COMPLETELY USELESS RANDOM FACT – Did you know … We had over 278,000 parkrunners attend an event last week, that’s almost the population of Barbados!

UPCOMING ROAD RELAY AND CROSS COUNTRY FIXTURES FOR THE NEXT 5 WEEKS, WHICH COVERS THE PERIOD THURSDAY 21 SEPTEMBER UNTIL WEDNESDAY 25 OCTOBER – The SBH 2023-2024 Winter Fixture Card will be issued and posted on the SBH website from Mid September – http://sbharriers.co.uk/fixtures-results/fixture-cards/

SOUTHERN SENIOR MEN’S, WOMEN’S AND YOUNG ATHLETES ROAD RELAYS – Takes place on Saturday 23 September at the Rushmoor Arena, Aldershot (Satnav GU11 1PZ).
Timetable – 10.30 U13 Boys (3 x 3000m), 10.58 U13 Girls (3 x 3000m), 11.26 U15 Boys (3 x 3000m), 11.53 U15 Girls (3 x 3000m), 12.30 U17 Men (3 x 4600m), 12.32 U17 Women (3 x 4600m), 13.30 U20, Senior, Master 40+ & 50+ Women (4 x 6000m), 15.15 U20 & Senior Men (6 x 6000m), 15.15 Masters 40+ & 50+ Men (4 x 6000m)
Note: You will have to be pre-entered by your respective Team Manager
Entries Closed

NORTH WEST LONDON LEAGUE – The first fixture of five takes place on Saturday 30 September at the Tir Chonail Gaelic Sports Club, at the end of Berkeley Avenue, Greenford (Satnav UB6 0NZ).
For age-groups U11, U13 & U15 Boys and Girls.
Directions – turn off Greenford Road (A4127), opposite the entrance to the Glaxo Factory. The playing fields are at the end of Berkeley Avenue. Car parking spaces is limited and we had considerable problems with too many cars at recent fixtures. If you can share cars please, also do not park on the areas marked out for the course.
Timetable – Still to be issued.
Note: You do not have to be pre-entered, just turn up and run. Will any of our Female athletes please see JEREMY SOTHCOTT who will give you a race number

NATIONAL ROAD RELAYS – Takes place on Saturday 7 October at Sutton Park, Sutton Coldfield, Town Gate Entrance, Birmingham (Satnav B73 6BU).
Timetable – 11.00 U13 Boys, 11.05 U13 Girls, 12.00 U15 Boys, 12.05 U15 Girls, 12.50 U17 Men, 12.55 U17 Women. All races are 3 Legs of 3.88km. 14.00 Senior Men 6 Legs of 5.848km. 14.10 Senior Women 4 Legs of 4.33km. To qualify, the Senior Mens team have to finish in the first 25 at the Southern Road Relays on 23 September.
Entries Closing Date Friday 29 September
Note: You will have to be pre-entered by your respective Team Manager

