March 2012 – Issue No. 337
FIRST CLASS COACH
An initiative by "Iron Man" CHARLIE FOGG offering coaching tips via email has, in the main, been well received. Charlie offered recipients an opportunity to decline further emails...which few chose. A number of favourable comments were sent. A couple of negative responses were also received, including one forceful contribution which caused Charlie to be taken aback! One wag quipped that the average age of today's active competitors would see most having trouble lifting a balloon let alone a medicine ball! When considering that worthies such as IAN McCOMBIE & PAUL BLAGG - who both hung up their racing pumps many years ago - still hold records, then today's Coaches clearly need some assistance. And Charlie offers coaching tips which come from one who has, let's face it, "made it".
PHOTOS ETC
Have you seen Full of photos of race walking from around the globe, though mainly Italian. For example a rare photo of Ken Matthews racing Abdon Pamich in the Sesto San Giovanni 30kms. It would be good to see the UK photos uploaded there to become a truly global, central photo archive. Perhaps a word in the Essex Race Walker mag?
Regards Oliver C.
MERITORIOUS CONTRIBUTION RECOGNISED
At a presentation ceremony/buffet in Upminster Golf Club on Feb 6th Havering Council presented a "Lifetime Achievement" award to Hornchurch resident MIKE BRACE CBE which was presented by the Borough's Mayor, Councillor Melvin Wallace, in person. Being blinded by a firework at the age of 10 years failed to dent Mike's interest in sport and over decades he's appeared as a competitor in many different sports. He's also spent years as an official/administrator and now sits on 3 different London 2012 Olympic Committees. As a race walker we saw him in local races during the late 80s/early 90s with ALEX ROSS as his guide. Mike's a former after-dinner guest speaker at both Ilford AC & Metropolitan Police Walking Club's annual dinners. As an after-dinner speaker he's much sought after and whenever receiving fees for performing such roles he donates them to charity. Nowadays he gets about with his faithful guide dog Izzy.
HAPPY DAY NAMED
Cambridge-based SUE CLEMENTS and IAN have announced that their marriage is to take place in the City later this year. Sue's very much part of our race walking scene while Ian was a guest at The Centurions Centenary Dinner at the House of Commons and has been to races, including on Boxing Day at Lee Valley. We wish them both a happy day and the same forever after!
FROM PETE RYAN -OUR ROVING REPORTER DOWN UNDER
On a hilly South Island New Zealand course, Pete Ryan walked the Buller George Half Marathon in 2-6-30 on a bright sunny morning finishing first male race walker. He now heads to Hobart Australia to watch the Australian Olympic 20k mens & womens trials catching up, and staying, with Tim Erickson - an athlete who was a top walker 30 years ago. When you think Tim's son Chris did 3-51 for 50k in their trials and never made the London Olympic 50k team, the 20k trials should certainly be a classy event to watch. Pete
"FOR THE RECORD"
For those who've missed their "Record" of late, there's another similar titled magazine now available. Called "For the Record" it's published by England Athletics and comes free. It can be viewed/downloaded on
SPONSORED WALK
Please note the annual Pat Furey Trophies Meeting is put back to Saturday March 31st at Lee Valley (1pm). This avoids clashing with a Steyning AC fixture. Pat (Enfield & London Transport in his heyday) digs deep as he always provides a prize table which groans under the weight of all that's heaped on it. This 5 miles road walk is an Enfield League event offering double points so we call for maximum support. It's also a chance to meet up with genial Pat...a former Irish International of note.
UNIFORM IN STEP
Mount Pleasant & York are well established locations for Post Office "In Uniform" events. Now the Isle of Man Post Office are to stage one on October 21st. They attract much interest and many Club walkers have come into race walking after first trying their luck in such popular promotions. We wish the IOM well - indeed we know some of our readers have already got their names down for a trip to Douglas.
"AND IT'S GOODNIGHT FROM HIM"
Please note DAVE SHARPE's resigned from Ilford, so no longer will his antics be seen in an Ilford AC vest!
DRUGS
Athletes are warned not to eat liver before London 2012 as British anti-doping experts believe eating large qualities can raise risks of testing positive for clenbuterol. GB bosses acted after the World Anti-Doping Agency highlighted the dangers of eating contaminated meat. Clenbuterol is on WADA's list of banned substances as an anabolic agent which builds muscle and burns fat.
