STONE MASTER MARATHONERS

SAPIENTIA June 2012

Chairman’s Ramblings

My first task as recently appointed chairperson is surely to thank Mac for his hard

work in the chair over the last few years. The club succeeds through the efforts of

many members, both on the committee and otherwise, and Mac has been able to

oversee many significant changes during his tenure.

My running days are over due to worn parts! This means that, although I keep in

touch as much as possible, I find that I do not know some of the newer members

and I am sure they do not know who I am. I am pleased, however, to try and put

something back into the club from which I have derived much pleasure over many

years and miles.

I am delighted to see the great success of the Thursday night session, which is

introducing many people into running and fulfilling one of our aims of encouraging

sport in the wider community. I popped in last week and was impressed by the

enthusiasm of the group. I hope that all club members will help to integrate the

new runners into the Wed and Sun runs, supporting and encouraging wherever

possible.

The recent Spring Treble was a great success again and we have received many

positive comments. The new venue at the Cricket Club worked well in spite of the

weather.

We organise and assist in seven races in the season. This means a huge effort from

not only the organisers but also the support on the day from marshals, finish line

crew, etc. Our success started a few years ago when the club finances were

dwindling and subscriptions were not covering the outgoings. The races have

changed this around and continue to promote running as well as keeping our

subscriptions affordable.

Well done to Mark and the others on the London results.

Any member of the committee will welcome any views, ideas, complaints or

similar. I can be contacted on 01785 814444 or j.haine@virgin.net.

Sec Spot

Hello runners, joggers and gabbers – yep that’s me at the back! Well another Sapientia and another AGM done and London completed by several members of the club. I feel I must mention the Spring treble. It was well supported by everyone. As club secretary I get lots of emails after races. The spring treble was no exception and I had an inbox thanking us for yet another great set of races. Without Dave (thanks Dave) and all of you this would not be possible, but I think this sums up SMM nicely - we all ‘muck in’ and get on with it. It doesn’t matter if we do 12 minute miles or 6 minute miles we just get on. I love this about our club - this is also shown in spades in the beginners group – long may it continue. And long may the good start to the year that most have made continue too. Happy running Lisa PS ‘WELLDONE’ to Wendy and Rita for carrying the Olympic Torch last month – flying the SMM flag girls we were so proud

Captain’s Report

I’m writing this report today after running my first race for 9 months (Tittesworth

Resevoir 5 miles one of the races put on by Staffs Moorlands and my legs are really

tired but I’m glad I ran it. Anyway down to the business of races. In March Nigel

Braun, Jim Holland & Steve Parker took part in the Trans Gran Canaria 42k all

finishing in 5hrs 40mins, Alison Brind decided to run the longer distance 123k in

28hrs 48mins. Roger Taylor & Claire Broach ran the Cloud 9 Roger 1hr 3mins Claire

1hr 39mins. On a cold and snowy morning at the Cheadle 5miles Steve Alder &

Julia Ford ran PB’s. At the Stafford 20 Mark Neeld finished 6th overall and was 1st

MV 40 in 2hrs 2mins we also had 3 teams in the relays. The week after Stafford 20

Mark Neeld again took part in a 20 miler at Ashby with a time of 2hrs 6mins. In the

Stafford half Marathon we had a big turnout (24) Tim Hulse 1st for the club 1hr

24.14 a PB closely followed by Mick Downes 1hr 26mins again a PB, 1st lady

member Linda Cooke who was 3rd LV50, Pam Davies & Rita Banks were 1st in there

age groups. Three other members ran PB’s of which Julie Griffiths broke 2hrs for

the first time. The runner of the month for March was Mark Neeld. Into April Emma

Key took part in the Four Inns Hike recording a time of 10hrs 25mins. Richard Shaw

ran the Forest of Dean Trails Half marathon in 1hr 49mins, the Chester Spring

5miles Nick Boulton ran a PB in 42mins 46secs and Rita Banks was 1st LV65 at the

Air Products 10k at Crewe. We had a decent turn out for the Newcastle 7 Nick

Chadwick 1st for the club in 47mins 51secs and Amy Gamble 1st lady for the club

49mins 39secs. Mark Neeld 2hrs 42mins 27secs at the London Marathon and was

12th in his age group & Mick Downes ran a PB of 3hrs 9mins 39secs. Alison Brind was

