A special welcome to our new club members Victoria Parker, Robert Naulls, Katrina Michelson, Tom Hughson, Torben Fear, Agnes Evans, Bernice Cavanagh, Alice Carlson and Tama Braithwaite.

This week

  • Tuesday 6.00 pm, speed session with Rowan and Andy, outside Freyberg Pool. This week’s session is 1km reps, alternating between half marathon and 5km pace.
  • Friday 12.27 pm, Kupe Run, a chatty pre-weekend run from the Kupe statue on the waterfront.
  • Saturday 8.00 am, Karori Park speed workout — contact our club captains Emma and Bert for info, or check Facebook for details. 8.00 am warm-up for an 8.30 am start. All speeds and interests are welcome.
  • Saturday 2.00 pm, the first of our friendly club pack runs, leaving from our clubhouse at Prince of Wales Park, Mt Cook. See below for details.
  • Saturday 6.00pm, Xterra Starlight Makara, Makara Peak Mountain Bike Park
  • Sunday long pack runs — usually, these leave 8.30 am from outside Freyberg Pool and some alternative locations around Wellington. Contact our club captains Emma and Bert for info, or check Facebook for details.

Results

Shaw Baton Relays

25 Scottish teams, out of 111 total, took part in the first interclub relay of the season. A very balanced M60 A team won their grade for the first time in some years. The Mixed U14 team were also impressive winners. Strong runs by Lucy Fauth, Dani Stevens, Jack Shaw and Alistair Richardson set their respective teams up well. It was great to see Rees Buck back and running smoothly in between his commentary.

3 Peaks Event 1

The popular 3 peaks series returned with event 1 for 2022, with 37 runners tackling Matairangi, Mt Crawford, and the Ataturk memorial (and the typical wind). Scottish was well-represented, with a few big groups enjoying navigating their way around the course. Emma Perron and Genevieve Coffey were the fastest women getting around the not-a-race course, and Hiro and me were the fastest men.

The series returns in two weeks (15 May) for event two.

Results

Middle-earth Halfling Marathon

Report and photos from Grant McLean: “Scottish representation at the inaugural Halfling Marathon at Hobbiton Matamata from myself and Stu and Jonathan Beresford. I was 5th overall, but more importantly first in a costume! Incredibly tough 21K crossy course. But absolutely spectacular. 1500 participants.”

Results

Coming up

Friendly club pack runs, Saturday 7 May

We are back at the clubrooms this weekend for friendly pack runs. Marshall has made a table booking for 7 May at The Hop Garden from around 4:00pm for those who are interested in post-run drinks.

Also, from 4 May 2022, Wellington Water will be working on the pipes that connect the Omāroro
reservoir to the watermain. The work, which will take up to three weeks, will close access into Hargreaves Street off Wallace Street. This means club members going to the clubhouse will need to access Wright St off Hutchison Rd.

University Relay and Chocolate Walk, 14 May

The Victoria University Athletic Club invites us to the Victoria University Relay events being held at Queen Elizabeth II Park, Paekakariki, on Saturday 14 May. 10 grades with 4 runners per team, compete over a sandy farmland 3.5 km lap. All grades start together. Walkers compete in the Chocolate Walk earlier in the day over a 6km walk on nearby roads. And juniors under 16 have a series of cross country scratch races.

Contact your section captain to let them know you want to be in a team.

Race details

Vosseler Shield, 28 May

This is NZ’s toughest and hilliest cross country race. This year there is a new course — but don’t worry, most of your favourite climbs are still there.

Race details

Dorne Cup, 11 June

The Dorne Cup is a mostly flat grassy inter-club cross country race run at Trentham Memorial Park. There are a couple of stopbanks, small jumps and stream crossings on each lap.

Race details

Notices

Peter Tearle bequest

The club has received a generous bequest of $83,000 from the estate of former life member Peter Tearle.  We have set up a working group to plan how to use this bequest.  We are keen to hear from club members about their suggestions and invite you to answer three questions in a survey form. Please respond by Saturday 14 May.

Uniforms

From Heather: If you picked up a singlet at a recent event please remember to put through payment – and a big thanks to those who have paid.

Payment information: 38-9005-0501833-00, and put ‘uniform’ and your name in the details, please.  Adults (both styles) $50, Children $30.

Please note, I won’t be at University relays — so if you need a singlet or know someone in your team needs one, please get in touch in advance (and before the Friday night — I will be out of town).

hwalkerathome@gmail.com or 021 583 716 (Heather)

If you’d like other Scottish gear I also have in my box of odds and ends some Scottish – 

  • Centennial polo shirts (unisex – $36), and centennial men’s and women’s t-shirts ($31)  (both black – see pictures)
  • women’s t-shirts (similar to the old-style singlets – but with sleeves – see picture, $40)
  • women’s crop tops (handed out at Karori park – McVilly Shield) – mainly size 8 left (also an option for kids) – these are going free to a good home
  • tracksuit tops – mainly the heavier weight (fleece-lined) option, small and medium without hood . . . but a couple with hoods and a couple of lighter weight tops (see uniform shop website for pictures and prices – $110 or $145).  If there is enough interest for sizes I don’t have, I can put in a new order.

Let me know if there is other gear you’re interested in – and we can follow up.

