Shaftesbury Barnet Harriers Weekly Newsletter Thursday 24 December 2020

Posted on 24/12/202004/03/2022 by sbharriers

Happy Birthday from this Thursday 24 December to Angela Barrett, Willem Coertzen, Dave Bedford, Michael Fox, Lisa Gaul, Maya Green, Jerome Lule, Angus McKenzie, Abiodun Oyepitan, Beth Potter, Serunjoel Riaz, Gila Schajer, Posie Shaw, Amelia Shenton and Allan Scott – from Thursday 31 December to Jackie Agyepong, Jim Alexander, Gemma Bennett, Ronan Breen, John Child, Ron Collins, Joshua Goldstein, Holly Greenwood, Sarah Heath, Eve Kemp, Chris Kirwin, Steve Marshall, Mittio Mohammadian, Stephen Murphy, Evie Nash, Ella Robinson, Fiefel Shivani, Karan Somani, Tony Sunderland and Mike Tasker – from Thursday 7 January to Uzayr Ahmad, Minas Alozides, Julian Goater, Mark Goddard, Gillian Goldin, Ty Holden, Rebecca Jeggo, Gabriella Kyriacou, Phoenix Lyon, Richard Morrissey, Ruth-Ann Otaruoh, Eleanor Rachel, Maisha Raougui-Rhoden, Jacob Spence, David Stone, Macie Sutherland and Graham Taylor

HAPPY CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR – On behalf of the club and myself we wish you all a happy and heathy Christmas and New Year. With London and surrounding area now in Tier 4, it is a challenging time for you all. But if we all can stick to the rules on social distancing, also with vaccination process moving along, i am sure we will all be able to look forward to the summer track and field season.
The SBH Magazine will be taking a well-earned Christmas break, and the next edition will be on Thursday 14 January. I will endeavour for Thursday 7 January, as currently my laptop is in a sorry state, and I have purchased a replacement. It is planned to take my laptop to them on Monday 4 January, they will then setup and transfer my data which is 2-3 days, but being cynical if there is a problem then the 7th may be in jeapordy.

BOXING DAY RACES – As advised last Sunday, due to being in Tier 4 we are unable to hold the races.

2021 LEE VALLEY INDOOR TRACK AND FIELD MEETINGS – I spoke to MICK BOND, the General Manager of Lee Valley Athletics Centre last Monday. He confirmed that the following 2 fixtures have been cancelled – January 3 Pilot Open Meeting and March 20-21 Middlesex, Hertfordshire & Kent Championships

The remaining provisional Lee Valley fixtures for January to March are – January 16-17 Southern U13/U15/U17 Championships, 30 BMC Gold Standard Meeting, 31 BeFit Open Meeting – February 6-7 Southern U20/Senior Championships, 13-14 Essex and Eastern Championships, 17 Middle Distance Open Meeting, 28 SCVAC Championships – March 6-7 British Masters Championships, 13 BeFit Open Meeting, 14 SOE/EMAC/VAC Masters Inter-Area Championships.

2021 INDOOR TRACK AND FIELD MEETINGS – During the first week of December UK Athletics issued a Preliminary list of fixtures for 2021, this is the list – Fixtures-Calender-2021-as-at-9Dec2020

Non Lee Valley fixtures – February 6-7 England Athletics U18/Elite Open Meeting (Sheffield), 20-21 British Athletics Championships (Glasgow), 27-28 England Athletics U15/U17 Open Meeting (Sheffield) – March 19-21 World Championships (Nanjing, China), 24-28 European Masters Championships (Braga, Portugal) – April 6-12 World Masters Championships (Edmonton, Canada). On the UKA fixture list they show various regional Indoor fixtures for Scotland, Wales Etc.

UPDATE ON NEELAM KADERBHOY – Hi GEOFF. Thanks again, RACHAEL delivered the Volunteer of the Year award to me. On Tuesday afternoon, I moved to Langley House Hospice Rehabilitation Centre in Watford hopefully for at least the next 30 days. Unfortunately, no visitors are allowed because of Covid-19 restrictions. That’s their policy, so Christmas will be different. Not sure if things might change, wait and see.

I’ve had Covid-19 and Meds tests done. The Covid-19 test is done twice when you arrive on day 1 and thereafter on day 3. Just waiting for results. 1st Covid-19 was negative like the previous 9 I’ve had. Still staying positive and patient. Let’s see how the weekend goes with physio etc next week. I’ve already got some exercises to do, very similar to the ones I used to give my working clients!!! But life is full of surprises….. I have an appointment with Dr Dixon on Tuesday 22 December for oncology, meds and blood tests…Hopefully all is well.

Hope All is well with you and the club. Are you holding a boxing day fun run? Any way have a lovely weekend and I’ll try and message you before Xmas NEELAM.

A CHRISTMAS MESSAGE FROM CLARE AND RAY POWELL – What a strange old year it’s been, but hopefully you have all come through, and looking forward to a slightly different Christmas this year. We have been given new dates for the new year, as in previous years if you could indicate which dates you might be able to help, you would make CLARE and myself very happy bunnies.

Sunday 25 April – The Vitality Big Half, 6.30am meeting time. Monday 31 May – Vitality London 10k, 8am meeting time. Monday 19 July – Standard Chartered Great City Race, 17.30 meeting time. Sunday 3 October – Virgin Money London Marathon, 6.30am meeting time. If you would like to commit to any of the above, please bear in mind that the meeting times are extremely important. We have both missed seeing you all this year, your good health and wellbeing is all that counts, I’m not sure if I will be allowed to give you all Big hugs when we finally meet, but let’s hope. Please contact CLARE & RAY at ray571m@btopenworld.com

TONY SMITH SEEING DOUBLE – TONY and his wife JEAN were watching the Brentford v Newcastle football match in the Carabao Cup Quarter Final on Tuesday. In the match he told me there were two ex Shaftesbury lads, firstly DOMINIC THOMPSON (son of NEVILLE) for Brentford and JAMAL LEWIS for Newcastle. Both were playing left back. Brentford won 1 – 0.

GUS UDO EXPRESSES HIS VIEWS ON THE “WINDRUSH SCANDAL” – GUS is a current member of the club, and represented the club from 1976 to 1981. GUS jumped a personal best (7.64m) in the Long Jump when winning the silver medal in the 1980 AAA Championships, and in the Triple Jump produced a personal best (15.62m) in the 1981 British League in Glasgow. Both these jumps place him UK NO.10 in the SBH all-time lists. The following is an article that was published in the 19 November edition of “The Guardian”.

GUS UDO, a former investment banker, fled the war in Biafra in 1966 aged six with his family, and was granted indefinite leave to remain in the UK. As a schoolboy he represented Britain in a junior athletics competition in Germany. In 1979, aged 19, he was offered an academic scholarship to Harvard.
While he was studying in the US, his family in London all naturalised as British; when he tried to naturalise later, he found the process had been complicated by the time he had spent studying abroad. He made several attempts, but eventually had to live in the US, away from his family. When he arrived for a visit, a UK border official crossed the Indefinite Leave to Remain stamp out of his passport.
After the Windrush scandal broke in 2017 he was finally issued with a British passport. His claim for compensation highlighted “countless humiliating incidents” at the border when he was trying to visit his mother and siblings in the UK, causing his “identity and pride to be greatly wounded … This after having proudly represented Great Britain”.
He was awarded £1,200 in compensation for the “distress, inconvenience and worry” he experienced. He contacted the Guardian because he wanted to show how the scandal has “wrecked lives at every strata of British society. Even those, like me, with seeming privilege, were not immune from the ravages of the Windrush scandal.” He said he planned to reject the compensation offer and is writing a book about his experiences. “Such a pitiful award is disgraceful because it trivialises the dislocation, economic loss, humiliation and personal suffering experienced by Windrush victims. “GUS says he will reject the offer of £1,200 after experiencing distress, inconvenience and worry”.

THE RANGERS SPORTS, 1947 – Many thanks to TOM MCNAB for another excellent article.
It is August 1947, and at the age of fourteen I am wedged in a crowd of over sixty thousand, high in the terracing at Ibrox Stadium, a spectator at the annual Rangers Sports. And there for the first time I will set eyes upon the exotic, athletic Americans brought across the Atlantic by the Rangers manager BILL STRUTH.
But- and I can say this for certain- I am surely the only spectator in that sixty thousand whose presence was dictated by a man of one hundred and fifty years of age. Let me try to explain, in words that will combine truth with evidence of my sanity. For I had arrived at Ibrox because for years I had been a slave to the comic book called the “Wizard” and within it the feats of the great WILLIAM WILSON.
WILSON had been born back in 1795 in the village of Stayling in Yorkshire, a weak, weedy lad, prone to the bullying of his classmates. But help was close at hand, because he encountered in a cave on Stayling Moor the hermit Matthew, who claimed to be over three hundred years old, the result of his discovery of the Elixir of Life. The recipe for this elixir he bequeathed to Wilson, and this was a prelude to his embarking upon a rigorous life chasing hares, running endlessly and isometric exercise, attempting to lift a massive boulder called the Grieve Stone.
Alas, his possession of the Elixir of Life proves to be no protection for MATTHEW when the roof of his cave fell in on him. But the hermit’s death did not deter the young WILSON, who had by this time succeeded in lifting the Grieve Stone from the ground, and taking on the bullies at school, before taking up a career in athletics. I well remember Roger Bannister expressing surprise when I informed him that WILSON had broken four minutes for the mile back in 1820.
Upon the feats of WILLIAM WILSON my young imagination feasted, as did those of the other boys in my street, and athletics took the place of football as our summer sport. The fact that I was not even the best athlete in the street did not trouble me, for even at this early point in time I had realized that athletics is not about who you are now but about who you will be next.
Thus, it was that I stood in the cramped terraces of Ibrox Park on that warm August Saturday in 1947, as down on the field the final of the five a side football took place between Rangers and Celtic, And directly below me, behind the goal, the high jump was now reaching its conclusion. Suddenly there boomed the stentorian voice of the commentator. “In the high jump, the bar is now at six feet six inches, and remaining in the competition are two competitors, from the United States of America, BILL VESSIE, and from Glasgow’s Victoria Park Athletic club, our own ALAN PATERSON!
There was a sudden silence, and all eyes were now focused on a pile of builder’s sand behind the goal, directly below me. VESSIE, a tall blonde American, came flowing in and cleared easily, to polite applause. Then PATERSON, two metres tall, basically a pair of legs with a head-on top, came lolloping in. He leapt, but from much too far out, and down came the bar, to groans. Then, as he walked back to his mark, there were sudden scattered bursts of shouting from the crowd, directed at the Rangers and Celtic players below. They were telling them to stop playing. And something truly remarkable happened. A Celtic player, ball at his feet, suddenly stopped, and sat on it. The referee, bewildered, shook his head and pulled the two teams around him. Then he pointed to the high jumpers, and went over and sat with the players behind the goal as ALAN PATERSON took to his mark for his second jump, jumping from the left. ALAN soared, and cleared easily, landing from his Western Roll lay-out on his left foot. The crowd erupted, and when the noise subsided, the announcer declared that the next height would be six feet seven and a half inches, a new British All Comers Record. You could have heard a pin drop as VESSIE made his smooth, flowing run towards the bar. He cleared it with nothing to spare, to applause.
PATERSON stuttered in, adjusting as he approached the bar, but again he was much too far out, and came down on top of it, to sixty thousand groans. Alas, it was the exactly the same on his second attempt. There was sepulchral silence as ALAN made his final attempt. It was a truly massive leap, but he was again too far out. He touched the bar, and it wobbled. ALAN lay in the sand looking up at it, as it continued to wobble. But it stayed on and for the first and last time in the history of Scottish sport, a packed stadium applauded a high jumper. On the following Monday, it was reported that there had been a record number of Scots boys and girls reporting with injuries to hospital Accident and Emergency departments. For from Hawick to John O’ Groats they had jumped in their hundreds, on pavements, on beaches and football fields, alas without the benefit of sandpits. It was to be the dawn of a surge of Scottish high- jumpers, men like CRAWFORD FAIRBROTHER, ALAN HUSTON and GUS MCKENZIE. But I often wonder what might have happened if that Celtic player had not sat on the ball. We will never really know.

