THE VIEW THROUGH MY OLD EYES

Just where is the year going to; one minute I am writing about cross country and the next it is about the Wesham 10K? OK it’s not till November but the work towards it has started already.

It is sad to think that quite a lot of members will not get a copy of this magazine because they have, as yet, not paid their subs and, as we do not know of there intentions, we cannot just throw money away by producing magazines that are expensive to both produce and distribute. So, as I warned in the March Edition, those individuals will not receive a June Edition.

Whilst on the subject of money there has been a lot of comments recently about how ‘well off’ the club is financially which I always thought was a good thing for any club. However, some people are of the opinion that we should use it now. Several ideas have been banded around on what to spend it on. However, as Chairman, I have tried to have a cooling off period and use the next few months to monitor what we would spend; if we supported the many team events that Wesham get involved in, which requires the use of transport going the considerable distance, which the club have subsidised but will now pay in full for. I have also given some thought to our 25^th Anniversary which is due shortly. This I believe is a sensible way of proceeding and I promise you that any proposed expenditure, that is perhaps a luxury, will be subject to your consultation as members before it is decided on.

In my last magazine article I explained about the butties at Inter Club races and, as you will be aware, some clubs have decided to go along with the non-provision of butties. However, one of them has supplied biscuits at the finish which was well received by the actual runners. I am proposing that, at our race, we provide fruit at the finish but no butties which means we do not have the problems of getting permission off the establishments to take food in to their premises and it is much simpler to manage. We will again provide a water station at the finish, so now every runner has the opportunity to be fed and watered before going home or to the after race social. Whilst on the subject, please remember we will need marshals for the race on the 16^th July so contact Dave Young or me if you are available.

I cannot leave this subject without mentioning the terrific performances being put in by our lady members, which has been uplifting for all of us seeing the improvement, not only being kept going from last year, but being surpassed. I am certain that the number one spot is possible in the very near future. Congratulations and well done to all the ladies. As you know it’s not just the first five that matter, so come on, get to the races - you are all members of the team on the night.

So what else is going on over the next few months? Well we have a “Hash Race” on the 13^th July and details will be available from Alan Glasgow or me as well as on the website and, for those of you with a good memory, this was an excellent evening’s entertainment in the past. Knowing Alan, it will be another great night out this time. In August we have two popular events; firstly, on the 3^rd, is the Three Person Relays held on the bridlepath around Herons Reach which involves each team runner doing a 2.8 mile run. All good fun and, at the presentation afterwards at Blackpool Fire Station, there are no losers as those who have been before will tell you. Then, on the 13th, I propose to hold the Predictor Race which hopefully you will all try your best to have a go at. For any newcomers this is a run over a secret course, (you are told 10 minutes before where you are running and the distance), and all you do is guess how long it will take you to do it. Some of ‘my superb prizes’ for the winners will be presented on the night. Moving into September there is our Birthday Party Race and meal again at the Garden Restaurant and details of this will be made available well in advance of the day but it is a ‘first come, first served’ with only 60 places available at the meal. However, there is no limit on runners for the race before it.

I do hope you are all taking advantage of the club’s inaugural Fell Running Championship races. They are, for the uninitiated, a different way to enjoy your running and for pleasure and camaraderie they are unsurpassed. Details are available from the championship’s director Lee Barlow or via the website. Both the Club Championship and the Age Related Championship have been affected by the demise of the Skipton Tough 10 but it has been replaced by the Wagon and Horses 10 miler in both championships.

Back to the serious stuff about the clubs affiliation to the “England Athletics”: as most of you know this new group has been controversial since its inception mainly because of its pricing structure and the fact that it appears to be giving us nothing more than we got from the previous regime and, in most cases, possibly less. As the days go by there are still more doubts about just exactly what they will give to the grass roots of the sport which are the likes of you and me. The alternative, on reflection and after long consideration by your committee, was not acceptable for several reasons which I do not intend to go into as there is no short way to explain it except to say the unanimous verdict was to reject it and join England Athletics. We have, as yet, not sent the paperwork nor the affiliation fee as the closing date is as late as October. In the meantime there is a lot of paperwork, (computerised data input), and this is very much reliant on members paying there subs. Can I just explain that there will be officially two types of individual member: one who is given free entry and one who pays the £3 levy, (£5 next year). Obviously the free member will not be expected to pay the current levy included in the Wesham membership fee.

