Newsletter - The BeaRCat Running Club

Winter 2015 Edition
Newsletter
Founded by Caitlin Limmer 2012
BEARCATS BRINGING LIGHT TO THE COMMUNITY
When I think of you lot I am SOMETIMES LEFT SPEECHLESS.
THANK YOU ALL, FOR YOU KNOW WHAT.
The BeaRCat Birthday Baton Bonanza, well it poured all day,
BUT YOU STILL CAME! The BeaRCat vibe RIPPED THROUGH
THE NIGHT. Fabulous and now traditional chocolate cake
from Moni, golden batons, a never ending raffle, MILTON
JONES presenting Club Members of the Year to Roger and
Emma, kids trying out the beer bottle, an indoor BBQ,
thank you Ken and rolos for my incredible leaders! Who
cares what the weather does BeaRCats – when we are
together we never fail to have a good time.
Great South Run – BeaRCat outing Extraordinaire – once
again the BeaRCat magic waved its wand and the weather
was the best ever that it has been at the GSR for 25
years. A luxury coach, with a posh toilet, a joy of a driver,
and around 80 of us running/supporting each other to
achieve pbs, first time over that distance or just a great
run. The Still and West Pub did us proud, thank you
Fullers. My fear is how do we duplicate it?!
The Prime Ministers Points of Light Award – October 26th
is a special day for me now. Calls from the Cabinet, tweets
from David Cameron, press releases, so many emails and
lovely comments. It was incredibly overwhelming, I spent
several days laughing and crying. Thank you Bessie for
instigating this and to the rest of you for supporting this
nomination. It is completely amazing. Community - you,
running and the charities I support are a huge passion
and I am so lucky to have all these in my life. Thank you
for being part of this – please don’t stop.
The 13th of December will be another mad and fun day
for The BRC, we have an unofficial fun run together with
santa medals, mince pies etc in the morning, then our
legendary Christmas party in the afternoon.
This is packed with fun/you, laughter/comedy awards, great
music Geoff and his band, 2 course Christmas meal, Ken
and his team, Secret santa – bring a wrapped £1 only
pressie, pressies from me to you and BeaRCat loving.
Can’t wait.
Two BeaRCat greats moved away from London but I have
to mention and bid a fond farewell to our dear Roger and
Emma Smith – we cannot wait till you visit us and visa versa.
Your achievements both on the road and off in the last
few months have been amazing, from my newer/returner
runners becoming more confident and having their
FANTASTIC own facebook group, to people meeting up
more and more regularly away from running club (do you
know how happy this makes me), to people supporting
each other through injury by meeting up for a cycle or even
going hulahooping! Thank you to you all, to Hei Hing for
their continued support of us, for Gareth for his stunning
newsletters/flyers etc, for my leaders and volunteer
leaders without whom I simply could not do this, to
The Turks Head and Fullers team and all our sponsors.
BeaRCats, each and every one of you has “something”
to give to our club, find it and “give it large”. Whether its
compassion for someone struggling with the myriad of
mental health issues out there, supporting someone with
kids who have a harder time, whether it is helping someone realise that work is not the be all and end all in life,
showing someone how far you have come whether it be
on the road or nutritionally and helping another person
to do the same. Whether it is talking to the person in the
room you THINK you have the least in common with –
bring it, surprise yourself, GIVE IT LARGE.
Thank you for 2015 - what on earth will 2016 bring?
Caitlin Limmer
Founder of The BeaRCat Running Club
SPONSORED AND
SUPPORTED BY
Follow the BeaRCats...
AUTUMN 2015 EDITION 2
IN THIS EDITION
ACHIEVEMENTS
03Can I have a P, please Caitlin?
Written by Sarah Mayo
September
Richmond Duathlon - Well done to
Leigh, John R, Sean, Rob and Lorraine
on her first Duathlon
043rd Birthday Celebrations
05Our Kilimanjaro Journey
Written by Lorraine Ross and
Gareth M. Coombd
Berlin Marathon - Rob Mc
08Q&As
Ealing Half - Elaine, Moni, Ingrid, Helen,
Steve, Connie and family
09The BeaRCats day out at the GSR
Highclere Castle 10km and
Llangorse lake big swim - Harriet LR
Windsor Half - Tanya, Oli and Gareth
10The Running Legends Series #2
John Tarrant (“The Ghost Runner”)
Written by City Runner
Woman‘s Running 10km Race Series
- Bessie
12Why I run?
Featuring Kamna Muralidharan,
Rachel Morse, Sally Kermond,
Nigel Owen, Niomi Higgs and
Amanda Foley
October
Severn Bridge Half Marathon - Harriet LR
14Mini Harlequins
Written by Mike Michaels
Run with the Girls 10km - Maya
Santiago del Compostela - Harriet W
Kingston 10 miler - Alex, Michelle
and Anna
River Thames Half - John R and Gareth
Chester Marathon - Graham
Royal Parks Half - There are a few
BeaRCats running in this event, some for
MDS others like Kelly Wood are running
there first half since Wokingham.