ALEXANDER STADIUM ON TRACK FOR 2022 – The following article was published on the Athletics Weekly website recently.

The redevelopment of Alexander Stadium in Birmingham in the run-up to the Commonwealth Games in 2022 is bang on schedule despite the problems created by the pandemic this year. An inspection this week confirms the building work is progressing as planned and within its £72.4 million budget. Since planning permission was granted in January, the demolition of three existing stands has been completed and the site remodelled with steelwork that will form the eye-catching new West Stand, which has started to take shape in recent weeks. Athletes such as triple jump NATHAN DOUGLAS have already taken a look and the project is due to be finished by spring 2022 in order to stage the track and field at the Games plus the opening and closing ceremonies.

KELLY SOTHERTON, Team England’s track and field team leader for Birmingham 2022, said: “It is fantastic to be able to take a closer look at the progress that has recently been made on the redevelopment of the Alexander Stadium. I’m impressed with how quickly the new parts of the stadium are taking shape. “This will be an amazing venue for Birmingham 2022 and I’m sure that athletes from across the country – and around the world – are looking forward to competing here during the Games. This stadium has long been associated with great events and great athletes and that association can now continue in 2022 and beyond.”

After the Games the stadium is set to become a focal point for sport and community use and it is part of a wider Perry Barr Regeneration Scheme. The stadium will house around 30,000 spectators at each session during the Games and will revert to a permanent capacity of around 18,000 post-Games, the largest permanent facility capable of hosting major athletics in the UK.

UKA REOPENS CROSS-COUNTRY DISTANCE DEBATE – The following article was published on the Athletics Weekly website recently.

National governing body begins push for gender equality by starting consultation process with clubs and cross country organisers. Should male and female race distances in cross-country running be the same? UK Athletics believes they should and in the new year the governing body will start a consultation with the sport to find out how it can be achieved.

In a statement this week, UKA said: “There could be greater equality in some cross country races and competitions by enabling all athletes access to the same opportunities through the race distances available to them.” Working with home nation athletics federations, UKA plans to release a survey “to capture thoughts on how cross country can provide equal opportunities for all participants at all levels in the future”. The push for equality is thought to be driven by UKA’s new chief executive JO COATES. The statement continues that there is an “aspiration for greater equity in cross country in the future” but UKA is keen to hear the views of cross-country participants and organisers. At global level the senior men’s race at the World Cross Country Championships was traditionally 12km while the women raced 8km until 2017 when distances were changed to allow both sexes to race 10km. Scottish Athletics and some English leagues have also equalised their race distances in recent years but major events in England such as the historic National and English Schools Championships continue to see a race distance disparity with males running further than females. The English National, for example, sees the following race distances: Senior – 12km men, 8km women. Under-20 – 10km men, 6km women. Under-17 – 6km men, 5km women. Under-15 – 4km boys, 4km girls. Under-13 – 3km boys, 3km girls. At the English Schools Championships this year there were the following distances: Under-19 – 6.7km men, 4.4km women. Under-17 – 5.5km men, 3.8km women. Under-15 – 4.4km boys, 3km girls.

Not surprisingly, there have been many changes throughout the last century or so. The English National was for many years a male-only event with seniors racing 9 miles in the 1960s and 1970s and as far as 10 miles at one stage. The men’s championship was first held in 1876 with women starting their own National from 1927, with the events held at separate venues until as 1995. Similarly, the English Schools Cross Country Championships began in 1960 for boys only with girls’ races beginning eight years later and, even then, separate venues were used until 1989. Another historic British cross-country event – the UK Inter-Counties Championships – saw gender equality introduced in 2018 with men and women both racing 10km for the first time. At the World Cross the men have traditionally raced over 12km but this became 10km in 2017 in order to achieve gender equality. In comparison women raced over as little as 4km in the early years of the World Cross in the 1970s – although at the time there was no 5000m, 10,000m, steeplechase or marathon for women at the Olympics – but the distance grew to 6km and then 8km in 1998 before settling at 10km in 2017.

However, the European Cross Country Championships has maintained a gender inequality with men at the last event in Lisbon 2019 racing 10,225m while the women raced 8225m. Junior men also raced 6225m in Lisbon with the junior women 4225m. This was in response to a 2016 poll of European federations in which 21 of the 37 respondents (out of 51 countries) said they thought the distances should remain the same. English events are also so far resisting the idea of equalising the distances due to the results of a survey. Conducted in 2018 by the English Cross Country Association (ECCA), it found that most runners were happy with men and women tackling different race distances. The ECCA poll was conducted at the National at Parliament Hill with 244 athletes quizzed. When it came to the key question – “Do you think that senior men and senior women should run the same distance at the National Cross Country Championships?” – 47.9% agreed ‘yes’ with 52.1% saying ‘no’.

PROCEDURES FOR USING BARNET COPTHALL STADIUM FROM JEREMY SOTHCOTT – The Stadium is now open to SBH members under the supervision of an SBH registered Coach. We have agreed the use of the outdoor Track & Field facilities with Saracens compliant with current guidance issued by the UK Government and England Athletics. Following the introduction of Tier 4 each member of a T&F group must have been under 18 on 31 August 2020 and the size of the group will be limited to a maximum of 12 ‘Competing Club Athletes’ per coach. The number of groups per session will be limited to comply with Social Distancing requirements. Over 18’s can still train but only individually or with their coach.

Throws – Athletes should have their own implements. However, one implement of each weight will be left in the SBH Clubhouse. Sanitising arrangements to be made in advance with the coach.

Jumps –Following Government Guidelines up to 5 athletes with a suitably qualified coach can now undertake Jumps training utilising jump beds and sand pits. We have updated our documents to include guidance specific to Jumps areas (such as Cleaning requirements before, during and after sessions). Athletes, coaches, clubs and venues must follow the latest guidance at: ???? https://bit.ly/2ATiU7R

Clubhouse Gymnasium – Following London entering Tier 4, we can no longer use the indoor Gym areas.

Athletes invited to train by their coach must be sent the attached Barnet Copthall Stadium Track & Field Agreement in advance of starting training at the Stadium. The athlete and parent (if under 16) to sign and return to JEREMY SOTHCOTT or TY HOLDEN before they can train. Athletes should meet their coach at their booking time outside the SBH Clubhouse where they will be asked to confirm that they do not have, and that no one in their household has, (or has had within the last 14 days) any of the symptoms of COVID-19.
The athletes will then be escorted using Social Distancing (2 metres) into the SBH Clubhouse to sign the attendance record with times in and out of the Stadium (black A4 folder on the desk) and answer a two question health questionnaire (green A4 folder on the desk). There is also hand sanitiser on the table for use. Athletes must follow the instructions of the coach and observe Social Distancing during warm-up, throughout the session and warm-down.

Stadium Booking Details – Please let JEREMY and TY know the names of the athletes and your preferred time slots for the following week (Monday to Sunday) before 6pm on the Saturday. We will confirm the availability and distribute the schedule to Saracens and to all coaches.
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday
All 1 hour 35 minute slots (Saturday & Sunday – last slot finishes at 7.20)
9.00 – 10.35, 10.45 – 12.20, 12.30 – 2.05, 2.15 – 3.50, 4.00 – 5.35, 5.45 – 7.20, 7.30 – 9.00
There is a 10 minute gap between each session for transitioning.

If a Coach does not have a key fob for gaining access through the Clubhouse, then please contact GEOFF MORPHITIS Mobile: 07976 994302 who will arrange to issue one to you if available. When going in and out of the Clubhouse from the carpark please ensure the door handle is left in the upward locked position at all times. Please do not enter the Clubhouse until the coach/athletes from the previous session exit. Parents are not permitted to enter the stadium unless there is a child protection issue i.e. one coach and one athlete aged under 16.

From 14 December, toilets and other facilities will be in the “Temporary Changing Building” behind the 100m start area.

