Following some fantastic performances, Birtley men picked up the team award, coming away with the impressive trophy shown below Bill's report - well done lads, and to everyone who competed on Sunday - amazing efforts by all!

Race report courtesy of Bill McGuirk
PERFECT conditions were the order of the day for the 500-strong field contesting the
Heaton Memorial 10k on Newcastle Town Moor which incorporated the North East
Counties and NE Masters Championships.
And competitors, who lined up for an impeccable minute’s silence before going on their
way, took full advantage as they produced excellent performances which was headed by the
newly-crowned men’s and women’s champions, Calum Johnson and Sonia Samuels.
Johnson, the current National cross-country champion, heads for Liverpool in two weeks’
time in a bid to make the GB&NI team for the European Cross-Country Championships in
Dublin, set out his stall from the gun taking an early lead and from then to the finish was
never headed. At the half-way point, reached in 14min 22secs, the Gateshead athlete had a
36-seconds advantage over second-placed George Lowry (Morpeth) who was followed 15
seconds behind by Sam Hancox (Morpeth), 2018 winner Birtley’s Adrian Bailes and Jariah
McKenna of Bristol and West, who was runner-up behind Bailes three years ago. Following
the leading five came Gateshead’s Conrad Franks and Tyne Bridge duo Tom Charlton and
Michael Hedley.
Johnson continued to cut out a lone furrow on the second circuit extending his advantage
with every stride so much so when he hit the finish line (a course record of 28:28) he was
close to two minutes clear of his nearest rival which was Bailes who managed to outsprint
McKenna to claim the county silver medal with McKenna, now living in the North East,
picking up the bronze award.
Hancox, showing signs of getting back to his best after a number of problems, was delighted
with his fourth place after finishing ahead of Morpeth team-mate Lowry, who was fifth,
Franks (6th) and Hedley, who was the pick of the Tyne Bridge pair, who finished seventh.
Meanwhile, in the women’s section it was a triumph for Loughborough-based Samuels who
took in the race while visiting family for the weekend. The Rio Olympian, now 42, always
headed her rivals and by half-way, reached in 16:38 was over a minute clear of Elswick’s
Justina Heslop who had a similar advantage of fellow Elswick athlete Amy Fuller with Jarrow
and Hebburn’s Alex Sneddon back in fourth place.
On the run for home Samuels continued to up the tempo and she, like Johnson, was
rewarded with a new course record of 33:32 as she crossed the line in 25th place overall.
Heslop, like Samuels, a former National cross-country champion during their teenage years,
showed signs of that form in what was her first serious outing since finishing third at
Saltwell in 2018, finished a comfortable runner-up while Sneddon moved through in the
later stages to claim the bronze award. Elswick teenager Imogen Bungay finished in fourth
place followed by Kathryn Stevenson (Tyne Bridge) with Fuller, after earlier prominence,
crossing the line in fifth spot.
** Thanks go to Heaton Harriers’ and all their volunteers, and that, of course, includes all
the people who manned the cake stall which accumulated over £500 for charity, for once again hosting an excellent event
*** NOW that the dust has settled and having done my race report 24 hours earlier, it has been suggested by a number of competitors that the course for Sunday’s Memorial 10k road race may in fact have been slightly short. The organisers have taken on board the concerns and are looking into the matter and will make an announcement on their findings in due course.
Photos here by Stuart Whitman
Full senior results here (apologies, don't have the junior results link at the minute)

At the recent DABGC Presentation Evening, Ed Lown was presented with the prestigious Dave Lumley Lifetime Achievement Award, for his services to athletics. Congratulations Ed, much deserved! 

This competition below is open to all Durham Association of Boys and Girls Clubs members:
 
The National Association of Boys & Girls Clubs are searching for Britain’s Fittest Teen from across their network of youth clubs and projects.
 
Britain’s Fittest Teen competition launches at 9am on Monday 1st November and runs until mid December!! Feel free to click on the image below to see the promotional video.

Britain’s Fittest Teen is the first UK-wide functional fitness competition for young people in youth clubs and projects and is fully endorsed by the Fitness Racing Federation.
 
The event will be a hybrid online and in-person event. The initial rounds will take place at clubs and scores registered online, before the top six competitors are invited to attend a final’s day at CrossFit Rotherham in the new year.
 
Any competitors can register for the event from 9am on Monday 1st November and have until midnight on Friday 17th December to register their scores.
 
Clubs are required to submit their entries to their local county office to be authorised, after which they will receive a code to register on the online portal, where they will be able to submit their scores. All the details of the exercises and accompanying videos are also on the portal. If you are interested in taking part in this, please email me.
 
All those who are invited to the final will have the opportunity to receive some professional Functional Fitness instruction at a nearby CrossFit Gym.
 
For more details and entry forms, please click here.
 
This is a great event that ALL young people can get involved with back at their clubs. I hope that you can encourage your young people to get involved.
 