Our next Newsletter with be available in
Summer 2016, if anyone would like to
contribute, please send me your
articles/pics asap.
EVENTS FOR 2016
CLUB DAYS
2015
INFO
TURKS HEAD
For regular updates
please check your emails,
the BRC Facebook page
and Website.
Congratulations to all the
BeaRCats who have
accomplished many goals
at Parkrun, including
many spectacular PBs.
For more information visit
www.bearcatrunningclub.com
00
EVERY
SATURDAY
09:00
PARKRUN
Bedfont Lakes • Bushy Park
Crane Park • Old Deer Park
Richmond Park
For more information visit
www.parkrun.org.uk
10:00
THE VALE
GALLOP 10KM
For more information visit
www.sportsystems.co.uk
/ss/event/TheValeGallop20162
24
JANUARY
2016
21
08:30
HAMPTON HALF
MARATHON
FERUARY
2016
For more information visit
www.sportsystems.co.uk
/ss/event/HamptonCourt
HalfMarathon20162
08:00
RUN THE
STREETS
28
Great South Run - A coach load of
BeaRCats will be running in this
event, and supporting Luke’s The Harvey Army charity.
November
Thames Meander Half and Full - John R
08:25 - 10:30
SUNDAY
19:15
WEDNESDAY
For more information visit
www.kingstonhalf.co.uk
FEBRUARY
2016
Wimbledon Half - Edina
Editor in Chief:
Caitlin Limmer
Articles:
Contributed by BeaRCat members
Designer:
Gareth M. Coombs
Big apologies to members if you are missed from
the achievements section, we are an ever growing
community and it is so hard to remember when
you are all achieving brilliant things.
The BeaRCat Newsletter is available 3 times a year
in PDF format; Summer, Autumn and Winter.
Your comments and feedback for the Newsletter
are greatly appreciated and anything else associated
with The BeaRCat Running Club. If you would like
to contribute to future editions, please email your
articles, pics, news, your achievements or anything
else you would like to share with the BeaRCats
to Caitlin caitlinrun@gmail.com or
Gareth garethmcoombs@gmail.com
The BeaRCat Running Club founded 2012.
INFO
December
Malaga Marathon - Caitlin
From the organisers of the
Salomon Richmond Half and 10km
Due to road re-opening time limits
we have time limits of 1hr 15mins
for the 10km and 2hrs 45mins
for the half.
100th Parkrun - Roger and Susan
Portsmouth Marathon - Good luck to all
BeaRCats running in this event
09:00
Fuller’s Thames
Towpath 10
For more information visit
www.sportsystems.co.uk/
ss/event/FullersThames
Towpath102016
01
MAY
2016
Key:
Dates
17
APRIL
2016
08:30
RANELAGH
HALF
For more information visit
www.sportsystems.co.uk/
ss/event/RichmondHalf
Marathon20161
Event
Info
WINTER 2015 EDITION 3
CAN I HAVE A P, PLEASE CAITLIN?
Written by Sarah Mayo
In a nod to the late Bob and favourite
Blockbusters’ pun, the P in the
BeaRCat sense, stands for Personal
Best (PB) or Personal Achievement
(PA)… and our very own Caitlin,
hands these out in abundance.
2015 has been a year of many PAs
and PBs for BeaRCats out there.
No weekend goes by without a
Facebook post congratulating
someone on their running (or other)
achievement. It is this supportive
environment that encourages and
empowers BeaRCats to continually
strive to test themselves – whether
through speed, distance or over
challenging terrain.
As we head towards the end of 2015,
now is the time to reflect on the year
and challenges gone by and to start
to plan and set goals for 2016.
Over the last few years, I have set
myself many running goals. For me,
this is the only way I can stay focused.
I like to follow a training programme.
I like getting to the end of a week,
and ticking off another week of
mileage, and to plan the week ahead.
Without a plan, I know I will find an
excuse not to train, and ultimately
I am more likely to fail.
But failure is no bad thing… we learn
from failure. This is what makes us
stronger. And more determined than
ever to succeed. You can apply this
to everything we do in life. Many of
the world’s most successful business
leaders failed many times before
they succeeded. One quote that I
remember from my days working for
Honda is from the founder, Soichiro
Honda, who once said that “Success
is 99% failure.”
My 2015 “failure” was missing out on
my target of a sub-4 hour marathon at
the Paris Marathon in April… I followed
a strict training programme but at the
last hurdle got injured and had to stop
running three weeks before. Despite
this set-back, through osteo with Jess
at the Maris Practice and yoga, I got
to the start-line and managed to
complete the marathon in a PB of 4:05.
Following the marathon I decided to
give my body a two month rest from
running and focused on strengthtraining at the gym. And ever since…
the PBs have started to roll in.
This is proof that we do learn from
failure. We learn how to reset, and
to look at a new way of achieving
our goals.
As I think about 2016 and my new
objectives for the year, while it’s
important to put things into perspective
and not to get too hung up on PBs…
I also think how having a sense of
purpose does help you get to the
finish line. So, whatever your goals
(running or other), it definitely helps
to have a plan and to visualise the
end goal. BELIEVE in the law of
positive attraction.
