Biggleswade AC January 2010

Annual Club Dinner and Senior Presentation evening - Fri 22 Jan

Last call for members who wish to attend this very enjoyable event.

You can find the menu details at www.biggleswadeac.org.uk/clubdinnermenujan10.pdf. Please let Stuart Galloway (stuart.galloway@ntlworld.com) have your menu selection as soon as possible, but by no later than 12th January. The cost is Ł21.50 per head and payment is requested by no later than 15th January, preferably by cheque (payable to "Biggleswade AC").

Club Annual General Meeting - Tues 16 Feb

Just a reminder that the AGM of the club is to be held on Tuesday 16th February at Sandy Upper School in the Classroom of the Future. We hope to see as many of you as possible at the meeting and to hear your views on how you feel the club is being run and whether you would like to see any changes. It is also an opportunity of reviewing what we have achieved in 2009. Full details will be published in the next newsletter.

Annual Club Booklet

So far not too many of you have put pen to paper and written an article for this proposed publication. Come on - get those fingers flying over the keys or sharpen those quills and get them scratching on that parchment! We have extended the closing date for articles or features to be sent to Stuart Galloway (stuart.galloway@ntlworld.com), to the end of January.

Membership & Track Fees - 2010

Membership & Track Fees became due as usual from 1st January. The committee has been considering for some time how to make fees for membership and use of the facilities at Sandy Sports Centre more equitable, whilst still addressing the need of paying for the hire of the track and facilities on club nights. We have therefore decided that the following charges should apply for 2010:

Senior member membership increased from Ł22 to Ł27 (includes Ł5 affiliation fee to EA)
but Annual Track Pass reduced from Ł56 to Ł50
Junior member 11+ membership increased from Ł12 to Ł15 (includes Ł5 affiliation fee to EA)
but Annual Track Pass reduced from Ł28 to Ł25
Junior member U/11 club membership free and Annual Track Pass reduced from Ł28 to Ł25
Social Member club membership Ł8
Second Claim Member membership fee remains at Ł9

Six Month Track Pass - Juniors remains at Ł16
Six Month Track Pass - Seniors remains at Ł30
Pay-as-you-Go/session - Juniors remains at Ł1.50
Pay-as-you-Go/session - Seniors remains at Ł2.50

Fees in the first year of membership will be adjusted as follows:

Senior Junior 2nd-Claim
Join in... Jan - Mar Ł27 Ł15 Ł9
Apr - Jun Ł22 Ł12 Ł7
Jul - Sep Ł16 Ł9 Ł5
Oct - Dec Ł10 Ł6 Ł3

We are continuing the scheme whereby members can pay their dues by electronic money transfer. So if you are into internet or postal banking you can simply transfer the appropriate sum to the club bank account. Account details are:

Bank Sort Code: 20-41-12
Account No.: 10889148
Account Name: Biggleswade Athletic Club
However, please ensure that you include your name in the transfer Reference Box so we can tell who's paid. Membership cards will be sent out at the end of each month. Alternatively you could set up a Bankers Order and pay the amount automatically annually. Again please include your name in the Reference Box.

London Marathon 2010 - Club Places

While the Sir William Peel was crowded with "Fairies" on the day of the Club Handicap Run, the following members were lucky enough to gain a Club Entry into the London Marathon when their names were pulled from the hat:
Sharyn Bray
Ray Dowse
Anne Lincoln
Commiserations go to those who were also hoping to gain a place, but may we wish the above three athletes all the very best in their training for this prestigious event.

Kingfisher Way Training Run - Winter edition - Mon 28 Dec

Eleven runners and a cyclist set off from Baldock in freezing but sunny conditions, to tackle the 20 mile Kingfisher Way, and after Steve West departed at his home town of Arlesey, the remaining 10 runners stayed together all the way to Tempsford. Two joined in at Biggleswade and one at Sandy to ensure the pace was kept up, and the whole route was completed in a very respectable 3h 30mins. The route was mainly crisp, with just a few water jumps and mini lakes to negotiate on Henlow Meadows and Biggleswade Common. The group all enjoyed a great morning out, and a well deserved pint or two in the Wheatsheaf at the finish. Thanks to Derek on his bike for some great support.

New Members

Welcome to the following new senior members who have joined us recently:

  Ruth Holmes    who lives in Sandy
  Clare Foster    who lives in Lincoln
  Richard Wilson    who lives in Sandy

We wish you all the very best in your sporting endeavours

The Seniors Tuesday Night Programme

You can find these and other training events in the training section of the Club website

5th Jan Fartlek for 2010
12th Jan Star Bursts
19th Jan Hills are a piece of "christmas" cake
26th Jan Speed work with coach Zoe (Followed by talk by Rob and Shaz - Iron People!)

