HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Many happy returns to the following Club members who celebrate their birthdays this week:

Ellie Collins, Ian McLintock, Phoebe Arnold, Lexi Ireland, Sophie Grainger, Clive Giddis, Adam Poole, Katie Stow-Povall, Angela Tegg, Liz Renondeau.

And next week: Julian Tegg, Alex O’Hare, Lowri Huxley, Rhys Young, Josh Ford, Dan Gilroy.

PLEASE PAY YOUR CLUB MEMBERSHIP

Please remember to renew your Club Membership to help support West Cheshire AC prepare for life after the lockdown when the Club is aiming to organise a Club Track & Field Championships in September and hopefully host the Cheshire Track & Field Championships if restrictions are lifted.

The link to the Club Membership payment page on the website is here.

STAYING IN TOUCH

Club chairman Jon Clarke and I took part in the Virtual North West Forum earlier this week to find out how other regional clubs are addressing the strange times we are experiencing.

It was so hard to hear the frustration shared by everyone on the webinar and listen to how the sport can try and return in a new normality. With the leisure centre and track at Ellesmere Port Sports Village still closed and with restrictions on the number of people allowed to train together, athletics is restricted to one-on-one instruction and online tuition, and competition is restricted to just virtual races.

The hope is that local events will be permitted when restrictions are lifted, but for now it is important to adhere to the government guidelines. 

I hope you enjoy this latest weekly issue of the Club Newsletter which features news, work-outs, links to video clips, and a list of club members who are celebrating birthdays.

Remember that you can all play your part in communicating and sharing your thoughts and ideas during this lull in Club training and competition.

Hopefully you are continuing to stay fit, healthy and upbeat in these strange times. Please forward me your contributions for the Club Newsletter by email to: [email protected]

CORONAVIRUS STATEMENT

England Athletics issued their latest statement on Tuesday this week

FEEDBACK REQUEST FROM ENGLAND ATHLETICS

England Athletics want your views and thoughts on the challenges you are facing at this current time, to better understand your fears about the future and to determine where best you feel that England Athletics can support you to meet these challenges and come out healthier. With this in mind, EA are encouraging you to submit your views, using the online form at the bottom of the page on this link.

WELL DONE MICHAEL!

Michael Young has finished runner-up in the Ultrarace Romania Lockdown event.

He completed a 70km distance in four hours three minutes and 49 seconds at  5.36mph, behind eventual winner, Stefu Lucian Mihalta, with six-stage fixture split times of 34:24 (10km stage one), 41:30 (12km stage two), 37:53 (11km stage three), 72:11 (20km stage four), 31:06 (9km stage five), and 26:45 (8km stage six).

Michael, who raised £2,000 for the NHS on his 33rd birthday earlier in the month after completing 69 miles in just under 12 hours on a treadmill at his home, is now focusing his sights on the GB Ultras Chester 100 miles Race scheduled to be held in November.

FREE MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS COURSE AND RESOURCES

Many thanks to Graham Patterson for providing a link to a Free Mental Health Awareness Course and Resources which can be found here.

LEGO WORLD ATHLETICS CHAMPIONSHIPS…

Many thanks to Glenys Potter for providing a link to the Lego World Athletics Championships. Glenys says: “It would be easy to use the same idea of using dice to do lots of other events too – maybe even devise a points system for multi-events! In the absence of Lego, maybe families could create a whole Athletics board game!

CONGRATULATIONS BRYONY AND MARK!

Glenys Potter’s daughter, Bryony, a former West Cheshire AC member, and her husband Mark are expecting a baby in November! Many congratulations to Bryony and Mark.

THE BENEFITS OF SKIPPING FOR FITNESS

Skipping is great for your overall fitness, whether it’s part of a warm-up or included in your main exercise session. Find out some of the benefits of skipping for fitness and suggested skipping exercises to get you started here.

USE THIS TIME AS A STEPPING STONE INTO COACHING…

A new online workshop course is available to book now – England Athletics are delivering a Leading Athletics practical workshop as a two-part webinar-based series. This new online delivery will incorporate two 1.5 hour sessions. Webinar course dates are currently available for 1 & 3 June or 15 & 17 June. The course is open to anyone aged 14 years and above.

While not a formal qualification, the Leading Athletics workshop is aimed at individuals who are interested in an introduction to the skills needed in leading athletics activities for young athletes. It’s perfect for athletes wanting to support younger members at their club or parents who want to take their first steps into volunteering and leading. Individuals completing the course will be able to support Coaching Assistant and Athletics Coaches.

Further details can be found here.

RACE THE TRAIN IS CANCELLED

The popular Race The Train fixture at Tywyn, Mid-Wales, scheduled to be held on August 15 has been cancelled because of the Covid-19 crisis.