1st lady member just beating 4hrs (3hrs 59mins 30secs) and Paul Lee was able to

take part and finish in 4hrs 35mins. At the end of April in the South Cheshire 20

Amy Gamble came 1st for the club in 2hrs 35mins. She was 3rd and 1st LV35. There

were also prizes for Kevin Uzzell and John Treanor. The races of the Spring Treble

at Hanchurch, Milford and Barlaston Downs were well supported and again a

success. I personally have had a lot of comments back from runners, all good I

might say. April runner of the month was Mick Downes. The month of May at the

Donna Louise Trust 10k at Trentham four of the five members who participated

started out with the beginners group with Michael Smith 1st member to finish. In

the Uttoxeter half Marathon Mark Neeld was again 1st for the club in a time of 1hr

21 mins 2secs and 1st MV45. Julie Perkins ran an 8 minute PB in 2hrs 1min. Rita

Banks and Gerald Davies won awards in there age groups. Verity Hately who

started with the beginners group ran her 1st race for the club at the Liverpool 10k

in 69mins 10secs. At the Marlborough Downs 33 mile challenge Mark Neeld and

Roger Taylor came 4th & 5th both in a time of 4hrs 46mins 40secs, Mark 1st MV40. In

the Strawberry 5 at Church Leigh Richard Shaw was 1st to finish for the club in 38

mins 44secs with Sonia Lockett and Kate Sutcliffe recording PB’s, again both

started with the beginners. Market Drayton was the day after the Strawberry 5 and

Nigel Braun came home 1st member in 44mins 10secs, Nick Boulton, Julie Griffiths

& Lisa Russell ran both races. In the Clayton 10k Nick Chadwick came home in

43mins 18secs. Julie Perkins was 1st lady member with Rita Banks 1st LV60. Tim

Hulse ran a swift 5k Dublin Docklands in 18mins 17secs & Kevin Uzzel was 1st MV65

at the Windermere Marathon. Five members ran the Riga Marathon, Roger Taylor

just missing out again to get a time in under 3hrs (3hrs 4mins 47secs) & Claire

Broach knocked about 15mins of her best time in a half Marathon. Emma Key at

the Cader Idris 10 mile fell race recorded 2hrs 41mins 22secs so it must have been

a really hilly course. Last of all, John Treanor who started with the beginners ran

his 1st Marathon at Edinburgh with a marvellous time for his age 4hrs 12mins. The

runner of the month for May was Julie Perkins. Oh, and by the way I ran the

Tittersworth race expecting to be the only club member there so I could say 1st in

for the club but three other members turned up and all of them beat me but I was

happy with my time 41mins 42secs.

One Man’s Battle for Family Pride!

I’ve been asked to share my London Marathon race

report / experience, what I don’t think Rachel realized was

that my London Marathon wasn’t just about spending the

morning of Sunday April 22nd

running 26.2 miles around

the streets of the capital, oh no……

What you are about to read is a true story about one man’s

battle for the most prized of family possessions…. The

Family Marathon PB.

It all started back in Paris in April 2001 when my brother

(Andy) came home first in our debut marathons, beating

me by some considerable time (let’s call it at least 45

mins) this then led us to Dublin after a lengthy break of 8

years, where again he triumphed by around 26 mins, after

Dublin, enough was enough I started training properly for

marathons and became a regular member of the 8:00 crew

on a Sunday morning. Next up came London in 2011, my

time of 3:35 knocked a further 9 mins off my PB but still

left me someway short of Andy’s 3:18 from Dublin, and so it was back to

Sunday mornings…. with the next marathon lined up for Montpellier in

October. In between my marathons Andy managed to lower his PB to 3:11:13 in

Berlin and after Berlin, he made the announcement that he’d had enough of

running and declared himself retired, this was quickly followed by “the only

thing that would make me do another marathon is if you beat my time”.

