Kent Athletic Club ask that you prioritise and fast track the re-opening of Ladywell Arena – so that this invaluable local asset can be used again to its full potential, both by Kent Athletic Club, other local community groups and members of the public.
The awarding of the Leisure Services contract to a new operator is good news for residents and users after such a long period of closure.
Kent Athletic Club wants to help the council and its new operator prioritise the reopening of Ladywell Arena as quickly as possible. Members need access to the track, and the facilities for changing and storage when training on the track and in the surrounding parks and streets.
Ladywell Arena is the home of Kent Athletic Club where a growing membership of athletes, coaches and volunteers of all ages from the diverse population of Lewisham and the surrounding area meet up. Despite having two Olympians, and a third likely to feature at Tokyo Olympics, anyone and everyone is made welcome at our inclusive club. We are a local club with 40% of Kent AC members living within a mile of the Arena and 60% within 3 miles.
Sport and activity are critical for the mental and physical well-being of many of our members, and importantly the younger generation who are impacted greatly by this pandemic. We are more than a sport; we are a community too. Ladywell Arena also provides a home to several other community groups, including football and disability sport.
117 different people responded – thank you very much.
It is clear that you want to get back to training, you want to meet on the usual nights of Tuesday and Thursday (but some could do other days), and you want to be back at Ladywell but most are prepared to use Sutcliffe Park as an alternative.
With some racing starting to return, I’ve received a few queries to ask whether the Ladywell 10000 is likely to happen on the originally planned date of Sunday 6th September 2020.
Unfortunately with less than 4 weeks to go now it is not viable to plan to host the event for the following main reasons:
1) England Athletics is currently only permitting races of up 3000m on the track[1]. 2) Ladywell Track remains closed with no confirmed re-opening date.
Kent AC still has ambition to host an event this year – and will be in touch with plenty of notice if and when we can do so, especially as we need your invaluable support to help host and run it.
Please do share this message to any friends from other clubs.
Kind regards Dave Morgan (Ladywell 10000 Race Director)
Firstly, thanks so much to the team captains for making this a great weekend. Secondly, thanks to Peter Lighting – has anyone ever been so gripped by a spreadsheet?
On Thursday Race HQ was worried, the early reports were that the competition was too hard, people weren’t going to make it. The rumour was that the plot had been well and truly lost. When, we looked at Strava on Friday morning and couldn’t quite believe what was unfolding; Adam Paterson had been spotted in Sydenham wearing a Camelbak, we were told he meant business and he did! 50 reps on ‘Hell Hill’ – wtf number 1. And he wasn’t alone out there, Mandy Nio was smashing out the Hell Hill reps to get team 3 going.
On a normal day, Calum’s 22 mile run around Hilly Fields would’ve been a talking point but Jake Herrera ran 50km around Hilly Fields at the same time. Then Will Pitt managed over 5,000ft of elevation on one hill in Greenwich Park
But surely, this couldn’t happen for a second day? Not to be outdone by Friday’s runners, Adrian Dracup registered the second 50k of the weekend. Len Reilly managed to bag 10 points for the steepest run of over 5 miles of the weekend on Saturday afternoon. (Honourable mention has to go to Mike Stewart who had the overall steepest run of the weekend)
At 8am on Saturday, I arrived at Canonbie Road to meet Rob and Nathan. When we got there, George had been there for a while and he was there for quite a while after we left. It’s fair to say that every member of team 1 ran well, but as a captain’s performance, George’s run ranks alongside Alan Shearer twice putting Newcastle ahead of Inter Milan at the San Siro in 2003 (I’m sure he remembers this well). 23 miles and over 9000 ft of elevation in one run.
There was also the bonus competition to take some Strava crowns which all of the men shied away from, not Amelia and Sarah H who both gained an extra 3 points for their teams.
This could go on forever and there are a lot of people who I’m sure will feel that they’ve been hard done by because they didn’t get a mention, but that is how competitive this was. We have been contacted by a couple of people to make this particular challenge an annual Kent AC event, regardless of social circumstances – we’re keen.
