Full Text of Presentation Speech

made by Tony Sheridan assisted by Michael MacClancy 

First of all I would like to ask our President, Bob Webb, and Vice President, Jean Heywood, to join me here at the front and present the trophies.  Whilst they are making their way forward I’ll take the opportunity to say a few words about the Club’s activities in 2001.

One of the main reasons people join running clubs is to enter races and competitions and Windle Valley Runners have been very active on that front in the past year.  As far as we know club members represented us in more than 33 individual events last year, both in the UK and abroad.  Apart from the usual local competitions our attractive green and black vests have been spotted in the Paris Marathon and in half marathons as far afield as Orlando in Florida and Sydney in Australia.  In all we have had entries in thirteen 10k’s, seven 10 miles, eleven half marathons and 2 marathons.  In addition to these we have had team entries in several relay events and there are a few members who, not content with running, have also entered duathlons and triathlons.   The most strongly supported event of the year was the Wokingham Half Marathon, in which we had 26 entries and it is also worth noting that we had 12 finishers in the London Marathon.  I think that I should particularly mention the ambassadorial efforts of three of our members last year  who between them had worn club colours in at least 44 events.  These are Colin Woods with 16 and Kerrie Woods and Richard Sherlock, each with 14.  Notable achievements have been Rob Batchelor’s time of thirty-six minutes ten second in the Elmbridge 10k and one hour nineteen minute and forty-six seconds in the Wokingham Half, club best times for these distances last year.  The fastest 10 miles run by a Windle Valley Runner in 2001 was Nick Adams’ one hour, four minutes and thirty-four seconds in the Cabbage Patch.  The fastest club marathon that we know about was Wendy Davies’ three hours, five minute and fifty-two seconds in London.  Of course, running isn’t just about being the fastest.  There are many members who, in the course of the year, have set their own personal best times or successfully fought back from injury or experienced the relief and elation of completing their first marathon.  You know who you all are and you can now bask in your own individual glory.

Men’s Championship

These are made for the best time for either a 10k, 10 mile and half marathon or for five 10k’s.  The member placed third in the men’s championship ran a Yateley 10k in forty-two minutes and thirty-nine seconds, the Cabbage Patch Ten in one hour and ten minutes exactly and the Gosport half marathon in one hour thirty-four minutes and twenty seconds, making a total time of three hours, twenty-six minutes and fifty-nine seconds.  That person is Colin Woods.  Colin.   Second place in the men’s championship goes to someone who ran forty-two minutes and thirty seconds in our March club 10k, one hour ten minutes and twelve seconds in the Cabbage Patch Ten and achieved an excellent one hour thirty one minutes and one second on the tough Camberley half marathon course.  Second place goes to our club secretary, Barry Andrews.  And now we come to the winner of this year’s Men’s Championship.  Our Champion ran the Lara Surrey Classic in thirty-eight minutes and fifty-four seconds, the Epsom 10 in one hour, seven minutes and thirty-one seconds and the Wokingham Half in one hour, twenty-nine minutes and thirty-four seconds.  Ladies and gentlemen, please join me in congratulating this year’s Windle Valley Runners Men’s Champion, Keith Hull.

 Ladies Championship

 Just like the men, the ladies have to run either a 10k, 10 mile and half marathon or else five 10k’s.  The member who placed third in the Ladies Championship had a total time of three hours fifty-four minutes and thirty-three seconds.  Her best 10k was forty-six minutes and forty-nine minutes in the April club handicap and she followed this by running the Great South ten mile race in one hour, twenty-one minutes and fifty-seven seconds.  Her best half marathon was in Gosport with a time of one hour forty-five minutes and forty seven seconds.  She was also sixth fastest in Roland’s Trophy, only about 90 seconds behind Chris Lovell.  Third place in the Ladies Championship goes to Chris Peppiatt.  Second place goes to someone who ran Yateley in a best time of forty-seven minutes and forty-four seconds and then ran the Garden City ten in one hour, eighteen minutes and seven seconds.  Her best half marathon was also in Gosport, with a time of one hour, forty-one minutes and thirty-eight seconds.  Her total time was three hours, forty-seven minutes and twenty-nine seconds.  Placed second in this year’s Ladies Championship is Kerrie Woods.  It isn’t very hard to guess who has won this year’s Ladies Championship.  She had an outstanding year.  I have already mentioned her success in the London Marathon.  She ran the Oxford Town & Gown 10k in forty minutes and sixteen seconds and the Great South 10 mile in one hour, four minutes and fifty-one seconds.  Her best half marathon time was one hour, twenty-six minutes and fifty seconds at Lake Vrynwy in mid Wales.  Her total time for the Ladies Championship was three hours, eleven minutes and fifty-seven seconds.  Apart from winning the Ladies Championship this time would have won this year’s men’s championship and her time in Roland’s Trophy was good enough to have won that too, despite the considerable disadvantage the handicapping system puts her under.  Ladies and gentlemen, please join me in congratulating this year’s Windle Valley Runners Ladies Champion, the all-conquering, ever loyal, Wendy Davies.

Peter Dimmock Cup

When Peter Dimmock retired as Club President last year he donated to the club this cup and some money to fund an award to encourage our younger members.  The Club decided to make the award to the young member who could demonstrate the greatest individual achievement in athletics in the last year.  This year it has been decided that the cup should be awarded to someone who has been running with us for a couple of years now and who has made substantial progress in this time.  Last year she placed third in the Surrey County Ladies Half Marathon Championship and she completed the London Marathon, her first, in the staggering time of three hours, forty-two minutes and forty-seven seconds, a time which many a more seasoned runners would gladly have as their own.  She is currently studying at University and we know that she will put her £50 prize, to be spent on sporting equipment mind you, to good use.  Ladies and gentleman, please join me in congratulating the first ever winner of the Peter Dimmock Cup, Jenny Peppiatt.

 Roland’s Trophy

Roland’s Trophy recognises the fact that younger men tend to run faster than older ladies, and older men for that matter, and is therefore awarded to the member who was fastest in our monthly 10k handicap, the handicap system making allowances for age and gender.  Anyone who was placed in the top three of the club men’s or ladies championships doesn’t qualify for Roland’s trophy, because they’ve already won something!  This year the competition for Roland’s Trophy has been very close with only a couple of minutes separating the top six or so positions.  It’s worth mentioning that in third place, with a qualifying time of forty-one minutes and fifty-four seconds, only one minute and seventeen seconds behind the time he needed to win, is Roy Bell.  In second place, with a qualifying time of forty-three minutes and seven seconds, a mere sixteen seconds behind the time he needed to get to win, is John Williamson.  But this year’s winner obviously had his heart set on Roland’s Trophy because he entered more club 10k’s than anyone else, nine in all.  Ladies and gentlemen, please join me in congratulating this year’s winner of Roland’s Trophy, Chris Lovell.

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