Runners who have already booked will have their entries and train ticket orders automatically transferred to 2021 and receive an e-mail from FR Systems giving further details. Any deferrals from the 2019 event will be valid for 2021. Entries will open soon for next year’s event which will be held on Saturday, August 21.

HEATHER McLINTOCK’S REHAB EXERCISES…

Club member and physio Heather McLintock has provided a webpage developed for athletes to access over the COVID period. The link contains video exercises which can be used to rehabilitate whilst you can’t visit her at the practice. The link is here.

HOME PENTATHLON UPDATE…

If you haven’t completed the Home Pentathlon yet, please give it a go and let me know how you get on. The link can be found here.

CATHRYN WOODALL’S WORK-OUT INVITE…

Club member and Farndon physio Cathryn Woodall has posted crab walk and squat video exercises on her Farndon physio Facebook page here.

Cathryn is also thinking of doing a Facebook live/Zoom video of a 20-30 minute exercise routine, if anyone is interested. 

JASON OSWELL’S LOCKDOWN PHYSIOTHERAPY 

Jason Oswell has been in touch to say he is doing Physiotherapy video consultations during lockdown. If anybody has any issues, he is prepared to provide a consultation to anybody from the club for £10. His email address is: [email protected]

HOME CHALLENGES WITH JENNY MEADOWS…

If you need something to brighten up your week, then the Jenny Meadows Weekly Challenge is just for you! Our friend, World and European medallist at 800m and coach Jenny Meadows, will be setting a special fun challenge each week, that you can do within your home. This week is a Combination Jumps Challenge.

SWISS BALL WORK-OUT

A Swiss Ball is a very helpful piece of kit, if you have one try the workout demonstrated by Imani-Lara Lansiquot at this link.

HELP AND SUPPORT

Anyone requiring help and support while self-isolating can contact the local council hotline number of 0300 123 7031.

This is a dedicated hotline number for those self-isolating and who don’t have anyone to help. A call to this number will provide help organising food or medicine deliveries, or some sort of social contact. The number for the most in need is 0300 123 7031. It is open Monday to Sunday (8am-7pm).

ALSO – Please feel free to ring me (Dennis) if you want a chat or need any help or support. My numbers are: 0151 201 1254 and 07968 643038.

UPDATED ONLINE ATHLETICS WEBINARS

In these unprecedented times, I wanted to draw your attention to some of the great resources available online. England Athletics is expanding its campaign to support Athletics and Running for everyone @home, with a focus on ‘Running @home’ support and advice. The homepage can be accessed here.

There are many webinars, interviews and tips from top coaches and athletes on how to stay conditioned and focused.

In addition, there are some fantastic videos for 4-11 year olds on the Funetics webpage put together in conjunction with England Athletics. The videos demonstrate parents and children (aged 4-11) taking part in FUN activities based on fundamental core movement skills: running, jumping and throwing. Funetics is a programme that has been designed to reflect the requirements of the National Curriculum Key Stage 1 and 2. At this time when our children are currently schooling at home, we hope that these video activities will support the need for education to continue at home.  You can access the videos here.

The link to other updated webinars can be found here, here and here.

VIRTUAL CHESHIRE ROAD RACING CHAMPIONSHIPS

Cheshire County Athletics Association in conjunction with Run Cheshire and Gogledd Cymru are organising the Cheshire County Virtual Road Racing Championships.

The online entry link is here.

STAYING FIT AND HEALTHY

The links below offer a range of advice on exercises we can all do while confined indoors.

MIND provides a series of workouts at the following link.

Joe Wicks has become a household name with his daily online morning workouts which can be found here.

Sport England is offering tips, advice and guidance on how to stay active around the home on this link.

Youth Sport Trust is providing healthy tips including a series of 60-second Challenges on this link.

Realbuzz has provided strength and conditioning exercises to help avoid injury.

MORE GREAT MEMORIES…

Yvonne Murray, Linford Christie and Mary Peters feature this week. Enjoy…

IT’S GOOD TO TALK

Members and parents are reminded to look at the following links for updates about the Club:

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

INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/westcheshireac/

MICHAEL YOUNG has finished runner-up in the Ultrarace Romania Lockdown event.

The West Cheshire Athletic Club member completed a 70km distance in four hours three minutes and 49 seconds at  5.36mph, behind eventual winner, Stefu Lucian Mihalta

He completed the six-stage fixture with split times of 34:24 (10km stage one), 41:30 (12km stage two), 37:53 (11km stage three), 72:11 (20km stage four), 31:06 (9km stage five), and 26:45 (8km stage six).

Young, who raised £2,000 for the National Health Service on his 33rd birthday earlier in the month after completing 69 miles in just under 12 hours on a treadmill at his home, is now focusing his sights on the GB Ultras Chester 100 miles Race scheduled to be held in November.

