ATHLETICS DIARY
NEW LEAGUE RECORD ON THE CARDS
THE cross-country season begins in earnest on Saturday with the opening fixture of the Start Fitness North Eastern Harrier League set to take place at Wrekenton.
Hosted once more by Saltwell Harriers, the testing course could well see record numbers turning out after the organisers received 3,690 pre-entries, such is the attraction of arguably the biggest and best organised cross-country league in the country.
Now established with chip timing, the results are online immediately after the finish of each of the 10 races on the programme.
The go-ahead NEHL committee, while overseeing that everything goes smoothly at each of the season’s six fixtures, have now implemented an NEHL blog which has all the relevant up-to-date information for athletes and team managers.
It’s another feather in the cap for the league, whose unique handicap system caters for fast and not so fast competitors.
The NEHL women’s secretary, Vicki Thompson, hopes the new innovation will help ease the burden Bay, hosted by Blyth Running Club, on Sunday, October 8. ■■THE Redcar Half-Marathon, which incorporates the North East Counties Championships, takes place on Sunday, October 1 with a 10am start. Further information via New Marske Harriers’ website. on the committee, which receives numerous calls, many of which could be answered by opening up the blog.
“Everyone is eagerly looking forward to Saturday and the opening fixture at Wrekenton,’’ said Thompson, whose front room was home to a team of volunteers this week putting the final touches to the race packs for each club.
“Clubs have to be congratulated on getting their entries in before the closing date, though one or two left it extremely close to the deadline.
“Numbers have nearly reached 4,000 and I’m sure if the weather is favourable on Saturday we could well see record numbers turning out in many of the races.
“Such is the popularity of the league we decided to have an NEHL blog, which is up and running with ■■THE Kielder 10k and the Run-Bike-Run events are scheduled for Saturday, October 7 with the half-marathon, marathon and junior races set for the following day.
For further information on the closing date for entries see the Kielder Marathon website. ■■ENTRIES for the Northern Athletics’ Cross-Country Relays on all the up-to-date information on it. It’s got the relative stuff for this season including timetables, parking etc, so no one has any reason not to know what is happening.
“Of course, info is also posted on the facebook page where runners can also ask questions.
“All in all I’d like to think we now have everything in place for another highly successful season.’’
The Wrekenton fixture is followed eight days later by the second meeting of the season, hosted by Blyth Running Club at Druridge Bay, the only one contested on a Sunday.
The league’s Sherman Cup/ Davison Shield fixture – hosted by South Shields Harriers – returns to Temple Park, South Shields on October 28 while the league’s final fixture before Christmas takes place at Aykley Heads on November 18 with Derwentside AC the hosts. Saturday, October 21 close on October 13.
Sheffield’s Graves Park is once again the venue with the under-17 women’s 3x2.3k relay opening the day’s action at 11am. There are events for under-11 to seniors with the senior men’s 4x2-mile contest closing proceedings at 2.10pm.
Online entry at www.race-results. co.uk. League action resumes early in the New Year with Sunderland Strollers’ hosting a fixture at Herrington Country Park on January 6 while the February 10 action, with the support of Blackhill Bounders, takes place at Thornley Hall Farm, Peterlee. Once again the curtain comes down on the season at Alnwick Pastures on March 6, with Alnwick Harriers the hosts. “We are indeed indebted to all the hosting clubs – without them coming forward we wouldn’t function at all,’’ added Thompson. “However, we would certainly like to see more clubs coming on board as we are now relying on the same ones each season. It would be nice if we could rotate a bit more.’’ Action gets under way at 12.15pm with the under-11 ‘Try Cross-Country’ event. The senior men’s race closes proceedings around 2.15pm. Vicki Thompson