Montpellier came and went with another 12 mins knocked off my own time but

still 12 mins behind Andy’s. Next chance….. London.

At the end of 2011 and into the start of 2012 I started to feel as though I was

running really well and that the family pb was becoming a real possibility. This

was backed up by performances in both the Stafford 20 and Stafford Half in

March, I think Andy was starting to get worried as he kept on giving me

encouragement “I really think you can go sub 3:20 this time, maybe even close

to 3:15”

Travel arrangements had been made and just like in 2011 myself and Andy were

making the trip to London on the organised trip through The Derby Runner

(highly recommended by the way), a fair number of people were on the coach

who we’d met the previous year and tales of running over the 12 months were

Mick & Nick at the Presentation Evening

shared, I lost count of the number of times Andy told people about Berlin and

that he’d retired unless the unthinkable happened.

Sunday morning we made our way from the coach to the start and confirmed

where Andy was going to make his way to, to try and spot me through the race -

mile 6, mile 17 and then meet up at Horseguards Parade, he’d also set up the

runner tracker on his iPhone to keep up to date with my progress through each

5k. I entered the blue start area with one final good luck wish “Just remember

3:15 is on for you today”

The waiting time in the start area was made all the more relaxing and seemingly

shorter by meeting up with Phil (Hateley) before making our way into the pen

ready for the off.

The 1st couple of miles, as always were very congested and proved difficult to

get any kind of rhythm going, completing them in 7:50 & 7:34, was my goal

disappearing amongst a mass crowd of thousands after just 2 miles? But then

my rhythm arrived, mile after mile passed by and with almost ridiculous

consistency miles 3 to 22 had a range of just 15 seconds between fastest and

slowest miles. I don’t really remember much about these miles in all honesty

other than the constant cheering, looking for and not finding Andy at 6 miles,

looking out for and not finding Rachel, Claire & Verity around Cutty Sark but at

the same time being blown away by the incredible noise as we circled the old

ship, running over Tower Bridge then preparing to look for Andy again at 17

whilst constantly checking my time and pace and attempting the maths to work

out if I was still on target for 3:11:12... I was.

As I approached 17 I spotted Andy ahead, he’d threatened to slide tackle me at

this point to put me out of the race if I looked like I was getting close, I

remember thinking this as he put his coat on the floor and took a step off the

pavement into the road - he clapped his hands and shouted “Come on Mick,

going well, you might get 3:13, keep it going!”

I was still feeling strong at this point and knew that if I maintained my pace I

would beat Andy’s pb and may even be able to duck below 3:10, the key word

being IF, I remembered back 12 months and recognised some of the places

where I had been struck down with cramp and had stopped to stretch out (proof

is in the London Marathon magazine!!!) I passed Tim at around 20 miles which

(sorry Tim) gave me a lift because I knew how well Tim had been running in the

lead up to London, then I hit the Embankment, again remembering the torture of

2011 as I had stopped almost every half mile to stretch, but this time no sign of

my old friend Mr. Cramp but I was starting to feel tired, come on just 3 more to

go, 2 more to go, then the hallucinations started - a man with a SMM vest on

was up ahead and he looked like Roger, only he was walking, it couldn’t be

Roger, I gained more ground with every step to the point where I was passing

him… it was Roger. At this point I told myself you’ve passed both Tim and

Roger so you must be running well, you’re on to beat Andy’s time…. Don’t

F**k it up with a mile to go.

Birdcage Walk came and went and again seemed a lot shorter then 2011, I

passed Buckingham Palace, then there it was, the finish line and the clock still

hadn’t hit 3:09, surely I can manage another 385 yards in less than 2 minutes.

Crossing that line in 3:09:39, all I wanted to do was get my medal then sprint to

Horseguards Parade to see and tell Andy my time, only there was no chance of

sprinting…. my legs had stopped running and now didn’t seem as though they

wanted to walk any more let alone run. A slow shuffle followed up to the

meeting point. Andy was there already shaking his head as I approached “you

b*****d, I can’t believe you’ve just done that, but very well done, then the

magic words… let me buy you a pint”

And so off to The Chandos we went to meet up with the other bats who’d been

running and supporting happy in the knowledge that for the first time that

family marathon pb was mine, all mine!!!