Link to the SBH Athlete and Coach Track & Field Training Agreement, which will be sent to all participating athletes, and then to be returned signed by the athlete and parent – Please open the agreement form, sign and return to either JEREMY SOTHCOTT of TY HOLDEN – SBH – T & F Agreement During Lockdown Period 08.12.20

BARNET COPTHALL STADIUM EAST STAND INDOOR AREA – Use of this area has been prohibited whilst London is subject to Tier 4 restrictions. In any event, the NHS are taking this over from Monday 4 January as a Covid-19 vaccination centre for a period of 4 to 12 months. Once Tier 4 restrictions have been relaxed and we can tain indoors. Saracens have agreed to erect 3 large marquees, one to cover the javelin run-up, another one to cover one of the long jump run-ups and the associated sandpit and finally, a third one at the North End of the home straight where the temporary seating has been taken down. Check with your Coach for more information.

SBH SUBSCRIPTIONS 2020-2021 – SBH Treasurer GEOFF MORPHITIS has sent me the following regarding subscriptions.
Dear Member – I hope you’re fit and well during these difficult times. The Club has continued to function providing Covid-19 secure coaching at Barnet Copthall (formerly Allianz Park) on a limited basis from mid-June. We also promoted 7 Track & Field competitions during the period July to September. Six of these were LICC meetings at Lee Valley.
We’re working on the promotion of a number of Cross Country races at Barnet Copthall during the period December through to March in compliance with the England Athletics and Government guidelines applicable at the time.
The Club AGM took place virtually at 19.30 on Tuesday 24 November. One of the resolutions which was passed dealt with Club Subscriptions as follows. Following the recent decision of the SBH Council, the proposal is as follows; “The Annual Membership Fee for new members from 1 December 2020 will increase to £50. Existing members who have paid their membership fee for year ended 30 September 2020 will be considered as having also paid their fee for the year ended 30 September 2021. In other words, in recognition of the disruption caused by Covid-19, these members will have 2 years membership for the price of one.” Therefore, I’m now asking athletes who have not paid their subscription for the year ended 30/09/20 (£45) to pay, so as to qualify for the 2 for 1 concession together with the England Athletics Registration Fee of £15 for 2020/21. The total is £60 and should be paid NOW to;
ACCOUNT NAME : SHAFTESBURY BARNET HARRIERS, BANK : HSBC, ACCOUNT NUMBER : 41308378, SORT CODE : 400426 – Please let me know when payment is made. Thanks GEOFF

UPDATE ON SBH FIXTURE CARD – Currently all Cross Country and Road Relay fixtures for 2020 are either Cancelled or Postponed, This update shows the status of all cross country fixtures as of the 10 November 2020 – SBH Winter Card Fixtures 2020-2021 Updated 10-11-20

DECEMBER 2020 RACES – Currently there are minimal results on the Power of 10, if anyone competes especially virtually please let me know.

CAN YOU HELP PLEASE – During the period when all competitions are suspended, I will do my upmost in keeping the Newsletter information and other content going.
I would welcome any contributions From Yourselves, any impending marriages, or additions to the family, any running or competing incidents, also past warm weather training/holidays (No Club 24 please). Currently the response has been excellent, but if you have anything that could make it into next week’s Newsletter – please email me.

THE FOLLOWING SBH DOCUMENTS/INFORMATION CAN EITHER BE VIEWED, DOWNLOADED OR PRINTED
SBH 2020-2021 Winter Fixture Card updated 10-11-20, Currently all Cross Country and Road Relay fixtures for 2020 are either Cancelled or Postponed. An update on 2021 Fixtures will be published in early December 2020 – SBH Winter Card Fixtures 2020-2021 Updated 10-11-20
Cross Country Team Managers Details – http://sbharriers.co.uk/athletics/cross-country/team-managers/
Road Running/Relay Team Managers Details – http://sbharriers.co.uk/athletics/road-running/team-managers/

THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION OF INTEREST CAN BE FOUND ON THE SBH HOME PAGE BY USING THIS LINK, THEN SELECT THE LEFT OR RIGHT ARROW – http://sbharriers.co.uk/
Barnet Copthall Stadium (Fomerly Allianz Park) Membership, which gives SBH members 10% discount on entry to the Barnet Copthall stadium – Membership details and Form can be either printed or downloaded
Shaftesbury Barnet Harriers Club Hoody, information on how to purchase one, please go to the bottom of this Newsletter.

SBH MIDWEEK JUMPS CLUB AT BARNET COPTHALL STADIUM (FORMERLY ALLIANZ PARK) – Please contact CLYDE GORDON on 07753 985525/clyde67@hotmail.co.uk for futher information on High Jump and Pole Vault days and times.

STEEPLECHASE TRAINING AT BARNET COPTHALL STADIUM (FORMERLY ALLIANZ PARK) – Currently Suspended.

PARKRUN 5K RESULTS – Currently Suspended

PARKRUN – Can you make sure that you are registered as ‘Shaftesbury Barnet Harriers’, as the link I use to select all results only shows SBH athletes. If anyone is also officiating can you please contact me, and advise me where and when.

PHOTOGRAPH’S – From time to time we have photographs of our members taken at meetings or presentations which we would like to use both on the website or incorporated within our report to our local newspaper. Can you please let me know if you do NOT want your photograph to be published. Also, I would appreciate if you could send me any photographs, which I can then publish on the website and newsletter.

CLUB EMBROIDERED RED HOODIES – Currently there are now over 750 Hoodies in circulation, this is the link giving details on how you can order your Club Hoody for £35, which includes having your name embroidered on the front Club Hoodies Updated 01-07-19

FACEBOOK – Photographs can be found on the SBH page.

CURRENT DISTRIBUTION OF SHAFTESBURY INFORMATION – Currently I notify members (by email) using “MailChimp”. The reason I changed, was in November 2017 “Gmail” put a limit of 100 addresses that users could send to in a 24-hour period, and currently I send to approximately 850 members each issue.

On seeking technical advice “MailChimp” was recommended as the best way for SBH to go forward. There is one thing you should be aware off is that when you receive an email from me, the footer at the bottom has 4 options, of which one is “Unsubscribe Me From List”. Could I ask you not to select this as if you do you will be automatically removed from my distribution list.

SBH PRIVACY STATEMENT – In becoming a member, SBH will collect certain information about you. Can you please read the attached ‘Privacy Statement’ which contains Information on General Data Protection Regulations – SBH Privacy Statement Final April 2018

BARNET COPTHALL STADIUM (FORMERLY ALLIANZ PARK) – Main Switchboard telephone number is 020 3675 7250.

CHARGES FOR USING BARNET COPTHALL STADIUM (FORMERLY ALLIANZ PARK) – Currently the Stadium is only open for limited use by SBH members with no charge.

ALAN WELLER

Shaftesbury Barnet Harriers Weekly Newsletter Thursday 17 December 2020

Posted on 17/12/202017/12/2020 by sbharriers

Happy Birthday from this Thursday 17 December to Lucy Agholor, Chris Bennett, Anastasia Charalambous, Jeremy Dempsey, Akiva Ehreich, Alexander Evans-Lombie, Kiera Gilman, Farrah Gowan, Colin Godfrey, Christopher Kirwin, Kojo Kyereme, Austin Lewis, Lucy Marcus, Michael Miller, Muktar Musa, Lily Plasett, Samra Richardson, Ronan Tarrant and Joseph Wheeler-Henry

RECENT NEW MEMBERS – We wish you a very warm welcome, and a happy, healthy and successful time with Shaftesbury to VERA DOUDKO and GRAHAM TAYLOR

UPDATE ON NEELAM KADERBHOY – Hello to all of NEELAM’S friends and family, hope you are all enjoying December and getting into the Christmas spirit. Thank you for all support, messages, food parcels, and gifts for NEELAM, they make her day. Shaftesbury Barnet Harriers made her Christmas by announcing her as the volunteer of the year. And she was delighted to receive the trophy from one of her best friends last week. Despite her favourite football team being soundly beaten at the weekend, her love for sport and in particular athletics remains undiminished.

NEELAM has been staying strong and fighting daily, but over the last few weeks NEELAM has suffered a stroke and clots in her leg which have caused a deterioration in her condition. As a result, NEELAM has now left the Hospice and moved to a rehabilitation centre. This move is aimed primarily at improving her physical strength and mobility, with the hope of greater movement and independence in 2021. This is an incredibly brave decision by NEELAM and shows how strong willed she is, as the move means, that unlike the hospice where we have been able to see her and take her out for drives and coffee, the rehabilitation centre is on total lockdown which means no visitors or day trips for the duration of her stay, which includes missing DAD’S birthday, Christmas, and New Year.

I know many of you have been sending an assortment of gifts. My personal favourites have been turtle hot chocolate, rum chocolates and cognac bites. NEELAM sends a massive thank you for all the gifts, flowers, cards, presents, and food that you have been sending. If you would like to send some festive cheer to NEELAM, please send or drop off to Langley House, 698 St Albans Rd, Watford, WD25 9FG.

I’ve been specially ordered not to send a personal thank you to each of you but you know who you are. To everyone that has helped and supported NEELAM, and to everyone who has been there for DAD, SALMA, URMIE and my kids, a massive thank you and you are all absolutely fabulous.

Thank you and hope you all have a fabulous Christmas and New Year IMTIAZ KADERBHOY

Photograph of NEELAM with RACHAEL HARVEY – SBH Neelam Photo 1 – IMTIAZ (NEELAM’S brother), URMIE (NEELAM’S sister-in-law), RAYYAN (NEELAM’S 12 year old nephew and SBH member for over 3 years), ANEES (NEELAM’S younger nephew) – SBH Neelam Photo 2 (1) – NEELAM’S father celebrating his birthday with his two grandsons – SBH Neelam Photo 3

BARNET COPTHALL STADIUM EAST STAND INDOOR AREA – The NHS are taking this over from Monday 14 December as a Covid-19 vaccination centre for a period of 4 to 12 months. Saracens have agreed to erect 3 large marquees, one to cover the javelin run-up, another one to cover one of the long jump run-ups and the associated sandpit and finally, a third one at the North End of the home straight where the temporay seating has been taken down. Check with your Coach for more information.