VICTORIA PARK SPORTS MEDICINE METROPOLITAN LEAGUE – The first fixture of five takes place on Saturday 14 October at Claybury, Essex.
The following will be updated once the full information is published on the Metropolitan League website.
Course Location – Claybury Park, Roding Lane North, Woodford Green (Satnav IG8 8NN).
Race HQ – Start/Finish in Claybury Park.
Changing Facilities – Ashton Playing Fields Track, Chigwell Road (Satnav IG8 8AA). 10 minutes walk from course, limited shower facilities. No toilets on course, use Ashton Playing Fields.
Refreshments – Light refreshments throughout the afternoon at the WGEL clubhouse at Ashton Playing Fields. The club bar may be open after the senior men’s race.
Travel – Where possible, please use public transport, walk or cycle. If travelling by car, please car share to reduce the impact and check for restrictions that may be in effect in the area (Ultra Low Emission Zone for example). Please also park with consideration of others, especially if using on-street parking. The league and/or host club(s) do not warrant the accuracy of the information provided so take no responsibility for any fines or charges that may be levied.
Public transport – Woodford Underground Station (Central Line). Take trains with Loughton or Epping destination. 10 minute walk from station along Snakes Lane East to Ashton Playing Fields.
By Car – Use the A406 eastbound /M11 northbound junction and branch left onto A1400 signposted Gants Hill and then A113 at roundabout signposted Chigwell onto Chigwell Road. Ashton Playing Fields IG8 8AA is 800 metres away.
Claybury is outside the Ultra Low Emmission Zone, this is a Link to the map showing the new Ultra Low Emmission Zone, which is in Green – ulez-boundary-map-part-2
Link to check if your car is chargeable for the ULEZ – https://tfl.gov.uk/modes/driving/check-your-vehicle/
Parking – Approximately 150 spaces at Ashton Playing Fields (IG8 8AA). Parking in the vicinity of Claybury Park is impossible or extremely limited. Please look out for any restrictions and do not block access to any properties. There is virtually no parking in the Roding Lane North area because of residential parking. You are advised to park at Ashton Playing Fields and make the 10 minute walk to the course. You MUST NOT park on the grass triangle in Roding Lane North so as to avoid confrontation with residents. Any inconsiderate parking could jeopardise the future of the races.
To walk to the course from Ashton Playing Fields, take Gaynes Hill Road (opposite) to Roding Lane North (10 Minutes).
Course Details – Parkland setting , undulating course, with one steep climb on each large lap on grass and woodland paths. On certain sections the course width is limited.
The timetable is approximate and subject to change without notice where necessary. Please plan to arrive early and listen for any announcements. The timetable is approximate and subject to change without notice where necessary. Please plan to arrive early and listen for any announcements. Care is required particularly in the senior men’s race on the narrow downhill start.
Map of Course – Awaiting to be published.
Timetable – 12.00 Under 11 Boys/Girls (Over 9), 12.10 Under 13 Boys, 12.20 Under 13 Girls, 12.30 Under 15 Boys and Under 17, 12.45 Under 15 Girls and Under 17 Women, 13.00 Under 20, Senior and Veteran Women, 13.45 Under 20, Senior and Veteran Men.
Note: You do not have to be pre-entered, just turn up and run.
Please collect your race numbers from the respective team managers – SIMON KEENE
JEREMY SOTHCOTT or JO KENT
Please go to Start Fitness Metropolitan League web site www.metleague.co.uk for final information.

VICTORIA PARK SPORTS MEDICINE METROPOLITAN LEAGUE RACE NUMBERS – I have been asked to remind you that your race number must be kept by yourselves, and is to be used for all 5 fixtures.

CROSS COUNTRY POINTS CHAMPIONSHIPS – The Metropolitan League at Claybury is the first race in the SBH Points Championships.

SOUTHERN CROSS COUNTRY RELAYS – Takes place on Saturday 21 October at Wormwood Scrubs, Linford Christie Stadium, Du Cane Road (SatNav W12 0DF). Enter main car park off Du Cane Road (via Artillery Lane), through 6’6” height/width barrier. Extra parking will be available in the enclosed/fenced hospital parking area. Parking is free in all areas at the week-end.
Wormwood Scrubs is within the Ultra Low Emmission Zone, this is a Link to the map showing the new Ultra Low Emmission Zone, which is in Green – ulez-boundary-map-part-2
Link to check if your car is chargeable for the ULEZ – https://tfl.gov.uk/modes/driving/check-your-vehicle/
Timetable – 11.00 U17 & U20 Women (3 x 3km), 11.30 U17 & U20 Men (3 x 3km), 12.10 U13 Girls (3 x 2km), 12.40 U13 Boys (3 x 2km), 13.10 U15 Girls (3 x 2km), 13.35 U15 Boys (3 x 2km), 14.00 Senior Women (3 x 3km), 14.30 Senior Men (4 x 4km). Times are as the 2021 fixture.
Entries Closing Date TBC
Note: You will have to be pre-entered by your respective Team Manager
Awaiting details from the SEAA website, the above information is based on the 2022 fixture

WORLD RECORDS IN 5000m AND POLE VAULT IN DIAMOND LEAGUE FINAL – The following article was published on the Athletics Weekly website recently.

One year after winning the world 5000m title in Eugene, GUDAF TSEGAY returned to the Hayward Field venue to smash the world record for the distance on the second day of the Diamond League finals. With (14:00.21) the 26-year-old from Ethiopia improved FAITH KIPYEGON’S mark of (14:05.20) which was set in Paris earlier this summer. She came agonisingly close to becoming the first woman to break the 14-minute barrier for 5000m, but she was hardly disappointed as she celebrated and embraced her fellow competitors. These included runner-up BEATRICE CHEBET of Kenya, who was almost inside the old world record herself with (14:05.92). Racing just after midday at this Pre Classic event, SINCLAIRE JOHNSON led through 1000m in (2:48.08) before another pacemaker, ELISE CRANNY, went through 2000m in (5:37.24). BIRKE HAYLOM then passed 3000m in the lead in (8:26.03) with TSEGAY bouncing along close behind. Knocking out 67-second laps like a metronome, TSEGAY hit 4000m in (11:16.89) and as she wound it up she began to pull away from CHEBET before entering the final lap, at which stage it was clear the world record was going to fall but the big question was whether the winning time would be inside 14 minutes.

