Stragglers Junior Handicap

The next race will be held on Thursday 24th May.
The event is being held at the
Ranelagh Harriers Clubhouse, behind Dysart pub, 135 Petersham Road, Richmond TW10 7AA with the course being just inside the Dysart gate of Richmond Park.

Registration from 7:00pm for a 7:30pm start.

The races are over a roughly 2K distance, and
first-timers are give a handicap according to their age.

More details can be found on The Stragglers website:
http://www.stragglers.org/index.php/stragglers-juniors
It will save you time on the night if you download the registration form and take it with you. parkrun barcodes acceptable.

The last in this season’s Street Orienteering events takes place at The Pembroke, 261 Old Brompton Road, Earls Court, SW5 9JA this coming Tuesday 8th May, where you can start anytime between 6:30 and 7:30 as it’s electronic timing.

You will be given a clue sheet, which will ask a question for each control, which you will be able to complete when you find the correct location – e.g. “name of the pub” or the “colour of door at number 20”.

Each control is assigned a point value – generally the ones further away are worth more points. The aim is to score as many points as possible, within the given time limit. The time limit is generally 60 minutes – try to keep within this limit, as you will be penalised points for every second you are late getting back! If you don’t want to run for a full 60 minutes you can always come back earlier.

Juniors can run if accompanied by a responsible adult (it’s a glorified treasure hunt). You can run in groups so if you haven’t done one before, just pair up with someone who has. I will be there, bob.reed@post.com , and am quite happy to get you going or run with you or answer any questions you may have.

These really are enjoyable events and the weather bodes well for next Tuesday evening.

More details are on South London Orienteers’ website http://slow.org.uk/streeto/chelsea-street-o-tuesday-8-may/  or on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/events/194373611197292/

This Saturday, 28th April, we will be having the senior monthly parkrun (5K) at Banstead Woods. This has now become an annual fixture due to the magnificent display of bluebells in the wood.

We would love to see some juniors there. If you can’t run, and have an U11 who wants to do it (11 and upwards can run without supervision), let me know and I’ll try and pair you up with one of the seniors. I will be there, but my speed will be about 28-30 minutes!

The course is 1 3/4 loops. You start at the top of a short sharp hill which you have to negotiate on the second loop. The plus side is that you have a great downhill sweep to the finish. Personally, it’s my second favourite parkrun (after Bedfont Lakes).

If you haven’t done a parkrun before, and would like to, just ask (via enquiries) and I can give you instructions on how to register.

The first of this season’s monthly Junior Handicap races takes place at The Hawker Centre, Lower Ham Road, Kingston KT2 5BH. It is a 7:30pm start time, but please get their around 7 especially if you haven’t registered in advance.

https://clubbuzz-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/pro/documents/11453/parental_consent_form_jan.2016.docx.pdf?1476270076

This is just over 2 km on the grassed playing field in front of the Hawker Centre. It consists of 4 laps of the perimeter of the grass area, which will be marked out. After the end of the fourth lap the runners will cross the finish line and go down the finish funnel in the order in which they crossed the line. Minis run one lap of just over 500m.

New or inexperienced runners, if they find 2 km a bit far, can run one lap – they will be given a time, but their results will not count towards any individual or team scores. The event is open to all up to 17 years old.

Please make sure you arrive in plenty of time to register if not having done so before. Registration can be done via your parkrun barcode if you have one, or by filling in a form on the evening.

Commencing on Thursday April 26th, two of the Junior UKA qualified coaches, Louise and Steve (Oldfield-McDuell Running Fitness), will be hosting a weekly junior track club on the Barn Elms Sports Trust track (the normal Sunday track) from 5pm to 6pm. This session will be charged at £7-50 per session, which includes track fees.

If you are interested you can call Louise on 07769 906625, or leave a message here and we will pass it on, or via the Oldfield-McDuell Facebook page.

The senior Sheen Shufflers will be doing their monthly parkrun at the new course, Hazlewood, in Sunbury on Thames this Saturday.  9am start. Details on the course can be found here:

http://www.parkrun.org.uk/hazelwood/course/

It would be good to see some of our juniors taking part. If the parents would like their young athlete to be a part of it, but are unable to do so themselves, if you mail me bob.reed@post.com I’ll see what I can arrange. All athletes under 11 have to be accompanied.

Remember – there is no athletics on Sunday at the track.

DCIM106GOPRO

There will be no junior athletics on Easter Sunday. We will reconvene at Barn Elms track on Sunday 8th April at 9am.

Introducing a new leasing scheme for kids’ bikes.
Kids Bike Xchange is a whole new approach to kids cycling. Instead of buying a brand new bike each time your kid grows out of their old one, KBX will lease you a bike which you can exchange for the next size up the moment you need it. No longer does your child have to put up with a bike that is too big or too small – with KBX, child and bike are always a perfect fit. And that’s more fun for them and more cost effective for you.
All KBX bikes are premium brand, fully serviced, second hand bikes for kids aged approximately 3 to 12. An annual lease costs from £55 to £95 depending on the size. There’s a one-off joining fee of £30 but Sheen Shufflers can save £15 off this fee when you lease your first bike. Use the code SSHUFFLERS15 at the checkout to receive your discount. This code is valid until 30 April 2018 – just right to get your kids ready for spring cycling.

For more information and to browse bikes see the Website www.kidsbikexchange.co.uk/ or contact us at hello@kidsbikexchange.co.uk, tel 020 3002 0904. We’re only just down the road in Twickenham!

It’s my turn to host a Street-O on behalf of South London Orienteers, so it’s on my home patch of New Malden, the venue being The Royal Oak, 90 Coombe Road, Kingston KT3 4RD.

I hope that plenty of you will come out to support the event – it’s not that far away. You are more than welcome to run with your offspring and also run in groups. All children must be accompanied. If you are not sure what you are doing, let me know and I’ll arrange an impromptu guide to Street-O before the off.

As it’s electronic you can start anytime between 6:30pm and 7:30pm, but you only have one hour to find as many of the clues as possible (each clue has different values). Cost is £4 and £2 for Juniors. You will need to bring a torch or head torch, so you can read the map, see telegraph pole numbers etc., a pen (plus spare) and a decent timepiece so you don’t go over the hour (as this incurs penalty points).

They are really fun events – like a glorified treasure hunt!

Hopefully see lots of you on the evening.

If you need any more information – please ask.

Bob

It has just been announced that Sunday’s Downs Cross-Country League fixture at Epsom has been CANCELLED!

That was the last fixture of the 2017/18, our inaugural, season, so well done to all our Juniors who took part.  We’ll be back again next season.