BOXING DAY RUN – Firstly many thanks to STEVE MARSHALL for his effort in making our annual event to happen. The race will commence at 11.00am on Saturday 26 December, and you can choose to run either 1 mile or 2 miles. Link for the flyer giving all information, especially on Covid-19 precautions – Boxing Day Poster

CONGRATULATIONS TO JENNY POLL AND NICK – Many Congratulations to JENNY and NICK who have announced that they are engaged to be married. JENNY recalls that NICK who has been her boyfriend of some 11 years finally asked me to marry him and I said yes! So we are now engaged – we haven’t set a date for the big day yet nor decided where as, after all, there’s no rush.

Club President GEOFF WILLIAMS recalls that when Copthall Management Services (managed by GEOFF) took over the running of Copthall Stadium in 2005 several valued London Borough of Barnet Borough staff were transferred with the contract including veteran Groundsman RANJIT CHOHAN (JOHN to everyone), EMMA GOUGE and JENNY POLL JENNY developed into an integral member of the part-time staff team along with EMMA, KATIE ALCOCK and KAROL BARCHIK. Everyone who visited Copthall remarked on JENNY’S cheerful and positive welcome. Her professionalism with customers of all ages and her consummate reliability as a team player were valuable assets to a new company. As she built up her technical knowledge of athletics she became a valued track assistant at home matches, got involved with SBH Star Track courses, then Saracens ‘LAP’ sport programme for children, was a Games Leader at the 2012 London Olympics, helps at the Mini Marathon start and recently became a UKA licenced Field Judge. At the same time JENNY qualified as a Primary School teacher and has subsequently worked in both Barnet and Enfield schools over the last 10 years.

JENNY is still involved with Shaftesbury athletics promotions under the expert guidance of ANGUS MACKENZIE. It’s great news to learn that JENNY and NICK are getting married.

2021 INDOOR TRACK AND FIELD MEETINGS – During the first week of December UK Athletics issued a Preliminary list of fixtures for 2021, this is the list – Fixtures-Calender-2021-as-at-9Dec2020

Regarding the imminent Indoor fixtures, I spoke to MICK BOND, the General Manager of Lee Valley Athletics Centre last Tuesday. Being aware that London is now in Tier 3, the Lee Valley fixtures for January to March are currently planned to take place. These are those fixtures – January 3 Pilot Open Meeting, 16-17 Southern U13/U15/U17 Championships, 30 BMC Gold Standard Meeting, 31 BeFit Open Meeting – February 6-7 Southern U20/Senior Championships, 13-14 Essex and Eastern Championships, 17 Middle Distance Open Meeting, 28 SCVAC Championships – March 6-7 British Masters Championships, 13 BeFit Open Meeting, 14 SOE/EMAC/VAC Masters Inter-Area Championships, 20-21 Middlesex, Hertfordshire & Kent Championships. The 24 January BMAF Pentathlon/SOE Championships has been cancelled.

The 3 January Fixture Pilot Open Meeting entries close on 23 December, this is the link for entries – www.entry4sports.co.uk

Except one fixture, all fixtures above you are required to enter yourself and pay the appropriate fee.

On the UKA fixture list they show various regional Indoor fixtures for Scotland, Wales Etc.

QLD ATHLETICS MID WEEK OPEN MEETING – Took place at Nathan, Australia on 11 December
Discus 1kg – JADE LALLY 2nd (52.81m)

ENGLISH NATIONAL CROSS COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS POSTPONED – The following article was published on the Athletics Weekly website recently. The photograph is of a recent National Championships at Parliament Hill taken by MARK SHEARMAN.

Historic event was due to be held at Parliament Hill on March 6 but has been called off due to the pandemic. The English National Championships has joined the UK Inter-Counties on the growing list of major cross-country fixtures to be called off this winter due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The National was due to be held at Parliament Hill in north London on March 6 but the English Cross Country Association (ECCA) today announced it would be postponed. This follows the news from earlier this week that the UK Inter-Counties and Cross Challenge final at Prestwold Hall on February 20 has been called off. The European Cross Country Championships was due to be held in Ireland this weekend, too, but was cancelled several weeks ago. The World Cross Country Championships in Australia next year has also been postponed. The ECCA said it has “reluctantly decided that it is not going to be possible to promote the annual English ‘National’ Cross Country Championships at Parliament Hill as originally planned”. The ECCA added: “Whilst there may be some degree of relaxation of Covid 19 conditions by then, it is not realistic to start planning and incur costs – both for clubs and their competitors and the ECCA – when the risk of limitations on travel and the size of gatherings continue to exist.

“We are well aware how disappointed clubs and athletes will be with this decision and we know how they enjoy the trip to London every three years but under the circumstances the ECCA had very little choice.” The English ‘National’ was first staged in 1876 and has been held continuously since then with the exception of being called off from 1915-19 and 1940-45 due to the two world wars. There is an ambition to try to stage the 2021 event at a future date, though. “At this stage this decision is a postponement rather than a cancellation and we are considering the possibility of staging the Championships once national lockdown regulations are removed,” the ECCA added. “To this extent we are exploring the possibility of still holding the event at Parliament Hill on a date in the future and will keep clubs and athletes informed of progress when plans are confirmed. “The ECCA Championship Committee is also reviewing the practicality of promoting the annual relay championships which were planned for October 2020.” Those annual relay championships were due to be held at Mansfield’s Berry Hill Park and could yet take place toward the end of this winter. Young endurance athletes in England in particular will be hoping the English Schools Cross Country Championships takes place in March in Kent with organisers expected to make a decision in January.

PROCEDURES FOR USING BARNET COPTHALL STADIUM FROM JEREMY SOTHCOTT – The Stadium is now open to SBH members under the supervision of an SBH registered Coach. We have agreed the use of Track & Field facilities with Saracens compliant with current guidance issued by the UK Government and England Athletics. Each T&F group will be limited to a maximum of 12 ‘Competing Club Athletes’ per coach. The number of groups per session will be limited to comply with Social Distancing requirements.

Throws – Athletes should have their own implements. However, one implement of each weight will be left in the SBH Clubhouse. Sanitising arrangements to be made in advance with the coach.

Clubhouse Gymnasium – This is available for use by T&F groups subject to prior booking with COLIN GODFREY (colinjlginvest@gmail.com) and compliance with equipment sanitization before and after use and Social Distancing.

From 14 December, toilets and other facilities will be in the “Temporary Changing Building” behind the 100m start area.

Link to the SBH Athlete and Coach Track & Field Training Agreement, which will be sent to all participating athletes, and then to be returned signed by the athlete and parent – Please open the agrrement form, sign and return to either JEREMY SOTHCOTT of TY HOLDEN – SBH – T & F Agreement During Lockdown Period 08.12.20

TRACK ADADEMY BE FIT TODAY – Takes place on Sunday 20 December at Peters Stadium, Barking. Events U11 75m, 150 – U11 up to Senior/Masters 600m – U13 up to Senior/Masters 800m, 1500m, 1 Mile, 3000m. Link for full details including entry information https://mailchi.mp/925c7852a96d/bftta-open-meet-saturday-12th-september-5088628?e=056ff9888e

ATW CROSS COUNTRY SERIES NEXT RACE – The second race will take place Merchant Taylor’s School, Sandy Lodge, Northwood HA6 2HT on Saturday 19 December.
Timetable – 2K Under 11 start – 12:00 pm, 3K Under 13 start – 12:30 pm, 4K Under 15 start – 1:10 pm, 5K Under 17 start – 1:50 pm, 8K Senior/U20 start – 3:00 pm.
Here is the link which went live recently – https://activetrainingworld.co.uk/project/atw-cross-country-series-round-2-19th-december-2020/
The third race is on Sunday 10 January and the link for that should come out in mid December.

DECEMBER 2020 RACES – Currently there are minimal results on the Power of 10, if anyone competes especially virtually please let me know.

SOUTH OF ENGLAND ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION 2020/2021 CHAMPIONSHIP UPDATE – SEAA are hopeful of staging some Cross Country and Indoor Track & Field events during this winter, even though it looked as if we should only be able to cater for the younger age groups. If Government guidelines permit, we hope to put in place the following events.
Cross Country – Cross Country Relays, London Championships, Master & Inter Counties Championships have been postponed until the New Year. The Association hopes that it will be possible to stage some Cross Country events in February/March 2021.
Road Relays – At present the date for the 12/6 Stage and 5K Road Relays remains the same; Sunday 28 March 2021.
Track & Field – It is hoped that some Indoor Covid Games can take place dates scheduled for these events are 16/17 January & 6/7 February next year. Due to the restrictions on numbers we may have to use more than one venue.
We want to reassure our athletes and officials that we shall do our utmost to stage some competition (In line with England Athletics guidance). We shall review the situation and publish any further news as soon as we can. In the meantime, we do hope everyone stays safe and well JOHN GANDEE SEAA Competition Chairman.

STEEPLECHASE TRAINING AT BARNET COPTHALL STADIUM (FORMERLY ALLIANZ PARK) – Currently Suspended.

PARKRUN 5K RESULTS – Currently Suspended

FACEBOOK – Photographs can be found on the SBH page.

BARNET COPTHALL STADIUM (FORMERLY ALLIANZ PARK) – Main Switchboard telephone number is 020 3675 7250.

CHARGES FOR USING BARNET COPTHALL STADIUM (FORMERLY ALLIANZ PARK) – Currently the Stadium is only open for limited use by SBH members with no charge.

ALAN WELLER

Shaftesbury Barnet Harriers Weekly Newsletter Thursday 10 December 2020

Posted on 10/12/202010/12/2020 by sbharriers

Happy Birthday from this Thursday 10 December to Joshue Allen-Xuereb, Elena Bulman, Thomas Cadwallader, Charles Edu, Alexa Eichelmann, Keelan Farrell, Thomas Fulton, Gabriel Gayle, George Harrison, John Kelly, Anabelle Panwar, Max Panwar, Jazz Sears, Cameron Sharpe and Emma Taylor

UPDATE ON NEELAM KADERBHOY – As referred to in the report on the SBH AGM held on Tuesday 24 November, NEELAM was awarded the Coronation Trophy for Services to the Club in her over 37 years of membership. Photograph of NEELAM after receiving the Coronation Trophy from RACHAEL HARVEY.

