Report by : Elaine (WOODY) Dodds
Photos by : Don ESSLEMONT

(click on image to enlarge)

LOST BLUE JACKET - SOMEONE (PRESUMABLY A YOUNG PERSON) WALKED OFF WITH THE WRONG JACKET AT TODAY'S RUN.  ONE OF OUR RUNNERS FOUND THAT HIS OWN BLUE JACKET HAD  BEEN TAKEN BY MISTAKE AND WITH IT HIS CAR KEYS.  HE FOUND INSTEAD A SMALL BLUE  JACKET, WITH SOME RED MARKINGS ON IT, CHILDS SIZE.  IF YOU WERE THAT CHILD (OR PARENT/GUARDIAN OF) CAN YOU PLEASE CHECK THE JACKET YOU HAVE IS THE CORRECT ONE. IF IT IS NOT,  PLEASE E-MAIL  bansteadoffice@parkrun.com  THE REAL OWNER IS ANXIOUS TO BE REUNITED WITH HIS KEYS AND JACKET.

Standing at our sides today, so as to be heard more clearly, announcements were in the hands of Run Director Sue ESSLEMONT and something else that was in her hands AGAIN, despite her request... was a plastic drinks bottle that had been left in the same place  for the last few weeks  - on the wooden bench down at the registration area, same time, same place and the same clearing up having to be done after someone who took little heed to this request.  If the Woods were left littered, it would likely lead to a complaint and possible closure of the parkrun here.  Can whoever you are, take their litter home WITH THEM and not to leave it WITH US.

The other main announcement centred on the continuation of our event - with the 5th ANNIVERSARY of Banstead Woods parkrun on Saturday 16th June - exactly to the day (as the stats below highlight).  In addition to our run that day, afterwards there will be the annual prize giving to Runners and Volunteers and we invite people to stay and join in, in this 'Bring and Share' drinks and snacks event.

To the RUN itself and the results...

Men's placings:
Robert KNIGHT (SM25-29) of Collingwood AC was 1st.  His 3rd win in his 60th appearance, but he is making this more habitual.  He also matched his PB of 18:00.
David WILLIAMSON (VM40-44) of Tadworth AC was 2nd in 18:03.  He has done half of his 56 runs with us and been a winner at ROUNDSHAW DOWNS.
Jack WYLLIE (JM15-19) of Dorking and Mole Valley AC was 3rd in 18:22.  Jack was a winner at his only other parkrun, which was here in October.

Women's placings:
Amelia STIFF (JW14) of South London Harriers won (22nd overall) in 21:54 - 3rd win in 28th appearance.
Anita HEDGES (VW40-44) of Sutton Runners was 2nd (48th overall) in 23:53 - 1 previous win with us and 1 at Kingston.  Today was her best run here since June last year when she MATCHED this time.
Andrea BRUNTON (VW40-44) (Unattached) was 3rd (50th overall) in 23:56.  First time in the placings from her 7 appearances.

The rest of the field:
6th:  Andrew Mark LEWIS crossed in 19:20. A Pb by 4 secs, after a hat trick of Pbs a month ago.
12th : and 12th run for Harry CLAYTON who got a time of 21:08.  A Pb by 3 secs and now on a hat trick of them.
18th: James FREEMAN encouraged by multi-times previous winner, Dad, David.  James claimed a big Pb by 38 secs to get his time down to 21:42.  His last Pb was March.
31st: David P MORRIS mirrored his Pb of 6 weeks ago, 22:20.  Very consistent times.  David was the winner of the monthly SWEATSHOP prize in March.
54th: Adam HEMPENSTALL continues to knock seconds off his record and finished in 24:09.  His 6th Pb in the last 8 runs.
62nd:  Mark NEARY is now very close to a sub 25min.  He stopped the clock at 25:03.  A Pb by 18 secs and his first since his string of them this time last year.
Last (well not literally), but definitely not least....72nd: Maureen TRAYNOR (centred in the above PHOTO, in the blue-ish vest).  As predicted (read last weeks report - and I say I told you so)...her string of Pbs were not at an end.  She gained yet another of 25 secs this week, to get her time down to 25:40.  SEVEN IN A ROW and the heat is on.
 
