OCTOBER NEWSLETTER

www.100marathonclub.org.uk 
info@100marathonclub.org.uk 

Compiled by Roger Biggs

It’s been a busy period for me with the Fairlands Valley Challenge back in July, and now in full swing for the Stevenage Marathon on November 7^th. I therefore hope you will understand if this is a bit of a rushed newsletter, although it should end up fairly substantial. As usual quite a lot of this can be found on the club website, or will be there once I get back from my latest Stateside Trip. This will include all the results I have been advised or found on the internet, so do have a look in a couple of weeks time and update me, as I sure I’ve missed some results..

For those not on the internet or email, Peter will copy this and hand out to 100 Club members as he runs into them.

If you have an email account, and are not receiving this newsletter through the world of the PC, then do let me know. Some people also have problems receiving attachments, if so, again let me know.

The most important text in this newsletter is suggesting ways of taking the 100 Marathon Club forward to include new and improved club kit. Currently myself, Tad & Peter are the un-elected committee, although we have co-opted John Dawson, Dave Major and Dave Lewis to take the kit forward. Kit of course costs money, so we believe that we need to constitute the club properly and charge a membership fee. Proposal ideas have been put together by Tad and can be found later in this newsletter. We encourage all current members to read these and comment, both positively and negatively!

At the moment we are hoping to get a gathering at the Luton Marathon on December 5^th, with the new kit getting it’s first major outing one week later in Calvia. We have a very big group going to Calvia, and if we could get all the 100 Club Members wearing the new vest, it would certainly be noticed!

Roger Biggs

3) Travel Section

4) Around the 100 Mark!

5) 2004/2005 Marathon Fixture List

6) 2004/2005 Ultra Fixture List

7) Fixture List key

8) Club Records

9) Club Kit

11) 2004 results

12) Counties, Countries, States, Provinces & Continents

Dear Club Member

The 100 Marathon Club currently exists as a loose organisation of runners who have run 100 Marathons, though the Club has been registered with a local athletics association.

The Club has been run, and mainly funded by, the founder Brian Doherty and subsequently the current Club Secretary Peter Graham.

The Club has no written constitution, formal membership or committee, which legally should exclude it from formal membership of the athletics association.

The current situation is anomalous and this could cause a problem in the future if the association decided to enforce its own rules. The club is also vulnerable as it depends on the commitment and benevolence of a single individual.

Several members wish to bring the club onto a formal footing. We have no formal standing in the Club, but neither has anyone else. It is up to the current members to decide in which direction they wish their Club to go.

To this end we will shortly be issuing a proposed constitution, a discussion paper on a few contentious issues and a questionnaire through which members may make their views known and the results of which will determine the future of our Club.

We attach our "vision for the future".

If our vision is accepted we propose to hold a meeting at the Luton Marathon in December to vote on the proposed constitution and elect members to the committee. All current members will be sent the agenda of the meeting and a ballot paper in advance.

Peter Graham – Club Secretary
Roger BiggsTad Lancucki

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b) Discussion Paper – what counts?

When the Club was founded only road marathons counted towards club membership (though incongruously the Seven Sisters Trail Marathon was deemed acceptable).

Slowly over the years this rule has been eroded and now all Races Of Marathon Distance Or Longer (ROMDOLs for short) are deemed acceptable by most members. That is: Marathons or Ultramarathons, road or trail. This is the count made by other 100 Marathon Clubs around the world.

What is a Marathon? A Marathon is any race of 26 miles 385 yards (42,195 metres).

What is an Ultramarathon? An Ultramarathon is any race longer than a Marathon.

If only life was so simple! The following is a proposed complete definition of what races may be included in the count for Club membership. Adherence to these rules should cut out most disputes.

Only races should be included. Training runs should not be included, whatever the distance run. Distance runs of a "non-competitive" nature, often undertaken for charitable purposes by one or two runners, should not be included.

Race definition: An official event open to all applicants (occasionally subject to entry limits or qualification restrictions), advertised beforehand in running press, on the web, by leaflets at other races or some similar manner. Normally, but not always, competitive. Normally at least 3 participants. Normally results available.

