Remember to sign up as a member for 2023 on the new membership system.

This week

  • Tuesday 6.00 pm, interval session with Andy, Alice and Rowan, outside Freyberg Pool. See below for details.
  • Friday 12.27 pm, Kupe Run, a chatty pre-weekend run from the Kupe statue on the waterfront.
  • Saturday 8.30 am, speed sessions at Karori Park. Contact our club captains, Emma and Bert, or check Facebook for details.
  • Saturday 2.00 pm, Friendly club pack runs, Mt Cook Clubrooms, Salisbury Terrace. See below for details.
  • Sunday long pack runs — usually, these leave at 8.30 am from outside Freyberg Pool and some alternative locations around Wellington. Contact our club captains, Emma and Bert, or check Facebook for details.

Results

Scottish Mountain Running Champs

31 runners and walkers took part in the club’s annual mountain champs, mostly avoiding the rain. The J Team’s Peter Cottingham and Naomi Richardson won the short course race, Marshall Clark and Claire Jennings were victorious on the medium course and Jonas Lehmann and Emily Solsberg won on the long course.

See below for results.

World Masters Indoor Championships, Poland

  • Todd Stevens: Half Marathon 1:2:59 (16); 10km road race 37:12 (12), 8km Cross Country 31:46, 21st.
  • Peter Stevens: 1500m 4:33.83 (4H2) q, NZ Masters indoor record; 1500m final 4:28.23 NZ Masters indoor record (10), 10th; 8km cross country 30:55 12th.

The cross country was held in bitterly cold conditions, with snowflakes falling during the cross country.

Results

Waterfront 5km

Malcolm Hodge 17:42, Andy Ford 18:21, Hayden Smith 18:50, Lawrence Gao 19:25, Sophie Dickson 19:43, Sarah-Grace BReen 19:47, Chris Howard 19:47, Sophie Whelan 19:56, Alice Sowry 20:05, James Turner 20:13, Emily Solsberg 20:31, Michael Cummins 21:24, Liam O’Neill21:26, Julian Matthew 22:02, Naomi Richardson 22:26, Jorge Leonardo Murcia Robles 22:28, Luy Fauth 22:28, Lindsay Young 22:45.

Results

Porirua Grand Traverse

Results

Honest Ten 100th Anniversary

Here are the results

Notices

Nau mai, welcome

Welcome to new club member Malte Niebling.

AGM notices

The AGM last Monday saw several long-serving management committee members step down —

Marshall (7 years), Michael Wray, Sharon Wray, Glen Wallis (~15 years and also past president), Scott Ryland (8 years) and Sharon Wray (7 years). Lucy and Ben are also stepping down as they are travelling overseas in a few months. Ngā mihi nui ki a koutou katoa.

The AGM elected a new management committee:

  • President: Lindsay Young
  • Treasurer: Floor Kaars
  • Management Committee: Malcolm Kerr, Hayden Smith, Alice Sowry, Simon Keller, Emily Solsberg, Nicolas Vessiot and Karl Jackson.

Alan Stevens continues in the role of club patron.

Thanks go also to Iain Shaw for being the programme manager and welcome to Hinano Andrews who is stepping into the role.

You can read the President’s report for 2022 and the draft minutes for the 2023 AGM on our official documents webpage.

Sparkle Fitness: Strong Mums: Running Strength Class

Starting 11 May, Sierra is trialling a group fitness class that is for female runners.

This doesn’t mean you need to be “good” or “fast” at running. It will be for you if want to:

  • run for years to come
  • improve your running form
  • suffer from less injuries
  • improve back and knee pain

Does this sound like you? Then read on for the details:

  • Thur 7-7:45pm (11 May-29 June)
  • St Ninian’s Church
  • BYO mat, towel and drink bottle
  • Starting with body weight and stability exercises and progressing to weights
  • Female-specific and running-specific strength work
  • $200 (8-week term commitment)
  • Limited spaces will keep classes small so Sierra can give you proper attention and guidance

For more information email Sierra at sparklefitnz@gmail.com or 021 258 9445.