2nd Feb AWAY DAY - Biggleswade
9th Feb Ladders
16th Feb Hills (it's not all up hill!!)
23rd Feb Sandy Loop

2nd Mar Speed work with coach Zoe (followed by talk on "The power of Ken")

*** A date for your diary - Tues 6th April - Buffy's talk on Nutrition!!! ****

you may need a track pass or to pay for a day pass when doing Speed or Track work

Thursday evenings will usually be "General Running", dictated by the race calendar, and are tailored on the night to the participants needs. Runners are usually split into ability groups to ensure everyone has a good run.

If anyone would like to organise an AWAY DAY in your village or town in 2009, or a run on your favourite training route, please let Gavin or one of the committee know.

Sainsbury's Sport Relief Mile - 21 March

The Sandy Track Sainsbury's Sport Relief Mile, organised by Biggleswade AC, is taking place on Sunday 21st March 2010. This event is one of about 250 similar events up and down the country, all of which are staged to encourage non-runners and runners alike to run, jog or walk a mile and raise money for charity. There are also options to run 3 miles and 6 miles.

See www.sportrelief.com/the-mile/sandy-track-mile for details, and get your friends and family to enter.

"GetBackInto..." program - starting Tue 9 Feb

We have agreed with Team Beds & Luton to run a GetBackInto program at Sandy, starting on Tuesday 9th February, on successive Tuesdays for 6 weeks, culminating in the Sport Relief Mile on 21st March (see above). The GetBackInto program is a way of encouraging adults (16+) to GET BACK INTO sport in a social and non competitive environment.

We will need coaches and helpers to assist the newcomers on the 6 designated Tuesdays, so please contact a coach or committee member if you can help. And please encourage friends and colleagues who are interested to come along and register for the program.

Sandy 10 Mile Race - 11 April

The date for next year's Sandy 10 race is Sunday 11th April 2010 and entries are already flooding in. As in previous years, we rely on the help and good nature of all our members to make this race such a roaring success. We therefore ask all our members who are available on race day to help with the many duties (e.g. course marshalling, drink station, finish line recording, etc) that are required. In the 2009 race we had over 50 helpers on the day. If any club member does specifically wish to run in the event, this will be permitted at the discretion of the Sandy 10 race committee, provided the person can find an adult non-member who can help with course marshal duties.

See www.sandy10.org.uk for race history and details.

Leagues, Series, and Other Events

SEAA Cross Country Championships - Sat 30 Jan
At Parliament Hill Fields, a superb cross country course not to be missed

u15 Boys	5.5Km	11.00am
u13 Girls	3.0Km	11.20am
u13 Boys	3.0Km	11.35am
u15 Girls	4.0Km	11.50am
u17 Men	6.0Km	12.10pm
u20 Women	6.0Km	12.40pm
u17 Women	5.0Km	1.05pm
u20 Men	8.0Km	1.30pm
Sen Women	8.0Km	2.05pm
Sen Men	15.0Km	2.50pm

If you would like to run this event please let Stuart Galloway know by no later than 2nd December. Since it is unlikely that we will get sufficient runners to make up any teams judging by the lack of response on the Forum last month, cost of entry will be Ł6 for seniors and Ł4 for all other age groups. Money must be paid up front and club vests must be worn. Club first-claim athletes only.

National Cross Country Championships - Sat 27 Feb
At Roundhay Park, Leeds, another very famous cross country course but somewhat farther away from home.

u15 Boys	4.5Km	11.00am
Junior Women	6.0Km	11.20am
u17 Women	5.0Km	11.45am
u13 Girls	3.0Km	12.10pm
u17 Men	6.0Km	12.25pm
u15 Girls	4.0Km	12.55pm
Junior Men	10.0Km	1.15pm
u13 Boys	3.0Km	2.00pm
Senior Women	8.0Km	2.15pm
Senior Men	12.0Km	3.00pm

Anybody wishing to run must let Stuart Galloway know by 19th December. Cost will be Ł5 per entrant. Club vests must be worn - first claim members only. Chip timing will be utilised and chips must be returned to the receptacle at the end of the race, otherwise the club has to pay a surcharge of Ł7 per chip.

Chiltern Cross Country League
Provisional dates, all on Saturdays

Jan 16	Shuttleworth
Feb 13	Wing

Three Counties Cross Country League
Provisional dates, all on Sundays

Jan 24	Wooton
Feb 14	Ampthill
Feb 28	Bedford