Caitlin and her BeaRCat community
help hugely with goal-setting and with
positive encouragement – through
the highs and lows of running and
life. It is so fitting that Caitlin has
been recognised with her own P in
2015… for all that she has achieved
for the BeaRCat running community,
associated charities, and businesses…
in the form of a Points of Light Award.
What better way to highlight and
thank her for what she does dayto-day for others. If anyone can inspire
and help us achieve our own Ps… it is
Caitlin and we all owe it to her to
keep goal-setting and aspiring to be
better runners and better people, who
care for others and our community,
just as she does.
I have set my running goal for 2016.
Have you? Paris, here I come again!
Can I have a P, please Caitlin?! x
WINTER 2015 EDITION 4
OUR 3R D B IRTHDAY
C ELEB RATIO NS
SE PTEMBER 201 5
C O N G R AT U L AT I O N S
TO ROGER AND EMMA
ON BECOMING THE 2015
CLUB MEMBERS
O F T H E Y E A R AWA R D
A S PE CIAL THANK YO U
T O M I LT O N J O N E S
F OR P RESENTING
OUR AWARD S
WINTER 2015 EDITION 5
OUR KILIMANJARO JOURNEY
Written by Lorraine Ross and Gareth M. Coombs
As you all know, Lorraine and I decided
last year to take on the challenge to
trek Kilimanjaro on the 20th to 30th
August, via the Lemosho Route.
We will start our individual
experiences from day 3, as this
is the day we started our ascent.
22 August
Mti Mkubwa (Big Tree Camp)
Brief: On arrival to the Londorossi
Gate we meet our team, including
our guides, cooks and porters.
We register for the trek and our bags
are weighed to ensure each is within
the 15kg limit. Finally it is here – the
moment we have all been waiting for!
we begin trekking along a rugged
route through the Lemosho Glades,
eventually reaching our first camp
at Mti Mkubwa.
Lorraine: Upon arrival to the national
park - after the African Massage bus
trip, we signed our names in a note
pad ‘just Incase we get lost!’
Had our first alfresco dining experience
with an alfresco loo - a task that was
soon mastered! The trek began with
a very steep incline which left most
out of breath! First night at base
camp. Didn’t sleep.
Gareth: To get to the gates of the
National Park we arrived via the
bounciest, roughest journey by coach
ever, I was so needing the toilet.
On arrival we saw monkeys around
the area. After the weighing of luggage
and our briefing and lunch, we set off.
When finally reaching our first camp,
I looked for my tent to realise that
mine was the only one not set up yet.
First night, no sleep.
23 August
Shira Camp
24 August
Barranco Camp
Brief: This morning we begin our
first full day trekking, where we will
gain over 700m in height. A slow and
steady ascent allows for our bodies
to acclimatise as we cross the
Shira plateau.
Brief: We trek across beautiful barren
moon like landscape and around
craters with the shadow of the
mountain around us, reaching the
Lava Tower where we stop for some
lunch. This afternoon we descend
through the surrounding ravines,
and beautiful birdlife. We eventually
reach camp late in the afternoon.
This descent aids the acclimatisation
process and allows our bodies to
adjust to the ever changing altitude.
Lorraine: Morning routine.
4am porters scurry around camp
getting breakfast ready. 5am porters
unzip tent and wake you up with
hot chocolate - (store in boot whilst
getting ready). 5.30 have managed
to wriggle out of bag, have clothes
on, boots on, kit ready for the day.
5.45 have everything rolled up
and packed up in base camp bag
- often adopting the human aeroplane
position - lying face down on top of
bag to squeeze it all in, this takes
about 3 mins. 6.00 breakfast - force
it down- you have to eat! - face the
loo if you can! (Get up earlier for a
more pleasant experience). 6.30 fill
up water bottles and camel packs,
apply sun cream, take medication.
Briefing and then off for a hard day’s
trek. Pretend all day your feeling
fine and encourage all to keep going
(my motto).
Gareth: Not impressed with the
getting up at 5am to start the next
leg of our journey was tough and
I thought yesterday was tough.
Today we trekked for 10+ hours across
some amazing landscape, a very tiring
day and still couldn’t sleep.
Lorraine: Morning routine gets harder
as altitude sets in... Every small
movement leaves me breathless.
Think everyone in camp found this
hard today. Keep positive and
encourage those around me!
(Looking at my diary entry from
kili- it’s not a good day).
I had a complete melt down in tent
and forgot how thin the fabric
was - most of camp heard! Haha!!
Pulled myself together - tomorrow’s
another day!!
Gareth: Another 5am start but this
time a shorter journey, the landscape
that we walk through is simply
stunning, a lot of people are starting
to feel nausia and vomiting as the
altitude gets higher and at this
point I personally, start getting nose
bleeds. Finally had some sleep.
