This week

  • Tuesday, all day, last day to run the Virtual Tanadees and Arkwright 2021, run or walk on the waterfront Fergs to Balaena Bay and back. Results in next week’s newsletter. More details.
  • Saturday, 8.00am, Karori Park speed workout — contact our club captains Danielle and Ben for info, or check Facebook for details. 8.00am warm-up for an 8.30am start. All speeds and interests welcome. This won’t go ahead if the Bernie Portenski Memorial Trophy is happening.
  • Saturday 1:30pm, Bernie Portenski Memorial Trophy, St Timothy’s Presbyterian Church, 16 Te Pene Ave, Titahi Bay. This event may be cancelled or amended depending on official advice about COVID-19 Alert Level 2. Please see our website and Facebook Group later in the week for confirmation and details. Anyone who would like to do a social walk round the course, starting half an hour before the runners, needs to be on Titahi Beach ready to leave at 1.30.
  • Saturday 1:30pm, Track and Field Opening Day, Newtown Park.
  • Sunday long pack runs — usually, these leave 8.30am from outside Freyberg Pool and some alternative locations around Wellington. Contact our club captains Danielle and Ben for info, or check Facebook for details.

Results

Adrian Marquet (2:54:27 PB) and Alan O’Brien (2:59:59! PB) ran marathon time trial in lieu of their cancelled official Wellington and Auckland Marathons.

Coming up

Advice about events under COVID-19 Alert Level 2

We are seeking official advice from Sports NZ and Athletics NZ about which events of more than 100 people can take place and how they can take place under Alert Level 2. This includes the Bernie Portenski Memorial Trophy which is scheduled to take place this weekend, and the Waterfront 5km series. When we have clear guidance we will let club members know on our website and Facebook Group.

Virtual Tanadees Cup and Arkwright Cup

Tanadees/Arkwright 2021 is a virtual event, run on the waterfront (7.5km from Fergs to Balaena Bay and back) between 19 September and 12 October.

The 2021 virtual course follows the old Powerade Challenge course (2012-2018 version), so hopefully, it’s straightforward (but without free Powerade). Start at the “0” km marker at Fergs Kayaks, run to the public toilets at Balaena Bay, then run back to Fergs.

Bernie Portenski Memorial Trophy, Baudinet Cup and Ladies Open Handicap Cup, 16 October

The Bernie Portenski Memorial Cup in Titahi Bay is a handicapped race to celebrate the end of the harrier season and to commemorate Bernie Portenski. It is a 9.1km course with a little bit of road, a little bit of cross country and beach, and a little bit of a hill.

Scottish members also compete on handicap for the Baudinet Cup and Ladies Open Handicap Cup

We assemble at St Timothy’s Presbyterian Church, 16 Te Pene Ave, Titahi Bay from about 1:30pm.

Post-race we return to the church hall for an afternoon tea and prize-giving. The race starts at 2:05pm on the beach in front of the surf club at Titahi Bay.

Details

Track and field season, from 16 October

The Athletics Wellington and Field Season 2021-2022 opens on 16 October. Most track meets are free to enter for Wellington Scottish members. The opening day on 16 October includes a 1000m race, a 3000m race and some 100m relays.

Strength and Injury Prevention classes – next block

Sierra (Sparkle Fitness) is starting her next block of classes next week. These classes are great for cross training and strengthening muscles to help support your running posture. People who have attended have noticed improvements in their running and feel strong! There are two class options:

  1. Mondays at 11:30am at Anderson Park Cricket Club rooms (except for Labour Day)
  2. Wednesdays at 6pm at Club Kelburn Gym

Scottish members get a discount and so the next block is only $90 (or $80 if you come to Mondays). There are limited spots so please email sparklefitnz@gmail.com if you are interested.

Central League Meetings

Meetings this year are Sat 30 October in Inglewood, Sat 20 November in Palmerston North and Sat 4 December in Masterton.

In order to compete in these meetings, we need to advise the organiser of a list of our athletes who might want to compete in any one of the three meetings. If your name was on our list last year, then you don’t need to do anything unless you will not be competing this year and want us to take your name off the list. If you want to have your name added to our list, you need to let Don Dagliesh know by the Tuesday before that meeting, as names can’t be added on the day of the meeting.

An athlete can do any event(s) they wish to. There is a fee of $5 for each meeting that you compete in, which is paid to Don when you collect your number from him. The programme is a standard one, the same for each meeting, and covers all events except 10000m.

Wairarapa Country Marathon, 7 November

Includes a half marathon, 10km and 5km race for runners and walkers. The marathon is this year’s Wellington Marathon Championship race.

Details and entry

The Agency Group 10000m, 13 November

The Agency Group 10000m is the most popular 10000m race in New Zealand. For the last three years, the Agency Group 10000m has been a night of PBs for runners of all speeds – 40 percent of runners finished with a new best time. We even had a world record! This year there will be running packs and pacers of many different speeds to drag you to your new PB. Races are open to men and women of all age grades.

This year it will also be the National Championship, the Wellington Championship, and the NZ Masters Championship. We’ll be back with race packs to help runners of all speeds to new personal bests.

Details and entry

Please contact Stephen if you can help with organising on the day, officiating or lap counting.

Annual Prizegiving, 20 November

From 6:00pm at the Function Room, Newtown Park Stadium.

Please join us for a fun evening where we will celebrate running and race-walking, and the achievements and contributions of our members this year. The cost is $35 per adult and $15 per child. You don’t need to pay immediately – we will invoice you. We need to advise final numbers for catering a week ahead, so please respond by Friday 12 November. For queries about arrangements, please contact Marshall Clark.

Register your interest

Keep in touch with the club