February 13th, 2011
Saturday’s racing conditions, were made perfect by a mild warmth and no wind, which is a sure sign that Spring is in the air.
This is the second year that the Royal Signal Relays have been run at Hetton Park.
The Signal Relays are the North East road relay championships and Birtley Men showed the depth in strength by almost fielding three teams (18 runners). On the day we settled two complete teams. The squad is in an optimistic position for the remaining harrier leagues (Currently lying second in D2) and the fast approaching 12 stage relays on the 20/03/2011.
Fingers crossed that next year we will have three teams for the Men and see a Women’s Birtley team in the results; picked from the ever increasing number of Ladies we now have training.
Excellent runs by all and a special mention to Brian Bailes, who pulled on his vest at the last minute to run the anchor leg completing the A team.
Race review by Adrian Bailes.
It was about my third appearance running for the senior’s team and this time I felt a lot more relaxed about it. I was in the B team with Dan Turner (running his first senior race), Josh McEnaney, Dave Scott, Dave Coulson and Michael Keenan. The race was run over two laps of a 1.11 mile loop in Hetton Lyons country park. I jogged a lap of the course in my warm up and I thought that it seemed quite an easy course with two hills that were more of long drags than short steep ones. The first lap I found ok – very fast though! – but then the second lap hurt! The second hill towards the end of the loop seemed quite short on the first lap but by the time I got there on the second lap I’m sure it had grown! I finished the first leg in 12:47 and handed over to Dan. Dan has been having a niggling injury in his knee for a while now but he still managed to get round the course. Well done Dan! Meanwhile, Dave Kelly had finished his leg letting me run with him for the first lap but then in the second lap he showed his strength and left me doing the last lap on my own! Dave then handed over to Richard. Richard ran a really good leg and I think I remember him saying he was 20 seconds faster than last year running 12:04! After Dan had finished his leg he handed over to Josh who ran his leg very well even though he’d been suffering with a cold. On the third leg it became apparent that the A team was going to be an incomplete team, so Brian became a last minute substitute and ran the last leg to make sure the A team got a finishing position. Running the third leg for the A team was Lee, with his wife chasing him round all of the way. He handed on to Karl on the fourth leg who came sprinting home to hand over to Shawn. Shawn put in a very solid performance it seems like you’ve been sneaking in some secret training having not seen you at the club for a while ha ha. Good to see you back Shawn! Didn’t see Dave Coulson, Dave Scott or Michael Keenan running as I was busy looking for some money for a piece of cake (sorry lads) but having seen the results it looks like you all had good runs.
The A team came home in a time of 78:39 finishing 14th overall. The B team finished in 22nd place overall with a time of 83:34
Birtleys favourite non-Birtley runner (who is now a second claim member of Birtley) got the third fastest leg in the girls race. Well done Tracy!
Full results can be found on this link.
http://www.new-marske-harriers.co.uk/attachments/article/195/Signals%20Relays%202011.pdf
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Tags: relay, Relays, road, Royal Signal Relays, Senior
Posted in races
October 11th, 2010
At Graves Park, Sheffield on Saturday 9th October 2010.
The same Birtley Trio of Paige, Sophie and Lydia from the road relay champs traveled to Sheffield for the inaugural running of the Northern Crosscountry champs.
With confidence and experience after their 4th placing a week earlier the 3 managed to move into the medal placing with an excellent 3rd place.
Race report By Adrian Bailes
Following on from last weeks successes at the northern road relays the under 15 girls team prepared for the 2 and a half hour haul to Sheffield. The group of Paige Gilhespy, Sophie Forster, Lydia Turner with there parents and friend Adrian Bailes all met at the turners house at 8 o clock and by half 8 we set off with Tony Forster leading us and Julie Turner following in convoy.