I have had some very memorable moments with Kent AC. Some stand outs: BAL promotion match, first ever national 6 and 12 stages and winning the county XC for the first time. All had the common features of ensemble travel, competition against other people in the flesh, much shouting of support, Ken and beer after. This weekend has none of those, but will linger in the memory just as vividly.
I have been asked to write about the Vets relays. But first a tribute to Ben and Barny (Barny & Ben – which way is it?), with Pete Lighting’s IT support, whose challenges are some of the most engaging, fun and tough things I’ve ever done in athletics. In their imagination they make the offers from EA, BMC, and the BMAF look flat footed and mundane. Quite right that Athletics Weakly [sic] gave their last one page space. And they bring together the whole of this magnificent club.
I’m to write about one of the events I’ve just dissed: the BMAF age group road relays. These are usually held in mid May at Sutton Pk, Birmingham. (If you’ve never run there you must, superb tough course). We usually don’t support them, though have won youngest men ages when we did, as so many people are in post-marathon torpor. So Covid-19 was an opportunity.
All competitors had to do 5k: loop(s), no major net downhill, between 14 and 20 June. Teams were 10 year bands of 35+, 45+, 55+. And we had teams in all of those men and women, it is a very well supported event.
Outstanding victories for the M35 and M45. For the M35 – a 3 min win with the team made up of John Gilbert, Chris Bussalieh, Dave Morgan, Ben Cook, (he’s had a busy weekend), Sam Evans (in action on Thamesmead), and Pete Lighting. All under 16 min! The M35 B team was 13th.
The M45 team won by 2 mins, with the team made up of Chris Greenwood, Phil Sanders (both under 16 min), Will Pitt and Craig Phillips (so very close to a sub 17!). The B team was 31st.
The V55 team were 11th: including the author, Roger Beardsworth, and David Child.
We had 6 in the top 50 individuals with coming John Gilbert 5th on 14.51 and Chris the top V45 in 15.25.
In the women: the V45 team were a strong 7th place with the team made up of Dee O’Brien, Ali Farell and Victoria Buck. Andrea Barber also ran a PB in that category although didn’t count for the team score. The V55 womens team made up of Kate Williams, Nicky Hayes and Ronnie Haydon were 12th and the V35 team of Georgina Wiley, Teresa Murphy, Mandy Nio and Zuzana Nemakova came 14th.
Some notable mentions in the age categories:
1st (16.19) Tommy Hughes V60 running for Leicester
1st (18.01) Clare Elms, V45 + V55 categories running for Dulwich (also a Kent second claim)
1st (and 18th overall) (15.25) Christopher Greenwood V45 Kent
3rd (and 5th overall) (14.41) John Gilbert, V35 Kent
Full results here: https://data.opentrack.run/en-gb/x/2020/GBR/bmaf-virtual-rr/scores/
Add to this a hefty proportion of those doing the relays were also in action in the UTMB and you see what a talented and motivated club we are. After 35 years of membership I never cease to be impressed with you all and honoured to be part of it.
Len Reilly
Category
Placing
Team (individual time)
M35
1st
John Gilbert (14:51), Chris Busaileh (15:27), Dave Morgan (15:38), Ben Cook (15:48), Sam Evans (15:50), Jon Beatty (15:59)
M45
1st
Chris Greenwood (15:25), Phil Sanders (15:58), Will Pitt (16:50), Craig Phillips (17:02)
M55
11th
Len Reilly (18:43), Roger Beardsworth (18:46), David Child (19:01)
The Club committee feel it is important to address the rightful anger and outrage that has been expressed across the world against racism which the killing of George Floyd has stimulated.
Kent Athletic Club are committed to equality, diversity and inclusion and we stand against racism, prejudice, sexism, ageism, homophobia and anything else that may lead to members feeling excluded. We are inviting members who want to join with us to identify and address barriers to equality, diversity and inclusion within the club to contact us and work with us to formulate an action plan.
We have grown organically to nearly 500 members. To achieve a membership that is a better reflection of the Borough (London Borough of Lewisham is the 15th most ethnically diverse local authority in England) will require putting in place a recruitment programme. An increase in membership will also require a commensurate increase in coaches specialising in Track and Field. A working party of members keen to become involved in this plan will report back to our wider membership on our progress at the AGM in Nov.
