Message from the Chair – Apr 2020

Dear AVOHK Members

Breaking news. Date for your diary. The 2021 AVOHK China Coast Marathon and Half Marathon will be held on Sunday, 10th January 2021. Well done to Race Directors Dave Smith and Catherine Leonard in securing this date.

I am sure we are all fed up of hearing about COVID-19 or Corona Virus, which has put large parts of our life on hold. Some good progress made by the people of Hong Kong and some restrictions are being lifted shortly. There is light at the end of this dark tunnel. Globally, virtually all major sporting events have been either cancelled or postponed. The annual Cheung Chau Bun Festival Race being the latest victim. What has shone through is the amazing challenges that people have set themselves and often benefitting charities. Captain Tom Moore in UK did 100 laps of his garden prior to his recent 100th birthday and raised an amazing amount of over GBP 30m for the UK’s NHS and became a global celebrity. Captain Tom has since been promoted to Colonel and now heading towards 200 laps. This positive news really keeps our spirits up.

The immediate impact to AVOHK has been to delay the 2020 Malcolm Phillips 5km race. The Club do hope to put this event on at the earliest opportunity, possibly early June. The monthly social runs have also been cancelled but plan to resume in June.

Given the lack of activity, the AVOHK performance of the month goes to Peter Wong, the AVOHK Treasurer who has been busy processing the refunds from the 2020 Standard Chartered Marathon back to the AVOHK Club members that entered. Peter has processed over 60 individual refunds to date. Great job, Peter.

The Club are still planning on holding the 2020 AGM on Thursday, 11th June at Café 8. Starting at 7pm. Details will be out shortly, but it would be appreciated if you could make time to attend this annual event where the business of the day is reviewed and discussed and the Club officials voted in for the next 12 months.

In this month’s newsletter, there is the usual from The Railbird in Heard at the Track and the mention of two local athletes still battling to get Olympic qualifying times, Vet’s Vade Mecum status has been updated and unsurprisingly not looking too good, a very detailed article from Track & Field on “who is the greatest” by event, history reviewed in why UK never boycotted the 1980 Olympics. The 2003 London Marathon and the amazing performance by Paula Radcliffe and an interesting article on runners social distancing, do they need more space? There is also an article “Blast from the Past” which looks at Ron Hill’s visit to Hong Kong in 2003 and details on the Chan Kwok-leung memorial relay which was so popular in the 1980s/90s.

Just a reminder, May’s social run is cancelled.

On a final note to all AVOHK Club members, do stay fit, stay healthy and stay safe. Here is hoping for a brighter future.

Yours in Running

Colin Whittington
Chairman