Captain's Update - July 2017

So (regular readers will notice that this has temporarily taken over from Well as my 'go to' starter for the log!), as we enter the holiday lull, and with the World Championships just getting underway, time to update you with all that's been happening around the club in July.

Apart from the ubiquitous Parkrun, the month also saw the third and fourth fixtures in this year's Summer League, whilst members also took on three 10ks. (Leeds, Wimbledon common and St.Neots), an 8 miler (wimbledon), a 10 miler (Ware), and a 7k. (Stragglers' Wedding Day event).

Starting, as I did in June, with the Summer League, ten members made it South of the river on the 2nd for the third fixture at Dulwich, with David (35.29) and Victor (37.38) leading our 'merry band' home, and Liz setting a new FV50 club record ducking inside the forty minute mark. Impressively, in the circumstances, we again managed to put out two relay squads the men finishing a creditable fifth, and the B1 sixth. Overall winners on the day were QPH with 4,240 points, some 250 points ahead of Mornington Chasers who just pipped the hosts for second spot. Major shock however was that Ealing Eagles finished down in 'murky depths' of sixth place just one position above our good selves.

A fortnight late, we then mustered fifteen for the three lap 'trundle' around Regents Park (along with three guests - Ayo, Patricia and Valentina), Tony returning to lead our 'troops' home on this occasion, and Geraldine finishing her first League 10k. for the club. Sadly, Mark was forced to retire following a canine intervention! Again QPH (4,454 points) emerged victorious, just edging out Ealing Eagles (4,317), resuming something like 'normal service', with the hosts, Mornington Chasers, third. At the opposite end of the table, we finished some 500 points below Dulwich Park Runners in our customary seventh spot (it could almost be reserved for us!), both our men's and B1 relay teams coming sixth out of seven. Means, going in to the last fixture at Battersea Park (August 20th), that QPH hold a 350 point lead over Ealing Eagles with Chasers in third spot. Could we see new Champions this year?

Moving on from the League, Tony and Victor got our month off to a flying start on the 5th tackling the final race in this year's Wimbledon Trail Series (this one an eight mile outing) with Tony completing a clean sweep of MV60 victories, The following Sunday then saw Angela traversing the byways of Hertfordshire for the Ware 10, whilst Graham was 'up North' for a 10k. in Leeds, before taking on the same distance over Wimbledon Common on the 12th., the month ending with John journeying out to Cambridgeshire for the St.Neots 10k. on the 30th, two days after I'd made my annual 'pilgrimage' up to Fulwell for Stragglers' Wedding Day 7k. On a less 'serious' note meanwhile, Tony took in Sambrook's 'Run for Beer' on the 20th earning himself a free pint for a 4.4 mile jog from the brewery to Battersea Park and back.

On the domestic front, fourteen runners 'came under starters orders' for the fourth in this year's handicap series, with Nick first across the finishing line just ahead of Victor and Peter in third. With two races to go, Victor (89) holds a slender three point lead over David (86), with Molly third on 73.

As for Parkrun , Mary reached the 100 run mark at Harrow on the 15th, a week after an Abrahams' ' family outing' at Gladstone Park had seen 'Sudbury escapee' Tanasheh reach the same landmark. Meanwhile, Ade took something of a busman's holiday on the 29th, taking in the pleasures of the Perry Hall run in Birmingham.For the record, July's five runs in NW10 saw an average turnout of 159 whilst Tony set a new MV60 club record of 21.20.

Well, think that about wraps it up for this month , except to offer Ellen and Nick (not Sudbury's!) many congratulations on their engagement.

Next month: The Summer League denouement, the penultimate handicap, and much, much (well okay, a little!) more...

Footnote: As Louis mentioned at the handicap, the club has funding from the Wembley National Stadium Trust for two courses in both Leadership in Running Fitness (1 day) and Coaching in Running Fitness (4 days). If you are interested in putting your name forward for consideration at the next Committee meeting (hopefully to be arranged as soon as Summer holidays are out of the way!) please let any of the Committee know ASAP.