TSEGAY has taken the event to a new level. When the women’s 5000m was in its infancy as an official world record attempt, MARY DECKER ran a world record of (15:08.26) in 1982 in Eugene. Two years later INGRID KRISTIANSON became the first woman to break 15 minutes with (14:58.89) in Oslo. TSEGAY, who also holds the world indoor 1500m record with (3:53.09), has now run faster than the legendary PAAVO NURMI and only three seconds slower than the iconic EMIL ZATOPEK. “My focus today was the world record,” she said, before adding on the prospect of breaking 14 minutes next year, “Yes, I try.”

There was no world record in the men’s 3000m but JAKOB INGEBRIGTSEN and YOMIF KEJELCHA enjoyed an epic duel with the Norwegian winning by one hundredth of a second in a European record of (7:23.63). The target had been DANIEL KOMEN’S long-standing world record of (7:20.67) but the pace drifted away at the halfway mark and it turned into a genuine race as opposed to a time trial with a number of athletes queuing up behind INGEBRIGTSEN at the bell. INGEBRIGTSEN was racing just 24 hours after setting a European mile record of 3:43.73 and here he led down the back straight as KEJELCHA moved past fellow Ethiopian TELAHUN BEKELE and into second place on INGEBRIGTSEN’S shoulder. Into the home straight Ingebrigtsen held a slender lead and kicked from the front as KEJELCHA strained with effort to draw level. With 50 metres to go INGEBRIGTSEN turned his head to his right and the danger was there. The Ethiopian, who holds the world indoor mile record, had greater momentum in the closing metres but came agonisingly short as INGEBRIGTSEN tumbled over the finish line, although it was so close the decision wasn’t known for a few moments. Like the mile the previous day, the event had amazing depth with GRANT FISHER third in a North American record of (7:25.47), BEKELE was fourth in (7:25.48), SELEMON BAREGA fifth in (7:26.28), BERIHU AREGAWI fifth in (7:28.38) and LUIS GRIJALVA also breaking (7:30) with (7:29.43) but finishing only seventh.

The women’s 800m was a re-match of last month’s world final in Budapest but it ended up being more of an action replay of the 2022 world final on the same Eugene track. Last year ATHING MU beat KEELY HODGKINSON in a thrilling battle and a similar struggle unfolded here as MU edged past HODGKINSON in the home straight to win in a world lead and American record of (1:54.97) as HODGKINSON improved her British record from (1:55.77) to (1:55.19). In third, NATOYA GOULE ran a Jamaican record of (1:55.96) with world champion MARY MORAA of Kenya fading in the final 120 metres and finishing fourth in (1:57.42). With everyone ignoring pacemaker KAYLIN WHITNEY through 400m in (55.9), HODGKINSON led the contenders through the bell in 57 seconds with MU on her shoulder. MORAA was forced to run wide for much of the second lap and ran out of steam around the final bend, but MU, who took bronze in Budapest, was in control as she powered past HODGKINSON. “I felt really new and refreshed,” said MU. “I wasn’t even hoping for the American record, I was just hoping for a PR, but I knew I could do something fast if I could just relax and compete.” HODGKINSON said: “I’m actually really proud of myself. I’m happy with a national record and a huge PB, so it’s a really good way to end the season. It’s a different result every time we run, so it’s good to be a part of it. There’s not really much pressure today, so I just wanted to commit.”

Earlier in the programme the men’s 800m was no less exciting as EMMANUEL WANYONYI of Kenya clawed his way past world champion and long-time leader MARCO AROP of Canada in the closing metres to win in (1:42.80). It was a world leading mark and meeting record as runner-up AROP ran a PB of (1:42.85), third-placed DJARNEL SEDJATI of Algeria set a PB of (1:43.06) and DAN ROWDEN of Britain was fourth in (1:44.21).

 As if the second day of the Diamond League final wasn’t spectacular enough, MONDO DUPLANTIS gave the meeting its second world record with a (6.23m) clearance in the pole vault. With the competition wrapped up with a (6.02m) jump, DUPLANTIS enjoyed a first-time clearance at (6.23m) before celebrating wildly in what is clearly one of his favourite venues. It is little over a year, after all, since he set a world record of (6.21m) to win the world title here, although he subsequently improved the mark to (6.22m) indoors in France in February. “The limit is very high and I hope that I can continue to jump well and keep jumping higher than I did today,” said DUPLANTIS, “but for now I’m not really thinking about anything except enjoying this moment and enjoying what I just did. “For me, I just try to jump high. I love pole vaulting so much and I’ve loved it ever since I was just a little kid. If I’m able to take pole vaulting to another level and I can get as many eyes as possible watching it by jumping really high and doing some cool things, then that’s a job well done by me.”

