Founded in 1899, based at Addington, East Croydon, SWC are one of few
specialist racewalking clubs surviving from the 'Captain Barclay' era of
pedestrianism. Their promotions include a 100 mile event, held in 2011 round a
tarmac circuit within the bounds of Lingfield Racecourse. Of the 83 starters,
33 finished. The winner, a Dutchman took 19h 04m, with runner-up Sandra Brown
of Surrey Walking club taking 20h 18m.
All racewalkers achieving a time of under 24 hours for a 100 mile event in the
UK earn membership of the much esteemed 'Brotherhood of Centurians', founded
in 1911, now numbering over 1000, and holding their anniversary dinner last
year in the House of Commons. The
Harriers cluster of 'multi-marathon' and 'ultra-distance' runners would have
no difficulty in adapting to this challenge.
At a more modest level the SURREY 5k,
being the only racewalk this weekend between Leicester and the Channel
Islands, attracted a 'large' field of 32 starters, virtually all of vet status
and mostly very quick. Just as running 5k is a mad scramble when you are much
happier at 10m or the 'Half', walking at speed is hard to master. There is
also another hazard - whilst 'unbroken contact' with the ground is the
golden rule, I have now learned that a walker can be disqualified under a
'bent knee' rule, under which the 'moving leg' must be straight at the knee at
the point where it speeds past the 'stationary leg'. Not being a contortionist
I have no idea how you know if you are within the rules! Despite these constraints, an enjoyable
outing with the usual welcoming hospitality of the walking fraternity.
As the 'racewalkuk' website, linked to
the above race heading shows, racewalking has the benefit of a comprehensive
record of all results with age-graded scores for all accredited UK races, as
well as a profile of all active racewalkers - not unlike the Harriers 'Runners
Pages' which are themselves unique in the world of club running.
NEXT WALKING EVENT?
The novelty of competing indoors has
long been an appealing one. BMAF, the UK veterans body, hold their indoor
championships on 20th March at the Lee Valley Centre in NE London, and their
programme includes a 3k walk. This meeting is held annually and is of course
open to all athletes aged over 35, the requirement being to first register
with BMAF through first becoming a member of Eastern Vets as your second claim
club. The longest running event is 3k, achieved by running 15 times round the
'boards', banked up on the sharp bends I am told (?).
David
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