Happy Birthday from this Thursday 21 January to Josephine Chadwick, Mario Debrescu, Charly Doyon, George Evans, Matt Grant, Jade Ive, Adina Kut, Michael Nicholls, John Otugade, Alex Petty and Lynda Robinson
WHAT A COINCIDENCE – In last weeks Newsletter our 2 top Steeplechasers MARK PEARCE (No.2 ranked Senior) and KRISTIAN IMROTH (No.1 ranked Junior) share the same birthday – 19 January.
UPDATE ON PROPOSED TRACK AND FIELD FIXTURES – National Athletic League dates have been agreed – Sunday 6 June, Sunday 4 July, Saturday 7 August and Saturday 28 August – 4 club divisions – we are in Premier London North with Harrow, Newham and Woodford – Probability that most / all fixtures will be at StoneX Stadium. London Inter Club Challenge dates agreed Saturday 17 April Lee Valley, Saturday 26 June, Saturday 31 July and Saturday 21 August all at StoneX Stadium.
Provisional UK Youth Development League dates are; Sunday 2 May, Sunday 30 May, Sunday 27 June, Saturday/Sunday 4/5 September National Final
Provisional Middlesex Young Athletes League dates are; Sunday 25 April – Finsbury Park, Saturday 15 May – Perivale, Sunday 20 June – Parliament Hill and Sunday 18 July – StoneX Stadium
Provisional Eastern Young Athletes League dates are; Sunday 13 June, Sunday 4 July, Sunday 18 July, Sunday 1 August and Final Sunday 12 September (venues to be confirmed).
The SCVAC Veterans League dates are still to be announced.
ATW CROSS COUNTRY SERIES NEXT RACE – The third race is on Saturday 21 February at Merchant Taylor’s School, Sandy Lodge, Northwood HA6 2HT. The races are for Under 11, 13, 15 & 17s. This is the link for all details including entries – https://activetrainingworld.co.uk/events/atw-cross-country-series-round-3-21st-feb/
YOUTH TALENT PROGRAMME UPDATE – The Youth Talent Programme (YTP) is well underway for 2020-22. In late September of this year, we were delighted to confirm 252 athletes, and their coaches, as having been accepted into the Youth Talent Programme – a collaboration between England Athletics and British Athletics.
Congratulations on behalf of SBH and Myself, to our 11 Athletes and their respective Coaches – EMMANUEL DURUIHEOMA (Sprints), TY HOLDEN – EVELYNE FONTEYNE (High Jump), CAROL JACKSON – RUBEN HEDMAN (60m/100m Hurdles), BRIAN HOPKINS – KIMANI JACK (High Jump), SHAKA BUNSIE – REMI JOKOSENUMI (Sprints), TY HOLDEN – JOANNE MIRANDA (Middle Distance), JEREMY SOTHCOTT – GILAD NACHSHEN (Middle Distance), JEREMY SOTHCOTT – MAAYAN RADUS (Middle Distance), DAVID LOWES – NICHOLAS SAVVA (Sprints), TY HOLDEN – MILAN TRAJKOVIC (Javelin), JOHN WAUGH – ARUN YAVUZ (Long/Triple Jump), JOHN HERBERT
The YTP is the first step on the Talent pathway designed to meet the needs of identified talented English athletes, aged between 16 and 18 years of age, and their coaches. The programme focuses on developing a dual career for the athlete through fulfilling their potential within the sport and also in their education and employability.
Since those athletes and their coaches were accepted onto the YTP, we have been able to welcome them by hosting virtual inductions, led by Marathon Sports and Loughborough College, which provided an opportunity for the athletes, personal coaches and parents to meet and connect with the other people on the programme as well as their YTP point of contact and performance support staff. As part of the day, the education providers gave an outline of the two-year programme, including the formal education and individual athlete planning process, so that all participants will be able to maximise their development whilst on the YTP.
We have also been able to hold virtual National event-specific days for the athlete-coach partnerships to meet the YTP coach that will support them through their two-year journey. During this process, everyone was given an overview of the event specific elements of the YTP – namely the:
event group specific physical qualities and capacities;
event specific technical excellence frameworks;
psychological characteristics of developing excellence;
event group specific tactical components.