ENTRIES are still being accepted for the Cheshire County Virtual Road Race Championships. Further details can be found on this link.

THE popular Race The Train fixture at Tywyn, Mid-Wales, scheduled to be held on August 15 has been cancelled because of the Covid-19 crisis.

Runners who have already booked will have their entries and train ticket orders automatically transferred to 2021 and receive an e-mail from FR Systems giving further details. Any deferrals from the 2019 event will be valid for 2021. Entries will open soon for next year’s event which will be held on Saturday, August 21.

JON PARK has raised more than £3,000 for the National Health Service charities.

The West Cheshire Athletic Club member ran for 24 hours and covered 85 miles at the Old Hall Country Club, Huntington, Chester, over the weekend.

“Wow I am speechless,” Jon said. “I set out to raise £1,000 then increased it to £2,500. I thought that would be a struggle but to get over £3,000 has made the run all worth it.

“Thank you to everyone who sponsored me. There has been loads. Without your help I couldn’t have done it and I hope the amount raised will help. Still collecting but just wanted to update.

“Going to recover now and eat the world.”

Park had never ran so far before, but he posted two hours 38 minutes 20 seconds at the Valencia Marathon in December, just two months after clocking 2:46:41 at the Chester Marathon.

He added: “I decided to raise money for the NHS after gaining inspiration from other runners from West Cheshire AC. 

“With all the events this year being cancelled I wanted to put my training to good use. I decided to push myself and run for 24 hours to raise money for charity.

“The charity is NHS charities together. The NHS need all the support they can get, especially in this current climate and I hope what I raise will help.

“Old Hall Country Club gym kindly agreed for me to use their driveway and I was grateful for the one mile course that Old Hall Country Club marked out for me.”

Anyone still wanting to add towards the money raised by Jon can pledge contributions at this link.

ENTRIES are still being accepted for the Cheshire County Virtual Road Race Championships. Further details can be found on this link.

PLEASE PAY YOUR CLUB MEMBERSHIP

Please remember to renew your Club Membership to help support West Cheshire AC prepare for life after the lockdown when the Club is aiming to organise a Club Track & Field Championships in September and hopefully host the Cheshire Track & Field Championships if restrictions are lifted.

The link to the Club Membership payment page on the website is here:

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Many happy returns to the following Club members who celebrate their birthdays this week:

Christina Broome, Katie Clarke, Alex Byrne, Megan Kettle, Thomas Renondeau, Logan Evans, Sarah Hughes, Jenny Palmer, Laura White, Debra Erskine.

And Next Week: Scarlett Whittall, Teresa Arvidsson, Andrew Howarth, Abigail Hutton, Ellen McMahon, Daisy Ross-Maddock.

LATEST MESSAGE FROM ENGLAND ATHLETICS…

England Athletics CEO Chris Jones has provided a message for all club members which can be found here.

STAYING SAFE AND STAYING IN TOUCH

Hopefully you are continuing to stay fit, healthy and upbeat in these strange times. It’s so important to keep in touch, so please forward me your contributions for the Club Newsletter by email to: [email protected]

I hope you enjoy this latest weekly issue of the Club Newsletter which features news, work-outs, links to video clips, and a list of club members who are celebrating birthdays.

Remember that you can all play your part in communicating and sharing your thoughts and ideas during this lull in Club training and competition.

PLEASE SUPPORT JON PARK…

Club member Jon Park is more than a quarter of the way towards raising £1,000 for NHS Charities. Jon thanks everyone who has donated so far before he runs for 24 hours this Saturday, (May 16), starting at 10am.

To pledge a donation, please follow this link.

HEATHER McLINTOCK’S REHAB EXERCISES…

Club member and physio Heather McLintock has provided a webpage developed for athletes to access over the COVID period. The link contains video exercises which can be used to rehabilitate whilst you can’t visit her at the practice. The link is here.

HOME PENTATHLON UPDATE…

Teresa Arvidsson, Isabella Rimmer, and Thomas Rimmer have all completed the Home Pentathlon Challenge.

Teresa’s results after several weeks training were: 5x20m run: 28.2 seconds; Throw: 15 of 20; Speed bounce: 61; Vertical jump: 58; Standing long jump: 2.07m.

Isabella’s results: 5x20m run: 40.3 secs; Throw: 12 of 20; Speed bounce: 43; Vertical Jump: 30; Standing long jump: 2.05m.

Thomas’s results: 5x20m run: 40.1 secs; Throw: 12 of 20; Speed bounce: 42; Vertical Jump: 28; Standing long jump: 2.02m.

If you haven’t completed the Home Pentathlon yet, please give it a go and let me know how you get on. The link can be found here.

CATHRYN WOODALL’S WORK-OUT INVITE…

Club member and Farndon physio Cathryn Woodall has posted crab walk and squat video exercises on her Farndon physio Facebook page here.

