LOUGHTON LINES THE NEWSLETTER OF ATHLETIC CLUB NEW SERIES: Number 8 December, 2018

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

[Welcome to the International Edition of Loughton Lines. That should cover our Membership, we hope.]

OUR CORRESPONDENCE FILES

It’s always a bit of an embarrassment to have to Not even an error, this one: the Editor’s keyboard include corrections as the first items coming to hand for a had scarcely stopped smouldering from October when the new edition, but needs must…. Senior team results for the first Chingford League match arrived. The Men’s A, B and Veterans’ teams were all John Borgars writes to clarify that his team silver ninth, the Women’s team sixth and the Women Veterans’ medal in the World Masters’ Championships in Málaga were fifth. Added to all the second and fourth team places came from the 10k; some fool who wrote the item (ahem!) shown for the Young Athletes in the previous issue, that made it look as though it had come from the 20k. makes an even more stirring start to the season. In the corresponding race last year, we had nine runners; this This isn’t a correction – much – but a notice that you year there were thirty-two! Next target – fifty? all failed the observation test; most of the October issue copies went out as No.6; it was really No.7! No points to The Editor claims that mistakes aren’t his fault; the readers – or to the Editor, come to that – for proof- various web sites have put so many cookies in his reading. computer that he thinks the chocolate is beginning to melt.

YET ANOTHER COMMITTEE MEETING!

Your Committee met on the 19th November at 7:30 p.m., he believes would benefit both Clubs. The with nine members present, and did the following: Committee expressed its thanks to Mick and Barbara for all their hard work on the Club’s * Approved the previous minutes, with minor behalf over the years: § corrections: * Heard that, due to fixture clashes and non- * Heard of the success of the Inter-Club Vets’ Race availability of venues, the Open Walks (a and agreed on the same arrangements for the Club promotion) would, all being well, be held on Ware Cup, for which more race numbers would Sunday, 27th January, 2019 in Sutcliffe Park, be needed: Eltham: §§ * Noted that only Jon Whitehouse had expressed an * Noted from Doris De Souza Brady that Shaun interest in the Vets’ Cross-country was now ready to launch the 100 Club and that Championship: the appropriate documents would be circulated * Noted that the Club Affiliation Fee to with Loughton Lines and by other means: Athletics was increasing from £100 to £150: * Also heard from Doris about plans for a Quiz * Agreed to standardise the Club subscriptions for Night in late January or early February – look out all Under-18 members at £25·00 p.a., with all of for more information soon: them thus being entitled to the full Club benefits: * Agreed that the next Committee Meeting would * Heard that Gavin Harper had looked at the be held on the 28th January, 2019: plumbing and electrics in the portakabin at the * Fixed the date of the Annual General Meeting as Club-house and thought that some repairs could the 1st April, 2019. Formal notice will be issued be carried out for not very much expenditure; it in due course. David Hobbs indicated that he was agreed to ask him to produce details and would probably be standing down from the costings for our next meeting and to indicate what Chairmanship – and possibly also from the benefits would be gained from the work: Committee – because of foreseen additional * Heard that the next issue of Loughton Lines (this commitments in his Church work. one), due in the first week of December, would * Finished the Meeting at 8:40 p.m. be held for the results of the Ware Cup; the Editor § Mick has since reported that negotiations have again issued an invitation to Members to been successful and that there will be a joint contribute material: Loughton/ team in the E.M.A.C. League * Received notice that Mick and Barbara Higgins next year, managed jointly by us and them. This, were resigning as the Club’s Team Managers for as mentioned above, will provide a team that is the Eastern Masters’ Athletic League. Support stronger than either individually; there are already had not been strong (noting that although we several such joint teams in the League. reached the Women’s Final, only seven athletes §§ Due to circumstances beyond our control, it has turned out on the day). Mick is in discussion with subsequently become necessary to postpone this Thurrock Harriers on the potential for a joint event. A new date and venue will be chosen later L.A.C./T.H. team in the League next year, which in the year.

WALKING NEWS

We suffered a degree of malaise in the Enfield 5 “undone” one makes me feel dizzy if I stand for too long. Miles on the 13th October. John, still suffering from his It was Melanie to the rescue, as third woman and ninth injury before deciding that a complete rest was called for, overall again in 68:53. This race completed the 2018 was fourteenth man in 55:12, while Peter, with his later season; Melanie was second lady (and third overall), illness coming on, thought that four miles was enough for losing out to the lady champion by 579 points to 564, him and retired at that point having taken 50:02 over it, a while John was seventh man (and tenth overall) with 430. time, he says, that would once have embarrassed him for Peter says that his final position cannot be of any interest 10k. Melanie, who reckoned that she hit the wall, still whatsoever! The team was fifth. finished as third woman and ninth overall, in 49:52. We can only do better next year! The Enfield 7 Miles on the 10th November, therefore, saw John officiating as a pointsman, Peter wandering about as a spectator and me judging – largely sitting down, because the imbalance between my “done” eye and the

NOT JUST A WALK IN THE PARK….

