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Stroud & District Athletic Club Newsletter
July 2018
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Dear <<First Name>>,
Phew! What a Scorcher! July was a record breaker for the Club, not just the weather.
Our relay teams all did well in the heat on the Cotswold Way with the Senior Men 3rd, Ladies 5th, Vets 10th and Mixed 25th in each category.
Tom Mortimer ran for GB in the U20 World Championships in Finland and Annie Testar became English year10/11 800m Champion at the English School Games, where Ruby Brook also ran well.
Elizabeth Williams represented GB at triathlon in Estonia and finished 14th with PBs in all three disciplines.
Lexie Bull (our 2018 Silver Mile winner) won silver in the U15 1500m at the SW Counties Championships with a new Club record, Noah Lambert won silver in U20 1500m and Ruby Brook won bronze in U15 800m.
Jason Barry won at Cherington 10k, where he and Mario McNamara both set new age group records and Lee Stopford continued his brilliant season, winning leg 10 at the Cotswold Way Relay, coming 2nd at Frampton 10k and winning the 3rd Pilot 5k in a new course record. Ian Cutler won the inaugural Ruscombe Rampage 5k at our club Sports Day setting the standard for future years! Details of all these events can be found on the Club website.
Huge thanks to everyone who helped put on very successful events at our Club Sports Day, Frampton 10k and Cherington 10k. Record numbers of marshals and helpers turned out to generate a wonderful atmosphere which reflects so well on the image of the club in the County.
Next up are our off-road races – the Standish Woodland Chase on Sun Aug 12 and Woodchester Park on Sunday Sep 2. Yet again we need volunteers to help make these events safe and enjoyable so, if you are not planning to run this year, please offer your services as a marshal (email me here) or just come along and shout encouragement to the runners.
Looking ahead, we also have the Glos County Championships on Fri 7 Sep at the Prince of Wales Stadium, Cheltenham, the Midland Area Road Relays on 22 Sep at Sutton Park, Birmingham and the Cross-Country season kicks off on Sat 13 Oct at Old Down, where we will be hosting the race again this year. For further information and to book your places please see the Club website.
It is just under 12 weeks until the biggest day in the Club calendar, the Stroud Half Marathon. Bill Chandler gave a helpful talk of hints and tips for a successful run and I have published a couple of suggested training schedules (for 2 hours+) on the website that runners might like to use build their plans around. Archway running groups are organising their sessions to help to build variety and interest into their training with hills, intervals, fartlek and tempo sessions and there are different pace groups going out at weekends. There is plenty of support available and still time to enter! Please do not hesitate to ask your group leaders or coaches if you have any questions.
We are rapidly approaching the Club’s AGM (7:45 pm Tue 18 Sep at The Old Crown) and Annual Awards Evening (7:00 pm Fri 28 Sep at Stroud Cricket Club), so please save the dates and we hope to see you all there to celebrate a great year, see what has been going on behind the scenes and contribute your ideas to the future success of our Club.
Best Regards
Jim
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DATES FOR YOUR DIARIES
Our Club AGM is on Tuesday 18th September, starting at 19:45 in the Old Crown, next to Archway School
Our Annual Awards Evening is on Friday 28th September starting at 19:00 at the Stroud Cricket Club.
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Sharing Success - Runner of the Month Award
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After a landslide victory Helen Hurn won June's Runner of the Month.
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I would like to nominate Helen Hurn for runner of the month. As someone who always found running hard she has worked so hard to become better and now it is her life. I've always respected her effort but her drive and dedication to train and complete the race to the tower ultra completely amazed me and to complete that race in the time she did with over 6000ft of climbing is just totally awesome.
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Runner of the Month Roll of Honour
2017
March - Ryan Major
April - Tom Mortimer
May - Jan Chinnick
June - Jo Fifield
July - Jo Stevenson
August - Sabrina Pace-Humphries
September - Richard Crampton
October - Alan Pitt
November - Jim Adams
December - Alastair Campbell
2018
January - Darren Jewell
February - Sharon Stevenson
March - Annie Testar
April - Sarbina Pace-Humphries
May - Lee Stopford
June - Helen Hurn
July -
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Runner of the Month
Don't forget to email Jim with names for next months Runner of the Month.
