chairman’s report

THE VIEW THROUGH MY OLD EYES

2010 is with us and, as always, I can only hope that it is a good and healthy one for you and all your loved ones. Looking back on 2009 there will always be both sad and happy memories but perhaps the death of Dave Johnson is the one part of it that none of us will find easy to forget nor the circumstances of that tragic day. I still do find myself thinking about him every time I go to cross a road with fast moving traffic on it but, most importantly, I always stop and look twice before attempting to cross, and I hope that you all do too. So let there be a lesson leant here before there is another tragic loss of life.

So moving on, by the time you have received this wonderful magazine the clubs AGM will be long gone and any dust stirred up should have settled. There are no real problems that I am aware of this year; some long overdue alterations to the constitution will hopefully have been rubber stamped and life can carry on as normal once more.

Whilst on about the constitution it is my intention to gather the members feelings over the next few months regarding the 2^nd claim members status. Prior to the present conditions appertaining to them, a 2^nd claim member used to be able to come along to the club and enjoy sharing in our training, handicaps and social evenings for a minimal annual cost and many from the local clubs took this up readily and friendship between the clubs was greatly enhanced. Following an AGM decision the present situation is that 2^nd claim members now pay the same as full members, minus the £5 England Athletics Affiliation fee. They are now of course included in all the internal club championships and competitions and can, if good enough, win the shields, trophies and prizes. We have very few 2^nd claim members now, possibly because of the cost (£15), but more relevant is the inability of many of the organisers to ensure that the records of results, miles run or times done by them is actually sought out and recorded. Now I am not saying this is a deliberate act, as in most cases some of the organisers do not realise they are meant to do it and the other thing is that with many of the results now able to be electronically sorted into a club list 2^nd claim members do not show up. What I am coming round to is that I would dearly love to see our constitution changed at the 2011 AGM and made far friendlier toward 2^nd claim members so it is your opinions I seek over the next year before I go ahead with the resolution for change.

It is my privilege to congratulate you all on the efforts you put in to ensure the club’s flagship 10k was an outstanding success, helped to some extent by the weather which remained quite placid throughout the necessary 24 hour period but the fact that you dealt with the largest turnout we have had in the history of the event is something you should be proud of.

The race was of course followed by our own Presentation and Dinner Dance and again I am sure you will all join me in congratulating Derek Goodenough and Celia Gregory, his partner, for all their work and due diligence in the organisation of this prestigious event. I can tell you that they have started the ball rolling already by booking the “North Euston Hotel” at Fleetwood for this years “Do” on Saturday November 27^th.

You know it would not be the same if we didn’t have an enforced break in our Winter Handicap series and yes it as happened again this year but with a triple whammy. The race in question is the January 2010 one which should have taken place on Monday the 4^th. Unfortunately one of our top brains read his diary and saw the 4^th was a Bank Holiday and assumed the school would be closed so no handicap was arranged for that night. The only mistake was it was a Scottish bank holiday so the school was open but as it happens the snow had come and so the handicap would still have been cancelled. Then it was arranged for the 11^th but on that night conditions were even worse so it was called off again. However conditions were bad, that the school had closed at 13:30hrs and on our arrival that night for the usual club meeting the school was locked up and we couldn’t have had it on that night anyway. Hence the January Handicap has been abandoned. But we had better luck with the February Handicap.

Now moving on to the Cross Country. Well it has survived thus far, albeit two of them have been on ice covered courses, which does add to the excitement and gives all our photographers the opportunity to get some stunning and gloriously picturesque snaps. As this publication comes out, we are in the last few weeks of this quite short season and sadly, as I write, Wesham are struggling on many fronts to maintain their league and championship prowess. However just leave it to the girls, they will show you how it is done as our FV35 team fly the flag with some wonderful performances and I look forward to seeing more in the remaining races.

Right, let’s deal with what is going to be a very crowded year for races that we are involved in. I’ll start with those that we are organising. The first one is the Ultrafit St. Anne’s 10 Miler on Sunday 21^st March starting at 11am. This year it incorporates the Northern Vets Championship where we could excel in the team competition. Entry fee is reduced by £1 for those who are second claim members to NVAC. So if you have been toying with the idea of joining, now is a good time to do it, for more than one reason as you will find out as you read further into this article. Should you want an entry form for the Northern Vets please see or contact either myself or Alex Rowe by phone, email or at club meeting nights. The race is also a Central Lancashire GP race so even more reason to turn up and run it, and do not forget, if you are entering on the day you do not have to pay the additional levy. To claim your deduction, tell the entries desk attendant that you are in the Grand Prix.

Please note that I will need up to 30 plus marshals on the day and as a thank you for helping out you get a goody bag and the club will benefit by receiving 50% of the profit from the race, which last year equated to £500, so “yes” it is worthwhile coming and helping both for yourself and for your club.