Hi GEOFF – Thanks so much for everything including the trophy last night. It was such a lovely surprise. So much appreciated. Hope all is well with you. Hopefully when I feel better I wll call. But at the moment it’s hard to speak. I get tired very quickly and take extra pain killers when needed. All the best NEELAM x

Good afternoon NEELAM – It was an honour to award you the Coronation Trophy as recognition of your years of service to and for the Club. Keep fighting – we are all with you in spirit and support. Hope to see you soon. Best wishes and take care. GEOFF + all your friends at SBH

Hi GEOFF – Thanks again. You can drop off the award directly at the hospice. The address is the Peace Hospice, Peace Drive in Watford. I am at Watford General Hospital most of tomorrow but hopefully I’ll finish earlier rather than later!!!

Good evening NEELAM – I hope your visit to Watford General was a success. We’re just trying to get the award engraved but due to the Lockdown the engraver has been closed. I’m told that it should reopen on Wednesday. Hopefully, FIONA GROOM will be able to get it done by next week. Take care. We’re all thinking of you. Please stay safe. Best wishes GEOFF.

THE TRACK MEET – Took place at San Juan Capistrano, California on 4-5 December
5000m – SM JAMIE DEE 8th (PB 13:51.94) taking 10.49 seconds off his 2019 time

MID WEEK OPEN MEETING – Took place at Nathan, Australia on 2 December
Discus 1kg – JADE LALLY 1st (56.98m)

CORONATION TROPHY FOR SERVICES TO THE CLUB – The History of the Trophy goes back to 1948 when PATRICIA (PADDY) HICKS met her future husband HARRY a member of Hampstead Harriers who went on to represent GB in the 1960 Rome Olympic Marathon and “PADDY” took up athletics to form a Ladies section of Hampstead Harriers. Then through time, Hampstead Harriers amalgamated with Barnet AC to become Barnet & District AC. However, the Ladies felt they had a bad deal and broke away to form Barnet Ladies AC. When Barnet & District started a Ladies section the Barnet Ladies renamed themselves Barnet Copthall Ladies AC who eventually merged with Shaftesbury Harriers in 1986 to form Shaftesbury Barnet Harriers. Full details are in the Club centenary book.

So much for the history of the women. In the early days of the women’s section in the late 1940s, early 1950’s they did not run cross country but in the winter formed netball teams. In 1952 the women’s team took part in an athletic club’s netball tournament to celebrate the Queen’s Coronation and came out winners and were presented with a trophy, to keep. The Club decided to present the trophy annually to a club member who provided outstanding services to the Club, hence the Coronation trophy awarded annually came about.
The actual trophy has disappeared (in someone’s loft) however the Services to the Club award continues and the winner is now presented with a plaque.

Recent recipients are – 2011 Tony Smith – 2012 George Harrison – 2013 Alan Weller – 2014 Tony Smith – 2015 Clyde Gordon – 2016 Joyce and Bryan Smith – 2017 Ray Powell – 2018 Joyce and Bryan Smith – 2019 Clyde Gordon – 2020 Neelam Kaderbhoy

THE MARATHON DISTANCE – WHY? – Many thanks to TOM MCNAB for another interesting article.

The phone rang, and I answered, it was none other than CHRIS BRASHER, the creator of the London Marathon. “TOM, “he said. “I’m phoning you because you seem to know all sorts of weird stuff about the history of athletics. Stuff that nobody else knows, or wants to know “I paused before replying, for this was surely a moment for tact rather than honesty. “I’ll take that as a compliment, CHRIS, “I replied. “So, how can I help you?” “Twenty six miles, three hundred and eighty five yards TOM, “he said. How did the marathon ever get to be that odd distance? I’ve been given all sorts of reasons. So can you help me?” This was a corker. Because although yes, pretty much everyone knew that the first time that this distance had been run had been in London, at the 1908 Olympic Games. True, but yet even the official Olympic Report listed it as only twenty six miles. But yes, since that race in 1908, the distance had always been twenty six miles, three hundred and eighty five yards. Why?

I put down the phone and thought back. The world’s first marathon, it hadn’t really been a race, no, it had occurred when the Athenian messenger PHEIDIPPIDES had run the twenty three miles from Marathon to Athens to report the defeat of the Persians by the Athenian army. “Rejoice, we conquer,” he had gasped, before dropping dead, not a particularly good omen for the countless millions who were to follow him over two thousand years later. Little of that first marathon had been run over anything resembling a road, so nowadays PHEIDIPPIDES’ run would be described as cross-country, so all credit to him. But the first major marathon, run at the Athens 1896 Olympic Games, that was over a dusty road, from Marathon to the Averoff stadium in Athens, ending in front the Royal Box. And it had been rumoured that if, by any chance a Greek won, he would be delivered a buxom wench as wife and a life’s supply of free shaves. It was over just beyond twenty five miles, and appropriately won by a Greek, SYPIRIDON LOUES, but we know nothing about the wife or for that matter the free shaves.

The next Olympic marathon was held in Paris in 1900, but it was a chaotic affair through the French capital’s winding streets, this time over about twenty four miles. It was over a slightly different distance in St. Louis in 1904, and again in Athens in 1906. 1906, I hear you say? But surely there was always four years, an Olympiad, between Olympic Games? Yes and no. Because the Greeks had believed since 1896 that the Olympics belonged to them, and had now decided to hold another Games, two years between each Olympics. Thus, in 1906 we had the Intercalated Games, with the marathon distance now closer to twenty three miles, but why am I telling you all this? Because of the eruption in 1906 of Vesuvius and its impact upon the Rome Olympics of 1908. But again, you ask, what Rome Olympics? The answer is the one caused by Rome’s withdrawal from the 1908 Games, the result of the costs of Vesuvius. But the Olympic fencer LORD LONSDALE’S yacht, the Branwen, was parked in Piraeus Harbour, and he seized the moment, and offered the International Olympic Committee London as the venue for the 1908 Olympic Games. And so it came about that the 1908 Olympic Marathon runners set off from Windsor Great Park, in the baking heat, towards White City Stadium. The runners set off at an incredible pace, close to five minute mile-speed over the first ten miles. Thus, by the time that they were passing through West London towards the waiting crowds in the White City Stadium, most of them were on their heels. And, though they had been sustained by Oxo, rice, brandy and strychnine, they were all fading fast.

The first of them to reach the stadium was the unknown Italian runner DORANDO PIETRI, and legend has it that he was offered a glass of chilled champagne on his entry, slugged it down and shambled into the arena. No, I don’t believe that, either. But it was immediately clear to everyone in the eighty thousand crowd that the little Italian was now in deep trouble. He staggered onto the track and immediately collapsed on to its black cinder surface. Urged on by the crowd, he wobbled around the track and fell three times more, landing a few metres short of the finish-line The American JONNY HAYES had now entered the stadium, but on the other side of the track, the delirious DORANDO was being carried through the tape by anxious officials. Needless to say, DORANDO was disqualified and the Olympic gold medal given to the American JONNY HAYES. But our story does not end there. No, because the British public had by now surrendered their hearts to the plucky little Italian, and two days later he was presented with a cup by none other than Queen Alexandra.

So now we come again to that distance. The Olympic authorities had originally decided on twenty six miles, though don’t ask me why. The extra three hundred and eighty five yards has usually been explained by the start having been placed three hundred and eighty five yards back, in order that the Royal children might get a better view. But me, I have a different explanation. It is that the authorities had measured the twenty six miles to the stadium’s entrance, with the other three hundred and eighty five yards being the distance round to the Royal Box. We will never truly know, but from then on even in indoor marathons (and there was one a few weeks later, in the Albert Hall) the distance would always be twenty six miles tttthree hundred and eighty five yards,and all because of that little Italian DORANDO PIETRI. And a few days after the Games, the lyrics” DORANDO, DORANDO, he run a run a run” was the first hit for a young Jewish American called BIELIN. But you, you might well know him better as IRVING BERLIN.

SEB COE’S VIEWS ON THE SHOES – There has been many articles recently on how shoe technology. The following article was published on the Athletics Weekly website recently.

World Athletics president says recent records are not entirely down to carbon fibre-plated shoes and that technological advancements are nothing new. SEB COE says advantages given by modern-day racing shoes is an “age-old challenge” and the World Athletics president believes recent world records are as much to do with athletes being refreshed and raring to go after lockdown than the footwear. “The challenge has always historically in our sport been the balance or trade-off between technical innovation and development and codification,” he says. “And I think we’ve got that balance about right.” COE was speaking the day after the global governing body for the sport amended its rules to allow shoe prototypes to be used in all races apart from the Olympics and World Athletics series events. However, these shoes must still abide by current rules relating to stack height and the number of carbon fibre plates.

“Shoe technology is with us and it always will be,” says COE. “We have to maintain rules and codifications. And these issues have been there for a long time. “In a way the horse bolted the stable many, many years ago. What we’ve managed to do this year, if anything, is sort of still chase it around the paddock, but we have at least been able to put a structure around this that has allowed us to start a process and start checking, for instance, some of the shoes that are out there. We’ve never been in a position to do that. We’d never checked the spec on a prototype, but now we do. So I think there is more system in there.” COE argues that technological advancements have always happened and that shoes in the 1960s, for example, were better than those in the 1940s and 1950s. Shoes in the 1990s and turn of the millennium were better than those in the 1970s and 1980s and so on. “If we’re going to go back into the history of world records, we are looking at world records and permanently changing circumstances. I still marvel at somebody like RUDOLF HARBIG back in 1936, 1937 running (1:46) and bits on a cinder track. I still marvel at the fact that PETER SNELL ran around (1:44) and bits in WANGANUI on a grass track. “I still marvel at the fact that we had people like RON HILL running significantly under (2:10) in the marathon, in shoes that had little more than cardboard support in them. So everywhere you look records have developed and they’ve often developed alongside technological change.” Indeed, HILL often used to race barefoot. He even won the Inter-Counties cross-country title in 1968 without shoes

COE also feels the startling performances in distance running this year such as the track world records from JOSHUA CHEPTEGUI and LETESENBET GIDEY in Valencia in October wearing Nike Dragonfly spikes and then the jaw-dropping half-marathon and marathon times in the same city last weekend, led by adidas-sponsored KIBIWOTT KANDIE’S 13.1-mile record, are not entirely down to the shoes. “A lot of the very high-quality performances have in large part been inspired by athletes who were just so goddamn pleased to get back into competition,” COE says. Drawing on the experience of his own career, he adds: “I lost over a year in the lead-up to the ’84 Games. I know what I felt like when I got back on to the track at the beginning of ’84. Yeah, undercooked and without enough petrol. I was just so pleased.”

