Last updated
10 May 2012
General bits and pieces
| Criminal Record Bureau (CRB) checks for club volunteers.
Blackheath and Bromley Harriers AC together
with UKA takes its responsibilities towards the welfare of young
people in Athletics very seriously and requires everyone in
athletics who has significant contact with children to have an
Enhanced Criminal Records Bureau Disclosure.
I have attached a stage by stage
guide on how to apply and complete the the Enhanced CRB
disclosure.
I have also
declaration form
which can be used for helpers for a one off expedition but it is
preferable to complete the full CRB check. If you are submitting
this through the track at Norman Park please speak with Ken Daniels
who will assist otherwise contact me, Brian Power (Welfare Officer)
07919 490365. 10-05-12
 |
Two 50 years membership awards
presented in New Zealand
Greetings from
sunny New Zealand - God its hot down here - about 28/29 at the moment,
however we have had quite a bit of rain, albeit warm rain, since we arrived.
Hope all went well at the National Supper last night.
I have managed to meet up with 2 of our members and present them with their
50 years membership awards. The first was Rod Barker, who was officiating at
the Auckland Cathay Pacific half marathon earlier today. I slightly
gatecrashed their prize ceremony and managed to make the presentation to Rod
from their "stage" - the back of a truck, during the proceedings.
Afterwards I drove up to Titirangi and visited Ian
Mackley at his home where, as you can see, the weather was still beautiful
and I presented him with his award.
We also met both wifes and had a thoroughly enjoyable
day.
Both recipients were very proud and humbled to receive
their awards. Two lovely men who are thoroughly proud of their membership of
B&BH AC.
Pres
26 February 2012
Darryl Hillier and Kim's wedding
This is how
they do it in South Africa.... 21 January 2012
Thanks very much to the person who posted a
couple of our wedding pics onto the Blackheath site, much appreciated.
If I had got married in the UK, I promise you that the whole club
would've been invited! We had perfect weather on the 21st January 2012
at Morgan Bay situated right on the beach in the Eastern Cape. We had
113 guests and had a great day. Kim & I are very happily married now and
in still in love, can you believe it!!!
I miss the running and Blackheath terribly, but
still managing to swim 20km in 5 days, so at least doing some exercise.
I plan to start running the cross country for the over 40's races here,
starting in May. I'm sure they won't be as hard as those UK muddy
courses.
Sorry to hear it's so cold there and that you
had plenty snow. I would've loved to have raced the Club 10, pity! My
ultimate club race and such a flat course!
Please send regards to everyone at the Club and
I'm following the results a lot, so GO ON THE HEATH!!!
Kind regards
Darryl
9-02-12
Ron Eaton, 'Ron the Runner'
A great servant of Athletics has been lost to us.
Those who in the past have worked on Administration at the London
Marathon, will remember Ron as the kindly and friendly man who managed
the Registration process. Sadly he died recently and his funeral was at
the City of London Crematorium on 20 September. He was 86 and was
survived by a son and a daughter and two grandchildren. He was shortly
to become a Great Grandfather. He was himself a prodigious runner who
completed many marathons including London and New York. He also
race-walked, was a Centurion and had completed the London to Brighton.
He was greatly affected by the loss of his wife Joyce 7 years ago and it
was appropriate to hear the BBC's London Marathon theme being played at
the service which ended with the pop song 'Keep on Running'. He greatly
enjoyed running and considered himself a serious runner. Thus the award
by Running Magazine of the title 'Fun Runner of the Year' didn't go down
at all well... 26-09-11
Colin Poole will be running his 300th Marathon in
November
Re: Adidas Women’s 5k Challenge
Jessica Jones
as a Platinum Young Sports Ambassador for the Youth Sport Trust and Adidas,
would like to invite all female runners to take part in the Adidas Women’s
5k Challenge.
Adidas is
offering everyone a free entry to the event, in exchange every runner needs
to donate just £5.00 to a charity (please select one on the entry form).
Every runner recruited by Jessica will automatically receive an exclusive
Adidas T-shirt to run in on the day
In partnership
with the Youth Sport Trust, Adidas is committed to increasing sport
participation amongst girls aged under 19. A key part of that commitment
this year is an invitation to all female athletes, their friends, sisters,
brother’s girlfriend, mums, aunties, grandmas, and even their teachers to
join them at the Adidas Women’s 5K challenge on Sunday
11th September. The event is held in London’s Hyde Park and is always
a great day out with thousands of women and girls taking part, including top
Adidas athletes and loads of celebrity faces.
