Page 32 - Summer2018Gazette

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Running for more than just goody bags…
Reflections on the London Marathon Supper 25th April 2018

27 with only 1 finishing under first half of the marathon but
For those might have read 3 hours. The falling number of said he could see other runners
certain editions of the Courier finishers reflects the now pre- suffering even at the half way
and the Gazette in recent years, vailing difficulty of obtaining point whilst remarking “it’s hell
you may well remember certain a race place and there are other out there”; Tracey Ashenden
write ups of the annual London events to be run if runners seek described people collapsing
Marathon Supper, a light better times in smaller fields, and being given oxygen by the
hearted evening during which but this year it was the weather emergency services, whilst a
individual runners who had conditions which affected fellow runner exclaimed that
completed the event gave their many runner’s performances next to the Marathon de Sables
own snapshot recollections in and targets. this was the hardest run she had
which they spoke in turn about ever done. The club’s runners
their experiences of the day. The True the weather on the days were not exempt from suffering
evening is itself an entertaining leading up to and on the day themselves; Peter Tucker whose
affair of course, perhaps second of the marathon itself was performance won him the
only on Wednesday evenings to unseasonably hot and this was club marathon championship
the Christmas Supper, and since not lost on those who ran. On a complained of a stretched calf
its revival in 2001 it has become deeper level certain conclusions at 23 miles, and pulled his ham-
a well established evening in the could be drawn from those who string later on; for him it was
club social calendar. recalled their race experiences. damage limitation. Dave Beadle
described the second half of the
Firstly the performances were race as horrible, and Paul Ker-
However on attending this significantly slower from ekgyato was forced to stop for a
year’s evening on the 25th of previous years. PP Dick Griffin while due to heat exhaustion.
April, the occasion seemed in his 37th ‘London’ said he had
to have more poignancy than just jogged around, whilst his However there were more pos-
other previous ones. The event erstwhile training partner Dave itive aspects of the race. Most
is still well attended as new King on his 278th marathon were running for charity raised
faces appeared in the club and found he was an hour slower impressive sums; Will Brind-
new interest had been gener- than the previous year. Will ley raised £3,600 for arthritis
ated in marathon running by Brindley’s performance was research, Zoe Kingsmill raised
runner young and old. This is speedier although five minutes £2,000 for Juvenile Diabetes
ironic because the numbers of down on the previous year, but fund, Paul Kerekgyato raised
club athletes training for and he did observe that he was 2,000 £1,4000 for his chosen charity,
running the London Marathon places quicker possibly due to and the grand old timer Stan
appeared to be in steady decline the field having slowed down. Ridgewell raised £3,167 for a
over the last 15 years since the As it was only one runner Peter Charity started by an Afghani-
guaranteed entry scheme was Tucker managed to break three stan War Veteran.
scrapped in favour of new ways hours and even he,running from
of offering race entries. the champions start considered On the other hand some run-
his time of 2 hours 30 minutes ners were able to overcome the
In the heyday of the club’s disappointing. Most finishers, heat to produce some highly de-
involvement in the marathon, all but 2, ran in times of over 3 cent performances; Zoe King-
there were over 100 runners and a half hours. smell beat her own personal best
competing in club colours; in by 34 minutes, and Jenny Neal
1991 the club was represented Then there were cases of at 3 hours 41 minutes (the fast-
by 103 runners, 19 of whom suffering due to the conditions, est woman) managed a few fast
broke the three hour mark. This as noticed by our runners. Steve miles and remarked that later on
year the number of finishers was Evenden was on pace for the in the race with the heat appreci-