….the final results are in. Well done to all 111 members who gained points, to Ellie and Andy in winning their respective competitions, and to Clare, Andrew, Deb and Steve in placing in the top threes. See halfway down the Road Running page for final tables for 2019.

Awards to be presented during the club presentation evening in less than a month, on Saturday February 1st – get your tickets here!

A huge thanks to John Driscoll for his tireless work in creating the league, and in producing the league tables each month.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Hope everybody had a great Christmas and New Year and that you are now ready for all that 2020 has to offer.

January provides plenty of opportunities for members to test themselves, starting with this Saturday’s Cheshire Cross Country Championships at Knights Grange, Winsford, and this Sunday’s Sale Harriers Indoor Open Meeting at SportCity, Manchester.

AND please remember to buy your tickets for the Club Awards Evening on Saturday 1st February at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Chester. The link to buy tickets can be found here: https://wcac.niftyentries.com/WCAC-2019-Celebration-and-Awards-Evening-Sat-1st-Feb-2020

Raffle tickets for the Club Awards Evening will be on sale from the EPSV Track Office after training from Tuesday 7th January, so please remember to bring some money along and support your Club Awards Evening.

THIS SATURDAY

Club members entered in this Saturday’s Cheshire Cross Country Championships should collect their numbers from our Club tent.

Please note that parking at Knight’s Grange, Grange Lane, Winsford, CW7 2PT, can be quite hectic, so please lift share where possible. This will particularly be the case for the later, senior men’s and women’s, races. Given this, please could seniors communicate times for meeting up, eg at Cheshire County Sports Club, particularly to ensure that those of the 22 WCAC entrants who cannot drive can still get there.

Tim Durrant ([email protected]) has requested that anyone who wants metal spikes for Saturday’s race to let him know by Friday mid-day at the latest, to pick up on Saturday, ideally before the first race, as Tim is time-keeping all day. Tim says that all of the laps are very wet underfoot, and recommends anything from 12 to 15mm spikes – though it is best to check out the course on race day and see what you are comfortable with.

EMAIL DAVE ASAP TO ENTER CROSS COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS…

Entry fees will be paid by the club for members wanting to run in the Northern and/or English National Cross Country Championships, on the basis that members who ask to be entered turn up on the day.

No qualification needed, all abilities represented. Run in any one event or all three. The only requirements are that you are a FIRST-CLAIM member of West Cheshire AC. The races are:

Northern Athletics Cross-country Championships at The Camp Hill Estate, Kirklington, Bedale DL8 2LS. Saturday January 25th 2020. Age groups from under 13s to veterans.
English National Cross-country Championships at Wollaton Park, Nottingham NG8 2AE. Saturday February 22nd 2020.

IF YOU WANT TO RUN, PLEASE EMAIL: [email protected] (don’t just reply via Facebook or tell a coach!) with your name, date of birth and the name of the championships you want to run in, by January 4th 2020. 

Any entries for the Cheshire Championships, after the Cheshire closing date above, must be done by the entrants themselves, who will have to pay an entry fee. It appears that there is no individual entry to the Northern or National championships, so please let us know by the dates shown above if you want to run!

IMPORTANT The club is paying members’ entry fees again this year on the basis that people commit to showing up on the day unless there are legitimate unforeseen circumstances, eg illness or injury. If members who are fit to compete decide to pull out after entering, the club will expect to be reimbursed for their entry fees. Please be sure that you want to run before committing to do so.

NORTHERN INDOOR TRACK AND FIELD CHAMPIONSHIPS

Entries are now open for the Northern Indoor Under 17, Under 20 and Senior Track & Field Championships being held at EIS, Sheffield, on Saturday and Sunday, 11th and 12th January. The link for online entries is: https://www.northernathletics.co.uk/events/northern-senior-u20-u17-indoor-tf-championships/

And Entries are also now open for the Northern Under 13 and Under 15 Track and Field Championships being held at EIS, Sheffield, on Sunday 2nd February. The link for online entries is here.