MARTIN RUSH, Head of Coaching & Athlete Development at England Athletics, said: “It’s great to see athlete-coach partnerships from so many different affiliated clubs being represented on the YTP. The personal coaches are an integral part of any athlete’s development so it’s fantastic to hear so many personal coaches were able to attend and contribute to the first virtual National event-specific training days.
“Hopefully, we will be able to hold practical National event specific training days in the new year, but for now I wanted to recognise the excellent job done by the education providers, Marathon Sports and Loughborough College, as well as the YTP coaches in making the virtual sessions fun, engaging and educational. I was also delighted to see so many parents join in the virtual workshop delivered by our youth lead, Scott Grace. The attendance of athletes, coaches and parents represents a real milestone in the evolution of the YTP: this focus on developing and supporting athletes holistically is testament to the ethos we have here at England Athletics and I’m very proud of the work that the Coach and Athlete Development team are doing.”
ANDY PAUL, YTP Lead – Birmingham Talent Hub, said: “The YTP continues to grow its impact in Birmingham. This is Year 8 for us and every year we learn more and more about the needs of both coach and athlete as they develop. It is an honour to be able to support talent and evolve the process with colleagues across the country.
“2020 has offered up a huge challenge to everyone – athlete, family, coach and YTP teams! From real-time coaching to team delivery on Teams. For me, it has been a whole new world and a great education. It has demonstrated how adaptable we all are. At the same time, it has reminded me how we all learn and the need to flex because of it. One-to-ones with specialists have gone really well but in a group situation some learners find the challenge far greater than real-time. As a coach, it has been a valuable experience and a learning curve in improving communications and being well organised – lots of big steps forward! The job is a great challenge but the opportunity and growth we see makes the job exciting and so important.”
ENGLAND ATHLETICS 5 MILE VIRTUAL RELAY – In the Qualifying Round (Round 1), clubs could have an uncapped number of their runners enter into the round in order to ensure that as many runners as possible could take part and enjoy the competition. The Clubs’ finishing position is based on the 4 x fastest men and 4 x fastest women from each club.
The Qualifying Round took place during the window of Saturday 26 December 2020 – Wednesday 13 January 2021.
RESULTS – KRISTIAN IMROTH U20 7th (24.20 2nd U20), KIERAN CLEMENTS 10th (24.23), JEREMY DEMPSEY 20th (24.52), GEORGE GROOM 21st (24.54), MITCHELL COX 27th (25.17), MARK PEARCE 51st (25.56), DAN WATTS 125th (26.59), JUDE MIRANDA U20 262nd (28.19), RICHARD WILLIAMS V40 329th (28.46), FREYA STAPLETON U20 365th (29.01 4th U20), EUAN MACKENZIE 404th (29.19), DANIEL NICHOLLS V35 566th (30.18), NAOMI TASCHIMOWITZ 569th (30.20), KEVIN WALDEN V35 905th (32.19), TIM PARKIN V40 1035th (33.17), EMILY HATHAWAY U20 1100th (33.43), SARAH WILLIAMS V35 1116th (33.47), JESSICA HURLEY 1456th (36.08)
TEAM RESULTS – 1st Windsor, Slough, Eton & Hounslow (3:41.47), 2nd Cambridge & Coleridge (3:42.03), 3rd Wirral (3:42.42), 4th SBH (3:45.20)
National Round (Round 2) – The 50 fastest clubs from the Qualifying Round will progress to the National Round (Round 2) – taking place between Wednesday 10 February to Monday 15 February 2021. Clubs that qualify to compete in the National Round will again be able to field an uncapped number of their registered runners – with finishing positions based on the 4 x fastest men and 4 x fastest women from each club.
International Round (Round 3) – The winning club from the National Round will be selected to compete in the International Round – where they will compete against the best teams from Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales to be crowned the Virtual Road Relay Competition 2020/21 champions!
SHAFTESBURY’S OLYMPIAN BOARD FINDS A TEMPORARY HOME – BRYAN SMITH will soon be taking possession of our Olympian Board. BRYAN told me that the board will have a temporary home, in a glass cabinet in the SBH Clubhouse, until the West Stand is constructed.
BETH POTTER’S 2020 LOCKDOWN EXPERIENCE – BETH is in full agreement that dog is man’s, and woman’s, best friend, and admits she found much of lockdown challenging, but there was one stand-out highlight for the triathlete; after longing for a dog for some time, Potter finally took the plunge and got a puppy CHARLIE.