I might as well go in date order, so next up is another potentially big money earner for the club. Remember it is the marshals/helpers that will earn us the money. The races are the Cuerden (Badger) 10k trails which are on Thursdays 3^rd June, 1^st July and 5^th August. They all start at 7.30pm and last runner to finish is usually about 8.45pm. We will need about 10 marshals on each of these nights and the rewards are that the club should potentially receive in the region of £500 per race so again, “yes” it is worth the effort. So when we start asking, get your name down for one or more of the nights, or perhaps some member(s) of your family can help out while you run the race.

The 6^th June sees the first running of the Northern Vets 10k Championship race in Blackpool. This is a closed event for Northern Vets members (1^st and 2^nd claim) so again a good reason to join Northern Vets AC. The course is run on the paths at Bispham with race HQ at Bispham Fire Station. Again some help would be appreciated if anyone is available and the race starts at 11.00am.

On the 9^th July it’s back to the Blackpool Zoo area for the ever popular and now outrageous Round the Park Relays. This three person relay race is organised to give the runners a race that they can either blast round at record breaking speed or chill out and enjoy a run hopefully as the sun is falling toward the sea and it is a warm balmy barbeque evening. The organisers aim is to ensure everyone has a nice evening and usually goes away with a super prize, often one that is past it’s sell by date but that’s what helps to generate a great atmosphere. So what’s the outrageous bit, well some of the team names leave a lot to be desired. Last year one set of fancy dress gained its wearers the “Transvestite of the Year” award.

The Wesham Interclub this year is on Monday 19^th July starting at 7.30pm in the ex Springfields Social Club car park. This again will need all the energy and enthusiasm you can muster to prepare the area for the race during the afternoon and early evening. It is all hands to the pumps and please don’t just turn up 15 minutes before the race looking smug, there will probably be jobs still to do. Maybe you can help after the race, in other words, ask if we need help. Please do not have to be asked. What I am saying is that this is a team effort and the more of you who volunteer the less work others have to do. It is the only race when we make nothing but good friends. It is important that we set an example to the other clubs and prove we really are the “Friendly Club”. You can tell me or Keith Rhead at anytime whether you are available and what time and we will note it and allocate you a task which as you can imagine makes our own lives that little bit less stressful.

Just to help you fill in the blanks in your diaries: the Wesham Birthday race is programmed for the 23^rd August and the Predictor Race the 28^th June but at present these are both proposed dates and events.

A full programme, and if you take into account the Wrinkly Wruns, Interclub races, Club Championship Road Races, Age Related races, Fell races and this year for the first time, the Central Lancashire GP races, you start to realise that we are a racing club and on many occasions a successful one.

That leads me on to the unfortunate few who have had their running days severely restricted by illness and top of my list is John Keohane who, after returning home from a short break at his apartment in Tenerife, felt some discomfort. I will not try to be clever and give you the medical terminology, but it was similar to deep vein thrombosis problem, which occurs during long haul flights. He is now on several forms of treatment/medicine to counter this, which appear to be working but he is not expecting to be able to run for some considerable time. So perhaps you can spare a moments thought for him and Norma. I am sure, like me, you will look forward to his full recovery and return to the fold. Another one who is out for a while is Dave Jones who last year got the most improved male athlete award and then the dreaded rupture stopped him in his prime. There is a light at the end of the tunnel as he goes under the surgeon’s knife shortly. However, all credit to Dave, he has been down to the club regularly and helped out both there and at the races. Our best wishes to him to and looking forward to him picking up were he left off. One or two of our stalwarts have also been struggling of late like Derek Buckley and Barry Peatfield who hopefully are on the comeback trail like Jennie Thompson. I mentioned Jennie because some of you may have seen that she did finish the Wesham 10K this year to keep up the magnificent record of having run in every one since its inception. What made this year more remarkable was that she was still having to use a walking stick less than 6 weeks before the race but her grit and determination shone through like a beacon in the night. Well done Jenny and we look forward to seeing you complete the 25^th race this year. I have to mention two people who have come to my attention and are going to need a lot of our thoughts in the next few days, weeks or months. They are Yvonne Russell, who only just rejoined the club after a year of niggling injuries, and has now sadly been involved in a serious road traffic accident. She suffered serious head injuries whilst her boyfriend, another passenger in the car, had two broken legs and a broken arm. We can only hope and pray they make good progress as they recover. The other person I have to mention is Pauline Weller who is now starting treatment, following an operation, to help in her fight against cancer and we must again hope and pray for a successful outcome.

So as usual to those mentioned and those I may have missed, our thoughts and wishes are for a speedy recovery, and we look forward to seeing you all again this year.

My final subject in this article is to thank you all on behalf of Kath and I for the gifts presented to us at the dinner dance this year. It was a lovely surprise for us both and one we will both treasure for years to come so can we once more sincerely thank you all for your kind thoughts and efforts they are very much appreciated.

Written by: Dave Waywell Chairman

Submitted 4^th February 2010

Edited by: Brenda J Earnshaw WRR Editor