AUGUST 2007 – ISSUE NO. 285
‘BUSINESS AS USUAL’
That’s the sign above the door at Donkey Lane, spiritual home of the highly-popular ENFIELD LEAGUE. It’s now common knowledge that a founder of this competition and our host at the Queen Elizabeth stadium, MARTIN OLIVER, has stepped down from his position. He’ll be a ‘tough act to follow’ as they say in show business. But in that profession they also say that the ‘show must go on’. And go on it will; for Enfield & Harringey members have pulled together after a special Walking Section meeting. RON WALLWORK has stepped-up to be ‘the big cheese’ and he has been promised full support from members keen to keep the ball rolling. So readers, please continue to give full support to the Enfield League’s new Management Team. As for Martin, for whom the entire walking world should give their thanks, tributes to his efforts will be publicised in our next issue.
SOUTHEND-TO-ILFORD
No it’s not a new race, or even an old race. But it was walked some years back by Leigh-on-Sea based Centurion OLLY BROWNE for charity. He walked from Southend Pier-to-Ilford’s Cardinal Heenan Centre. It was a great success and much money was raised for good causes. This time ambition is even higher, for Olly’s walking for 10 Charities, and extended his finish. The Cardinal Heenam Centre will be passed as Olly heads towards Valentines Park, so those who join him in his last stage will be able to walk around the park for a few times, so making his finish more of an occasion. Our next issue will contain route details and approximate times so you can accompany Olly over sections, a list of the Charities and details fo where to send your money if you wish to donate.. Olly is doing the SWC 100 Miles in Battersea Park on July 28th/29th, so he’ll have time to get his breath back for the charity walk on Sunday September 30th. In the meantime you can see Olly at meetings to gain details and also make pledges. Last time was a great success…so let’s make it even bigger and better in 2007!
TROPHY PRESENTATION
The ESSEX LEAGUE team trophy (you know, that giant heavy one that nobody wants to take home) has been reallocated. It was won by an Essex League team at the 1971 Airolo-to-Chiasso Relay and was then donated to the Essex League for use as a team trophy. Over so many years it’s suffered badly through ‘fair wear and tear’, it’s near impossible to clean properly and has been damaged for many years. It’s been presented to a worthy who will truly appreciate it – AMOS SEDDON. Amos remains, to this day, a firm link from the original awarding of the trophy in that he continues to be an ESSEX resident and rarely misses an Essex League event.
With an alarming average age of Essex League participants, a chronic shortage of officials, few youngsters and newcomers supporting the fixtures and little hope of any improvement we must accept that the Essex League is in its dying days. The 50K has ceased as a separate race, the 2007 20 Miles folded after just 1 solitary walker expressed support for holding the event (during a 2 months consultation period), the last time the 20K was held in Essex 5 men and 2 women walked (so its now part of wherever the Southern Area hold their 20K) and the County 3,000 metres saw a minimal turnout at the Essex Championship. Once being part of the Essex League meant a boost in the entry list. Not now, as events are struggling. Some of the County’s strongest critics have themselves done the one single act that will hasten the demise of the Essex League – they’ve quit!. Event organisers will have to decide what to do with trophies as the meltdown of UK walking continues. The Essex League have made a wise decision in presenting their team trophy to an athlete who will both appreciate and treasure it – AMOS SEDDON.
WALKER LEFT AT THE STARTING POST
For the first time in ages, nobody with Essex connections made the result sheet of a Welsh Championship event – though in JACK THOMAS we did have the Chief (and only) Judge. We did have an Essex athlete on the start line in much respected RON DAVIES (Woodford Green) – but that’s as far as he got! Ron sent off his entry form and had been putting in extra training for the annual Welsh Veterans 3,000 metres at Cardiff. He duly turned-up and found that he wasn’t on the programme. It appeared that his entry had gone astray in the post and he was denied a race. Our Chief Judge stated that he could race as a guest without numbers/pins as he was there, and this was agreed with both marksman and Mr. Starter. Just as the field were ready an officious woman marched up and demanded Ron be hauled off the track and denied his start. This left just 4 on the line – the lowest for years, so 1 more would (and should) have been welcomed. In 2006 CHRIS FLINT posted his entry off and had it returned – as it had arrived one post after the closing date! There’s not much sign of a ‘welcome in the hillside’ here! PHIL WILLIAMS won with former victor CHRIS FLINT second, the other 2 being Welsh locals. Afterwards Penhow Striders, who didn’t have any racing this time, held their Annual Dinner at Jack’s house.
