A new era, exciting news from our Running Club! Meet the New Co-Junior Coordinators

As the outgoing Past Junior Coordinator, I am pleased to announce husband and wife, Andrew and Lorraine Buchanan have volunteered to be the new Co-Junior Coordinators.  Lorraine is already a part of the coaching team having been volunteering as Coach Assistant for at least 2 years and at one time all their 3 children were members of the junior section with now only Sophie and Charlotte remaining. Andrew has youth coaching experience from coaching football teams and has been running for a long time so can bring knowledge and experience to the role.  Officially they take over on Wednesday 1st November but are currently taking charge with managing the team and athletes on a Wednesday.  Get to know your Co-Junior Coordinators:

Name: Andrew Buchanan

Joined club: 2014

Favourite race: Chester Marathon and Cross-Country races

Andrew Buchanan

Name: Lorraine Buchanan

Joined club: 2014

Favourite race: Chester Marathon and Brampton 10 miler

Lorraine Buchanan

                    

West District Cross Country Training Session Saturday 28th October on WD XC Course

We have been informed by the West District Convenor that East Kilbride Athletics Club, who are the host club for the West District Individual Championships on Saturday 2nd December, are holding an open cross country session for all age groups starting at u11 and upwards.  The session will give runners and coaches a chance to check out the venue.

"Hi All

There will be an open Cross Country training session this coming Saturday 28.10.23 meeting at 11am. All are welcome to attend (check with your own coach re your suitability to attend). Please be warmed up and ready for session to start at 11:30am. Cross Country spikes should be worn.

The venue will be Kirkland Park, Strathaven. East Kilbride AC are hosting this year’s West District Cross Country Championships on this course and the session will be ideal for making you aware of the course you will be running at the West’s. Although the West’s only allow athletes from U13 upwards the training session will be for U11’s as well.

Parking for the training session will be at Strathaven Leisure Centre, Bowling Green Rd, Strathaven ML10 6DR.

The lead coach for the session will be Niall Walker (East Kilbride AC) and the session is 6-minute reps with a 2 minute recovery.

Under 11 & 13’s 2 reps

U15’s 3 reps

U17’s 4 reps

U20/Sen’s/Masters 5/6 reps

If any other info is required please email sharon@maroculous.com or myself at kendoclem@hotmail.com

Kenny Clements, EKAC”

On behalf of the Calderglen Harriers Committee

Richard

Junior 5k Langlands Time Trial, Wednesday 1^st June

This Wednesday is the monthly Langlands Time Trial for juniors.  I have posted last months times on private club Facebook page so everyone knows their previous time. The idea is to see what progress you have made over the last month.

It will consist of usual warm up to Langlands from the club, the time trial and cool down back to club.

If there are some runners who feel the warmup is too long for them, this month we are going to try alternative start for them. However, I would like were possible runners start from Sports Club.

The new start is at the red post box at Langlands Place, off Langlands Drive. The nearest company is Socotec and their postcode is G75 0YF.

Please meet there for 6.45pm and the rest of the pack will run by and pick you up. Mums and Dads dropping your child can you wait with them until pack picks them up. It will be safer to pick up your child from Sports Club at 8pm rather than post box.

Everyone else 6.30pm at Sports Club.

This time trial is for any u13/15/17 athletes that are in the senior group coached by Frances and Graeme.

Club training, Wednesday 25th May

Just to let everyone know there is no junior training on Wednesday 25th May.

A number of coaches are taking part in 10k event.

We will return on Wednesday 1st June at 6.30pm

Calderglen Harriers Trail Race 2022

After an absence since 2020 our club trail race returns on Friday 24^th June 2022.

To remind everyone and new members this is a big event for our club to help raise money, raise our profile, and get as many local people as possible to run in a local event regardless of age.

So, the races and age groups are: -

1k under 9s born after 01/09/12                              

Starts at 6.10pm

3k u12 born between 01/09/2009 and 31/08/2012    

Starts at 6.30pm

3k u15 born between 01/09/2006 and 31/08/2009    

Starts at 6.30pm

5k born before 31/08/06                                          

Starts at 7.00pm

10k born before 24/06/06                                        

Starts at 7.30pm

As in previous years all current paid up juniors’ members can enter for FREE. To do this, I need to know by Wednesday 15^th June at the least if you wish to take part.  So please see me at training so I can tick another list that you are doing it or not doing it.

Once entered you will receive an email confirmation from Entry Central confirming your child has been entered.

