New members pack v0.1 2013

Welcome to...............

www.fvspartans.org.uk

New members pack v0.1 2013

WHO ARE WE? Fairlands Valley Spartans is a Stevenage based running club founded in 1984 following the inaugural running of the Stevenage Marathon. With more than 350 members, we are one of the largest running clubs in the local area. We are primarily a road running club, but our itinerary also includes track and off-road activities. We pride ourselves on being an inclusive club, so all abilities are catered for – from committed marathon runners to people embarking on a program of fitness from the depths of their armchairs. Our Starter Group was launched in 2008 and has been a huge success in supporting individuals embarking on running for the first time (see the New to Running section below). In 2010 the club won the great accolade of the UK’s Best Running Club from Runners World. The club has a wide ranging training programme, so there is something for everyone! First and foremost we thrive on seeing our members enjoy their running. Whilst we encourage runners to participate in races, it is not compulsory! We do encourage members to race in the club colours and there are plenty of local and national events to choose from. It’s great for an individual’s progress, but also helps foster a great sense of team spirit within the club

NEW TO RUNNING? Why not come along to one of our Starter Group Sessions? We meet at 7.30pm every Monday and at 7pm on Thursdays at Marriott’s Sports Centre in Stevenage. Full details are on our website at www.fvspartans.org.uk/startergroup Whichever session(s) you attend, no-one is ever left behind, whatever their ability. The emphasis is definitely on enjoyment and making friends whilst getting/keeping fit. We believe in ‘try before you buy!’ Try the club sessions. All we ask is for you to join the club after you have completed 4 trial training sessions.

COACHING We have a large coaching team who have a wide range of running and technical abilities so we can fully support our runners. Members of our coaching team will be present at all sessions and will be available to answer your questions. Our Head Coach (Chris Leigh) and the members of the coaching team draw up a regular training programme, which is published in advance. This assists in planning your own training around that of the club and can be found on the club’s website, www.fvspartans.org.uk. In addition our club statistician and coach, Paul Holgate, provides a monthly training plan for each club member that summarises the forthcoming training events and indicative training times/targets for each runner.

New members pack v0.1 2013

TRAINING Our main training sessions are held at 7pm on Tuesday and Thursday evenings, meeting at Marriott’s Sports Centre in Stevenage. On a Tuesday we

train in 5 different ability groups which cover distances of between 5 and 8 miles and the session usually consists of interval training, where everybody re-groups to the back runners each time, ensuring nobody is left behind. Runners can determine which group to join based on their indicative 10K times and the level of fitness/training. The following table can be used as an indication.

Group number 10K indicative race/run time Typical total repetitions/efforts

Group 1 – red 57 minutes + 20-24 minutes

Group 2 – yellow 52 to 56 minutes 22-26 minutes

Group 3 – blue 46 to 51 minutes 25-30 minutes

Group 4 – green 42 – 45 minutes 28-32 minutes

Group 5 - black Under 41 minutes 30-35 minutes

On a Thursday evening there is a choice of a continuous 5-6 mile run or a session with either a shorter speed based component or hills based training. The latter is ideal for those runners who have been training regularly for at least 12 weeks and are seeking to improve their running pace and developing their overall running technique.

On a Saturday we hold a track session for all abilities at Ridlins Athletics track. We meet at 09:15am for a 09:30am start. Alternatively, there is a social, off-road run starting in Hitchin at 09.30am usually covering 6 to 7 miles (also available on Thursday mornings, starting 09.30am).

Our Starter Group meet on a Monday at 7.30pm and a Thursday at 7pm, at Marriotts. See our ‘New to Running’ section for further details.

On a Sunday there is usually a long run available covering distances of between 6 and 12 miles. These usually start at 9.00am. Everyone is looked after, no matter what their pace is. These are varied on a regular basis with different starting points to take in different routes around the local area. It is also a great way to see the surrounding countryside!

During key times of the running year the club will introduce additional training elements to support their runners. For example, the club has a detailed training programme that supports runners during December to May whilst they are training for marathons such as those at London, Paris and Edinburgh.

