Following on from the fact that the PWR 10k made the top 10 list, this letter was received by our Club Secretary this week.

The success of our event and the opportunity to raise the money for this worthy cause relies on 3 key components.

1) The Race Committee who perform all the behind the scenes work to make sure the event goes ahead.

2) PWR members who do an absolute sterling job of coming together on the day peforming a mutitude of roles.

3)  The runners who pay to take part in and run whatever the weather!



Take one of these components away and we do not have an event to raise the money!

So, a huge 'Thank You' to everybody involved in whatever capacity!

An eventful weekend for the PWRs

Parkrun
As we all know, Saturday morning means one thing.... Parkrun!

40 PWRs ventured to Norman Park for the Bromley Parkrun, which this Saturday was the Movember event.  For those that didn't have a pre-existing grown moustache, there were plenty of stick-on tashes to go around.

Pictures from the event on the Bromley Parkrun Flickr site can be found here http://www.flickr.com/photos/46168007@N06/

Johnny Gill led the men home, whilst Ellen Charman was the first PWR lady home.

8 Johnny GILL 00:19:18 
10 Stuart J SCOTT 00:19:37 
13 Christian TURNER 00:20:14 
17 Martin Andrew CUNNINGHAM 00:20:25 
40 Murat ASKIN 00:21:52 
69 David FORDYCE 00:22:46 
79 Gary VAUGHAN 00:23:08 
100 James ROBERTS 00:23:42 
150 Ellen CHARMAN 00:25:20 
159 David ALLISON 00:25:31 
164 Matt JONES 00:25:37 
178 Natalie COMPTON 00:26:05 
180 Fiona ABIOLA-MUSA 00:26:10 
187 Vera SIMMS 00:26:22 
195 Della HARRIS 00:26:42 
198 Elizabeth DELAMAIN 00:26:46 
202 Chris SUMMERS 00:26:54 
209 Jeremy BENSON 00:27:13 
221 Emma HAY 00:27:44 
222 Jonathan DEAN 00:27:45 
226 David SIMPSON 00:27:51 
227 Mark DOYLE 00:27:52 
241 Ray SIEVEY 00:28:23 
250 Helen HART 00:28:40 
256 Mariana BROUCHER 00:29:01 
299 Richard DUNSTAN 00:30:46 
306 Dawn DREWETT 00:31:20 
308 Katherine WALKER 00:31:24 
319 Joanne ADAMS 00:33:07 
326 Lucy COE 00:33:33 
330 Sonia CHOU 00:33:40 
338 Rebecca VANIN 00:34:09 
346 Jayne JONES 00:35:41 
347 Janet VINCENT 00:35:42 
356 Donna CARROLL 00:37:08 
358 Victoria SIMPSON 00:37:37 
361 Julia HUGHES 00:38:56 
366 Lynn Julie ROWDEN 00:42:53 
368 Alison MACOWAN 00:43:05 
372 Peter Frank EVES 00:45:08

At other local parkruns  Siggy Robson came 33rd in a time of 24:17 at Hilly Fields and Ka Sing Tung and Wendy Tung finished 43rd and 66th at Orpington Parkrun with times of 26:37 and 29:35 respectively.

Two other PWRs ventured further afield.  Brian O'Conner finished 3rd with a time of exactly 18:00 minute at the Waterworks parkrun and Jo Gambell came 140th in a time of 31:24 at the Wimpole Estate Parkrun.

For those of you who do not know where Waterworks and Wimpole Estate are (as I certainly didn't)  Waterworks Parkrun is in Belfast and Wimpole Estate Parkrun is just outside Cambridge.

Mob Match
Sunday was important for many PWR people, mainly little PWR people, as it meant they could open the first window on their advent calendars.  It was also important for some bigger PWR people.

23 PWR's ventured toook part in a Cross Country mob match against Orpington Road Runners and New Eltham Joggers.  It was quite a testing 2 lap 4.2 mile course, although things were made easier with a distinct lack of mud.  Out of the three teams, PWR didn't come last, but we didn't come first either!  Congratulations to ORR.