If you would
like to enter this 5K challenge please register direct at:
www.womenschallenge.co.uk/areyouin/
Ensure to use
the following username and password to get the discount:
Username:
iRdHPKAm and Password: kaVFrFWq
Annual Report for the Kent
London Athletics Network
You
will see from the following report the extent of the activities
undertaken by the Network in the first year, through the co-ordination
by 365 Athletics Academy. You may not wish to read every word of the
report, but a glance at the two pages of bullet points will give you an
idea of the impressive number and range of activities during the year.
In fact, at the presentation of the Network's Year 2 Plan made to an
England Athletics panel in March, they were so impressed by Year 1
achievement, together with future plans, that not only was the requested
£25k awarded, but permission was granted to carry forward an £8k+
underspend from Year 1. The underspend resulting from from the late
entry into the scheme by the Kent London Athletics Network.
I would
take this opportunity to make it clear that these funds do not come
under the jurisdiction of B&B HAC, but can only be spent by the Network
as outlined in the Year Plan. The Club do make a contribution of £1k
under "Partner Funding", but from the bullet points it can be seen how
the Club and its members have benefitted.
If you
have any questions or points you would like to raise please put them to
either Tim Soutar or John Baldwin who are the B&B representative on the
KLAN committee.
John
Baldwin
Kent London McCain Athletics Network
First Annual Report to Member Clubs
Is your Network making a difference to your club, its coaches, officials,
athletes and
wider membership? We will let you be the judges of that!
The Kent London McCain Athletics Network was launch on 9th May 2010 at the
Kent
County Championships at Ashford. Mike Summers, the then CEO of England
Athletics, was
on hand to present a cheque for ..80,000 to fund projects over a three year
period. The
funding is part of a ..5 million sponsorship package from McCain who have
partnered
with England Athletics with the goal of finding and nurturing future
champions whilst at
the same time raising the profile of athletics and inspiring families to
become more
involved in the sport.
The Network is seen as an important partnership between England Athletics
and four
local clubs: Beckenham Running Club; Bexley AC; Blackheath & Bromley
Harriers AC and
Cambridge Harriers.
The Network aims to grow and sustain participation levels in athletics,
increase the
number of volunteers involved in the sport, improve the quality of
experience for all
participants and at the same time raise the standard of coaching and
performance levels
of athletes.
Below is a snapshot of what has been achieved over the past twelve months as
a result
of the four clubs working together:
• A Coaches Forum, hosted by B&BHAC, attended by 45 delegates from the
network clubs was organised which was supported by two very prominent
senior coaches and presenters from England Athletics.
• Beckenham Running Club hosted a nutrition talk organised by England
Athletics for local coaches.
• Held an Athletics Leaders Course for 22 participants.
• Coach and Athlete Development Workshops programmes established for high
jump at Erith Stadium (monthly) and hammer at Norman Park/Sutcliffe Park
(periodic – usually more frequent than monthly).
• First Aid Workshop attended by 14 participants.
• Coaching bursaries provided for new and existing coaches to attend
coaching
courses
• Purchased and distributed Athletics 365 manuals for evaluation purposes.
• Flying Coach visit organised to run an Athletics 365 workshop to
demonstrate
a typical session, observed by coaches from the network clubs who work with
young athletes. The aim of the workshop was to generate confidence and
knowledge for the introduction of the scheme within the participants’ clubs.
• Work was started on developing a prototype of a Network Coaches database
• Newly qualified young coaches have been given the opportunity to develop
their coaching skills under the supervision of more experienced coaches via
the Bees Academy and Bexley Tigers.
• Helped organise a Bromley Primary Schools QuadKids event for school years
3
& 4 that attracted 120 participants. The event was so well received that
this
year the Bromley Schools Sports Partnership in conjunction with the Network
will be organising a bigger borough wide festival for children in school
years 3
- 6. Anticipated level of participation 500+.
• The Network entered a composite team in the Aviva Fun in Athletics London
Region Festival at Crystal Palace. Twenty-eight athletes participated with
the
girls’ team finishing 3rd and the boys’ team 4th – highest ranked Network
team overall.
