HHH Veterans Display Solidarity, Quantity and Quality in BMAF Virtual Road Relays in week up to 20/06/20.

The BMAF virtual 5km (Relays & Individual) road races saw our HHH Vets post some fine times and reflected a team spirit within the realms of virtual races, which by all admission are somewhat a little contrived. Yet, better to take what is on offer, than be left without relief or chance of competition which is why we all persist!

Age group teams, W35, W45, W55, M35, M45, M55, M65 are composed by summing the fastest relevant age group legs per 10 year age groups for the relay team. (This at least relieves the team manager of needing to select individuals per team and an excluded athletes ability to go out and prove the TM wrong!) Equally, relay legs and the exciting evolvement of real relay racing is lost, as is team support and bonding evolved from such real events. However, with the relaxation of mingling and distancing rules to ‘6 people at 2 metres configuration’, we did manage to put three groups together to resemble race pacing at the Dulwich Park parkrun course on the Wednesday and Saturday, all compliant of course, thanks to Robin Jones’ grand suggestion.

Thirty Three of our vets towed the figurative line with pride of place tipping to our new ‘baby-vet’ (M35) Jack Brotchie, though his club result is usurped by our Senior man Nick Bester, who maybe feeling the effects of lockdown convinced himself he has aged a further 5 years. (Or maybe he had a ‘practice to be a vet run’. So, Nick, your marker is set for 2025. ..)

The HHH highest placed team was the W35’s in 12th, led by Fiona de Mauny (18-12) and registering 6th in her 5 year age group category. Irrepressible Nikki Sturzaker led the W45 team to 76th teaming up with Sarah Guest and Cindy Godwin. Ever enthusiastic Gillian Wheeldon was not put off to be our single individual W55 athletes, thank you, being one of a much appreciated ten HHH women competing in this event.

Fiona’s W35’s was joined by a quartet of ‘comeback girls’ all happy to get some form of racing into their 2020 diary, these lasses being better known as Steph Mitchell, Suzanne Swaine and Karen Ellison whilst Stacey Ormerod debuted (along with Sophie Brooke) for the W35’s. Stacey narrowly missed the scoring team despite barely starting her preliminary steps to return to training post pregnancy.

Jack Brotchie (15-55), placing 35th individual M35, led our 6-man M35’s to a national 21st team place robustly supported by Raj Paranandi, John Kettle, Alan Barnes, Mo Ismail and Gavern Newsum. James Ward covered well to ensure a team result along with the new enthusiastic vet Orlando Brooke.

The M45 team had a resurgent Robin Jones (16-15) one of several athletes who seem to have benefited from the strictures of quarantine. Robin headed the M45 team of Simon Coombes, Francis Marsh and Derek Lee. And that fine run gave Robin 11th individual place in his M45 category.

Gary Ironmonger led home his M55 team followed by a fine Richard Stansfield debut and Andy Simms completing the 3-man ‘A’ team. Much improved Glen Keegan took the head of our M55 ‘B’ team which closed out with Poland-based Rob Nagorski and (a not so fit) President Keith Newton. Our wealth of M55’s was further supplemented by a significantly fitter Ian Strong and Andy Millbank, running on the road for the first time since Wellington boots were introduced to his home town of Norwich.

And HHH finally registered an M65 team for the first time for at least 30 years if not ever, consisting of Waldy Pauzers, Steve Knight and Nigel Goodwin for a 22nd team place. Well done, onwards and upwards!

In summary, greetings and welcome to the veteran scene: Stacey Ormerod, Jack Brotchie, Richard Stansfield, Sophie and Orlando Brooke. Though we currently tread a virtually lonesome path, we look forward to you all engaging in our convivial real world competitions and squad. Equally cheerful news is warranted in noting returns from injuries for Cindy Godwin, Sarah Guest, Derek Lee and Steve Knight.

I conclude with the relevant HHH athletes results list, below. Names followed by columns for Age Category, Position in 5 year age-group category and time posted for the 5km virtual race. Thanks to all who ran their race to keep fit and fly that HHH club flag at National level. Thirty three of our clubmen from a massive 3284 runners from across the whole of Britain registering times is not so shabby, whilst we wait for a little more freedom to race and prove our mettle under proper circumstances.

UtH, Stay Safe and Enjoy!
Waldy.
Your Vets Virtual Reporter because I was virtually there and virtually saw it all, in its full virtue.

Athlete: Catgy: Catgy Posn: Time

Nick BESTER SM 2 15:40 30 y.o.

Jack BROTCHIE M35 35 15:55

Robin JONES M45 11 16:15

Raj PARANANDI M40 42 16:31

John KETTLE M40 78 16:56

Simon COOMBES M45 45 16:59

Alan BARNES M40 105 17:19

Mohammed ISMAIL M35 137 17:27

Gavern NEWSUM M40 181 18:06

Gary IRONMONGER M55 23 18:09

Francis MARSH M50 57 18:12

Fiona DE MAUNY W35 6 18:12

Derek LEE M50 117 19:12

Orlando BROOKE M35 287 19:14

James WARD M40 303 19:45

Richard STANSFIELD M55 102 20:20

Stephanie MITCHELL W35 60 20:34

Suzanne SWAINE W35 63 20:35

Andrew SIMMS M55 120 20:42

Karen ELLISON W35 70 20:44

Stacey ORMEROD W35 83 21:07

Nikki STURZAKER W45 77 21:14

Glen KEEGAN M55 138 21:17

Robert NAGORSKI M55 148 21:33

Valdis PAUZERS M65 39 22:36

Keith NEWTON M55 182 22:43

Sophie BROOKE W35 141 22:49

Andrew MILLBANK M55 195 23:38

Ian STRONG M55 200 23:57

Sarah GUEST W50 120 25:12

Stephen KNIGHT M70 37 27:10

Gillian WHEELDON W55 118 27:35

Cindy GODWIN W45 258 28:57

Nigel GOODWIN M65 91 35:32