Dudley
Ladies To Show Their Glamorous Side at Presentation 2011
Dudley Ladies Running Club
again held it’s annual
presentation evening at Linden House, in Tettenhall Road, Wolverhampton on
Friday 8th July.
This was where beginners and
established runners alike were recognised for their achievements over
the past year.
Scroll down to see who won what and then
click on the Thumbnails to see a larger image
T
he Role of Honour for Year 2011
Proceedings began at 7.30pm when Rita welcomed everyone to the event before
starting the evening off with a loud explosion of party poppers
and
sitting down to a
silver service three course meal of either Minestrone Soup
or Iced Melon with Ginger for starters,
Chicken Chasseur or Roast Topside of Beef or
Feta Cheese & Broccoli Bake for main course, with Profiteroles in Hot
Bailey’s Sauce or Strawberries & Cream for dessert
Following the meal, which everyone said was excellent, Rita allowed Phil
the rare privilege to speak in public but a throat infection prompting an
unwelcome impersonation of Mickey Mouse's voice quickly put
paid to that.
The awards ceremony was begun by Rita, with Dee and Nina
giving out some tiara's, chocolates and balloons to all the young children
present
before awarding the beginners their medals, certificates and
tee-shirts for running a minimum of 3 miles during their recent 10
week beginners course.
That done the evening then moved on to the individual award
winners and as Rita explained, this year was more difficult than
ever, with around 200 beginners plus the established runners in the
club and everyone with a good case to put, so just where do you
start???
Beginners
Achievement Award – Marg Jones.
Marg leads a particularly busy life
as a full time teacher but she was determined to run the 3 miles and has shown pure guts in doing it and
nothing was going to stop her
Beginners Achievement Award – Sam Sambrooks.
Sam is one of those ladies that demonstrates all that is
good about Dudley Ladies, as we’ve said before, when people join Dudley
Ladies, they never really leave, even if they become pregnant, injured, ill or
have to give it a miss for whatever reason and Sam falls into that category.
She
was one of our very first members but due to various health and fitness
problems, she was
forced to take a break. She keeps coming back again and again and we just
don’t seem to be able to put her off or quell her enthusiasm. She’s had to start right from
scratch and she’s done it in style.
Beginners
Achievement Award - Prabhjit Matharu.
This lady is an
inspiration to her children and family who were all there to see her. Like most people at the club
Prabhjit has to juggle her time between working full time and looking after the house as
well as bringing up the kids.
She is not a
natural runner and it hasn’t come easy to her but she’s here every
week and always giving it her all with a smile on her face and
Amritpal by her side.
Beginners
Achievement Award – Clare Stevens.
Clare is one of those unsung heroines that keep their heads down and
just get on with it. We were most impressed by her dedication and
sheer quiet determination.
Beginners
Achievement Award – Wendy Clement.
Wendy is not one of the fastest
ladies in the club nor is she one of the youngest. In fact we hope she doesn’t mind
us telling you this but she is the oldest member in the club but if we told you her age, you
wouldn’t believe us anyway. She first came to the club a couple of years ago
but had a bit of an accident while she was on holiday. She fell off a narrow
boat head first into the canal but after a bit of a fight with a whale, (bicycle whale) she eventually surfaced and
after the bruises and knocks had healed she built up the courage to come
back and give it another go, which she has done with style.
Beginners Achievement Award –
Emma Newbrook.
Emma took time out and has now come back with
a determination to beat her Triathlon training husband. She has attacked
each training session with relish and has progressed enormously from when
she started.
Established
Achievement Award – Dorette Williams
Dorette joined us in
the cold dark wet nights of winter. She hadn’t run before, she has a very
hectic and stressful life working late into the evening as well as having to
commute quite a way to get here. So if there was an additional award for
dedication then his lady would win it hands down.
Established
Achievement Award – Sue Al-Mousili.
Sue has been a member of the club off and on since 2003
but last year she had a health problem that really set her back and
incapacitated her for quite some time. However, once she got the all clear
she came back and had to start from scratch again. She joined in with the
beginners group and like everybody else she found it hard work. But she did
it and we are all delighted to welcome her back.