….more of a run – several, actually – as our Park Runners 17th November Roding Valley Deborah Davies continue to get up at the crack of dawn on Saturdays; (32:21/112/44) Hackney Marshes Richard Berry (time[ overall position/gender position) (18:58/109/90) Haverhill John Stubbs (22:44/11/10): 13th October Roding Valley Ella Palmer (26:22/66/11): Bruno Stubbs (24:38/16/14) Walmer & Deal Sea Front Michaela Davis (29:38/96/28): Deborah Davies Rioch O’Gorman (23:14/18/16) (31:52/114/40) 24th November Roding Valley Jim Whiffin 20th October Roding Valley Leela Katyal (25:04/44/8): (27:12/40/32): Jean Hobbs (27:43/43/10):Deborah Davies Deborah Davies (31:16/94/28): Jim Whiffin (31:58/101/71 (32:20/74/29) 27th October Alice Holt John Stubbs (25:45/82/77): 1st December Roding Valley Richard Berry Bruno Stubbs (28:41/139/116) Lancaster Deborah Davies (23:12/14/11): Michaela Davis (30:29/38/12): Deborah 35:09/245/74) Davies (32:11/45/17) Haverhill Constance Stubbs 3rd November Roding Valley John Stubbs (23:54/34/29): (38:51/45/12): John Stubbs (38:55/46/34) Bruno Stubbs (25:14/52/41) Michaela Davis 8th December Roding Valley Leela Katyal (21:09/27/6): (29:26/91/32): Deborah Davies (31:55/110/42): Jim Jake Katyal (26:26/28/22) Gunpowder Jim Whiffin Whiffin (32:00/112/69): Constance Stubbs (34:52/124/49) (29:03/84/67) 10th November Roding Valley Richard Berry (24:13/33/28): Deborah Davies (31:38/29/96): Haverhill John Stubbs (23:16/17/17)

THE YOUNG ’UNS ON THE GO AGAIN IN THE CHINGFORD LEAGUE

Our young team featured well again in the Chingford League race at Leyton on the 20th October, this time over the country, and this is how they – and their senior team-mates – distinguished themselves. Under 11 Boys Senior Women 2 Luca Dominguez 13:14 26 Lorna Gaffney 39:51 6 Henry Brown 14:37 43 Sharon Palmer 43:11 7 Jake Katyal 16:02 57 Joanna Wickham 46:42 8 Zac Michaels 16:11 59 Jean Hobbs 47:34 9 Joshua Thomas 16:45 60 Melanie Peddle 47:35 10 Luke Wickham 17:05 73 Michaela Davis 52:24 Team Position 2 Team Position 6 Veterans’ Team Position 5 Under 11 Girls 1 Monica Wickham 14:27 Senior Men 2 Connie Stubbs 18:28 62 Steve Palmer 35:29 Team Position 1 97 John Stubbs 40:25 113 Gavin Harper 43:10 Under 13 Boys Team Position 13 2 William Scrutton 13:10 Veterans’ Team Position 11 Team Position 3

The third match at Hog Hill on the 6th November saw us turning out full teams – and to spare: Senior Women Senior Men 16 Mary Knapman 22:26 41 Jon Whitehouse 19:44 19 Lorna Gaffney 22:30 47 Steve Palmer 19:50 60 Gay Shillaker 26:18 97 Richard Berry 23:11 72 Melanie Peddle 27:22 98 Cliff Warren 23:17 85 Nadine Holland 29:01 112 John Stubbs 23:52 88 Amie Harrison 29:21 113 Ben Joyce 23:59 91 Caroline Gipson 29:51 128 Gary Hooper 25:41 104 Michaela Davis 32:18 A Team Position 8 (Overall 11) Team Position 6 (Overall 6) B Team Position 9 (Overall 10) Veterans’ Team Position 5 (Overall 5) Veterans Team Position 7 (Overall 10)

The younger members kept up the good work as well: Under 15 Boys Under 15 Girls 5 Thomas Medhurst 22:32 3 Ella Palmer 25:27 Team Position 2 8 Mia Ali 31:08 Team Position 2 Match 4 on the 24th November at Trent Park also had a thin Y.A.G. participation from our point of view: Under 11 Boys Under 11 Girls 8 Luca Dominguez 13:16 5 Lizzie Knapman 8:16 11 Henry Brown 13:59 Team Position 4 Team Position 4

THE OTHER WAY OF GETTING TIRED AND WET IN THE WINTER….