Don took some fine over-head photos of approaching runners.  The angle of which defies the fact that he was not once again half way up some tree! 
 
Today was the 51st parkrun for Tricia Anne GALLAGHER who finished in 34:33.  Her 50th may have gone unnoticed, as 22 of these runs have been at other events, but well done to her, to be able to claim a '50' shirt.  
In 32nd place today came Geoffrey PAYNE, who's next BANSTEAD run will be his 50th.  However he has 55 parkruns in total, having done other events including one in Australia... A little birdie (well big birdie really - thanks Sue) told me that Geoff was recently in Melbourne, where he did the parkrun – and met someone from Bushy parkrun there who he knows!...Well, a little nose (as one does) at the Albert Park Melbourne results, tells me that this other person may be the appropriately named Andrew MELBOURNE...

...Where will you choose next Saturday?  Well, if it's all in a name, I'd better stick to something 'Woody'  
like Banstead. 
 

 
STATS
Current standing in the Men's annual points competition:
Roger BRYANT (Collingwood AC) 3967 pts.
Robert KNIGHT (Collingwood AC) 3786 pts.
Stephen COONEY (Collingwood AC) 3464 pts.

Current standing in the Women's annual points competition:
Jenny SINFIELD (Collingwood AC) 4014 pts.
Geraldine LIDDY (Ashtead Running Group) 3769 pts.
Gemma BUTT (Reigate Priory AC) 3421 pts.

The following runners recorded today's best Age Grade scores:
Ian KITCHING (VM60-64) was graded 84.31 % for the time 19:01 (4th overall).
James FREEMAN (JM14) was graded 78.42 % for the time 21:42 (18th overall).
David WILLIAMSON (VM40-44) was graded 77.93 % for the time 18:03 (second overall).

This week there were 147 runners, of whom 20 were first timers and 29 recorded new Personal Bests. Representatives of 14 different athletics clubs took part.
Banstead parkrun started on 16th June 2007, and since then 4,188 different runners, including participants from 180 athletics clubs, have completed 34,431 runs covering a total distance of 172,155 km, and there have been 7,465 new Personal Bests.

The Women's course record is held by Natalie HARVEY who ran in a time of 17:01 on 30th July 2011 (event number 216).
The Men's course record is held by Kevin QUINN who ran in a time of 15:25 on 7th June 2008 (event number 54).
The Age Grade course record is held by Ian KITCHING who recorded a 89.58 % run (17:36) on 5th June 2010 (event number 158).
 
Event Reporter ~ Woody

Someone took the wrong jacket home from todays event - unfortunately it had someones car keys in there.

Please check if you picked up a blue jacket at the registration bench area and if its not yours please contact bansteadoffice@parkrun.com  as soon as possible and we will arrange a reunion with the owner. Many thanks   

SUE Run Director Event 258  

Report by : Elaine (WOODY) Dodds
Photos by : Sandhya DREW
 
 (click on image to enlarge)
 
Groomed to perfection as usual, with Don ESSLEMONT wearing the Run Director shirt and Paul MITCHELL wearing his shirt and tie!  Even Paul's entourage of fellow club members from South London Harriers, suitably attired for 2 laps...couldn't outsmart Paul today!  Fit for a bride he was and being Groom to fellow parkrunner Clare SETTLE, was what was on the agenda for the afternoon.  I don't need to remind Paul...but it seems that I am going to... that unlike the anniversary of today's event 4 years ago, when Paul turned up late for the run, he had better get to the church on time... so to speak!  Many happy future anniversaries, Paul and Clare.

Don welcomed Nick KEATING and TEAM, who were here on a venture to pick up some hints, as they are to set-up a new parkrun in TILGATE, Crawley.  Best wishes to them for a smooth start to the new Sussex event on June 9th. 

Also mentioned was  Harry BRYANT, for a double celebration - his 12th BIRTHDAY and his 10th event.  He made this a treble later, by getting a PB, finishing in 25:25.  Following a trend...in his father Roger's footsteps.  What a way to go!

As ever it's the VOLUNTEERS, who make the run possible and new to the team, Neil SUNDERLAND was pointed out, although his face was somewhat familiar, having completed 285 parkruns!...more than any other Banstead regular.