PWR finishing positions and times

Ashford
4 PWR ladies ventured down to Ashford for the 'Brett Ashford Multi Terrain' Half Marathon and reports suggest that there WAS NOT a distinct lack of mud! and conditions were a bit tough  The finishing time were

Paul Dimond    1:54:16
Ali MacOwan    1:56:17
Emma Atkins    2:07:38
Yolanda Arias   2:07:39

Well done ladies

Bromley Santa Dash
Sunday afternoon also saw at least half a dozen PWRs (that I know of) including yours truly, participate in the Bromley Santa Dash.  This was a 2k fun run with everybody dressed as Santa.  The clue is in the name ;-)  A real fun family event and a rather funky medal to boot which doubles as a Christmas Tree decoration!

Leaving the Best to Last
PWR's resident fruitcake aka Jerry Smallwood took part and completed the Centurion Winter 100mile event (No that is not a typo)  For those reading this on a black and white screen, we are talking about a ONE HUNDRED MILE EVENT!

Jerry mentioned that he came last and the results do attest to that fact that he was the last finisher in 29:56:47.  But the key word in that previous sentence is 'FINISHER'  Jerry may have come 69th, but 21 people failed to complete the course. 

What you also may not know is that the cut-off time was 30 hours.  So I am sure that Jerry dug deep to finish with just over 3 minutes to spare.

Jerry, we doff our caps to you Sir.  Amazing achievement!

Well I have the guest reporting duties this week.  Although Mark Burgess has already stolen my thunder by reporting the KFL results on Facebook.  Mr Burgess, this is not your job anymore, concentrate on your own work please ;-)

PARKRUN
As is the norm, PWR's were to be found at a variety of Parkruns on Saturday morning.

BROMLEY
1 Brian O'CONNOR 00:17:36 
8 Stuart J SCOTT 00:19:19 
47 Grant FRIPP 00:21:58 
78 Christian TURNER 00:22:51 
79 Helen NEOCLEOUS 00:22:52 
85 Martin Andrew CUNNINGHAM 00:23:11 
104 James ROBERTS 00:23:35 
123 Jenny LENG 00:24:03 
125 Natalie COMPTON 00:24:11 
134 Sian VAUGHAN 00:24:33
135 Laura STABLES 00:24:35 
178 Fiona ABIOLA-MUSA 00:26:04 
202 Dawn GODLIMAN 00:27:04 
208 Jeremy BENSON 00:27:22 
227 Donna HASSAN 00:28:00 
229 Emma HAY 00:28:04 
253 Ruth OSATCH 00:29:02 
267 Matt JONES 00:29:53 
288 Donna CARROLL 00:31:50 
309 Joanne ADAMS 00:33:56 
322 Chris SUMMERS 00:36:48 
325 Jayne JONES 00:38:11 
326 Janet VINCENT 00:38:17 
327 Wendi WALKER 00:38:55 
334 Joanna GAMBELL 00:45:30

GREENWICH
14 Nicki HUDSON 00:22:01

HILLY FIELDS
26 Sigrid ROBSON 00:24:34 
27 Stephen ROBSON 00:24:35

ORPINGTON
23 Ka Sing TUNG 00:25:41 
44 Wendy TUNG 00:29:28

Sunday saw an impressive turnout of 51 PWR's (That is approx 20% of our membership) at the Kent Fitness League Cross Country at Swanley Park on Sunday morning.  The rain had abated and we were all treated to a fresh and sunny morning.  Although the deluge during the week ensured that underfoot conditions were testing on the 3 lap - 5 mile course.  The race was preceded with a 2 minute silence to remember our brave servicemen and women. Lest we forget!

First gent home for PWR was Simon Bryant in 31:42, First PWR lady home was Rebecca Cawley in 38:10 and special mention to Donna Caroll who (I believe) was the sole Group 1 representative who put in a gutsy performance to finish the course in 1:05:19, Full results can be found here

Out of the 18 teams represented, our men's team came 8th and our ladies team 6th.  A sterling effort from everyone!

The next KFL event is on the 24th November, the morning after our Christmas Party, so that will be interesting!

PWR also had their first junior representative, Jenny Leng's 11yo son (sorry I don't know his name) who took
part in the junior race prior to the main event.  He ensured that the PWR vest that he borrowed from mum was suitably decorated with finest Kent mud before passing it back to Jenny.

BEXHILL
Down on the South Coast, two PWR's were taking part in the Poppy Half Marathon in Bexhill.   Mick 'The Fireman' Welch finished in a not too shabby PB of 1:25:53 finishing 15th overall and Peter Eves completed the 13.1 mile course in 2:02:08.

