MAIDEN NEWTON RUNNERS  � SEPTEMBER 9 2004

Present: Stuart, Phil, Dave C, Dave W, Lin, Martin, Derek, John and newcomer Diane Tucker

Apologies: Guy (provided a list of unconvincing excuses by text message, including computer trouble and the demands of Dorchester Athletics), Wilf (dans le pub francais)

Pre-Meeting Run: Di not only attended the meeting, she also fronted up for the run, in an impressive show of commitment. Other runners were Phil, Dave W, Lin and Martin, between us we achieved a rabble-like ramble, involving different start times, different routes and different finish times.

1. Welcome. Phil,as chair, welcomed Di,(his sister-in-law) to her 1^st meeting

2. Past Events. Inspired by the recent Olympics, Dave W, Dave C, John, Derek, Stuart and Di reported that they had done nothing whatsoever. Others were more active:

Lin        Martin       Phil

Langport 10K         39.53       39.13

Cardiff 10               40.55       40.44

Yeovilton 5K         19.29        18.21     19.15

The Beast                                              1.46.10

NB Lin finished the Yeovilton 5K series as the leading female runner, Martin was about 12^th or 13^th in the men�s section. Phil finished higher than previously in The Beast, despite being several minutes slower than last year, due to the fierce heat on the day.

3. Future Events.

12/9 Ash Excellent 8; Seaton �

19/9 King Alfred�s Torment; New Forest Marathon

26/9 Musbury Challenge, Taunton 10K

4. Membership Cards. Still not clear what our affiliation number is (or even to whom exactly we are affiliated, no one quite sure about the difference between UK Athletics, the AAAs and SEAA). David to sort out our affiliation number, Guy to sign the cards at the next meeting, after which Phil will get laminating.

5. 20^th Anniversary. Next year will be the club�s 20^th, giving us an agenda item for some meetings to come, as we ponder what to do. Options include: arrange a race, such as was discussed last year; improve the Johnny Kipps; think of something else. We will need to identify a date by next month. We could try to widen the Johnny Kipps field, and use it as a rehearsal for a possible anniversary run next October. Martin and Lin to look at potential dates before next meeting. (NB It now emerges that there was another contender for the 2004 Johnny Kipps but Martin, fearing a racing threat, sent him to a fictitious start at Compton Valence).

6. Christmas Dinner. Agreed to give the Colliton Club a miss this year, but stick to the skittles format. We will go for a January date again and will begin by sussing out the new landlord at the Fox and Hounds.

7. www.runnerswebuk.com.  Phil has registered us there so that there is now a link to our website.

8. Correspondence. Very little. Secretary did suggest writing a letter to Paula Radcliffe, since her new attitude to completing races suggests an affinity with the values of our club, but the meeting agreed that she should have finished the Olympics 10K once she decided to take part. It was also noted that the Men�s Marathon interloper, Cornelius Horan, may have been auditioning for membership of our illustrious club, given his dress sense, inebriation, and disregard for the finely honed athlete whom he attacked.

There was no other business and the meeting closed at 8.55pm.