The Early History of Dereham Runners

JOHN RICHARDSON

(1) In the beginning ...

I have taken much of the following information from notes written by Gill Boucher and passed to me by Carol Campbell-Smith in 2010 in anticipation of the club's Jubilee year in 2011 when it was first proposed to write the history of Dereham Runners. As this did not happen I will attempt to now record what is known about the early years of our club.

THURSDAY, APRIL, 3rd, 1986, is the date to be remembered for the birth of Dereham Runners AC.

The club’s conception may be traced back to nine months earlier to a sports shop known as ‘Track & Field’ which stood at 10 Nelson Place in Dereham’s town centre shopping precinct.

The proprietor Gill Boucher was an equestrian who owned horses on her land in Westfield village and she also enjoyed running.

The shop was a hub for the local runners where they would not only visit to buy new kit but also to hear news of the up and coming races. These were the days before people owned computers and smart phones.

The mid 1980’s was the boom time for mass participation running which came in the wake of the inaugural London Marathon in 1981. The first City of Norwich Half Marathon was held in 1985 and the running mania spread across the UK.

Gill Boucher was well aware of the running enthusiasm by the number of runners visiting the shop and the idea of forming a club in Dereham was conceived.

Gill then began to collect the names and telephone numbers of those interested.

Rob Kinge a qualified AAA coach who was then coaching at the Norfolk Olympiads Athletics Club (a club which latter merged with the Duke Street Running club to become the present day City of Norwich Athletics Club) visited the shop.

Rob was keen to help start a club and together with Gill they arranged a meeting for Thursday, 3rd, April, 1986 at the Jentique/Metamec Sports and Social Club off Norwich Road, Dereham, where the present day Pavilion Way housing estate now stands.

Notices were put up in the town, at the Track & Field shop and the local newspaper to welcome all interested.

About twenty five people of all ages and abilities turned up for the 7 pm meeting.

Rob Kinge first advised on footwear and clothing and basic advise on diet.

A brief warm up session was then held followed by short runs for those dressed for exercise.

Further training sessions were arranged on Sundays at 11 am at the Dereham Rugby Club in Moorgate where a warm up was followed by a longer run.

On Thursday, 10th April about forty people arrived at the Jentique / Metamec Sports ground. Warm ups , stretching, play racing and warming down. The most practised runners went for a five mile run.

Following April 17th all training sessions were to be held at the Dereham Rugby Ground.

On Thursday, 1st, May, 1986 after the training session the first formal meeting was held to form the initial committee.

Rob Kinge was nominated by Gill Boucher as Chairman.

Gill Boucher was elected secretary

Madelyn Gower was elected membership secretary.

Sandy Long was elected treasurer.

Committee elected - Carol Campbell-Smith, Don Halliday, Anthony Barstard, Michael Barnes and Graham Hall.

Junior committee representatives - Julia Long and Adrian Campbell-Smith.

The committee decided;

To put an advert in the local press to alert people of the clubs existence,

To meet first Thursday of the month after training,

To thank Jentique/Metamec Sports & Social Club for the use of their facilities in the first month of the club. Gill Boucher offered to have a tankard engraved and given.

Rob Kinge to write a letter of appreciation to the Jentique/Metamec club committee and to deliver both.

(2) 9 Years at the Rugby Ground (1986-1995).

For its first nine years Dereham Runners were based at the Dereham Rugby club on Moorgate recreation ground. Committee meetings were held in the club house and training sessions were held around the perimeter of the pitch. A white line was applied to mark the curves at either end of the pitch. No line was marked on the straights as this would have caused confusion to the rugby players. We then had a rudimentary 400 metre running track.

There were floodlight pylons, two on one side and one on the other. To switch on we had to drag out cables from the club house and attach to the pylons. This gave enough light to run around the basic track.

Once established at the Rugby Club the Dereham Runners started to develop.

The club planned their own 10 km Road Race based at the Rugby Club.

Here runners were able to park their cars and warm up on the pitch before being escorted through the pedestrian underpass to the start in George Eliot Way, Toftwood.

The course was out and back through Toftwood and up to Daffy Green via Stone Road, Fen Road, The Broadway and Watery Lane. On the return leg the runners continued through Toftwood and ran through the underpass to finish on the Rugby pitch.

This successful race remained on the Norfolk race calendar until 1995 when the club moved to the Neatherd High School where a new 10 km course was planned.

It was in the 1990’s that the club first ventured outside Norfolk.