New members pack v0.1 2013

Marriott’s Sports Centre

Marriotts and Lonsdale School

Brittain Way

Stevenage

Hertfordshire

SG2 8UT

2013/14 ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTIONS Individual………...£27.00 + optional £10 EA affiliation fee* 2nd Claim……..…£20.00 Concessions….... £15.00 + optional £10 EA affiliation fee* Junior Member ....£10.00 + optional £10 EA affiliation fee* The 2nd claim category is for those individuals who are already a member of a running/athletics club (their first claim membership) who wish to join Fairlands Valley Spartans as well. The concessions category includes those individuals who are OAPs (ladies 62 and over, men 65 and over), students and unemployed. Junior members are those below the age of 18 and must be accompanied by an adult. Membership runs from the date of joining to the following 31st March and the subscription amounts are pro-rata if you join later in the year. Renewals should

be paid promptly on 1st April 2013. For new members, the membership fee should be paid promptly once you have tried up to 4 training sessions with us

(our ‘try before you buy’ deal!). After this time you should not run with the club until your membership subscription has been paid.

New members pack v0.1 2013

All paid up members will receive a wristband that shows the subscription year (or life member). This should be worn at all training sessions so that

members of the coaching team can see that you are a paid up member of the club.

*Members have the option of affiliating to England Athletics. The affiliation fee is set by UK Athletics/England Athletics. Membership of England Athletics

brings a wide variety of benefits for members ranging from reduced entry fees for road races (usually save £1.50-£2 per race), to discounts on products

such as a £15 voucher for money off shoes at Sweatshop, another £5 Sweatshop voucher and a further 10% discount of subsequent purchases. It also

enables you to opt to receive fortnightly bulletins on what is happening in the sport including essential information for athletes to know. On becoming an

England Athletics member, you will receive a competition licence that shows your details and a registration number. The licence can take several weeks to

be posted to you so if you need your registration number in the intervening period please contact the club’s membership secretary, Maria Rushton by e-mail

at membership@fvspartans.org.uk. You need to quote the registration number on race entries if you are to receive the benefit of reduced race entries for

affiliated members.

Please e-mail us at membership@fvspartans.org.uk if you have any membership queries.

Registration number

New members pack v0.1 2013

PROGRAMME OF RACES

The club prides itself on participating in and organising a wide range of races during the year. All members of the club can join in, whatever their ability. All

they have to do is wear one of the club’s stripy running vests! (see club kit below for further details).

For 2013 the club has the following racing calendar:

14th May 2013 – Midweek league 10K, Stevenage – the club will be hosting the midweek league fixture around our 10K course.

Race director – Chrissie Sharman

21st July – Fairlands Valley Challenge. This is an off road event that takes in the lovely countryside surrounding Stevenage. Run over a choice of 12

miles, 18 miles, 26.2 miles or 50 kilometres runners follow the route description supplied to take them around their chosen distance. Runners have the

added bonus of a plentiful supply of the club’s famous bread pudding at all of the drinks stations en route!

Race directors –Andy Jay, Tracy Pez and Nick Witcombe

25th July – Fairlands Valley Relays. Run over a 3 kilometre course around the Fairlands Valley Park, this is a hugely popular event attracting a wide range of local running clubs. It is the County Champs event as well. Teams of men and women compete against each other, each running a 3 kilometre leg.

Race directors – Phil Rushton and Simon Harris

3rd November – Stevenage half marathon. Run over two laps of the cycleway network in Stevenage, the race starts at Ridlins athletics stadium and takes in sections of Fairlands Valley lakes and park before finishing on the running track at Ridlins. This race helps to raise funds for a number of charities. The race incorporates the County open and vets championships as well as being the EVAC championship race. Race directors – Bev and Jon Harlow In addition to the races above, the club will be supporting the following races that are raising funds for charities: 9th June – 5K – this is a 5K race raising funds for Garden House Hospice in Letchworth. Club contact : TBC 14th July – Race for Life – this is the hugely popular 5K and 10K event held in Fairlands Valley Park. Club contact : Paul Holgate 22nd September (provisional date) – Herts Air Ambulance Rotor Run – this is a 5K race held in Fairlands Valley. Club contact: TBC