The runner must have completed the whole race entered and have run (jogged, walked) the whole course (unless misdirected by the organisers) for the race to count. For example, dropping out at the marathon distance in an ultra race can not be counted unless this was advertised beforehand as part of the race rules. The declared race distance counts (the runner is not penalised if the race distance appears to be short). However, a runner should not count a race he knows in advance to be short.

If a runner finishes a race outside a stated time limit the race should not count unless the race director is flexible in his interpretation of the rules and the runner is given a medal/certificate and/or appears in the result list.

Marathons: Races where the distance measured and stated by organisers is 26m 385y (26.2 miles) / 42.195 km (42.2 kilometres) on the road or, for trail marathons, accepting that exact measurement is not possible, approximated i.e. 26m or 42km. Races less than marathon distance should not be included e.g. 25m or 40km.

Ultra Marathons: Road or trail races of distance longer than marathon.

Stage Races: Races over several days with a set distance each day. One of the stages must be of marathon distance or longer for the race to count. If two or more stages are of marathon distance or longer and results are published for each stage, then each such stage may be counted separately.

The marathon distance is 26 miles 385 yards (42.195 metres) by definition. Any race under this distance can not be counted as a Marathon. Any race over this distance should be counted as an Ultramarathon.

Sometimes races are called Marathons when the distance to be run is not the marathon distance. It is the advertised distance that is important, not the race name.

The Club has moved from accepting just road marathons to allowing trail marathons and ultramarathons to count towards the hundred required for acceptance into the Club and for inclusion in Club statistics. However, we cannot move to allowing races of less than marathon distance to be included. This is not being pedantic. There has to be a cut off point and the very name of the Club sets that cut off point as the marathon distance. We are not the 100 "almost a marathon" club!

We run for fun, because we enjoy the challenge, the environs, the company, the atmosphere of the event. Most of us run events of less than marathon distance, whether half marathons or 25 milers, and we do so because they are good events and we enjoy taking part in them, not so that we may include them in our marathon total. And long may that continue. A target of achieving the hundred by a certain time or place or a goal of a high total completed should not be allowed to cloud the issue. An individual cannot unilaterally redefine the marathon distance (no-one can run a hundred 25 mile races and say they have run a hundred marathons). The Club for its entry qualifications and statistics will only accept races of marathon distance or longer. This is very much in keeping with the spirit of the Club, the spirit of Pheidippides.

Similarly non official or solo events, often undertaken for charitable purposes, are laudable in themselves but they are not what this Club is about. Individuals who take part in such events should enjoy them, be proud of their achievements and should be applauded for them. But such events are outside the parameters of what the Club was formed to celebrate, the successful completion of 100 marathon (now marathon or longer) races.

If there is a dispute as to whether an event should count towards Club statistics the Management Committee of the Club will arbitrate.

In deference to the spirit of the founders we would like to publish in our quarterly newsletter a list of road marathons completed by UK and Irish runners as well as total ROMDOLs.

We will be asking members to provide their totals quarterly, split into road Marathons, trail Marathons and Ultramarathons.

The total ROMDOLs will enable a direct comparison, like for like, with our fellow runners around the world. The German 100 Marathon Club collates lists from around the world quarterly and publishes a world list.

The website is the means of maintaining statistical data, and as such is seen by the world. If we are going to maintain numbers above 100, then they should mean something, and to at least some extent be substantiated.

(It should be noted that we question whether an event should count, not whether that person actually completed any events supplied to us)

Currently anyone who has said they have completed 100 marathons (to what ever rule), are considered to be members. Going forward, only those that pay a membership fee to join the club will be considered members. In addition to those who do not want to join, they may be others who want to join, but are not prepared to substantiate their numbers. The suggestion is to therefore show figures in 3 categories as follows:

a) Figures above and below 100 for those who substantiate their events both now and going forward.

b) Those who join but do not want to substantiate going forward. These will be shown as members and receive all club benefits, but will not be advanced past 100 in record terms.

c) Anybody else whether former members or not who we believe have run 100 or more marathons will be shown as such, but will obviously not receive club benefits.
Roger Biggs

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1) The STEVENAGE Marathon will take place on 7th November 2004 (This happens once every 10 years)

Don’t forget that this marathon only happens every 10 years. It has a strict 300 limit and will probably sell out before the closing date. You have been warned!
2) There is still time to join the Calvia Marathon Trip in December!!

