Roding Valley Half Marathon – 28 February 2010 Thursday, March 11, 2010 Wetsuits & flippers would probably have been more appropriate than running shoes for February’s Roding Valley Half Marathon. The start was a bit chaotic with many runners still in the changing area when the gun went – then there was perhaps the biggest puddle in Essex to negotiate just 600m into the race. But after that it was all plain sailing for the 4 Dagenham 88 Runners who splashed and waded their way around the undulating 2½ lap course. Encouragement from Tony Bradley who was marshalling runners across a busy road in the driving rain half way round was very welcome - we hope you’ve dried out now Tony!! Special mention goes to Steve Ray who had a great run and managed a PB despite having made a fashionably late entrance at the start, the appalling conditions & the seemingly endless hills. There was no chip timing for this event - the following times clock times were recorded: Caroline Tuck 1:38:46 (145th), Steve Ray 1:50:40 (PB) (326th), Bob Rant 2:09:31 (682nd) and Stephen Thompson 2:22:33 (788th). Lee shines bright in Sussex Beacon Half Thursday, March 11, 2010 Lee Davis continued his excellent form by joining Tracey George in running the Sussex Beacon Half Marathon in Brighton. Despite the strong winds, pouring rain and the very cold conditions over 6000 runners took part in the undulating and testing course. Lee completed the course in 2h 7m 40s crossing the line in 4316th. Tracey didn't enjoy the conditions as much but still finished in a respectable 2.21.39 and 5372th place.   Nigel off to a flyer in Club Championships Thursday, March 11, 2010 Kent AC were the hosts for the first leg of this years Dagenham 88's Club Championship as 8 runners made their way to the Sidcup 10 Road Race. It was a very cold morning with rain turning to snow as we crossed the Dartford Bridge. Fortunately that never lasted too long and after a swift cuppa with conditions improving we set off on the 3 lap undulating course. With this race following swiftly on from the good results at Great Bentley the previous week some good times were expected. This proved to be the case as Nigel Swinburne led home the team in an excellent pb time of 59m 51s crossing the line in 28th position. Jenny Ackroyd was our first lady to finish and she also recorded an pb of 1h 16m 29s in 196th. Good times for Bill Adams (1.16.55, 202nd), Inga Hayden-Cooper (1.21.19, 244th) and Steve Ray (1.22.42, 262nd). Special mention to Mike Linstead (1.29.39) and Lee Davis (1.45.06) who both took over 15 minutes off their previous times for the course finishing 316th and 379th respectively. Next leg of the Championship is the tough Orion 15 on March 20th. Robbo toughs it out at English XC Champs Thursday, March 11, 2010 The English Cross-Country Championship was recently held at Roundhay Park, Leeds for the first time for 12 years. The course is regarded as one of the toughest in the country with a several climbs,including the notorious Hill 60 and the ground was soft after recent heavy rain. Rob Sargent was the only Dagenham 88 Runner to travel north for the 3 lap 12km race. The event was won by British international Andy Vernon of Aldershot, Fareham and District AC, while veteran Rob battled on further down the field to finish 1301st out of the large field with a time of 63 minutes 40 seconds. The National was the largest race in England prior to the London Marathon being stage and the starts of the Senior Mens' and the Senior Ladies' races are always spectatulate to . The participation form Essex teams was minimal. In the Mens 11 teams were represented: Woodford Green (18) Chelmsford (7) Newham & Essex (6) Eton Manor (6) Ilford (4) Havering (3) Witham (2) Loughton (2) and 1 each from Southend, Pitsea and ourselves. With 56 to score only 4 teams were ranked. The Ladies had 4 to score and only Woodford Green (7) Havering (4) and Eton Manor (40 finished teams and Basildon and Chelmsord had 1 finisher each.the course was tough but fair and we are sure a number of club members would enjoy the event and the challenger. Put the date in your diary for next year - February 19 at Alton Towers (no. not in the theme park) and help the club achieve county aand nationwide recognition.   