WINTER 2015 EDITION 6
25 August
Karanga Camp
26 August
Barafu Camp
Brief: We leave camp early and our
first challenge today is a climb and
scramble over the volcanic rock of the
Barranco Wall. On reaching the top we
have a well earned snack break and
enjoy fantastic views. We then head
onwards to Karanga Camp, through
the Karanga Valley, where we enjoy
an afternoon walk followed by an
early night!.
Brief: Today we make the steady
climb to our camp positioned on
a ridge overlooking the south
east valley. We reach camp in the
afternoon and after a good meal,
we put on some extra layers to keep
warm and try to relax and get some
sleep in preparation for our early
morning summit bid.
Lorraine: Wow oh wow! The Baranco
Wall! (you tube it!), not sure if I’d ever
do this again! Here I had to really pull
myself together... Don’t like heights,
especially with sheer drops, no ropes
to hold you in place.
I called out... ‘I can’t do this, I don’t
want to die!’ I was deadly serious
... I MADE IT THOUGH!
All the while porters pass with tables
balanced on their heads carrying your
base camp bag some in crocs! Views
to die for!
Gareth: Wow, the wall was a scary
but amazing steep climb (with no
safety equipment), looking down you
could see the sheer drop.
Trying to sleep this particular night
was so bloody difficult, as the tent
had been pitched on an incline, I kept
waking up because my feet were
getting cold from constantly sliding
down the bottom of the tent. I also
started to get headaches.
Lorraine: No sleep... seemed as
though we had slipped in the night...
Ground wasn’t level! Water bladder
had froze. It’s cold!
Some stunning views around, people
looking tired, some with vice like
headaches some being sick...
I tell them to drink water and lots of
it... I do the same popping, more than
I should of nurofen.
Keeping spirits high enjoying all what
is going on around me. Visited the
chefs tent... He sleeps there too...
3 chefs huddled around the gas
canisters - one bashing out beef
steaks and marinating them in ginger
and soy sauce... One making popcorn...
the other keeping an eye on the
water... Don’t forget all this needs
to be carried up!
Gareth: Another nice short day
of trekking. The views are getting
more amazing as each day passes.
Even though we have an afternoon
to relax, its the big day tomorrow so
starting to feel a bit anxious, and
its starting to get really cold.
WINTER 2015 EDITION 7
27 August
Summit Day
Brief: And so to summit day and our
toughest challenge yet. We awake just
before midnight and after a hot drink
and snack we begin our climb. For the
next 7-8 hours we trek the steepest
and most demanding part of the route
by torch light. This is a long and
gruelling trek through scree to reach
Stella Point at the crater rim. After a
short rest we make our final traverse
to Uhuru Peak, the highest point on
the African continent at 5896m.
After some photos we have a tough
decent to Barafu camp where we stop
for a rest and some breakfast before
continuing on to Millennium camp.
After a long but exhilarating day we
can finally rest our tired legs and get
a good night’s sleep.
Lorraine: My group left 10.30pm
before Gareth’s group. We look back
and see a line of headlamps coming
our way...
After a few hours of zig zagging
up... slowly, oh so slowly... I begin to
fall asleep - several times - Whilst
walking. This is known as the Zombie
walk. One minute you see the moon
the next horizon... Seeing bugs at this
height I knew my mind was playing
tricks on me... keep quiet and focus
on the sun rising!
Several of my group turned back...
I was split up from the others in my
group and was now solo with a guide.
Made it to the first summit around
6.30am (8 hours)
Finally made it to the summit (7.30am)
my guide, Saul got me there, he started
crying as I did... He allows me 5-10 mins
max on top and wow what a sight.
Saul then tells me to ‘link arms, hold
on tight, as we are about to defend
very fast’ OMG! Fast it was!...
We decended to a safe altitude within
45 mins, others took 2 hours! I had
climbed to the summit of Kilimanjaro!
I still can’t quite believe I did it, every
day I look at the pictures.
Gareth: To say that this day is the
most difficult, hardest thing I have
ever done in my life is an understatement, I was already tired when
getting up at 11 ready for a midnight
trek and it was very cold. After checking
and sorting out equipment I was
ready to go. I was in a different group
to Lorraine as the group was pretty
big with 32 people... so off we go,
travelling up 800m of scree, I felt like
I slept walked and was halucinating!,
trying to grab hold of rocks (that
were not there!), at one point during
a break I sat on a rock, slumpt
backwards and fell asleep. The guide
comes running over thinking there is
something wrong, but all it took was
a couple of jelly babies to perk-me-up.
Finally reaching Stella Point we were
greated by our guides with a cup of
hot ginger tea, and then moved on to
reach our final destination, the top of
Mount Kilimanjaro, Uhuru Peak. After
taking a few pics we made our way
down, sliding down the scree to our
base camp quick time. After lunch
we moved on again to our next base
camp where we stay the night.
It was a very emotional day... and
I finally had some decent sleep.