I know a few people run for more than one running club if this is you see me to agree what club name you want to be entered under. The more that run as Calderglen Harriers will increase chances of team prizes.

More details can be found on our race Facebook page and our Entry Central page:

https://www.facebook.com/CalderglenHarriersTrailRunningFestival

https://www.entrycentral.com/Calderglen-Harriers-Trail-Races

Hope this is clear but feel to contact regarding any questions.

Richard

Springburn Harriers XC event - Sunday 27th February

Morning all,

Frances received an email from Springburn Harriers who are holding their XC event on Sunday 27th February in Kirkintilloch with first event starting at 0930 through to last event starting at 1020.

Looking at the link on Q Buster there is events from Primary 1 through to S6 so a big age range which is unusual.

They still have spaces at this event and would rather they get filled then not.

So, building on the success of the LAAA XC at the weekend and hopefully increased people’s interest to race, please feel free to enter your son or daughter via the Q Buster link. The race fees are all £4 and closing date is Thursday 24th February.

https://www.q-buster.co.uk/springburn-harriers-junior-cross-country

Unfortunately, there will be no club representative from Calderglen Harriers able to act as a chaperone. Therefore, you will need to remain there to look after your son or daughter.

Good luck to anyone who chooses to do it, remember to wear your running vest and as always tell us how you get on. Even a nice picture is always good to see.

Best,

Richard

TRAINING CANCELLED WEDNESDAY 16 FEBRUARY

Morning All,

We have taken a risk assessment and due to the high winds through the day and in particular after 4pm today, we have cancelled tonight’s training.

I put a brief post on our private junior Facebook, sent an email to all to this effect.

Kind Regards

Richard Lawton
Junior Coordinator

LANARKSHIRE AAA XC CHAMPIONSHIP 2022

Lanarkshire Cross Country Championships is a club event for running clubs in the area and is individual event with team prizes incorporated.

Entry to the race is FREE.

This event will take place on Saturday 12th February at Kirkland Park in Strathaven. All the races are individual. Ages as at 31 August / 1 September 2022. Details are as follows:

Event	Time	Age group	Distance
Race 1	11:00	U11 Girls	1000m (1 small lap)
Race 2	11:15	U11 Boys	1000m (1 small lap)
Race 3	11:30	U13 Girls & Boys	2600m (1 large lap)
Race 4	12:00	U15 Girls & Boys	3200m (1 small + 1 large lap)
Race 4	12:00	U17 Men & Women	4800m (2 large laps)
Race 4	12:00	U20/Sen/Vet Men & women	6400m (3 large laps)

Age groups are u11 (9 & 10 yrs), u13 (11 & 12 yrs), u15 (13 & 14 yrs), u17 (15 & 16 yrs) and everybody else is Senior or Veteran.

Entries close on Wednesday 26th January.

Please let a Coach know or PM on Junior Harriers Facebook.

Please note info provided maybe subject to change.

2022 Club Training

Just a reminder the club Wednesday training sessions return on Wednesday 12th January. Please be there from 6.15pm and ready run to by 6.30pm. We want to start more prompt for the New Year.

Additional Training - Parkruns

Various 5k Parkruns every Saturday @ 0930 and 2k junior Parkruns for 4 to 14 year olds every Sunday @ 0930.

If you do Parkrun you need register with them to get your barcode so when you run you get your time recorded.

Here is a link to the general site but all runs have their own sites to: https://www.parkrun.org.uk/

Richard

Summer Break

This current block of training has 3 more sessions which are on 30th June, 7th July and 14th July.

Then we will take a break for 2 weeks. So no training on 21st and 28th July.

Training will return on 4th August at 6.30pm

Please spread the word if you know other parents in club to make sure everyone gets these important dates.

Thanks

Richard

Trialling a one way traffic system during the school holiday period

 Park information received from SLLC

We are currently reviewing traffic management in and around Calderglen and there are concerns in relation to congestion on the main drive from the main entrance of the park, over the bridge and to the entrance points of both the sports club and K-Park. As your club members will have experienced, the bridge can be a bottle neck with the road as two way. Add to this, there are concerns with the increasing volume of park visitors entering on foot from Colonsay Field or further afield. In the long term, we have raised these issues with the Council in the hope that significant funding can be identified to improve the layout of the entrance road, access from Colonsay Field, and widen the pavement. 