Karori College Cross Country Relays

These will be held at Karori Park on Wednesday 11 May starting at 1.30pm and finishing around 2.30pm. If anyone is available to help with the running of this event, please let Don Dalgliesh know. He needs help with setting up the course, marshalling the actual race, and taking down the course after the event.

Strength and Injury Prevention — 10-week block — for any runner

From Sierra Ryland: Hands up if you do any form of cross-training or strength work? And no, running doesn’t count. If you do great, you can stop reading. If you don’t then read on.

No matter your speed or ability, if you want to keep running long term then you will benefit from adding some strength work into your week.

We all lead very busy lives and we don’t have time to waste on things that are not actually going to help us with our end goals. With running, I like to train smarter and not harder. I have a family and a job so I need to be efficient with my time and know that whatever extra stuff I do is going to help with my running goals.

So that’s why these classes are designed around running and will form part of your running schedule (think about cross-training!) that is tailored towards building strength in your running muscles and stabilization muscles. These muscles are so important as they help you maintain good form and posture when you get tired near the end of the run/race.

The details for the 10-week block are:

  • Monday 2 May start: 11:30am-12:15am at Anderson Park Cricket Club Rooms (perfect for those who work in the CBD)
  • Wednesday 4 May start: 6pm-6:45pm at Club K Gym on Salamanca Rd
  • Special price: $125 for 10 weeks for Scottish Club members (normally $150)
  • Bring a mat, drink bottle or towel (spare mats are available at Cricket Club Rooms).

Spaces are limited in each class so email me at sparklefitnz@gmail.com to book your spot.

Clubhouse working group

The management committee has appointed a working group to explore options for future use of the clubhouse. The working group will look at the costs and benefits of the present clubhouse arrangement and various alternatives. The group is made up of Simon Keller (stkeller30@gmail.com), Lucy Fauth (lucyfauth@gmail.com), and Andy Ford (andrew.james.ford79@gmail.com). The process is likely to take several months. At some point, the working group will make a call for submissions from club members. In the meantime, you are welcome to contact any of the working group members by email if you have comments or suggestions.

Membership levies for 2022-2023

Join the Wellington running and walking club that caters for all abilities and levels. We have membership options to suit your goals. Whether you like to run on roads or prefer trail running we have something for all levels and abilities. 

  • 2022-23 Standard Member 20 Years and Over — $185.00
    People born in 2001 or earlier who take part in any activities the club, the centre or Athletics NZ organise.
  • 2022-23 Standard Member 15 to 19 Years — $85.00
    Members born between 2002-2006 who take part in any activities the club, the centre or Athletics NZ organise.
  • 2022-23 Standard Member 7 to 14 Years — $85.00
    Members born between 2007-2014 who take part in any activities the club, the centre or Athletics NZ organise.
  • 2022-23 Standard Member 6 Years and Under — $42.50
    Children born in 2015 or later who take part in any activities the club, the centre or Athletics NZ organise.
  • 2022-23 Social Member 15 Years and Over — $110.00
    We define a social member as a club member born in or before 2006 who only takes part in club runs and handicap races. A social member cannot take part in track, inter-club, or Athletics NZ competitions.
  • 2022-23 Volunteer — $50.00
    We define volunteers as people that give their time freely to the club but do not take part in the club nights and club runs as a participant. For example, committee members and supporters.
  • 2022-23 Second Club — Social Member — $70.00
    This membership is for anyone wishing to join Scottish as their second club for club runs and club races. You MUST hold a current membership with another club to be eligible for this subscription or Athletics NZ will invalidate your membership.
  • Send us an email for discounts for unwaged and students.

Our standard membership gives runners and walkers the following benefits for a full year:

  • Personalised coaching advice for runners of all abilities from one of Wellington Scottish’s qualified and experienced coaches. Our coaches can help you get started in setting a goal and achieving the goal.
  • Free entry into the Wellington region’s most iconic interclub running events.
  • Friendly club members who will train together with you at your own pace, showing you some of Wellington’s best running routes.
  • A guaranteed place in one of the friendly Scottish teams at relay events throughout the year, both in Wellington and for our iconic road relay trip to Akaroa.
  • Group speed and technique sessions on the waterfront, at Karori Park and Newtown Athletics Track.
  • Free entry to our club races, which are organised during the season, for you to try out competitive running within a friendly, club environment.
  • Regular news bulletins with advice, upcoming events and connecting you to local events and other runners.
  • Access to our Facebook private discussion group, which connects you to all our club members.
  • Membership of Athletics New Zealand.
  • Access to Supporters Trust and funding to compete at events if you are an elite athlete.
  • Access to our clubrooms. Our recently refurbished clubrooms are conveniently at Prince of Wales Park, Mt Cook, with access to off-road parking.

Join now

Join us for a Taupō Road Trip

Please fill out this registration form to let us know if you would like to join us in Taupō for the NZ Cross Country Champs. The cross country championships bring together the best distance runners in NZ — but they are also a great opportunity for a club weekend away with runners or all speeds and ambitions. Spa Park, with its rolling hills, geothermal scenery, hotpools and fast-draining volcanic soil, is one of the best cross country courses in NZ. And Taupō is a great venue for a club weekend away.

Register

Keep in touch with the club