Results of the the 2007 race.......are at the bottom.....

car packed full of gear.........

A pleasant morning greeted you hardy runners. Not far off near perfect racing conditions.
I would like to personally thank the HWAC team for their efforts today. May I also take this opportunity to apologise for the running of 850 m rather than 450m at the start, hence, moving out onto the path to finish. I am aware this disappointed some of you but probably not as much as it has disappointed me! We are all human and human errors happen (I have made enough!, anyone remember the Surrey 5k back in 2000) so we shall all move on as one happy running family! I am open to any ideas, recommendations, free gifts etc.... Lost property....pair of Black Nike jog bottoms, small grey top (smells quite nice), pair of blue and yellow leggings... mail/ring me or ebay gets them and profits will be spent on thai food for Pete and myself.

Pete Mulholland - results chief and always on the end of a phone line.
Fred Green - Marshall Co-ordinator and the 20 marshalls who kindly gave their time hanging around on street corners
Pat Yeates - Refreshment chiefess
David Littlewood - Race referee
Keith Andrews, Nick Getting - Timing chiefs
Mike Leigh - Money expert on the day and cheque and debt collector
Allison Jones - First Aid
Grenville Tuck - loan of tons of signs
Finishing team - The Clemens girls, Katy Luffingham, young HW dude running around all day!
Naomi Warner - logistics assistant.
Simon Ingall and Charlie Dabbs -water station chiefs.
Maurice Sharp - 40th anniversary mugs for leading runners and networker.

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MEN.

Some of Surreys big hitters were in action today. Jason Simpson of SLH extended his fine Summer season of running, the ever strong John McFarlane (THH) and Huw Lobb (Bedford. THH 2nd claim) all towed the line. A late entry from Orlando Edwards (Shafesbury Barnet) and strong vets such as Johnson (straggs), Badgery (HW), Callender and Fisher (Straggs in the V50) ensured a good ruck for the £50 prizes on offer over the vets cat. Some notable names had entered but had not shown so it was this ever ready bunch to display their new and glitzy racing shoes off (you know who you are) on the rolling urban city hills of London. There was a strong rumour that Mayor Livingston was going to appear to see carbon neutral in operation but he got a puncture on the South Circular and Lord Coe forgot his pump.....Lobb, Simpson and Mcfarlane led the first lap out in the biggest field we have seen for a long time (thank you) bang on 2.15 marathon pace.. Lobb (2.14.33 London 2005) carried the pace with Simpson and McFarlane holding fort. Into the hill of doom on the second lap he edged the gear up knowing his 65.39 from last weeks Great North had given him legs of steel, and not forgetting the 15 secs of exposure on national telly last Sunday would get afew curtains or venetian blinds twitching in the village community. He had to keep them shades clear of obstruction in such an illustruous area where Becker, McEnroe, Venus sisters had jogged the streets in anticipation of rich pickings over the years. This he did with a 51.58 sec clocking. Simpson walked away with a cool £150.00 to buy lots of Haribos for his young daughters birthday later in the day. McFarlane brought up the 3rd spot keeping his legs fresh for the first Surrey leage next week on Wimbledon common. It was good to see athletes from further afield rocking up too. Halman (Wilmslow AC), Edwards (SB) packing up the list. Good run guide were sponsors of the the V40 prize and this was certainly noticed overall in the vets categories by the athletes with Johnson (Straggs), Luis Gomez (Sutton runners), Lee (HW), Bickerstaff (Ranelagh Harriers) and Shaun Billing (Brighton and Hove) all checking the pie. Next year that pie may be stuffed with even more....

Badgery took the V60 while Straggler Ian Callender probably won his first ever prize with victory in the V50 category.

Notable names from other sports were present.. Richard "win em" Simmonds (London Dynamoe) who ran under the hour..how many runners can cycle a 1.48 '50' time trial on the bike.(not many will go under 2 hrs!). We wish him luck in the World Long Course Duathlon at the end of the month in Richmond, Virginia USA. And we also wish his quads the best of luck tomorrow morning.... heres a new one on us.....

We had a polar explorer in the line-up too!! Ben Saunders is the youngest person to ski solo to the North Pole and holds the record for longest solo Arctic journey by a Briton - He didn't want to own up to this beforehand in case he came dead last and made a fool of himself (remember Eddie the Eagle) . Ben came in 24th (not in skis I'm please to say)..

Notable age groups that were not there is between 20-25. We had one 16 year old (Alex Robinson) who placed between Chris Phelan and Jim Desmond who ran 9 miles before the race to prepare for Dublin this month but apart from one or two there is a big gap present in the line up. Does this signify a void in the conciousness of health in this age group?......

Women.

A recent 75.20 clocking at the Bristol Half put Lucy Hasell in a good position for the 3rd time in a row. With 100 squid up for grabs many a female runner were pulled between here and Chicester 10k which was an inter-area championships. Hasell (Bristol& West) made a good choice with compression socks still up she finished 11th overall. In a few weeks she is on duty for England in the Reims half so we wish her the best of energy there. (there is no such thing as luck!) HW's own Claire Grima took 2nd with 68.56 (and smiling all the way) Keeping it real Sarah Moore (Wimbledon Windmilers) grabbed 3rd, a minute ahead of Kate Laforet (Serpentine). Talking of Richmond earlier, another runner who excels on the bike was Jenny Lloyd-Jones. She took 5th and first V35 beating many of the younger girls. Late entry Marion Rayner (West 4 Harriers) will be racing down to one of the Jog Shops with a 50 pound voucher waiting to be exchanged. This year was a good year on the depth of the female side. The white wine spritzers must be working in the local area as there are many new female runners out there and for quite afew this was their first Ten miler.. you sure picked a good one to start with.. keep the spritzers up and the legs will ease out.. by Friday! Well done all of you!!

Teams

Being a 26.2 series event the girls were out in force. I will be down soon with some nice embroidered hoodies to keep you warm this winter with big thick hoods for when Ernie is around............;-) Herne Hill just edged HW by one point. The HW boys took the win and take some very tasty rain jackets home chased by Ranelagh and an all vet Straggler team. I have good plans for the team prizes next year... take note.

MEN
1 Hercules Wimbledon AC 36 2 Ranelagh H 63; 3 Stragglers 73’ 4 South London H 77; 5 26.2 RRC 113; 6 Serpentine RC 120; 7 Stragglers ‘B’ 128; 8 Hercules Wimbledon AC ‘B’ 189

WOMEN

1 26.2 RRC 38; 2 Herne Hill H 60; 3 Hercules Wimbledon AC 61; 4 Serpentine RC 80

Triathlon age graded race

It was good to see Sigma bike shop send a staff member down to compete without a tantrum that a bike could not be used (Geoff Hotchkiss)....The winner of the age graded prize is none other than our own Jamie Helmer. I will be checking his results to avoid any attempts of an 'inside job' ..... well done Jamie, you win yourself a nice set of top and bottoms courtesy of the fine boys at Sigma. I will be in touch.

RESULTS 2007 WORD DOCUMENT

RESULTS 2007 PDF DOCUMENT

Richard Xerri. www.runninginlondon.com (in development, still.)

HAVE A GOOD MUDDY WINTER!

Would you like a little cross country? girls and boys welcome all through the Winter. Cross country makes you tough and happier on a Saturday evening as you deserve all those treats you shouldn't really be having....

Dates for your diary:
Monday, May 5 2008 : Barry Jones 5-mile Road Race, Wimbledon Park
Sunday October 5 2008 : 48th Geoff Moulden Wimbledon 10-mile Road Race

'loneliness of the long distance organiser!'