Officially official.

Photograph Quiz:

Photo no. 149:- Which is the Godiva runner? What is she called? Which runner is married to a Games Marathon medallist? What is she called? What is so sad about the winner? Which four countries do the runners represent?

Well Blog,

           There goes another weekend full of excitement!!! I suppose Coventry typifies any other city of comparable size with its athletic activity. Saturday morning saw the usual local 5 kilometre (three miles Colin, three miles. Get a grip) Park Run … with 500 runners. Blog I kid you not, 500 hundred and counting. What I find amazing is the way the Park Run can so easily operate outside the usual constraints for race promoting imposed on athletic club for their promotions by UKA (UK Athletics, Blog). I could be wrong.

      First Aid? None too visible but I could be wrong. An athletic club would not be given a licence aka insurance, without a confirmed visible qualified recognised First Aid organisation in attendance. No First Aid = no race.

      Permission certificate has to be prominently displayed or an athletic club would not be given a licence aka insurance. No licence = no race. Certificate at the Park Run? None too visible but I could be wrong.

       A certificate issued by an official Course Measurer is a requirement for a club promotion over an advertised distance, which of course has to be displayed at the event. The Park Run is a Fun Run so an accurate statement of distance is not a necessity. But Park Run records are kept. I could be wrong??

     And what is really, really sad is the fact that athletic clubs struggle to produce results and times as soon after the event has finished as they possibly can, often having to pay many quids for help. The Park Run have such facilities in place. Wouldn’t it be nice if they generously offered the loan of their timing / placing facility to the next local athletic club promotion???? A sign that the Park Run Organisers have the best interests of athletic clubs at heart!!!!

     And Sunday saw the local Godiva Harriers stretched to the limit … many children turn up for training at 11am at the Coventry Track on the Warwick University Campus. The ‘Godiva Kids’, require many helpers to keep the groups of youngsters down to a manageable size. By 12 noon, there was a series of race walks including a 20 kilometre (12 miles Colin, twelve miles. Get a grip) Trial race for selection for the National team. The main race was supplemented by three races for youngsters from athletic clubs from around the country. The Race Walks were on the Warwick University Campus across the road from the track where the Godiva Kids were training. Many officials were needed for marshalling as well as marking and time keeping etc.. The races were spread over four hour so a commitment to standing around was required. (OK Blog, so I take a fold up chair to snatch a sit down between events!!!!!!!!!!) The clubhouse had to be manned from 10:30 to 4:30 to provide refreshments, and many helpers are required. And also at 11am, there was a Young Athletes Track League in Leicester which was spread out over seven hours. Again many officials from the Godiva Harriers were required. My wife elected to field judge and although it only involved three events, each event was a lengthy proceedings with not too much time space between each. Believe you me Blog, rake a sand pit to get the sand nice and flat and even for nearly two hours is hard work with a capital ‘H’ and a capital ‘W’. Try it Blog, we are always grateful for help, a fact which most parents seem to be totally oblivious to. I think many parents regard a morning of athletics training or a day of athletic competition as a cheapo baby-sitting service thank you very much.

     Remember Blog, all the officials are volunteers with a capital ‘V’. Volunteering is time consuming. The Olympic Legacy hasn’t stretch to the common or garden club official at the grass roots who spend many hours and hours propping up the sport. Wouldn’t it be nice if something like a uniform was GIVEN to all officials who volunteer ………………

                                 Colin