Scottish Athletics National Masters Cross-Country Championship

This takes place at Royal Academy, Irvine on Saturday 9th February.
The entry per athlete is £4. The womens race is 6,400m and starts at
1:30, the mens race is 10,000m and starts at 2:15. Last declarations
30 mins before each race.

Let Ian Rowland know if you are interested in taking part - the
entries must be submitted by 26th January.

Peebles XC Film

Ever wondered what you look like when your running? Well now you can find out.

Here is some footage of the Peebles XC run on Sunday.

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=MuQCgkAs-gk

Again, many thanks to Richard (production) and Emma (great camera work) for this.


 

ALLOA HALF

One that you may wish to consider:-

26th Alloa Round Table Half Marathon. on Sunday the 23rd March 2008 at 10.00 a m

This year's event features some new additions, including:

• Fresh new website
• Official chip timing system
• New organizers (Alloa Round table)
• New online registration

For more information please use the link below, where you can register your details and enter the race online now ! 

 

http://www.alloahalfmarathon.co.uk/

 

Consultation on Age Group Proposals - UK Athletics

Recommendations for age group rule changes as there is no single
system for athletics - earliest age of competition can be 10 on track,
11 on cross-country and road; sometimes a calendar year cut off is
operated, sometimes age at beginning of competition year, other times
age at the end of the competition year.

Some of the principles that need to be established are:

A single are group for athletes in all disciplines that operate under
the sport of athletics.

A system that provides greater clarity and ease of operation for
competitors, team managers and competition providers.

A system that offers some universal benefits over the current system.

A recognition and respect for the different education systems across
the UK - perhaps meaning flexibility for certain competition providers
is required.

Rule change recommendations:

UKA to propose two alternative rule change options for age groups.
All clubs and competition providers to be invited to register their views.
The preferred proposal to be reviewed by the National Event Groups for
technical recommendations.
A final rules proposal to be enacted from 2009.

To take part in any discussion, e-mail zhydepeters@ukathletics.org.uk
or calexander@ukathletics.org.uk. Views can be logged on
comptemp@ukathletics.org.uk. Deadline for feedback is 31 March 2008.

From Geoff Wightman - scottishathletics

A year of progress:

Scottish Power of 10 target performances in U17/U20 age groups were up
against the previous year.

Junior match wins in Derby and North London for Scotland against
UK-wide opposition. Indoor victory for Scottish seniors at the Celtic
Indoor International in Cardiff in February.

£21,000 in bonuses paid out to athletes and coaches for achieving
Scottish senior and junior records during 2007.

The first Bank of Scotland regional squad get-togethers took place,
with 160 athletes attending the U15 regional development camps -
double the number in 2006.

Sponsorship income exceeding £200,000 per annum has allowed membership
fees to be kept to the same level for the fourth year in a row, with
membership at an all time high.

Jogscotland groups now operate in 31 local authority areas with 1300
qualified jogleaders. New junior jogscotland packs have been taken by
around 168 schools.

Five commercial partners were introduced for the IAAF World Cross
Country Championships in Edinburgh and Scotland will host the Home
Countries International for the first time since 1990.

Seventeen local authorities are now delivering Run, Jump and Throws
clubs and 27 staged Norwich Union startrack schemes for 5,500 children
in summer 2007.

The number of coaches at Level 1 is 320; 86 at Level 2; 14 at Level 3
and 12 at Level 4.

And just in case you hadn't heard - Glasgow was awarded the 2014
Commonwealth Games.

Mountains still to climb (or is that hills still to run up?):

Still not enough athletes winning medals at major Games.

We don't have enough athletes on GB teams and not enough selected on
the World Class Plan.

Currently not enough coaches to deliver athletes through to that level.

Competition formats at all levels don't appear to be contributing as
strongly as they should to better performances.

Turnout versus entry at some Scottish Championships can be as low as 25%.

Still insufficient athletics taking place within the school curriculum.

More indoor facilities are needed.

We need to recruit more officials.

None of these are revelations but do require a strong collective
effort to put us on the right track. Some new measures, development
programmes and competition formats which were rolled out in 2007 will
be taken to the next level in 2008.

A big thank you to everyone who made a positive contribution to
athletics in Scotland in 2007 - we look forward to continuing to work
with you in 2008.