Just prior to the start, we were reminded of our own vows to follow, all in aid of a trouble free run.  So, dearly beloved, on to what we were gathered here today for...   
 
Men's placings:
Patrick CANAVAN (SM25-29) of South London Harriers won in 17:29 - first win in his 2nd appearance.
Kristian LENNARD (VM40-44) of South London Harriers was 2nd in 17:41 - 3 previous wins.
Alistair HEATON-ARMSTRONG (VM40-44) (Unattached) was 3rd in 17:58 - a First Timer here, but he has won at RIDDLESDOWN and been placed at the LLOYD PARK event.

Women's placings:
Lisa ROONEY (SW30-34) of Kingfisher Triathletes was 1st (18th overall) in 22:32 - 6th win in 27th appearance.
Emer KERR (JW15-19) of Sutton and District AC was 2nd (31st overall) in 23:27 - 23 parkruns, 9 here and 14 at ROUNDSHAW DOWNS, where she has been the lady winner EVERY time! 
Robin WYNNE (VW45-49) (Unattached) was 3rd (34th overall) in 23:38 -  a Visitor from SHEFFIELD HALLAM, her only other parkrun.

Absent from the placings, but in the midst of us today ...not a part of the field she is accustomed to being in, was.... Rachel BROOKES (nee BURBRIDGE....better known by this name to those 'old hands' of Banstead).   Rachel held the record for the most Ladies wins for some time here, until serious knee injury threatened her toward a possible wheel chair bound existence, putting a halt to any running and her keen hockey team playing.  Rachel won 14 of the 17 events that she 'raced' at here, got 5 PBs, including the last of these runs in December 2008, when she recorded her fastest time - a terrific 19:12.  She has since just tested her legs out twice here, including today,  but at resting pace for her..so much so, as to finish directly behind me, but I assure you I was not at rest!  May she long continue to get back her legs.  Rachel's sister, Debbie RAYMOND, was also running with us, she was 5th lady home. 
 
Other notables :
22nd : Alexander John LANDLESS manages to improve on his time discreetly every few weeks.  Doesn't mean to say it goes unnoticed!  His previous 2 Pbs were by just 1 second each, this time he took off a mighty 47secs to finish in 22:42.

41st : Adam HEMPENSTALL continues his gritty record and has now 5 PBs in his last 7 runs, bringing him down to 24:16.

42nd: Just a second behind, young James LANDLESS has a hat trick of PBs and a new time of 24:17.

60th :  A significant PB of almost a minute for Steve RIGBY to get under the 25min mark, his time 24:50.

72nd :  141 runs and after nearly 3 years, Mark JEFFERY has a 2nd PB in consecutive weeks.  Time now at 25:28, 44 secs better than last week!  Holy matrimony!

81st :  Maureen TRAYNOR continues an onslaught and has now taken over 2mins off her best in the last 6-in-a-row of PBs.  Her time now lurks at 26:05, just lingering until next week, one feels.

50TH parkruns were completed today by -  Jeremy MARSH, who has completed some of these at 2 other local events.  And, Glenn QUARTON, who has run all 50 at Banstead and was one of those here today in support of  Paul on his big day.  Philip STIFF ran his 51st today, after doing his 50th run here last week.  Even more shirts are in order then. 

Sandhya DREW was Photographer (I believe for the first time today) and caught a great shot especially the lead PHOTO (above), with Paul, who joined Friends (not just from his own club) who stuck together and ran with him for a short burst along the finish area.  That picture, hopefully, put some icing on the cake.

...Saturday morning + a parkrun  = another marriage made in heaven.  Does one look forward to it?   I say... I DO.

STATS
 
Current standing in the Men's annual points competition:
Roger BRYANT (Collingwood AC) 3967 pts.
Robert KNIGHT (Collingwood AC) 3686 pts.
Mike MASON (Collingwood AC) 3428 pts.
 
Current standing in the Women's annual points competition:
Jenny SINFIELD (Collingwood AC) 3933 pts.
Geraldine LIDDY (Ashtead Running Group) 3685 pts.
Gemma BUTT (Reigate Priory AC) 3421 pts.

