Message from the Chair

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

Dear AVOHK Members

We are all battling to keep our spirits up during these very difficult days. I hope you and your family, whatever location you are in, are the best you can be and managing to stay fit and staying safe. We are all praying that at some point the Coronavirus will let up and we can all lead a more normal active life. Here’s hoping.

It probably won’t come as much surprise that the 2020 Malcolm Phillips 5K memorial race scheduled to take place on Saturday, 9th May, has been postponed. We had not launched race entry, so not too much to unwind. This is an important event for the Club and an alternative date will be found in 2020 once we have a clear pathway.

For the time being, the AGM date of Thursday, 11th June 2020, to be held at Café 8 remains. Hopefully, the AGM can go ahead. This will be a good opportunity to get together, discuss the Club’s business and renew friendships.

Some very good news. Comprador have kindly offered to continue their sponsorship for the 2020 AVOHK 5K Series. AVOHK very much appreciate the generosity of Comprador and Comprador’s Managing Director and Club member Tony Steains. This really does allow AVOHK to keep race entry fees reasonable and put more financial resources into this very popular series. It is very early in the year but Race Director Freeman Lee and the AVOHK Committee have already been working on dates and can confirm the following schedule:

Race 1 – Wan Chai Gap – 8am Sat 15th Aug
Race 2 – Tai Tam Tuk – 8am Sat 29th Aug
Race 3 – Bowen Road – 8am Sat 12th Sept
Race 4 – South Bay – 8am Sat 19th Sept

The next time you are sat at home practicing your social distancing and having a drink, please do raise a glass for one of AVOHK’s most enduring committee members, our current Vice Chair Phil Booth who turned 70 recently. Phil has dedicated many years to ensure that the Club, formed in 1982, continues to be active and give back to Hong Kong’s running community. Phil was one of the Club’s driving forces behind AVOHK’s 25-year winning stretch in the Sedan Chair Race, amongst his other achievements as a Club member. Happy 70th Birthday, Phil.

In this month’s newsletter, AVOHK are promoting a wonderful cookbook put together by our Hong Kong refugees in the RUN Group. Forty-nine (49) recipes from 12 different countries. Excellent value at HKD350 and a great opportunity to give back to a wonderful organization. Click Here for further information: https://www.runhk.org/cookbook/.

In “Heard at the Track,” Railbird brings us some snippets of athletic information. One interesting fact that stands out, Jake Smith (22), ex-KGV and now based in Cardiff, has burst on the UK running scene with a 3rd place in the London half marathon in 62 minutes dead, breaking the UK under-23 half marathon record. A talent to watch out for. Railbird’s beloved World Masters Athletic Championships due to be held in his home country of Canada has been cancelled, another victim of the Coronavirus. Wonderful article by Bill Purves on how to qualify for the Olympics. Bill continues to try and sneak in the “W” word without success. Lots of articles offering plenty of advice this month on race cancelled now what?, dietary tips for boosting immune system, plan your own adventure, going uphill, feeling down and mental health, State of Running in 2019 Part II and Ritz on Running. Not certified by AIMS but in these crazy times, a Frenchman in quarantine completed a marathon on his balcony!!!

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

On a final note, do stay fit, stay healthy and stay safe. Here’s hoping for a brighter future.

Yours in Running

Colin Whittington
Chairman

Dear AVOHK Members

I do hope all club members are keeping their spirits up and keeping fit whilst we all battle the social effects that the Corona Virus has put on our lives. AVOHK did their part by lifting spirits and being able to hold the 4th and final race of the AVOHK Reservoir Series on Saturday, 15th February 2020, at Shing Mun Reservoir. We had a good turnout considering the current circumstances and good quality runners in both the men’s and ladies’ fields. Harry Loasby, the recent winner of the China Coast Marathon, led the runners home in a very fast time of 31 min 20 sec over the 8.1km undulating course with Wong Mei-yan the first lady home in a time of 39 min 42 sec. A big thank you to the runners that turned out and supported this race and also to the many volunteers that came along and provided that vital on-course assistance. Especially Champion Chip and also to Sam and his FIRST AID team. A more detailed report is in the newsletter on the 4th race and also the overall series results.