HERE COMES THE (Chief) JUDGE
Congratulations to SEAN PENDER who, on Feb 11th at Bexley, received his first "Chief Judge" appointment since joining the Panel. A day later Sean judged at Lee Valley's Indoor Meeting (where officials outnumbered competitors) and as before, race walked from his Limehouse abode. Alas showers malfunctioned with only cold water being dispensed.
EASTERN COUNTIES & ESSEX AA 1 MILE INDOOR CHAMPIONSHIP/Lee Valley 12 Feb
1Steve AllenBar8.00.47
2Steve UttleyIlf8.01.37
3Helen MiddletonE&H8.53.24
4Gary SmithE&H9.24.69
5Peter CassidyLtn11.00.37
6Dave AinsworthIlf11.55.50
7 Lauren KempU/1512.55.60
In an appallingly supported walking race, before of a large crowd at an athletics meeting, all participants were rewarded. Former Southend walker of note June Cork provided excellent commentary and it was a shame this lady's talents couldn't have seen more on the track to speak about. Chief Judge Mick Graham wisely reminded start-line listeners that track judges were appointed to see that those racing kept on this steeply banked track...this following a walker's d/q in the last indoor event at Lee Valley for stepping inside the inside lane. Gary Smith, who only last month made an indoor debut after decades of successful race walking, continued his promising sequence - he'd won on his indoor debut and in this one earned a bronze medal. A stadium podium presentation heard names boomed out on a tannoy with Essex President ARTHUR TULLETT doing the Essex honours and long serving Eastern Counties Chairman BARRY WALLMAN (who race walked in the 60s) handing out Eastern Counties awards. A good battle up front with STEVE ALLEN slightly getting the upper hand in an exciting last lap with STEVE UTTLEY which certainly enthused spectators. Having to lap a wide-walking entrant on the final band saw both Steves forced up (yes up) to very steeply banked lanes 3 (Allen) and 4 (Uttley) and no doubt cost both the kudos of sub-8 minutes finishes. A word for young LAUREN KEMP who gave a good account of herself and was encouraged by all...including a proud onlooking STEVE KEMP who's passing on his experience to good effect. In the Essex stakes it saw a remarkable span of individual Senior County medals for DAVE AINSWORTH, one of only 3 Essex athletes entering this Championship. His 1st individual Essex medal came in 1975 when gaining an Essex 50K Championship bronze at Basildon...2012 sees him gain another individual bronze at Lee Valley.
The 4th time of holding this meeting looks as though it may be its last. The Essex 1 Mile Championship was on 'death row' after previous poor turnouts and was in the 'last chance saloon'. Said silver medallist Peter Cassidy, "It'll be hard to justify putting this on again". It'll be a pity to lose this event as RWA Southern Area President SEAN PENDER (a judge) said (when accepting his chain of office) we needed to support walking races where event is before crowds when part of athletics meetings. Morale slumps when few turnout...even before the action STEVE UTTLEY said, "I've come all the way from North Oxfordshire for this and yet people can't come from....(he then listed a long series of much nearer locations)". It must be said that although everybody won something, most were dejected by such poor support.
Eastern Counties Men : 1. S.Allen, 2.S.Uttley & 3. G.Smith.
Eastern Counties Women : 1. H.Middleton.
Easter Counties U/15 Girls : L.Kemp.
Essex Men : 1. S.Uttley, 2. P.Cassidy & 3. D.Ainsworth.
Essex U/15 Girls : L.Kemp.
WINNING WAYS
After decades in our sport - and with plenty more to come - GARY SMITH of Enfield & Harringey (also an ex-Ilford 2nd claimer) made his Indoor debut on January 29th at Lee Valley when contesting the London Indoor Games. He got off to a winning start being never troubled when easily breaking the tape in a "graded" 3,000 metres. After great support in 2 previous years, Organisers split this event into 2 races, 'fast' & 'slow'. One suspects readers can guess which of these 2 races Gary dominated so impressively in 17.41.
