KENT AC NEWS BULLETIN 

21 March 2021

–

–>

NEWS

Get prepped for our return to the track 
The first Kent AC training session back at the Ladywell Arena will be on Tuesday 30 March. The track pass set-up used at the end of last year will be in use again, but the committee has decided to roll this single session in March into the track pass for April with no additional charge for it. 

Please take some time over the next week to purchase your track pass in advance here – both a monthly pass covering March and April sessions is available, as well as a yearly pass that will save you the admin if you would like to pay a single payment upfront for the year. You will need to show your Kent AC membership app, or a print out on the gate.

Please see a helpful FAQs guide here

More racing guidance expected tomorrow 
Monday 22 March is that date, when Sport England and the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport set out further guidance for race organisers keen to stage their oft-postponed licensed road and multi-terrain races in England. For those interested, ensure to keep an eye out tomorrow for communications from these departments and expect to hear some updates from race directors! 

Southern Athletics League Update
With the first SAL fixture on 22 May cancelled, the league will be moving to a ‘local competition’ structure for 2021, with no promotion/relegation. Kent will be competing in the ‘South East London’ Division together with Bexley, Cambridge Harriers and London City.

Fixture dates remain unchanged for the remaining four dates with the first two matches (Sunday 20 June, Sunday 11 July) taking place at Eltham, with the third match (Saturday 14 August) at Bexley. The venue for the fourth match on Saturday 11 September is currently TBC.

Reminder – clocks go forward next weekend 
A reminder that next Sunday 29th March marks the beginning of British Summer Time.  Get excited for longer days – just in time for our return to the track, and remember to factor in that lost hour of sleep when planning your Sunday long run next week! 

–

–>

REMINDER – KENT AC SUBS

Have you paid yours? 
Membership renewal reminders are being sent out as usual in the hope that training and competition can return to some form of normality this year. Should this not prove to be the case then the committee will come to a collective decision on what action to take with regards to club subscriptions for the 2022/23 year.
When you pay your subscription, you’re also offered England Athletics Affiliation for a further £15, which gives reduced-priced entry to all those races we cannot wait to start training for.
A further bonus of membership is a whole welter of discounts with kit/shoes retailers, so we can all sashay back to track modelling our box-fresh shoes and wrist furniture, feeling full of vim and vigour and ready for a scorching summer of running. 

–

–>

UPCOMING FIXTURES 

Kent AC Summer Racing Calendar 
Here’s the link to the latest fixture list – everyone in the club can add races they come across to the list and we encourage you to do so!

You can find the doc here 

Wimbledon 5KM Relays
Ben Noad is organising a follow up Wimbledon 5KM relays (actual physical racing rather than virtual racing!). Katie Rowland will be arranging the women’s team for this and James Bowler the men’s teams. This will be on Sunday 12 April. Ben is also organising a couple of fast road 5KM races at Battersea Park on 7 May and 28 May, more details to follow, but please contact either James or Katie to express an interest in competing in the Wimbledon team event. 

Please note: previous issues of this newsletter advertised this as a 5M relay, we have now had confirmation that this will be a 5K relay event, as per the last event held late last year 

–

–>

IT’S ONE OF MY BIGGEST REGRETS IN RUNNING: OLYMPIC PAIN FUELLING PAUL POLLOCK’S TOKYO DREAM 

ICYMI: There was a fantastic article in the Irish Examiner this week from Cathal Dennehy on Kent AC’s own Paul Pollock and his preparation for the delayed Toyko Olympics. The article also includes some insightful thoughts on his career so far.  
 
In an effort to break through to the ranks of world-class, Paul Pollock has all too often broken himself. Over the last eight years, the 34-year-old marathoner has spent as much time injured as he has healthy, his bones and his body all too often breaking down as he underwent the trial of miles. But the Belfast man knows, at his best, he can be right up there alongside the world’s best, writes Cathal Dennehy

You can read the full article here 

–

–>

NEW MEMBERS 

A big welcome to new Kent AC members: 
Juno Field
Dax Rossetti
Kevin Kalisa
Lisa Day 
Gemma Day
  Make sure to purchase your track pass and we look forward to seeing you at a training session soon! 

KENTversation

If you didn’t get round to listening to the most recent podcast, and need some inspiration for the upcoming summer season, check it out: it sets out everything to look forward to over the coming months. Listen in and to previous episodes on Spotify here.

–

–>