• Organised a major Public Lecture by Dr Costas Karageorghis entitled Inside
Sport Psychology, in conjunction with local school Langley Park School for
Boys. Attended by 150 coaches, sportsmen and sportswomen, students, PE
staff and parents. The speaker, premises and audio visual equipment were
secured at no cost to the Network.
• Designed and implemented a substantial network website that is updated
almost daily, containing information and resource materials applicable to
the
network club memberships. This has now become a major source of
information (highly recommended viewing – www.kentlondonathletics.org.uk .
Also created a Facebook page for the Network.
• Secured £1000 worth of books, DVDs and videos on long-term loan from
England Athletics in order to establish a resource library for use by
Network
clubs members. Library accessible via the website.
• Purchased at greatly discounted price 2000 cross country flags and other
equipment for use by Network clubs and coaches.
• Have met with the Greenwich Athletics Activator (Melissa Catchpole) to
ensure no duplication of effort and share current and future plans.
• Network representative sits on the Lewisham Athletics Action Group.
• Meetings held with various School Sports Partnerships across the Network.
• Established meaningful links with the Kent Rural
Athletics Network and Kent
County Athletics Association particularly in the area of coach and athlete
development.
• Co-ordinators have attended numerous network training days, conferences
and workshops.
• Successfully negotiated the purchase of a full 4-lane Sportshall
competition
kit from the national Sportshall organisation, a large discount funded
jointly
for the network, Kelsey Park Sports College and 365 Athletics Academy.
• Creation of a centre of excellence for Sportshall activities at Kelsey
Park
Sports College in Beckenham from June 2011.
• Have identified a KLAN 2012 event – “QuadKids in the Olympic Park” during
the Games targeting children visiting London from around the world. We
would like to reward the Network’s outstanding young athletes (16+) with the
opportunity to run QuadKids sessions under the guidance of senior coaches.
The challenge we have is how we put forward the idea to the Olympic
organisers.
• The Network committee has agreed in principle and where appropriate for
clubs to share open and joint club championship events across the Network,
to include road-running and cross country. Road running club members to be
encouraged to participate in Track & Field events during the summer
Looking forward to the next twelve months the following priorities have been
identified
and funding approved by England Athletics London Regional Network Panel:
The creation of a centralised Network administration
system to help manage efficiently,
the day to day affairs of Network clubs.
Organise a range of workshops, seminars, conferences,
courses to cover the following
topics:
• Two Coach/Officials conferences to be held in
October & March
• Coach Training Courses
• Officials Training Courses
• First Aid Training Courses
• Coach & Athlete Development Workshops
• High Jump, Hammer, horizontal jumps, shot/discus/javelin and road-running/
endurance
Volunteer management:
• Review of needs
• Job descriptions/guidelines
• Recruitment -internal/external including recruitment evenings
• Volunteer support and training
Publication of a six monthly KLAN e-Newsletter
Content to include:
• Members’ letters
• athlete profiles - current/past
• forthcoming events
• advertising opportunities -local businesses, discounts
• England Athletics section
• Results and achievement highlights
• key contacts & resources
• interviews
Athletics in the Park – Summer holiday activities for children in local
parks run by young
Network coaches.
Introduction of Athletics 365 coaching scheme and
promotion of QuadKids and Super 8
short form competitions within clubs and schools.
Support for the 2011/12 Kent Coach and Athlete
Development Days.
Continued maintenance of the Network’s website
And much more………………………………………..
We are pleased to be able to announce that Petts Wood
Runners joined the Network
from 1 April 2011.
The Network Committee is always interested to hear new
ideas and suggestions so
please let us have, by e-mail to: paul.patten@kentlondonathletics.org.uk ,
your
feedback and comments.
For those of you who have supported the Network’s
activities during the year we thank
you and to those who have yet to get involved please visit our website
www.kentlondonathletics.org.uk on a regular basis in order to keep
updated on what
events are being organised for you. If you have a need, let us know about
it.
John Blackie & Paul Patten
Kent London McCain Athletics Network Co-ordinators
Message from Cliff Keen
Hi All,
It has been over 3 years since my Louise and I
returned to the UK (and BBHAC) after a 5 year interval down in India and
Australia, and it is time to head overseas again. This time it is South
America, and just for 12 months, we intend to be back in time to use our
Olympic tickets, should we get any.
