This page updated 2 May 2024 at 10pm
Instead of the planned training session at Leos we will be holding a series of mile races at GSAL as part of the event being organised by “World Athletics” to celebrate 70 years since the first sub 4-minute mile.
(thank you Jane Rollings for spotting this)
NB Bookings for May are now open, click on
https://www.valleystriders.org.uk/booking-junior-training-sessions/
THE FOLLOWING MESSAGES IN RED APPLY TO GSAL, PLEASE READ ALL OF THEM.
Please note later start time as GSAL is back in term time.
YOU CANNOT COME ON SITE UNTIL 5:50PM. DO NOT QUEUE DOWN THE MAIN DRIVE OF GSAL BEFORE 5:50PM
From the main entrance, keep in the left hand lane and turn left at the barrier. (Press the green button to raise the barrier).
Drive past the cricket pavilion and turn right. Almost immediately turn left into the staff car park. Drive as far as possible down the car park.
Please note: You MUST NOT go past the mini-roundabout in your car.
From the car park, walk in the same direction to the mini-roundabout and turn right. (Beware of traffic and contractor’s vehicles). Continue past the stores on the left and then you’ll see an uphill path which leads to the athletics field.
Please note: You MUST accompany your child(ren) to the athletics field. You MUST NOT let them run ahead.
SPECIAL ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE MILE RACES
I put a survey on Facebook earlier this week and had an overwhelmingly positive response (39 of 44 replies said they would definitely come or probably come) and no-one said their school was putting on a mile run.
GSAL have agreed to swap dates (14 May will be at Leos).
I would like people to book on to this so that I have numbers for each race. So there will be a post on Facebook too – I will try to tag everyone that has been to at least 3 training sessions this year but as mentioned earlier, I have had problems tagging. Please look out for this if you don’t get a tag.
My plan is to have 6 races – y1-4 girls, y1-4 boys, y5-6 girls, y5-6 boys, y7-11 girls, y7-11 boys, each with between 12 and 18 runners. The first race would be 6:20pm start, so the yr 1-4 girls would need to be on site at 6pm latest to check in and then have a warm-up.
Proposed timetable
| Group | Registration (normal meeting point) | Warm up (meet group leader at high jump area, far end of track) | Race start |
| Y1-4 girls | 6:00-6:10 | 6:10-6:18 | 6:20 |
| Y1-4 boys | 6:10-6:25 | 6:25-6:33 | 6:35 |
| Y5-6 girls | 6:25-6:40 | 6:40-6:48 | 6:50 |
| Y5-6 boys | 6:35-6:50 | 6:50-6:58 | 7:00 |
| Y7-11 girls | 6:45-7:00 | 7:00-7:08 | 7:10 |
| Y7-11 boys | 6:55-7:10 | 7:10-7:18 | 7:20 |
We will need
- 2 parents on registration
- a parent for each of the 6 groups to lead warm-ups, get the group to the start and help keep order at the finish
- yr 1-4 girls – Lora Forster
- yr 1-4 boys – Nicola Walmsley
- yr 5-6 girls – TBA
- yr 5-6 boys – Tom Venning
- yr 7-11 girls – TBA
- yr 7-11 boys – TBA
- starter
- timekeeper (using parkrun app)
- someone to write down finishers numbers in order – Ian Richards
- someone else at the finish just in case
- someone at the beginning of the home straight to separate those on their 4th lap to head towards the outside to the finish from those who have been lapped to stay on the inside to go another lap.
On Tuesday, if you need to cancel, please text 07775 898 558 (don’t use any other method, not email, not gmail, not Facebook, not Messenger, not Whatsapp).