In the short term however, we are appealing to all members of the sports clubs and also K-Park users in trialling a one way traffic system during the school holiday period. Would you be able to send your database of members/users an email to ask if they can exit Calderglen via the exit road and not go out the main entrance road as most probably do? We would like to trial this to gauge the effect it has on the queues at the main entrance and safety aspects for pedestrians. If we collectively think it has improved then we can ask SLC Roads to install signage and road markings to make it a permanent change. If you have any events which are being stewarded, then it would be appreciated if the parking attendants can ensure cars are directed out the exit road via the main car park. We realise not everyone will bother to adhere to this request however if we get at least some of the regular users doing this then it will allow us to monitor the impact on the main entrance area.

 

Many thanks for your help.

Colin Girvan

Recreation Officer

Membership Fees 2021 - reduction

Calderglen Harriers financial year is November to October and from November the monthly fee of £8 goes towards the new membership year.  With COVID restrictions the committee has been looking to see how they can help. Now that training has returned again the following decision has been made:

Calderglen Harriers will give you a 4 month break from paying fees starting on 1st July 2021 to 1st October 2021 for members who paid full membership in 2020.

Please cancel your standing order as of now so your last payment will have been on 1st June 2021.

The standing orders should start again on 1st November 2021.

There are few people this does not apply to and I have contact the relevant parents direct.

If you have a Family membership you need to speak to our club Treasurer Russell Couper / email on russell4@sky.com about your membership fees but you may have done this already.

If you are a new member for 2021, you will need to pay £8 per month after the first 4 weeks your son or daughter join the club.

Kind Regards

Richard Lawton
Junior Coordinator

New Training time - Wednesday 19th May

Changes to Training times from Wednesday 19th May (tomorrow)

Now that we are Level 2 after recent SG COVID restriction changes we can return to a single training time for all young athletes.

As per pre-COVID, training will start at 6.30pm and finish at 8pm.

The warm up element of training can be all age groups but the main activity we will still separate athletes out by age group under 11s and 12 +.

We will remain to meet outside at the decking area at the back of the Sports Club.

Parking Policy

Just to reiterate East Kilbride Sports Club new parking policy. They have introduced a new way of using the club car park prioritising members and parents to make easier for parking and drop off/picking up of your children. This will help maintain the recently resurfaced car park and ensure parking for members only. The drop off zone is upon entering the car park and please don't go beyond the fences that are up acting as a gate.

If you intend to stay in Calderglen Country Park whilst your son/daughter are training please either park your car in Colonsay Field which is accessible first left just as you enter the Park. Or as an alternative, park your car in the Torrance/Zoo car park further along from Sports Club. Otherwise just use the Sports Club car park as quick drop off.

Pick up: please collect your child on foot from decking area prompt at 8pm.

This is still a new system for all so please have patience for it to continue to bed in.

I have put a messages out on our Facebook page with more information.  

If you know any Harrier parents please spread the word.

Richard and on behalf of John and Frances

Juniors are back....Wednesday 7th April

Confirmation is yes we are back tomorrow night,  Wednesday 7th April.

1st session is 6.15pm to 7.15pm for 11 and under

Meet at: Decking area at the back of the Sports Club

Pick up: please collect your child on foot from decking area prompt at 7.15pm.

2nd session is 7.30pm to 8.30pm for 12 to 17 year olds

Pack B meet at: Decking area at the back of the Sports Club

Pack C meet at:  Next to the park benches at left hand corner on cricket pitch if looking from back of Sports Club

Pick up: please collect your child on foot from decking area if in Pack B and next to park benches at left hand corner on cricket pitch if in Pack C at 8.30pm.

Parking: The Sports Club is introducing a new way of using the club car park for members and parents to make easier for parking and drop off/picking up of your children.

If you intend to stay in Calderglen Country Park whilst your son/daughter are training please either park your car in Colonsay Field which is accessible first left just as you enter the Park. Or as an alternative park your car in the Zoo car park further along from Sports Club. Otherwise just use the Sports Club car park as quick drop off.

This is a new system for all so please have patience for it to bed in.

I have put a messages out on our Facebook page with more information.  

If you know any Harrier parents please spread the word.

Richard and on behalf of John and Frances

Group Training suspended due to January Lockdown

 Following the announcement by the First Minister on Monday 4th January the instruction is from 00:01 on 5th January to midnight on the 31st January is to stay at home and only travel for essential purposes e.g. work, food shopping, care giving etc. This is being made a legal requirement and will be enforceable in law.

