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Creche | Away trips | Walking | Social events | Membership fees | Supporters club | Club uniform | Club newsletter | Coaching services | Attendance records | Clubhouse | Club programme 

Coaching

Take advantage of the expertise in the club by contacting people on the coaching page for advice, a training programme, or where to go next.

Travel insurance 

Members of Athletics New Zealand (registered athletes) are reminded that insurance is available for travel abroad for any reason: to compete in the Olympics, the Boston Marathon, or just for a holiday. You can use this at a great savings on coverage and premiums and for a travelling spouse/ partner and children.

Creche

During the club's Saturday afternoon runs and races, a creche is available for members with children who are not yet able to be left alone. A fee of $4 per child, per afternoon, is charged. At interclub races, other club members will be readily available to look after children while you race.

Away trips

The away trips are occasions not to be missed. The main away trip is usually held to coincide with the New Zealand Road Relay where teams compete with the best in New Zealand. The emphasis, however, is not just on competition. Everyone is welcome and the more people that come away, the more fun everyone has. In the relay, there are plenty of teams submitted, from our A and B squads right down to the most social of teams, and so ability is not important. The trials for some teams are one of the highlights of the social programme.These social teams are not necessarily picked on running ability!

In 2002, the club had 16 teams with 104 runners in total going to the New Zealand Road Relay in the backblocks of Feilding (the floods cut back the numbers in the following year). Last year, in Nelson, we had 12 teams and 80 runners. Relays are a way of turning what can sometimes be quite an individual sport into a shared effort. A huge amount of satisfaction is gained when all the mutual support and encouragement are turned into good results in team placings.

In 2006, the club will have away trips to Taupo for the Taupo Cross Country races, to the New Zealand Cross Country Championships, to the New Zealand Road Championships, and smaller groupings going to the Buller Gorge half and full marathon and the Rotorua Marathon in late April. Like the trip to the New Zealand Road Relay, everyone is welcome, and our top runners appreciate the valuable backup that a large travelling contingent provides. Regardless of your ability, we want you there on our away trips. Remember, the more the merrier!

Usually the club hires vans for use over the weekend and books accommodation wherever we are going. The accommodation tends to be the motel unit style and the costs are very reasonable when split among many people. Depending on where we are going, we may fly, drive or go on the ferry. There is always scope for flexibility here, but we need to know whether you need a flight or a ferry booking or whether you prefer to make your own arrangements. 

From the time that we arrive at our destination to the time that we leave, the emphasis is on having a good time. Of course, this means different things to different people, but there is always enough time on the away trips so that whether you like imbibing unwise quantities of the brown stuff, or mellowing out over a pleasant meal with some friends, there is the opportunity to do it. The main "good time" usually occurs on the evening after the event. Having too much of a good time the evening before the event can be detrimental to performance. However, for those interested in adding to the body of knowledge in medical science, experimentation is possible. But, be warned, there are some amazing feats that have gone down in the annals of Scottish that may never again be equalled.

Returning to Wellington brings the realisation that you've had a great weekend.  As the ferry, plane or van disgorges its cargo of washed-out people, bodies are weak, but spirits have been boosted! Come along this year on an away trip and discover the antidote to 9-to-5 drudgery.

Walking

The walking section of Scottish is as old as the club.  The chairman of the founding meeting of the club, Arthur Rowland, was one of New Zealand's three original Olympians who competed for Australasia in the Olympic Games in 1908, finishing 5th in the final of the 3,560m walk. A past club patron and one of Scottish's great characters, Fred Silver, while being a great runner, also won New Zealand walking titles in the 1940s.

In the 1970s, Peter Maunder, David Lonsdale and Robert Bennett led the race-walking revival in the Wellington Centre, competing in the finals of the national track competition.

Since then, our walking group has produced three internationals with James Hurring and Paul McElwee representing New Zealand at the world walking championships, and with Lyn Murphy representing New Zealand at the world walking championships and the Commonwealth Games.

The walking group is a very social and friendly group to belong to. Advice and encouragement is freely given, and a point of contact is David Lonsdale.

Social events

Scottish is not just about running and walking; it is also about having fun. After each Saturday's run or race, we generally head to a local drinking establishment for a drink or two. Also, you will notice a number of other social events listed on the winter programme including club dinners, away trips, a pancake breakfast and, of course, our end-of-season prizegiving.