“ON YOUR BIKE”
‘Scoop’ aka former Southend 2nd claimer PAUL WARBUTON, is riding to Paris. No….he won’t be in the saddle as part of the Tour de France, but he’s pedalling for charity. Good Luck.. We hope he doesn’t ‘Do a Warburton’.
OUT AND ABOUT
Much travelled international KEVIN MARSHALL completed the annual Clerical Medical Parish Walk around an 85 Miles loop of the Isle of Man, which visits every Parish church on that island – indeed competitors have to touch the gate of each church as they pass. He clocked 18 hours 10 minutes and 6 seconds for 14th spot in the Men’s Race which was won by local favourite ROBBIE CALLISTER in 15.36.52. There was a bumper field in both the Men’s and Women’s events. On the same weekend at Horwich (Bolton) Essex Walker readers RON WALLWORK and FIONA BISHOP ventured north to race 5K. Ron came 14th in the Men’s Race clocking 33.14, won by MARK WILLIAMS in 22.19. 21 started and 1 got dq’d. Nice to see a good friend of Essex walking TONY MALLONE coming 4th in 27.19. In the Women’s Race Fiona was 5th of 8 finishers in 31.38. LISA KEHLER won in 23.14 coming 2nd overall if you combine both Men’s and Women’s fields.
RETURN OF ERIC
Dave Sharpe reports that strict judge (he once ran out of cards judging Ilford’s Summer Walk at Cricklefields) Eric Saxby (NZ) is due to be back on the scene from late July-to-early-September. We welcome him back onto the scene as both official and noteworthy competitor.
NEW YEAR’S EVE INVITATION
If seeking to work up a thirst for your revelling, then try the Ely New Year’s Eve 10K. As in previous years numbers are limited with entries taken on a first-come-first-served basis. So enter pronto on www.newyearseve10k.co.uk Thanks to regular event supporter SUE CLEMENTS for this notification. Sue says, “Let’s get even more walking this year”.
SUNDAY 17 JUNE – ESSEX LEAGUE 5 MILES SOUTH PARK
1 C. Cattano Sth 42.17 6 R. Wallwork E&H 54.43
2 S. Uttley Ilf 42.19 7 D. Hoben SWC 57.00
3 S. Crane SWC/Ilf 43.16 8. A. O’Rawe Ilf 58.46
4 D. Sharpe Ilf 49.47 9 K. Howard (L) Sth 60.56
5 M. Barnbrook Ilf 53.43
9 started and finished
Teams: 1st Ilford 2nd SWC
1st Veteran (NOA) Dave Sharpe, 1st Centurion (NOA) Mick Barnbrook, 1st Lady Kim Howard, Stylist-of-the-Meet Stephen Crane
Not the worst Essex League turnout, but almost, this event showed why our League is heading towards a demise, and in general terms, UK race walking to boot. It was the 4th year that Ilford’s summer race has been staged over 5 Miles. In those 4 years the starters have been 10 (2004), 23 (2005) 19 (2006) and now 9. Is it now worth getting somebody in to open up the Clubhouse for our start time? Is it worth putting it on at all? Who cares? This is an event which regularly pulled-in 50/60 punters in the 70s/80s. It was originally an Hour Race on the track, but went into being a road 10K as the track was crowded with too many turning-up! Every year a few walkers pack it in or sadly pass-on, and they aren’t being replaced by the same number (or more) newcomers. It’s the same with OFFICIALS. The race was un-judged as none could be found. So Ilford members rang around a number of experienced walkers and former judges to see if they could help out? Some never even had the basic courtesy to return ‘phone messages and, by coincidence, all others had other firm commitments that morning. The same for other officials. The best offer we got as a timekeeper was somebody who said “he’d get there if he could”. We waited…and waited! Obviously he couldn’t! So Hon. Ed. took hold of Dave Sharpe’s stopwatch seconds before start time and shared recording duties with DOREEN SPARROW. Other regular helpers, former walkers ALEC TIFFIN and JIMMY ROOKE, marshalled Jimmy preformed 2 other tasks for he helped with the drinks along with KEVIN RAMSEY. Then – for the 1st time in his athletics career – Jimmy was asked to be the presentation dignitary. In this capacity Jimmy was not overworked. Trophy discipline went out of the window. Only 1 trophy was returned – 1st Junior. But in 2007 no junior faced the starter. A whole list of trophies were not returned! Missing were the Stan Hart Trophy, 1st Lady, Team Trophy, Stylist-of-the-Meet, 1st Veteran, 1st Centurion etc., etc. DAVE SHARPE has worked very long and hard to secure all manner of trophies for many races; and you could see the disappointment on his face as trophy discipline completely broke down. Some years ago BOB DOBSON wrote an article in EW about this very subject, stating that all trophies should be returned cleaned, engraved and ready for re-presentation. His words have been repeated at regular intervals. Probably a waste of EW’s space!
