The Club formative
years began in 1983 affiliating to AAA on the 30th
July and almost certainly as a direct result of the
influence of the London Marathon. Dartford and Medway had
their own athletic clubs and there appeared a growing need
in Gravesend for a running club. Never before had so much
media coverage been devoted to road running. Normally T.V.
coverage was reserved for Track and Field International
meetings in the summer and some cross country events in the
winter season. The LONDON MARATHON displayed to the masses
that there were ‘ordinary’ men and women able to partake in
sport at whatever level and ability they chose. Track and
Field stars such as Steve Ovett, Steve Cram, Sebastian Coe,
Brendon Foster were all big names on the Athletic scene but
associated with International level Athletics. An event that
would appeal to the masses was the catalyst for men and
women to take up the challenge and start jogging or running
around the streets of Gravesend, to run middle distance and
long distance road races. The benefits of running and
training off-road were much enthused by the ‘experts’ and a
great raft of races evolved across the UK embodying both
road and off road disciplines.
Gravesham residents
Viv Strong and Keith Goodwin had the desire to train for the
1982 2nd London Marathon and an advert was placed in the
Gravesend Reporter to see if anybody else in the area
wanted to join them as a training group. Training nights
were held on Tuesdays, meeting in the car park of Cascades
Leisure centre Thong Lane for a while, with summer runs
towards Shorne and Ifield, and Gravesend Town in the winter.
Later the club were able to use a lock up room at the
centre, but increasing numbers and lack of amenity from the
Council run sports centre management necessitated a move to
the current HQ at AEI Henley Sports and Social Club, Dunkirk
Close Gravesend.
Other names that
were around the formative group were, Derek ‘Knees’
Macfarlane, Mick Sheppard, Jeff Glover, (first president)
Kevin Ramsell, John Pearson, Keith Medes, Tom Penfold.
Bernie Betts, Allan Clarke, Martin Charlton (first
treasurer). The first apparent committee meeting was held in
Dave Masons’ (Shrubbery vet practice) front room.
Moving through 1984
into 1985 and attracting more members all the time the need
for a more formalized club evolved. Peter Bagshaw who had
been involved with the London Marathon and was an
accomplished athlete came to the club and helped bring about
the AAA club we have today, and encouraging development in
all areas of Athletics including Track and Field, Cross
Country, Road, Fell and Trail racing.
Dr Andrew Harris was
a keen track and field athlete and this section of the club
generated a lot of interest in the summer and a youth
section began to produce new talent. All age groups, male
and female were represented in the club and whether 15 or 50
there was a level of activity to participate and also
compete. Bill Allan, Charlie Morgan (co Founder of the North
Downs run and Gravesend 10K) John Martindale, Martin
Charlton, Paul Jukes, Ian Black, Dave Danzey, Paul Titley,
Daniel Pitt, Helen Gilby, Dave Willing, were all competing
from 1984/5.
Many of the club
took part in the first Todays Runner Cross Country League
season 1988/89 and the club hosted a race at Shorne Country
Park. Full turnouts at all races produced a league win for
the club that season. Gravesend Roadrunners have competed in
the Todays Runner League (now Kent Fitness League) ever
since and continue to host a Cross Country Race when
possible. The Shorne Country Park venue moved to Cobham Hall
in the early 90’s and in recent years Nurstead Court Meopham.
Many experienced
runners with individual training techniques and specialists
in certain types of events were attracted to the RoadRunners
( Alan Lamb, Tim Smith, Peter Russell), creating a truly
cosmopolitan and diversified club. Social events and Group
Race excursions all added to club life and morale, including
visits to Boulogne 20K annually organised by Nanette Strong
and Jim Colwell. This event alone could attract 3 coach
loads of runners from Darford Harriers, Blackheath Harriers
and Gravesend RR.
The early nineties
saw a change in the club which resulted in a sizeable
percentage creating a rival club at Istead and Ifield. This
affected the structure and composure of the Club. Stalwart
members of the club ( Maurice and Penny Redsell, Derek
Greenwood, Mary Moss, Jane Bishop, Sue Pain, Gloria Rylatt,
Jane Gaunt, Glen Bauckham, Trevor Stewart, Christine and
Brendan Copps,) combined to support the club in the years
that followed creating a group of runners who ran for
leisure, fitness and social involvement and in 1993 the ten
year anniversary was celebrated with a boundary run for club
members which followed the Gravesham boundary line as close
as possible. A huge variety of races saw club members Tony
Donavan, Alan Mc Bean, Patrick Lindsay, Ivan Taylor, Alan
Lamb, Bert Lewis, Mick Brown, Alan Giles, John Mc Gilvery,
Rob Haigh, Eddie Smith, Lee Turner, Eric Pestell, dominating
the Club race scene across the County and neighbouring
regions.
In subsequent years
a number of other long distance events emerged which enabled
all club members to take part. Relay runs along the Weald
Way (80 miles), North Downs Way(70 miles), Saxon Shore
Way(160 miles), and South Downs Way circular combined route
( 200 miles) in successive years.
By the mid nineties
the Track and Field era at the club had reached a stage
where members retiring from that field of athletics and new
members were less inclined towards track and field and more
in favour of running for fitness, weight control and 10K +
distances for competition. Experienced distance runners who
trained off-road began seeking tougher goals than mere
marathon distance and a new breed of Ultra runner and
Adventure runner was born. Members such as Robert Bauckham,
Patrick Lindsay, Bill Waddell, Sue Preston, Dave Tomsett,
Graham Melrose, and Glyn Morris all embarking on quests that
would make grown men and women weep. Races of extreme
challenge such as the South Downs 80 mile Challenge Trail
Race were entered into frequently from 1984 by GRRAC
members. Viv Strong and Harjinder ‘Billy’ Bhullar were the
first from the club to try this event and many others
followed including Judy and Terry Cadogan, Alan Giles, Roger
Valsler, Bob Bauckham, Sue Preston to name but a few. The
latter two encouraging Dave Tomsetts’ quest for South Downs
80 glory saw him competing all over the British Isles at
Ultra events and he was also instrumental in leading a Mixed
team in three consecutive years to Gold Medals in the Fire
Brigade sub 24hr 3 Peaks Challenge culminating in a Mixed
Team Win in 2002
Bob Bauckham and
Glyn Morris became 100 marathon club members, Sue Preston is
approaching that exalted goal and on the way producing many
fine feats of endurance running at home and abroad.
This is a pocket
history of the club and there are still a number of
longstanding members at the club with many tales to tell
from the late eighties to mid nineties which all adds to the
character of being a “GRAVESEND ROADRUNNER”
We invite ex members
and existing established members to contribute their
reminiscences of the club in the earlier years by emailing
to the contact e-mail address on this site.