CHARLIE is a working cocker,” she said. “He’s been a life-saver during lockdown. I’ve always wanted a dog but it’s never been the right time and then when we first heard about lockdown, I moved in with a friend for a few weeks who’s got a dog and she convinced me to go for it. “He’s brilliant– he’s very docile and he’s lovely. It’s been so great having him at home – and he runs with me at the weekend. “He’s been the best thing about lockdown, for sure.”
The pandemic could not have hit at a worse time for BETH. The triathlon season was literally days from beginning and so having slogged her way through a full winter’s training, it was demoralising to say the least for everything to be thrown up into the air almost overnight. “I love training so that part was okay but I did find it very tough not having anything on the horizon, so it was a real mix of emotions every day,” she said. “I’ve found it really hard – one minute I’ll be fine and then the next minute I’ll find myself crying for no reason. It’s definitely been one of the hardest things I’ve faced in my career – it’s up there with a really crap injury. The uncertainty is so difficult.”
The lack of access to swimming pools has been the most challenging aspect of lockdown for BETH. BETH has spent the majority of her sporting life as a long-distance runner, representing GB at the 2016 Olympics, before switching to triathlon in 2017 and going on to represent Scotland as both a track and field athlete and a triathlete at Gold Coast 2018, becoming the first Scot ever to be selected for two sports at the same Commonwealth Games. Of the three disciplines in triathlon, BETH freely admits swimming is her weakest and so a whole summer out of the water was far from ideal, to put it mildly.
BETH’S first post-coronavirus outing was in early September in Hamburg where she finished twenty-first, a performance she was dissatisfied with. Her next event was a World Cup event in Arzachena, Italy on 10 October finishing 2nd to FLORA DUFFY world ranked No.14, BETH’S final race of the Year was in Valencia, Spain on 7 November in which she won. Results Hamburg – 750m swim, 18.9k bike, 5k run 1st GEORGIA TAYLOR-BROWN GB (54.16), 2nd FLORA DUFFY Bermuda (54.25), 3rd LAURA LINDERMANN Germany (54.39), 21st BETH (56.13 – swim 9.43 – bike 27.55 – run 16.53). Arzachena – 750m swim, 19.26k bike, 5k run 1st FLORA DUFFY Bermuda (1:00.53), 2nd BETH (1:02.04 – swim 9.32 – bike 34.14 – run 16.55), 3rd VERENA STEINHAUSER Italy (1:02.07). Valencia – 750m swim, 20k bike, 5k run 1st BETH (56.35 – swim 9.32 – bike 29.07 – run 16.45), 2nd NICOLA SPIRIG Switzerland (56.38), 3rd LISA TERTCH Germany (56.39).
The high standards BETH sets for herself may make her life more difficult, but it is the same attitude that has helped her defy the odds time and time again throughout her career. Her switch from track and field to triathlon may be somewhat unusual but 2019 proved in emphatic style that her gamble had paid off. After only two years in the sport, she became European champion, a result that highlighted her potential despite taking up the event at a relatively advanced stage of her sporting career.
Report of European Championships in Weert, Netherlands on 31 May – BETH took the European title in fine style, on the opening 1500m swim (17.18) she came out 4 seconds behind a small group. The bike leg of 37.8k was very close with 6 athletes entering the final transition, including BETH (54.15). The final leg, a 9.9k run proved decisive with BETH pulling away to secure the win by 58 seconds. Full result 1st BETH (1:45.44), 2nd SANDRA DODET France (1:46.42), 3rd CLAIRE MICHEL Belgium (1:46.55).
However, within just a few months of that victory, BETH was hit with some devastating news. Despite her phenomenal rise to prominence in the sport, British Triathlon announced they were withdrawing her funding, leaving her feeling somewhat destitute. “I’d hit the criteria several times and yet I wasn’t put on funding,” she said. “I felt like any other athlete in any other sport who had become European champion would have been on funding. So that was a real blow. “I was really upset about it for a while and they were using my age against me which I felt was really unfair. “People get better at different times and my training age is completely different from my actual age because I’ve not been in the sport for that long. “I’ve got the right attitude and I want to do this but it’s hard not having the back-up. “I had several meetings with British Triathlon and they then agreed to help me a little. “It all took its toll though. I had thoughts of giving up.