The race itself provided an excellent spectacle as former winner STEVE UTTLEY forced the pace with distance expert and Centurion CHRIS CATTANO in close contention. STEPHEN CRANE was just a fraction off the pace. The trio gave the rest of the field the slip, going well clear. With 2 circuits remaining of the 5½ on offer, ‘dark horse’ Chris surged into a narrow lead which he held to the tape with Steve always challenging strongly.
MICK BARNBROOK had his best race of the year and is clearly finding his best form on the build-up to September’s Guernsey classic. And for consistency what about RON WALLWORK who has raced all 4 times since the event was reduced from 10K to 5 Miles. His times from 2004-to-2007 respectively were 54.17, 58.55, 54.40 and 54.43. The slower time in 2005 was as a result of racing while also indisposed. DAVE HOBAN again showed that he’ll travel anywhere to support a meeting while ALAN O’RAWE and KIM HOWARD both appeared despite carrying injuries.
To sum-up it was a ‘B’ race (altered following feedback from race walkers). So its time to ask the stayaways again, “Tell us what you do want and we’ll do our best”. But the day belonged to CHRIS CATTANO, whom we all profoundly congratulate on his first Essex League victory.
MICK THE RED
No Mick Barnbrook hasn’t changed his politics as this refers to one of the spectators at Ilford’s 5 Miles around South Park. It was ‘Mick the Red’, who trained ANDY O’RAWE when he was a professional boxer in Frank Warren’s gym. Now living in Chadwell Heath he came to give encouragement and was disappointed that he couldn’t see reinstated amateur athlete Andy going around the course – but so were we. ‘The Red’ refers not to Mick’s politics, but to his hair. Hair today…gone tomorrow!
SAD FAREWELL
TO A FORMER CHAMPION WALKER
Mrs. Toni Meadows, widow of GEORGE MEADOWS who passed-on during June writes from her address at 25, Curthwaite Gardens, Oakwood, ENFIELD, Middlesex. EN2 7LW
I am writing to give you the very sad news that George Meadows passed away on 8 June 2007, after a long stay at a Care Home following a severe stroke in May 2004. It’s been a difficult 3 years and although we all hoped he would recover, it’s still been an enormous shock. George was a lovely man and wonderful husband. I can’t believe he has gone. I can only be grateful that he is no longer suffering but it’s hard for those left behind.
George treasured his athletics career first at Highgate Harriers and later at Enfield Harriers where he met many friends both on-and-off the track. He thoroughly enjoyed his racing and was so dedicated with this training for so many years.
All the best to you.
Regards from Amy Meadows (Toni)
GEORGE MEADOWS R.I.P
In the colours of Essex Beagles George won the 1958 Essex 10 Miles Championship in 1 hours 17 minutes and 13 seconds, also leading his Club to a team title. He was a member of the winning ESSEX County Team at the 1957 (at Coventry) and 1958 (Victoria Park, Hackney) Inter-Counties 10 Miles Championship. The 1957 winning quartet was R. F. Goodall, G. L. Meadows, R. E. Davies and C. Williams. The scoring 4 in 1958 were G. L. Meadows, R. F. Goodall, R. E. Davies and J. Goodall. Both occasions saw Essex as convincing victors. In 1958 George was 4th in the race, beaten only by a trio of Olympians in Stan Vickers (victor in 73.44), Eric Hall and Norman Read. Needless to say that year, with Stan and Eric giving them an old 1-2, Belgrave Harriers were comfortable team winners – with the help of Dave McMullen and E. A Smith. By profession he was a Fleet Street proof reader, an occupation which restricted Saturday appearances. On behalf of our readers we express our condolence to Toni and all of George’s relations. D.A.