COE continues: “My instinct is in large part what has happened is the athletes have had a year after they’ve actually had their bodies screaming at them mentally and physically for the last four or five years where they’ve actually come off that rollercoaster, they have mastered lockdown and this really difficult period wonderfully well and they have come back and just been so excited about being back into combat.” COE continues: “I do think this year has been a very different type of year. Athletes have managed to just get a little bit more fuel in their minds and in their bodies, again, some really good respite and the ability to sort of regroup. “So I’m not sitting here thinking that this is a really dangerous period. I think these world records are still in the nature of that evolutionary change. And some of it is technology, yes. But some of it is just because the athletes have had some rest and are training really well again.”

PROCEDURES FOR USING BARNET COPTHALL STADIUM FROM JEREMY SOTHCOTT – The Stadium is now open to SBH members under the supervision of an SBH registered Coach. We have agreed the use of Track & Field facilities with Saracens compliant with current guidance issued by the UK Government and England Athletics. Each T&F group will be limited to a maximum of 12 ‘Competing Club Athletes’ per coach. The number of groups per session will be limited to comply with Social Distancing requirements.

Throws – Athletes should have their own implements. However, one implement of each weight will be left in the SBH Clubhouse. Sanitising arrangements to be made in advance with the coach.

From 14 December, toilets and other facilities will be in the “Temporary Changing Building” behind the 100m start area.

Link to the SBH Athlete and Coach Track & Field Training Agreement, which will be sent to all participating athletes, and then to be returned signed by the athlete and parent – Please open the agrrement form, sign and return to either JEREMY SOTHCOTT of TY HOLDEN – SBH – T & F Agreement During Lockdown Period 08.12.20

NOVEMBER 2020 RACES – Currently there are minimal results on the Power of 10, if anyone competes especially virtually please let me know.

STEEPLECHASE TRAINING AT BARNET COPTHALL STADIUM (FORMERLY ALLIANZ PARK) – Currently Suspended.

PARKRUN 5K RESULTS – Currently Suspended

FACEBOOK – Photographs can be found on the SBH page.

BARNET COPTHALL STADIUM (FORMERLY ALLIANZ PARK) – Main Switchboard telephone number is 020 3675 7250.

CHARGES FOR USING BARNET COPTHALL STADIUM (FORMERLY ALLIANZ PARK) – Currently the Stadium is only open for limited use by SBH members with no charge.

ALAN WELLER

Shaftesbury Barnet Harriers Weekly Newsletter Thursday 3 December 2020

Posted on 02/12/202004/03/2022 by sbharriers

Happy Birthday from this Thursday 3 December to Hope Baker, Dylan Evans, Jessica Hunter, Jacob Lange, Theo Michail, Brian Motto, Gilad Nachshen, Joseph O’Hara, Nonso Okolo, Estafania Palanca, Nick Percy, Joseph Rodriguez, Ross Sambrook, Nick Smith, Dan Watts, Glen Watts and Samuel Wiggins

RECENT NEW MEMBER – We wish you a very warm welcome, and a happy, healthy and successful time with Shaftesbury to DANIEL NICHOLS

UPDATE ON NEELAM KADERBHOY – As referred to in the report on the SBH AGM held on Tuesday 24 November, NEELAM was awarded the Coronation Trophy for Services to the Club in her over 37 years of membership. Here’s an exchange of texts between her and GEOFF MORPHITIS during the following week;

Hi GEOFF – Thanks so much for everything including the trophy last night. It was such a lovely surprise. So much appreciated. Hope all is well with you. Hopefully when I feel better I’ll call. But at the moment it’s hard to speak. I get tired very quickly and take extra pain killers when needed. All the best NEELAM x

Good afternoon NEELAM – It was an honour to award you the Coronation Trophy as recognition of your years of service to and for the Club. Keep fighting – we’re all with you in spirit and support. Hope to see you soon. Best wishes and take care. GEOFF + all your friends at SBH

Hi GEOF – Thanks again. You can drop off the award directly at the hospice. It’s the Peace Hospice, Peace Drive in Watford. I am at Watford General Hospital most of tomorrow but hopefully I’ll finish earlier rather than later!!!

Good evening NEELAM – I hope your visit to Watford General was a success. We’re just trying to get the award engraved but due to the Lockdown the engraver has been closed. I’m told that it should reopen on Wednesday. Hopefully FIONA GROOM will be able to get it done by next week. Take care. We’re all thinking of you. Please stay safe. Best wishes GEOFF.

BARNET COPTHALL STADIUM EAST STAND INDOOR AREA – The NHS are taking this over from 14 December as a Covid-19 vaccination centre for a period of 4 to 12 months. We are currently making alternative arrangements with Saracens which will be advised.

PROCEDURES FOR USING BARNET COPTHALL STADIUM FROM JEREMY SOTHCOTT – The Stadium is now open to SBH members and we have agreed the use of Track & Field facilities with Saracens compliant with current guidance issued by the UK Government and England Athletics. Each T&F group will be limited to a maximum of 12 ‘Competing Club Athletes’ per coach. The number of groups per session will be limited to comply with Social Distancing requirements.

Throws – Athletes should have their own implements. However, one implement of each weight will be left in the SBH Clubhouse. Sanitising arrangements to be made in advance with the coach.

Clubhouse Gymnasium – This is available for use by T&F groups subject to prior booking, and compliance with equipment sanitization before and after use and Social Distancing, with Colin Godfrey (colinjlginvest@gmail.com)

If you do not have a key fob for gaining access through the Clubhouse, then please contact GEOFF MORPHITIS Mobile: 07976 994302 who will arrange to issue one to you. When going in and out of the Clubhouse from the carpark please ensure the door handle is left in the upward locked position at all times. Please do not enter the Clubhouse until the coach/athletes from the previous session exit. Parents are not permitted to enter the stadium unless there is a child protection issue i.e. one coach and one athlete aged under 16.

From 14 December, toilets and other facilities will be in the “Temporary Changing Building” behind the 100m start area.

Link to the SBH Athlete and Coach Track & Field Training Agreement, which will sent to all participating athletes, and then to be returned signed by the athlete and parent – SBH – Allianz Park Track & Field Areement During Lockdown Period
Please let me know if you have

SBH SUBSCRIPTIONS 2020-2021 – SBH Treasurer GEOFF MORPHITIS has sent me the following regarding subscriptions.
Dear Member – I hope you’re fit and well during these difficult times. The Club has continued to function providing Covid-19 secure coaching at Barnet Copthall (formerly Allianz Park) on a limited basis from mid-June. We also promoted 7 Track & Field competitions during the period July to September. Six of these were LICC meetings at Lee Valley.
We’re working on the promotion of a number of Cross Country races at Barnet Copthall during the period December through to March in compliance with the England Athletics and Government guidelines applicable at the time.
The Club AGM will take place virtually at 19.30 on Tuesday 24 November (full login details will be distributed shortly). One of the resolutions on the order paper will deal with Club Subscriptions. Following the recent decision of the SBH Council, the proposal is as follows; “The Annual Membership Fee for new members from 1 December 2020 will increase to £50. Existing members who have paid their membership fee for year ended 30 September 2020 will be considered as having also paid their fee for the year ended 30 September 2021. In other words, in recognition of the disruption caused by Covid-19, these members will have 2 years membership for the price of one.” Therefore, I’m now asking athletes who have not paid their subscription for the year ended 30/09/20 (£45) to pay, so as to qualify for the 2 for 1 concession together with the England Athletics Registration Fee of £15 for 2020/21. The total is £60 and should be paid NOW to;
ACCOUNT NAME : SHAFTESBURY BARNET HARRIERS, BANK : HSBC, ACCOUNT NUMBER : 41308378, SORT CODE : 400426 – Please let me know when you make the payment. Thanks GEOFF

THE CHASE IS ON – During last Tuesday’s AGM I was told that earlier that evening that Shaftesbury has a contestant on the television quiz programme ‘The Chase’. One the AGM was over I promptly downloaded the programme from ‘Catch Up’. And sure enough of the four contestants, was ROSALIND ZEFFERTT.

ROSALIND was first up to face ‘The Chaser’, and looked very confident when facing BRADLEY WALSH for the 60 seconds of questions and answers, and ended with an excellent 6 correct answers, which equates to £6.000. It was now time to face ‘The Chaser’ who apparently is relatively new to the show ‘The Menace’ DARRAH ENNIS. He offered ROSALIND £24,000, £6,000 or £1,000 and she chose £6,000, it was neck and neck until the final question and ROSALIND had a guess, and the £6,000 was secured. The team lost the next 2 contestants, leaving it to PAUL to try and keep company with ROSALIND in the final, PAUL was extremely brave and decided to play for £54,000, after a tense finish he won the £54,000. With ROSALIND and PAUL playing for £60,000 in the final chase, the odds were against them. After the 2 minutes of questions they had 15 correct answers, unfortunately they 4 or 5 short of a good total. The Chaser answered the15 questions required, with just 41 seconds remaining of the 2 minutes. The Chase was over.

