Mornington Chasers Newsletter
1 February 2015
Mornington Chasers Newsletter - 1 February 2015
In this newsletter:
* News
* MEMBERSHIP FEES NOW DUE (http://chaser.me.uk/joining.shtml)
* Welsh Castles - registering interest, URGENT RESPONSE NEEDED
* PUB NIGHT
* The final Met League cross country race in the series, Saturday 7 February at Wormwood Scrubs
* National XC Championships
* Team captains
* Weekly diary: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday
* Triathlon England London League dates
* Track racing
* Survey results
* Race results
NEWS
Weather-wise it's been a tough weekend for training and racing unless you're a penguin or taking part in indoor track events. However, there's been plenty to keep the new committee busy since the AGM last Monday evening. In super-quick time, John Armstrong has done a fantastic job updating our website and online subs renewal - brilliant!
After seven years as club chair, Sarah Mayne stood down at the AGM last week - all members are hugely grateful for the enormous amount of work she has put into the club and her contribution will be greatly missed. The next chair was not decided at the AGM but it is expected that Avril Riddell will be elected at the committee meeting 23 February 2015. As an experienced runner at all distances, coach and long-term member of the club, Avril will be a huge asset to the club in her new position.
MEMBERSHIP FEES NOW DUE
If you've not yet paid your subs for 2015, please do so now online through the new easy system http://chaser.me.uk/joining.shtml
Membership runs to 31 December 2015. And if you need a reminder of all the many benefits your membership brings check out the rest of our website.
Thank you!
WELSH CASTLES - REGISTER YOUR INTEREST!
The Welsh Castles Relay... it's awesome. Weekend of 6/7 June.
http://www.lescroupiersrunningclub.org.uk/
A 20 stage relay race covering the length of Wales (and as the name suggests, seeing a few castles) starting in Caernarfon and finishing in Cardiff. There are 10 stages on Saturday and 10 on Sunday with staggered starts. The team hurtle through Wales ensuring runners are dropped off at their designated stages, picked up and cheered like the heroes they are on the way. It's a truly amazing experience with ridiculous scenery. Entries close in early March so we need to get moving on this quickly if people are interested. Given the short amount of time to get this together Dan needs to know if there's sufficient interest. We need a team of 20 ideally with a couple of reserves, to include 10 drivers and a handful of people willing to run a "mountain stage". Interested? Contact Dan, text/call 07931163585, email (uk.kyrus@gmail.com) and let him know if you can run up mountains (or are willing to give it a crack) and/or are OK to drive. Cost-wise the club contributes significantly to this event with each participant two years ago paying £65.00. This is purely a guide but includes travel, breakfast and snacks, campsite for two nights - lunch and dinner are separate.
PUB NIGHT
It's the first pub night of the year on Tuesday. See you all at Tapping the Admiral after the runs.
MET LEAGUE XC, Saturday 7 February
The last race in the Met League XC series is at Wormwood Scrubs. It would be great to see a multitude of Mornington Chaser vests racing around the flat-ish, exceedingly muddy unique location at the back of the prison. No need to pre-register, just turn up on the day with your vest and spikes.
Senior Women 6K - 1355 start
Senior Men 8K - 1435 start
For details about the course and how to get there: www.metleague.co.uk
NATIONAL CROSS COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS, Parliament Hill, 21 February
Pre-registration is required for this spectacular event. If you missed out on signing up at the end of 2014, please come and cheer your club-mates as they race around the hills and swamps of Hampstead Heath.
TEAM CAPTAINS
Following the AGM, a huge thank you to Mairead, Ian and Steve who are stepping down and to Anna who is staying:
Women's team captains - Anna Waterman and Hannah McQuarrie
Men's team captains - John Armstrong and Seb Rule
Other committee positions and roles in the next newsletter!
WEEKLY DIARY
Tuesdays
Meet at Talacre Mezzanine Level at 1900 for briefing and 1915 departure
Choice of group runs from 5 to 8.5 miles at various speeds
Coached session - details announced in the briefing at 1900, suitable for all abilities
The last Tuesday of the month is usually coached by Avril, is suitable for all levels and geared to seasonal races and distances
Once a month it is planned to have a mile time-trial round the inner-circle at Regent's Park - a good way to map your progress
All sessions are followed by tea, soft-drinks and biscuits at Talacre (please volunteer at least once a year to provide this vital service - details of the very simple duties are on the website)
First Tuesday of the month - pub night
Wednesdays
Yoga - subsidised yoga class, 1900 to 2000 at Talacre. Led by runner and yoga teacher Amy, yoga is the perfect way to complement your running. £5 for members and £8.00 for non-members. Sign-up at http://goo.gl/4b3cLl
Thursdays
Coached sessions run by Tom Craggs designed for members at all levels. Tom usually provides two programmes, one for endurance running (10K and upwards) and the other for middle-distance (800-5000m). Over the next few weeks, sessions alternate between hills and track.