Covid-19 and Kent Athletic Club (update 6 June 2020)
Covid-19 remains a significant threat and we are still some way from a resumption of athletics competition. At this time the priority of Kent Athletic Club remains the health, safety and well-being of athletes, coaches and our wider community.
At present, the running track at Ladywell Arena remains closed though the club is in discussion with Fusion about plans for the future. No organised Kent AC coaching or training sessions are taking place with a coach present, though of course advice and support is being given remotely in various ways. There is absolutely no expectation from the club that our coaches should be running any activities at this stage. If any of our coaches do wish to resume some kind of direct activity, we will be working with them to ensure that a risk assessment has been undertaken that demonstrates that this can be done safely in compliance with latest guidance and regulations.
For many of us, continuing to run has been a lifeline in this stressful period. We recognise that club members may now choose to run and train together in groups of no more than six as stipulated in the revised Government and England Athletics guidance. To keep ourselves safe while doing this, let’s make sure that we are all following these key points from guidance:
– social distancing of at least 2 metres should be maintained between people exercising together at all times;
– if you are symptomatic or living in a household with someone else who has a possible or confirmed COVID-19 infection you should remain at home.
– if you have been asked to isolate by NHS Test and Trace because you are a contact of a known COVID-19 case, do not exercise outside your own home or garden and do not exercise with others.
We think that the Kent AC community has been a great help in this period, supporting and encouraging each other through social media contact, virtual races and practical assistance. We are sure that we will come out of this a stronger and more cohesive club, but let’s make sure that we continue to keep safe along the way.
As the club welfare officers, we have agreed to take on the temporary additional role of club ‘Covid-19 Co-ordinators’, as recommended by England Athletics. If you have any comments or concerns relating to Covid-19 and Kent Athletic Club, or indeed any wider welfare or safeguarding concerns do contact us:
First of all thanks so much to everyone for getting involved in the Marathon Challenge over the weekend. It was fantastic watching results come in, looking at the great times being posted on Strava and constant twitter updates. There were some fantastic individual runs with the fastest gentlemen of the day being Chris Greenwood 1:09:30 and the fastest lady being Georgina Wiley with a 1:24:35 (less than a minute off her PB). Also, Phil Sanders running sub 75 off not so much training over the last year was great to see.
As well as these it has been great to read on Strava how the event has brought back some focus for people whose motivation may have been down so kudos to everyone that took part. We have been glued to screens, much to the irritation of our families!
So to the results…
We did take into into account the elapsed time v moving time rule of 90 seconds some runs did have to be slightly adjusted.
Which means in third place place a total time of 2.42.03 – Ben Cook, Dan Ansell and Andrea Barber.
Second place with 2.40.06 Geogina Wiley and David Mohring.
and the winners are,
George Russell and Craig Phillips with 2.38.53
Full results can be seen below.
Thanks again to everyone for taking part and potentially if the lock down continues we will have something else in the next few weeks.
In the depths of lockdown, Amelia came up with the idea of starting a podcast in order to try and keep club members and friends connected over the coming weeks. I thought the idea has legs, so we’ve been trialing the production of such a podcast.
We felt that there wasn’t a need to replicate current podcasts on the market (some very good ones too) and have people tire of hearing our voices, but instead create a forum for conversation between club members on various topics of interest and relevance… hence the name KENTversation.
Going forward, we hope that it would be a good place to distribute club news (keeping in the club in the 21st century), but for now it’s just been a good opportunity to integrate and hear from club members you wouldn’t ordinarily speak to.
So far in the couple of episodes we’ve aired, there’s been Chris Busaileh, talking about his experiences over the past couple of weeks since contracting COVID-19, and Laura McCrave, discussing post-natal running and integrating back into the club (should be up in the next few mins).
The time invested in these episodes is low and ultimately quite flexible, with a low barrier to entry, which we hope will help contribute to its success, but before distributing wider we just wanted to make sure that the club committee was on-board.
The few members who have listened in so far have enjoyed the topics and listening so far (as we hope you will too). But please feedback to us if you do have any concerns