Various other social activities are arranged during the season. To make sure you get the most out of Scottish, keep an eye on the club newsletter, weekly emails and this website.

Membership fees ("Subs")

Subs have again increased this year. The main reasons is the increase in the levies to Athletics Wellington which are passed on to Athletics New Zealand.

The club's membership year runs from 1 April to 31 March in the following year. Please assist the club by paying your membership fees promptly. Seniors here include masters and so anyone 20 and over this year. Membership fees for the 2010/11 season are as follows. There is no longer a new member discount, but for new members if they buy a uniform in their first year there is $15 discount off that.

Grade Seniors Seniors Juniors Juniors Associate
  Members Non-competing 19 & under 16 & under Non-active
Fee $150 $90 $80 $55 $40

For juniors, ages are calculated as at 31 December. For example, if you turn 17 on 1 December 2009, then you are 19 and under for the whole harrier season, not 16 and under. A reduced senior fee of $90 is available for members who do not wish to compete in interclub races. Non-active members are encouraged to pay the associate membership fee as this will enable them to receive the club's magazine. 

The membership fees include Athletics New Zealand registration fees and entry fees for the interclub races and relays. It also carries on through the summer track and field season. The balance of the membership fee is used to run the clubhouse and hire venues during the season. Membership fees do not cover the cost of running the club, and so members are encouraged to help in our fundraising activities during the season.

Membership fees should be paid to the club's registration officer, electronically or posted in. She will then register members paying the full fee with both the Wellington Centre and Athletics New Zealand. You will need to fill out a membership application form to accompany your membership fees.

There are three ways of paying your subs in 2008/09: 

  1. Pay our registration officer, Loretta Desourdy, directly at one of the club runs.  

  2. Post a cheque to WSAC, PO Box 6239, Wellington.

  3. Use the on-line payment facility.

Note from President Ken Howell calling for feedback on a proposal to raise the annual club fee, posted 5 January 2008

Your yearly subscription ($115 for seniors) to the club covers things that you may not be aware of. First, you become a registered member of Athletics New Zealand (ANZ). You should receive an email called Athletics in Action that is the electronic magazine of ANZ that has articles about events and activities. ANZ has a head office and those activities have to be funded by those registered in the sport. ANZ does receive some other funding from bodies like SPARC but the amount of outside funding is decreasing.

ANZ is made up of 11 centres and each centre is billed each year based on the number of registered athletes from the centre for the previous year.

It is up to each centre to decide how they will pay the bill they are levied. Recently the Wellington Centre (“Athletics Wellington” or AW, for short) has set the adult levy at $51, with under 16s paying 20% of this and under 20s 40% of this. So last year $51 of your senior subscription was paid directly to AW.

Wellington Scottish and other clubs with a large adult membership were concerned with a proposed large increase in the levy from ANZ for 2008. The indicative rate for a senior was going to increase to $68 next year. AW’s clubs are made up of clubs like our own (predominantly harriers, but some track and field) but also junior summer clubs with track and field events. The majority of AW's membership are the children who belong to these clubs. Any increase in a monetary amount to the under 20s' fee would have a much greater reduction in the adult fee increase.

At a meeting of AW, we argued that an increase to $68 would have a negative effect on the numbers of our senior members. As a result of this meeting, a consensus was reached to limit the increase in the 2008 senior fee to $9 (i.e. $60 total). The increase means we will have to increase our adult fee this year.

Another part of the subscription that we pay for is everyone's entries in the inter-club events that are conducted by AW. These are events like the Dorne Cup, the Vosseler, and the Cross Country Championships. The clubs that organise these events charge a registration fee for each entrant (generally $7 pre person per event). These fees have been slowly increasing over the years and we haven’t increased our fees.

Your subs also pay for all the things that we do to run a successful club. The accounts will be presented at the Annual General Meeting on Wednesday 5 March (7:30pm at the Clubrooms) and are open to scrutiny and questions.

One thing, unfortunately, is certain. An increase in our subscriptions this year is inevitable. The Management Committee is proposing to increase the senior fee by $15 to $130.

