mud,
excitable dogs (big), hills aplenty and lots of sunshine. What a great way to spend the morning.
After
flap jacks and coffee in Sarah’s kitchen, home for a snooze, lunch and a couple
of glasses of claret. Three hours
in the garden, a little time replying to incoming e-mails followed by supper
and a couple of glasses of claret.
Again! you may think - well so what! it’s good for me.
Why
am I writing this you may wonder - well Roger’s idea is for a chat line, is it
not?
Have
a good week everyone
Maurice
Club house nonsense.
I
e-mailed Roger Rowe a while back to tell him we were running at 7am on a Sunday
morning and was he interested? His
reply was, “I’m afraid I can’t because I’m going to be tied up tomorrow.” I see, he may be a retired bank manager
but he’s still into stocks and bonds!
At
Adrian’s 40th birthday bash, Jane Selby told me she said to Richard, “take me
upstairs and make mad passionate love to me!” His reply was, “sorry dear, it’s got to be one or the
other!”
Roger
Cowd has been at the doctors again.
“Doctor, it hurts all over my body, everywhere I touch it hurts like
hell,” said Roger, poking every part of his body and squealing with pain. “Of course it hurts,” said the doctor,”
you’ve broken your finger!” He
also prescribed Roger a powerful laxative to cure his troublesome cough. Apparently it’s so strong, Roger’s too
frightened to cough!
The Club Championship.
I
had a magnificent response to my request for articles but Bob’s appeal for your
favourite races was less spectacular, as you will hear. The first race is right
upon us - my fault I’m afraid because I’m a fortnight late with this, but there
are plenty of other chances, so get going! Bob writes:
Following
on from my request in the last newsletter, I would like to thank all the many
members who contacted me with
thoughts on their favourite races for the Club Championship. Well, Maurice Ault and Dave Eveleigh
anyway, so here goes.
The
Championship will consist of 7 races, with the best 5 to count. They will be:
1. Winter 3K at Exeter Arena - Wed 14/3/01
2. Great West Run - Sun 6/5/01
3. Summer 6 at Knowle (Dog &
Donkey) - 15/501
4. Graham Sykes 10K - 3/6/01
5. Haytor Hellor - some time in July
6. Exmouth Harriers surprise (watch this
space)
7. Taunton 10K - some time in September
As
you can see, I have tried to keep the distances of the races down and I have
included on and off road as well as track.
I
will put a table in each newsletter after the first race and will give you all
the details of event 6 when I know what they are!
Remember - if this is going to be any good, it’s
up to you. I will prod people
nearer each event.
Messages from the Men’s Team Manager.
Remember,
remember, the 14th of March, no that doesn’t rhyme, how about Remember,
remember, Exmouth Harriers Club Championship, otherwise you’re in the
sh...... No, that
doesn’t work either, how about, Remember Wednesday 14 March at the Exeter
Arena, the winter 3K series is the first round of the Club Championship, be
there or be square. Yes, that’s
much better.
The
mystery of the August round of the Club Championship is solved. It will be a
Club track event, with various races of various distances for all ages,
followed by a Bar-b-Que. It will
be a fun event which will bring all sections of our club together. Watch this space for further details.
I
have just received a consignment of Ladies kit from our supplier. Vests and shorts, will those ladies
requiring shorts of a more generous cut please contact me - be assured of
complete anonymity.
The
National Veterans Road Relay race in May is receiving great support - if your name
is not on the list on the notice board, then get it on the list.
R.J.Keast
1/3/01
Club Championships
I’d
like to respond to Phil’s appeal for material for the newsletter by writing
about a couple of topics together really.
The club is going strong but the glaring gap is really the lack of
junior members and I think that the handful of seniors who don’t run distance
deserve a bit more support. In
turn the key to that is track and field competition. Now I’m not about to suggest that the cross country squad
turns its hand to shot putting or even sprinting, but perhaps we could at least
try a bit of distance running on the track. While I run cross country or road, I feel part of an Exmouth
Harriers team but when I run on the track, I feel like I just happen to be
wearing an Exmouth vest. If we can
start thinking of ourselves as a bit more than just a running club, we might be
able to make the next big step forward.
Ideally,
we’d be taking teams to track and field competitions and at least covering all
running events. However, all I’m
going to suggest at the moment is that the Club Championships includes a couple
of track races. The County 10,000m
Championships usually takes place in the autumn and that should be one. I would also say the County 5000m or
even 1500m should be another one.
I think if we did it in numbers, it would be enjoyable. If you remember when the running boom
took place, it took a while for all the new runners to get into cross
country. It happened eventually,
but track racing is still waiting for most of them!
The
other suggestion I’d make is that there should be some sort of club
championship that covers track and field. The heading in the last newsletter
said ‘club Championships’ but really meant ‘Club Distance Running championships’. There are scoring tables around that
cover all the track and field events and also tools for making adjustments for
age. You could use these to work out
a club track and field champion for the year. Alternatively, or as well, we could have a club evening
where we all run say 100m, 400m and 1500m and add up the scores by position or
time. I think we could get away
with doing it on the ‘track’ at Exmouth.
This
could get to sound familiar - what do you think?
Dave
Eveleigh
Open Letter to Exmouth Harriers from Ron Slope
Many
of you lads will have come across me in the past. I’ve been a bit busy recently, concentrating on my plumbing
business, Ron Slope Spurts, but I’m now ready to start racing again. Based in Zeal Monachorum, like I am, Bideford
has always been the obvious choice.