3) It's official - the Potteries is no more. In 2005 it will be a half marathon on Sunday, 12th June 2005
4) A new Marathon at Anglesey on October 10th!
5) The Kingston marathon on October 10th will be the last!
6) The date for the Beachy Head Marathon is 23rd October 2004, so no triple this year! 
7) A new Marathon in Palma on 24th October 2004

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Looking towards the end of the year and into 2005, while I will be engaging in some long distance trips, there are 4 marathon trips that are likely to attract quite a few members and friends.

If you need further information on any of these trips, don’t hesitate to get in touch with me by email of phone.

a) Amsterdam – Belgium on Sunday, 17^th October 2004
www.amsterdammarathon.nl/ 

Online entries have now closed, and no doubt the flights will be getting dearer, but you can still get into this Top Ten rated marathon.

2) Calvia – Mallorca on Sunday, 12^th December 2004
www.runningcrazy.co.uk 

A lot has already been said about this trip, so I won’t repeat it all. At the last count it was very close to 80 booked. Just don’t expect an early night on the Sunday.

3) Connemara – Galway, Ireland on Easter Sunday, 27^th March 2005
www.connemarathon.com 

I took a group of 10 this year. We flew into Dublin and hired cars and stayed in a nice hotel on the edge of Galway. At the amount I have 5 rooms booked in the same hotel. 7 of us have booked Birmingham/Knock flights, while the other 2 have gone for Dublin.

4) Krakow – Poland on Saturday, 7^th May 2005
www.cracovia-marathon.com 

For this we have our own Polish speaking guide (Tad), for this visit to the former Capital. Easyjet have just started flying direct, so if we get in early, this shouldn’t be too expensive.

I expect to see members at the Isle of Man and Longford again in 2005. I’ve also sent an advanced party to Budapest (Oct.3), so if they come back with a recommendation, expect that to be on the list in 2005.

4) Night of Flanders – Belgium on Friday, 17^th June 2005
www.nb.be 

We’ve taken a mini bus for the last 2 year, and can expect a full house again for this evening run in the Belgium countryside. Out Friday, back Saturday, crash out in the hall in the early hours!

And Lastly: If you are interested in any of these trips, get your name on the radar. Also, I don’t have all the ideas, so if you are planning a trip elsewhere, do let me know for the next newsletter, and perhaps I can find you some company!

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Congratulations to these finishers

Others in the 90’s include:

Peter Clegg, Norman Gosbee, Colin Morris, Robin Ruston, Bill Salkeld, Dougie Tobutt & Bill Young

Speedy Graham Baker has slipped through the 100 mark, although he has another 10 or so to get to his 100^th marathon not including Ultras.

Ivor Davies, the lively (& lovely) Siri Terjesen, following his run in Belfast; Keith Robbins has been slowly building to 93 since 1982; while David Toms weighs in with 76.

Oct.31 - Peter Reed at Snowdonia
Oct.31 - John Horgan at Snowdonia
Nov.7 - Carol Paul at Stevenage
Nov.21 - Warren D'Rozario at Kansas City

Nov.28 – Brian & Barry Stuart-Cole at Benidorm

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I’m re-printing this with a few amendments to try and draw some comments/response. Come on, see if you can fill in some of the question marks?

This list is a little light hearted, but might give members something to go for. I’m quite happy to add in as many categories as you like, and of course take any details where I have categories, but no facts.

Other examples could be:
a) Most marathons under 4 hours
b) Most different

My personal feeling is that records in the main should be restricted to those who live in the British Isles. (UK plus Ireland), and are full members (ie. 100 Marathons completed) I don’t think it means anything otherwise. Like the numbers quoted in section 4 above, these are what people tell me and generally are not substantiated!

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John Dawson, Dave Major & Dave Lewis have now come up with a starting range of kit. I’m sure this could easily be extended if the base kit sells well. We are keeping the base colour the same, but jazzing up the logo and the printing.

As I write the starting order is being put together. We want to start with the tank tops (vests) and t-shirts, followed fairly quickly by Polo Shirts and shorts. Obviously, Sweatshirts and Long Sleeve t-shirts would be the next garments to consider.