Andy went for his first run for 7 months on Monday 23rd

April. He’s now

officially out of retirement, and has submitted his entry for next year’s London

Marathon!

I may have won the battle, but I feel the war is just beginning…….

Mick Downes.

A day in the life of an Olympic torch bearer.

(Or really a few months)

I knew I was going to be a torch bearer very

early on, but was told not to tell anyone, so

it needed to be put on the back burner for a

while. Then Denis came home and I

decided that husbands didn’t count in the

‘do not tell’

The organisation for the torch relay has

been brilliant all the way through, even to a

phone call the evening before to say that if I

had any trouble getting there in the morning I could have a police escort to get

me to the start. I didn’t expect any problems at 05.00am.

The track suit came about two weeks before, and it fitted perfectly!!! Radio

and newspapers were now asking for interviews, yes I can talk as people who

run with me know.

Went to Hanley Park on Wednesday evening for the arrival of the torch.

Cream cakes, coffee and diet coke – it’s fun being a VIP. Stoke put on a

superb event, Imran Khan brought the torch from the Stafford leg to light the

cauldron followed by a superb show. I kept thinking what I was doing here

amongst so many Olympic athletes.

Torch Day. Had to get up at 04.00am to get ready, remember passport for ID

get track suit on and get to the Potteries Museum in Hanley for 05.00am. Met

the other torch bearers and had a briefing on the event, again the organisation

was terrific. All too soon it was almost 07.00am and we got on the shuttle bus

to be dropped off at the starting point of each leg. I was now awake after this

early start and excitement was mounting. TV, Radio and the Press were all

there and so were the crowds. I was on the 3rd

leg so was dropped off early,

and there were the STONE MASTER MARATHONERS out in force. Thank

you, you were wonderful. It was a super leg to run, my start was quiet enough

to be able to talk to everyone and get the torch photographed with everyone,

then more crowds at the next change over. Then the shuttle bus back to the

Potteries Museum where there was TV Radio and Press, I really did forget who

I was talking to at which time. I managed half a cup of tea while everyone else

was eating. This was followed by a presentation of medals by the mayor of

Stoke-on-Trent

I am now totally knackered and I have only walked 440yards and talked to

everyone. Running a marathon was easier than this, but not quite so brilliant.

Master Marathoners you are superb, thanks for coming.

Rita Banks May 31st 2012

HOW LIFE BEGAN – EPISODE

ONE – TERRY DARLINGTON

WINS THE OLYMPIC

MARATHON

(AN EXTRACT FROM NARROW

DOG TO WIGAN PIER, TERRY’S

NEW BOOK)

I fled Him, down the

nights and down the

days;

I fled Him down the

arches of the years;

I fled Him, down the

labyrinthine ways

Of my own mind, and

in the mist of tears….

I hid from Him….

From those strong Feet

that followed, followed

after

But with unhurrying

chase,

And unperturbèd pace,

Deliberate speed,

majestic instancy,

They beat – and a Voice

beat…

Well done, mate.

But the voice was not for me. The

voice was for the figure in the wheelchair,

crouched to his task, his wheels fizzing,

overtaking on my left as a thin man nearly

seven feet tall swept by me on the right at

nine miles an hour. My eyes filled with

tears for the heroic wheelchair athlete and

the respect shown by the tall man who was

whole and clearly a star and the world is

full of love really don’t you know and I dug

in and tried to go after them. But they are

faster than me; I am out of my depth. Still

twenty miles to go. I should not be pushing

– where is Leslie?

Leslie was ahead where she should

be. They said she put make-up on her legs

but one so favoured by nature needed little

help from artifice. Black hair, pale skin, a

beauty with a heart that had powered her

to so many sub-three hour marathons.

Leslie knew what she was doing – that was

why I was following her. Oh, you’re pretty,

shouted a child.

The Harlow Marathon was a

respected event, but it was 1978 and there

were less than three hundred runners.