“But then I decided to use it as motivation and wanted to prove them wrong. I believe I can do it but it just helps when you have people backing you.” Despite the funding blow, BETH got her head down and got herself in excellent shape for this season, which was then cut disappointingly short. And so having battled through the past twelve months with few competitive appearances to speak of, already BETH is already looking forward to another winter hard at it. “I put in a big block of training last winter which was great but I don’t want to put myself in the position of racing again if I feel I’m not ready,” she said. “I’d like to put in another big block of swimming over the winter. With the running, I have that race experience but I just don’t have that yet in triathlon so there’s still so much room to improve.”
BETH ran two road races in 2020, both being personal best’s. Firstly, in February, the Alsager 5 Miles in Cheshire, winning the Women’s race with a time of (25.45), then in August the Podium 5k in Barrowford, Lancashire, winning the Elite Women’s race with a time of (15.25), from JESSICA JUDD (15.36) and LIZZIE BIRD was 6th (15.53). Well done BETH, TOKYO here you come.
PARKRUN RETURNS TO AUSTRALIA – STUART MOORE has just informed me that Parkrun returned last November. He said they been very lucky in Perth – an isolated city and a state premier who has been right on top of his game. His children are now teenagers – DECLAN 17 and LAUREN 14 – and LAUREN is still involved in running, STUART coaches her group at Little Athletics. STUART coach little athletics in the summer and the way it is organised you basically coach all events for an age group so I have been with my daughter’s group since under 8s – this year up to under 15s.
STUART’S latest Parkrun Results – 9 January Carin Glades 74th (27.51 V60-64 age-group) – 2 January Quinns Rocks 46th (30.33) – 26 December Perry Lakes 46th (28.27) – 19 December Garvey Park 11th (29.09) – 12 December Perry Lakes 93rd (31.02) – 28 November Perry Lakes 81st (29.18) – 14 November Perry Lakes 80th (30.52)
UKA’S EQUALITY PLAN – The following article was published on the Athletics Weekly website recently.
PAULA RADCLIFFE, JOYCE SMITH, HAYLEY YELLING, LAURA MUIR and MARA YAMAUCHI issue strong statement about equalisation of cross-country distances one of the best-known and most successful female endurance runners in the history of British athletics have joined forces in opposition to UK Athletics’ recent moves to create gender equality in cross country.
Their statement has been signed by a who’s who of distance running icons such as two-time world cross-country champion PAULA RADCLIFFE and former International cross-country gold medallist and two-time London Marathon winner JOYCE SMITH. HAYLEY YELLING, the two-time European cross-country champion, plus current top athletes such as LAURA MUIR, CHARLOTTE PURDUE and LAURA WEIGHTMAN have also put their name to a statement which will leave UKA in no doubt that their quest for equality of racing distances is not going to be easy to implement. Between them, the signatories have won dozens of English National titles and represented Britain or England at the World Cross Country Championships. ANDREA WHITCOMBE, HELEN CLITHEROE and KATHY BUTLER for example have raced in the World Cross seven, eight and 14 times respectively. Photograph of eventual winner PAULA RADCLIFFE leading the 2003 European Cross Country Championships ahead of SONIA O’SULLIVAN and HAYLEY YELLING.
The statement has been pulled together by MARA YAMAUCHI, the former English National winner and second fastest British marathon woman in history. It questions why UKA is making this current move without a head of endurance in position and without first consulting its own Athletes’ Commission. In addition, the athletes firmly disagree with the Run Equal movement, saying: “We are saddened by the suggestion that our past performances are viewed as somehow lacking, simply because we raced shorter distances than men.”