Similar to the first day of these Diamond League finals, there was little sign of end-of-season fatigue with a number of world leading performances.

The women’s high jumpers were among those excelling as YAROSLAVA MAHUCHIKH of Ukraine and NICOLA OLYSLAGERS of Australia jumped a world lead of (2.03m). MAHUCHIKH won the Diamond Trophy on countback but OLYSLAGERS had the consolation of an Oceania record as rising star Angelina Topic placed third with (1.95m) and Britain’s MORGAN LAKE fifth equal with (1.91m).

Another world lead came in the 110m hurdles with Olympic champion HANSLE PARCHMENT of Jamaica clocking (12.93 w0.9) as world champion GRANT HOLLOWAY of the United States was runner-up with (13.06).

MATT DENNY enjoyed a surprise win in the men’s discus with an Australian record of (68.43m) in the final round to beat KRISTJAN CEH of Slovenia and world champion DANIEL STAHL of Sweden as Britain’s LAWRENCE OKOYE was fifth with (65.23m).

JOE KOVACS produced another big surprise as the two-day meeting drew to a close when he threw (22.93m) in the shot put to beat world record-holder RYAN CROUSER (22.91m) and TOM WALSH (22.69m). KOVACS took the lead with (22.70m) in the first round and CROUSER hit back with (22.91m) in round two. But KOVACS rose to the occasion with (22.93m) in the fourth round and CROUSER, who won the world title last month after finding blood clots in his leg, could not quite regain the lead with (22.86m) in the sixth round.

The final event went to form, though, with SHERICKA JACKSON of Jamaica taking the 200m in (21.57 w0.3) with Britain’s DARYLL NEITA in fifth in (22.35).

WORLD CROSS COUNTRY 2024 IN LIMBO – The following article was published on the Athletics Weekly website recently.

The 2024 World Cross Country Championships is looking for a new home after Croatia was forced to abandon plans to stage next year’s event in Medulin and Pula amid accusations from World Athletics that “preparations have not advanced sufficiently”. The global governing body say they are in advance negotiations with a replacement host in Europe. Finding an alternative venue probably wasn’t easy, though, given that the event has earned a reputation in recent years as the unwanted child of World Athletics.

The last time Britain staged the event was in 2008 when Holyrood Park in Edinburgh proved a fine setting. However some of the host country’s top athletes like MO FARAH chose not to compete and even the UKA performance director at the time did not turn up. In 2009 the event moved to Amman in Jordan with athletes racing on a course that I described in AW as “resembling a building site” and where the only grass was in the home straight. From that dust-up in the desert the World Cross moved to Bydgoszcz in both 2010 and 2013 as the Polish city staged it twice in the space of three years largely due to lack of interest from anyone else in hosting it. Sandwiched in between was a sun-drenched event in Punta Umbria in Spain in 2011 before it moved to the far-flung location of Guiyang in China in 2015. By this stage there were regular calls to “save the World Cross” with many European teams effectively boycotting it and after lively 2017 event in Kampala, which is best remembered for JOSHUA CHEPTEGEI imploding in the men’s race, the event was truly revitalised in Aarhus in 2019 with an imaginative course that included athletes running up the roof of an eco-museum.

After being delayed due to the pandemic, Bathurst in Australia took up the baton and held a good championships with a number of “features” on the course designed to test athletes and entertain spectators. In 2026 the event is due to be staged in Tallahassee in the United States, but the 2024 meeting now has a question mark over it. At least the new 2024 host will have a few months to prepare. In 2001 the World Cross was due to be held in Dublin but the hosts had to pull out (eventually hosting the event in 2002 instead) due to foot-and-mouth disease. Belgium came to the rescue with firstly Brussels and then Ostend offering to stage the meeting off just three weeks’ notice.

The 2024 event was due to be held on February 10 but is now likely to be in March. World Athletics has been trying to drag the championships back into February so that it doesn’t clash with the spring road racing season, but those plans will have to wait now until Tallahassee 2026. The British trials are due to be staged on January 20 at a Night of the 10,000m-style meeting on Parliament Hill. But for athletes who earn selection, where will they be heading? British athletics fans would love the event to come to London, Cardiff or Edinburgh. Dublin is another popular choice of venue. Logically, one of the recent hosts of the European Cross Country Champs might step up to stage the global event too.