WINTER 2015 EDITION 8
28 August
Return To Hotel
Brief: After breakfast we continue our
descent back through the rainforest
to Mweka Gate. A short transfer by
bus takes us to our hotel. Here we can
finally take off our walking boots and
enjoy our first hot shower in almost
a week! We have the afternoon to
relax by the pool with a drink and this
evening we enjoy a fantastic gala
dinner to celebrate our remarkable
achievements and for those who
have the energy we can party into
the night!.
Lorraine: Walking through the jungle,
feeling pleased with myself... we see
monkeys, ferns beautiful lush trees...
I was waiting to see Tarzan swing on
by - maybe next time.
Our group all decended to the final
gate. We hear the 120 porters before
we see them, chanting the Kilimanjaro
songs, waiting to greet us. It was
truly amazing. Dancing,singing,
food and drink.
This was our celebration, we did it!
It’s not about altitude it’s the attitude’
Gareth: As the brief said, after our
final descent we were so happy to
be able to have a shower. But before
the shower, back at the exit gate, as
the finish line approached we were
greated by our team (120 staff), to
celebrate completing out trek, again a
very emotional time as they clapped,
cheered and sang as we finally
completed our journey.
Once we reached the Hotel, we
prepared and got ourselves ready
for the Gala Dinner, where we were
presented with a finishers certificate,
a medal and a T-Shirt.
Throughout the journey we began to
learn some basic Tanzanian words.
One of these words was JAMBO, it is
a greeting/a welcome that we would
say to our porters as they raced past...
now me being me, a few times I
mentioned the word JAMBA not
realising that I was saying the word
wrong... so, one of the funniest
moments was when a guide heard
me say this and told me what JAMBA
actually meant in Tanzanian, and the
word was FART, oh my god I nearly
died with embarrassment, ha.
Q Why should I join The
Bearcat Running Club?
A Even though we are predominantly a running club, you will
get so much more from us than
just running. You will make
amazing friends, be motivated
to do things you never dreamt
you could, you will be involved
in great fun events, you might
even meet you future husband
or wife ... it has been known!
Q Why are you called
BeaRCat Running Club?
A My husband set up The Bearcat
Comedy Club 30 years ago at
The Turks Head and it seemed
the perfect word to continue
the EMPIRE - I say this tongue
in cheek! I liked the fact it
had RC in the middle of it
(for running club) - seemed
like it was meant to be.
Q Is there a certain level
of fitness you have to be
to join?
This got me through some of my
toughest moments - seen on the
way up. A remembrance plaque
for a climber.
A Absolutely not! You can never
have run one step in your life
and we have a place for you.
Indeed we would ENCOURAGE
PEOPLE TO START WITH US as
we are caring, motivating and
I hope inspiring people that
want to help others to run.
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WINTE 2015 EDITION 9
DAY O UT AT THE
GREAT SOU TH RU N
OCTOB ER 2 01 5
WINTER 2015 EDITION 10
THE RUNNING LEGENDS SERIES #2
JOHN TARRANT (“THE GHOST RUNNER”)
Written by City Runner
As a relatively new runner in 2012
I read a book (The Ghost Runner:
The Tragedy of the Man They
Couldn’t Stop, by Bill Jones) that
caused me to do something I had
not done for a very long time. I was
hooked and I read the book from cover
to cover, rapidly, inside a week (that is
fast reading for City Runner). Former
Granada TV documentary maker,
Bill Jones heard of Tarrant many years
ago, when he was making a programme
about Salford Harriers. Repeated
references by club members to their
former colleague kept Jones intrigued
until early retirement gave him the
opportunity to turn the legends he
had heard relayed, into a comprehensive
account. The book, with some lovely,
descriptive passages counterpointing
the blunt, hard to believe reality of
Tarrant’s tragic life, is the result.
Personally, looking at the book now,
I would like a little more “stat action”
but nevertheless, the achievements
against all the odds (read the book I
will not spoil it) make for an enthralling
read, as Tarrant moves through the
pages of his life from hero to somewhat
family villain and back again.
With that in mind, City Runner is
returning to that book to try and once
again draw some inspiration as I lurch
from one injury or illness to another
in the second half of 2015.
Bill Jones has unearthed and
told quite brilliantly the tragic
story of a man condemned not
only by authority but also by
his own stubbornness.
The Ghost Runner is a story of human
obsession, drive and passion manifested
in a desire to right a perceived wrong.
This story plays out in an arena of
road running in the 1950’s and 1960’s
where extraordinary times and
distances were achieved, typically
in poor running kit and plimsoll like
trainers (no neutral, cushioning or
support around then!). The passages
of the book that describe the runners
and the training methods at that
time will make for very interesting
reading for BeaRCats especially
as they train to tackle their own
marathon challenges.
(The Sunday Times, London)
The book, of course, has a running
hero. John Tarrant was an obsessive
about running; an obsessive to the
point of exclusion, of family, friends,
colleagues; and the sort of mutual
interaction that you and I might enjoy
such as a visit to the pub, a restaurant
or cinema. Born in Shepherds Bush
in 1932, Tarrant was a man bereft
of good luck. During the war, as his
beloved mother lay dying of TB, he
was parcelled off to a children’s home
in Kent and left there until his father
resurfaced (with a new wife) in 1947.