The winner of this months award will be selected by a vote in this email.
In order to vote, read the nominations and then click the relevant vote button at the bottom of this section for the runner you would like to win virtual Award.
Please note you will only be able to vote once, no matter how many times you click the button.
Also if you are sharing an email address with another member of the club you can only vote once. You can contact our membership secretary to get these updated if you would like your own copy of the newsletter.
In no particular order the nominations are:
Mario Mcnamara - VOTE 1
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I would like to nominate Mario as an inspiration to everyone at the club. He is always friendly and approachable with a great coaching style. During July he has run consistently well setting a new MV60 record at Cherington and first MV60 at Gloucester 5k. .
John Sowden - VOTE 2
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He is proactive, communicative and positive within the group, and also, really encouraging me to press in and press on, and good to run with!
Annie Testar - VOTE 3
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I would like to nominate Annie Testar for winning the English Schools 800m as well a earning her first England vest.
So if you would like to take part in the voting for this months Runner of the month please click your choice below.
Mario Mcnamara - Vote 1
John Sowden - Vote 2
Annie Testar - Vote 3
To nominate someone for next month's Runner of the Month all you have to do is email Jim the details or let him know at Club.
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Cross Country Season is nearly upon us
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As club runners we enjoy training together and representing the club as individuals in races around the world, but chances to race as part of a Stroud team are really special. We've had great results in the cotswold relay over the years and this year the club has decided to have a little extra focus on the Gloucestershire Cross Country league.
It would be fantastic to have a wider group of runners entering the county cross county, and also to have at least enough runners for the team competitions. To find out more about XC if you're new to it and to pledge your commitment to run for a Stroud team this winter please contact John Tierney via email who will coordinating shared transport and if there's interest a post race pub visit.
The club is also organising the race day on 13th October at Old down, and we'll need lots of volunteers for marshalling and car parking. We'll make it possible for any volunteers who want to race as well to do so! If you are available please contact Geoff Trueman via email.
FAQs:
When?
There are 4 races that make up the Gloucstershire league get these dates in your diary now!
Saturday October 13th 2018 Old Down Country Park
Saturday November 3rd 2018 Charlton Park
Sunday December 9th 2018 Wotton Parc Wotton under Edge
Sunday February 17th 2019 Pittville Park
Plus the county championships
Saturday January 5th 2019 Rendcombe College
How do I enter?
Email us above and we'll update you as soon as online entries are open
What shoes do I need?
Many runners will be happy with trail shoes, others choose to go for spikes which can help with traction if it's really muddy. The best advice for those getting started at XC is wear the shoes you'd be happy with on a muddy trail run, there is no need to buy cross country specific spikes to enjoy the race.
Do I need to be super speedy?
Definitely not cross country is a great fun and inclusive event usually with good support on the way round and tea and cake from a tent afterwards. Theres always a wide range of ages and abilities at the Glos league.
How many runners make up the team competitions?
First 6 senior Men, First 3 Senior Women, First 4 Masters Men, First 3 Masters Ladies
How did Stroud teams do in 2017/18?
Some great individual performances, some high team placings in individual races but alas we did not enter enough runners to compete in the league team prizes across all the races last year. It all starts with turning up!
More info and past results?
Visit this website.
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Midland Area Road Relays - How to get invovled.
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These are competitive road relays held at Sutton Park on September 22nd. Full details are available here.
The Senior Men’s race is a 6 stage, the Senior Ladies a 4 stage and the Juniors a 3 stage.
If there is enough interest then we can enter a Masters team (over the age of 35).
Chris Brown will be organising the Junior section, Jo Fifibele the Ladies team and Ian Cutler the Mens team.
If there is enough interest then we can enter up to 3 teams in the Mens race.
Competitors must be UKA registered - i.e paid the 2018/2019 UKA subscription and be 1st Claim Stroud Athletes.
The squads must be submitted by September 2nd so if you would like to be considered for the Senior Mens or Ladies Teams please contact Ian or Jo via email providing your Name, Date of Birth and UKA URN # and your most recent 5km race time.