You can probably rule out this year’s Euro Cross host, Brussels, but how about Italy, Portugal, Netherlands, Slovakia, France, Bulgaria or Serbia – all hosts of the Euro Cross in the past decade? We await World Athletics’ verdict with interest. One thing for sure, though, is that their evaluation teams are renowned for being forensic and challenging when it comes to keeping tabs on a host’s preparations, but the governing body will surely have thought long and hard before taking the event away from Croatia. Cancelling a World Championships is not the kind of decision made on a whim.

SHAFTESBURY BARNET HARRIERS ON INSTAGRAM– Since the account was setup towards the end of last year, there has been an amazing amount of Videos and Photographs contributed with many comments. There is 1 post this week.

Photograph of SBH athletes at the Eastern Young Athletes League Top 6 Final.

SHAFTESBURY BARNET HARRIERS NEW INSTAGRAM ACCOUNT– Many thanks to SEAN SUTHERLAND who undertook a review on the best way forward, following this a decision was made to set up a new account, and SEAN has now set that account up.
To follow our newInstagram account, from your own account, by searching for ‘shaftesbury_barnet’ or by clicking https://www.instagram.com/shaftesbury_barnet/
To Members and Parents, if you wish for any photographs to be posted on Instagram, please email them to sbh.instagram@outlook.com  If you can at the same time give details on when and where the photographs was taken, plus any other comments.
Please feel free to post photographs of any special occasion, for example, your wedding day, an addition to the family.

THE FOLLOWING IS CLUB INFORMATION ON VARIOUS TOPICS

SBH 2023-2024 WINTER FIXTURE CARD – Currently the Fixture Card Front Sheet and Information Sheet has been published on the SBH website, the Fixtures once completed, will be published on the SBH website on the 22 September.
Link to the Winter Fixture Card and Information Sheet – http://sbharriers.co.uk/fixtures-results/fixture-cards/
Please select a document, following this you can print a copy for future reference.

SBH 2023-2024 WINTER POINTS AND CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP TABLES – Currently a draft of the Winter Points and Club Championship tables are published on the SBH website.
Link to the draft of the Winter Points tables, which will be updated following the 14 October Metropolitan League – http://sbharriers.co.uk/fixtures-results/winter-xc-points-tables/
Link to the draft of the Club Championships table, which will be updated following the 2 December Metropolitan League – http://sbharriers.co.uk/fixtures-results/winter-xc-club-championships/
Please select a document, following this you can print a copy for future reference.

GEORGE HARRISON MBE MEMORIAL DOCUMENT – The document has been put together with contributors from LISA WEBB, MARTIN ROCHFORD, NADEEM SHAIKH, RACHEL FELTON, LIAM and JAMIE DEE, JAMES LOVELL, EMILIA ECONOMU, ALAN WELLER,  KAREN HARRISON,  TIM UNDERHILL, GLEN WATTS, JOANNA WINFIELD, SHAUN CLIFFORD and EUAN MACKENZIE – Shaftesbury Barnet Harriers Memorial To George Harrison From Friends And Members 20 April 2023
If you wish to contribute your own memories and/or photographs of GEORGE, please email them to me, either within the email or as a separate attached word document.

CODES OF CONDUCT – SBH have now adopted the UK Athletics (UKA) and the Home Country Athletics Federations (HCAF) Codes of Conduct which set out national standards of conduct for all clubs, coaches, officials, volunteers and athletes in the sport.  The purpose of the codes are to clarify what behaviours are acceptable and unacceptable, the standards of practice expected and the basis for challenging and improving practice.  The Codes are similar to our previous Codes of Conduct which were part of the previous ClubMark scheme.  All club member and anyone undertaking a relevant role must agree to abide by the codes of conduct. The Codes of Conduct have now been put onto our Website, please read these to understand the commitments you are making by being a member of SBH.
Link to the Code of Conduct document – Codes Of Conduct Booklet 2021 (1)

THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION OF INTEREST CAN BE FOUND ON THE SBH WEBSITE BY USING THIS LINK – http://sbharriers.co.uk/
Section ‘About Us’, includes Annual Reports, Best Performance Trophy Awards, Individual And Relay Best Performances By Year, Club Records and SBH All-Time Top 10 T&F Performances.
Section ‘Team Managers And Competitions’, shows details of Track & Field, Cross Country and Road Relays Team Managers.
Section ‘Future Information/Results’, includes Information On Each Fixture, Summer & Winter Fixture Cards, Winter X/C Points Tables and Winter Club Championships Winners.