On this trip Louise intends to keep a blog, so if you
would like to take a break from browsing Facebook you can find us on
www.travelpod.com – the best
way is to enter ‘louisekeen’ into the Search box, and then look for ‘Louise
and Cliff’s South American Adventure’ (but wait a while, there is nothing of
interest on it yet !).
I will, of course, be able to follow your exploits on
the BBHAC web site, so please make it a spectacularly successful year.
Cheers
Cliff
Can you, will you, help PP Les
Roberts in his latest quest?
For those that don't know: Les is a Past
President of Blackheath & Bromley, former International athlete
and World Champion. Unfortunately he now suffers from Parkinson's - he
has good days and bad days, can't run much anymore but can still ride
his bike...
In
2008 you may recall I rode my bike from Land’s
end to John O’Groats in aid of the Cure Parkinson’s Trust. This raised
£14,000 for the Trust, which, true to the name of its subsidiary company
“Movers & Shakers”, has managed to persuade the Parkinson’s community to
focus on the need for clearly defined goals that reflect patients’ desires
and expectations. You will not be surprised to hear that a cure is at the
top of the wish list.
The money that so many of you were able to donate in
2008 was gratefully received and was spent very effectively. The search for
a cure is becoming evermore intense; there are a number of research projects
currently well into the final trial stage and there are other very promising
lines of research in the pipeline.
Apparently, more has been learnt about Parkinson’s
over the past 2 years than during the previous 40. All the specialists I
have met recently seem genuinely excited about the prospect of finding a
cure very soon. This momentum must be sustained.
All this is why I shall be taking to the saddle again
this June and joining 5 other (fool-?) hardy gents to ride the longest
self-propelled journey of our lives from Lizard Head in Cornwall, the
southern-most point of GB, to as far north as you can go on the mainland,
Dunnet Head. Then we will pedal back down to the Mull of Kintyre where we
will take a chartered boat across to Northern Ireland ready to ride from the
two extreme points there, going from Malin Head down the full length of
Ireland to Mizen Head in the south. Finally, after a sea crossing to
Swansea, it’s back to London to finish what the team has imaginatively named
“The Challenge”. We will have covered 2000 miles over 28 days; I suspect I
will feel I have aged much more than that by the time we reach the Mall.
Information on the ride, the route, the schedule,
maps, riders, patrons and supporters, news about the build up to the event
and ultimately our progress as our journey unfolds, can be found on the
following link:
http://pedalforparkinsons.co.uk
The other key link is to our fundraising site:
http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/fundraiser-web/fundraiser/showFundraiserProfilePage.action?userUrl=pedalforparkinsonschallenge&isTeam=true
The Pedal for Parkinson’s Challenge is being well
publicised and even has a supporting tag-phrase: Change attitudes. Find a
cure. Join us!
So, with this rallying cry, I once again am asking
friends and family to join my latest fund raising quest and the fight to
find a cure for Parkinson’s. It would be wonderful if, as before, you are
able take up this call to arms and make a donation. Thank you.
Love and best wishes
Les
PS. You can follow me on my cycle ride at:
http://theweaselonwheels.blogspot.com/
I am also on Facebook, if you are ever passing that
way:
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1680270148&v=wall&ref=profile
Kirsty & Mel Got Married! - 29 August 2010
Photos from
Justine
Tony Weeks-Pearson
(presentation
made 27 March 2010 at culmination of 2009/2010 Bennett Cup)
Tony deservedly
receives his 50 years membership award today.
He was elected to
membership on 4 April 1949 but sadly left us in 1997. He was offered Life
Membership by the Club, accepted and rejoined 2 years ago.
His application
is in the name of Anthony James Pearson of Hastings, Sussex. He was proposed
for membership by Sydney Wooderson, who also became his Coach, and seconded by
Sydney’s brother Stanley. As an under 19, he paid 10/6 for a year’s
subscriptions.
A top class
Athlete, who represented Britain in what is now called the World Student Games,
he was also a UK record holder for 3000m indoors, won several mob matches and
County titles and was a consistently good performer at the highest level.
He was twice 11th
on the National Cross Country Championships in 1955 and 1958 and also 11th
in the Southern in 1956. He was twice joint winner of the Varsity Cross Country
race, the first time with Chris Chattaway in 1952, and was Cross Country Captain
at Oxford.