By this time, home had switched to
the Peak District.
Tarrant quietly became one of the best
long distance runners in Britain in
the 1950s. However, the ‘amateur’
authorities prevented him from
competing, because when he tried
to join a club, he made the mistake
of declaring a paltry £17 (it becomes
clear in the book that he is unfailingly
honest) that he had earned in teenage
boxing bouts.
After much anger and frustration,
and repeated attempts to get the ban
overturned, Tarrant hit back in the
only way open to him. Since he could
not be prevented from running on the
highway, he started gate-crashing road
races, competing without a number.
A newspaperman with an early eye
for selling papers, learning of his
exclusion for being a ‘pro’ named him
“The Ghost Runner”; and a road and
hill running legend was born.
Tarrant was eventually reinstated
through his Ghost running and his
endless letters to the “AAA”, but when
he sought selection for the 1960
Olympic Games, finishing second in
one of the qualifying races where first
place brought automatic selection, he
was told that his reinstatement was
only for domestic races. He took up
the mantle of the Ghost Runner again,
in order to run abroad. It is testimony
to the long distance runners of the
time that he was accepted, supported
and championed by the vast majority
of his peers. This is an important
factor that comes through in the book.
The nature of Tarrant’s unofficial
arrival on the race scene from around
the mid 1950’s could have been
received very differently. It seems
that the regular pool of Marathon
and Ultra distance runners generally
accepted him and his right to use his
talent to run, while the “AAA” amateur
officials simply do not. Further, it is
the way that the establishment treat
Tarrant which fuels his fire and the
storyline of his life.
WINTER 2015 EDITION 11
Winning one of many events... the steward points; the man with no number is oblivious
In what amounts to a harrowing story
on a number of fronts, there remain
some lovely themes to the book.
Tarrant’s brother, Vic, is very supportive
and was a very good distance runner
in his own right; but his unfailing
support for John as a runner and in
his fight for reinstatement is more
than heart-warming. As the book
progresses, John Tarrant also becomes
much more “savvy” as a runner.
In his initial attempts at the Marathon
distance he would take on no water
at all. Ultimately, he and his brother
developed a special drink which they
morbidly called “the corpse reviver”,
presumably an early electrolyte
offering!
As Tarrant became older he turned to
ultra running and broke world records
for both 40 and 100 miles. Reading
the pages of how he broke the latter
on a 400 metre track in appalling
conditions is riveting. In 1967, he
became the first man ever to win the
grand slam in a season in Britain’s
four principal ultra-marathons (the
London-to-Brighton, Isle of Man, the
Exeter-to-Plymouth, and the Liverpoolto-Blackpool). While participating in
the 90 km legendary “Comrades
Marathon” in South Africa in 1968
(in which he finished fourth), he became
aware of the apartheid system.
His running in South Africa led to
long periods away from his ultra
supportive wife, Edie, and rejected
by the SA national federation and
its officers as he had once been by
the Brits, he saw a parallel between
the system of apartheid and his
own British and SA exclusion.
He began entering and winning, nonwhite only races (a ghost amongst
ghosts) and according to local officials
at the time, helped to start the process
of chipping away at the apartheid
system with which he clearly had
a unique affinity. The system of
apartheid would eventually fall some
20 years later.
There is an undercurrent throughout
the book alluding to a more serious
issue that Tarrant was firstly dealing
with and latterly battling, in order to
stay on the road. This issue, together
with the main themes of the book,
oppression and injustice, ultimately
tell the story of a pure warrior,
moulded by his difficult early life and
galvanised by his treatment by the
then “running establishment”.
Sadly for Tarrant there would be no
GB blazer, but Bill Jones’ riveting book
does him justice and some might
say, brings him justice. Enjoy this
incredible story.
Appendix: John Tarrant Career Wins
and World Records
Maindy Stadium (40 miles) 1966:
World Record time 4h 3m 28s.
Walton-on-Thames (100 miles) 1969:
World Record Time 12h 31m 10s
Isle of Man (39 miles): Winner 1965–1967:
Set course record in 1965; Time 4h 11m 26s.
Exeter to Plymouth (44 miles):
Winner 1965–1967:
Set course record in 1967; Time 4h 44m 35s.
Liverpool to Blackpool (48 miles):
Winner 1965, 1967: Course record in 1967;
Time 4h 55m 56s.
London to Brighton (52 miles): Winner 1967.
Time 5h 41m 50s.
Isle of Wight (Marathon): Winner in 1960–1962.
Course record Time 2h 26m 44s in 1962.
City of Liverpool (Marathon): Winner in 1960.
Course record time 2h 22m 35s.
Salford Harriers (10 miles): Winner 1958–1966.
Course record in 1963; Time 51m 35s.
Roath, Cardiff (16 miles): Winner 1960, 1962,
1965, 1966 and twice in 1967.
Herefordshire County Championship
(20 miles): Winner 1962–1964, 1966, 1967.