THE MAKING OF ‘CHARIOTS OF FIRE’ PART 4 OF 4 – Many thanks to TOM MCNAB for another excellent article, part 4 describes the final scenes, leading up to the final cut and praise. So now our “Chariots” caravan moved on to its last major port of call, a dishevelled cinder track in the Wirral. This was now to serve, in its declining years, as the Stade Colombes Paris, the site of the 1924 Olympic Games. Strangely, my first practical task was to correct the spelling on the shop-fronts at the stadium. For, lacking the benefits of a Scottish education, HUGH HUDSON had failed to notice several spelling-errors, which I duly corrected, at no cost. But first we had to find our stadium- crowds, and we drew, at £10 a day, from the population of Liverpool, daily shuffling them around the stadium, in order to give the impression of a packed Olympic arena. But those were pre-digital days, and when we filmed the terrace-free back-straight, no one in the crowd ever moves a muscle, because what is there is a painted “still”.

But correction of French spelling was soon to prove to be the least of my problems. For two American actors had now arrived, DENNIS CHRISTOPHER, playing CHARLEY PADDOCK, and BRAD DAVIES, as JACKSON SCHOLTZ. And it was my immediate task to train these two men, in four days, for an Olympic 100 metres final. Alas, CHARLEY PADDOCK had been a chunky, muscular athlete, with muscles in places where DENNIS CHRISTOPHER did not even have the places. PUTTNAM’S American partners, deploying some strange logic, had insisted on DENNIS CHRISTOPHER merely because he had recently starred in another sports movie, the cycling-based film “Breaking Away”. BRAD DAVIS, on the other hand, was a stocky little actor, who had recently appeared in “Midnight Express”, as a young American drug-dealer festering in a Turkish jail. And clearly meaning business, BRAD had travelled the three thousand miles to Liverpool carrying in his suitcase two twenty kilo dumbbells. My first session with CHRISTOPHER and DAVIS proved to be a nightmare. Because both men, though polite, proved to be strangely remote, and I seriously considered employing a medium for assistance. That evening, DAVID PUTTNAM asked me how my first session had gone, and I informed him that it had been little short of disastrous. He did not seem to be too surprised. “Oh, “he said. “Let me have a few words with them tonight at the hotel. “Next day’s session went like a dream. True, neither man would, even with the wind behind him be likely to break 15 seconds for a hundred metres, but no matter. They would both, in a few days, be ready for their Olympic final. I then met with PUTTMAN and asked him to tell me what the problem had been. “Drugs, “he immediately replied. “Cocaine. They’ve already been kicked of their hotel for assaulting some of the guests.”

We were now ready for the Olympic 100 metres final, and apart from making sure that HAROLD ABRAHAMS won it, my aim was to make it look real. This meant that my three athletes from Liverpool Harriers had to look as if they were running flat out, against actors about four seconds slower than them. They did very well, aided by head-on shots which did not make it clear that they were gaining on my actors with every stride. That and the fact that in their thirty metre sequences I had given each of my three actors head-starts of over four metres. Here, my sole aesthetic/ technical contribution to the film was in the pre-race “tunnel” shot, from behind ABRAHAMS, to show the essential focus of the sprinter, to run as if in a tunnel, ignoring his competitors. One of the many fictions of “Chariots” was that ABRAHAMS’ coach SAM MUSSABINI was, as a professional, denied entry to the Olympic stadium. But as a result we had a scene in which he was shown sequestered in a hotel bedroom as the Olympic 100 metres final was being held. In COLIN WELLAND’S original script, SAM had, on hearing the National Anthem, had gleefully launched a pint of beer, Cossack- style, into the fire. But I had scored this out, with the words “No- fist through hat”. And so it was to be. But my problems were still far from over. I had from the outset made the point that an Olympics without field events was like an opera without music. My solution was to bring a small group of my decathletes up from London to jump and throw. Impossible, said PUTTNAM, because the film’s meagre £3 million budget, already stretched to its limits, would not allow it. Better therefore that I deploy members of Liverpool Harriers, who had already featured in the Olympic march-past, and in the 100 metre final. But here the problem lay in the fact that these men were Harriers, with about as much experience of field events as they had of Sumo Wrestling. But PUTTNAM resolutely refused to budge, and I therefore assembled the Liverpool lads and asked them if there was anyone amongst them who had any experience of throws. Only one hand went up, that of ARTHUR, a surprisingly big lad for a harrier, and I immediately enlisted him for discus and hammer. Instinctively cautious, I decided to deploy junior implements, which meant a 5kg Hammer and 1.5kg Discus. After all, who on earth would know? My man ARTHUR looked supremely confident as he entered the circle with his hammer dangling from his right hand. “Action, “bellowed HUGH HUDSON. I had decided, for safety-reasons, on a simple single- turn throw, rather than one using the conventional three turns. ARTHUR made two preparatory swings, but only a clumsy half-turn, and dispatched his hammer into the camera-crew, who miraculously survived without injury. I decided against a second attempt, and now handed ARTHUR his 1.5kg Discus, advising a simple, risk-free standing technique, and he managed, in a practice throw, to sling it safely up the middle to about thirty metres. “Action, “bellowed HUDSON. But it was no different. HARRY’S Discus decided to take pretty much the same route as its friend the Hammer, fortunately scything its way over the heads of the camera crew. My last desperate hope now lay in the pole vault, where Liverpool Harriers had offered me PADDY, a lad who had vaulted over four metres. Back at Goldenacre, I had located in the shadowy depths of the stand an ancient bamboo vaulting- pole, which had probably lodged there since well before World War Two. I managed to get DAVID PUTTNAM to slip the groundsman £5, and the pole had been brought down to the Wirral. PADDY was, of course a fibre-glass vaulter, and did not realize that bamboo vaulters had shifted left hand up to right in the “plant” of the pole in the box. But he was a physically-literate lad, soon got the idea and was ready to vault, into a modern foam landing- area which would not be visible on film. “Action!” PADDY surged in, and made a superb pole-plant, with an excellent “shift”. But my ancient bamboo pole immediately exploded, scattering its splinters far and wide. For it had been close on forty years since such outrageous demands had been made upon it, and this was the last straw. Fortunately, PADDY, ever the survivor, landed safely on his back in the foam landing-area, so all was well.

And so ask not why there appear to be no field events in the “Chariots” 1924 Olympic Games. I did my best, but my best was simply not good enough. But we did still have the 400 metres hurdles final, albeit with a fictitious LORD LINDSEY, a NIGEL HAVERS who was now hurdling superbly. Then, with only two days to go, I was approached by a tall French athlete, who announced himself as YVES BENYETON. “Mr. PUTTNAM has told me to report to you for coaching, “he said. “Which event? “I asked. “The four hundred metres hurdles, “he replied. “Have you ever hurdled before, YVES? “I asked. YVES shook his head. No, “he said. “Only le Jogging. “I was know in a quandary, as we now only had two days to go. YVES was playing GEORGE ANDRE, the French athlete who had recited the Olympic oath, and who had finished fifth in the four hundred metres hurdles. My main aim with YVES would be to produce a simple, primitive hurdles technique, and to avoid injury. It was therefore fortunate that we would film the final three hurdles, when athletes tend to stutter and lose their form. That first day, I took YVES through some walk-overs over low hurdles, to provide him with a basic vocabulary. Then, the next day, he undertook some hurdling from a measured seven stride approach, which went surprisingly well. The Olympic 400 hurdles final went like a dream, with NIGEL HAVERS hurdling to his imaginary silver medal, and YVES going well beyond his potential in fifth place. He was immediately deposited into his battered little Volkswagen, and set on his way back to Paris. Legend has it that when YVES arrived there, he was so stiff that his girl- friend had to have the car-door removed, in order that they might continue their relationship. So now there was only ERIC LIDDELL’S 400 metres final, to complete the Olympic competitive sequences. Here again, there had to be a slight departure from reality, because in 1924 the first 200 metres was run on a straight, though do not ask me why. But for HUGH HUDSON one reality had to be retained, and that was the fall of the American JOHN TAYLOR, about thirty metres from the finish of the race. I had in my time in Glasgow as a goalkeeper hit the industrial cinders on many occasions and returned to my mother with bloody legs, so there could be no faking, certainly no second takes. Our TAYLOR was an athletic young Canadian actor called COLIN BRUCE, and he suggested to me that I might negotiate a fee for his fall with DAVID PUTTNAM. I agreed, and duly approached the great man. “Fifty pounds “he said. “A hundred, “I replied. “Done, “said PUTTMAN. COLIN BRUCE did not disappoint us, and duly made a great fall. And half an hour later, he stood before me in the shower, the blood trickling down his legs and arms. He grinned as I handed him a thick wad of ten pound notes.

The 1924 Olympics were now at an end, and I made my way South, where there were still a few more dribs and drabs to be filmed, most of which would never make the screen. At last, it was all over. But no, it was not quite over yet, because a few weeks later, I received a call from DAVID PUTTNAM. “We’ve had a response from the Americans to our first rough cut, “he said. “They don’t like it; they think that it’s too long by about twenty minutes. Could you go over to Radlett and sit with our editor TERRY RAWLINGS. And see if there is anything that you think that we can take out of the athletics sequences. “Soon I was watching the athletics sections of the film for the first time, with the famous editor TERRY RAWLINGS, who had just finished a movie with BARBARA STREISAND. But, if anything, there was too little athletics in “Chariots”, and I said so to DAVID PUTTNAM, that he would have to make his cuts elsewhere. Thus the eleven minutes of athletics stayed in and a shipboard romance with RUBY WAX and a Paris “Tee Dansant “sequence were removed. All went quiet, and then, in April 1981 I was to see the film for the first time, in a tiny Soho Square studio cinema, with a group of my athletes, who enjoyed it immensely, as did I. Then, about a week later, PUTTNAM asked me if I could host a BBC critic JUDITH CHALMERS at the same cinema, and I agreed to do so. JUDITH was nothing if not frank, as we made our way into the studio after a couple of drinks. “Before we start, I must make one thing absolutely clear to you, TOM, “she said. “I hate sport. “Then we were plunged in darkness, and two hours and twelve minutes later the lights went on. I could immediately see that the mascara was now streaming down JUDITH’S face. “Oh TOM, “she said. “That was so lovely. “But my story does not end there or with the film’s four Oscars a few months later. No, it concludes with a hand-written letter which I received from IAN CHARLESON. “You made a basically unathletic person look like an athlete, no mean feat, “he said. That was a letter which I will always cherish. Always.