RAFFLE PRIZES STILL NEEDED FOR AWARDS EVENING

Raffle Prizes are needed from members for the Club Presentation Evening being held in February. Any raffle prizes should be handed in at the EPSV Athletics Track Office before or after Club Training Sessions.

PROMOTIONAL CLUB VIDEO

The Club is planning to produce a promotional video to be screened at the Club Awards Evening in February. If any members don’t want to be shown on the video please let Dennis Wall know ASAP by email at: [email protected]

URGENT HELP NEEDED

The Club needs urgent help, support, and assistance from parents during Tuesday evening (6.30pm-8pm) and Saturday morning (10am-12 noon) training sessions at the Ellesmere Port Sports Village Athletics Track (6.30pm-8pm).

PARENTS who can help should contact Dennis Wall on 07968643038 or email:[email protected]

BE SEEN AND BE SAFE

All Club members training at night on routes that involve crossing roads and where there is traffic are reminded to wear bright and reflective clothing. Please be safe.

PARENTAL RESPONSIBILITY

All parents of youngsters attending track training sessions are reminded to collect their sons and daughters from the track – not from the car park. The Club wants to ensure everyone stays safe and that every youngster safely leaves every track training session.

All youngsters attending track training sessions should bring along warm clothing, preferably waterproofs, hats, gloves, as well as a bottle of water.

BECOME ONE OF OUR CLUB COACHES

Any parents of West Cheshire AC members wanting to become qualified coaches will be fully supported by the Club who will pay for coaching courses.

Please email Dennis if you are interested at [email protected]

Further details about coaching can be found here.

REGIONAL COACH AND ATHLETE TRAINING DAYS

England Athletics is running a series of Regional Coach & Athlete Training Days across the country between September 2019 and March 2020. Delivered by elite-level coaches, these practical event-specific sessions are tailored to either Speed, Endurance, Jumps or Throws and are perfect for club-based athletes and coaches looking to develop in areas including training, preparation and technique.

Further details can be found here.

REGIONAL ENDURANCE WORKSHOP

West Cheshire AC has agreed to host England Athletics Regional Endurance Coaching Workshops this Winter at the Ellesmere Port Sports Village Athletics Track.

The target audience will be Coaches working with athletes who are County standard or higher, and athletes aged 11-18. The duration will be up to three hours to include Q&A/discussion.

A threshold training session will take place on Thursday, 5th March.

WHY NOT BECOME AN OFFICIAL?

West Cheshire AC is keen to help any parents of members wanting to become qualified officials. The Club will pay for parents of members wanting to attend an officials course.

Please email Dennis if you are interested at [email protected]

Further details about officiating can be found here.

IT’S GOOD TO TALK

Members and parents are reminded to look at the following links for updates about any Club training sessions being cancelled due to adverse weather conditions:

FACEBOOK: West Cheshire AC, West Cheshire AC Road Running, west cheshire ac jnr to u20 middle distance group

WEBSITE: www.westcheshireac.co.uk

TWITTER: https://twitter.com/westcheshireac

CLUB KIT

Anyone wanting to purchase club vests and/or hoodies is reminded that parents Vikki Brett and Joanne Lark will sell club kit at the EPSV Track Office AFTER Tuesday night training sessions.

Payment can be made by cash, or by cheque made payable to West Cheshire AC.

PHYSIO SUPPORT

Club member Heather McLintock is a qualified physiotherapist and offers substantial discounted prices for West Cheshire AC members on production of their membership card. Heather can be contacted on 01244 381350 or 07885 462487.

WEEKLY PRESS REPORT

This week’s press report can be found here.

FIXTURES

SATURDAY, 4th JANUARY – Cheshire AA County Cross Country Championships, at Knights Grange Sports Complex, Winsford.

The race timetable is: 11am – Under 11 Boys and Girls; 11.20am – Under 13 Boys and Girls; 11.50am – Under 15 Boys and Girls; 12.20pm – Under 17 Men and Women, and Under 20 Women; 1pm – Under 20 Men and Senior Women; 1.50pm – Senior Men.

SUNDAY, 5TH JANUARY – Sale Harriers Indoor Open Meeting, at SportCity, Manchester, 10am start.