He never won the
Kent Senior Cross Country title but was an individual medallist 5 times and four
times in successive years was either 2nd or 3rd. He did
win Kent 20 and Kent Marathon titles.
He ran his
fastest Marathon in 1967, 2.31.23, missing the Club record by just 15 seconds.
In the 1957 Poly Marathon he would have broken Charlie Busby’s existing Club
record of 2.34.06, but on a blistering hot June day he came 5th in
2.41 some 4 minutes behind the winner. This winning time was some 15 minutes
slower than usual. Blackheath’s Johnny Withers was 8 minutes behind Tony and
he, about 7 weeks later, ran 2.31.08, an 18 minutes improvement on his Poly run,
and this was still the record when Tony missed it by just 15 seconds 10 years
later in 1967.
When representing
Britain in the 1953 International Student Games, he won silver in the 5000m with
an excellent 14.49.
Leading up to the
finale of the Bennett Cup some 50 years ago in 1960, he won the Club 10 in
54.59. Not bad, eh!
He did the
questionnaire in Athletics Weekly in 1958 and one question was: “which
performance gave you most personal satisfaction and why”. His reply was: “the 2nd
handicap spoon in the mob match against SLH, I always thought this impossible
under handicapper George Brooks”. Any of you thinking today that you have been
hard done by the handicapper, it was ever thus!
Alan Brent made
him a Vice President in 1967 and the late Don Gillate chose him as his
successor, so Tony was Club President in 1990/1. But a comment in the 1990
Gazette says it all: “We are, above all, grateful to Tony for all the work that
has gone into our two priceless histories”. 1969 and the 1989 update.
My personal
thanks go to Tony for his excellent support when I was organising the Sydney
Wooderson Memorial Service in 2007. I couldn’t have done it without him and it
was generally accepted to be a successful and fitting tribute to our most famous
member.
So thank you
Tony.
Mike Martineau,
Past President
Past member Rory Byrne 23-12-09
Alison
Hi my name is Joe Mills and I am a former member of the club (I
would still be if I hadn't moved to Canada in the summer of this
year). I know Nick has probably told you already of the devastating
news of the passing of Rory Byrne in the early hours of Sunday
morning.
I wanted to mail you directly myself, to give you some more
information about Rory in case you were doing your weekly
presentation, but also to give you the address of the funeral which
is next Monday at 10am at Our Lady of Good Council, Fox Rock Church,
Dublin.
Rory lived for running, I mean more than anyone I have ever met.
He used to say to me that his loves were in order, his son (13
years, Cianan), running, his wife, Brenda and then Utd. He ran 66
min for the Great North before his first marathon a few years ago,
so had great pedigree. He first discovered what turned out to be a
benign brain tumour, in May 2005. He used to have many siezures and
while he was adjusting to massive levels of medication was unable to
run, but got into good enough shape to run last years Berlin
Marathon in 2.36 (12 mins outside his PB). he didn't tell the club,
because he didn't want a fuss, but also because he was
understandably cautious. He was given the all clear in May and
celebrated, was back running 80-90 miles a week and dragging me out
the door most days around Greenwich park and Blackheath where we
lived, early this summer. I know that he fully intended to start
racing again and was just waiting until he felt in good enough
shape.
This never happened, in July he suffered a relapse and was
admitted into hospital where they found another tumour, that was to
eventually kill him last weekend. It ravaged him, he lost his sight
6 weeks ago and slowly more faculties. Not at any point did he get
angry, he showed immense bravery and dignity for his friends and his
family and was determined to live a close to a normal life as
possible, which is why for example when he recently spoke with Nick,
he never fully described the extent of his illness.
His hero was Carlos Lopez (he used to make me watch the 84
Marathon on video once a year), amazingly Lopez visited him last
Tuesday.
Alison, Rory was a very close friend to me and also my only real
training partner over the last few years. I am slightly sad that he
wasn't better known among the club, but as you know 'out of sight
out of mind', in no way did this reflect his passion for athletics.
What is not known at all, was that in the Southern 12 stage of 2005,
Rory ran stage 11 in what looked like a very slow time, he would
have been devastated by that performance. However, he was such a
gentleman, he escorted my then heavily pregnant wife round the
course while I ran the last leg. At the time, Rory did not know why
he ran so slowly but we were within weeks to discover that he was
collapsing and losing time. He obviously did so on that leg, but
no-one was there to see it and he did not remember it.
