Biggleswade AC May 2003

Plea for Help !!

11th May is the Beds County Champs, there is a desperate shortage of officials/judges especially for the field events. Our County Championships is an annual event that alternates between Luton and Bedford, this year it is Bedford's turn. Our athletes need the officials and any help will be greatly appreciated. David Brown our Track and Field Manager is the Bedfordshire's AAA's officials secretary so any offers of assistance to David (01767 600094), be it raking the pits, measuring jumps/throws, or track judging all are welcome. A free lunch will be provided. Anybody interested in becoming an official see David for more information.

Remember - without officials, events cannot be put on.

Monthly Summer Training Runs

Once every month (on a Tuesday evening) during the Summer we travel to a location other than Stratton School Biggleswade for a sociable training run. Please let Nigel or Stuart know if you have a favourite run near you. We start with one of our old favourites - the Navigators Way (7 miles) on Tuesday 13th May. Meet at the River Ivel Bridge in Shefford at 7pm.

Sandy 10 and 2 Mile Fun Run - 6 April

The Sandy 10 organising committee would like to thank everyone who helped with this year's event. With over 400 entries in the 10 mile race and 2 mile Fun Run, the event was once again a resounding success. The new Race Headquarters at Sandy Upper School proved to be a great new venue, and many runners have since sent us letters and emails commenting on the efficiency and friendliness of the race marshals. So a special thank you to all the club members who gave up the opportunity to run in the race to help with the organisation. If you have not yet received your commemorative Sandy 10 tee-shirt for helping, please contact Nigel. We hope to donate about Ł750 from the surplus to the two nominated charities - NSPCC and Save the Children.

Le Touquet weekend 4th-6th July
All 15 members who are booked for the Le Touquet weekend have been contacted recently with the latest tour information.

BEDS AAA Annual Dinner
... at the Star & Garter Silsoe, Friday 23rd May 2003, from Ł16.00. For more information contact David Brown, Beds AAA Committee member.

Running Recollections - by Nigel Bush
A few weeks ago I was asked to write a piece for the Newsletter about my running "career" so here goes. I hope that others will follow with their own running recollections in future Newsletters.

When people ask me "when did you start running?" I think back to my 8th Birthday Party when I insisted that all my friends went out for a 2 mile run with me (immediately after the jelly and ice cream) because I thought I would win. In fact, one "friend" cheated by taking a short cut to beat me! I also recall that I was one of the few boys at School who actually enjoyed the Cross Country runs. These were omens of things to come.

In my late teens and 20s I concentrated on other sports including football, rugby, golf and tennis, but I did some jogging to keep fit, and I always nurtured an ambition to run a Marathon. The very first London Marathon in 1981 fired my enthusiasm and I started to train seriously ready for my next challenge. After completing the London Marathon in 1982, I then found I couldn't give up this new found pastime, so I decided to join Biggleswade AC to improve my performances and seek competition.

And here we are, 21 years later, and I'm still doing it, but rather slower than my peak. Belonging to Biggleswade AC has certainly broadened my running horizons, and helped me to train hard but sensibly. I've made lifelong friends in the club and visited many beautiful places in search of new running challenges.

If asked to name the highlights of my running career so far I would include The West Highland Way in Scotland (96 miles in 3 days), the Three Peaks of England, Scotland and Wales completed in under 18 hours, the 80 Mile South Downs Way in 16hrs (never again!), and my fastest London Marathon of 2h 50m in 1990. But there are hundreds of other races and training runs that bring back fond memories. Changing for a 21mile Trail Race in a car park in Cannock Chase, with strangers searching through our kit bags (we were unknowingly in the middle of a Car Boot sale!) is just one.

And finally some advice - above all enjoy your running. Train hard, but keep it in perspective. You'll have good races and bad, sometimes without knowing why. So try to keep a training diary. It will help you look back and identify good, bad and injury prone spells.

Leagues, Series, and Other Events

Southern Womens League 2003

Southern Mens League 2003

Womens League		Mens League
Apr 26	Ilford	May 3	Woodford Green Essex
Jun 7	Barnet Copthall	May 31	Luton (Home Fixture)
Jul 5	Mile End London	Jun 28	Sutcliffe Park Sussex,
Aug 9	Cambridge	Jul 12	Croydon
Sep 6	Southend	Aug 2	Tonbridge

The Womens League is a new venture for Biggleswade AC after many years not putting forward a team. This is a compilation team where U13/U15 combine and U17/Jun/Sen are a team.

For the Mens League, given the depth of squad we have with more U17's coming forward, this is the year that we can win the league and be promoted. Like the Womens team, all that is required is filling the team sheet. Track and field athletics is a team event where you support each other, although personal results are important, the main aim is to get maximum points for crossing the line first, jumping the highest/longest, throwing the furthest, every member is important.