 
The following runners recorded today's best Age Grade scores:
John COATES (JM14) was graded 77.29 % for the time 18:21 (4th overall).
Kristian LENNARD (VM40-44) was graded 77.19 % for the time 17:41 (second overall).
Alistair HEATON-ARMSTRONG (VM40-44) was graded 75.97 % for the time 17:58 (third overall).
 
This week there were 153 runners, of whom 15 were first timers and 33 recorded new Personal Bests. Representatives of 20 different athletics clubs took part.
Banstead parkrun started on 16th June 2007 and since then 4,168 different runners, including participants from 180 athletics clubs have completed 34,284 runs covering a total distance of 171,420 km and there have been 7,436 new Personal Bests.
The Women's course record is held by Natalie HARVEY who ran in a time of 17:01 on 30th July 2011 (event number 216).
The Men's course record is held by Kevin QUINN who ran in a time of 15:25 on 7th June 2008 (event number 54).
The Age Grade course record is held by Ian KITCHING who recorded a 89.58 % run (17:36) on 5th June 2010 (event number 158).

Event Reporter   Woody

The April 2012 winner of the coveted Banstead Woods Monthly Sweatshop prize is Melvin Trundley.  This prize is awarded to athletes who have shown consistency and improvement at the event.

Melvin started running at Banstead Woods on 18 August 2007 at the 10th Banstead Woods event and has been a regular attender since then with a total of 163 parkruns completed, 152 of them being in Banstead Woods.

Melvin completed his first run in 29.45 and since then he has pb’d on 10 occasions. 4 of the pb’s were in his first 5 events taking his time down to 27.33 by 22 September 2007. In this first month of running in the woods Melvin took 2 minutes off his time. 

Melvin toughed out the winter months and 6 months later on a frosty January morning in 2008 he pulled off another pb taking his time down to 27.12.

Between February and May 2008 he bagged another 5 pb’s taking his time down to 26.09 which equates to nearly 4 minutes off his first run. Melvin, who competes in the 65-69 age group, secured a 62% age grading with this latest pb.

Melvin introduced his wife Ria to parkrun and it is great to see them running together. Not only have they really embraced the concept of parkrun as an integral part of our community, but they have also joined their local running club Collingwood AC and have made many friends in the process. Tony, their son, also competes in the woods. If he is not pushing out the pace with the lead runners, he’ll being running with his family to support them.

Melvin and Ria are regular volunteers at the event and are often seen undertaking car park marshalling duties which is a great help in organising our event and we are very grateful to them for their efforts.

Melvin also broke his own records in the culinary department too as a result of parkrun! We have a tradition of enjoying cakes in the Mint after the event in celebration of various (or any!) landmarks. On one of Melvin’s special days he treated us to his home baked flapjacks which we all enjoyed. These have proved very popular and we all look forward to the next batch of baking Melvin (hint, hint..)

Unfortunately Melvin suffered an injury to his knee which prevented him from competing against his pb during 2010 and 2011, but he kept running in the woods with his knee strapped up enjoying the camaraderie of our community.

Melvin and Ria took a holiday ‘down under’ to Australia just as parkrun had reached the southern hemisphere. However he was one week early for the Sydney parkrun but was able to run in their inaugural event, surprising the organisers!

As our event got more popular we opened up new events at Roundshaw, Riddlesdown and Nonsuch park to relieve the pressure. Melvin saw his opportunity to hit the pb trail again. His pb at Banstead Woods had proved to be a difficult reach, but he came up with a cunning pb plan! By taking part in new parkrun events he could maybe achieve pb’s at those locations. The strategy worked and Melvin was back on the pb trail.
Melvin’s injury also started to improve and he started to get closer to his pb times.

Astonishingly nearly 4 years after his last Banstead Woods parkrun pb, Melvin  took 2 seconds off his time with a run of 26.07 and an age grading of nearly 65%.

Melvin is a truly worthy winner of our Runner of the Month competition securing a pair of training shoes kindly donated by the Sweatshop.

We’d like to thank Hugh Brasher of the Sweatshop for his generosity and to congratulate Melvin Trundley on his achievement. Melvin’s prize is a new pair of running shoes fitted at the Teddington Sweatshop.

Chris Phelan
Event Director
Banstead Woods parkrun Management Team