I hope the club will be able to send some flowers, I have the
address of I think his parents (his dad was his first coach, and
even on the last day that I saw him, two weeks ago was discussing
Irish athletics with his dad and me) where a wake will be on Sunday
evening. 2 Whitehall Cottage, Westminster Rd, Foxrock, Dublin,
Ireland. I also hope that you will be able to write an obituary or
something to remember a truly wonderful person and he would want me
to say, runner.
If you want anymore information please get in touch.
With very best wishes, and also an acknowledgement of sorrow that
I am passing on this what must be shocking news to you.
Joe
Another note from
Mike Salmon
The 2009 England Athletics National Awards programme
The 2009 England Athletics National Awards programme,
sponsored by Heidsieck & Co. Monopole Champagne, has seen volunteers from across
the country recognised for their contributions in supporting the development of
the sport.
There are twelve categories of award which recognise the
work of clubs, volunteers, officials and coaches, as well as the areas of
partnership and disability athletics. We are pleased to announce the results of
the first stage of the programme - the nine English Regional Award winners for
the 12 categories. You can read more about the regional winners in the local
area news pages over the following weeks. Congratulations to the following
winners: Rachel Blackie, Lauren Blackie, Dan Haque
& Scott Huggins.
John Graves - chair of the EA board commented, "The
regional awards programmes are one of, if not the most, important initiatives
that we support as a governing body. I am delighted that this year’s programme
will recognize over 100 volunteers and organizations who really make the sport
tick. Without volunteers the sport would cease to exist as we know it at a local
level and it is vitally important for the long term health of the sport that we
recognize this contribution and support it in whatever way we can. A number of
our key strategies are focused on supporting the growth and skill base in
volunteering and such role models recognized in this year’s awards programme can
only serve as an example to others who might be thinking of getting involved in
their local club, association or community.
Good news for Andy Edwards
 |
Andy Edwards is to be the press conference
presenter at the 2010 London Marathon. This will entail his hosting
press conferences where the stars and celebrities and all things novel
and quirky are brought before the nation's press. He takes over from Tim
Hutchins. I reckon he should do well with his knowledge of the sport and
enthusiastic approach.
Les Roberts |
And Clare Lodwig is now Mrs Smeaton...
A note from Gary
Plank - Gary is moving away from the area...
| 20-09-07 Hi, Mike.
It was quite sad for me to say goodbye to my
Clubmates last night knowing that I am unlikely to see many of them
again for the foreseeable. Sadly, my next visit will be almost certainly
for the inevitable funeral of an old friend. C'est la vie.
However, I shall read the news on the website
avidly and hopefully meet up with some of the guys at a race. My
greatest wish is to see the club back near the top of British athletics,
especially over the country where our traditions and strengths used to
lie.
If possible, can you please let everyone know my
new location on the website, as follows:-
10 Battles Lane, Kesgrave, Ipswich, Suffolk IP5
2XF
This only a mile or so off the A14 near
Woodbridge. Visitors welcome.
Until I get a landline organised I can be
contacted on 07833501057 or by e-mail, of course.
I personally thank you as the first Heathen to
welcome me to the club back in 1982 which set the tone for the next 25
years membership of this great institution.
All the best to one and all.
Gary Plank |
Past President
Jim Day
 |
Chris Day would like to thank all of the members
who gave so generously to the British Heart Foundation following the
untimely death of her husband Past President Jim Day. The total raised
was £875. 17-09-07
Jim Day died suddenly on Sunday morning (1 July
2007). Jim would have been 74 in August and next year would have
achieved 50 years membership of Blackheath & Bromley HAC.
2-07-07 |
THE
RUNNERS YEAR - EXPLAINED by Ian Wilson PP 9-11-04
Most people when they hear the word “athletics” think of
the Olympics or the London Marathon, or may be their school sports day. Most
have no idea what happens for the whole year. If you are reading this you should
be a paid up member of Blackheath & Bromley Harriers AC and will know already
that there are many other events in the world of athletics.
You may not be clear which races are important and which
are not. Also, you may not be certain how best to prepare for those races that
you want to do well in. The purpose of this article is to inform those of you
who are relatively new to athletics and, perhaps cause some members of longer
standing to review their objectives. It may even stimulate debate and improve
performance!