…is the Essex Cross-Country League,, whose first fixture of the season was on the 27th October: Senior Women Senior Men 48 Lorna Gaffney 31:45 147 Jon Whitehouse 41:27 102 Jean Hobbs 38:29 Team Position 13 117 Michaela Davis 44:23 Veterans Team Position 23 Team Position 12 Veterans Team Position 15

In the second of the series, Lorna Gaffney flew the flag single-handed, finishing fortieth in 31:30 and making the Team twelfth and the Veterans Team twenty-fourth – a lot of scoring for one lady, but then Jon Whitehouse sometimes does the same for our gentlemen. In fact, he did in the Essex Vets’ Cross-Country Championships at on the 8th December, finishing 42nd M40 in 29:04.

THE INTER-CLUB VETS’ CROSS-COUNTRY

The first of our two winter cross-country promotions 2 Hayley Rogerson Roding Valley Runners 34:44 was held on the 3rd November. George Richardson reports 3 Holly Wood Roding Valley Runners 34:50 that it was the biggest field that we’ve ever had for this 4 Carlotte Bewley Victoria Park H. 36:19 event, at eighty-one starters. Conditions were fine and 5 Caroline Frith Roding Valley Runners 36:39 sunny with firm going wet on top. Over a course of about 6 Mary Knapman Loughton A.C. 37:08 five miles (over the bridge, three times round and back again) the top six gentlemen were: Our gentlemen were: 1 Adam Baker Roding Valley Runners 29:29 7 Jon Whitehouse 32:03 2 Gary Coombes A.C. 29:50 9 Steve Palmer 32:48 3 Bob Glasgow Roding Valley Runners 29:53 24 Jason Sewards 36:50 4 Dan Gritton East London Runners 31:24 and our ladies: 5 Scott McMillan East London Runners 31:31 6 Mary Knapman 37:08 6 Seb Parris Ilford A.C. (Guest) 31:39 7 Lorna Gaffney 37:40 14 Sharon Palmer 42:19 and the first six ladies: 35 Carien Rensburg 52:20 1 Holly Weir Victoria Park H. 34:12

THE WARE CUP

Conditions were much the same on the 8th December Team Results, scoring 4 for the Ware Cup, with eighty-eight starters and eighty- seven finishers. First six gentlemen home were: Men Women 1 Sam Humphrey VPH & TH 27:54 1 Orion 19 1 Eton Manor 167 2 George Day Orion 28:01 2 VPH & TH 21 2 VPH & TH 172 3 Lewis Haulknett Orion (U20) 28:09 3 Eton Manor 58 - 4 Dan Moses Orion 28:31 4 Ilford 114 5 William Kirk VPH & TH 28:38 6 Gaz Powers Eton Manor (M40) 29:11 The hosts were thin on the ground from the point of and the first six ladies: view of running, although thick on it in the officiating 1 Sarah Flanagan Eton Manor (W40) 34:17 department, our ladies being: 2 Virginia Silic VPH & TH (W35) 35:23 8 Lorna Gaffney 37:51 3 Cheryl Evans VPH & TH 35:27 13 Mary Knapman 39:09 4 Claire Fisher Eton Manor 35:41 35 Jean Hobbs 46:55 5 Jenny Heyman Eton Manor (W35) 36:44 and our gentleman: 6 Zoe Woodward Eton Manor (W55) 36:55 28 Steve Palmer 33:47

L.A.C. enjoys the sunshine: Steve, Mary, Jean and Lorna The field awaits the starter’s whistle

Photos by Doris De Souza Brady

SUPERMAN?

Over the weekend of 15/16 September this year in Talence, Kevin Mayer of France set a new decathlon world record of 9126 points. He joins a select band of men who have broken the 9000 points barrier.

These were his performances:

Day 1 Day 2 100m - 10.55s - 963 points 110mH - 13.75 - 1007 points LJ - 7.80m - 1010 points DT - 50.54m - 882 points Shot - 16.00m - 851 points PV - 5.45m - 1051 points HJ - 2.05m - 850 points JT - 71.90m - 918 points 400m - 48.82 - 1021 points 1500m - 4:36.11 - 705 points

********

The previous best score was of 9040 points, set by Ashton The current scoring tables start at 1400 points, and these Eaton in the US trials. are the marks which would (in theory) earn the maximum: 100m - 9.46s, LJ - 9.19m, Shot - 24.66m, HJ - 2.54m, Those are the bare facts. 400m - 41.97s, 110mH - 12.28s, DT - 78.39,. JT - The current IAAF scoring tables (for ALL outdoor men's 100.90m, 1500m - 3:19.44. and women's track and field events) were most recently revised in 2017. In most cases, scores are slightly lower It is interesting that in the latest tables, a "blanket" best than in the previous edition, because of the improvement score in the decathlon would not be 1400 points but "only" in world records. I hold a printed copy of the 1996 edition, 9747 points. We can only guess at how that figure was but this latest edition is only available in electronic form. arrived at.