Goodbye to our newsletter writer

Oliver McLean is finishing up as co-writer of this weekly newsletter, to go travelling. Thanks for the writing, and haere rā e hoa. If anyone else is interested in being part of the weekly newsletter production send us an email.

NZ Cross Country Champs, 30 July, Taupō

Let us know if you would like to join us for a trip to Taupō for the NZ Cross Country Champs. The cross-country championships bring together the best distance runners in NZ — and they are also a great opportunity for a club weekend away with runners of 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. We’ll sort out shared accommodation and transport for those who want it, as well as a shared club meal on the Saturday night.

Details and register your interest

Hutt Valley Harriers Centenary

Hutt Valley Harriers is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year over King’s Birthday Weekend. It is planning a couple of events in June and it is inviting anyone with a connection to the club to participate.

Register for HVH centenary events

Coming up

Tuesday night session, 6pm outside Freyberg Pool

It’s back, the world-famous Scottish Tuesday night session. From now until daylight savings starts again we will be meeting outside Freyberg every Tuesday at 6pm ready for an exciting instalment of reps. Reps will typically be some variation of 500m, 1km and 1.5km at different speeds with different rests. We will break into packs so everyone (no matter your speed or experience) is welcome.

Tomorrow we will just be meeting for a casual jog and the sessions will start the following week.

And for those who are new to Scottish (or not new but have not tried the Tuesday night session out) do give some thought to coming down over the next few weeks and giving it a go. It has been a lot of fun the last few years and so you don’t want to miss out (and let’s be honest, on those tough winter nights it is always nice to have company when you are trying to run at pace).

Club pack runs, Saturdays at 2pm

Saturday 8 April, 2:00pm. We will have friendly social pack runs and walks from the clubhouse at Prince of Wales Park, off Salisbury Terrace in Mt Cook. We will arrange groups to suit all those who turn up, from walkers through to the faster runners. The groups will be out for around 1 hour. Be there, ready to go by 2:00pm. There will be afternoon tea when you return. For those who haven’t been to our clubhouse before, it has great hot showers, so bring a towel and a change of clothes if you want a shower after your run. There is also a regular group that goes to a bar afterwards. We book tables in advance – all are welcome to join.

NZ Marathon Champs, Christchurch Marathon, 16 April

Based now within Hagley Park, the famously flat, fast and scenic route will condense itself to a more central city vibe. Gone is the rough redzone, replaced with more spectator opportunities and more iconic landmarks as Christs College, Canterbury Museum and Cambridge Terrace are added to traditional highlights such as Hagley Park, Oxford Terrace and the Avon River. The course revolves around a new Hagley Park HQ, with all races starting and finishing beside the Armagh Street gates. The route is a 10.5k lap, with options including a Quarter Marathon (one lap), Half Marathon (two laps) and Full Marathon (four laps).

Race information and entries

Waitārere Forest Run, 16 April

Explore Waitārere Forest with flat easy running and walking as you wind your way through the impressive pines and finish in the famous Event village. Pick a distance to suit you and challenge yourself in 2023 with the 21km half marathon, 10km. 5km or 2km fun run. The forest provides the perfect mix of running terrain while you enjoy the scenic experience of running through the pines. Finish in the beautiful seaside town of Waitārere and celebrate your efforts with friends and family in the event village.

Details and entry

Shaw Baton Relays, 29 April

Relays are the best part of the season, and the first interclub relays of the season are the historic Shaw Baton Relays at Battle Hill, Puatahanui. Teams of four each do a 2km cross-country lap on grass and gravel tracks, mostly flat to undulating with one sharp uphill and downhill. Log jumps and a water jump. The Shaw Baton Relay was started as an Olympic Harriers club race in 1923, and became an annual Wellington interclub event in 1929. Since 1954 it has been run as the first interclub event of the year. There are teams for everyone, social and competitive runners alike. It’s a great way to meet and remet people in the club and in other clubs. Let your club captains, Emma and Bert, know if you want to be in a team.

University Cross Country Relays and Chocolate Walk, 6 May

The Victoria University Athletic Club invites us to the Victoria University Relay events being held at Queen Elizabeth II Park, Paekakariki, on Saturday 6 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.

Last year’s race details

Keep in touch