...no, not Covid time (because we've all had enough of that)! It's April, which means Birtley AC memberships are now due for renewal. You'll be pleased to hear that we haven't raised the cost of membership, which remains at £35 for children, £60 for adults and £95 for a family. This is a great deal for athletes when you consider that you can get free entry into any (or indeed all) local or national championships (road, T&F, cross-country, relays, and masters), as the club will refund your entry fee once you've competed. 
To help us develop the club and give our athletes the best training we can, we need our members to pay their weekly training fees as well as renewing their membership. This will allow us to fund more training opportunities for our fantastic coaches, buy equipment, and other things that will help our athletes to improve and reach their full potential. Thank you!

Remember, if you have any news to share of your own or your child's achievements, email me and we'll get it put on the website for everyone to see - Birtley AC is proud of all their athletes and likes to share their successes!

After a long dry spell due to lockdowns aplenty, it was lovely to see some of the Birtley athletes out there today giving it their all. Typically, like buses, the events both came at the same time, so we were spread out a bit, but everyone did really well in both races. 
The NECAA Senior XC Relay Championships took place at Thornley, and weirdly for cross-country there was a dearth of mud - in fact, after a hard frost in the morning, the day was glorious, with blue skies and sunshine. The hard going suited some better than others, but our teams did really well, and we had some very fast times, notably from Lydia Turner with the 3rd fastest leg in the senior ladies race, and Lorna Graham snagging 4th fastest in the masters ladies race, with Andrew Beevers doing the same in the masters mens race.  Full results can be seen here and pictures from the race can be seen on the links below (photos by Stuart Whitman)
Masters Women   Masters Men   Senior Women   Senior Men
​
Meanwhile, we had quite a few juniors and adults out at the Lambton Castle X-trail events. Noah Williamson was first in the 2.5K race, and along with him, our young athletes actually grabbed the first seven positions, which is amazing and shows what young talent we have in the club! Another talented athlete, Lisa Short, finished first lady in the senior race - well done to both her and Noah.

Due to ongoing Covid restrictions, this year's AGM will be held via Zoom at 7pm on April 12th. The agenda will include election of committee members and setting of fees for the coming year. If you have anything you wish to be considered for inclusion in the agenda, or you would like to attend the AGM, please email me - items for the agenda must be received by 29th March for possible inclusion (following approval by committee).
Remember this is your club, and this is your chance to have a say in the future direction of the club - don't miss the opportunity! 

This is a link for nominations for committee positions - please nominate or second at least some of these prior to the AGM, to allow us to elect our committee for 2021/2022.

If the government's phased return continues to go to plan, we hope to reopen the club for training on 30th March. We will be meeting at Birtley Baths (for the time being), with a start time of 7pm. We do hope to return to Lord Lawson in the near future, and we will give you any updates as soon as we have them. 

Please remember we still need to maintain social distancing, particularly before the start of training and at the end of the session. 

Unfortunately the prime-minister's latest announcement has put a temporary stop to training as a club, even for the juniors. The club will not be meeting on a Tuesday or Thursday for training sessions until further notice. If you have paid your weekly fees already, this can be held over for future dates - if you would prefer a refund, please contact me on birtleyribbons@gmail.com and I will sort one out for you.
​Remember you can still exercise outdoors with one other person from outside of your own household, so pair up if you can and keep running! 

​The following sessions are available over the 2 weeks holiday period. They will be mainly speed/endurance based, although anyone who comes along will be able to join in, so therefore everyone welcome.
Due to current restrictions and the athlete/ coach ratio, it would be great if any available coaches/assistants could also offer to come along.
2020 has been a really frustrating time for athletes and coaches of all disciplines. The reason you train, or coach, is to compete, improve and strive to meet your potential or help others toward those goals.
There has been some limited races and events available, and those that have managed some competition have done themselves proud, although with staggered starts, arenas closed to coaches, parents and spectators, it’s just not the same.
The start of 2021 looks like being much of same as the end of 2020, who would have thought back in March 2020 that they’d still be looking for a competition probably a year later. Although, despite all the restrictions, don’t keep looking on it as being a negative thing, look on it as a chance to get some further quality training done and become more hungry for competition. If you’ve been struggling with an injury or niggle it’s been, and still is, an ideal opportunity to look at the reasons, and maybe to look at your training, and to get “put right”.
All sports have had a tough year and especially grassroots clubs, with lockdowns and training venues unavailable, however, Team Birtley are now back together, all be it in a car park, and what a great turnout there is on Tuesdays and Thursdays, so, all things considered, as a Club we’re still in a good strong place.
So let’s look forward to a more “productive” 2021 and get ready, with no excuses, for some competition.
These are the sessions, have a Very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

• Monday 28th December - Derwenthaugh Country Park, Winlaton Mill at 10am (meet in the car park off the main road). There’s lots of footpaths to use, some gravel and some tarmac.
• Thursday 31st December - Beach session South Shields. Meet in the car park next to the Marsden Rattler pub 10:00am. Bring a towel and change of clothes & shoes, you’ll be getting wet. Final session of 2020 so let’s get the year out of the way by kicking some sand in it’s face.
• Saturday 2nd January 2021 - Herrington Park 10am car park next to the lake. Trail shoes advised.
• Tuesday 5th January - Birtley Baths car park 6:30pm

Keep positive and looking forward.

• ​Tuesday the 29th -  Watergate park 10:00am. Meet in car park Next to the entrance to it (not the car park)
• Thursday 31st 10:00- training at South Shields beach (see Tommy’s post) hopefully will see most of my athletes there !