To make the point about the lower scores now earned for Finally, the current world records for the Olympic events the same performance, here is what he would have scored score between 1256 (50kmW) and 1369 (4 x 400m relay). in the 1996 tables: 100m - 1051, LJ - 1072, Shot - 880, HJ - 910, 400 - 944, 110mH -1133, DT - 877, PV - 1086, JT - 967, 1500m - 482 = 9402 points

A FESTIVE REMINDER Don’t forget the Mince Pie Relay on the 22nd December at 11:00 a.m. at the Club H.Q. Come in plenty of time to register and be allocated to a team. For the information of newcomers, it’s a relay race, four to a team, round the adjacent field, and therefore pretty flat. It’s fair to say that the event is informal! More time is spent afterwards actually eating mince pies and drinking coffee than is spent running. Feel free to bring a cake or two. If the Editor remembers, he will provide some of his widely-famed rum truffles; three of them will get six points on your licence and half a dozen will get you carried home and put to bed. Comical Hats are optional. DOUG FOTHERINGHAM, 1930-2018

Older walking readers in particular will remember Doug Fotheringham, who has recently died at the age of eighty-eight. Although a first-claim member of Belgrave Harriers, Doug competed second-claim for Loughton in the once-thriving Essex Walking League, strongly supported by his late wife Maureen. Doug, an Inspector in the Metropolitan Police, was a Centurion and, in the Veterans’ ranks won several gold and silver medals at World and European level, retiring from international competition in 2007.

THE RUNNING MORALE BOOSTER

Fort William F.C. have continued as before, still offering consolation to clubs that didn’t have a very good Southern Athletic League Season (like us!).

On the 10th November, they went down 13-0 to Fraserburgh. As our Highland League Correspondent, Terry Casey, points out, this ended Fort William’s unbeaten run; however, since their unbeaten run consisted entirely of drawing 3-3 with Clachnacuddin on the Wednesday before, it’s not very noteworthy. In his despatch Terry says that the Fort William Manager suggested that the referee should have gone to Specsavers, but there is some reason to believe that he is making this up.

They are on course to do even worse than in 2017-2018, when they played 34 matches, of which they drew 5 and lost 29, scoring 31 goals against 184; their league points were only five, but at least that’s positive.! This year, to date, their figures are played 20, won 0, drawn 2, lost 18, scoring 13 goals against 140, league points -7.

Perhaps it’s time to leave them to their grief and just have another look at them later in the season. Our grey-haired members will remember the comedian Frankie Howerd, one of whose catchlines was, “No, don’t; it’s wicked to mock the afflicted!”

CHUMMINESS CORNER

As usual, we greet our readers with birthdays in December or January: Tony Babbs, Elliot Davies, Michaela Davis, Doris De Souza Brady, Joanne Harrison, Amie Harrison, Jean Hobbs, Michelle Hurley, Mary Knapman, Ted Martin, Natalie Newman, Hella Pilla, John Taylor and Lee Wright. Many Happy Returns to them all!

THE LONDON MARATHON PLACE

The Club has ONE place for the London Marathon, 2019. It will be allocated to a failed ballot entrant or to a person who has done most for Loughton Athletic Club this year, the decision being taken at the Mince Pie Relay on the 22nd December. Anyone interested in applying should put his or her name on the sheet in the Changing Rooms.

THE DROLL BIT AT THE END

Older (much older) Members may recall a famous television sketch with, I think, John Cleese and the Two Ronnies called “I look up to him” George offers, extracted from another journal, the following modern variant.

Not just athletics, but incisive politico-economic satire.

George also offers: “I taught my 52-year-old husband how to crack eggs this week. Now he’s a scrambled eggspert” and “A good pun is its own reword.”

“Boom,boom!” you might say, but if you think these are painful, wait until he recycles his Christmas cracker jokes!

Your Editor, whose strange illness has given him a lot of time to laze about reading, saw this seasonal item in some journal or other: “There are three phrases traditionally connected to Christmas: 1 Peace on Earth; 2 Goodwill to all men; 3 Batteries not included.”

We are trying to keep one issue ahead in thinking up the Door Jokes:

GOOD THINGS TO COME

Well, Good Thing, really. This edition of Loughton Lines has been held back for the Ware Cup and a couple of other items; we should be returning to a strict schedule with No.9 in the first week of February, especially if our readers rush their contributions (preferably in English, although this is the International Edition) to [email protected] or to Hufflers, Heard’s Lane, Shenfield, BRENTWOOD, CM15 0SF; he also accepts bits of paper!