After the journey we arrived slightly rushed to make it to the start of the race in time. All in good spirit the team ran to the start of the race and Tony collected the team numbers whilst the team did a group warm up. The team were all determined to go at least one place than last weeks 4th place and Paige set off for a quick 2k with two ‘large (or so they say) hills in it. As I stood at the top of this hill, I now realized how large the hill was by some of the grimaces on some of the athletes faces. Paige got up the hill very well and then worked hard chasing the athletes ahead of her and finished the first leg in 13th position. Next person to take to the course was Sophie Forster and she set off rapidly and then the next time I saw her at the top of the hill she seemed to have maintained that harsh pace she started with. Although she thought that at the top of the hill she came out at the next corner she continued pushing on and finished her leg with Chelsea Jarvis of Stockport harriers who won the English schools 800m last year chasing her down but Sophie managed to hold her off and complete her leg in an impressive 5th place. Now it was the last leg and we were set up for an exciting last leg with the four athletes ahead of Lydia all with considerable gaps she like Sophie and Paige set off chasing down the athletes before her determined to get a medal. At the top of the hill Lydia came around in 4th place and with about 400m left Lydia passed the girl in 3rd place and had the team in the bronze medal position. Lydia battled hard and managed to pull away from the girl who was now in 4th place and she was chasing down 1st and 2nd race but as they turned the corner into the finishing straight the two leaders raced each other neck and neck all the way and the gap was just too big for Lydia to catch them up. The team finished the relay in 3rd place beating Stockport Harriers who won last weeks road relays. It was a very good day out and well worth the journey. The team were more than satisfied with there bronze medal in the northern cross country relays.
For the Evening Chronicles coverage click here
http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/athletics-news/2010/10/13/relay-championships-fail-attract-region-s-clubs-72703-27454193/
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Tags: cross country, England Athletics, Northern Athletics, relay, Relays, U15, XC
Posted in races
October 2nd, 2010
Sophie, Paige and Lydia
A trio of U15 girls were a leading example of what hard work and team endeavor can achieve at this years Northern Athletics Road Relay Championships in Manchester.
Birtley AC has enjoyed great success in particular with the U13 and U15 girl’s age categories almost dominating North East Athletics for a number of years.
At Manchester Paige Gilhespy, Sophie Forster and Lydia Turner mixed with the best teams from the North of England finishing a brilliant fourth place missing out on third by 20 metres.
With this result they have earned themselves a place in the National Finals that are to be run in Birmingham on 16 October.
Well done Girls
Race report by Sophie Forster,
Woke up absolutely shattered but dead excited for the day ahead. It was our first relay together as a team and it would be the Northern Championships! We traveled down together as a team with coach Tommy at a bright and early 8 o’clock! We traveled sleepy eyed down to Wythenshaw park in Manchester, with very little conversation because we were all soo tired!! We arrived at the event at quarter to eleven geet excited and ready for a goodun! We were greeted by the mud and smell of deep heat. Paige started us off at quarter past 12 and had an amazing run putting us in 31st for the second leg. Paige quoted “I enjoyed the course but was quite difficult under foot, I tried my best and had a good run!” before the race Paige was worried about going first but when asked by coach Tommy after the race she said “I enjoyed it, it was good!” after an amazing first leg it was handed over to Me who set off hard around the course “it was a good course quite scenic but very twisty turning, I ran hard trying my best to take as many in front of me as I could! I loved it!” Sophie finished her leg in 13th place to then hand it over Lydia who took off! Lydia went off around the park “I found the course good and worth the journey and thoroughly enjoyed running part of such a successful team.” Lydia finished the trio in 4th place narrowly missing the medal positions, running the fastest time of the day. A good run by the team and one of many goodun’s to come!
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Tags: Northern Athletics, Race, relay, Relays, road, U15
Posted in races
September 11th, 2010
Birtley AC has given a promising start to the 2010/11 crosscountry season by fielding 29 runners over the day’s races. Sunderland Harriers Open crosscountry races are seen by many as the start of the crosscountry season and it could have been a really wet one after the previous night’s showers. Luckily the weather became bright and warm drying off a lot of the ground water so that conditions under foot did not become muddy. There were six races with Birtley fielding runners in all but one. Straight races for the younger athletes and senior women. Relays for Senior and Veteran men.