Established Runner Achievement Award – Wendy Welch.
Wendy has been a member of the club since 2006. She
comes, week in week out and over the years she has progressed from beginner
to seasoned runner. She takes out groups, helps other by encouraging them
and advising them. Wendy Welch is a real credit to the club.
Beginners
Achievement Award – Natalie Neale
Natalie is another one of our earliest members who took time out. This time
it was to start a family. Now coming back after a layoff is hard enough
but throw in the birth of a couple of kids and all the other stuff that goes
with then you will realise why we are so pleased to recognise the
achievements of this lady.
Beginners Achievement Award – Isa
Davies. 
Isa thoroughly deserves this
achievement award. She has been very committed to the Beginners Course from
day one. Not once has she admitted defeat or complained even when her shoes were killing
her and she had to take even her new ones back to the shop. She's not the fastest in the group by any means but she has given 100%
and her improvement has been amazing.
Established Runners Achievement Award – Jackie Green
& Jo Green
Jackie and Jo are mother and daughter. It was mom
Jackie that encouraged Jo back in to running after the birth of her first
child and she has continued to do so ever since. Jo is now a well established
member of the group. Jackie has also moved on to a new level. She leads out
some of the more able members of the group as well as undertaking additional
physical training. Jackie is a mainstay of the group.
Beginners Achievement Award – Della Burgess.
What can we say about Della. This lady is yet another
that typifies everything that is good
about Dudley Ladies and she makes everything that we do feel worthwhile.
People like Della is what it’s all about because she makes every Tuesday and
Thursday fun. She is not a natural runner, she has had to work pretty hard to
do what she’s done but she’s done it. Not only with a smile on her face but
with a massive grin and laughing her head off. She makes everyone around her
feel good. Della it is an absolute pleasure and joy to know you. Thank you.
Established Runners Achievement Award – Sharon
Saunders
Sharon is another lady that joined us during the cold
dark wet nights of winter as a beginner and basically did in one night what
everybody else normally takes six weeks to do. She got the bug and has now
progressed up to running with the established ladies, making some very good
friends along the way.
Beginners Achievement Award – Beth Lomas & Veronica
Taylor.
This is a joint award, because we couldn’t split them up. Beth
and 
Veronica
came to the club
together and have run together and progressed at the same rate together ever
since.
They progressed up to running over the 3 mile distance one quiet Sunday morning. Although we
have to say that they didn’t know they were going to do it at the time. They had to work very
hard to do what they’ve done but they did it with great big smiles on their
faces and we’re sure that their kids will be proud of the as well
Established Runners Achievement Award
- Mary Soloman
Mary is perennial. She has set back after
setback yet comes back year after year to prove to everyone that if you have
a positive outlook you can do anything.
Beginners Achievement Award – Helen Shepherd.
Helen is another one of our earliest members who took time out.
This time it was for about 5 years. So she was back at square one. She has progressed from nothing again
to become one of the better runners in the group, dragging her friends
behind her. She was one of the first to do her 3 miles and now leads the way
whenever we go out.
Established
Runners Achievement Award - Lesley Cox & Joy Cox.
Lesley and Joy are mother and daughter. Both are a real
inspiration to anyone wanting to take up running. Lesley because of her
caring supportive personality and daughter Joy who this year
broke the 5 mile barrier for the first time and has made everyone in the club
extremely proud of
her.
Beginners
Achievement Award – Julie Hampton. 
Julie is another lady that took time
out for about 5 years. But the inactivity
led to her putting on a bit of weight which she hated, so she decided to do
something about it and has bust a gut to get back to where she was. It
hasn’t been easy and there have been a couple of injuries along the way
because of her impatience get back. But get back she did and now she runs with
some of the better established ladies to the point of running up Showell Lane which
if you don’t know is “Super Woman” stuff.
Established
Runners Achievement Award – Helen Winter
Helen is one of Dudley Ladies unsung
heroines. She turns up more often than the office cat and is always here
come rain or shine. What a Star!
Beginners
Achievement Award – Julie Lewis and Perminder Sehemby.
