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Lewes AC – News – Edition Seven
Lewes AC and the Strava-saurus
With no athletic activities possible on the Lewes Athletics Track and with runners only able to run by themselves or with one other person club members are inventing new ways to keep fit and to enjoy their sport.
The latest challenge is to create shapes and forms by running around Lewes streets in a socially distanced way and recording their efforts on their Strava watches. Recognising the Lewes history with dinosaurs guess what the first shape might be – yes it is the new discovery of the Strava-saurous.
Other shapes and forms are being worked out so watch out for elephants and other weird and wonderful shapes appearing. These will be challenges for other club members to run and can be followed by cyclists and adult and junior walkers at their own speed. Look out for the Bonfira-docus or even the Ouse-ceratops.
Other challenges include running to all the pubs in Lewes working out the shortest route. For those of a more religious persuasion running to all the churches or even running past all the schools to mourn the empty spaces. Those with an educational frame of mind will use the alphabet to run to streets starting with A then B and so on.
Throughout 2020 virtual races also took place when other Sussex Clubs were challenged to team and individual events. Virtual International competitions also took place when Lewes AC took on the club’s twinned club in France AS Marolles.
Track and Field Competitions
As we tread slowly and very tentatively into the unknown some early thought is being given to what might happen post virus and whether and in what way competition might take place.
There is only limited information at this time but what we have at the moment relates to the Youth Development League and the Sussex Masters League.
Currently there is no news about what will happen to the Sussex under 13 League, the Sussex under 15 League or the Southern Athletics League.
Youth Development League: At the end of last year the league consulted participating clubs to ask for their views on what form the league might take in 2021 should competition be possible. Broadly speaking one outcome has been that distances to be travelled for matches have been reduced with some other minor changes.
The impact on Sussex YDL participating clubs is that it almost turns into a Sussex based league. For the upper age group teams there are seven leagues across the South of England (A – G) with Team Sussex in league D. The teams in league D are-
- Brighton and Hove City AC
- Chichester AC
- Crawley AC
- Holland Sports & Reigate Priory
- Team Sussex (Made up of Lewes AC, Eastbourne Roves and East Grinstead AC)
In the lower age group there are nine leagues that cover the South of England with Lewes AC in league 2 of the nine. The teams in league 2 are
- Brighton and Hove City AC
- Chichester AC
- Hastings AC
- Lewes AC
- Worthing and District
Currently dates for YDL possible matches are being canvased and it is likely that the Lewes track will be offered should match organisers be found from within the club. Possible dates for matches are being proposed in April, May, June and July.
- Sussex Veterans League
At the AGM of the Sussex Masters League held on the 27th January it was decided that in the absence of a crystal ball preliminary bookings would be made of the Eastbourne and Lewes Tracks.
The dates that have been preliminary booked are the Eastbourne track 19th May and at Lewes the Lewes track 14th June and 26th July. It is anticipated that the events at each of the three matches will be the same as those held in 2019.
- Review of coaching
Taking the opportunity of the current Lockdown and to prepare the club for better times post virus a root and branch review of coaching is being under taken. Leading this review are Mike Ellis-Martin and Toby Wolpe. Great strides are being made and consultations have been carried out with the coaches, club members and with parents particularly those with young athlete’s in the club’s Junior Academy.
Recognising that it is important to prioritise efforts two areas are being tackled first
The first is to examine the coaching structure, organisation and parental involvement with the Junior Academy. A request went out for greater parental involvement in the Academy and a number of parents have responded to the call for help. More help is still required and if you are able to provide even a small amount of time when the Academy kicks off again please contact Mike Ellis-Martin on mikeellismartin@gmail.com
A number of zoom sessions have been held with two focusing on a range of administrative tasks including registration and another on communications. Others sessions are planned.
The second area that has been reviewed in some detail is how to embed strength and conditioning activities across all events being coached at the club. The outcome of this is that a small group of S&C experts has been formed to prepare a S&C programme for the club. It is recognised that S&C should form part of all coaching and can take place in the club’s gym, on the track and in the sports hall. Also in the light of current experiences through virtual sessions to set activities away from the track and gym
The S&C group charged with this important task are Luc Best, Jamie Powell, Rick Pilling and Toby Wolpe. The group’s brief is essentially in two parts. The first is to prepare the over-arching S&C programme for the club and the allocation of time and funds to key coaching groups and activities. The second is to manage the use, equipment and availability of the club’s gym.
- Home and away fitness
Jamie Powell the club’s sprints and fitness coach is offering the opportunity for club members to get and keep fit from home. Now that the track and any indoor space in the Leisure Centre are out of bounds Jamie has come up with a way for club members to maintain their fitness.
Jamie is offering the opportunity to sign up for free on his fitness app. If you sign up there are opportunities for workouts, static stretching, dynamic stretching and foam rolling and a regular run/cycle every week.
It is easy to sign up with no cost involved all you have to do is to register through his app. He will then send you the link and you are ready to go. He will provide a schedule so that you can keep in shape every day of the week. If you are interested please contact Jamie on jamienpowell@icloud.com
The National Road Relay Competition 2020/212
England Athletics have challenged all clubs in England to take part in the virtual team relay race. Teams are comprised of 4 men and 4 women each having to run 5 miles as quick as they can. The times are then added together to get a team time.
The event is in two rounds. The first round is open to all clubs across England to find the fastest first 50 clubs. 2,500 runners took part forming 128 club teams. The next National Round will take place from Wednesday 10th February until Monday 15th February. Taking up the challenge the Lewes AC team made the top 50 with a time of 4 hours 8 minutes and 6 seconds and will be competing in the National round.
Members of the qualifying team and their times were Lizzy Keep (29.24); Robert Cooper (30.12); Andrew Mclennan (30.21); Mike Green (30.22); Richard Curtis (30.40); Megan Taylor(31.48); Gina Wilkinson (32.04); Helen Sida (33.15)
All of the club’s top endurance runners are being encouraged to take part and great times are expected. Watch this space.
Peter Masters
February 2021