BECKENHAM
Closer to home, two PWR ladies were taking part in the Beckenham Charity Trail 10k.  Della Harris finished in 58:21 and Vera Simms was not too far behind finishing in 58:44.

Well done to everybody for their weekend efforts!

If I have missed anybody's weekend achievements (that doesn't include managing to put an IKEA flat pack together), let me know.

Cheers

Ray

We have received this delightful piece from Copywriter Sara Woodward who is a Petts Wood resident.  Sara informs us that she lives in Birchwood (part of the 10k route) and cheers the runners home every year.

Petts Wood 7th 10k Run
View From Under An Umbrella

The Petts Wood 10k run took place on the 13th October, as the leaves were turning yellows, reds and gold.
PW Running Club had been busy planning for the day. Sponsors, security and stewards.  Information packs sent and registration forms completed. Seven hundred and fifty runners signed up. Elite runners to those who had never run a 10k, but took up the challenge.  They put in the training, pounding pavements and counting down the days. 
Refreshments, red and white tape and sound system. Nothing had been left to chance. 

Sunday, 13th was the sort of day that prompted Noah to built his ark. A low weather front. Rain lashed winds swept the country.  Autumnal winds that made sailors shudder and surfers smile.
The competitors and PW Running Club watched the weather bulletins, sighed, shivered and put away the sun block. Hunted out waterproofs and packed a towel and bin liners.
 
A day of leaden skies. A day children puddle jumped and race organizers quietly cursed, between marking out the course and hanging signs from lampposts. The competitors arrived, collected their tags and tried to keep dry. They failed. 

They took their place at the start line.  Elite, honed runners at the front, pensive rookies at the back. Stopwatches checked, tags secured, muscles stretched. The Race Organiser wished them well, urged caution and
they were off. Ahead lay 10K, rain, mud and pain. A rainbow coloured stream of numbered running vests and black bin liners circled the cricket square, where fielders had taken wickets and batsmen had struck elusive sixes in the summer.

Spectators watched under umbrellas and welly wearing children, with rain splashed smiles, jumped in puddles. Forlorn dogs sighed, sat on the wet grass and longed for home. And as the runners broke up into groups and counted down the kilometers, children competed in their own races and claimed their chocolate medals.

The elite runners were the first to exit the wood. Mud splattered they crossed the New Bridge and turned down Birchwood, to the recreation ground. The first runner across the finish line wore a black vest and a quiet smile,
followed by the rest of the field.  Some were home and showered before the last person crossed the line.
 
But it was a race about so much more than who came first and last. It was about all the bits in between.
The Race Organiser and his team. Soggy stewards and course marshals, who encouraged the field, from first to last.Delegation, detail and paperwork.  Red tape, counting medals and remembering to buy the biscuits and milk.
It was about the competitors, organizers, spectators, wet dogs and welly wearing children. 
It was a jostling start line of numbered running vests. Vibrant yellows, oranges and muted blacks.   Waterproofs, trainers and bin liners. Those who had put in the hours and those who had let the hours slip away but were prepared to take on the challenge. For themselves and Harris HospisCare.
It was about the Petts Wood runner, who ran with the children and threw in a few mud dives to entertain the crowds. 
It was about Woody the Gorilla, with his fixed grin and enthusiasm and Wendy and Jackie on the tea urn
with their big smiles, soggy feet and biscuits. 
It was wet haired Emma on the mike, with her red beret and all the rest of the PW Crew who made it happen and smiled through the rain.
It was about the Spring Boks runner, with his dog called Lucy and little girl with a pink umbrella. They both ran in the rain and took home their medals.
It was about the runner who finished first and all those who followed in his footsteps. The competitor who hobbled through the pain and the runner who stayed by her side and got her across the finish line, long after the elite runners had done their cool downs and headed home with another medal. 

A day to remember for competitors, spectators and welly wearing puddle jumpers. A day of pain and rain and
lactic acid. Fallen leaves and tree roots. A day of achievement and overcoming adversity. A day of wet dogs and bin liners.  Medals, mud and memories.
 
PW 10k Run. Viewed under an umbrella.
  
Sara Woodward
Wordsbywoody.co.uk