Cathryn is also thinking of doing a Facebook live/Zoom video of a 20-30 minute exercise routine, if anyone is interested.

JASON OSWELL’S LOCKDOWN PHYSIOTHERAPY

Jason Oswell has been in touch to say he is doing Physiotherapy video consultations during lockdown. If anybody has any issues, he is prepared to provide a consultation to anybody from the club for £10. His email address is: [email protected]

HOME CHALLENGES WITH JENNY MEADOWS…

If you need something to brighten up your week, then the Jenny Meadows Weekly Challenge is just for you! Our friend, World and European medallist at 800m and coach Jenny Meadows, will be setting a special fun challenge each week, that you can do within your home. This week is a Speed Bounce Grid Challenge.

FUN EXERCISES WITH KADEENA COX…

Double Paralympic champion in cycling and athletics, Kadeena Cox takes you through seven exercises designed to help with some of the physical effects of multiple sclerosis.

It’s easy to set up and most of all very fun, featuring exercises called “crazy legs” and “broom hurdles”.

HELP AND SUPPORT

Anyone requiring help and support while self-isolating can contact the local council hotline number of 0300 123 7031.

This is a dedicated hotline number for those self-isolating and who don’t have anyone to help. A call to this number will provide help organising food or medicine deliveries, or some sort of social contact. The number for the most in need is 0300 123 7031. It is open Monday to Sunday (8am-7pm).

ALSO – Please feel free to ring me (Dennis) if you want a chat or need any help or support. My numbers are: 0151 201 1254 and 07968 643038.

UPDATED ONLINE ATHLETICS WEBINARS

In these unprecedented times, I wanted to draw the club’s attention to some of the great resources available online. England Athletics is expanding its campaign to support Athletics and Running for everyone @home, with a focus on ‘Running @home’ support and advice. The homepage can be accessed here:

There are many webinars, interviews and tips from top coaches and athletes on how to stay conditioned and focused.

In addition, there are some fantastic videos for 4-11 year olds on the Funetics webpage put together in conjunction with England Athletics. The videos demonstrate parents and children (aged 4-11) taking part in FUN activities based on fundamental core movement skills: running, jumping and throwing. Funetics is a programme that has been designed to reflect the requirements of the National Curriculum Key Stage 1 and 2. At this time when our children are currently schooling at home, we hope that these video activities will support the need for education to continue at home.  You can access the videos here.

The link to other updated webinars can be found here, here and here.

VIRTUAL CHESHIRE ROAD RACING CHAMPIONSHIPS

Cheshire County Athletics Association in conjunction with Run Cheshire and Gogledd Cymru are organising the Cheshire County Virtual Road Racing Championships.

As well managing and administrating the races, Run Cheshire and Gogledd Cymru are donating at least £300 from the entry fees to a charity to be determined by Cheshire County Athletics Association.

The competition will consist of three individual races over 5k, 5m and 10k and the races are now open. Runners have until Sunday, June 28 to register, run the distance and upload their results using Strava, Garmin, etc. The closing date to submit entries is midnight on Sunday, June 28. 

To take part, entrants must follow three steps: Register for the virtual race of their choice; Run the race in their own location taking careful note of social distancing advice (you can even download a printable number if wanting to look the part); and upload proof (full instructions on how to do this will be in a confirmation email).

The entry fee is £3.50 per person (plus booking fee). The winners of each race will have a hamper of goodies sent to them. The winners of veteran categories will receive a free entry into a Run Cheshire race of their choice in 2021.

All distances must start and finish more or less in the same place. If this is not possible then try to ensure the route is reasonably flat. 

Runners should ensure that they are adhering to social distancing laws at all times avoiding busy parks.

The races should be undertaken as part of an individual’s daily exercise allowance, and not addition to any other form of daily exercise

To be eligible for a prize all competitors must have been either: Born within the current Cheshire County boundaries (including Halton and Warrington); or have been resident within Cheshire for nine months prior to the date of competition.

The online entry link is here.

HELSBY FOUR VILLAGES HALF MARATHON UPDATE

Next year’s Essar Four Villages Half Marathon will hopefully take place on Sunday 17 January. However, the organisers will take guidance from UK Athletics and other authorities in the coming months whether this is possible. The organisers are also keeping a close eye on whether large mass participation running events such as the London Marathon and Great North Run go ahead in the autumn and any changes they put in place.

One option is to simplify the race to minimise the money needed to be spent in advance to enable plans to put the race on, but if a change of plans takes place at a late stage due to ongoing restrictions the organisers are not put in a difficult financial position. The race is organised by Helsby Running club and on a voluntary basis and there are considerable costs to putting on a safe and enjoyable race and some of these need to be committed well in advance.