The statement is as follows… UK Athletics’ consultation on “equal access to cross country competition distances” (Dec 22) and its accompanying survey led many in the cross country (XC) community to believe that UKA had already decided to equalise the distances raced by men and women. We welcome the clarifications UKA provided in its new statement on “equal opportunities in cross country” (Jan 15) and in CEO Joanna Coates’s interview with AW (Jan 15). However, we note JOANNA’S comment that equalisation of race distances “might” still go ahead. We also note that UKA still intends to use the survey’s results, despite widespread concerns about its validity, which we share (specifically the introduction’s clear indication to responders that UKA is in favour of equalisation, and the absence of the question “do you agree/disagree on equalising distances”). The physical advantages men acquire compared to women from puberty are well-known. These advantages mean that, in some sports, event specifications should be different, for good reason. We believe cross country, at competitive level, is one such event. There are many events in Athletics alone which have different specifications. This does not mean women are weak or inferior. It is a question of what specifications suit men and women, and what makes for meaningful and exciting competition. In cross country, women and girls should race a distance which is: a) what they want; b) what is appropriate for their age and ability level; and c) what is best for their wider competition goals and race calendar. The criterion “what the men or boys run” should be well down the list in deciding. The same applies, in reverse, for men and boys. The question of can women race long distances has been answered with an emphatic yes. Historically, women were not allowed to compete at all in many events, and we are thankful to the women who fought for the right to compete. Competition for women in XC has existed for decades; the first English National XC Championships for women were held in 1927.
The UKA Head of Endurance position has recently been vacant, and UKA’s own Athletes Commission was not consulted. It is unclear whether anyone with knowledge and experience of XC at elite/semi-elite level/competitive club level has been involved thus far. We call on UKA to ensure that people with such knowledge and experience, in a variety of roles, will be included in all decision-making at every stage from now on. We note that World Athletics has equalised distances at the World Championships but it is not a national federation which has to develop talent to elite level. We also note that European nations voted in 2016 to retain different distances. British XC teams, especially the women’s teams, have been very successful in recent years at European level. UKA omitted the key question “do you agree/disagree on equalising distances” from its survey. Therefore, if a move towards equalisation goes ahead, we look forward to seeing other statistically robust evidence that this is what a large majority in the sport actually wants. In the meantime, we hope UKA will focus on enabling racing to restart safely and minimising the damage the pandemic has caused to athletes everywhere.
Signed by… KATE AVERY, European XC representative 2014, 2015, 2018; World XC U20 representative 2009, 2010; World XC senior representative 2019 – SINEAD BENT, Northern 800m bronze medallist 2018; Manchester league senior overall title winner; multiple Northern XC top-40 finisher – KATHY BUTLER, World XC team bronze medallist 2004; 14 x World XC representative 1990 – 2006; 2 x Olympian – HELEN CLITHEROE, 8 x World XC representative 1998 – 2005; 10 x European XC representative 1998 – 2010 – JULIE COLLINGHAM (née LAUGHTON), World XC representative 1984 (team silver medallist), 1985, 1986 (team gold medallist) – MELISSA COURTNEY-BRYANT, European XC representative 2017, 2018; bronze medallist at European Indoor 3000m 2019 and Commonwealth Games 1500m 2019 – CLAIRE DUCK, English National XC runner-up 2016, third 2017; World XC representative and captain 2017 – LAUREN HEYES (née HOWARTH), World XC representative 2009 (U20), 2013 (senior); European XC representative 2008, 2009 (both U20), 2011, 2012 (both U23), 2013, 2015 (both senior) – RUTH JONES, England mountain running representative; Manchester XC league overall winner 2017, runner-up 2019/20 – JESSICA JUDD, English National XC winner 2017; European XC repr esentative 2019 (team gold); World University 5000m winner 2019; British 5000m champion 2020 – LAURA MUIR, European XC rep resentative 2011 (junior), 2015 (U23) both team gold; multiple track medallist at World and European level indoors and outdoors – HANNAH NUTTALL, European XC representative (U23) 2019; World XC representative (U20) 2015; English Schools 3000m winner 2014; British 3000m steeplechase bronze medallist 2020 – LILY PARTRIDGE, English National winner 2015, 2016; 7 x European XC representative 2009 to 2017 (Junior, U23, senior); World XC representative 2008, 2009 (Junior) – CHARLOTTE PURDUE, 4 x individual medallist at European XC as junior, U20 (gold) and