Juniors should contact Chris Brown directly as usual.
There will be a coach going to Sutton Park from Stroud on the day with our Juniors and the Mens and Ladies teams can share the coach subject to space to make travel arrangements easier.
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Annie Testar stars in July.
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16 year old Annie Testar a pupil at Stroud High School and a member of Stroud and District AC coached by Chris Brown is celebrating being the English Schools year 10&11 800m champion with a commanding performance. Annie won Gloucestershire only English Schools track and field title competed for by boys and girls across 6 school years, 8-13 last weekend at the Alexander Stadium in Birmingham.
Even though Annie won the English Indoor 800m title at the Sheffield English sports institute in March, and she was the youngest finalist of 8 in the English U20 800m Championship in Bedford last month giving away 3 years to her opponents, she was not considered one of the contenders for the title this year. With twice English champion in the year 8&9 age group, who also won silver medal in this age group last year returning plus last years Bronze medalist also in the field. Coach Chris Brown said “we were confident going into last weekend and happy to be under the radar, Annie was training well and we both felt that Annie was strong enough if the race was fast and hard, plus she had the speed to finish off a slower tactical race”
Annie younger training partner also from Stroud high school, coached by Chris Brown, 12 year old Ruby Brook made her debut for the county at the English Schools Championship in the 800m delivering a mature performance on the biggest stage for junior athletes. Ruby is obviouly watching and learning from Annie at each training session and is ready to emulate her in the future.
On Friday afternoon Annie cruised through her heat finishing 2nd to the Yorkshire champion easing up in 2min 12s. A quick turn around saw the final early Saturday morning. Annie as planned placed herself in 4th place after 200m and all was going to plan when with 300m to go the favourite accelerated away from the pack, Annie was caught out a little but soon closed down the gap with her turn of speed to catch the leader as they entered the home straight Annie then made her move to take the victory.
This age group is always hotly contest as International selection are automatic in each event. So Annie was doubly please to win her first international vest and will now represent England in Scotland next weekend, which will be a proud day for Annie and her family.
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Annie Testarthen went on to make her debut for England at the Schools International Athletic Board, International in Grangemouth, Scotland.
From the gun Annie settled into 3rd place until at 500m the pre-race favourite and Scottish champion made her move down the back straight. Annie worked hard and chased the leader down and moved on to her shoulder at the start of the home straight which led to an exciting shoulder to shoulder sprint down the home straight, it was a close finish until the last 10m when Annie slightly faltered. Annie said “I ran hard from 500m, and as fast as I could down the home straight so I am pleased with my performance and the silver medal”
Annie was also selected for the England 4x300m relay team at the end of day. Annie delivered a strong performance on Leg 2 helping the English Schools team to a dominate performance to win the gold medal, in a time which is the 3rd fastest ever run at the Schools International.
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Congratulations to the Athletes who travelled to Exeter in July to represent Gloucestershire at the annual South West Counties Championships, bringing back medals, PB’s, and a new club record!
First year U15 Lexie Bull ran a new PB by 4.72s to win the silver medal in the 1500m in a new club record of 4min 47.20s, shaving 0.46s of the old record set in 2009 by Imogen Briscoe. Lexie was beaten by the older English 1500m champion who is also the English and British Schools cross country champion.
First year U20 Noah Lambert late switch from the 5000m to the 1500m paid off with him winning the silver medal in the U20 1500m.
Another first year U15 Ruby Brook after her exploits at the English Schools last week could not quite deliver the same type of performance, but still won the 800m Bronze medal, which compared to last year were she did not finish was a marked improvement.
U15 Jamie Stacey found himself in a high quality 800m race, Jamie finished 7th but in a new PB by 1.32s!
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Part 3 of the Glos County Championships
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Part 3 of the Glos County Champs consisting of the 4 x 100m relay, 4 x 400m relay, 1 mile and 10000 metres will take place at the Prince of Wales Stadium in Cheltenham on the evening of Friday 7th September 2018.
Entry forms are available on the website here.
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You can now see all upcomine races through the club website here,
It is availbe through the home page and the race pages.
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