I had been told that the qualifying

time for the Boston marathon was three

hours. Most marathoners never reach this

time, especially veterans – men over forty,

women over thirty-five. To run under three

hours you have to run a mile at nearly nine

miles an hour, and then do it again twenty-

five times.

The human body when match fit can

react explosively for ten yards, sprint for a

hundred yards, and run for sixteen miles

and then it starts to eat itself from the

inside.

An hour a day, my marathon coach

had said, and none of your smart-ass

excuses – an hour a day and two on a

Sunday. Did you do two last Sunday?

Look, do you want to do Boston or not?

What chance have you got of making three

hours to qualify? You are a jogger, not a

bloody athlete. You are a businessman, all

booze and schmooze, and I bet you and your

fat mates hang around young girls.

Athletes are hard, they are dedicated: they

have balls of steel. Come on; dig in, up this

hill. Lean forward and pretend you are

pulling on a magic rope that will take you

to the top. Push, you fat bastard, push.

Afraid of a bit of pain, are we?

My children used to laugh at me as I

set out into the night mummified against

the cold. The return of the ninja! Or when

I tried to climb the stairs, falling forward

with stiffness and fatigue.

But it was not all churning through

dark streets at night. There were the runs

over Mow Cop with my coach and his

mates: throwing snowballs, being a boy

again. There were the trails in the woods

and along the hills, and the chats over a

beer, my blood foaming with more feel-good

than any smack-head.

Here I am at the sixteen miles

marker – this is where it will start to hurt.

There are few worse experiences than a bad

marathon, when your blood sugar has run

out and you are burning fat and your body

is shouting No, no, – you are burning the

furniture you fool you will be sorry oh God I

am hurting hurting.

And the pain settles into your

muscles and flares up at every move and

you get slower and slower and you are a

loser and there is no sugar in your brain

and you think why am I here? I shall

disgrace myself. I shall have to drop out I

shall have to drop out everyone is going by

me I can’t stand it.

But this was a good marathon. It

was painful now but my mood was good

and I could handle it. A cool overcast day

and a flat course and I did not have to

think with Leslie setting the pace. I had

spent the summer training slowly after an

injury and holiday runs along the

Pembrokeshire coast path had given me

strength without burning me out.

Twenty miles – they say this is

where the race begins. I was fifteen yards

behind Leslie, too shy to make myself

known. I was sure she was heading for

three hours – the timing was just right so

far. At twenty-four miles I moved

alongside her and passed her and her small

cohort of admirers. No-one said anything.

On my own now.

Pick up a drink; try to get it down,

Oh sod it chuck it over your head.

Just enough runners ahead to avoid getting

lost. Feet hurting perhaps a blister but

who cares who gives a damn now round

this corner and there is the tape but oh it

hurts it hurts just push and push and over.

The clock read two hours and fifty-

eight minutes.

I hung onto the chicken wire fence. I

had qualified for Boston. In 1896 I would

have won the Olympic marathon!

Unfortunately I had left it a bit late – this

was 1978. But I was an athlete now – I had

run three hours – I had my union card – I

could even captain an athletic club.

I realised I was crying.

Narrow Dog to Wigan Pier Terry Darlington

21 June 2012, Bantam Press, £14.99

The true story of two adventurous pensioners, two reluctant whippets and

two summers exploring the canals of Northern

England on a narrowboat, by the author of the bestselling

Narrow Dog to Carcassonne and Narrow Dog to Indian River

In 2003 Terry and Monica Darlington sailed their canal narrowboat Phyllis May across the Channel to Carcassonne. Then they sailed down American’s 1,000 mile long Intracoastal Waterway from Virginia to the Gulf of Mexico. Terry’s Narrow Dog books have sold a quarter of a million copies and are described as ‘classic’ by The Observer, The Independent, and the Guardian. Aged seventy-five, the Darlingtons were preparing to retire to a corner of their local public house. Then their beloved Phyllis May burned in a boatyard fire. They bought a new boat, the PM2, short enough for the northern locks, and set out for Liverpool, Lancaster, Wigan Pier, York and the Pennines. As they went, Terry recorded the journey and also the story of his life, his marriage, his whippets, and the famous and fascinating celebrities he has known. On their journey, the Darlingtons negotiated 333 locks and the mighty Mersey. The heavenly basins of Liverpool and the treacherous Ribble. Bloodstained Lancaster; unbelievable Glasson kippers and the wonderful Midland Hotel. Along the torrential Trent and the violent Ouse and north

