Category Archive Seniors Social

ByPeter Booth

Alternative Club Vest – Chairman’s Statement

At its meeting on 12th August the committee voted to recommend to the Annual General Meeting that the design of vest, as presented and discussed in the meeting, should be adopted by the club as an alternative club uniform. Picture here.The vote was not unanimous (10-3) and during the meeting members of the committee expressed their dissatisfaction with the way the issue had been originally brought to committee and how the process had developed subsequently.

I take full responsibility for any mistakes that were made in the process. However, the most important point to stress is that there is no intention to change the traditional hooped vest. 

The idea of adopting an alternative vest is not being proposed on a whim. Many of our newer, younger members (not juniors) have noticed that other clubs have updated their vest to a more modern design with a better look and feel than the traditional one. They find our current vest unfashionable and uncomfortable, to the point that a considerable number decline to wear it for races. At first I had little sympathy with complaints about the vest, but conversations with some of these members persuaded me that it is a real issue. The club is trying to attract and retain new members in a very competitive environment. 20-30 years ago there were relatively few clubs in NE Lancashire. Now runners and prospective runners have lots of choice. Rightly or wrongly, as a long-established club, Clayton Harriers is seen as elitist and old fashioned – top heavy with vet runners; not the best attributes for attracting new young members! Therefore, I feel that it is not just desirable, but absolutely essential to ‘move with the times’ and make the alternative vest available if we are to have a thriving, successful club as we approach our century in 2022.

The proposal means that we can retain the traditional vest and have an alternative for those who wish to wear it. Many older and long-standing members I have spoken to can see no problem with the alternative vest, although some would not choose to wear it!

So that’s it. The committee’s recommendation to add the alternative vest to the constitution will be proposed, discussed and voted on at the AGM. Whatever your feelings on the matter please come the AGM and have your say (and vote). If you’re not there and the decision does not go your way, you’re in no position to complain.

The Annual General Meeting is at 8.00pm on Thursday 29th August at Nelson CC, Surrey Road, Nelson, BB9 7TY. If Thursday is normally a training night for you, come and take part in the club’s 5000m track race at 7.00pm.

ByPeter Booth

August Newsletter

The August Newsletter containing the (correct) details of the AGM, the last instalment of Pete & Sandi Browning’s American adventure, plus results, fixtures, etc is now available here: August Newsletter 2013

ByPeter Booth

July Newsletter

The July Newsletter includes all the usual features: junior news, results, fixtures and Covering Old Ground, as well as the latest update on Pete and Sandi’s adventures in the USA, a more detailed report on our Calderdale Way Relay successes, plus advance notice of the club AGM on 29th August, and is available here.

ByPeter Booth

Summer Series Race 1

Ogden Valley Round 21st May

Our friends from Trawden AC made for great racing and more enjoyment. Well done to Mike—the cream always rises. Also to Richard Bellaries who managed to be only 7 seconds out with his estimated time, with Trawden’s  Molly Ralphson and Ken Livesey close behind.  Results. Thanks to Paul Healey and all members who helped with marshalling, timekeeping etc. Race 2 is the Worsthorne Trail on 25th June. July event is the Up/Down Relay from Worston on 23rd.

 

ByPeter Booth

Summer Series Race 2

The second race in the club summer series is Worsthorne Trail Race, tomorrow, 25th June from Worsthorne Village Square. The race is 5 miles with about 1000′ ascent and is the usual summer series format: first past the post and guess your time (no watches allowed). Start is at 7.00pm with post race re-hydration in the Crooked Billet.

ByPeter Booth

June Newsletter

The June ‘Harrier’ is now out with news from 3 continents: Africa – Marathon des Sables with Phil Hanson, North America – Peter & Sandi Browning’s progress up the east coast of the USA and Europe – Ali Dugdale & friends’ cycling adventures on Mallorca. Plus all the usual features, results and fixtures. June Newsletter 2013