Further to this our governing body Scottish Athletics have advised all clubs in Scotland that under 11s aren't affected by this change and anyone 12 years and over can exercise outdoors with one other person from one other household but you must follow the physical distancing rules.  However as a further measure Scottish Athletics "STRONGLY recommend that ALL formal Club and Group activity is suspended from 00:01 on 5th January 2021 to midnight on the 31st January 2021".

Therefore Calderglen Harriers have decided that ALL training sessions are cancelled with effect from today, Tuesday 5th January.  This decision has been taken to comply with the new government directives and will be in force until further notice or at a time when restrictions are amended.

This instruction is applicable to ALL Calderglen Harrier athletes regardless of age or ability. This decision has been taken to protect all athletes, coaches and volunteers given the current transmission rate of the new strain of the virus. We will keep you informed of any further changes but in the meantime, please do all you can to stay at home and stay safe.

From

Richard Lawton, Covid Coordinator and Calderglen Harriers Committee

Juniors are back....Wednesday 4th November

Yes we are back tomorrow night.  

We will meet in the committee room just next to toilets in Sports Club. So if the kids come in and wash their hands with the hand sanitiser and make their way into the committee room.

1st session is 6.15pm to 7.15pm for 11 and under

2nd session is 7.30pm to 8.30pm for 12 to 17 year olds.

I have put a message out on our Facebook page.  If you know any Harrier parents please spread the word.

Richard and on behalf of John and Frances

TRAINING CANCELLED WED 28 OCTOBER

 UPDATE........TRAINING CANCELLED WED 28 OCTOBER.....

Further to the extension of the 16 day reset into this week by the Scottish Government, the EK Sports Club remains closed.

Therefore another week there will be no training for the juniors. Also there is personal issues effecting our coaching and volunteers which has added another level of difficulty to provide a safe training environment.

So we will wait and see the impact of the Scottish Government's new tier system has on the EK Sports Club and junior Harrier training sessions.

If we can we will try to be back on Wednesday 4th November still at the new times we have been operating, 6.15pm to 7.15pm for 11 and under and 7.30pm to 8.30pm for 12 to 17 year olds.

I will put this on the junior blog and if you know any other Harrier parents please spread the word.

I know its not news people want to hear but I hope you understand as you leave the coaches in charge with the most precious people in your lives. Safety first.

Any further updates I will let you know

Richard and on behalf of John and Frances

SCOTTISH ATHLETICS VIRTUAL EVENT

Please click on link to the Senior Harriers blog post on this event.

http://calderglen.blogspot.com/2020/10/scottish-athletics-virtual-event.html

Our governing body Scottish Athletics are doing a virtual running event for all age groups starting from under 11s and upwards.  If your son or daughter wanted to do it then let me know as it is club entry only.

So,  your son or daughter will need to join Scottish Athletics as you need a SA number to enter. When joining enter Calderglen Harriers as their club.  If your son or daughter are members already make sure their membership is still in date and not expired. If expired you will need to renew online.  See link to Scottish Athletics membership page....

https://www.scottishathletics.org.uk/membership/

Please let me know if your son or daughter wish to be entered and let m know either via Facebook or email so I can ask our Event Organiser to enter them.

Thanks

Richard

TRAINING CANCELLED WED 14 AND 21 OCTOBER

Since the announcement by the FM last week I was waiting to see if there was any changes to outdoors for the juniors. On the plus there is no change and we can carry on as usual.

However our club house, EK Sports Club, has no income if no one is using the bar or booking the hall and the FM announcement has led to the EK Sports Club being shut for 16 days with a view to re-open on Monday 26th October.

With no EK Sports Club open we don't have a safe indoor place to meet, no toilet facilities and no access to first aid. The external lights of the EK Sports Club are off and so there is an increased level of darkness around the area which we don't feel comfortable with to meet the juniors at start of a session.

So the plan is to be back on Wednesday 28th October still at the new times we have been operating, 6.15pm to 7.15pm for 11 and under and 7.30pm to 8.30pm for 12 to 17 year olds.

I know its not news people want to hear but I hope you understand as you leave the coaches in charge with the most precious people in your lives. Safety first.

Richard and on behalf of John and Frances

COVID-19 restrictions update - Facemask/covering mandatory

Our facility operator, East Kilbride Sports Club, has notified us that the wearing of a face mask/covering is mandatory at all times within the club.

It can only be removed if you are sitting at a table in the bar areas.

So when we meet in the gym area prior to Wednesday session you need to wear a mask.

Richard

COVID-Coordinator (Calderglen Harriers)