to York, crossing the Pennines from underneath, six hundred feet beneath the hills Through all this desperate journey the main characters are Jim the whippet and his partner Jess – cowardly, thieving, and disrespectful. Terry Darlington and Monica founded Research Associates, the international market research firm, and Stone Master Marathoners, the running club. They took up adventuring in their late sixties, and Terry soon became the oldest young writer in England.

Praise for Narrow Dog to Carcassonne

One of the most hilarious travel memoirs ever written – Booklist USA

‘A wonderfully funny book, full of brilliantly written passages’ – Brian Patten

‘Written with the author's glorious sense of humour, this is one of those journeys you never want to end.’ - Good Book Guide

‘A stunning book – racy, chatty, touching and very, very funny.’ - Joanna Lumley

Terry and Monica are available for interview. For further information please contact them direct on 01785 814120 or 07875 457840 or

visit their website www.narrowdog.com

HOW LIFE BEGAN – EPISODE TWO – CHOCOLATE CHIPS

by Terry Darlington

It was after the Sunday run and The President, deep into his second pack of chocolate chip

cookies, began to talk about the very early days. The club members, exchanging glances,

slipped away one by one, leaving him mumbling to himself in the dark room, while the rain

pattered on the courts outside.

It all started with Stone Jogging Club in 1971. Fred Wrigley as Captain handled the training

and as Secretary I handled the organisation.

I introduced a few ideas which have lasted to this day – mustering, and relays, and the Stone

Steeplechase and Dog Derby. It was all very new then - on our third relay run, from the top of

the Eiffel Tower, we were able to watch ourselves on television in a pub on the way home!

The Jogging club did not encourage racing and after running a marathon under 3 hours I felt

it was time to move on. On 26th November 1978 Bill Couldrey and Tom Chitty and I held the

inaugural meeting of Stone Master Marathoners, a new club for veterans. The objectives

were to enter one marathon a year and hold one social event a year.

It was a sad time for me in some ways – I had a lot of friends in the Joggers and now I had in

a way set up in opposition. And there was no guarantee that we would succeed. As one jogger

said –look at the size of Stone – he doesn’t stand a chance!

In these early days the support of established athletes in the area was particularly important

– George Kay, Don Shelley, Anita Griffiths and Terry Deighton come to mind.

With the help and ideas of these people behind us we tried to get as much publicity as

possible. Notably we started the Flying Fox Marathon in 1979, before London and before the

Potteries marathon, and got it adopted as the national vet’s championship. And we kept on

selling - I recruited one member who shall be nameless (Roger Westhead) on a train, and

another (Derek Palmer) in the Star. Soon we had members in the US, Bahrain (Gerry

Barnard), Scotland, and runners came from all over the country to train with us on a Sunday.

We had become a national club!

We started to do well in races, and the ladies in particular became famous – Celia, Elaine,

Rita, Rose, sweeping all before them in alphabetical order.

On a Sunday it was not unusual for me to have an eighteen mile run, a few pints, and write

the Sapientia in the afternoon. Not surprisingly by the early eighties I found it advisable to

concentrate a bit more on my business. By that time we had fifty or so members and most of

the management was in the safe hands of Dave Mason, Ivan Savage, Haddon Johnson and

others. Slowly as other clubs began to appear all over the country we became more local in

membership.

The President had reached the end of the second pack of chocolate chip cookies. A couple of

members coming in late from the run saw him muttering to himself and fled through the side

door.

Why, he maundered on, did SMM succeed in a little town? It has got to come down to hard

work in and out of committee and lots of dedication by athletes. And SMM has always

believed and shown that anyone can be a sportsman, perhaps even a star. If you want

success, show people their strengths.

I think the mustering system is important as a way of encouraging people in training. It has

helped me a lot in the last few years and I am most grateful to you all.