senior level 2007-2013; 4 x World XC representative (junior and senior) 2007-2011; No.4 UK all-time for the marathon – PAULA RADCLIFFE: World XC champion 2001 (also short course silver), 2002, silver medallist 1997, 1998, bronze medallist 1999, World XC junior champion 1992; former marathon world record-holder; multiple medallist at World and European level – JANE SHIELDS (née FURNISS), English National XC winner 1984, 1987; 6 x World XC representative 1981 – 1987; European XC representative; 2 x Olympian – JOYCE SMITH, first IAAF World XC silver medallist 1973; International XC Championship winner 1972, bronze medallist 1971; English National XC winner 1959, 1960, 1973; London Marathon champion 1981, 1982 – LAURA WEIGHTMAN, European XC representative 2013; 2 x Olympian; European 1500m and Commonwealth 5000m medallist – ANDREA WHITCOMBE, English National XC winner 1990, 1991, 1997; 7 x World XC representative (junior and senior) 1989-1999 – CAROLE WILLIAMSON (née BRADFORD), English National XC winner 1986; World XC representative 1980, 1981, 1984, 1986; bronze medallist at IAAF World 10km, 1984 and IAAF World 15km, 1985 – ALISON WYETH, 4 x World XC representative 1987-1991; Commonwealth Games 3000m bronze medallist 1994; 2 x Olympian; multiple World, European, Commonwealth representative – MARA YAMAUICHI (née MYERS), English National XC winner 1998; World XC representative 2005, 2006; No.2 UK all-time for the marathon – HAYLEY YELLING, 8 x European XC representative 1996 – 2008 (champion 2004, 2009); World XC team bronze medallist 2004; World, Commonwealth and European representative on the track
BECKY LYNE’S FIVE TIPS TO IMPROVE YOUR RUNNING TECHNIQUE – The following article was published on the Athletics Weekly website recently.
Former 800m runner says her ‘GRACE-full’ method can help athletes become more efficient and injury-free. As an 800m runner BECKY LYNE ran (1:58.20) and after winning bronze at the European Championships in 2006 behind two Russians she was named British Athletics Writers’ Association female athlete of the year. At the time the only Brits who had run quicker over the distance were KELLY HOLMES and KIRSTY WADE. Even now her PB for two laps places her sixth on the UK all-time lists and is faster than LAURA MUIR’S best. Yet her career was cut short while she was still in her mid-20s and she believes she could have enjoyed far more success if she was armed with the kind of biomechanics knowledge that she has now. “Absolutely I wish I had my time again,” she says looking back. “Having studied it (running technique) and experimented with it and after getting a feel for how we’re designed to run, I know I was doing so many things wrong. “The frustrating thing was that people always told me they thought I had quite a good technique too. But I sensed that something wasn’t quite right, otherwise why would I be getting injured so much?”
LYNE even had biomechanics testing at the time but was told “everything was okay”. Although in the defence of the sports scientists in 2006, technology has moved on to the point that today’s runners can even record their own action in slow-motion on an ordinary mobile phone. “The crux was that I was over-striding and reaching too far in front of myself when I ran,” she says. “There’s a key phrase which I read when I was studying this – that you have to ‘run on your legs rather than with your legs’. “It’s so subtle, but if you can get that sense of your hips just lifting forward and up a little bit so that you plant more underneath your centre of mass then so many of the other things that we’re supposed to do when we’re running will be able to fall into place.”
LYNE, who also won the European under-23 800m title during her short career, struggled with Achilles tendon issues and her over-striding caused her to have horrendous blisters and even breathing difficulties when she ran uphill. “I was carrying too much tension in my shoulders and around my chest because I wasn’t controlling the movement from my core but from the shoulders,” she says. “As soon as you lift your hips up then your core can activate which allows your shoulders to relax. It’s all very well asking athletes to ‘relax your shoulders’ but it they’re not using their core then it’s just not possible to do that. It was an epiphany for me when I realised this.” LYNE, who is now 38 and based in the Peak District, currently helps runners with what she calls “GRACE-full running”. She offers runners analysis of their technique and physio screening – much of which is done online – and has teamed up with Sheffield Hallam University to create computer-assisted feedback for athletes. Software used by Sheffield Hallam can automatically detect joint positions in video recordings of runners and their work with LYNE is being featured on BBC1 on Wednesday (January 13) in a programme called The Truth About Getting Fit At Home, with people in the UK who miss it being able to subsequently view it on iPlayer. GRACE is an acronym for ‘grow, rhythm, align, circle, enjoy’ and these form the pillars of Lyne’s five-point plan for runners who are keen to improve their style.