Andy Hamill – National Director – National Association of Boys & Girls Clubs

It has been a mixed few weeks.  On Tuesday I returned home after an unexpected overseas trip, and on Wednesday I received an email from the organisers of the Lanzarote Marathon due to be held in December 2021 that it was cancelled and they were refunding race entry fees. 
The unexpected overseas trip had also affected the training for the Lanzarote Marathon, so unsure if the cancellation was a blessing in disguise.  It was disappointing and a relief at the same time.
From a Facebook page, I noticed the North East Marathon Club had organised a Marathon/Half Marathon for Sunday 7 November on the town moor.  Preferring the training not going to waste, I entered the half marathon.  The last time I ran the race was in 2015 and this was ran in almost tropical conditions.  The 2021 race was the first race I have competed in the UK for some considerable time.
The weather on Sunday was totally different to 2015 and was certainly not the best running conditions.  The Town Moor was very cold and very windy.  I do not think there was anywhere on the course where the wind was not blowing in your face.  Certain parts of the course were blowing you off the paths that cross cross the Town Moor.  Dressed in a Birtley Vest and shorts, when all of the locals strolling on the moor were dressed as if they were going on an Antarctic expedition was a strange experience.
The race was three and a half laps of the Town Moor, following in part the Parkrun course.  It was well marshalled by volunteers from the NEMC and a local scout group.  The laps were chip timed so I look forward to seeing the splits.  The final lap was slower than the rest due to a combination of the cold and cramp.  I did not take any fluids on board during the entire race – very bad move.  Many thanks to all at the NEMC for making the race happen it was an enjoyable experience.
On finishing the race was given a medal – picture below.  I love it – totally original.  I was happy with the time to complete the half Marathon – it was where I expected it to be, with room for improvement.
 
On reflection was it the Town Moor Mooathon and half Mooathon?

This weekend saw an unusual all-girl turnout at the Northern XC Relays, which took place at Graves Park in Sheffield. There were some solid performances from the incomplete U15 girls team Maggie and Daisy Graham, while the U20 team of Amy Drummond, Eve Southern and Tess Graham held their own amongst the senior women with a mid field finish. 
However, stand out performances of the weekend came from the U11 girls, with Kitty Graham setting the standard in the first leg for Izzy Hall and Nell Graham to ably follow, with all three girls holding on to pole position to finish the race as Northern U11 Champions - well done to them, and all the young women who competed on Saturday, you did Birtley proud! 

I originally entered to run the Palma 10K in October 2020, but this was cancelled for the obvious reason and the entry was rolled forward to 2021.
We booked our holidays for 2021 and were in a small resort near to Cala Millor – about 70- 80KM from Palma.
The organisation of the race was first class.  I collected the race number and the T-shirt in Palma.  I had to present either a test certificate stating I was Covid free when collecting the race number or proof of double vaccination.
Sunday morning – panic.  Public bus did not turn up and resulted in very expensive taxi across Majorca to Palma.
Sunday morning, the 10K race started at 08:45 from a road adjacent to the Cathedral.  The race was an out and in race along the Harbour on largely flat roads.  There was an incline in the last half a mile or so of the out leg but that was tempered by a similar decline in going back.  The views of the harbour were fantastic and slightly envious of the boats in the harbour. The race finished on the main road opposite Palma Cathedral – it was quite a backdrop.
The heat was not too dissimilar to the UK – a pleasant 25oC steadily rising as the race went on.  The aim of the run was to maintain a steady 12 min mile pace from start to finish which was achieved – to ensure a later run this year over a longer distance would be achievable in the same heat conditions.
Once the race was over a food goody bag was received together with a can of coke and a draught pint of Estrella.
Apologies no photos, but a big shout out to George Routledge of Heaton Harriers who also ran.  Last time I saw George before this was at the Lanzarote 10K in December 2019 – nearly a lifetime ago.
Pat Kelly

Birtley AC will be hosting the annual Durham Boys and Girls Club XC Championships at Lord Lawson on Sunday 17th October. We need lots of volunteers to help the event run smoothly:- marshals for the course, people to help set up and/or dismantle, and help with refreshments which will be sold to raise funds for the club. The event is normally finished by lunchtime, so you don't have to commit to a full day of volunteering! You don't even have to miss out on your child competing, as marshalling will give you a great support point to cheer them on!
Please use the form below if you can help - we can't run the event without you!
To enter your child in the event, use the form at the bottom of the page (also linked HERE)

As we have no access to Lord Lawson on Tuesday because of an Open Evening, the training groups are meeting as detailed below:-
Birtley Joggers and Fiona/Emily's group are meeting at Birtley Baths for a 7pm start.
Gary's group is training in Princess Ann Park, Washington. They are meeting at the St Robert's side road at 18.45 - if anyone needs a lift to get there, Gary has six spaces available and can pick you up from Lord Lawson and drop you back afterwards.
Tommy will also be meeting at Birtley baths at the usual time.
Normal service resumes on Thursday at Lord Lawson. 

We'd like lots of you to step up and enter these relays please! Our mens teams did so well at the Northern Relays that they have won a team place in the prestigious 6 stage event, and there are junior and women's events too, so it should be a great day out for all - however, there is a very short window of opportunity for entries, as we must have your names (and refundable entry fee) by September 30th. Please head to our noticeboard page or go directly to the club shop and get your entries in as soon as possible! 
A coach may be provided, if enough people pay for a seat on it - please book your place here ASAP if you are interested.