With that the President looked at his watch, started, grabbed the third pack of chocolate chip

cookies and lurched out of the door. Langtry’s would be open any minute now.

HOW LIFE BEGAN – EPISODE THREE – ERNEST THE FLYING FOX

by Terry Darlington

Since we opened the club to youngsters there have been people around who can’t be a day over

fifty and didn’t even fight in the war and know very little about the ancient folklore of the

club.

One of the most important symbols of the club is the bat, Ernest. Gather round children and

Uncle Tel will tell you how Ernest came about.

In November 1978 I asked Bill Couldrey and Tom Chitty, who were training with me for the

Boston Marathon, if they would be interested in forming a marathon club and we set about it

together. I knew that it was important to have a symbol. I had used symbols before in

societies I had started – the poetry society Plan B had a very smart Eskimo snow devil, Stone

Jogging Club a bare-thighed flightless running turkey called a bustard, and my firm

Research Associates an exhausted parrot. The parrot appeared only on running shirts and

turned into an owl when we put it on the letterhead.

I didn’t particularly want another bird and asked Bill Couldrey what he would suggest. He

said the symbol of his regiment had been a Flying Fox, the Borneo fruit bat and would that

do. I thought it was an awful idea partly because I had not thought of it myself, but said I

would look into it. It turned out that the Flying Fox, far from being a wretched squeaking

thing the size of a butterfly, living off flies, was a noble creature, with a wingspan of five feet,

which could fly up to forty miles to get its dinner. It was so intelligent that it had been

classed as a primate by some scientists, and it could make love upside down.

This was clearly a creature to be reckoned with, and when you thought about it the idea of a

Flying Fox suited veteran athletes rather well.

I asked my friend the designer Bob Brooks to come up with an image and he produced the fine

symbol we have to this day.

A year or two passed and I saw a promotion for London Zoo which said one could adopt a

creature of one’s choice, including a fruit bat, and I decided this was too good a chance to miss.

Ivan Savage and Dave Mason went to London to fix it up. I was away myself but I imagine

there was a simple but moving ceremony. There was certainly a brass plaque outside the big

moonlight room where the bats lived, naming SMM as a benefactor. We called the bat Ernest,

after our oldest member, Ernest Dudley, who had joined the club some years earlier at the age

of 73.

When we went to visit Ernest (the bat) he would be hanging upside down with a row of mates,

and they would all look at us and poke each other in the ribs and twitter and giggle. As I

said, they are very intelligent and we wondered who was looking at who.

In the end we stopped paying for Ernest’s sponsorship because when we thought about it we

didn’t like to see such a lovely creature confined.

One of my best memories ever was on ship near Borneo a few years ago seeing thousands

upon thousands of fruit bats sweeping through the evening sky towards the mainland many

miles away, in search of their dinner. They were so powerful and relaxed in flight and it was

truly an awesome sight. I felt very grateful to Bill for his idea and very pleased about the

choice we had made.

Finally, I was often asked by club members who visited Ernest in London Zoo – how do we

know which is him. Obvious, I would say, the one with the best set of credentials.

HOW LIFE BEGAN – EPISODE FOUR – SAPIENTIA ATQUE LEVITAS

by Terry Darlington

The setting sun was shining on The Rising Sun as the President settled back into the sofa in

the tennis club, firmly grasping a pint pot in one hand and a lady club member in the other.

Today I will tell you, he said, the story of sapientia atque levitas.

We had a symbol and we needed a motto. What about the Bible - they shall mount up with

wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary (Isiah 40.31). But this was asking a lot of

the average member. There was as a dog returneth to his vomit, so a fool returneth to his folly

(Proverbs 26.11.) More suitable in many ways, though a shade downbeat.

Maybe French – Ou sont les neiges d’antan (where are the snows of yesteryear) - rather sad

for a vet’s club.

OK Latin – what about per ardua ad astra (through adversity to The Star) But the RAF had

got it first and astra was plural anyway. In Virgil’s second Eclogue I found Quem fugis, a!

demens (who are you running from, you mad bugger).

