LeedsEndurance Athletics Forum – meeting notes – 16 June 2008

This first meeting of “LEAF” was held on Monday 16 June at 6:30pm in the Parkside Suite at John Charles Centre for Sport

Attendees

  • Bob Jackson (Valley Striders / Harewood Trail / Meanwood Trail)
  • Paul Beresford (Rothwell Harriers / Rothwell 10k / J.T. Run for All)
  • Colin Morath (Abbey Runners / Eccup 10 / Abbey Dash / etc)
  • Marc Springer (Horsforth Harriers)
  • Mick Helm (South Leeds 5)
  • Peter Hey (Kirkstall Harriers / Kirkstall Trail) (sub for Jill Stocks)
  • Bob Foulkes (Horsforth Harriers / Horsforth 10k / ApperleyBridge Canter)
  • Kevin Meakin (Pudsey Pacers / Pudsey 10k)
  • Jayne Greensill (Pudsey Pacers)
  • Greg Hull (LeedsCity / Hyde Park 5k)
  • Peter Rawnsley (Skyrac AC / Guiseley Gallop)
  • Candy Gable (Airecentre Pacers)
  • Steven Horne (Airecentre Pacers / Chevin Chase)
  • Paul Moseley (Leeds City Council / Leeds Athletics Development Group)
  • John Johnson (St Theresa’s / St Gemma’s Roundhay)
  • Andrew Gardner (St Theresa’s / St Gemma’s Roundhay)
  • Sarah Birkinshaw (Leeds City Council / Leeds Half Marathon)
  • Geoff Webster (Valley Striders / Meanwood Trail)
  • Sylvia Watson (Valley Striders)
  • Valerie Pell (Kippax Harriers / Leeds Country Way)
  • Wendy Chapman (Kippax Harriers / Leeds Country Way)

Apologies

  • Chris Carver (Otley AC / Otley 10)
  • Paul Tilley (Parkrun (Hyde Park Time Trial))

Introduction

  • BJ welcomed everyone to the meeting, gave a brief background of how this meeting had come about and its relationship with the Leeds Athletics Development Group (NB further information on LEAF website).
  • The purpose of the meeting was to review all of the issues of concern to Leeds endurance clubs and races, and then decide how these should be pursued in relation to LADG.

Leeds Athletics Development Group

  • PM gave a brief background – LADG covers everything to do with athletics in the Leeds area. Most clubs attending the meetings had been track & field but there had been some feedback from endurance clubs. The meetings covered general issues but also had worked to prepare a 4 year plan for athletics in Leeds (see later in these notes) as part of a sports plan for Leeds.

Clubs

Club Contact List

  • BJ said that this distribution list had already proved itself useful. Marc Springer had used it to enquire about marshal accreditation and 4 or 5 others had answered and/or added comments.
  • It was agreed to continue to maintain this and hold it on the website. Action: BJ
  • Hyperlinks to email addresses should be removed to reduce the risk of spam. Action: BJ
  • It was agreed that copies could be printed and handed out where appropriate (e.g. GH had had enquiries at South Leeds Stadium about local running clubs)

Clubmark

  • Clubmark is a set of standards / good practice across all sports and recommended by UK Athletics. (See recent LADG minutes for more info)
  • There is now a slimmed down set of standards suitable for endurance clubs / clubs without junior runners which Marie Dixon (England Athletics rep for Yorkshire) had described at the previous LADG meeting.
  • JG had asked for a copy but not yet received one. Action: PM to chase
  • PR suggested it would be useful to see a fully completed copy.
  • SB said that clubs would be encouraged to adopt these standards e.g. by giving discounts at Leeds sports centres to Clubmarked clubs and possibly in future only giving grants to Clubmarked clubs)

Grants for coaches and equipment

  • A grant of £5000 in 2007 from UK Athletics to the Leeds Athletics Development group has now been distributed amongst clubs (refer to minutes of LADG).
  • Another grant is likely to arrive during 2008. Clubs should consider now what they might apply for. Action: all
  • Regarding coaching, the grants have provided 50% of the cost.
  • GH and others commented that level 3 coaching courses were hard to come by.
  • It was noted that the typical cost of a level 3 course is £500, so a 50% grant was very useful.
  • PM commented that the “Fitness for Walking and Running” course might be more appropriate for endurance clubs than the other courses which were aimed for juniors and/or track & field.
  • Two other sources of grants for clubs were identified
  • Leeds Sports Federation (grants for equipment) – SBhad details
  • England Athletics Yorkshire and Humberside
  • Lottery funding (PB said Rothwell Harriers had been successful)

Partnerships of clubs (Peter Rawnsley)

  • PR presented a paper suggesting that clubs could group together for competition in team events and major events.
  • This arrangement was already available to track and field clubs to compete in national leagues but not for endurance clubs.
  • At the Bradford Millennium Way Relay a team from St Bedes, Skyrac, Bradford Airedale and Eccleshill had competed as “Airedale Athletic”.
  • In the current environment, teams would need to seek permission from the race organiser.
  • Kippax Harriers were asked to consider whether they would allow such entries for the Leeds Country Way. Action VP/WC
  • PR’s summary was that if this was what clubs wanted to do, pressure could be brought for it to be accepted.

