Photo above – Latest Guidelines from England Athletics, commencing Wednesday 2nd December.
Training
From Wednesday 2nd December we are planning to return to the system of training which was last in place ie groups of 6 including a coach being possible.Coaches will communicate with their own groups with specific arrangements and booking systems.Tonbridge School Centre opens again from that Wednesday and have confirmed that the track is available to use.Judd School have confirmed that the Julie Goodge, Helen Cohen group can return on Tuesday evenings from 8th December.
I will let you all know should anything change.Of course whatever the arrangements are please be as careful as possible and follow all the well known simple guidelines.The virus only has to strike once with the wrong person and can cause significant impact.
TAC Challenge (until 2nd January) – current standings
A few have commenced the challenge and reported results into Nichola Evans. The current points standings are –
Mark Pitcairn-Knowles – 200 points, Issac Arnott, Michael Ellis, Lucy Pitcairn-Knowles, Luca Russo – 100 points,Russell McIntyre, Charlotte Warren, – 99 points, Christopher Potter – 98 points, Tony Fullbrook – 97, Derek Jee – 96, David Suddes 95, Michael Thomson – 94 points
Well done to you all.
If anyone has any results please submit to Nichola Evans (details in the information).
If you do one of the double lap courses you have the chance of recording points for the single and double lap event.
Challenge Rules – It is based on a series of courses, where you run, post your time and accumulate points.There are 10 courses (some simply a 2 lap version of a single loop), with half of them suitable for under 13 and 15s.All the rules and course details are in the document posted at http://www.tacdistancerunners.com .Some of the routes are simpler to follow than others, so make sure that if giving any a go that you do a bit of planning and preparation.Mark Pitcairn-Knowles has produced the document and even included some video to help with the Penshurst Place route !For supporters, some offer a nice walk and also have coffee and teas nearby (not all !)Nichola Evans has offered to collate the results and we will circulate updates. Her contact t details are included in the document.We really need some evidence that you have done the correct course, but if you don’t happen to have a GPS watch please submit as much ‘evidence’ as you can !Whether you can only do one of the courses or all ten please give it a go, as simply giving a bit of interest to others at this strange time will make it worthwhile.
A couple of pieces of feedback – Knole Park very busy at the weekend and after a lot of rain the 10 mile Forest Way course had some water on in places.
Results
Clearly there have not been any events going on, but I thought I would mention an incredible effort by Ella de Munck on Saturday.
Ella is just 16 years old but decided to run 50 kilometres (about 30 miles) on Saturday, which took 5 hours and 55 minutes. Like me you are probably thinking ,why ?! The thought was prompted by a friend issuing a charity challenge to run 50km in a month. Ella, being a member of TAC, felt a bit of a fraud doing it in a month, so decided to do it in one day as a challenge. This was all in aid of raising money for Grassroots Suicide Prevention, as Ella and others lost a friend earlier in the year. The link is here should anyone else wish to contribute – https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/jess-winter?utm_source=Sharethis&utm_medium=fundraising&utm_content=jess-winter&utm_campaign=pfp-email&utm_term=2e8df16d9dd041379bfcef8e622732df
TAC Training Trial Races, Saturday 5th December
Judd School are allowing us to book Vizards sports fields at Lower Hayesden, so I am aiming to resurrect the event that I had planned and to hold it on Saturday 5th December.
The events to be featured include 3000m (under 13s and older), 5000m (under 17, 20 and seniors), 500 metres (mainly sprinters) and 1 mile races (under 11s and others).
Entry via Google Form here, including health declarations for athletes and supporters – https://forms.gle/xuexDEuhDV1SNpQm7
Start Times – all provisional and to be confirmed once entries completed
10.00am 3000 metres races (under 13s and older)
11.00am 5000 metres races (Under 17, 20 and seniors only)
11.30am 500 metres races (eg sprinters)
11.45am 1 mile races for under 11s (and any others, who might like a training run to double with an earlier event, but no prize).
Full details of format, arrangements and prizes here – https://www.tacdistancerunners.com
Anyone who can lend a hand as a marshal, as an official or with registration please let me know.
TAC Boxing Day Event/Handicap, 26th December
Again, with the help of Judd School we will try and hold the traditional Boxing Day event, at Vizards sports field.However, it is likely that different ‘rules’ may apply eg a reverse handicap where the faster runners go off first to avoid too much cross over and maybe two races. Then handicaps would be taken off afterwards. Some thought might have to be put towards how we allocate any prizes as handing in presents and redistributing might not be the wisest move !!Anyway more details to follow as we get our thoughts together.
Other events
Hopefully, some of the events that were planned will be going ahead again.Seniors – there is a chance that we could be invited to an inter club 5k road race at Wimbledon on Sunday 20th December, with 10 men and 6 women maximum. The organisers are awaiting the go ahead for a permit.
Finally, please if you can, have a go at some of the events, even for a bit of fun as it helps motivate others.
Please just ask should you have any questions.
Best wishes
Mark Hookway
Winter Team Manager and Distance Runners coordination