The proposed idea is to put on a ‘Back to Basics’ race with minimal bling (no medals, no goody bag) but still with a great course and lots of community spirit. Any savings made would be donated to the two local hospices and the community groups, who like many are currently facing challenging times. This extra income will be very much needed. Runners will receive a token of recognition for completing the race.

Organisers are also considering to reduce the number of entries to keep costs down and put less pressure on the local community in terms of parking. Hopefully the race will be hosted from a new club house, which will be located not far from our existing site and means a slightly different start location for the race. The entry price will reflect any changes having to be made, making sure there is still great value and to provide support for charity and community partners.

Organisers plan to go-live about the race on 1st October.

STAYING FIT AND HEALTHY

The links below offer a range of advice on exercises we can all do while confined indoors.

MIND provides a series of workouts here.

Joe Wicks has become a household name with his daily online morning workouts which can be found here.

Sport England is offering tips, advice and guidance on how to stay active around the home on this link.

Youth Sport Trust is providing healthy tips including a series of 60-second Challenges on this link.

Realbuzz has provided strength and conditioning exercises to help avoid injury.

MORE GREAT MEMORIES…

Club member Steve King has got in touch to add his choice to this week’s list. It’s a race he loves from the Seoul Olympics and he thinks people would love to see. He remembers getting up at 3 o’clock in the morning to watch it and thinks it’s an all but forgotten performance from Mark Rowlands in a world class field. It still stands as the British record. Enjoy…

MULLER ANNIVERSARY GAMES CANCELLED

British Athletics confirmed on Tuesday this week the cancellation of the 2020 Muller Anniversary Games – Part of the Wanda Diamond League, scheduled for July 4-5 at the London Stadium.

The decision has been made in light of the ongoing global pandemic, with the safety of all athletes, coaches, volunteers, spectators and members of staff, at home in the UK and abroad, the upmost priority.

Joanna Coates, UK Athletics CEO, said: “We are hugely disappointed to confirm the cancellation of one of the flagship events of the global athletics calendar, but we must place the safety of the entire athletics family at the forefront of every decision we make during these unprecedented times and ensure we are following Government advice.

“Cancelling the event will have a significant financial impact on UKA and the wider sport. The revenue we generate from events – through ticketing, broadcast and sponsorship helps administer the sport and provide the essential governance services that we, as an NGB, oversee.

“We’re incredibly thankful to our commercial partners, some of which are continuing to support us during these tough times but there will be a substantial reduction in income from the cancellation of this event and this will have an impact moving forwards.”

Müller Anniversary Games ticket purchasers will receive an automatic refund via the method of payment originally used to buy tickets and will not need to do anything or make contact. However, given the extraordinary circumstances and high volumes placed on banks during these times, the refund process may take slightly longer than usual.

DIAMOND LEAGUE UPDATE

Organisers of the international athletics circuit on Tuesday attempted to salvage their coronavirus ravaged season with the announcement of the 2020 Diamond League programme.

The first of the meetings featuring 16 track and field events was scheduled to start in Qatar on 17 April. But the gathering in Doha was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic. It has been reset for 9 October.

After a modified event in Oslo on 11 June, athletes will congregate on 14 August in Monaco before moving onto Gateshead in north-eastern England.

Other European venues include Stockholm, Lausanne and Brussels before a switch of continents to take in venues in the United States and China.

The revamp has left casualties though. Rabat has been called off. And the events in July in London and Zurich in September have also been scrapped.

Joanna Coates, the head of UK Athletics, said the cancellation of the London Stadium’s two day would leave a big hole in the organisation’s coffers.

“The revenue we generate from events – through ticketing, broadcast and sponsorship – helps administer the sport and provide the essential governance services that we, as a national governing body oversee.

“We must place the safety of the entire athletics family at the forefront of every decision we make during these unprecedented times and ensure we are following government advice.”

The Zurich Weltklasse meeting had been due to provide the three-day culmination of the Diamond League season between 9 and 11 September.

“Despite the fact that the Swiss federal council has banned large events only until the end of August, staging the finals in their intended form is unrealistic,” the Zurich organisers said.

Despite the cancellations and reconfigurations, World Athletics boss, Sebastian Coe, hailed the efforts to stage competitions after the loss of the Olympic Games.

“I’m delighted that it now looks like we will be able to offer athletes a solid international season between August and October where they can earn prize money and assess their training progress in preparation for next year’s Olympic Games.

Coe, a former Olympic gold medallist, added: “Inevitably international travel restrictions will affect the ability of some athletes to attend some meetings, but we hope that there will be a wide enough range of meetings available for most elite athletes to access some competition before the end of the year.”

COMMONWEALTH YOUTH GAMES TO BE RE-SCHEDULED

The Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) Executive Board have decided to explore rescheduling options for the 2021 Commonwealth Youth Games. The seventh Commonwealth Youth Games were scheduled to take place ‪from 1-7 August 2021 after Trinidad and Tobago was awarded the competition by the CGF in June last year.

