Edinburgh Athletic Club

We are still looking for a few helpers for the EAC/Scottish Gas 5k & 10k races this coming weekend, so if you are not running in either of the races this Sunday (01/08/10), please volunteer to help out. There are lots of tasks such as marshalling, water station, distributing race numbers, handing out t-shirts/medals/bananas etc.  all easy to do and it gets you involved in the action and is great fun. All volunteers receive a t-shirt and a buffet lunch after the race.

If you are available to help, please contact Alex, Garry, or any of  the organisers/coaches, all offers of help are fully appreciated.

  All U15 and U17 athletes should consider entering these championships

 Athletes, parents and coaches are reminded that the closing date for the Bank of Scotland U17 Championships which take place on the 14th and 15th August at Scotstoun Stadium will close this Friday 30th July.  

Closing date for online entry only SUNDAY 1 AUGUST. (You need to have registered for this)

Please note, online entry is the preferred admittance method but competitors can also enter events by mailing in a completed Scottish Outdoor National Championships entry form, this form should be completed and sent to:
scottishathletics
Caledonia House South Gyle
Edinburgh
EH12 9DQ

If for any reason you experience problems entering online or if you have any questions please contact scottishathletics Events Manager Ross Cunningham at ross.cunningham@scottishathletics.org.uk or to enter call 0131 539 7320

 Events details on
http://www.scottishathletics.org.uk/index.php?p=80&itemType=fixtures&itemId=12369

And
http://www.scottishathletics.org.uk/index.php?p=80&itemType=fixtures&itemId=12366

Kris Akabusi  -  Talk at Meadowbank – Wednesday 28 July, 7:00pm

 As some of you are already aware, Kris Akabusi will be in Edinburgh later this month to start his sponsored cycle from Edinburgh to London in aid of his charity TACT.  The route he is taking to London takes in some of the stadia that were a backdrop to his career and, at each he is planning to speak to young athletes about his career and motivate them to achieve their own goals (https://www.bmycharity.com/V2/tactcycle2010).

 The date and time for Kris’ talk has been confirmed as Wednesday 28th July at 7pm.  It will be held in one of the lounges at Meadowbank and you are invited to bring along young athletes and coaches from your club.  The presentation will last for 1 hour and will include footage from the medal winning 4x400m relay.  Copies of his biography “Kris Akabusi On Track” will also be on sale for £5 each, which Kris will sign for those wishing to purchase one.

27 Year Old Record Falls at Birmingham Games, Saturday 24th July.

 The Scotland U20 4x400m team of Anthony Young (Pitreavie), Jay Younger (Edinburgh AC), Greg Louden (Lasswade) and Guy Learmonth (Lasswade) broke the Scottish junior record with a time of 3.14.25, to erase a mark that had stood for almost 27 years, as they finished 3rd at the Birmingham Games on Saturday 24th July. Greg, Jay and Guy compete for Team Edinburgh in the National Junior League.

The previous record of 3.14.57 was set at Meadowbank on the 13th August 1983 and belonged to the team of Brian Whittle, Jim Nicoll, Martin Johnston and Mark McMahon – all of whom are still ranked in the Scottish top 20 all-time over 400m.
(Keith Ridley)

National Junior League, Scotstoun, Glasgow, 25 July 2010

Another win in the final match ensured that Team Edinburgh won the Northern Premier division of the National Junior League and go forward to the UK final in Derby on 12th September where our under 20s will be up against the best teams from the South and Midlands.Our men’s team dominated the track events, winning 10 out of the 20 events. Top performances came from Ross Matheson who had an excellent double win in the 800 and 1500, Greg Louden winning the 400m, gaining a pb in the 200m and then running 47.4 for the last leg of a very close 4 x 400 relay, and Allan Hamilton winning the 100m with a new pb of 10.84.

In the Women’s events we did particularly well in the field, winning 7 out of 16 events, including a double win in the Long Jump. However, top performance was on the track with Emily Stewart easily winning the 1500m with a pb of  4.32.53 on a very windy day.
(Keith Ridley)

Full results available at:
www.nationaljuniorathleticleague.co.uk

The results for the Edinburgh athletes can be viewed below:
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Having tapered training this week, I felt quite confident as I arrived at Musselburgh for the 10k Festival race, which was my second 10k of the year. Last week I managed a tough training session of 3 x 2 miles with 3 minutes recovery @ 5:43 pace, so was aiming to break 36 minutes in the race. Conditions seemed pretty good. It was slightly warm, but not too hot, and there appeared to be very little wind. I also knew the course was flat.  After chatting with quite a few fellow EAC runners (amazing club turnout) and warming up on the grass, we ambled over to the start. (more…)

Hi Folks, Today sees the end of the Tour de France after one of the more difficult tours
of recent years.  This included 2 visits to the Col du Tourmalet – one of the toughest climbs in te Pyrenees.  One of the visits was designed to recreate the the day in 1969 when the young Eddie Merckx, already a clear tour leader, rode off on his own over four might summits on the route from Bagnere to Pau.  He crossed the finish line 10 minutes ahead of the pack, having ridden alone all day.  He did this not because he had to, or to show he could, but just because he felt like it.

While the speedy ‘flat earthers’ may take the glory stages in the sprints, it is in the mountains that the tour is won and lost. (more…)

This weekend will see a slight change to the usual endurance training sessions:

Most of the Saturday group will either be racing at Musselburgh or assisting at the Merchiston fund raising event, so there will be no organised Saturday morning training session this week.  (more…)

Congratulations to all runners who took part in the 5k and 10k, results are now available at  scottishathletics

Some photo’s of the race taken by Willie Lyall can be found at WLyall

Additional photo’s from Bob Marshall at BMarshall 

 A big thank you to all sponsors, helpers and officials, the race couldn’t happen without you.

Bank of Scotland National Age Group (U15 / U17) Championships
We are asking every club, every coach, and every involved person to seek to “pick up the baton” and encourage more young athletes enter and attend the National U15 and U17 Championships.

scottishathletics of course has a major role to play alongside our clubs in this regard, but as Frank says – we all have our part to play.
We will be directly encouraging athletes and coaches to enter and attend (we would love both record entries, and record attendance!), and we are today announcing a club-challenge.
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