If parents could let me know who is going to be coming please, so I can see for numbers

• 31st 10am Cong burn wood (very wet)
• 2nd 10am beamish wood (hilly)

Please feel free to take part in  the other sessions available.

The athlete of the month for Emily's group is Terri Bouma (she forgot to take photo). "Terri is a role model for our younger athletes, she is my mini helper. She always tries her best every single session. She has improved a lot and is doing well in competitions, well done Terri !!"
Athlete of the month for Fiona’s group is Lennox Scot
Well done to the both of you ! Certificates will be here on Thursday.
We are missing Fiona’s trophy to give to her athletes. Emily  thinks the last person to have it was Louie - could bring this back as soon as possible please.
Excellent session on Tuesday, games night on Thursday for both of our groups. Gary is putting on a session on Saturday if any of you want to go ! I’m at rugby training so won’t be there.

Thursday 17th December is the last club session of this year - we'll return after Christmas and New Year (Tuesday 5th January) - hopefully you'll all be raring to go after a fortnight off! You might not get too much rest as the coaches will undoubtedly have some special extra curricular sessions planned to keep you on your toes - watch this space for details! 
We wish everyone at the club a Merry Christmas and a Happy (and healthy) New Year - it might not be the same as other years' celebrations have been, but we'll all do the best we can in the circumstances! 

So, another busy weekend for Birtley athletes. Saturday saw the return of XC, albeit in a small, Covid secure fashion, with Birtley youngsters showing us how it's done, getting out teams in almost every age group of the NECAA XC Relay Championships. These tough youngsters braved some pretty wet and miserable conditions to plough through the mud and hills of Thornley, with a well deserved second place finish for the U17 women (Katie Francis, Abi Thwaites and Tess Graham, and a third for the U17 lads (Robbie Mumford, Chris Perkins and George Beevers) - huge congrats to all who got themselves out there, well done to all! 

There are some brilliant pics taken by Stuart Whitman on the following links if you haven't seen them (or aren't on) FB 
https://bit.ly/NECAA_XC_Relays_2020_U13_Girls  
https://bit.ly/NECAA_XC_Relays_U15_Girls 
https://bit.ly/NECAA_XC_Relays_2020_U13_Boys
https://bit.ly/NECAA_XC_Relays_U15_Boys  
https://bit.ly/NECAA_XC_Relays_U17s 

Sunday saw some competition further afield at Kirkharle and Slaley Hall. Birtley did the double with newcomer David Young coming first in the 10k trail race at Kirkharle, whilst the youngsters braved the cold December weather to take part in the Kirkharle 2km Race, resulting in a 1,2,3 for Birtley AC, and 4th was a potential Birtley star of the future. They all got a nice mug and some hot chocolate to warm them up afterwards. Well done Noah, Poppy, Izzy and Donny - race report courtesy of Jason Williamson. Our Couch to 5k graduate Claire took part in the Slaley Hall trail race, and she must really be getting into her running these days because she bought trail shoes specially for the event! See, running is sneaky like that...one day you hate every second of it, the next you're flashing your credit card in Start Fitness and that's it - hooked for life! 

Saturday saw Tommy Millmore hold his regular 5k time trial at Rainton Meadows, with a number of athletes achieving new PBs. 
Sunday there were some organised races at Dalton Park, and Chris Perkins cruised home in first place in the 5k,  with Katie Francis finishing shortly after him as first female over the linen (at 19:03 an astonishing 4 minutes clear of the next female finisher!), and Noah Williamson placing second in his 2k race, just behind an U15! They were joined by quite a few others from the club, both juniors and seniors, and despite the abysmal weather today, they all have smiles on their faces, so they have obviously had a good run! 
Results from the 5k can be seen HERE whilst the 2k results are HERE.
The couch to 5k group were led out on an almost 7 mile trail run today by Lee, who showed no mercy by making them run up to Penshaw Monument at the end of 6 miles! Smiles all around from them too, which just goes to show how running is great for your mental as well as physical health - please get yourself out there even if you can't make it to club sessions! 

 Why not test yourself and see how your lockdown training has gone with another 5k time trial Saturday morning 5th December at Rainton Meadows.
The course is on a mainly footpath route over 3 laps and is flat.
This month it will be done as a handicap, and, if you did the last one, your handicap will be based on that time, or if you are a first timer then let me know your target time, based on current fitness.
It’s a good chance to have a good run out and see where you are due to no current racing opportunities.
Meet 9:30am for an intended start around 10:00 to 10:15. See attached map for the start and finish.
Everyone welcome, current guidelines for organised training sessions will be followed.
No prizes, no medals, no t-shirts just a pat on the back (virtually of course) for the most improved and 1st runners and the chance to let the god of Strava (hail Strava!) what you’ve achieved.
If possible let me know in advance if you’re running.
Post code DH4 5NL
Message me if you want any further information - Tommy Millmore

From the Roy Castle Foundation:- 

We have recently launched a brand-new event called The Snowman Sketch in which participants walk, run or cycle a Snowman shaped route via a GPS app such as Strava or Map My Run.

We have had a great response and have already seen some weird and wonderful designs submitted. There are two ways people can create their artwork, either plotting a route using local roads or going to a large space such as a local park.
https://www.roycastle.org/events/snowman-sketch-challenge/#register

We’d love for you to be involved in this year’s Snowman Sketch challenge and think people at your club would welcome our Christmas Challenge!
A prize will be given to the club who completes the best Snowman – So Good luck!