JONATHAN KILSBY 1955-2020 – We received these following recollections of JONATHAN from DES MICHAEL of Barnet & District AC.

I first became aware of JONATHAN as a fellow athlete during his time with our neighbouring Club, Shaftesbury Barnet Harriers. We would, occasionally, meet as rivals at various races. In the early noughties JONATHAN started training with our Barnet Club group sessions in Trent Park, on Saturday mornings. He would then join us in the café after training so, over a number of weeks, we became quite “chummy” & he revealed that he was thinking of resigning from Shaftesbury. Well, that was all the incentive I needed. “Tapping-up”, in relation to professional football is strictly forbidden – nevertheless, it happens. Similarly, the code of ethics in organised athletics is supposed to discourage us from trying to attract athletes from opposing Clubs, before they’ve formally resigned.

For the next several months, I was utterly shameless in my approaches to JONATHAN. He joined Barnet & District A.C. in March 2005 and even when he moved to Norfolk & transferred to Wymondham A.C. as 1st claim, he remained a 2nd claim member of Barnet. He had an immediate impact on our Masters relay teams. In October that year, JONATHAN, together with LIAM O’HARE, DAVE WILCOCK & MYSELF, won the M50 British Masters Cross-Country Relays, against all the Country’s top Club teams.

I could take all day to discuss JONATHAN’S extensive list of athletic achievements so I thought I’d focus on just one & it’s the one he’s probably most renowned for. In the London Marathon in April 1983, he recorded a time of (2:15:53). But what lies behind that level of performance is a single-minded determination & dedication that’s beyond the capacity of most athletes – that’s why so few achieve it. JONATHAN was known as a mileage man & at the peak of his training schedule, he was totalling 140 miles per week. He didn’t regard himself as having a great deal of natural talent, hence his dedication to pure hard work. To place that performance in perspective & as an indication of how British distance running has declined since; that (2:15) ranked him just 27th British marathoner in 1983. It would, however, have gained him 5th British place in last month’s elite London Marathon. It was, perhaps Jonathan’s misfortune that he reached his peak during an era that we now refer to as a “Golden Age” of British distance running. There are still only 170 British men, plus PAULA RADCLIFFE, who have ever run a faster marathon. His several selections for England & GB senior teams are testament to the level of achievement that he did reach.

In Masters athletics we get to compete in a new age category every 5 years. JONATHAN was 5 years younger than me but for just one week every 5 years, we would be in the same age category. As we grew older we were performing at a similar level so we made a personal challenge to compete together in an officially accredited race, in the same age category, when that week came around each 5 years. It never actually happened & the nearest we got was in March 2014. JONATHAN was 59 & I was 64. We both went to the Eaton Park Run in Norwich.

JONATHAN soon pulled out a 20 metre lead on me but I managed to hold on to that for most of the race until the final 800mts when I decided it’s time to go for him & I do mean “go for him”. We may have been best buddies at all other times but in a race, we both took on a “do or die” personality. With 100mts to go, I was almost clipping his heels but then he still had a final kick to the finish whilst I was “all out”. JONATHAN recorded (19:01) & I was just two seconds behind. He knew my breathing pattern & foot strike so well, that he didn’t even need to look round to know it as me so close behind. JONATHAN had a keen sense of fashion awareness (not!). A couple of years ago I was targeting a fast-for-age time at the Run Norwich 10k. On arrival at our chalet at Winterton, I discovered that I hadn’t packed my running shoes. I telephoned JONATHAN to see if he could loan me a pair of racers for the event, which he readily offered. We went to Roudham to pick them up & he produced a selection, all of which looked like they were purchased in the 20th Century. The cloth uppers were all frayed, had holes & any cushioning in the soles had long-flattened out. “Beggars can’t be choosers”. I just told him that if I crap-out in the race it’ll be due to the shoes rather than my performance. I duly broke my age group course record. JONATHAN insisted it was his “go-faster” shoes that did the trick.

COLIN PEIRSON relates that very often whilst on their long steady runs together, JONATHAN would be pestered by a wide variety of wild creatures. He’d be interfered with by an assortment of cows, sheep, birds, squirrels, the obligatory dogs. On one occasion during a 10 miler in Epping Forest, after several such encounters, he was mobbed by a bunch of crows & a squirrel jumping between trees landed on his head.

And this from ANDY MAGNALL: JONATHAN could be both deadly serious and great fun, a great friend and a deadly rival, all within the time it takes to meet, get changed and train. The thing that I found so amazing, says ANDY: occurred after our Sunday long run when JONATHAN was making a cup of tea. A glimpse inside his fridge when he was reaching for the milk revealed……. milk, a jar of something and a packet of biscuits. How good could JONATHAN have been with the support of a half-decent diet? Thankfully, his diet improved considerably in later life. CLIFF BARLEY; during a race at Alexandra Palace, JONATHAN’S coach, supporting from the side, shouting; “JON, get rid of him, get rid of him”. JONATHAN always obeyed coach’s instructions.

Our Club Facebook received dozens of condolences, all of which testify to JONATHAN’S gentle, kind, lovely nature & to how inspirational he was to all who learned of his athletic achievements. A lovely, modest, gentle man. For any who would like to replay the funeral, it can be viewed at: www.obitus.com, Username: Qupu7057, Password: 215152

COMPETITION GETS TENTATIVE GREEN LIGHT – The following article was published on the Athletics Weekly website recently.

As the English lockdown prepares to be lifted, endurance athletes are poised to race again in December. Athletes in England are ready to return to competition and group training next month. With the latest lockdown due to lift on December 2, England Athletics has updated its guidance with road, cross-country, trail and mountain running allowed to resume but with travel restrictions based on the new tiered system created by the Government.

Even track meetings are set to go ahead with Trafford AC staging an opening meeting on December 5, for example, whereas other track events are taking place in places like Middlesbrough and Hexham in coming weeks.

UK Athletics have been processing licences for competitions and a number of fixtures have been given the green light, or provisional licences, for December and into the new year.

Events company Run Through have been particularly busy organising endurance races in places like Cheshire, Clapham Common and Goodwood Motor Circuit in Sussex on December 5-6 followed by events in venues like the Olympic Park in London.

Run Nation is another events company that is staging events in places like Durham. Clubs generally have been a little slower out of the blocks to resume staging competitions but there are races in December such as the Indian Queens Half Marathon in Cornwall – one of England’s few tier one areas. The indoor season remains in doubt although the British Indoor Championships in Glasgow will definitely go ahead in February for elite athletes. Cross-country racing is similar, with doubts over whether the big end-of-winter national championships for schools and clubs will happen. The Midland Counties has already cancelled its area championships at Wollaton Park on January 30, for example.

When it comes to what athletes and coaches can do in the various areas of England, the national governing body has put out three charts – see here – which explain what can be done in each of the three tiers. England Athletics’ general guidelines in full can be seen here too.

LONDON YOUTH GAMES, VIRTUAL CROSS COUNTRY – If you’re in the U11 to U17 age groups, here’s a way to stay active with others while keeping your distance – and earn some kudos for your Borough to boot. Run your distance in the Nike x London Youth Games Virtual Cross Country competition and record your time to score points for your Borough.
The competition is open to all young Londoners from 21 November to 6 December across four age groups: U11, U13, U15 and U17. Points are scored for participation and performance.
The link to enter results on the London Youth Games website will be live from 21 November and runners have until 6 December to get involved.
If you head to https://www.londonyouthgames.org/virtual-games/ you will find all the information you need to get involved. There’s also safety guidance on https://www.londonyouthgames.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Nike-x-LYG-Virtual-Cross-Country-Safety-Guidance.pdf
If runners want to participate there will be a form for them to fill out once the event has gone live, including letting LYG know which Borough they are representing, and there will also be a chance to upload proof of their time (if they want to).

NOVEMBER 2020 RACES – Currently there are minimal results on the Power of 10, if anyone competes especially virtually please let me know.

SOUTH OF ENGLAND ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION 2020/2021 CHAMPIONSHIP UPDATE – SEAA were hopeful of staging some Cross Country and Indoor Track & Field events during this coming winter, even though it looked as if we should only be able to cater for the younger age groups. However, the news that the Country is to go into Lockdown from this Thursday does throw these aspirations into doubt. If Government guidelines after the lockdown permit, we hope to put in place the following events.
Cross Country – Cross Country Relays, London Championships, Master & Inter Counties Championships have been postponed until the New Year. The Association hopes that it will be possible to stage some Cross Country events in February/March 2021.
Road Relays – At present the date for the 12/6 Stage and 5K Road Relays remains the same; Sunday 28 March 2021.
Track & Field – It is hoped that some Indoor Covid Games can take place dates scheduled for these events are 16/17 January & 6/7 February next year. Due to the restrictions on numbers we may have to use more than one venue.
As we enter another lockdown, we just want to reassure our athletes and officials that we shall do our utmost to stage some competition (In line with England Athletics guidance). We shall review the situation and publish any further news as soon as we can. In the meantime, we do hope everyone stays safe and well JOHN GANDEE SEAA Competition Chairman.

STEEPLECHASE TRAINING AT BARNET COPTHALL STADIUM (FORMERLY ALLIANZ PARK) – Currently Suspended.

PARKRUN 5K RESULTS – Currently Suspended

PHOTOGRAPH’S – From time to time we have photographs of our members taken at meetings or presentations which we would like to use both on the website or incorporated within our report to our local newspaper. Can you please let me know if you do NOT want your photograph to be used. Also, I would appreciate if you could send me any photographs, which I can then publish on the website and newsletter.

FACEBOOK – Photographs can be found on the SBH page.

BARNET COPTHALL STADIUM (FORMERLY ALLIANZ PARK) – Main Switchboard telephone number is 0203 675 7250.

CHARGES FOR USING BARNET COPTHALL STADIUM (FORMERLY ALLIANZ PARK) – Currently the stadium is open for limited use.

ALAN WELLER