Julie and Pam who did
not know each other before they came down the club are not natural runners
and running didn’t come easy to them. They are not speed merchants and will
never run for England. But what they have got is a very positive mental
attitude and a determination to just do it. We’ve been alongside these
ladies on a number of occasions during the runs and they always have smiles on
their faces and a “Come On We Can Do This” attitude. Which motivates the
people around them and impressed us no
end.
MARATHON AWARDS TO:
Jill Bayliss – Lisa Thompson – Jane Tibbetts
Natalie Dellar – Rachel Chapman – Jo Jones
All of these marathon runners started out as beginners
who couldn't run around the football pitch but after a few foolish drinks
and a lot of hard work they have now gone on to do the ultimate
challenge and be an inspiration to everyone.
Newcomer of Year – Massi Aita.
Coming from Japan to a
strange country with a completely different culture and speaking very little
English, Massi joined us a little while ago. She found it very difficult
to integrate at the start but with her politeness, warm personality
and smile she soon won people over and has made many new friends. She is now
a well established member of the
group.
Most
Improved Runner of Year – Nina White.
So many people have improved this
year that there was quite a lot to choose from. So we used the old adage of
what was the value added. Where did you start from last year and where are
you now. And on that basis Nina won
hands down.
Beginner
of the Year – Sue Hutton.
Sue has just beaten Breast Cancer, so
nobody deserves an award more than Sue. She first joined us nearly 10 years
ago when we were at DK and everything was going to plan. Unfortunately a
series of obstacles were put in her way that she has had to overcome. Not
least the Breast Cancer. There have been a lot of worries and a lot of
illness as well as bringing up a young family and everything else that goes with
it. But the chemo's worked, her hair has come back better than ever, her
strength has come back and she is a true
inspiration for anyone. We cannot speak too highly of this lady and we feel
very privileged to be in her company. Thank you for allowing us to help you.
Runner
of the Year – Jane Tibbetts.
Jane is one of our more mature members
who regularly puts much younger members to shame. Her progress over the last
couple of years has been tremendous. She made some good friends and with
their encouragement she has gone on to do races and things that she never
dreamed possible. Not least The London Marathon.
Clubwoman
of the Year – Dee Yarnall.
Some people in the club do more than run.
They do other things as well and without them, none of this would take
place. Dee is one such lady and is an inspiration to us all. She has a busy full time
job, sometimes having to get up at 3.30 in the morning. Because she needs the dough.(ed.
she works at Warbuttons Bakery)
Anyway, she had major
surgery last year to sort out a little woman's problem but has overcome that
in record time and everyone that meets her is immediately struck by her
outgoing personality, enthusiasm and the loads of energy that she brings
to the club.
Take it from us that you just cannot
ignore this lady. There just isn’t a better Mrs Motivator anywhere. She is
at the club every week, supporting and advising, everyone that runs with
her. The club just wouldn't be the same without Dee Yarnall.
At the end of the evening thanks and presents were
given out to all the people that had help make things happen.
People like Maggie Bolton, Helen Nuttall, Eileen
Bolton, Ann Kelly, Terri Harper, Kirsty McGarvey and all the other ladies
too numerous to mention.
Following that a giant raffle was held which raised
nearly £255 and that was donated to Sue Hutton's Race for Life sponsorship
appeal. The following Sunday, Sue ran the race and wrote:
"THANK YOU TO EVERYONE AT
DUDLEY LADIES FOR ALL YOUR SUPPORT AND KINDNESS I COULD NOT HAVE DONE IT
WITHOUT YOU!
I DID IT!! I RAN ALL THE WAY!!!!! It took me 38 mins and it was a hot day!!
lots of hills all over Baggeridge country park, but the thought of everyone
who had supported me kept me going! This is a very poignant moment and marks
the end of on era (an awful year of cancer treatment!) and the start of new
beginnings!!! I have enjoyed the build up to the race but I am now relieved
it's all over! My total funds are in excess of £555, I really couldn't have
done it without you all!!!
Lots of love and thank you xxxxx Sue "
So all in all it was a BRILLIANT night enjoyed by
all. Here's to next year.