Ken Howell
President

Supporters Club

The Scottish Supporters Club began in 1996. The Supporters Club is designed to provide members with financial assistance when travelling to out-of-town races. The level of assistance is linked to a member's performance at the relevant race along with the publicity generated for Scottish.

As a member of the Supporters Club, the member will receive a regular newsletter detailing assistance provided to Scottish members and reports from recent races. Please contact Charles Broad, if you wish to know more about the Supporters Club or to become a supporter.

Club uniform

Scottish uniforms are now available, posted 8 April 2009  Members competing in interclub events are required to wear the club singlet and all members are encouraged to wear the singlet on Saturday club runs and races, along with a pair of plain black shorts.  We have standard men's, women's and children's singlets for sale as well as crop tops and support singlets for women. Prices range from $25 for the kids' singlet to $55 for the support singlet.  We also have a range of clearance items of our old style uniforms and seconds at bargain prices. If you require a club uniform, please contact Jo Badham, 934-0218. Please note, payment by cash or cheque only.

Club newsletter/ weekly emails

The club's newsletter is produced regularly during the year and is sent to all members, including associates. Called "On the Run," the newsletter is an important communication tool and permanent record within the club (electronic and hard copy versions coexist). Please keep an eye out for it and ensure the club is aware of any change of address you may have.  

Our temporary editor, Michele Allison, is keen to receive newsletter contributions. So feel free to express your views in a letter to the editor or recount your wonderful memories of a recent race you have run.  (If you'd like to learn how to put together the newsletter and take over the job, please contact a grateful Michele via the Contacts page)

Api Williams looks after a weekly email going to club members.  Forward any items to him for inclusion.

Paul Rodway keeps the database of members' physical and email addresses and phone numbers, and so please let him know if your address has changed. You'll find that you no longer get the weekly emails or occasional newletter if you forget to pass the change on to us.  This year we will continue to email the newsletter as well as have it available to those who prefer hardcopy. 

Attendance records

During the winter season the club has an attendance register. The register is important for two reasons:
  • Attendance figures at various runs helps the club's management when determining the programme for the following year. If a run or a race is well attended, then it will more than likely be included again the following year, and vice versa with the less popular runs.
  • An attendance badge will be presented to a member if they participate, in a "qualifying event," every weekend throughout the winter season. A special badge will be presented to a member on gaining an attendance badge in three consecutive years. The season starts on 1 April and ends on 30 September.  A "qualifying event" is a Scottish club run / race or interclub event on each Saturday, plus all Athletics NZ sanctioned events (which will include most half and full marathons, and interclub events in other centres). Members can "participate" by going for a run or walk in one of the packs; completing a race; or helping as a race day official. A member may miss up to two weekends during the season and still qualify. Members must record their attendance in the attendance register

Therefore, keep an eye out for the attendance register and be sure to mark you name off for each run/race you participated in. 

Coaching services

Coaching plays a major role in Scottish.  In general, members of all ages and abilities have a desire to complete a race as quickly as possible, or achieve a personal victory over fellow members.

Scottish recognises that people usually join the club to move their running performance up to another level. To assist members meet their goals, Scottish offers a range of coaching services. (See the Coaching page)

Scottish has a designated coaching coordinator whose aim is to service the coaching needs of club members. Most importantly, the coordinator is there to ensure that coaching advice and information is available to all members. Look out for regular coaching items in upcoming club newsletters.

Over the years, the club has built up an extensive library. Increasingly, for those with access to the Internet, the world-wide web also provides a wealth of running information (for a few sites, check out the Resources page). Both these sources provide an excellent starting point for members wanting to understand more about running and training.

The club also makes available to members, at no charge, training diaries. Pick your diary up at a Saturday club run and record your training. Then, when you run a good race, you will be able to refer back to the training you did prior to that race and implement that winning formula again.

The club also intends to run several coaching seminars during the season. Look out for news of these in the club newsletter, in the home page.

The club's coaches are available to provide advice to individual members. If you wish, a training programme can be tailored by a club coach to suit your ability and goals.

Clubhouse

The Scottish clubhouse is located at Prince of Wales Park, Mt Cook, Wellington, which is near the old Wellington Show and Sports Centre (now Te Whaea National Dance School). Vehicular access is gained from Salisbury Terrace. Parking becomes tricky at the height of the rugby season.