The impact of the pandemic on the global international sporting calendar means that the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics have now rescheduled to the summer of 2021 during the original dates of the Youth Games.

Following positive discussions, the CGF has agreed to consider the best alternative options and timeframes for staging the event in the future, potentially in 2023. The CGF has given the Trinidad and Tobago Commonwealth Games Association (TTCGA) consideration as the first option to host.  Honourable Shamfa Cudjoe, Minister of Sport and Youth Affairs in the Government of Trinidad and Tobago, has committed to asking the Cabinet to re-examine its position and provide the necessary confirmation regarding the hosting of the Commonwealth Youth Games and the related expenditure.

CGF President Dame Louise Martin said: “The rescheduling of the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics has also changed demands on scheduling and resources for many of our Commonwealth Games Associations (CGAs) and International Federations from 2020 to 2021. COVID-19 has had a devastating impact across the world and everyone’s absolute priority is the health and well-being of their communities. Our decision has been made in the best interests of athletes, fans and citizens that are to benefit from these transformational Games. We are committed over the coming months to look at future dates and hosting options, to ensure the right decision is taken for the Commonwealth Youth Games, so that the region can continue to play a leading role as part of the Commonwealth Sports Movement.”

IT’S GOOD TO TALK

Members and parents are reminded to look at the following links for updates about the Club:

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

INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/westcheshireac/

JON PARK is planning to put his best foot forward this Saturday to help the National Health Service.

The West Cheshire Athletic Club member has been inspired by other runners from his purple-vested club and is keen to raise money for the NHS.

“I’m planning on running for 24 hours at Old Hall Country Club. The club has a one mile loop that I’ve marked out and I will try and complete as many of them as I can in 24 hours,” Jon said.

“I’ll be starting at 10am on 16th May and be following all social distancing rules.

“All money raised will go to NHS charities and I’m trying to reach a target of £1,000. I know times are financially hard for a lot of us but if you have any spare money please donate to help the amazing work they are doing.

“A big thank you everyone who has sponsored me so far. You can follow my progress on my Facebook page or via my Instagram @parky_3084 leading up to and including the event.”

Anyone wanting to sponsor Jon can click on this link.

MEANWHILE, Cheshire County Athletics Association in conjunction with Run Cheshire and Gogledd Cymru are organising the Cheshire County Virtual Road Racing Championships.

As well managing and administrating the races, Run Cheshire and Gogledd Cymru are donating at least £300 from the entry fees to a charity to be determined by Cheshire County Athletics Association. 

The competition will consist of three individual races over 5k, 5m and 10k and the races are now open. Runners have until Sunday, June 28 to register, run the distance and upload their results using Strava, Garmin, etc. The closing date to submit entries is midnight on Sunday, June 28.  

To take part entrants must follow three steps: Register for the virtual race of their choice; Run the race in their own location taking careful note of social distancing advice (you can even download a printable number if wanting to look the part); and upload proof (full instructions on how to do this will be in a confirmation email).

The entry fee is £3.50 per person (plus booking fee). The winners of each race will have a hamper of goodies sent to them. The winners of veteran categories will receive a free entry into a Run Cheshire race of their choice in 2021. 

All distances must start and finish more or less in the same place. If this is not possible then try to ensure the route is reasonably flat.  

Runners should ensure that they are adhering to social distancing laws at all times avoiding busy parks.

The races should be undertaken as part of an individual’s daily exercise allowance, and not addition to any other form of daily exercise

To be eligible for a prize all competitors must have been either: Born within the current Cheshire County boundaries (including Halton and Warrington); or have been resident within Cheshire for nine months prior to the date of competition.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Many happy returns to the following Club members who celebrate their birthdays this week:

Charlie Hyde, Ethan Ackroyd, Lucy Ashcroft, Jane Barker, Ruby Carlile, Nolan Heller, Matthew Bailey, John Driscoll, Charlotte Blackstone, Jacob Clark, Sammy Hollins, John Parlevliet, Lorraine McFaul.

And Next Week: Christina Broome, Katie Clarke, Alex Byrne, Megan Kettle, Thomas Renondeau, Logan Evans, Sarah Hughes, Jenny Palmer, Laura White, Debra Erskine.

LATEST UPDATE – PLANNING FOR A RETURN…

England Athletics is working in partnership with British Athletics and the other Home Countries to provide guidance about how we potentially transition back to activity and maybe a shortened competition season.

The latest statement from England Athletics can be found here.

STAYING SAFE AND STAYING IN TOUCH

The lockdown has been tough for everyone, but hopefully you are all staying fit, healthy and upbeat in these strange times. It’s so important to keep in touch, so please forward me your contributions for the Club Newsletter by email to: [email protected]

I hope you enjoy this latest weekly issue of the Club Newsletter which features news, work-outs, links to video clips, and a list of club members who are celebrating birthdays.