The tank tops and t-shirts are good quality wicking garments and will have print on the back and front. I have some digital photos and will try to get these on the website before the end of October. Costs are going to be around £18 for the tank top and £20 for the t-shirt. If you have seen Dave Major lately, he has been wearing the new t-shirt. (He grabbed the sample! Actually we gave it to him at Longford)

Our current aim is to have kit available for the Calvia Marathon on December 12^th, although I guess that means we should also have this for the proposed meeting at the Luton Marathon. While I know some members consider the 100 Marathon Club as their 1^st claim club, most run in the colours of their local club. However our thought is that when running abroad, we could easily drop our normal colours to wear the new club kit.

Calvia gives us a brilliant opportunity to further the cause with a massive showing of the new kit. I certainly hope to be seen in the new running vest for the 2 laps in Mallorca.

If you want to see the digital photos ahead of me getting these online, then just drop me an email, and I’ll send an attachment straight back to you.

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Saturday, 25^th September 2004 - Race Result

A report by Siri Terjesen

Those present know that the overall course was short. My GPS seemed to be a midpoint between the other 3 Forerunner 201’s on show, so I’m taking the race distance as 24.75 miles. With this in mind, I’ve calculated a projected marathon time, then applied age grading for all those I have an age for.

This was great event, just what marathon running is all about. Ok, so I’ve told Siri I’ll get it measured for her next time, this was a great day out, well done Siri!

Roger Biggs

Bold times were individually supplied

 b) Skagit Flats Marathon (USA)

Sunday, 12^th September 2004
A report by Bob Dolphin

After a two year absence, it was great to be back for participation in the Skagit Flats Marathon on Sunday, September 12, 2004. Last year and the year before there was a schedule conflict with the Shore to Shore Marathon at Chelan in north central Washington. This was a fairly new marathon, and my wife Lenore was assisting the race management. In 2001, the inaugural year for that marathon and this year these two marathons were offered a week apart, so some of us were able to run them both.

Skagit Flats has always been a fast marathon, especially when the weather cooperates.  The first time I ran it was on September 8, 1990, when it was a loop course. I was 60 years old, and on a cool, overcast day I ran a 3:05:16, my best time of that year. In the dozen Skagit Flats races since then my finishing time has slipped by two hours.

In 2000 the original course was changed from a loop to an out-and-back design that followed much of the original course. The change eliminated the running on two busy highways and made it a safer race. I like the out-and-back configuraion because it's possible to observe and greet the whole field and get a feel for the race order that is developing.

At the 8:00 a.m. start the air was calm, the temperature was 60 degrees, and the sky was overcast. I was amazed at the number of yellow Marathon Maniac singlets that were in view. The Marathon Maniacs (MM) group is a new club for marathoners that keeps growing and growing. Tony Phillippi, one of the three co-founders, provided me with a list of the members who ran this marathon, and the designation "MM" appears by the names on the partial results list.

When I was about nine miles into the run, I was surprised to see the leader of the marathon returning! He had a commanding lead over the rest of the field. After the race I learned that he had massive leg cramps that caused him to drop out at Mile 22.

Gregg Walchli, 42, a 100 Marathon Club North America member and an MM from Seattle, was the winner in a time of 3:00:21. He was followed by Leland Wakelin, 45, of White Rock, BC, who ran a 3:08:59 for second place. Levi Webb, 22, was close behind with a 3:09:19 for third place.

Monica Ochs, 37, was the first woman with a time of 3:26:51. In second and third positions were MM's Bobbie Howard, 37 (3:38:03) and Gunhild Swanson, 60, of Spokane (3:39:37).

The Skagit Flats Marathon is run in an agricultural area that is varied and interesting.  The area is bordered by Puget Sound. Hills and mountains may be seen on a clear day. Farmsteads, rural housing and villages are scattered throughout the region. There are horses, beef cattle and milk cows in pastures and crops of silage corn, alfalfa and hay fields.

Blueberry plantings were seen in the open, and berry crops were grown under screening on frames. I ran past a field of ripe cabbage that was being harvested by hand. These things may have been on the famous Sakuma Farms.

If one were to return in the spring, there would be fields of tulips and narcissus to admire. The bulbs are grown, harvested and exported, mainly, to the Netherlands.

