Newsletter May ‘14
Hi Everyone
Remember from Thursday 1st Maywe will be meeting at the back of the ‘Crown’ (Harvester Pub) Westley Heights on Thursdays as well as Tuesdays..
Please can you let me know if any of your details have changed e.g. emergency contact, email address etc.
Welcome to new membersSarah Bartlett, Nathan Barthelmy, Pamela Gibbins, Dan Carter, Helen Tree and Gemma Datson.
London Marathon
How lucky can you get weather wise!!!!! It was absolutely perfect at the start of the London Marathon for our 13 Phoenix Striders members; cool and sunny and getting warmer as the morning went on. While they were heading for the start at Greenwich, 20 other club members, with 5 members’ relations/friends, were up at the crack of dawn to catch the 6.30am bus in Dagenham taking them to the second water station at 4miles, where they spent the next hour sorting out 35,000 bottles of water in readiness for runners. There was time before the main race to go to a local pub for breakfast and then to watch the wheel chair athletes, the elite women runners, and the 2nd year of the new category of paralympians come through. Once the elite men had gone past the masses descended on the water station and life got rather hectic!! If you’re not a runner and have no interest or inclination in taking part in the race itself, helping at the water station is a great way to get involved in one of the world’s greatest sporting events. It’s also really good fun, ask any of the following!! Amanda C, Sue V, Nick, Judy, Jim, Gary, Ross, Gwyn, Nicola H, Kalli, Lisa G, Sherrie, Eddie M, Eddy T, Beryl, Andrea, Lavinia, Terry, Carl and Jackie B. A heartfelt ‘Thank you’ to these people and others like them, because, without them the race could not take place and it’s great that our club can help in this way. Also a big ‘thank you’ to the drivers Nick, Jim, Gwyn, Eddie and Sherrie.
One of the volunteers wrote:- Loved it Judy, thanks for including us. Was an honour to be part of an event I have been in awe of since I was a kid!
Will gladly do it again.
Now for the runners; after months of hard training 13 PS members hit the tarmac and at the end of 26.2 gruelling miles Steve B was first PS home in 3hrs 23mins 55secs (he has now moved back to Leicester). He was followed by Laine 4:00:11, Kristina 4:04:42, Hayley Sa 4:13:38, Chris 4:45:01, Anne 4:45:18, Kerry 4:46:05, Nicola M 4:49:58, Adele 4:52:34, Tony 5:06:56, Simon 5:51:26, Ben 7:03:20 and Steph S 7:22:18. Congratulations to all of them. The last competitor crossed the line in 8hrs 3mins 24secs. If you haven’t ever tried to run 26.2 miles you will have no idea just how hard it is!!
If anyone is interested or wants to be depressed first male 2:04:29 and first female 2:20:21. It’s not natural!!
Marathon Charities THERE IS STILL TIME TO DONATE
Kristina Girdler I'm running the London Marathon for Asthma UK.
Tony Davis israising money for Cancer Research UK in the London Marathon.
Anne Pettican is running for Macmillan Cancer Support
text NANC61 £.... to 70070.
Steph Strelitz is raising funds for Pancreatic Cancer UK
A heartfelt plea from Sue Bannocks I am running Edinburgh Marathon on 25th May - first ever - training is going well. I funded my own place but am raising money for Macmillan - I regularly support Cancer Research and without them I wouldn't be still here but in the darkest days of my treatment ( for lung cancer 10 years ago) it was Macmillan nurses who saw me through - so - I'm challenging everyone I know to donate £1 - no one has yet - many have done more but I keep saying £1 from everyone I know would be a huge amount- I know we are in danger of charity fatigue but would appreciate the promo in the May newsletter please, if possible?
Members Out and About at Races
**Sunday 23rd March Brentwood Half Marathon. Apologies to Nick Chambers and Gareth Duffy who also ran this race covering the course in 1:43:46 and 1:56:33 respectively. Well done
**Sunday 6th April Brighton Marathon. Three PS members tackled this marathon with 8,720 finishers and the first runner covering the course in 2hrs 09mins 25seces, and he had to stop to tie his shoe laces!!!! (4.9min mile pace) a bit out of our class I feel!! Nevertheless, excellent running from, new member, Dan Carter and Beryl who finished in 3:37:03 and 4:18:11 respectively. I’m sure Beryl won’t mind me pointing out that there is a big difference in their ages!!! Karen H also took part and finished in 6:01, this included a 15min queue for the loo!!! To put these into context the last over the line finished in 8:19:05. Really well done all three.
**Friday 18th April. Great running weather for the first ‘Crown to Crown’ of the season. Unfortunately many of the results on Pitsea web page are incorrect. We know Crispian was first in 16:36 and the last person took 45:07. PS runners came in in the following order, as far as I know, Dave, Beryl, Matthew R, Nicola H, Lavinia, Justine, Danielle, Stacy, Natalie, Sue B, Jim, Linda, Nathan and Kalli. I haven’t given times as I know that all the later ones were wrong!!! Sorry about this folks, but I’d rather not put any times than get them wrong. Well run all of you, hopefully the results will be correct next time!!!