Under 11 boys and girls ran a 1000m course starting and finishing on playing fields the same as all the other races with some slight up and down hills. This race gave our under 11’s a good taste of what the harrier leagues will be like as on the 30th October Sunderland will again play host to the second of the years harrier league fixtures.
Under 11 Girls
| Amelia Bateman |
7th |
5.01 |
| Sophie Ward |
10th |
5.31 |
Under 11 Boys
| Michael McNally |
10th |
4.59 |
| Kieron Taylor |
12th |
5.16 |
| Joel Flowers |
14th |
5.42 |
All the below age groups ran the same 1.8 mile course.
Under 13 Girls
| Olivia Bateman |
3rd |
12.08 |
| Danielle Coulson |
12th |
13.20 |
Under 13 Boys
| Adam Ridley |
16th |
12.03 |
| Luke Kelly |
19th |
12.18 |
| Andrew Baxter |
24th |
12.31 |
Under 15 Girls
| Lydia Turner |
1st |
10.33 |
| Sophie Forster |
3rd |
11.02 |
| Paige Gilhespy |
6th |
12.02 |
| Sarah Murray |
15th |
17.32 |
Under 15 Boys
Under 17 Women
Under 17 Men
Relays
Senior Men A 5th team 40.04
| Shawn Laws |
|
10.21 |
| Josh McEnaney |
|
10.09 |
| Neil Allan |
|
9.49 |
| Lee Millmore |
|
9.45 |
Senior Men B 11th team 43.46
| Ronnie Eillies |
|
10.48 |
| Michael Keenan |
|
10.59 |
| Dan Fletcher |
|
10.43 |
| Stevie Barras |
|
11.16 |
Veteran Men A 10th team 48.48
| Karl Oakes |
|
10.34 |
| Pat Kelly |
|
15.22 |
| Brian Bailes |
|
11.36 |
| Dave Kelly |
|
11.16 |
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Tags: cross country, relay, Relays, Vets, Winner, Winners, XC
Posted in races
September 9th, 2010
Wednesday night at Monkton stadium saw the rebirth of the North East Counties relay event. With entries from 12 clubs in the region the programme consisted of teams of 4 competing over 100 & 200 metres. Birtley AC were well represented accross the age groups with cumlative points to decide the overall winners. At the end of the night Birtley finished in 5th place from the 12 clubs competing which is an excellent result as the track season draws to a close. No times are available at the time of writing – the athletes who competed were: (some of them moving up an age group on the night)
under 13 girls Grace Turner Amy List Olivia Bateman Danielle Graham
under 15 girls Lydia Turner Sophie Forster Paige Gilhespy Emily Laws Laura Moffatt
Senior Ladies Lillyanna Turner Janet Taylor Steph Hopkinson Sophie Taylor
under 15 boys Andrew Baxter Adam Ridley Matthew Norton Callum McLean
under 17 men Sean Ridley Aidan Turnbull Alex Flowers Daniel Turner
Ed
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Tags: relay, Relays, track and field
Posted in races
June 13th, 2010
A continuous relay from Edinburgh to Birtley has been organised to raise money for the Birtley Athletics Club Development Fund for the development of a Club House and training facility.
The route from Edinburgh Castle to Lord Lawson School Birtley following a coastal Cycle Path and will consist of relay legs run by Club members.
The idea of the relay is to encourage all Club members to participate in promoting the Club and to actively seek publicity for the event and therefore the Club.
We are asking members/parents/friends to raise funds through sponsorship for the Birtley Athletics Club Development Fund.
The relay will start at 1:00pm on Saturday 24th July and continue through the night until the finish at Birtley before (hopefully) 1:00pm Sunday 25th July. There will be 30 legs on route, plus short legs at Lord Lawson, with distances ranging from 11 miles to 3 miles with shorter legs within the Lord Lawson School grounds.
Check out the following links to see the route and change over points