Watford Open Series
Wednesday evenings at 7:00pm

May 14	100/200/400/800/1500/3000m	Shot Discus
May 28	100/200/800/3000m	Pole Vault <3.50 M Hammer
Jun 11	200/400/1500/3000m	Pole Vault >3.50 M High Jump
Jun 25	100/200/800/3000m	Javelin Long Jump
Jul 9	200/400/1500/3000m	Discus Triple Jump
Jul 23	100/400/800/3000m	Shot Hammer
Aug 6	100/200/400/500/3000m	Javelin High Jump
Aug 20	100/200/800/1500/3000m	Hammer
Sep 3	100/200/400/800/1500/3000m	Shot Long Jump
Sep 17	100/200/400/800/1500/3000m	(No Field Events)

Also Sun Sep 7 from 11:00 am
Ł2.25 per event. For more information contact a coach.

South Of England AAA Championships, 24th/25th May, Watford
See a coach for more information.

New Members

With the very best wishes of the Committee, welcome to the following new members who have recently joined the Club:

Graham Russell (Aileen's Dad) who lives in Stotfold

Katie and Jennie Harris who live in Potton

Christopher Moore who also lives in Potton

Lawrence Bruce - yet another "Pottonian"

Nicholas Gilbert - and - yes - where does he live? - you guessed it - Potton!

Dean Bartlett who lives in Henlow

Annual Subscriptions - 2004

A decision was made at the last AGM to maintain the annual membership subscriptions to the Club at their current levels - Ł5 for those under 17 or still at school, Ł12 for seniors, Ł12 for families of three or more youngsters, and Ł25 for full family membership, regardless of numbers. The date at which all annual subscriptions become payable remains 1st January.

Revised Constitution and Rules

Both the Constitution and the Rules of the Club have been recently revised to take account of the changes in the rules of competition laid-down by UK:Athletics and other minor changes that the Committee felt appropriate to make in order to enhance the better governance of the Club. The revised documents were considered at the AGM and subsequently formally adopted by the meeting. A copy of the revised Rules will be distributed with the print version of this newsletter and a copy of the revised Constitution will be made available to all those who request it.

Cross Country Leagues - 2003/4

At the AGM it was decided to again enter the Boss Truck League (Sunday) and the Chiltern League (Saturday). In order to provide more competition for the younger members of the Club it was also decided that we will enter one or more of the following leagues, when more is known about the dates on which the various races will be staged:
(i) North West London League, (ii) Icknield League, (iii) Chingford League.

Clubmark Scheme

We are close to attaining accreditation under this scheme which means we will have demonstrated to Sport England and UK:Athletics that we are a Club mindful of the development and advancement of our youngsters in athletics, and with an administrative and coaching structure that will serve their needs in a positive and professional way. We may actually be the first Club in the country to receive this accolade. We will keep you informed.

NEWS FOR YOUNG ATHLETES

For information on track and field events,
contact your coach or David Brown, Track and Field Manager (01767 600094)

Eastern Young Athletes' League dates for 2003
- 25 May St Ives
- 22 Jun Bury St Edmunds
- 27 Jul Thurrock

During the winter Lauren Ambrose and Kay Brown attended training camps at Chelmsford for hurdlers. There were three separate days of which Kay and Lauren attended two. The coach was Lloyd Cowan, the coach to the Sen Women's AAA 60 M Hurdles Champion Sarah Claxton, who also attended the sessions. Both Lauren and Kay got a tremendous amount of advice and believe through this achieved fantastic times at the Junior AAA's Champs earlier this year. Both Kay's and Lauren's times are tumbling. These camps are great fun with a lot of advice from the top coaches, meet new friends, and train in excellent facilities.

Star-Track
Bedfordshire Active Sports are putting on these activities for three days each during the May Half Term (27-29 May) and the Summer Holidays (12-14 August) at Biggleswade Recreation Centre.
10 am to 2 pm each day, cost Ł15.00 includes specialist coaching/advice goody bags (cheques payable to Beds Active Sports).
For more advice contact a coach
or Greg Simmons (phone 0789 995 1705 or email simmons@deal.bedfordshire.gov.uk)
AAA U20 Championships, Birmingham, 25/26 Jan - a report by Rachel Bellamy
Birmingham was a new experience for me, and one I'm not going to forget. The track looked really big even though it was only 200 metres, and the sloped edges made it even more terrifying, but the atmosphere was amazing. I was really nervous when we had to go down to the warm up area, about half an hour before my race. There they put us into order and gave us our lane numbers. The worst thing was waiting to go out. When we did all the crowd started cheering as we walked onto the track and set up our blocks. Lots of people including me got a new PB and even a Club Record. I really enjoyed it and I think everyone else did too!

BIGGLESWADE ATHLETIC CLUB

BIGGLESWADE ATHLETIC CLUB

Newsletter : MAY 2003

A Plea for Help !! Monthly Summer Training Runs Sandy 10 and 2 Mile Fun Run - 6 April Le Touquet weekend 4th-6th July BEDS AAA Annual Dinner Running Recollections - by Nigel Bush	Leagues, Series, and Other Events New Members Annual Subscriptions - 2004 Revised Constitution and Rules Cross Country Leagues - 2003/4 Clubmark Scheme
NEWS FOR YOUNG ATHLETES