Club News

Pack run/walk from Clubrooms 1:45pm Sat 11 July
Make the most of the last chance to gather steam ahead of the busiest period on the Wellington winter running calendar.  There is heaps on over the next few weeks.

North Island Cross Country last week... 
Champions again in the Club competition at the North Islands, but it was a tense wait as the results took a while to come through. When they did, the margin was not as big as past years.  The whole weekend was enjoyed by all with a raft of PBs and podium finishes building the appetite for the dinner at Wairaki Resort.  Hungry people and free food - a pretty safe plan for people to have a good time!  Two things stood out for me - seeing the younger athletes finish their races at top effort and then start chatting casually within about 4 paces, and the flash outfits many people wore to the dinner.  Perhaps the common factor is the difference from my own weekend... 
Results here: http://www.olympicharriers.nz/results/event.php?eid=1149 

...and the Armstrong Wellington Marathon
A happy bunch of Olympic runners posted a pic after the race (http://tinyurl.com/pde2q89), but if the report from Peter Hansen is even half right, prize giving was even better: 'Tineke was 1st, Annie was 2nd, Peter 3rd, Liz won the trip to Paris and Ellie won a Tom Tom watch, so successful day for Olympic'.   It does pay to go to prize giving!

Sun 12 July: 31st Masters Road Race (8k) & Race walk - gather at Clubrooms for 1st race starting 10:45am
Wellington Masters Athletics is putting on this long running (get it?) event pretty much on our doorstep with a light lunch in the clubrooms afterwards.  Registration on the day is at our club rooms. Brian Watson from our club is run director once again and is looking forward to OH hosting the event, light lunch provided - prizegiving at our club as well. The registration sheet will be uploaded on our website soon. Also - if you know of any available helpers let me know. Tineke 027 2763021.
Details here: http://www.olympicharriers.nz/calendar/event.php?id=2683 

Wellington Cross Country Champs - Waikanae Park, Sat 18 July
Having been to the North Islands we start ramping up the closeness of the competition by having the Centre Champs at Waikanae, followed by the Club champs at Granada the next week.  Aim to carry the sharpness from these successive stride outs to peak at the Club's big day out, or for the guns in the Wellington team it will be the National Champs the week after.
Waikanae: http://www.olympicharriers.nz/calendar/event.php?id=2649
Club Champs: http://www.olympicharriers.nz/calendar/event.php?id=2684

Away trips and other races

• 5 Bridges Marathon Events. 23 August 2015. Start and finish at Petone Workingmens Club, Udy Street, Petone. http://capitalmultisports.co.nz/events/5-bridges-marathon
  Distances to suit all levels of fitness, runners or walkers. All finishers get a medal and certificate. Get your finish time individually printed a minute after you have crossed the finish line.
• A little further away are the National Road Relays in Christchurch on 3 Oct.  It is the 75th anniversary and it is a blast running from the edge of town over the Port Hills to Akaroa.  We have accommodation lined up but the places are not unlimited. Start looking for flights now - there is as much competition in finding the cheapest flight as there is in the race itself!

Important dates:
Sat 11 July - Club walk/run from clubrooms
Sun 12 July - Masters 8km Road Race, Olympic clubrooms. A cool, fast, and fun blast around the block. Recommended!
Sat 18 July - Wellington Cross Country Champs - Waikanae
Sat 25 July - Club Cross Country Champs - Grenada.  Lots of silverware up for grabs.
Sat 01 Aug - Pack run or NZ Champs
Sat 08 Aug - Around the Bays Relay