Two club members that have complete extraordinary running achievements in the last month. Virginie Goethals completed the grueling 268 Km 4 trails (organized by Andre Blumberg). Virginie completed the course in a time of 68 hours (yes 68 hours on the move covering 268 Km) and raising a lot of well-needed funds for the RUN group supporting refugees in our Hong Kong community. Outstanding effort. The second extraordinary achievement was by Janine Canham who took part in the global 7 marathons in 7 days, also raising large sums of money for the RUN group. Janine has written a wonderful report which is in this month’s newsletter. Please do take time to read it. An exhausting effort just making it from one marathon to the next on a different continent. Janine, great effort.

This week the running community in Hong Kong received some very sad news that Nic Tinworth had finally succumbed to Brain Cancer at the age of 44. Nic had been battling the disease for nearly 2 years and even competing in the odd race during that time. Nic was not an AVOHK club member but contributed so much to the running community of Hong Kong through the races that he organized with Racebase and also supporting the legendary Team Green in many Trailwalkers. His partner Nia Cooper has been completing the 4 x 100km classics trails (The Grand Slam) in the last few months and raising money for Brain Cancer research. If you would like to contribute to this very worthy cause please go to this web page: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/nia-cooper.

Nia, all of AVOHK wish you a safe journey as you complete your challenge. You and your family are very much in our thoughts.

2020 Round-the-Island Time Trial will be held on Sunday, 11th October 2020. We have provisional approval from AFCD to hold the event and expect full approval shortly. Entry details will be out around July timeframe. A big thank you to Dave Smith for again volunteering as Race Director. This is an event that requires quite a few volunteers to man and resource checkpoints. There will be the customary RTI buffet dinner and prize giving and we are in the process of looking for a suitable venue.

Malcolm Phillips 5K race is still scheduled for 4pm on Saturday, 9th May 2020 starting at the pagoda on Bowen Road. This is a great way to remember our dear friend Malcolm who left us in 2006. Malcolm was long standing member of both AVOHK and the HKLRRC. This is an age-graded race, so not necessarily the first runner home wins. A big thank you to Race Directors Elaine Hall and Derek Irwin for again taking up the challenge. Entry details out shortly.

A reminder and a date for your diary that the 2020 AVOHK Annual General Meeting will be held at Café 8 at 7pm on Thursday, 11th June 2020. It would be appreciated if members can make a special effort to attend this important meeting where AVOHK’s business of the day will be discussed and also the AVOHK Male and Female Athlete of the Year awards are presented. It is great opportunity to meet Club members in a social setting and what better venue than Café 8.

In this month’s newsletter, there is a nice reminder of one of the Club’s longest serving member John Wakefield, there is an article about “Natto” and its health benefits, Railbird has his useful contribution of global athletic information although a bit shorter this month as most of the tracks are closed in Hong Kong but does point out the achievements of Billie Kwok in setting at the age of 45 – a Hong Kong record in the 50K walk, a very in-depth article about why runners need to be more aware of trees, seven marathons in seven days by AVOHK’s own Janine Canham, another couple of articles about “the shoe,” including one about World Athletics changing the rules, an article on the state of UK athletics and one about the “State of Running in 2019”.

March’s Social Run will take place on Wednesday, 4th March 2020, starting at 7pm. Further details inside the newsletter. The organizer is Frank Riehm. They always go for a beer afterwards. Even better reason to turn up.

Yours in Running

Colin Whittington
Chairman

Dear AVOHK Members

I do hope you all had an enjoyable Chinese New Year. AVOHK wish you and your families good health and good fortune in the year of the Rat. With the coronavirus causing concern this is not a great start to the New Year but as the song goes “Things can only get better”.