Built in 1970, the clubhouse is used for a number of the club runs and social activities during the season. However, because of the need for a variety of run locations, the clubhouse does not get the use it deserves.

Club members are able to use the clubhouse at any time for training, with Sunday mornings being the most popular time. Access to the clubhouse is by a combination lock. Just remember to turn off the lights when you leave.

The club also hires out the clubhouse to other groups and for parties. Therefore, if you are looking for a venue for your "birthday bash," contact David Lonsdale to make a booking.

Overview of club programme

Wellington Scottish operates an athletics programme throughout the year.

In the summer, the club competes in the New Zealand National Track Competition.  This provides members with a great opportunity to test their skills in field events and, of course, to compete on the track (some of the results are listed on the Results page). The 1999/2000 season was the first time that children were able to enter the children's meets as members of Wellington Scottish.

Besides the NTC, members can join the other Scottish members who compete on Saturday afternoons at Newtown Park. Keep an eye out for the Athletics Wellington summer programme which is produced around October each year.

The winter programme which the club has put together is designed to provide a balance between club runs, races, social activities, cross-country and road running.  Generally, all events are held on Saturday afternoon.

The age rules of Athletics New Zealand apply to harrier events. You become a master (veteran) on your 35th birthday. For the junior grades, M16 or W16 in 2006, for example, means that you are still 16 on 31 December of this year (hence 16 and under).

Club runs (which are discussed in the next section) are more frequent at the beginning of the winter programme so that members can improve their fitness prior to launching into interclub races.

The races in the first half of the winter season generally involve cross-country running with distances starting at about 5k (for seniors) and increasing to 12k for the senior men at the Wellington Cross Country Championships. Distances for juniors, masters men and women are usually much less than 10k.

The road races in the second half of the season are generally held over flat and measured courses and are a good opportunity for personal best times.

The club also has a number of combined club runs with other Wellington harrier clubs. These runs always create an enjoyable and friendly atmosphere in which to run.

Club runs

Club runs are an opportunity to run all over Wellington with groups of similar ability to you.  Club runs are noncompetitive; you simply select the group which fits your desired pace and distance.

When you arrive at a club run venue, refer to the listing of packs displayed for the types of runs available. If you have any questions, speak to a senior club member and she or he will be able to help you. However, if in doubt, choose a lower pack. It is better to move up through the packs, not down. Also, the leader of each pack has a responsibility to look after each runner and so you won't be left behind!

Club runs are held at a variety of venues throughout the Wellington region.  You will get an opportunity to see places you would never otherwise get to see.  If transport to out-of-town runs is a problem, talk to your team leader and she or he will usually find someone to give you a ride.

Handicap races

Handicap races are structured so that each competitor, of whatever ability, has a chance of winning the race.  In the normal open handicapping, the slowest runners start off at scratch (or when the gun goes) and faster runners may start up to 20 minutes later.  If the handicapping is spot on and everyone performes to the handicapper's expectations, we should all finish together in a tight bunch at the end of the race.  The following notes briefly describe the club's handicap races.

Le Gaye Cup (Island Bay)
This handicap race (walkers and runners) is run slightly differently from the other handicap races throughout the season. It is a sealed handicap, meaning that everyone's handicap is unknown before the start of the race.  We all start together and the handicap is added to the finishing time. The person with the lowest total time is declared the winner. This 4.8k road race has one short, sharp hill approximately 1k into the race (up Severn St South and down Robertson St). The remainder of the race is flat, curling back past the start and finishing on Mersey. The J-team race is around the Medway, Humber and Mersey Streets area. (One of my puzzles is the spelling of the name Le Gay. It's spelt this way on the cup, but most of the club's written historical material refers to Le Gaye. We need an historian to sort this one!)

Novice Cup, Galashiels Trophy (Eastbourne)
There are two sections in this race, one for past winners of club trophies (Galashiels), and the other for those who have yet to win one (Novice). This 5k race is run over a variety of terrain, including roads, an uphill bush track and Days Bay beach. The walk heads along the roads to the south. 5k running race records: Men: Dave Hatfield, 15:26 (1981); Women: Melissa Moon, 17:41 (2006); Junior men: Tim Hodge, 15:51 (2006); Junior women: Laura Roozendaal, 20:15 (2007).