There were a lot of Eurasian plants in flower along the roadsides. The "garden-escape" that I found of interest was butter & eggs, a plant that resembles a miniature snapdragon.

Aran Galway, an old friend who has relocated from Alaska to Anacortes to set up a medical clinic, came to the race to see me off at the start. He then brought his wife Marie to the race to watch the runners finish. Aran ran some marathons in eastern Washington in the mid-1980's and is training for the next YAKIMA RIVER CANYON MARATHON which will be run on Saturday, April 2, 2005. I look forward to seeing him there, and I appreciate his taking the time to join Lenore and me at the race start and finish areas.

Lenore was a volunteer at the race who helped prepare the finish area food and then pulled bib tags at the finish line for both races.

As I have often done for the past decade or longer, I ran for awhile with Jon Gissberg, a friend from Seattle. He ran barefooted in the early miles, but then put on flats when embedded gravel in the road pavement became too rough. I only know a few marathoners who like to race with bare feet. Jon's most admirable exploit of the year is a successful completion of the Coeur d' Alene Ironman Triathlon in Idaho last June.

Thanks go to race director Wendy Scott, her committee and the volunteers for putting on a successful marathon. I don't plan to miss this race again, and I look forward to another Skagit Flats Marathon in September of 2005.

.........................................Written by Bob Dolphin

Skagit Flats Marathon Partial Results.................

MM = Marathon Maniac;
100 MC = 100 Marathon Club North America Member

(1) 3:00:21 Gregg Walchli, 42, MM, 100 MC
(2) 3:08:59 Leland Wakelin, 45
(3) 3:09:19 Levi Webb, 22

(1F) 3:26:51 Monica Ochs, 35
(2F) 3:38:03 Bobbie Howard, 37, MM
(3F) 3:39:37 Gunhild Swanson, 60, MM, 100 MC

3:19:30 Tony Phillippi, 43, MM
5:15:08 Bob Dolphin, 74, MM, 100 MC
6:37:00 Carol Dellinger, 42, MM. 100 MC

 c) Quad City Marathon – Moline, IL, USA)

Sunday, 26^th September 2004
A report by John Wallace (USA)

d) Vilnius Marathon – Lithuania

Saturday, 11^th September 2004
A report by Mike Gaunt

First question: where is it?

Answer: Lithuania

Guaranteed to induce a blank look on the face of anyone enquiring where I was last weekend. Not surprising really as the country vanished in 1944 when it was swallowed up by the Soviet Union and did not come back until 1990. In fact it is 3 hours flight due East from Gatwick, the far side of Poland.

They have finally got round to organising a marathon and a group of us from the 100 Club decided to check it out.

Arrived Thursday evening in time for a couple of beers. Spent Friday doing the tourist bit with a ride on the open top bus, loads of walking round the sights and a few more beers – not ideal marathon preparation !

Race was on Saturday and conditions were ideal, clear blue sky with a cooling breeze. Large parts of the figure of eight course were on undulating paths through tree lined forest, fantastic running terrain. Unfortunately the first and last 5 km were on cobbled streets through the town, even with a pair of new shoes this was extremely heavy going. Had to fight off the guys on the bailout bus at around 30km as they doubted my ability to finish inside the 5:30 cut off. Kept going and started working up the field to finish in 5:20.

But this outing was never going to be about a fast marathon for we had tracked down Tiffanys, a marvellous café with 100 different beers on the menu. The challenge was too great. Started our way systematically through the list but really developed a taste for number 16, Horn Imperial Porteris, a dark beer with 7.4% alcohol. Finally admitted defeat at number 72, Amsterdam Maximator, a light beer with a knock out 11.6% alcohol. The night was long and exciting. At one point a few people who we had been talking to earlier were arrested and escorted out of the café in hand cuffs. Recall tangling with a bouncer at a night club and getting to bed around 6:00am. Showering the next morning found a rather large gash on the crown of my head – but no idea how it got there!

Spent the next few hours strolling round the town and restoring our energy levels with coffee and cakes before the flight back.

Tremendous trip and great value for money – 3 nights B&B in the Holiday Inn worked out at £70 per person.

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Just a few recent results – all of 2004 will be on the website by mid October