Publicity / Promotion

  • There is now a link on the Leeds City Council / Leeds Half Marathon website to the uk:athletics club search page so that LHM race entrants can look for clubs in the Leeds area.
  • Clubs should check that the search for “Leeds” brings back their club. Action: all
  • SB explainedcouncil policy that clubs could not be explicitly listed on the Leeds City Council website.

Leeds Athletics 4 year plan

  • PM said that several clubs had had input to the 4 year plan. This has now been published. Endurance running is featured in the plan but perhaps not to as great an extent as it should be.
  • There is an opportunity to review the Plan and Paul is due to update it in 6 months time. To be discussed at the next LEAF meeting.

Races

Race Contact List

  • It was agreed to continue to maintain this and hold it on the website. Action: BJ
  • Hyperlinks to email addresses should be removed to reduce the risk of spam. Action: BJ

Race diary

  • Race details and dates are held with the contacts list.
  • It was agreed to put an extra column for “proposed date in 2009”. Action: BJ
  • Race organisers to notify likely dates for 2009 to BJ. Action: all
  • It was agreed that this would be useful, particularly if a race organiser was considering “moving” their race date – they could contact other race organisers with races around the same time of year.
  • It was commented that Mike Moss (permits secretary for Yorkshire) advised on avoiding clashes but in general this was only for major events.

Event Organisation

  • There was much discussion here, particularly about what appeared to be varying standards for requirement for road closures
  • Eccup 10 (CM) & Pudsey 10k (KM) – major road closures introduced this year
  • Roundhay Pulse race (BJ) – wanted Park Avenue (Oakwood Clock to Café) totally closed (used different route instead)
  • Chevin Chase (SH) – possibly full road closure on Yorkgate for December 2007
  • Rothwell 10k (PB) – no change in 2007 (only closure for start)
  • Yorkshire region of uk:athletics are advertising part time job to co-ordinate endurance events and contacts with local authorities, police, highways etc. We desperately need this!
  • BJ suggested that we should tread carefully – we do not want to try to encourage a standard if the standard will be set at the most severe.
  • SB commented that it cost £7,500 for adverts in Yorkshire Evening Post for closures for Leeds Half Marathon.
  • MH and others commented about the amount of documentation needed to organise a race in Leeds Parks.
  • SH and others commented on the very helpful attitude elsewhere on Leeds parkland (Danefield, Adel Woods etc).

Grants for equipment

  • Already discussed under “clubs”

Shared equipment

  • BJ said that the Leeds clubs had a variety of equipment (clock, PA, stakes, bibs etc) which was occasionally shared but suggested that this could have wider usage.
  • PB said he was using 3 clocks for “Run for All” - one Rothwell, one Abbey, one Yorkshire (Holmfirth Harriers)
  • PR / GH said that Skyrac had a supply of stakes which had been used for Northern XC.
  • It was agreed to hold a register of major items of equipment. All clubs to send details to BJ. Action: all

Marshal Accreditation

  • The current situation (from Mike Moss) is that “as long as there is one qualified official in control then all others are deemed to be qualified under their control” i.e. one person from the organising club will need to be accredited. Also the race referee must be accredited.
  • In future there may be benefits of having several people from the organising club accredited.
  • The interim procedures for accreditation are still in place until autumn. Club members can obtain level 2 purely on basis of previous experience (see link on LEAF website for further information).

Publicity / Promotion

  • There is now a link on the Leeds City Council / Leeds Half Marathon website to the UK Results website so that LHM race entrants can look for races including those in the Leeds area.
  • Race organisers should send their race details to

Leeds Half Marathon

  • BJ asked how Leeds endurance clubs could help in the Leeds Half Marathon.
  • SB said that the benefiting charity is “Andrea’s Gift”, a local charity. The implication of it being a local charity is that they will have limited resources to supply marshals.
  • Individuals wishing to help can find details of how to volunteer on the LHM website.
  • Clubs can help by marshalling in critical areas and/or manning a water station. Clubs will receive a donation for helping. Clubs should contact SB. Action: all
  • Mike Tomlinson and other supporters of Run for All may potentially be assisting with the organisation of Leeds Half Marathon in future years.
  • SB said that it is likely that the 2009 race will again be in September (so that it is at a different time of year from Run for All) and will again be on the same route, but this will be reviewed after the 2008 event.

Any Other Business

UK Athletics club registration

  • Several clubs had not received registration cards for 2007.
  • The UK Athletics website for registration of members and payment of fees has now opened.
  • AG had had problems logging on to the site.
  • BJ said that all Valley Striders members were duplicated and he was pursuing this.
  • The distribution list of the forum could be used for other clubs to relate their experience registering members for 2008. Action: all

Next LADC meeting

  • BJ and KM definitely intend to attend the next meeting of LADC (Monday 14 July) and would pass forward the views of the endurance clubs where appropriate. Other LEAF participants are welcome to attend.
  • PM to circulate agenda to full LEAF distribution. Action: PM

Next LEAF meeting

  • It was agreed that there should be another meeting specifically to discuss endurance issues.
  • Mike Moss (endurance permit secretary, Yorkshire Region) would be invited, in particular for his input on event organisation and liaison.
  • The date was set for Monday 8 September at John Charles Centre.