Newport (10 miles): Winner 1960, 1961, 1967.
Hereford to Ross-on-Wye (14 miles):
Winner 1960, 1962. Broke the course record
each time.
South London Harriers (30 miles):
Winner 1962, 1967.
Woodford to Southend (36 miles):
Winner 1964.
Stanger to Durban Goldtop (50 miles):
Winner 1970.
Herefordshire County (6 miles) track
championship: Winner 1962, 1966, 1967.
National Championships (20 miles):
Champion in 1960.
W I N T E R 2 0 1 5 E D I T I O N 12
WHY I RUN?
Let me start by saying,
I’m not a runner.
I started running
about two years ago
I had just moved to Richmond,
I had baby weight to lose and
Richmond Park was around the corner.
No reason really, not to; no hefty
gym fees to spend on, no classes to
try to fit into my already busy day.
What’s more, some of the mums from
my daughter’s school were running
regularly, and it seemed like a good
way to get to know them. So I did
start running – irregularly. But in the
last two years, I have done a 10k run,
a 10 mile run, and walked 100 kms
from London to Brighton. There is no
way I would have had the fitness and
endurance required for this if I hadn’t
been running for 2 years.
But in the bizarre way these things
often happen, I have made one of my
dearest friends while running many a
kilometre around Richmond Park. Last
year, my friends gave me a Garmin
on my birthday. It seemed that no
matter what I thought of myself, they
clearly all thought of me as a runner.
I’m currently training for my first
ever Half Marathon, to be followed
by The Great South Run in the same
month, and I guess it is time to admit,
that with all the encouragement and
support from you, Dear BeaRCats,
I am a runner after all.
Written by Kamna Muralidharan
In the folly of my
youth, running was
all about: thinner,
faster, harder, better
and so on. Often just
a task to be completed
on a particular day, in a mercenary
type fashion to ensure my daily dose
of self-improvement, running was
not something I considered a luxury.
Now running has a very different
place in my life: it’s an actual event
in my day! Like a night out, I get the
same zingy anticipation doing up my
trainers as I once got from putting on
my make-up whilst TFI Friday (first
time round!) was blaring in the background before a night out at the local
dive for underage drinkers. A run is
An Actual Social Occasion. You’ll mingle,
you’ll joke, you’ll eat [gels] and drink
[water.] And as for a race, well, that’s
like my equivalent of a music festival:
mud, exhaustion, sweat, food from
vans and conversations with folk you
don’t know from Adam.
I never ran at school,
it left me with a
loathing for running
which lasted years.
With age, I found that my time became
more precious. You take on more
responsibility at work, maybe you
have children or other relatives to
care for, you might get ill, you might
find someone special, you might
lose someone special... All of these
features of our lives are what make
us more adult. But, just like children,
adults need to play too and running is
my ‘play.’ It’s therapeutic, invigorating
and transformative because at the
end of a run, somehow, all of those
adult-activities of my life seem less
frightening and I know for sure that
I can bag that promotion, stay up all
night with a puking child or face saying
a difficult goodbye. Play running might
be but a mere toy, it is not.
Since that morning I have been out
with the BeaRCats a lot. I have found
myself running through Richmond
Park in golden sunshine, by the river
in the morning mist, seeing things of
great beauty and cheered along with
the friendly banter. I have improved,
a bit as a runner and other things are
easier as my general fitness picked
up. Stress and depression lifted.
To jog with friends through the dusk
of Bushy Park while dodging deer is
a wonderful experience.
Written by Rachel Morse
I returned to running when I
signed up for a charity fun run.
First attempt had to stop, purple of
face. I wasn’t enjoying it and was
slowing down to the point that I
risked going into reverse.
A friend of mine who runs like the
wind suggested the BeaRCats. It took
a few months to get up the courage.
I vowed to myself that if it looked like
a triathlon convention I would walk
firmly through the pub and out the
other door...
I was so pleased to be warmly
welcomed that first Sunday. All are
accepted and helped. I was also in
a group with Lesely, who was also
starting. Hooray!
I am no natural runner but I wouldn’t
be without it now.
Written by Sally Kermond
W I N T E R 2 0 1 5 E D I T I O N 13
WHY I RUN?
I run for fun, but it
didn’t start that way.
That was no fun at all.
I went a shade of
greenish-grey at work
and went to see the nurse.
She took my blood pressure, turned
slightly pale herself and packed me
off to A&E (It was to reassure her,
she said, because even though the
machine must be broken to give a
reading that high, she’d feel bad if
I dropped dead after leaving her office
without being properly checked out).
I felt fine right up until I saw the
cardiologist. He told me I was ‘on a
knife-edge’, at risk of a heart attack
or a stroke.
So that’s how high blood pressure can
creep up on you if you sit at a desk all
day and do no exercise.
Two pills a day for the rest of my life
seemed to be the answer, but my wife
had another plan to keep me alive and
made me go for walks in the park.
Then I discovered Bushy Parkrun.