5 February, hills; 12 February, track.
Sundays
Long run day - these runs are generally for members who can run a minimum of 10 miles non-stop. Except when there are Summer League races taking place, runs from Talacre on Sunday mornings usually start at 0900. Please check our Facebook page for up-to-the-minute info as times do vary.
TRIATHLON DATES
Triathlon England London League
We are one of the participating clubs in the Triathlon England London League. Each person pays their own entry fee into individual races and there are 10 in the series. Everyone who enters can have an effect on the team results and there are also prizes for individual performances. Each race is different with a mix of pools and open water swimming, cycling on roads and closed circuits and running on and off road. And, of course, there are always fabulous cakes!
The events and dates that form the London League 2015 are:
Event 1: Thames Turbo Triathlon, 6 April
Event 2: Kingfisher Aquathon, 19 April
Event 3: Ful-on-Duathlon, 26 April
Event 4: Crystal Palace Sprint Triathlon, 10 May
Event 5: Clash of the Tritons Aquathon, 7 June
Event 6: Jetstream Open Water Sprint Triathlon, 14 June
Event 7: Windrush Aquathon, 28 June
Event 8: Capital Tri Aquathon, 6 September
Event 9: London Fields Aquathon, 4 October
Event 10: Jekyll & Hyde Park Duathlon, 25 October
Races usually sell out quickly, so if you're interested please book when you can and include that you are a member of Mornington Chasers. For full details and how to enter links visit www.triathlonengland.org/london
Triathlon at Mornington Chasers is in its infancy but increasingly members are enjoying the benefits that cross-training can bring; we hope to develop this further in 2015. If you would like to know more or have experience you would like to share, please contact Andrea Sanders-Reece (andsand795@hotmail.com).
TRACK RACING
Many congratulations to Adrian Cathersides on racing his first 800m in the splendid Lee Valley Athletics Indoor Track to a packed audience today, 1 February. Track is becoming increasingly popular although as yet we do not participate in any of the track leagues. However, if you are interested in track racing please let us know as, if we have sufficient interest, we can look at developing a team.
There are also a number of open events throughout the year across London - the standard is really mixed and the races graded so you are with runners of a similar speed not age!
Lee Valley Indoor Athletics Centre are running a Middle Distance Evening (800 and 1500) Wednesday 18 February and it costs £6 per race. www.visitleevalley.org.uk/athletics
SURVEY RESULTS
Thank you to everyone who completed the club survey last year. It's been really helpful getting all of your feedback, in particular your ideas for improving the club.
Based on your responses, below are actions already planned:
Learn the route nights - an opportunity to learn the two winter routes: Madame Tussauds and Highgate Hill. Look out for these soon
A new improved Chaser website just launched in January with online membership renewal etc
Opportunity to gain the England Athletics Leadership in Running Fitness qualification. The club pays the cost of the course and in return we ask members to commit to leading at least 6 runs after completion. If interested please contact Hannah McQuarrie
Captains to ensure prompt departure 1915 from Talacre on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
RACE RESULTS
Sunday 1 February 2014
Watford Half Marathon
Stefan Lichtenthaeler 1:31:39
Fiona Russell 1:32:47
David Nelson 1:37:11
Nicholas Dunwell 1:41:39
Nicola Heron 1:44:26
Camilla Ray 1:45:56
Ali How 1:46:24
Rafaele Lamour 1:56:44
Paul Mazonowicz 2:09:42
To include your results in the newsletter, please email Andrea (andsand795@hotmail.com) with the details. A one sentence, sound-bite, summary of what you thought of the race and if you would recommend it to others would be great too.
Mornington Chasers Regent's Park 10k (chip times)
Nicola Carniatto 40:09
Georg Isola 40:54
Andrea Sanders-Reece 47:57
Paul Matthews 52:16
Michael Teixeira 53:25
Robert Wade 55:28
Philip West 58:31
The Newsletter is planned to evolve over the next few weeks to ensure it brings you relevant up to date info about the club, events and member activities.
