Month: August 2023

Week commencing Bank Holiday Monday

Training this week : on Bank Holiday Monday, Tilsley Park have not announced any closures, so we’ll go on the track for warmup exercises, hurdles, drills, sprints and stretches. Normal track fee will apply. On Wednesday, 5k tempo session on laps of the estate. Plus gentler options for anyone who feels they need one. Sessions may change if the weather’s bad (or TP turns out to be closed) on Monday.

Racing this week : two events on Bank Holiday Monday – firstly, a One Mile at Southend. Secondly, 1000m and 3000m races at Tonbridge. And on Saturday, it’s the 3000m walking races in the British Masters Track and Field Championships in Derby. You will need to have entered all of these by now.

Closing dates : This Friday, 1 September, is the deadline for registering entries in the English Schools Championship races on 16 September.

Week commencing 21 August 2023

Training this week : on Monday, 4x200m and 5x800m on Copenhagen Drive. On Wednesday, 10k-ish on the Radley Lakes loop. Plus gentler options for anyone who feels they need one.

Racing this week : on Sunday, it’s the England Athletics U17 and U15 Championships at Alexander Stadium, Birmingham, which include 3000m walking races on the Sunday.. You’ll need to have entered by now.

Racing next week : two events on Bank Holiday Monday – firstly, a One Mile at Southend at 10am, enter here by Monday 21st. Secondly, 1000m and 3000m races at Tonbridge at 1pm. – more details and entry here, enter by Friday 25th. And on Saturday 2 September, it’s the walking races in the British Masters Track and Field Championships in Derby, with the women’s 3000m at 1 pm and the men’s at 1:25. Enter here, by Monday 21st.

International : the World Athletic Championships continue in Budapest with a 35k mixed race at 6.00am on Thursday 24th. Live TV coverage is scheduled on the BBC Red Button.

Week commencing 14 August 2023

Training this week : on Monday, a track session with warmup exercises, drills, sprints and stretches. Normal track fee applies. On Wednesday, 4x200m and 5x800m on Copenhagen Drive. Plus gentler options for anyone returning after a break. Sessions may be switched if the weather is bad.

Racing this week : on Wednesday, at 7:35 pm, Surrey Walking Club host a meeting at Tonbridge track with a 5000 metres event for Seniors and U20, 3000 m for U17, 2000 m for U15, 1500 m for U13. Entry on the day. And over the weekend, it’s the 100 Miles championship in Middlesbrough with a supporting 50k race on the Saturday. You’ll need to have entered by now.

Racing next week : on 26 and 27 August it’s the England Athletics U17 and U15 Championships at Alexander Stadium, Birmingham , which include 3000m walking races on the Sunday. Just a few hours left to enter, here.

International : the World Athletic Championships start in Budapest at the end of the week, and include a men’s 20k listed at 7.50am our time next Saturday, a women’s 20k at 6.15am on Sunday, and a 35k mixed race at 6.00m on Thursday 24th. Live TV coverage is scheduled on the BBC Red Button.

New codes of conduct

Several of British Athletics’ Codes of Conduct were updated earlier this year. Full details are available here.

The only place where we may be out of compliance, so far as I can see, is in the Coach’s code of conduct, item 4.7 : ‘ensure that parents/carers know and have given consent before taking a young athlete (under 18) away from the usual training venue’. To avoid seeking prior consent before every occasion when training takes place away from Tilsley Park, I am declaring the following “usual training venue”s :

  1. Tilsley Park track and its environs
  2. the Radley Lakes loop
  3. the Waitrose loop
  4. the Sunningwell loop
  5. Copenhagen Drive / Colwell Drive
  6. Dunmore Road and the roads and cycle paths of the Long Furlong Estate.

I am sure our young athletes can explain these venues to their parents/carers and indeed may have already done so. As coach I propose that in future, if we vary from any of these venues, I will seek approval from parents/carers beforehand, otherwise we will continue to use these venues which we have used for some time assume that this is OK with parents/carers.

If anyone sees anything else in these codes that we may now be complying with, please let me know.

Week commencing 7 August 2023

Training this week : on Monday, 10k-ish on the Radley Lakes loop if it’s dry. On Wednesday, 5000m threshold on laps of the estate.

Racing this week : on Sunday, the South of England Track Championships at Lee Valley, London. Races of 3000m for U15s and U17s, 5000m for U20s and Seniors. You will need to have entered by now.

Racing next week : on Wednesday 16th, at 7:35 pm, Surrey Walking Club host a meeting at Tonbridge track with a 5000 metres event for Seniors and U20, 3000 m for U17, 2000 m for U15, 1500 m for U13. Entry on the day. And over the weekend 19th-20th August, it’s the 100 Miles championship in Middlesbrough with a supporting 50k race on the Saturday. You’ll need to have entered by now.

Closing dates coming up : Tuesday 8th is the closing date for the European Masters Championships in Pescara, Italy – details here. And Sunday 13 August is the closing date for the England Athletics U17 and U15 Championships at Alexander Stadium, Birmingham on 26 and 27 August, which include 3000m walking races. More details here.

Fixtures

The RWA Lists have been updated by Pauline and are available here.

The next accessible, friendly, low-profile events this month, are the ones at Enfield, Tonbridge and Southend-on-Sea. The next Championship events are the South of England Championships at Lee Valley, London (but you’ll need to he entered by now), and the British Masters at Derby.