I was smitten really when I discovered their pre-race meal was raw
potatoes and was able to have a lovely piece of roast pheasant on the coach
home one day. BUT, have you seen
the tracksuits they’ve got now? Matching
tracksuits I can just about handle (though why you can’t remember who’s in the
same club as you beats me) but not, definitely not, in a PASTEL colour, fine
for ladies jogging shoes but not fine for a proper running club. So, there’ll be a thrill of
anticipation as I announce that I’m looking for a new club and I’m looking
first at little old Exmouth Harriers!
What
I’d like to do first though is let you know what I’m looking for in a club, see
if you measure up and then make a decision as to whether or not I should
join. I’m sure that’ll be alright
by you gentlemen. Talking of
gentlemen, I assume you are a male club? (well, between you and me I know you
need a few members of the fairer sex on board. Looks good doesn’t it and the
bonus is, because they are only doing say 2 or 3 miles at a time, they’re back
first from training and they can get the kettle on!) Anyway, I’m sure you can reassure me on that one. The other main thing is do you run on
the track? I’ll tell you why
because I hate track wimps, don’t you?
If it doesn’t involve negotiating a barbed wire fence, or maybe at a
push, a discarded Kentucky Chicken box, forget it I say.
As
you can see, I don’t ask a lot from my running club. I expect you’ll match
up. However, no doubt you’ll be asking
yourselves, “what’s in it for us then?”
Well, obviously there is the kudos of having me attached to your club
(the arrangement is usually a waiving of the fees) and the usual 10% discount
off plumbing work (that’s for bona fide runners of course, so don’t come
wasting my time if you’re running shameful times like 35 minutes for 10k (or 6
miles and a bit as it should rightly be called). It’s a good deal really!
By
the way, be warned that there are people around who try to hang on to my coat
tails a lot and make outrageous claims about how well they know me. Don’t believe them, most of them I’ll
have just met when I lapped them at the Taunton Marathon. Just take the trouble
to discover their best times and ask yourselves whether a runner of my calibre
would be closely associated with them.
Put it this way, when it comes to 10 mile times, if someone starts
quoting 56 or 57 I start getting very uneasy.
Let
me know what you think and also if you’ve got any questions about running, drop
me a line to our newsletter editor and I’ll do my best to answer them in the
next edition.
In
case you haven’t guessed, Ron Slope is Dave Eveleigh’s alter ego. I look forward to your questions for
the eloquent and tactful Mr Slope!
Race Results.
At
the recent Plymouth Hoe 10, the age graded results made interesting
reading. 1st was Rich Selby on
86.14%, 2nd Roger Rowe 85.27%, 19th Dave Stone 79.27% although 5th overall and
Dave Francis 27th 78.22%. Race
winner Stuart Hall was way down in 4th on 84.44%.
The Luppitt Lollop by Dave Stone.
The
course was sure to be very challenging this year. As expected, conditions
proved to be very wet and muddy (slurry). Despite conditions they had a record
number of almost 350 entries. This
led to a very competitive, tough race, which involved great stamina. Although at stages in the race, times
and finishing positions felt almost inapplicable - just completing the race was
the biggest challenge.
Despite
conditions we had some great performances.I finished 5th and extremely
knackered. Hugh finished a strong
7th and first vet 40. Jim Palmer
finished 10th. This was a great
performance from Jim. He proved
his extra training was paying off. This multi-terrain race is to be his first
of many ...... trust me, they
don’t come much harder than this.
Steve Merry finished 41st.
A brilliant run considering this was Steve’s first race back since a
hamstring injury. Many runners
would have chosen an easier event to get back into racing, but not Steve. New member Paul Champion had an
excellent race finishing 116th.
Paul has great potential as recent performances on club nights have also
been impressive. He showed great
strength and stamina required for such races. Jon Bamsey finished 271st. Jon found the race tough. I consider Jon’s result as a triumph. He did very well to complete such a
hard race. I think the Luppitt
Lollop has put Jon off multi-terrain races for life, but I can assure you they
don’t get much tougher than this.
Andy
Kennedy had a nasty fall and twisted his ankle. As a result he
was forced to abandon the race.
Sadly he will be off running for a few weeks. Hope he makes a full
recovery soon.
Well
done to everyone. It was a great
day.
The Welsh Castles race.
The
above race is a relay and takes place over 2 days in June over a distance of
210 miles from the top to the bottom of Wales, 21 runners doing 10 miles
each. This year’s race is full and
we will have to apply early for next year. It should be a great weekend, so let’s hear who fancies it
and I’ll apply. Peter Hart, our
Taunton-based vet is keen on this race as well as the vets 6 stage relays, so
who else?
And finally .......
Our
new social committee, Jane Bateman, Sarah Pares and Dawn Teed have booked the
Rugby Club for our dinner and dance on 7 December. Other events including a treasure hunt and a bar-b-que are
in the planning stages. Thank you
ladies, we look forward to the details.
The
track season starts on 29 April and I hope we can field a team. We are currently setting up a focus
group in conjunction with Sonia Ellis, the South West Development Officer to
strengthen and invigorate our track side. Can we all give it our backing
please?
Unless
you are among the 91 members who have paid their subs, I’m afraid this will be
your last magazine. Hopefully it
won’t be because you’ll be straight down to the club or post a cheque to Phil
Bater, 45 Langstone Drive, Exmouth, EX8 4HZ. Juniors £7, Students £10, Seniors £15 or Family £22.
See
you all soon
Phil
Crook
PS
Mike Mears’ birthday present from wife Linda, a trip to see The Corrs, was the
greatest moment of his life. Apart
from beating Dave Stone at a recent race that is!
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1998, Exmouth Harriers. |
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Last update:
17th November 2001 |
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