In this week’s newsletter:
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First Up
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Nathan Wins Wairarapa
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Third Education Evening
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Free To Run
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Agency Group 10,000m
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Aorangi Undulator
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Children’s Interclub
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Colgate Games
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New Zealand Mile And 3000m Champs
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Club Discounts
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Upcoming Events
First Up
Congratulations to Nathan Tse, who won the Wairarapa Country Marathon on Sunday in fine style, running 2:27 to finish more than 15 minutes ahead of second place. It was the fastest winning time in 38 years and a PB of more than four minutes for Nathan, who achieved his goal of going under 2:30.
There were also some amazing performances by the WHAC women, with Miranda Spencer finishing in 3:07, Marjan Doppen in 3:10 and Sarah Riceman in 3:19. In the half marathon, Vickie Humphries ran a speedy 1:36.
For those wanting to compete in the Central League 2 meet in Palmerston North on Saturday, Nov. 20, please register through Jack Waterworth no later than midnight on Tuesday, 16th November. Jack can be emailed at jack.waterworth17@gmail.com
Don’t forget the next education evening, on injury and prevention, is on Tuesday night (Nov. 16) in the clubrooms.
And the next Honest 10K is on Sunday, Nov. 21. Mark Te Punga is accepting offers for pacing or volunteering: marktepunga@hotmail.com
For future newsletter items or suggestions, please email Nick Perry: nickgbperry@gmail.com
The 2021 Wairarapa Country Marathon. Photo by Mark Jerling.
Nathan Wins Wairarapa
Nathan ran a big PB to win Wairarapa in 2:27.38. His previous best was 2:32.01 in Christchurch earlier this year, and his debut marathon was 2:36 in Auckland in November 2020. We asked him about the win:
Running sub 2.30 was a goal I set myself at the start of the year, and after missing that time in Christchurch I was just hoping there’d be another marathon on this year to get another go! I definitely owe the result to my partner and family who acted as my support crew, encouraging me and passing drinks throughout the race. Also thanks to John O’Driscoll (not only a fast WHAC runner but a great physio) for helping me stay niggle-free in the three months leading into the race. Unfortunately due to a meniscus issue I may need to have knee surgery soon so it was very satisfying to tick off my goal before I am forced to have a break. My foreseeable running plans, whether on the track or another marathon, will be dependent on if/when I get surgery.
There was also a story about Nathan and the race in the Wairarapa Times-Age here
Third Education Evening
From Jean Kozyniak
Third Education Evening – Part One: Injury Prevention and Management
Block out your diaries for 6.30 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 16 for the third education evening of the year, held at the WHAC clubrooms. This session will be the first of two parts, both focused on injury prevention and management.
Part one will be focusing on common injuries faced by runners and the prevention and management of these. With specific focus on load management, exercise rehabilitation, and when an injury is an injury and not just a ‘niggle’. Part two will be focusing on injury prevention and management modalities including massage guns, foam rolling, ice baths, compression garments etc.
Free To Run
From Gabby O’Rourke
For those that missed the screening on Maori TV, the documentary Free to Run is available for one more week On Demand here
It features Wellingtonians and Honest 10 participants Kathrine Switzer and Roger Robinson.
“The documentary tells the story of the running movement as part of the counter-culture, focused on key figures, including Steve Prefontaine, Fred Lebow (aptly timed for the New York City Marathon that day), and Kathrine Switzer. It also features Roger Robinson, who served as historical consultant on the film.”
Agency Group 10,000m
Saturday, Nov. 13, Newtown Park, Wellington
From Wellington Scottish
The Agency Group 10,000m is the most popular set of 10,000m races in New Zealand. For the last three years, the Agency Group 10,000m has been a night of PBs for athletes of all speeds – 40 percent of athletes finished with a new best time. We even had a world record! This year there will be packs of many different speeds to drag you to your new PB. Races are open to men and women of all age grades.
If Wellington is at Alert Level 2 the Agency Group 10,000m Festival can and will occur.
