No fair weather runners

Please see this week’s update for Kent AC members – 20/10/24–

KENT AC NEWS BULLETIN
19 October 2024

In a week that threw everything from 20 degree heat to weather warnings at us, much of the club finds itself training hard for the upcoming cross country fixtures. But those that weren’t put their best feet forward with many PBs in races from York to Amsterdam via Twickenham and Battersea. More on that below. And if you really can’t wait for winter, the first signs of the Christmas party are below…

WEEKEND RACING REPORT

Despite named storms causing havoc on the northerly and southerly parts of the UK this weekend, there’s still been PBs a plenty. In between a busy cross country schedule, a huge well done to the following Kent ACers for putting their training to good use:

Alex Gillespie for the Cabbage Patch 10 in 66:46

Alex Robbins for finishing the Amsterdam marathon in 3:20:39 

The Battersea Park half marathon crew: 

Simon Vaisey finishing 18th overall in 77:58

Teresa Murphy finishing 6th woman and 2nd VW45 in 88:47

Khawaja Shahabuddin finishing in 1:51:37

James Bates hitting a 94:31 PB

 

Arejeet Nag who practiced cross country running and hit a PB all at the same time at the Abingdon Marathon, coming in at 2:54:54

 

John Bell for nailing a huge PB of 2:57:49 at the York marathon and Nicola Cartlidge for also hitting a huge PB of 3:25:25! 

 

Rob Harvey for finishing running the Lullingstone 10k in 51:29

CHRISTMAS IN OCTOBER

Kent AC Christmas party tickets are now on sale🎄✨

£20 per person including an arrival drink, a buffet and a dancefloor🥂

Purchase your tickets via the SumUp store: https://kentac.sumupstore.com – get them before they’re gone!

 

BLASTING FROM THE PASTING

One for the history fans out there. Check out this awesome commemoration of Kent’s 75th birthday.

RUN IN THE DARK

If you are looking for a race to sign up to in November, then look no further than Southwark Athletics Club, who are hosting 1200m and 1 mile races on Thursday 7th November.

AGM

This is notice of our Annual General Meeting, which will be held on Tuesday 26th November at 20:30, upstairs at the Blythe Hill Tavern, 319 Stanstead Rd, SE23 1JB.
 
Please come along after the track.
Food will be provided!
 
The AGM is a yearly gathering of the club members, primarily to hear reports from committee members, about the club’s activities and finances; to appoint the committee and vote on any contested positions; to ask questions to the committee, and express your ideas and concerns. 

If you wish to propose any change to our rules/constitution or a major change to club policy, this must be submitted in writing before 30th October. This will enable it to be included in the calling notice to all members and the agenda and all accompanying papers, which will be sent out in early November. 
 
The committee is made up of volunteers and each year every post is up for election. 

This year we have the following vacancies:

President: Our co-presidents Victoria Buck and Len Reilly stand down after their three year stint: a three year fixed appointment ensuring good governance, good decision making and that all the club’s members and activities get a fair allocation of resources; chairing committee
Membership co-secretary: a job-share role to assist the current incumbent in processing applications and maintaining the membership database
Track manager: ensuring smooth running of track pass system
Health & safety: ensuring risk assessments both ongoing and for events are appropriate as well as current and risks mitigated

 

A big thanks to all for their hard work over this and previous years.

 

If you are interested in any of these, or wish to contest any other role, please write to and your email will go to the incumbent who will happily tell you what their job involves. If you wish to stand, please let know before 30th October so it can go in the agenda.

 
A big thanks too to those putting their name forward for roles this year.
 
A full list of committee, juniors – sub committee and non – committee posts can be found on our website.
 
Thanks
 Vic and Len

LONDON MARATHON CLUB BALLOT

If you failed to get a London Marathon place, you have a second chance.

The club will have two places and we’ll run a ballot as in previous years. There is one extra criterion, to encourage volunteering at the club – you have to have helped the club out in some way this year.

The criteria are:

1. Be a fully paid up club member.
2. Been rejected in the London Marathon 2025 ballot (need to provide evidence)
3. Have run for the club in 2024 (state which race)
4. Have volunteered for the club in some way in 2024.
This can include manning the gate at the track, marshalling or otherwise helping at an open meet or a race, being a coach or holding a committee post. You still have a chance to do so before the draw.

The draw will take place later this year at the Christmas Party on 14 December.

If you wish to enter the draw, send an email to Phil at , with evidence of your LM rejection, what races you have run, and what volunteering you’ve done.

Deadline: 13th December

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY

November
2 – National XC Relays – Mansfield 
9 – Surrey League XC – Beckenham Place Park
23 – South of Thames Junior XC – West Horsley Place, Guildford
26 – AGM – BHT
 30 – Kent Vets XC Championships – Central Park, Dartford 

December
7 – SEAA Masters XC Championships – Horspath, Oxford (tbc)
14 – Christmas Party – St Dunstan’s Jubilee Ground, Catford
14 or 21 – South of Thames Senior XC – Sommerhill School, Tonbridge 

2025

January 
4 – Kent County XC Championships – Brands Hatch 
11 – Surrey League XC – tbc
25 – Southern XC Champs – Beckenham Place Park

February
8 – Surrey League XC – Epsom
22 – National XC – Parliament Hill

March
30 – 12/6 Stage Road Relay Championships – Milton Keynes

April
12 – 12/6 National Road Relays – Sutton Coldfield
25 – London Marathon

EASYFUNDRAISING

Please remember to use easyfundraising every time you shop online.
Over 7,000 brands pay easyfundraising a commission when you start your shop through their platform, so you can raise FREE donations for us no matter what you’re buying. These donations really help us out, so please sign up if you haven’t yet. It’s easy and FREE! You can get started at https://www.easyfundraising.org.uk/causes/kentac

You can also install a helpful Chrome extension, which prompts you to donate whenever doing any online shopping – really handy

 

TRACK, TRACK, TRACK

Buy your track pass here.

The usual track times are:
Tuesday 17:30 – 20:45
Thursday 18:00 – 20:30
Sunday 09:00 – 11:30
Please note that individuals are permitted to do their own sessions during club opening times, but coached group sessions continue to take priority.

Track Pass – Juniors
Please purchase your £5 junior monthly track pass in advance here. When purchasing the track pass can parents/guardians please enter the athlete’s name when completing the transaction

Please see a helpful FAQs guide here

Ladywell Arena has opening hours dedicated to the public. While during these times the Kent AC track pass is not valid, members can pay for an individual session.

Session times are: 
Monday: 07:00 -15:00
Tuesday – Thursday: 1300 -1700
Friday: 07:00 – 15:00
Saturday – Sunday: 09:00-15:00

Price:
Adult resident: £2.70
Adult non resident: £3.00
Junior (U16): £1.30

The Kent AC track pass continues to be required for training on Tues/Thurs evenings and Sunday mornings.

Track staff have encouraged people to double check the opening hours before their training session, as they may occasionally be closed for school sport days and football friendlies. Hours can be checked here. This will likely suit members who can’t make training sessions but would like to train in the morning/lunchtime/evening.

Pay as you go fees can either be paid via cash to the desk or using the Better app (note: staff are working to add the sessions to the app).

KEEP US UPDATED

You can have your say about what goes in the newsletter and keep us apprised of your results or running adventures by emailing the comms team directly here.

The password for the club contacts page here is .

 

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