New members pack v0.1 2013

Midweek league series The club competes in a league series during May, June and July. The league consists of 12 local teams in 2 divisions and Fairlands Valley Spartans

compete in Division 2 along with, for 2013, Harlow, Orion, Bishops Stortford, Broxbourne and Herts Phoenix. There are four races that contribute to the

overall league competition and these are held:

Fixture 1 – 14th May 2013 – Stevenage 10k (hosts – Fairlands Valley Spartans)

Fixture 2 – 29th May 2013 – Chingford 10k

Fixture 3 – 12th June 2013 – Harlow 10k

Fixture 4 – 26th June 2013 – Welwyn 5 mile

In addition there is a final, non scoring fixture at Trent Park where all teams from both divisions run and includes the annual prize giving from the league

series. This will be held on 17th July 2013.

For each fixture all clubs attempt to get as many of their members as possible to take part and points are awarded to all finishers equal to their finishing

position with male and female positions calculated separately. Points are totalled for the first 12 male and 8 female finishers for each club and the male

team with the lowest aggregate total finishes first for that race, next lowest 2nd, 3rd lowest finishes 3rd and so on to 6th. The winning team then scores 6

points, 2nd team 5, 3rd=4, 4th=3, 5th=2 and 6th=1 point. Scoring is then repeated for the ladies with another set of 6,5,4,3,2 & 1 points being awarded, and

then male and female points are added together to determine overall positions for the evening,

Separate leagues are also held for veteran men (40+) and veteran women (35+) with the first 6 men and 4 ladies determining team scores.

It does not matter if you do not finish in your teams first 12, 6 or 4 runners as your performance still helps your clubs result if other teams have not yet got all

their runners home because their finishing position (and therefore points) will be higher the more runners that finish ahead of them.

The runs within the series also have a great social side with the club’s hosting the event also laying on post race food and refreshments. In addition, there is

no charge for entry to members of the club to any of the races within the midweek league series.

Cross Country league

During the months of October to March the club competes in a cross country league with local clubs. Races tend to be between 4 and 6 miles and are a

great way of building strength and endurance during the winter months. Being a member of the club also gives you the opportunity to compete in the

county cross championships and the club funds all cross country race entries for its members!

New members pack v0.1 2013

On the track

Whilst Fairlands Valley Spartans are primarily a road running club, we do have active track based participation. The sessions at the track focus on

developing member’s running form as well as their speed. The club train at Ridlins track, Stevenage each Saturday morning and compete across a wide

range of events during the year, including the regular open competitions at Watford. In addition to track based events, members also take part in field

events and the club participate in the Eastern Veterans Athletic Championships (EVAC) – a chance for our veteran members (women over 35 and men over

40) to take part in a league series involving a full range of track and field events. The club also hold its own track and field competition at Ridlins (in 2013

this is on 15th September) and all members of the club are eligible to compete in it. If you would like to get involved in the track and field training and

competitions with the club, including EVAC if you are a veteran, then please speak to either Tessa Stephenson or Dave Stephenson.

Handicap races

All members can take part in the club handicap races over distances of 5K, 5 miles or 10 miles. The 5K handicap races take place each month during the

year, apart from a break during the summer months to take in the midweek league series. In November/December the club host a handicap race for its

members over a distance of 10 miles. There is also the option of a shorter 5 mile course. What is a handicap race? Well, everyone starts together in most

races and the winner is the quickest. In handicap events the organiser studies the recent performances of runners and starts the slowest runners first.

Others start at appropriate intervals so that if everyone runs to form they will all finish together. So the quickest start last. The winner is the first across the

line. Sometimes one of the first to start can avoid being caught and win the event. As the race progresses the excitement mounts as the faster runners see

those in front and try to catch them.

Other races

You will find Spartans competing across a wide range of races both locally and nationally. If you do take part in a race somewhere, please send details of your results (race, time, position and perhaps a bit about your race) by 20:00 on Sunday Evening to results@fvspartans.org.uk. This will then be included in a press release put out by the club and which can result in a mention in the sports pages of the local press. The press release is also sent out via email to all runners in the club and posted on our website. The club statistician also uses the results service to keep up to date details of the club championships, individual and club best times. This information is also used for handicapping purposes for our regular club handicap events and also to help tailor

individual training plans. All communications to the wider membership go out as blind copies so that your privacy is not compromised.