In 1994 and 1995 the club travelled by mini bus to the North East for the Great North Run. The Halls of Residence at Northumbria University in the centre of Newcastle provided excellent overnight accommodation at a rate of £16-00 bed and breakfast.

Rob Kinge remained Head Coach throughout the time the club was at the rugby club and during the winter months of the cross country season he encouraged all members to participate in the Ryston Runners series at Shouldham Warren.

The series was very popular with both juniors and senior members and a whole convoy of cars would depart from the rugby club car park at 09:30 on race days. The club even introduced its own handicap system for the Ryston Cross Country Series.

A further development during this period was the introduction of circuit training during the winter months on Monday evenings in the gym of Northgate High School. Rob Kinge would lead the circuit training with enthusiasm. Long after he had left the club his voice could still be heard on the cassette he left, ‘Fifteen seconds, twenty five, CHANGE’.

(3) A Move to the Neatherd High School

To continue Monday evening training after the winter circuits had finished, through the summer months Rob Kinge started a track session on the playing field of the Neatherd High School from April 1994.

During 1995 plans were afoot to relocate permanently to the High School. The conditions at the rugby club were very basic and Dereham Runners needed improved facilities for future development.

Dereham Runners and the Neatherd High School had strong connections, with club committee members being parents of pupils at the school and also serving on the committee of the Friends of Neatherd High School. In addition many of the junior members attended the school.

A meeting was arranged with Headmaster John Horsfield.

A former runner himself John Horsfield could not have been more sympathetic to the needs of Dereham Runners and welcomed us to use the school’s facilities. He also agreed that the club could site a portacabin as a club house on the school field.

The portacabin was delivered on 18th, November, 1995 and from December the club was based permanently at the Neatherd High School.

The City of Norwich Half Marathon 1994. L to R Back row, Tim Bevan, Kevin Bradley, Tony Morrice, Alan Harrison, Ken Hoye, Andy Aldous, Front row, Graham Hall, John Richardson, Liz Crouch, Julia Rogerson, Jonathan Knights.

City of Norwich Half Marathon has always been the big local race for members of Dereham Runners AC.City of Norwich half Marathon 1994.

'On a hot Sunday morning 14 members of Dereham Runners AC took part in the Norwich Half Marathon with nearly 900 other runners'

RESULTS - Chris Dennis 1:15, Jonathan Knights 1:23, Dave Kellaway 1:29, Ken Hoye 1:31, Graham Hall 1:35, Andy Aldous 1:36, Kevin Bradley 1:40, Gary Slattery 1:43, Alan Harrison 1:45, Tony Morrice 1:48, Tim Bevan 1:57, Julia Rogerson 2:01, John Richardson 2:10. Liz Crouch 2:15. (Dereham Times report)

Once established at the Neatherd High School, Dereham Runners benefited from the use of the grass eight lane 400 metre track in the summer months and use of the school’s sports hall in the winter.

(4) Across the Channel to France

In 2006 and 2007 Dereham Runners were invited by the town’s twinning committee to visit the twin town of Dereham, Caudebec-Les-Elbeuf in Normandy where two road races were being staged.

Our runners participated either in the ‘Championnat de Hte Normandie du Semi Marathon’ (Normandy Half Marathon Championship) or the 10 km des Boucles de la Seine (10 km race of the Curves of the Seine).

The two races were organised by the local running club, Racing-Club-Caudebecais founded in 1945.

Arriving in Caudebec-Les-Elbeuf on Saturday evening the party of Dereham Runners were given a reception at the Town Hall headed by the Mayor which was followed by an evening meal.

After a comfortable night sleep in a small hotel, a continental breakfast the team from Dereham were ready to race in the morning.

Back Row L to R ; Gary Chaffe, Sue Abbott, Michael Lyons, Sarah Lyons, Michael Lyons (jnr), Front Row; Chris Parnham (twinning committee), John Richardson, Linsey Broster, Richard Broster.

(5) In conclusion

It is now 2020 and I am writing this admist the Covid 19 crisis when all running has been suspended with no date of a return.

I can not be sure of the future of Dereham Runners but I have seen the club grow from humble beginnings to a club that has become established high on the Norfolk running and athletic table.

There is much more to write but I feel I have completed my task to write the early history and will leave the modern history for someone to write in the future.

Please accept my apologies if you feel I have omitted something that is important but I am sure it will be included in a future edition.

John Robert Richardson

July, 2020.