Remember that you can all play your part in communicating and sharing your thoughts and ideas during this lull in Club training and competition.

CLUB MEMBERSHIP

Please remember to renew your Club Membership to help support West Cheshire AC prepare for life after the lockdown when the Club is aiming to organise a Club Track & Field Championships in September and hopefully host the Cheshire Track & Field Championships if restrictions are lifted.

The link to the Club Membership payment page on the website is here:

HAVE YOUR SAY ON PLAYING FIELD PLANS

A club member has flagged up a controversial planning application by Chester Catholic High School to prevent public access to the vast majority of one of the widest open field areas in Chester. The Overleigh playing fields have been home to several cross-country races, including schools, Liverpool and District League and the Northern Women’s championships, as well as perhaps the only 400m (grass) track in Chester. It has also been included in some of the club’s summer training sessions.

The proposed fencing covers an area from the existing fenced-in part, near Catholic High and Overleigh schools, all the way up to the top of the field, where it meets the track off Eaton Road. More details can be found here.

If you have a strong opinion either way – and are a resident of the Cheshire West and Chester area – please comment via the CWaC planning webpages here.

HEATHER McLINTOCK’S REHAB EXERCISES…

Club member and physio Heather McLintock has provided a webpage developed for athletes to access over the COVID period. The link contains video exercises which can be used to rehabilitate whilst you can’t visit her at the practice. The link is here.

CONGRATULATIONS TO MICHAEL YOUNG!

Club member Michael Young has raised more than £1,700 for the National Health Service on his 33rd birthday, running 69 miles on a treadmill and was delighted to pass the fundraising target he had set.

“Finished in just under 12 hours. Thanks for all the support everyone!” Michael said. “We’ve done brilliantly. Passed the fundraising target and raised over £1.5k. Thank you so much for all the donations. Further ones welcome at: www.justgiving.com/theultrabear

PLEASE SUPPORT JON PARK…

Club member Jon Park is more than a quarter of the way towards raising £1,000 for NHS Charities. Jon thanks everyone who has donated so far before he runs for 24 hours on May 16, starting at 10am.

To pledge a donation, please follow this link.

CATHRYN WOODALL’S WORK-OUT INVITATION…

Club member and Farndon physio Cathryn Woodall has posted lunge, bridge, crab walk and squat video exercises on her Farndon physio Facebook page here.

JASON OSWELL’S LOCKDOWN PHYSIOTHERAPY 

Jason Oswell has been in touch to say he is doing Physiotherapy video consultations during lockdown. If anybody has any issues, he is prepared to provide a consultation to anybody from the club for £10. His email address is: [email protected]

GARDEN POLE VAULTING…

Champion pole vaulters Renaud Lavillenie, Mondo Duplantis and Sam Kendricks took part in an online challenge from their gardens.

HOME CHALLENGES WITH JENNY MEADOWS…

If you need something to brighten up your week, then the Jenny Meadows Weekly Challenge is just for you! Our friend, World and European medallist at 800m and coach Jenny Meadows, will be setting a special fun challenge each week, that you can do within your home. This week is an Agility, Balance and Co-Ordination Challenge.

HELP AND SUPPORT

Anyone requiring help and support while self-isolating can contact the local council hotline number of 0300 123 7031.

This is a dedicated hotline number for those self-isolating and who don’t have anyone to help. A call to this number will provide help organising food or medicine deliveries, or some sort of social contact. The number for the most in need is 0300 123 7031. It is open Monday to Sunday (8am-7pm).

ALSO – Please feel free to ring me (Dennis) if you want a chat or need any help or support. My numbers are: 0151 201 1254 and 07968 643038.

UPDATED ONLINE ATHLETICS WEBINARS

In these unprecedented times, I wanted to draw the club’s attention to some of the great resources available online. England Athletics is expanding its campaign to support Athletics and Running for everyone @home, with a focus on ‘Running @home’ support and advice. The homepage can be accessed here.

There are many webinars, interviews and tips from top coaches and athletes on how to stay conditioned and focused.

In addition, there are some fantastic videos for 4-11 year olds on the Funetics webpage put together in conjunction with England Athletics. The videos demonstrate parents and children (aged 4-11) taking part in FUN activities based on fundamental core movement skills: running, jumping and throwing. Funetics is a programme that has been designed to reflect the requirements of the National Curriculum Key Stage 1 and 2. At this time when our children are currently schooling at home, we hope that these video activities will support the need for education to continue at home.  You can access the videos here.

The link to other updated webinars can be found here, here and here.

STAYING FIT AND HEALTHY

The links below offer a range of advice on exercises we can all do while confined indoors.

MIND provides a series of workouts here. 