Schedule:
2:45 p.m. – 10,000m Walk
4:45 p.m. – 10,000m B race
6:00 p.m. – 10,000m A race
7:00 p.m. – 10,000m The Agency Group race
Aorangi Undulator
Congratulations to Alex Jones, who ran the Aorangi Undulator on Saturday and finished 7th overall and 3rd MM40 in 4 hr 16 min. The winners were Arron Whiteford (3.41) and Hannah Lund (4.30). The course was 30km and 2,350m of elevation. Alex said runners had to use the B course due to bad weather and the consequent risk of rivers being too high, so the track was very slippery but it was a grand day out.
Children’s Interclub
From Julie Richards
A reminder to old and new members: To compete in the children’s interclub competition, please complete a one-off entry through the link below. This is for the entire season. Please note you will be asked to enter a 100m event, please do this. It does not mean that you will be required to race this event. It is just to enter you into the system, and you will have entry to all other events.
Here’s the link
Also, please note the following: Due to the current restrictions on gatherings, in order to comply we have, for the time being, changed the format of our interclub competitions. Interclub 2 will be run in two session. Session 1 is for grade 11-12. Session 2 is for grade 13-15. Interclub 3 will be for children aged 7,8,9 and 10 years, and more information on this will follow.
Grade 11-12: register here
Grade 13-15: register here
Spectators: Any person who wishes to be a spectator for a session must register details in an online form by the specified cut-off time (11:59 p.m. on Wednesday prior to the meet). We will only know how many spectators can be allowed inside the stadium once athlete entries close. If the number of requests for spectator entry exceeds capacity within the gathering limit, we may conduct a draw, and advise the outcome to all those who have completed the form. Note: If people want to watch the competition but have not registered for entry into the stadium (or were not successful in the draw), there are still opportunities to observe from outside the external fence.
Spectators for Grade 11-12: register here
Spectators for Grade 13-15: register here
Colgate Games
From Athletics New Zealand
Athletics New Zealand has agreed on a key decision-making framework which offers clarification to clubs and centres on how the 2022 Colgate Games can proceed. In line with current government guidelines, the 2022 Colgate Games can only be held if New Zealand is at an orange or green light in the pending traffic light system within the Covid-19 Protection Framework.
The Colgate Games would be a vaccination certificate event with all attendees aged 12 and over needing to hold a current vaccination certificate to attend the event. For clarification this includes athletes, officials, volunteers, vendors, team managers, parents and spectators. Current advice provided by Sport NZ is there would be no restriction on unvaccinated children under the age of 12 participating or spectating at the event.
Full story here
New Zealand Mile And 3000m Champs
From Athletics New Zealand
The dates for the 2022 New Zealand Mile and 3000m Championships have been confirmed with Athletics NZ unveiling the exciting introduction of national men’s and women’s U20 mile titles for the first time.
In January, the first national senior mile championships took place for 52 years at a rocking Cooks Classic in Whanganui as Sam Tanner and Camille Buscomb took out the men’s and women’s senior titles, respectively.
The men’s race witnessed four sub-four-minute miles and next year the men’s and women’s senior mile championships return to Cooks Gardens, the spiritual home of the mile in New Zealand, on January 30 as part of the Cooks Classic.
National Championship Dates:
22 January – Senior men’s and women’s 3000m championships – Potts Classic, Hastings
30 January – Senior men’s and women’s mile and U20 men’s and women’s 3000 championships – Cooks Classic, Whanganui
4 February – U20 men’s and women’s mile – Capital Classic, Wellington
Club Discounts
Dancing Sands: WHAC members receive 20% off everything on the Dancing Sand’s website: dancingsands.com Just enter ‘whac20’ in the coupon field when checking out.
Bodyfix Physio: WHAC members receive $10 off per session. Book your appointment online here
Upcoming Events
NOVEMBER
13th Agency Group 10,000m, Newtown Park track
21st (Sun) Honest 10K, near Freyberg Pool
DECEMBER
19th (Sun) Honest 10K, near Freyberg Pool
WHAC Board Information
If you have ideas for the club or any questions, please contact a board member or the secretary, Melissa Black (secretary@whac.org.nz). Your board members are: John Barrance, Melissa Black, Gordon Clarke, Esther George, Paul Hewitson, Vickie Humphries, Jean Kozyniak, Bertram Manz, Julie Richards, Nathan Tse, Jack Waterworth, Georgina Wedge, Frank Evett, Louis Hogan and Todd Krieble.