Silverstone volunteers and runners Wednesday, March 10, 2010 This Sunday (14th March) sees us take the trip up to Silverstone for the Half Marathon. For all of you who put your names down to help with the baggage and those of you who are running the coach will leave WOOD LANE SPORTS CENTRE (KIDS KINGDOM) car park at 6.30am SHARP. You will get lunch but I would suggest that you bring extra provisions to suit your own needs. Aint no mountain high enough Wednesday, March 10, 2010 Congrats to our intrepid explorers who all returned from their tip up Kilimanjaro in one piece. The full story will be featured in the next newsletter.   Mandy Loves her new 10K PB time Tuesday, February 16, 2010 Encouraged by a colleague at work who doesn't want to run marathons (!) Mandy signed up for the Love Run in Battersea Park. A 10k race in aid of a muscular dystrophy charity. The day was very cold but Mandy made it to the park in good time for the 11 o' clock start and stood shivering waiting for the start. The course was flat, a four lap affair with instructions to "make sure you pass the bandstand 4 times". Mandy lined up not too far from the front as it wasn't an enormous field but as a nice touch there was chip timing so the 45 seconds it took her to cross the line didn't matter. It took a few hundred yards to find running space but once she had she felt good. There was 1 water stop on each lap but it was so cold Mandy didnt actually want any and felt she was running well enough without. At the 5k marker her watch read 22.11 which stunned her somewhat and actually must have slowed a bit after that since as her official 10k time was 46.52. However that is a 10k PB by just over 2 minutes so Mandy was delighted by that! A nice friendly race, Mandy would do it again Tough Guy 2010 - The coldest on record! Tuesday, February 16, 2010 Bill Smith, Roy Bentley and Jo Riley travelled the 160 miles up to Wolverhampton to compete in the coldest Tough Guy on record. They arrived to be greeted by sub-zero temperatures, snow and inch thick ice. After signing the Death Warrants and questioning their sanity they took a walk round the frozen course before making their way to the start line. A slide down a steep, slippery, muddy bank marked the start of the gruelling eight mile cross country course including the slalom, a series of tight twisting zigzags up and down an impossibly steep hill before tackling a series of tough, daunting obstacles including cargo nets, barbed wire, log walls, electric fences, walls of fire and numerous water obstacles featuring mud filled ditches, diving boards and under water tunnels. Finally they made it to the finish line exhausted, frozen and suffering from mild to severe hypothermia. After warming up and regaining the feeling in their bodies Bill and Jo have decided to enter the Nettle Warrior on 25th July and Tough Guy 2011, anyone else man enough to accept the challenge??   Kilimanjaro Thursday, February 11, 2010 4 of the Dagenham 88 runners are attempting to climb up Kilimanjaro over the next 10 days. We wish Bob Abrey, Alan Potter, Rob Rant and Paul Davis every success with their trip. Have a great tiime lads and look forward to your safe return (God help Tanzania) PB's smashed as Great Bentley proves no match for the 88's Thursday, February 11, 2010 The Great Bentley Half Marathon must be one of the flattest courses in the country and as it was selected to be an Essex Championship race the field promised to be fast. The weather was pretty much ideal - a little on the cold side but virtually no wind. There were some great performances from Dagenham 88 with Nigel Swinburne, Caroline Tuck & Jenny Akroyd all taking big chunks off their previous personal bests. The race was won by James Connor in 1 hour 8 minutes and the ladies winner was Sarah Stradling of Colchester Harriers AC in 1 hour 16. Dagenham’s finishers were: Nigel Swinburne (1:21, 46th place), Roy Bentley (1:31, 157th), Caroline Tuck (1:35, 215th), Jenny Akroyd (1:44, 379th), Bob Rant (1:56, 575th), Steve Ray (1:57, 596th) and Jo Riley (2:01, 648th).