First of all athletics’ is above all else an individual
sport, it is a very personal sport. Team performances are secondary as they are
the result of a collection of individual performances. However, there is no
doubt that an enthusiastic team will help individuals to perform well. You may
consider your local 3.75k road race with 50 runners important, someone else may
consider their local 6.5 k cross country race important, while others may
consider only County, Area or National championships as being important. If
every one does their own thing it is unlikely that the Club team will do well.
The Club will benefit from good performances from both individuals and teams.
Different preparation (training) is require for different
events. Your body is not like an F1 car that can be rebuilt after each race
ready for the next. To improve you must train your body to do what you want it
to. This requires stress, recovery and more stress. Then different stress,
recovery and more stress. Sound familiar? There are many ways to train but not
all will suit you. To some extent training and racing is an art form not an
exact science. The problem is that you have to find out what works best for you
and you only get one chance! If you are a runner then following the traditional
British athletics calendar is a good way to start.
What is the traditional British calendar? Well, it has
been developed over some 140 years to suit both our climate and the human body.
It was developed long before television dictated that athletes perform at the
highest level continuously throughout the year.
Let’s start the year in September, after you have
returned from your summer holiday or the summer break from school or university.
The track and field season has finished and this is the Road Relay season.
Runners can do individual road races and road or cross country relays. Most of
these need not be too serious; more an opportunity to race fast over relatively
short distances and begin to build fitness for the rest of the year. There is an
opportunity for track and field athletes to run against the “distance” runners.
In the Autumn there are “short” championship road relays.
These are important to the Club and allow individuals to race against the best
in the Area or Country. Incidentally there are three areas in England, North,
South and Midlands. B&BHAC is in the South of England.
These relays are “short” in respect of the number of
runners in the team and not distance raced. All the areas have a 6 leg men’s
road relay and 4 leg women’s road relay. These take about 2 hours and 1 hour
respectively to run. At present the Southern event is held at the Rushmoor
Areana in Aldershot at the end of September and the National event is held at
the end of October in Sutton Park at Sutton Coldfield.
This Road Relay season runs in to October and over
laps the start of the cross country season which runs, officially, from 1st
October to the 31st March. To confuse matters even more, road racing has no
fixed season, races being held throughout the year, whenever the organiser
thinks is the best time for his event. Hence, the mass participation Great North
Run half marathon race is usually held in September or October.
So from October through to March is the
cross country running season. This comprises local league races, we do the Kent
League, inter club races and championship races. The climax of the season being
the World cross Country Championships which are held each year.
Basically, before Christmas the races are about 5 miles
long for senior men and 3 miles for senior women. These are low key races which
runners may take in the stride without easing down their training. After
Christmas the Championship season happens in about eight weeks.
In the past, on the first weekend in January have
been the County Championships. But from 2004 they will be in the middle of
January. This is by an individual entry and all may run provided you have a
County qualification. This is either by birth or nine months residence. Having
once competed in a county championship you can not move to another county
without missing a year. Many, but not all, of our members are qualified for
Kent. As B&BHAC is affiliated to Kent we may enter teams in the Kent
championship. There are races for all age groups and both sexes. For senior men
the distance is 7.5 miles and for senior women about 4miles. The distances are
shorter for the younger age groups.
At the end of January the Area cross country
championships are held. The Club enters names and teams for these and as far as
I am aware there is no restriction on who may run provided they are representing
their First Claim Club. B&BHAC run in the Southern Championship. There are races
for all age groups and both sexes. The race distances are the same as for the
county championships except that the senior men run 9 miles.
Until 2004 the Inter Counties Championships were held In
mid February. But from 2004 on they are held on the first Saturday in
March. Counties usually select their team from performances in the County
Championships. For seniors up to 15 names may be entered, 9 may run with 6 to
score. If you aspire to represent your county, all you have to do is to run well
in the County championship and make sure the County Team Manager knows that you
are keen to run. For the last few years the Inter counties championship has
included the UK Athletics Trial for the British Team to run in the World Cross
Country Championships at the end of March. Also, it is currently held in
Wollaton Park, Nottingham. if you are not selected for your county team it worth
going to watch, as it is usually the highest quality domestic event in the
season.