Baudinet Cup (Titahi Bay)
The seniors' 9.8k race is the most challenging, but also the most rewarding, and most popular, of the  handicap races (click on map for enlargement). The race is run over a mixture of road, farm tracks and beach. The race has a tough hill at 7.5k and then finishes with a fast down-hill section and a return to the beach. A memorable race in the yearly calendar. 

The under 20s have a sealed handicap 4k race down Te Pene Avenue and up Main Road, starting on Toms and then going to Tiriti Road. J-Teamers have their own race of about 2k. A 6k handicap road walking race is also held in this area (competing for the Cole Land Cup). 

Ballantyne Cup (Lower Hutt)
The senior distance is now a measured 9.0k. Essentially the same course as last year except the start is a bit further north. The under-20 race is 2 laps of the Railway/Ewen Bridge circuit (5.25k), while the under-14 race is 1 lap (2.62k). Walkers: same as under-20 race, but you stay on the top of the stopbank on the Strand Park side (about 5.26k). Probably the best shoes are road shoes - there is lots of asphalt.  Pack a polyprop as we have often run into a southerly at this event.

Tanadees Cup (Evans Bay)
This flat 8k (4k for under 20s) race is held over an out-and-back course on the footpath from the Zephyrometer on the corner of Evans Bay Parade and Cobham Drive in Kilbirnie to Oriental Bay and back. We meet at Badminton Hall on Ruahine St.

Interclub events

Shaw Baton Relay (Battle Hill Reserve, Pauatahanui)
A six-person relay (four per team for women), with laps of 2.1k. This is a fast and furious run, and a great event for meeting new club members and supporting them as they complete their leg of the relay. In recent years, Scottish has had almost twice as many teams as any other club. This relay is run on farm land, and there is usually one quite steep hill in the race and, of course, the inevitable pond, a favourite spot to watch you club mates dowsing themselves. 

University Relays (QEII Park, McKays Crossing)
A 4k relay (juniors about 2k) around the grassy sand dunes of the Queen Elizabeth II Park at McKays Crossing, on the Kapiti Coast.

Vosseler Shield (Mt Victoria)
This race of 10k for men and 5k for women (less for juniors) is run through the town belt of Mt Victoria. It is a demanding race with a lot of hills, and there is a variety of terrain including grass, bush tracks and road. Although this is a hard race, it is one you will feel great satisfaction on having completed it (the first and last stretches are uphill!).

Dorne Cup (Trentham)
This race of 8k for men over 20 (shorter distances for other grades) is run over a flat course in Trentham Memorial Park. Although the race is run on grass, underfoot is normally firm. This is a fast course, with most people posting a good time for the distance. Definitely recommended for all runners.

Wellington Cross-Country Championships (Waikanae)
This is the final cross-country race for the season.  It is 12k for senior men, 8k for masters men, 6k for all women and 3k to 8k for junior grades. The race normally involves some mud and a couple of fences. Always an enjoyable race for people who like running off-road. This race is the culmination of the cross-country season to see who will be this year's Wellington champions.

Bays Relay (Southern and Eastern Bays)
From Island Bay to Evans Bay in five laps with distances from 3.9k to 4.8k. The Scottish mens A team won their division in record time in 2000 and each year since.

Carterton Relay (Wairarapa)
This 3x7k relay around the Belvedere Block west of Carterton has been going in a low-key way for a couple of years. The club is keen to see greater support for this event and to use it was a tune-up for the New Zealand Road Relays early in the following month.

Wellington Road Championships (Upper Hutt)
The last local interclub race of the year, this race is 10k for all men and senior women, 6k for masters women, and 2k to 6k for juniors. The race is over a flat course, around the New Zealand International Campus in Upper Hutt, usually resulting in a fast time. The courses are around the New Zealand International Campus, generally starting and finishing half way along Gallipoli Rd, and then down Pinehill Cres, Somme Rd, and Messines Ave, returning to Gallipoli, a measured 2k lap in the map below. This is a good race to see how much you have improved throughout the season and to chase that PB. The club organises the Road Champs on behalf of Athletics Wellington.

Wellington Scottish Athletics Club, PO Box 6239, Te Aro, Wellington. Clubhouse, Prince of Wales Park (map), Salisbury Terrace, Mt Cook   

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