Grow – Landing underneath your centre of mass reduces breaking forces. Or lifting your hips up and forward discourages you from ‘jolt-ily’ heel planting in front of your body.
Rhythm – The resonant frequency of leg muscles is 3 hertz. Get free elastic energy from your muscles and tendons by running at 180 strides per minute.
Align – Backwards displacement of centre of mass decreases your horizontal force vector. Having a strong aligned body allows you to use gravity to propel you onward by tilting forward from the ankles.
Circle – Smoothness reduces wasted energy due to vertical displacement. Your legs should feel like a wheel underneath you, using all energy push you forward functionally instead of bobbing up and down.
Enjoy – Running induces hormones and enzymes that physiologically and tangibly reduce stress, anxiety and depression.
To find out more about GRACE-full Running, click here.
THE ATHLETICS MUSEUM – Was launched on the 12 August 2020, and are pleased to announce that their online exhibition is now live at www.theathleticsmuseum.org.uk. Following the cancellation of the England Athletics Age Group championships and the ESAA championships themselves, the proposed physical exhibitions that were to be displayed there have been moved online.
This exhibition is the first venture of The Athletics Museum and we would like to thank the English Schools’ Athletic Association for the opportunity to work with them on this online material as we work towards securing space for a physical museum. The ESAA project is ongoing and we hope to add more material in due course.
The Athletics Museum is a project inspired by the AAA. The first online exhibition traces the history of the English Schools’ Athletics Association (ESAA) championships; stories and anecdotes from participants, archive material from its inauguration in 1925 up to the modern day, and past champions and athletes who have gone on to achieve further success, in both track and field and 16 other sports. There’s also a look back at Tokyo Olympics 1964, Tokyo Worlds 1991 and forward to the Tokyo Olympics 2021.
England Athletics’ website executive NICOLA EVANS has built the site, with extensive preparation having been made by JOHN MACKIE and researcher JANE AINSWORTH, – plus contributions from Honorary Secretary CHRIS COHEN, MIKE FLEET, PETER RADFORD, MICK HILL and many others, and including photos by MARK SHEARMAN, JOB KING and the ESAA archive.
This is The Athletics Museum’s first project and it is hoped to expand the virtual ‘rooms’ within on other interesting topics from our sport.
PHILIP ANDREW (Head of Heritage at the AAA) said “The Athletics Museum team would welcome feedback and to hear from anyone interested in getting involved with the project. by contacting us at hello@theathleticsmuseum.org.uk.”
Why not take a look at what KATHERINE MERRY is enthusing about? “Well done all on the website … a great start with huge potential. I know this takes a lot of hard work and it is appreciated.”
CHRIS COHEN (ESAA Honorary Secretary) added, “We are hoping that, as in 1946, ESAA return from lockdown with more enthusiasm and reaching more athletes than ever before.”
Click here to go to The Athletics Museum website
2021 LEE VALLEY INDOOR TRACK AND FIELD MEETINGS – Currently Lee Valley is closed and awaiting an update.
2021 INDOOR TRACK AND FIELD MEETINGS – During the first week of January UK Athletics issued a Preliminary list of fixtures for 2021, this is the list – 2021-Fixtures-Calender-15.01.21
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.
PROCEDURES FOR USING STONEX STADIUM FROM JEREMY SOTHCOTT – The Stadium is now subject to the lockdown guidelines recently set by the Government and is therefore closed to all athletes except “Elite” athletes as certified by UKA/EA.
STONEX 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 and work has started to convert the area into a Covid-19 vaccination centre for a period of 4 to 12 months. Once Tier 4 restrictions have been relaxed and we can train 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.
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. “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
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/
Shaftesbury Barnet Harriers Club Hoody, information on how to purchase one, please go to the bottom of this Newsletter.
SBH MIDWEEK JUMPS CLUB AT STONEX STADIUM (FORMERLY BARNET COPTHALL STADIUM) – Currently Suspended.
STEEPLECHASE TRAINING AT STONEX STADIUM (FORMERLY BARNET COPTHALL STADIUM) – 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
STONEX STADIUM (FORMERLY BARNET COPTHALL STADIUM) – Main Switchboard telephone number is 020 3675 7250.
CHARGES FOR USING STONEX STADIUM (FORMERLY BARNET COPTHALL STADIUM) – Currently the Stadium is closed.
ALAN WELLER