Due to a certain virus that shall not be named, the winners of the 2019-2020 Harrier League finally received their awards (over a year late) at a socially distanced presentation at the Start Fitness shop in Newcastle last night. Chris Perkins won the U15 Boys prize, with Katie Francis receiving the runner up award in the U15 Girls category. Darren Purvis came first in the Masters Men category, but was unable to attend, so his award was collected by David Francis, who also picked up the team trophy on behalf of our senior men, who came second overall in league 2. Well done to all - let's hope we can get some repeat performances this season, and even add to the silverware! 

As there is a parent evening taking place on Tuesday September 28th, we have no access to Lord Lawson for that date, and coaches have made the following arrangements for their coaching groups:-

Tom Millmore:- Due to Lord Lawson being unavailable on Tuesday, my group (although everyone welcome) are meeting at the Team Valley Trading Estate. There’s a 5k loop which is flat, on footpaths and well lit.
If you don’t want to do the 5k then there’ll be an alternative session available.
Post code NE11 0SZ meet for 7pm.
Let me know if you want any further information.

Emily & Fiona plus Birtley Joggers:-Please note that Fiona's, Emily's and the Joggers groups will meet at Birtley Baths on Tuesday for a 7pm start. 

Gary Curtis:- My group we will meet at the baths this time.

We'll all be back at the school on Thursday as usual.

After last weekend's North Eastern Track and Field Championships, which saw some great performances by  Birtley (full results here), Saturday saw the return of the Signal Relays, over 18 months since the last time they were held due to Covid throwing a spanner in the works. There were some amazing performances from all of the teams out (and we had multiple teams in some categories!), with special mentions going to the Masters ladies team of Lisa Short, Lorna Graham, Tracy Millmore and Ruth Dadswell, who were pipped to gold medal position by a mere 7 seconds, with our senior men just missing out on a medal position (full results on our results page). The relays also saw some of our Birtley joggers group out representing the club for the very first time - congratulations, we look forward to seeing more of you out over the upcoming XC season! 
​
Sunday saw the younger members of the club throwing, running and jumping at the Tartan Games at Gateshead, with lots of medals being won - lots of great performances, too many to mention here but full results are on our results page (a breakdown of the U11 can be found on the results page). Birtley girls swept the board, with a Birtley athlete in top place in all events and age categories - well done girls!

Let's not forget Watergate multi terrain on Thursday, which again was well attended by Birtley athletes, both juniors and seniors/masters. A link to results will be posted once available.

Well done to everyone who ran this morning for our club at Gosforth Summer Relays. Some amazing performances across the board especially our Birtley Ladies who were superb winners.

Results as follows (approx 3K).
Teams
4. Birtley A 29.13

• David Young 9.12
• Craig Buchanan 9.52
• Nigel Simpson 10.09

18 Birtley B 35.47 (7th Vets)

• Peter Gill 11.22
• Graeme Swaddle 12.16
• Paul Brennan 12.09

21 Birtley Ladies 36.27 (1st Team)

• Chloe Price 11.11
• Rebecca Pottinger 13.18
• Lisa Short 11.58

Chloe was also fastest Lady on the day.

Next Relay event is The Signals on Saturday 28th August at Hetton Lyons Park. If you haven't already signed up please have a look at the details HERE and put your name down if at all possible. The "Birtley Bandwagon" is starting to roll and we want everyone to be part of our Team Success.

As most of the more established members know, every year our club volunteers to help out on the finish line of the Great North Run. Last year didn't happen for obvious reasons, but this year it's back, and while it's in a slightly different format (starting AND finishing in Newcastle) our services are still required.

As almost anyone who has done this before will tell you, this is a really worthwhile thing to do - the finishers are so emotional crossing that line, and they really appreciate us being there to help, it's a great feeling. You'll also get a free top, a parking pass for the day, and lunch (Gregg's!) out of the deal, what's not to like! There's a bit of info below, we need 15 volunteers and the places usually fill up fast, so if you're interested please drop me an email birtleyribbons@gmail.com Thanks!

It's on Sunday 12th September, and the estimated finish times are:
Wheelchairs 10.00
Women 10.27
Men 10.45
Last runners 17.10

Helpers will need to be on site by 9.45

There will be official parking on the Town Moor with access in and out throughout the day.
It is not expected that everyone will need to stay until 17.10.

The duties will be to move finishers onto the grass and to keep the finish area (this year on the road) clear.
Volunteers may be asked to help lay out finish packs next to our finish area should a bottleneck develop.

We will need 15 volunteers and their top sizes about 2-3 weeks before the event. Car park passes and event passes will be given our with officials' tops. Packed lunches will be provided by Greggs.

Ed Moon and Izzy Hall recently travelled to Stockport to represent Birtley AC in a Quadrathlon. This event included a 75m Sprint, 600m run, Long Jump and The Howler! 
Both athletes had a great day and really did the club proud. 
Ed won his long jump and finished in an impressive 3rd place overall.
Huge congratulations to both Izzy and Ed!