Annual Dinner

Due to popular demand, The Rocks has been booked for the club annual
dinner on Friday 8th February at 7:30. Numbers will need to be
confirmed so if you let Anne know if you are coming by 1st February,
it would be appreciated. Either speak to Anne or e-mail
Anne.Hay@gmail.com.

Thanks

East Lothian Cross Country Championships

EAST LOTHIAN OPEN
CROSS COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS.
(under SAL/UK Athletic rules)
SUNDAY 10th FEBRUARY 2008.

MEADOWMILL SPORTS COMPLEX
PRESTONPANS, EAST LOTHIAN

STARTS 12.30pm.

Programme:

12.30pm Under 11 Boys and Girls. 1600mts.

12.45pm Under 13 Boys and Girls. 2400mts

1pm. Under 15 Girls 4000mts

1.30pm Sen/ Jnr/Vet Mens
9200mts

2.15pm Sen/Vet Women + Under 17 Boys 7000mts

2.30pm Under 15 Boys. Under 17 girls 5000mts

Registration Closes 30 minutes prior to start of each event.

Entry fee: Juniors SAL Affiliated £1.00p unattached. £2.00p
Seniors SAL Affiliated £2.00p unattached £3.00p

Championship Trophies and medals to first three in each category plus
first team award in each category.
Ample Car Parking space available.

Event is promoted on behalf of the East Lothian Athletic Development Group by
HADDINGTON EAST LOTHIAN PACEMAKERS
Further details from: helprunningclub.org web site or
Henry Muchamore Event convenor: 45, Whitecraig Crescent EH21 8NQ
Tel:0131 653 2547. henryinworld@yahoo.com.

Cross-Country

The fourth in the series of Borders Cross-Country Races took place on
Sunday in Peebles, starting at Hay Lodge Park and providing the
runners with some very muddy and hilly terrain. Dunbar Running Club
and HELP were once again well represented.

Ian Sills of Dunbar came in 10th overall in 26:07, with Stuart Hay
taking 19th place in 27:00 with club mate Andrew Crichton not far
behind in 27:13. Ian Rowland, Bill Watson (HELP), Richard Taylor,
Peter Probin (HELP), Ross Combe, Sandy Wallace (HELP), Steve Pattison,
Rhona Anderson, Anne Hay, Julie Oswald (HELP), Lauren Peffers, Ruth
Watson (HELP), Jamie Cherrie, Mary Pattison, Andrew Anderson, George
Armstrong (HELP) and Scott Turner all completed the challenging
course.

The junior race had Cameron Law finishing in 11:02, with Joanne
Lindsay not far behind in 11:44. Katie Watson of HELP finished in
12:24, with Dunbar's Andrew Taylor hot on her heels finishing in
12:32. Other runners putting in an excellent effort were Joe Kowbel
(13:11), Rachel Watson of HELP (13:39), Katie Proudfoot (14:06),
Katrina Maguire (15:02), Isabelle Taylor (15:26) and Rebecca Turner
(16:06).

A couple of Festive Races ....

The festive season didn't stop several members from taking part in a
few races. Boxing Day saw Ian Sills taking part in the Leyland 10K
Road Race with 265 other runners, finishing in 19th place with a time
of 34:46. On the same day, Theresa Leslie travelled to Ayr to run in
one of her favourite races - the annual Turkey Trot 10K, finishing in
56:42.

Hogmanay saw several of the club members, joined by Ivan Morrison,
competing in the Black Bun Run and on New Years Day several runners
braved the wet conditions to take part in the Portobello Promathon 4
mile race. Out of the 258 runners completing the race, Stuart Hay
achieved 16th place with a time of 22:20, with Andrew Crichton taking
28th place, and 2nd in his age category, in 23:07. Richard Taylor
came in not far behind in 24:23 followed by club mates Steve Pattison
(25:21), Neil Jones (27:50), Anne Hay (28:18), and Mary Pattison
(31:26).

Black Bun Run

Grant Noble was the recipient of the black bun again, though it was
pretty close. A nice mild night for a change after the battering with
the wind the year before. Sheila and Ivan added an extra bit on to
the run, but everyone seemed to enjoy it (well, enjoyed finishing).
And to the results:

Grant 8:20
Stuart 8:28
Alex 8:46
Richard 8:59
Frank 10:45
Anne 10:50
Emma 10:53
Sheila 14:14
Ivan 16:51

Thanks to Bob, Brian and Theresa for the time-keeping.

Happy New Year everyone.