AVOHK’s biggest event of the year, the 2020 AVOHK Gammon China Coast Marathon and Half Marathon, was held on Sunday, 19th January 2020, in Sai Kung Country Park. There is a race report in this month’s newsletter but here is a short summary. Approximately 400 runners toed the starting line in the marathon and 600 in the Half Marathon. We were blessed with glorious fresh weather at the start, almost ideal running conditions. Harry Loasby, I believe competing in his first marathon, led the runners home in a fast time of 2 hr 42 min 57 sec with Amy Mumford, the first lady, in 3 hr 32 min. In the Half marathon, first home was Ed Gumbley in 1 hr 17 min with Caitriona Jennings leading the ladies home in 1 hr 22 min. Caitriona competed for Ireland at the 2012 Olympics and has a personal best marathon time of 2 hr 36 min. The day was made even more special by our 2 Rats (Big Rat Mike Featherstone and Baby Rat Cecil, both kept the runners entertained and we received no complaints from the AFCD. The full results are on the AVOHK website www.avohk.org. A short video of the event is on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rYdFZxAG7tc.

The 4th and final race of the 2019/20 AVOHK Reservoir Series is due to take place at Shing Mun Reservoir on Saturday, 15th February 2020. Given the current situation with the coronavirus, we will review the situation on Monday, 10th February 2020. It would be great if we can stick with the schedule and wrap the series up per the original date but we will have to wait and see. This information has gone out to all runners who have entered for the 4th Race.

2020 Round-the-Island Time Trial will be held on Sunday, 11th October 2020. We have provisional approval from AFCD to hold the event and expect full approval shortly. Entry details will be out around July timeframe. A big thank you to Dave Smith for again volunteering as Race Director. This is an event that requires quite a few volunteers to man and resource checkpoints. There will be the customary RTI buffet dinner and prize giving and we are in the process of looking for a suitable venue.

Malcolm Phillips 5K race will be held at 4pm on Sat 9th May 2020 starting at the Pagoda on Bowen Road. This is a great way to remember our dear friend Malcolm who left us in 2006. Malcolm was long standing member of both AVOHK and the HKLRRC. This is an age-graded race, so not necessarily the first runner home wins. A big thank you to Race Directors Elaine Hall and Derek Irwin for again taking up the challenge. Entry details out shortly.

A very early notice and a date for your diary that the AVOHK Annual General Meeting will be held at Café 8 at 7pm on Thursday, 11th June 2020. It would be appreciated if members can make a special effort to attend this important meeting where AVOHK’s business of the day will be discussed and also the AVOHK Male and Female Athlete of the Year awards are presented. It is great opportunity to meet Club members in a social setting and what better venue than Café 8.

In this month’s newsletter, please do take note of the overseas calendar (Vets Vade Mecum). There are some wonderful Masters meets to attend, including the World Masters in Toronto in July. Mention is made of Yuko Gordon who represented Hong Kong at the 1984 Olympics. Yuko is based in UK these days and last year ran a 3 hr 19 min marathon at the age of 68. As usual there a few tacky and difficult to understand remarks from Railbird but he does dig out some interesting athletic information from the cyberworld. There is a report (again) on that shoe (Vaporfly), Bill Purves writes about “The First Walks”, articles on shooting at the Commonwealth games, the health benefits of going to the Cinema and something called plogging(!!!), the cancellation of the Hong Kong Marathon and supportive comments from the running community. Club member Bhoovarahan Desikan was due to complete his 100th marathon. There is a very fitting article on the passing of Sir Peter Snell – a Kiwi and an athletic legend. AVOHK Honorary Life Member Rod Dixon and fellow Olympian spoke at his memorial.

February’s Social run will take place on Wednesday, 5th February 2020, starting at 7pm. Further details inside the newsletter. The organizer is Frank Riehm, 9423 5422.

Special mention to Club member Rex Whittle who turned 80 recently and joins John Fowler in a unique club. Rex was 2nd in his age group at the 2020 AVOHK Gammon ½ marathon.

Yours in Running

Colin Whittington
Chairman