The first one I did was on Christmas
Day, which seemed a suitably bonkers
response to the crazy stuff that had
been happening to me while I thought
I was fit and healthy. I was hooked
immediately. Now I’m fine, and I’ve
discovered the BeaRCats.
Written by Nigel Owen
I originally started
running for one
purpose, I wanted
to be able to run
for the bus. I was
embarrassed about my weight
and fitness level and being someone
who liked to lie in, running for the
bus was a regular occurrence. Around
the same time my older brother
began running. I have always been
competitive especially when it comes
to him. If he could run a 10km race,
I would try and run it quicker.
So, to start with this became my
main reason. If I heard that he was
out running, I would grab my gear
and go.
I started running to
improve my fitness
so that I could enjoy
playing hockey more.
I entered my first half marathon in
2013. It was such a thrill to cross the
finish line that all I kept thinking was
when is the next one, can I do better!?
I decided to aim for a bigger goal after
watching my brother complete his
first marathon. Nothing wrong with
a bit of friendly competition. I joined
BeaRCats in 2014 and had the lucky
pleasure of meeting my marathon
partner in crime Romit. Since joining
BeaRCats I have changed my
perspective of running. I’m part of
a family, where running is more than
being competitive and keeping fit.
I’ve actually learnt to enjoy it.
A lot of this thanks to the support
of BeaRCats! And I’ve found that as
my confidence grows with running it
has had a positive knock-on effect at
work. Now, when i reach my ‘I can’t
hack my job any more moments’ I tell
myself ‘just get round this corner...
and then we’ll see and generally just
around that corner is the FINISH line
and I’ve made it. So thats why I run.
I still struggle to run for the bus but
then what do you expect trying to
run in heels!?
Written by Niomi Higgs
a2MilkUK
a2MilkUK
I was also very stressed
at work and I needed a way
to keep stress levels in check.
It took forever for me to start actually
enjoying running - and it is still easier
for me to enjoy hockey as i get into
the ‘i want to win mode’ and don’t
feel any pain (well, until the next
day when my whole body aches!)
However, what has been really
brilliant is that I have found it quite
easy to set myself running goals
and achieve them.
Written by Amanda Foley
W I N T E R 2 0 1 5 E D I T I O N 14
HARLEQUIN AMATEURS
Written by Mike Michaels
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If you would like to find out more about
playing for and/or supporting the
Harlequin Amateurs please contact
us on www.harlequinrugby.co.uk
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St. Margaret’s Rd
Ailsa Rd
Quins Minis provide the Guard of Honour
at Twickenham
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We also enjoy a fantastic relationship
with St Mary’s University. We run
our Mini & Youth programme at their
incredible facilities and provide
specialised rugby coaching using our
Coaching Pathway. This
combines
St.
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our own qualified parent coaches
with
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student coaches from SMU. This is
an excellent opportunity for our
children to learn rugby from those
actually training, playing and coaching
in the game.
Under 5s and Under 6s train indoors
each week in the Tennis Hall at Main
Campus on Waldegrave Rd and the
Under 7s to Under 11s train and play
at the Broom Road pitches. The youth
teams train and play at Waldegrave Rd,
alongside the First, Second and
Vets teams.
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Harlequin
AilsaAmateurs have a special
relationship with the professional
team
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of the Harlequins family as we approach
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We are actively recruiting and would
be pleased to welcome any players
from youth (U12s upwards) though
to the Seniors.
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We run a number of competitive and
successful teams from those discovering
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rugby at Under 5s through to our St. M
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Youth teams,
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even a Veterans team for those who
don’t ever want to give up. The Vets
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don’t
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because you are too old; you get old
because you stop playing rugby!
Developing great players
who love rugby.
Each season our children are given
the opportunity to form the guard
of honour at Quins home games,
including the Big Game each
Christmas at Twickenham.
am
Harlequin Amateurs are an ambitious
and inclusive Rugby Club based in
Teddington/Twickenham who believe
passionately in our unique ethos of
developing great players of all ages
and abilities that love rugby and
want to play the Harlequins Way in a
sociable and welcoming environment.
With the Rugby World Cup fresh in
the mind, there is no better time to
join in and wear the most iconic shirt
in rugby.
A316
HOW TO GET TO THE BEARCAT
RUNNING CLUB
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Bea
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28 Winchester
Road, Twickenham, Middlesex TW1 1LF
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Tel: 020 8892R1972
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Email: turkshead@fullers.co.uk
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Tel: 020 8607 9190
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Email: caitlinrun@gmail.com
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Contact details:
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By Train
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aroout of St. Margarets Station, walk or run past Tesco,
Turn left
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and take the second left into Bridge Road. At the end the
road turn right - you’ll see The Turks Head on the corner.
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By Bus
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The H37 bus from Richmond/Hounslow also stops
outside St. Margarets Station.
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Parking on Sunday mornings is free, you can park
on yellow lines or in residential bays.
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We are just off the A316 Chertsey Road, turning into
St. Margaret’s Road and then Broadway Avenue (one way),
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will find The Turks Head down Winchester Road.
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