New members pack v0.1 2013

CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP The championship runs from the 1st January to 31st December each year, and currently consists of a Short Course and a Long Course division. The top 3 male and female runners in each division are awarded trophies at the annual presentation dinner usually held in Jan/Feb of the following year. More details can be found on the website.

Our annual presentation event also awards many other members for their achievements, including our most improved Spartans and we ask members to vote each year for the person they think should receive the ‘Spartan of the Year’ trophy. This is your chance to thank somebody who in your opinion has made a significant contribution to the club.

WEBSITE

Our website is a huge source of useful information on the club, and has links to many other organisations – local running clubs, retailers, nutritional advice sites etc. www.fvspartans.org.uk The coaching team also have a wealth of material through the ‘Catch a Coach’ section of the website that complements the monthly newsletter they produce of the same name.

Please make sure you have registered to receive club news through the mailing distribution group. You can do this easily by going to the website and clicking on the members menu bar and then selecting ‘news mailing list’. Just complete the information requested and we can then keep you in touch with all the latest club news!

SOCIAL EVENTS

The club has a very active social side with social events throughout the year. These are great opportunities to catch up (without running kit on!), have a few drinks and get to know each other better.

MEET THE TEAM

At the heart of the club is a management committee of members who ensure the smooth running of the club. They perform a wide range of roles and these are summarised below. They are always happy to be approached with any queries you may have about the club and its activities.

New members pack v0.1 2013

Simon Harris

Phil Rushton, Kit Man and Coach

Charlie Paterson, Assistant Head Coach

Bev Harlow, Chairman and

Coach

Vivienne Honey,General

Secretary

Mark Cheadle, Treasurer Chris Leigh, Deputy Chairman

and Head Coach

Paul Holgate, Club Statistician,

Coach and Welfare Officer

Nick Witcombe, men’s Team

Captain, Kit Man and coach

Tracy Pez, Ladies Team

Captain

Maria Rushton, membership secretary and coach

Jim Brown, Coach and Press

Officer

Tessa Stephenson, Coach and Starter Group lead, EVAC and

Ladies Vice Captain

Jon Harlow

Lisa Jerrom, Coach

James Day, webmaster

Nikki Andrews, Ladies Vice Captain

Todd Gray, Mens Vice Captain

Graham Blackburn, Coach and Twitter Master

Jo Cahill, Minutes Secretary

Barry King, Kit Man and Coach

Jayne Pinner, Coach

Chrissie Sharman, Coach

New members pack v0.1 2013

CLUB KIT

A club vest is the only required piece of kit you will require if you are racing. This is the famous blue stripy vest that makes us Spartans stand out from the crowd!

The club has a full range of branded training kit available as well. Our club kit officers, Barry King, Nick Witcombe and Phil Rushton, are on hand for your kit requirements. The club kit shop is regularly available at training from our base at Marriots School where all items of kit are on sale. You can also e-mail any kit orders/requirements to kit@fvspartans.org.uk

RUNNING SAFELY

The club has published a set of guidelines for all members to help ensure they run safely. This is called Be Safe, Be Seen, Be A Spartan! and can be found on the club’s website. Please read the document and speak to a member of the coaching team or committee if you have any questions.

....AND FINALLY!

We pride ourselves on being a very friendly and inclusive club. Our committee and coaching team strive to ensure that we support all of our members so that they can enjoy their running and fulfil their running potential. If there is anything you are unsure of please speak to a member of the committee or coaching team. If they do not know the answer themselves then they will find someone who does! Please enjoy your time with us. Remember we value all of our members whatever their ability so don’t be daunted if you feel you are not at a good enough standard. We have all improved our fitness and our performance since we joined the Spartans! Improvement will come to you as well – it might come slowly, but it will come if you stick with it. And you’ll have lots of fun along the way!