It looked as if we would have to make up our own motto. I liked the idea of Latin because it is

an international language and we were running overseas. I sought inspiration in Ernest the

Bat.

A fox is wise, or cunning, and a bat is light. The Latin word for wisdom is sapientia and the

word for lightness is the same as the word for levity or fun. I liked the idea of wisdom

combined with the ability to have fun.

The words fell together - sapientia et levitas. Very nice, I thought, but a bit limp. How about

atque instead of et? I think both words mean the same, but atque (pronounced at-cway) had

more of a ring to it. Sapientia atque levitas – now that sounds good. The only trouble was I

was not really sure what it meant.

I went up Airedale Road and hammered on the door of the head of Latin at Alleynes. I think I

had my red tracksuit on. It must have been the first time in his life that he had ever been

asked a practical question about Latin. He was terrified. Yes, he said, the Latin is OK, and

yes, both words have more than one meaning. Can it mean wisdom and lightness of heart, I

asked. Yes, yes he said. Can it mean cunning and low body weight, I demanded. Yes, yes, he

said. I think if I had asked does it mean please keep off the grass he would have agreed.

So there you are children. That is what happened and now you know what to say when

people ask you about the motto. I don’t want any more of you bringing strangers up to me in

races so that I can explain to them. Below is all you need to make your very own translation -

just mix and match.

Sapientia – wisdom, good sense, discernment, skill in philosophy or science

Atque – and, also, and indeed.

Levitas – lightness, levity, fickleness, inconstancy, groundlessness.

Sometimes in the slow watches of the night I wonder if I made the right choice. Qem fugis a!

demens is very punchy and we could have had so much fun explaining it.

INVITATION

All Stone Master Marathoners are invited to the launch of Terry Darlington’s new book

NARROW DOG TO WIGAN PIER

At Aston Marina, anytime between 4.00 and 7.00 on Saturday June 23rd. Book

signing, buffet, bar, tour of the Phyllis May2, whippets.

Read about the founding of Stone Master Marathoners, how you can cross the Pennines from underneath, how to sail the Mersey, how Joanna Lumley stroked

Terry’s beard, and what happened in Monterey, a long time ago.

Terry’s books have been described as ‘classic’ by the Independent, the Observer, and the Daily Telegraph, and have sold a quarter of a million copies throughout

the world. People unused to the high standard o f repartee in the Stone area think they are very funny

Unfortunately due to Illness Terry’s book launch has had to be cancelled

From all at Stone Master Marathoners we

wish you a speedy recovery Terry Social Sec spot

After the success of last year’s BBQ at Bernie and Rose’s, They have kindly agreed that

we can have another après 10k BBQ at theirs. This will be on Sunday 24th June after the

St Michael’s 10k giving everyone a chance to have a beerand burger after the race!

Aiming to start at 3pm and eat around 5pm.

We are asking for £1 per person to cover food, ie burgers, sausages, salads and sauces. If

you have any dietary requirements (vegetarian, gluten free etc....) please bring what you

would like to cremate!

This year I haven't printed out any tickets because virtually no one remembered to bring

them last year so if you would like to come I will be down the club this weds from 8.30pm

and on the 20th also. Lisa has also kindly offered to collect monies for those who would

like to come along. I will record all who have paid and are attending electronically. If you

would like to come please let me know by the 20th as we need numbers to plan for food,

last year we had a scramble over deserts!

Please bring any tables or chairs you might have for everyone to sit on. We are reliant on

people being able to bring these so that aren't too many tired runners standing up!

Bring whatever you would like to drink, that includes soft drinks for those driving/not

drinking and children.

EDSPEAK

Well that’s it for this publication of Sapientia. I would really love some feed back from

you runners and any thoughts or articles you would like published. As you know I am

not a runner but a big supporter so I really do need your input to keep Sapientia alive

and running!!!!!!!!!!!!

Constructive criticisms are always welcome I can always take it out on Mark.

I can be contacted @ markrachel.neeld@btopenworld.com 07932715145

5 Wedgwood Avenue Stone Staffs ST15 0XR

Rachel