VICE PRESIDENT
At The Centurions AGM on January 28th in the Union Jack Club, SUE CLEMENTS was elected as a Vice President. Sue lived in Romford for many years and worked in Dagenham. Sue qualified as a Centurion in Essex - at the London Vidarians 100 Miles Walk around Colchester's Lower Castle Park in 1996 when appearing for the Long Distance Walkers' Association (LDWA). Since then Sue's raced for the London Vidarians, SWC and now Enfield & Harringey AC. Sue is a Roubaix regular and often assists (in various capacities) on occasions when not racing. Indeed Sue was Ron's Assistant when Organising that still so memorable Millenium Challenge at Newmarket's Rowley Mile Racecourse in 2000 A.D. The good lady is a race walking coach. Sue edited the new Centurions Handbook, which is great value and makes good reading (whether or not a member of The Centurions). You can get that book for a tenner by seeing Pam Ficken, Ann Sayer or Ian Statter at meetings. Here's a few career highlights :
Centurion in 4 countries:
Great Britain / C950 / 23:42:37 / 1996Australia / C35 / 23.58.40 / 1998
Continental / C288 / 23.13.25 / 1999
New Zealand / C10 / 23.00.05 / 2001
Completed 25 events of 100 miles or longer (includes 3 x Grand Union Canal races, 145 miles;will be competing again this year in May).
Travel to the Continent a number of times a year to take part in various walks and races.
Utilised experience gained when updating the Long Distance Walkers Handbook (4th edition; current edition is the 8th), to updating the Centurion Handbook. It took 4 years to transcribe the text onto the computer and update/check the information). Work related to this continues in thebackground.
DIANNE BULLARD R.I.P. –
ANN SAYER'S TRIBUTE
Dy is best known to long-time members of the LDWA as Dy Pegg. She and Roger Cole were the only two people to complete all of the first ten LDWA Hundreds. She may have completed an eleventh before leaving the LDWA and perhaps also leaving the Rockhoppers Mountaineering Club to concentrate, I believe, on dry-skiing and real skiing. She died doing what she loved. She tried to enter a Centurion race the year before I did but was refused entry by Surrey Walking Club. The following year at the Bristol Hundred (1977) we were both allowed to enter and we both completed, but I finished ahead of her and so have (lucky for me) had all the kudos. We are Centurions 599 and 608, the first two lady Centurions. It had been in 1973 that Dy and fellow Rockhopper, Mike Robertson, had suggested to me that I would like to do a strange 50 mile overnight walk in Shropshire called the Longmynd Hike. I thought it was mad but I went along and I did it. At the end of the event someone gave me an LDWA membership form and I joined immediately to see what these mad folk were doing. And the rest, as they say, is history. My next LDWA event was the Peakland Hundred 7 months later. As far as I am concerned Dy was a rather special person and has a lot to answer for! Ann.
Adds Hon.Ed. Dianne Pegg was also a member of Medway AC (as then called) and became The Centurions 2nd lady member at the 1977 Bristol 100 Miles, clocking 22.05.30. As well as Ann of Essex Ladies (as then called) another finisher that day with Essex links was JACK THOMAS who raced for the now defunct host Club Bristol RWA earning Badge No.606 in 21.57.19. Dy was skiing at Val d'Isere when she suffered a massive heart attack and died soon after. To husband John and all family members we extend our profound condolence on their sad loss. DA
FIXTURES
3 Mar Manx H Open/Paul Nihill Shield Douglas IOM
4 MarNational 10 Miles Championship Coventry 1.30pm
7 Mar Met.Police Annual Dinner/Reunion New Scotland Yard 6.15pm
10 Mar Winter Lge 5K (+ Presentation) Bexley 2pm
11 Mar SCVAC AC 3,000m Championship Lee Valley
17 Mar BMAF Indoor Championship Day 1 Lee Valley
18 Mar BMAF Indoor Championship Day 2 Lee Valley
24 MarSlater Bryce Track MeetingBroadbridge Heath 11am
31 Mar Pat Furey Trophies Mtg/5 Miles Lee Valley 1pm
31 Mar Olympic Park 5 Miles Stratford 2pm
14 Apr National 20K Championship + YAG Redbridge Cycle Track
22 Apr Essex County AA 10,000m ChampsAshtons Track
22 Apr Virgin London Marathon Greenwich Park 9am
22 Apr Jeff Ford Memorial Open Meeting Don Valley1.30pm
28 Apr Enfield League 5 Miles Lee Valley1pm
13 MayEssex County AA 3,000m Champs Melbourne Stadium
20 May London Walks Victoria Park 1pm
26 May SRWA 1 Hour Championship + YAG Dartford Track
2 Jun Moulton Open 5 Miles Moulton Village 2pm
10 Jun Downham Est Walks 10K/20K(+BMAF) Downham Market 11am
17 Jun BMAF 10K Horspath/Oxford
7 Jul RWA Olympians Tribute Luncheon Tower Thistle Hotel/E1 12.30pm
NEWS FROM ENDURANCE ATHLETE KEVIN MARSHALL
Hi Dave,
This is going to be a busy year for me, as I am in the process of setting up my own fitness business having qualified as a personal trainer. I am also a volunteer team leader at the Olympics and Para Olympics. In addition I have chosen that 2012 is going to be the year for doing another big challenge, I will be doing the Spartathlon in September (same weekend as Colchester).
