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This page first provides what we hope are useful information links for members: internet links to other clubs and to running and walking events (please let us know if any of these have withered away!). Below this, an outline of what we are striving to achieve: our club's vision and mission. Then we present some early history of the club, which in March 2005 celebrated its 90th birthday.

Our friends and foes

Information

Calculators Those who do some of their training on the track will find the following calculators handy. Sometimes lanes 1 and 2 are barred, and athletes need to know the actual distance in say lanes 7 or 8. The distance per lap varies according to the actual width of the lanes and the calculations can become a little messy. The link will take you to a page where you can calculate the exact distance in any lane, the number of laps to do any distance, and your lap times at any pace. A similar calculator is also available for road courses on the same site. 

Newtown Park's lanes are about 1.22m wide. Using the calculator, you can work out the length of the Scottish Night of Miles Spiral Race (start in the 8th lane and spiral in to 1st lane, one lane at a time) as 3,410m.

Split calculator for marathons, etc.

Richard Brent's splits calculators 
1) If I run 4 laps in lane 3 (ie lanes 1 and 2 are barred), how far have I gone? 
2) If I want to run 19:30 for 5000m on the track, how fast do I have to run 400m?
3) If I am targetting 1:25 for a half marathon, what will my 1k splits need to be?
4) To run 800m on lane 3 of a barred track, how far from the start line do I have to be?
To answer these and other questions, check out Richard Brent's split calculator.
Answers 1) 1660m 2) 1:33 3) 4:01 4) 30m (Use 400m mark in lane 5)

Want to learn race-walking technique? Try this: an animated demonstration of race walking technique. 

Now for some background on the club:  First, an outline of what we are striving to achieve; then, some early history of the club.

Vision

To be one of the largest and one of the top competitive athletics clubs in New Zealand.

Mission Statement

To provide the people of Wellington with a community in which to enjoy participation and achievement in athletics.

Objectives

• To identify, recruit and retain members to contribute skills and resources to the growth and performance of the club.

• To deliver a full range of quality athletics programmes and services which respond to the needs and values of the club's athletes, coaches, administration, officials and supporters.

• To ensure internal and financial management excellence which supports all levels of the club's participation and achievement in athletics.

• To promote and support regional, national and international initiatives which will improve the growth and performance of athletics in New Zealand.

• To raise our profile through the media and other sporting organisations to realise our mission.

• To foster such other activities which are relevant to the attainment of the club's mission.

• To pursue the club's mission in accordance with the Olympic Charter.

Early history

The club was founded on 10 March 1915 at Barber's Buildings, 125 Cuba Street, Wellington by Walter (Pop) Ballantyne (1862-1942). A small plaque on Cuba Mall marks the spot today.

Walter Ballantyne was born in Galashiels, a town on the Gala Water River in the border region of the Scottish Lowlands.  The first recorded athletics meeting, the Scottish Border Games of T Rowan's, took place in this border region in 1827.

The founding meeting of the club was held in the rooms of the Scottish Society of Wellington whose secretary was appointed the club's first auditor.

Chairman of the founding meeting of the club, A E M Rowland, was appointed the Club's first Secretary Treasurer. Rowland was one of New Zealand's original Olympians who competed for Australasia in the Olympic Games in London on 14 July 1908, finishing 5th in the final of the 3,560m walk. Both these milestones took place from Cliff House, 1 Milne Terrace, Island Bay, Wellington.

Some of the club's later history is contained in the Stevens' profile in Profiles.

Associations

The Wellington Scottish Athletics Club is a member of the Scottish Society and a sister club to the Gala Harriers Club. Members may be interested to see what the Scottish Athletics Federation in Edinburgh lists as on offer for the "other" Scottish athletes (see above).