So how do we differentiate? This is down to you in a way. To explain: England Athletics will issue all members with a card/number, but those who pay will receive a second card/number and this will be for use when entering races. Simple, but do you think that a local race organiser is going to reject your entry just because you do not put the number on? I doubt it. However, the problem comes when that race organiser sends in his permit return which has to show separately the number of unattached runners who took part, (this is so that England Athletics can get those £2 levies off the organiser), and they may demand a list of entries, (which they do now), but showing the number allocated to those who paid for the second card mentioned above. If that number is not there then they may choose to class that runner as unattached and demand the race organiser pays them £2 for each one. Lots of ‘ifs’ and ‘buts’ but you will have to make the choice of the level of membership you wish to have bearing in mind that you have already paid it this year and it will be next year when you can decide whether to pay it or not.

I am already feeling sorry for the race organisers, of which I am one, because I personally think that ‘red tape’ is going to be another nail in the coffin of road races and, believe it or not, that is when the alternative to England Athletics may be the most viable option. So watch this space - there’s a lot of water to run under the bridge before this saga comes to a final end.

One area that has not changed is the unaffiliated runner. He can still enter every race for £2 extra and, in some cases, not having to pay even that, as organisers find ways of not having to get a permit from the UK Athletics, (shortly to become England Athletics). So, one idea I played around with is, why not offer every unattached runner an entry to a club i.e. Wesham at £10 per year. They would then enter all races as a member of that club. The only thing the club would do is send their details and £5 to the affiliating body who send that individual their cards. The individual would have no rights within that club unless he decided, at a later date, to pay the appropriate fees to join as a full member.

Where did I get that idea from? Well it was on the initial manifesto sent by England Athletics who were obviously thinking it was an easy way to make money and show a massive increase in the numbers on their books. What do you think we should do? To my mind there is nothing to lose and a lot to gain. However, some people think differently but I would like you to tell me what you think - whether you are ‘for it’ or ‘against it’. It is not going to happen tomorrow, so do not panic, but please discuss it with me or amongst yourselves.

Lastly it would be remiss of me not to mention the tragic death of Dave Clarke, who for the few who may not know him, was the guy who did the results at so many races, including the Wesham 10K. Many of us would class Dave as a friend, a colleague and, in short, a lovely man who deserved all the accolades he got. He will be someone whose memory I will long cherish if only because of the quiet peace he created amongst all the chaos of the actual race day.

I always try to finish by wishing well all those of you with the inevitable long term injury which prevents you from participating in running. For once the news is good, with most of those previously out now back, or very nearly back. Just one casualty, who will, unfortunately, not be back due to wear and tear that cannot be repaired and that’s Dave Hylands. So, if you spot him around, and I am sure he will be, wish him well. He is still one of us in his heart. I also heard very recently that Peter Aldersley has had an accident on his bike but other than a few bits of broken bones he is going to be OK. Another sad piece of news is the retirement of John Baldwin from his post as a technical official/timekeeper. This is mainly due to failing eyesight. He will be missed by many within the athletics fraternity but he remains a ‘Life Member’ of our club which he helped form almost 25 years ago. For the rest of you who may be injured or under the weather, get better soon and we look forward to seeing you all back at the club sooner rather than later.

I cannot finish off without letting you all know that Alan “Pieman” Taylor has departed our shores and is probably right now starting a new running club in AUSTRALIA. We did wish him well and made sure he got a good send off. Bon Voyage mate, we look forward to the next time we see you.

Written by: Dave Waywell

Submitted: 3^rd June 2007

Edited by: Brenda J Earnshaw