Much the focus this year will be on running (slowly) rather than race walking, I'm afraid. Though I bet I will be walking much of the Spartathlon especially the later stages!!!
Best Wishes.
Kevin
WRITES PETER CASSIDY
RE.ESSEX INDOOR MILE
Dave,
I think we can conclude that it isn't going to be in the timetable next year.
With best wishes. Pete
THE CENTURION HANDBOOK
11TH EDITION
A list of minor corrections and some updates relating to the 11th edition published in May 2011 has been produced. It is available from either the Centurion website or via email from Sue Clements ().
If you still have not bought a copy of this excellent book copies are still available from priced £11.00 per copy.
EMAILS MIDDLE EAST-BASED CENTURION STUART BENNETT
Dave,
I wonder if you could help us. Louise is running the London Marathon and is looking for sponsorship to go towards Great Ormond Street Hospital. This is a charity that she obviously has a very strong connection with and she wants to be successful in this venture. She is aiming to be collecting about £2000, she has £1000 already. Her aim is to complete the run in about 5 hours, and is working hard to achieve this.
Could you do some magic with your words and publish something in the Essex Walker etc. to see if we can get some support for her. She has a Just Giving web page at which makes it easy for people to donate and keeps it all accountable but we can take cash and cheques and account for it on sponsor forms.
Kind Regards. Stuart
INDOOR SUCCESS
Ilford's put out strong contenders for the annual London Indoor Games 3,000 metres walk at Lee Valley Arena somewhat early on Sun 29th Jan. Lithuanian VILIUS MIKELIONIS strode comfortably to the head of the field, staying there to break the tape in a personal best indoor time of 12 minutes and 39 seconds. Always in close order was fellow Lithuanian NERINGA AIDETYTE who looked equally at ease with such fast pace when winning the ladies race in 12.46, also with a personal best indoor performance. 3rd was was newcomer STUART KELLMORGAN (an Australian here for 1 year and racing for Belgrave Harriers) in 13.23 with Bexley Winter League star, 16 year old CAMERON CORBISHLY (Medway), 4th in 13.51 with Polish walker FABIAN DEUTER (Hillingdon) 5th in 13.58. Lithuanian Grazina Narviliene was 6th in 15.28 and 2nd lady. 9 finished the 'fast' race.
After 2 successful years, Organisers had to split entrants into 2 races...a fast and a slow. The 'slow' race was easily won by former Ilford 2nd claimer GARY SMITH in 17.41 - in his Indoor debut after decades gracing our sport. Off to a winning start here...and with the promise of more to come! Gary's been accepted to race the 1st event at our Olympic Stadium...the "National Lottery 5 Miles Run" on 31st March which goes around the Olympic Park finishing with a lap of the Olympic track. Well done to Gary. Other Essex Walker readers in this big race include STEVE ALLEN (Ilford) & STEVE KEMP (Eastern Vets) - all entrants get 2 Stadium guest tickets so they'll be a crowd - and photographs can be taken of this momentous occasion. 9 also finished the 'slow' race - 1 dq'd for a technical infringement in that a foot was spotted inside inner lane markings!