Joe Wicks has become a household name with his daily online morning workouts which can be found here.

Sport England is offering tips, advice and guidance on how to stay active around the home on this link.

Youth Sport Trust is providing healthy tips including a series of 60-second Challenges on this link.

Realbuzz has provided seven household items you never knew you could workout with.

MORE GREAT MEMORIES…

Here are my latest clips to bring a smile back to your faces. Enjoy!

OSLO’S IMPOSSIBLE GAMES

Athletics action is set to return to Oslo in June but in a different format, with organisers of the traditional Diamond League meeting having announced the ‘Impossible Games’. The coronavirus pandemic has so far affected the first eight events in the 15-meet Diamond League series, with the postponement of the Eugene (June 7) and Paris (June 13) events confirmed. On that day, the Bislett Alliance announced plans to host an alternative athletics competition under Norwegian coronavirus regulations on June 11 – the original date of this year’s Oslo Diamond League meeting.

The behind-closed-doors concept at the Bislett Stadium is set to feature a world record attempt by KARSTEN WARHOLM as the world 400m hurdles champion targets the 300m hurdles mark of 34.48, while Sweden’s world record-holder MONDO DUPLANTIS will face Norwegian SONDRE GUTTORNSEN in a pole vault duel at Bislett, but they will also compete against former world record-holder RENAUD LAVILLENIE, who will vault against them in his own garden in France. Other plans are for KAROLINE BJERKELI GROVDAL to take on a solo attempt at GRETE WAITZ’S Norwegian 3000m record of 8:31.75, aided by wavelight technology, and for a 200m hurdles head-to-head to take place between 400m hurdles and 100m hurdles specialists AMALIE LUEL and ISABELLE PEDERSON.

Meeting director STEINAR HOEN is also said to have had “positive dialogue” with Norway’s INGEBRIGTSEN athletes, but those events are yet to be decided and the programme is subject to changes. “Unfortunately, the rules on infection control make it impossible for us to have an audience in the stadium,” HOEN said, with an hour-long TV broadcast planned. “Together with (Norwegian broadcasting company) NRK we will do our best to make a meeting for the athletes and a great TV show for the fans.”

World Athletics president and chair of the Diamond League Board, SEBASTIAN COE, said: “This is really positive news for athletes and fans, and promises, even in this early stage, to be another great night of athletics from the Bislett Stadium.

“Congratulations to the Oslo Bislett Games for dreaming this up and following it through, working within the pandemic guidelines set out in Norway.” Organisers added that no athletes will fly into Oslo for the event, but electric cars will be used to transport athletes from the Swedish border.

IT’S GOOD TO TALK

Members and parents are reminded to look at the following links for updates about the Club:

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

INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/westcheshireac/

WEST CHESHIRE ATHLETIC CLUB has contributed towards Upton High School’s work to help key National Health Service workers.

The Chester and Ellesmere Port organisation has made a donation to the school following the cancellation of last month’s scheduled Chester Spring Five Miles Road Race.

The Club asked entrants after the race cancellation if they wanted to decline their partial refund in order to support club funds and provide a donation to Upton High School funds.

The Club was delighted that a large proportion of entrants declined the refund and the Club was able to offer a donation to Upton High School.

Club race director, Ellie Robinson, said: “I’ve just had a very grateful email from the head teacher. Their design and technology department is currently working to fabricate much needed face visors for key NHS workers. They will be putting our donation towards buying more materials for that.”

MEANWHILE, West Cheshire AC member, Michael Young, has raised more than £1,700 for the National Health Service on his 33rd birthday.

Michael ran 69 miles on a treadmill and was delighted to pass the fundraising target he had set.

“Finished in just under 12 hours. Thanks for all the support everyone!” Michael said.

“We’ve done brilliantly. Passed the fundraising target and raised over £1.5k.

“Thank you so much for all the donations. Further ones welcome at: www.justgiving.com/theultrabear

“This national campaign, endorsed by NHS England, acknowledges and supports all NHS staff and volunteers who are looking after those affected by coronavirus. In these difficult times, it gives us all as individuals, groups and organisations the chance to show we care and to make a difference.

“Funds generated will be granted to member NHS Charities supporting the health and emotional well-being of those at the frontl-ine of the NHS, so they can deliver the best care possible to coronavirus patients.

“The grants will cover above and beyond what the NHS alone can provide, such as well-being packs, accommodation, travel, parking and volunteer expenses. Supporting the longer term mental and rehabilitation of NHS staff, volunteers, patients and carers after the pandemic is over. Supporting NHS patients to leave hospital quickly and safely and to remain or stay out of hospital.”

ENTRIES are now open for the 2021 Chester Ultra Marathon being held from Waverton Village Hall, on Saturday, February 27. The 50 miles race will start at 6am and entry details can be found at: http://www.gbultras.com/#