The English National Championships are held at the end of
February and the venue moves round to each of the three areas. The 2003
version was hosted by the South at Parliament Hill Fields which is famous as,
arguably, the “best” course in the country. The Club enters names and teams for
this and there is no restriction on who may run provided they are representing
their First Claim Club and that club has entered the Area Championship. There
are races for all age groups and both sexes. The race distances are the same as
for the county championships except that the senior women run 8k.
For most of us “The National” ends the cross country
season. If you are very, very fast you could make your national team for the
World Cross Country Championship which is held towards the end of March.
You just need to finish in the top 4 places in the Inter counties!! This year’s
World Championship was in Brussels and a next year it is in the South of France.
Again, if you fancy a weekend away, watching the best runners in the world, why
not go on one of PP Graham Botley’s tours to the world cross? I am sure you will
not be disappointed.
Of course during the winter there are many road races. If
you are interest in my view, I do not recommend too many winter road races. I
consider that, if you are free on Saturdays, you are better doing cross country
in the winter than road running. Cross country running will make you stronger,
is less stressful on the body, more relaxing and the variety should leave you
refreshed for the road and / or track races in the summer.
In April there are more road relays. These are the
“long” relays typically for men there are 12 legs, 6 long about 5.5 miles and 6
short about 3 miles. The race starts with a long leg, the short and so on
finishing with a short leg. The women run 6 short legs, usually over the same
course as the men which makes for interesting comparisons within the club!
The Area, Southern Championship, is held at the beginning
of April and the National Championship at the end of April. The Southern
at the Open University at Milton Keynes on a Sunday and the National at Sutton
Park, Birmingham. The courses for the National event are a little longer than
those used in the Autumn road relay. These races take about 4.5 hours for the
senior men and just about 2 hours for the senior women. Also, there are relay
races for young athletes in Sutton Park on the Sunday following the senior
races.
Of course there is a major mass participation race in
April called the London Marathon. If this is your aim cross country is ideal
preparation.
Also in April the track and field season begins. Track and
field lasts through to September. The Club takes enters teams in the
National and in the Southern Leagues, as well as the Young Athletes Leagues.
There is also a Southern Vets T&F League.
Track & Field gives scope for all to take part; you do not
have to be a runner. There are five basic types of T&F event; these are track
i.e. sprint and middle distance and field i.e. vertical jumps, horizontal jumps
and throws. There is something for every one there. The Club could do with more
field event and sprint people. Do you know any footballers or rugby players who
want (need) to keep (get) fit during the summer. If so bring them along for an
introduction to track & field.
There are many shorter road races in the summer. 5k and
10k being ideal distances for improving marathon and half marathon times.
If you want variety then there is always Fell Running.
This is very hilly cross country across fells. These, I think, are held
throughout the year.
After all this you will be ready for your summer holiday
and to rest ready for the next year. You may have decided which events you are
best at and / or enjoy the most. You may have decided which events you would
most like to set more personal bests at. If so, how to have the best chance of
achieving personal bests could be the subject of another article. Racing should
be special!
Enjoy your running year!
Ian Wilson
ADVICE TO
UK ATHLETES ON THE USE OF SUPPLEMENTS – VERSION 2
The Club has received a position statement from UK Sport and the
British Olympic Association on the use of all supplements. The
opening paragraph states: “UK athletes are strongly advised to be
extremely cautious about the use of any supplements. No guarantee
can be given that any particular supplement, including vitamins and
minerals, ergogenic aids, and herbal remedies, is free from
prohibited substances as these products are not licensed and are not
subject to the same strict manufacturing and labelling requirements
as licensed medicines.” There is much more detailed information
in the leaflet, but it does show that licensed medicines will carry
a product license number, eg. PL0242/0028. Further information can
be obtained from: UK Sport, Drug-Free Sport Directorate, 40 Bernard
Street, London, WC1N 1ST. Email:
drug-free@uksport.gov.uk
Website: www.uksport.gov.uk/did To check all prescribed
medicines use the above website, UK Sport Helpline 0800 5280004
or call David Herbert, Anti-Doping Co-ordinator at UK Athletics on
0870 998 6732. New
Supplement Advice Sheet (PDF
219k) has recently been published - if you take any form of
supplement you need to read it.
30-06-04
Don't
say you didn't know... read the official UKA
document on Doping and it's regulation. Also includes a
list of all banned substances.
21-02-03