‘Summer Series’
At Langdon Visitor Centre 3rd Tuesday in May, June, July and August at 7.30pm. This is an approx 5.2K, 2 lap course, off road in the reserve. £2 to enter on the night, £1 under 16. A good one for beginners as you can bail out half way if you want to. I’ll be looking for marshals to help so if you don’t want to have a go at the run you can stand looking attractive, giving encouragement and pointing the runners or walkers in the right direction!! The down side of not running is you have to wear a sexy high visibility bib!!
Half the money goes to Essex Wildlife Trust and half to this year’s charity ‘
CLUB KIT
It would be great to see more members in a club vest or T-shirt at races. If anyone would like a vest or T-shirt for the summer, £13.50 and £16.00 respectively, contact Sue Vine ASAP on 07909 778695 or <>
Walks and Runs Dates for your Diaries
Saturday 3rd MayWomen’s Running 10K Race Series. River Lee Country Park
Sunday 4th MayMaldon Mile Races, all ages. Commemorating Sir Roger Bannister’s sub 4min mile.
Sunday 11th May‘Bluebell 5’ Little Haven Nature Reserve. Excellent cakes!!
Sunday 11th May Farleigh Hospice ‘Walk for Life’ 10.5K or 22K. Great cakes!!!!
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Wed 14th MayCrown to Crown
Sunday 18th May10th anniversary of Great Baddow 10miles road and 2m Fun Run
Tues 20th May‘Summer Series’ Langdon Visitor Centre, Lower Dunton Road
Sunday 25th MayBupa London 10K
Sunday 8th June Trail Run, Saracen’s Head Hotel, High Street, Great Dunmow
7.5miles mainly off road. Start time between 9.30am & 11.00am
£5 entry inc. £2 drink voucher. Public car parking in Chequers
Lane, free on Sundays.
Sunday 8th JuneSouthend Half Marathon
Sunday 15th JuneGreat Easton 5 ‘Grange Farm and Dunmow Runners’ website
Tuesday 17th June‘Summer Series’ see
Sunday 22nd JuneEssex Countryside Bike Ride
Saturday 28th JuneWelwyn 10K and family Fun Run
Sunday 13th JulyBritish 10K London Run
Sunday 13th JulyFelsted 10K ‘Grange Farm and Dunmow Runners’ website
Sunday 13th JulyBushy 10K
Tuesday 15th July‘Summer Series’ see
Wed 16th July Skylarks 3K The Wick Country Park 7pm
more information from <>
Saturday 19th JulyMulberry Mud Run
Sunday 17th AugStanford le Hope Community 5K see PS website
Tuesday 19th Aug‘Summer Series’ see
Sunday 7th SeptLangham 10K
On line entry only for 10K until 1st September
Saturday 27th Sept Women’s Running 10k Race Series Finsbury Park
Sunday 28th Sept‘Dunton Demon 5’ see PS website
Sunday 9th Nov‘Stebbing Rememberance Day 10’ Grange Farm and Dunmow Runners website
2nd Wednesday in the month is the ‘Crown to Crown’ off road run organised by Pitsea running club 7.30pm £2 entry on the night. Back of the Crown, Westley Heights.
Very Important Date
Sunday 29th June
Phoenix Striders AGM 7pm at The Langdon Visitor Centre
Our AGM is very short (15/20mins max) this is followed by a BBQ in the gardens of the centre. We are looking for members who would be willing to give up a little of their time to serve on the committee, if you are one of those please let me know.
We hope that as many members as possible will come and bring families and/or friends for a lovely evening. There will be a £2 charge towards the food and a ‘Lucky Number’ draw, but we will need to know how many are coming for catering purposes.
Bring your own beer!! All the official reports will be sent to you with the next newsletter to read at your leisure or not!! This saves valuable eating and drinking time!! It is also membership renewal time. Annual subscription remains at £10
Another Important Date!
2014 is the club’s 10th anniversary and Sue V is arranging a special evening on Saturday 6th September. Keep this date available and ‘watch this space’!!
Please note
"Club members can take out Individual Affiliation to England Athletics which normally gives an entry discount of a couple of pounds to accredited races. Thisruns from April to March annually. Please note that the cost for 2013/14 has been increased to £10. If you wish to apply or renew please let Eddie have the money and the Club will submit the application on your behalf.
It is a requirement that anyone looking to run in the County cross country races in the Autumn must have an Individual Affiliation.
Also, because of changes in the allocation of club placesby the London Marathon organisers based upon numbers of affiliated members, it is fair to onlypermit individually affiliated club members who have not been successful in the normal London Marathon ballotinto the draw for any places allocated."
Finally ‘Birthday Greetings’ for this month to Bob, Marion B, Neil, Carl, Joe E, Chris, Adam, Laura, Laetitia, Jan and Soula,
Judy
PS ANDREA Those members who have missed Andrea for the past couple of weeks, she’s not sunny herself in the Bahamas. Unfortunately she has broken some bones in her foot and will be out of action for some time. I’m sure she would like an email from anyone and won’t mind me passing on her address .