APRIL 2015 Issue 18 THE HISTORY OF THE WELLINGTON TO MASTERTON RELAY HOW TO BURGLE A RACE THE ART OF COURSE MEASUREMENT Summer Track Season! Find out who is our Summer Club WHEN LOSING IS FUN Champion PIES AND PBS – IS YOUR DIET HURTING YOUR TIMES? Racing in Mountains and Mud Anarchy in the UK with Glenn Hughes SCOTTISH FOR LIFE Motatapu & Jumbo-Holdsworth COACHING THE KIDS 1 Alex Jordan takes a moment before the 200m final at Nationals. Contents From the Editor Features: Welcome to the opening issue of the Obituary: Bruce Jenkins 5 2015 harrier season. A bumper issue! David Lonsdale The Great Race: the Story of the Wellington 6 In this edition, we celebrate a successful to Masterton Relay summer season at track and field for many Roger Robinson of our athletes and crown some summer Pies to PBs 11 champions. Stephen Day talks about Nick Whalley getting lapped in the NZ 5000m Champs. Stephen Day being lapped is not a phrase The Basics of Road Course Measuring 13 Peter Maunder you’re used to seeing. I know some people feel anxious about running track in summer because of the possibility of being lapped. Although The Joy of Losing 15 the regular Newtown track meets are seeded to put like-paced people Stephen Day together in the same heats, there are always going to be days where a Life Sentences 16 faster athlete laps you. My attitude is I’m happy to get lapped, providing Michael Wray the person lapping me is someone who should be lapping me. I A Brief Guide to Race Burgling 18 sometimes joke I should yell, “what took you so long?” to the lapper Rohan Biggs as they come by! I’m pleased to see that someone as fast as Stephen Coaching Young Athletes 39 shares my attitude. Jonathon Harper It is a real privilege to have the great Roger Robinson among our Around the Tracks: contributors this issue. Roger’s column in Running Times is the one I Summer Club Champions 22 always enjoy the most. The Wellington to Masterton Relay predates my Michael Wray involvement in the sport and a relay race over the Rimutakas would Anarchy in the UK 24 make a fantastic NZ Road Relay Champs for us to host. Despite the relay Glenn Hughes itself no longer being considered a viable course. PWC did put on a run- Jumbo-Holdsworth 25 bike relay from Wellington to Martinborough in February, albeit mostly Lyn Clark off-road; perhaps it’s not a pipe dream to fantasise about a return of the NZ Masters Track & Field Champs 26 iconic Wellington to Masterton road relay? Michael Wray Nick Whalley writes about the relationship between, weight, diet and ANZ Senior & Junior Track & Field Champs 29 running performance. Many of our brethren look at running as a way Michael Wray to “I can eat what I want.” There’s nothing wrong with that, but if you’re Muddy Motatapu Marathon Madness 31 wanting a way to change the pattern of your food-running relationship, Karl Woodhead this article can help. Regular Columns: Wellington’s major marathon is on in a few months, a race that has had issues with course length a couple of times in recent years. Peter Maunder From the Editor 3 4 helps us understand what is involved with the official measurement of President’s Piece course distances; there’s more to it than you might think. Team Updates 33 Will the return of Rohan Biggs to racing duties herald the return of Karen’s Corner 42 the race burglar extraordinaire? Rohan shares the secrets of how he On the Run Contact: earned that title. Jonathon Harper takes us through the methodology Wellington Scottish Athletics Club, of coaching the J Team. PO Box 6239, Te Aro, Wellington Reports from around the tracks include races as varied as track, Editor, Michael Wray, Phone: 027 6488502 mountain racing and, from our furthest flung member, the English Email: [email protected] www.scottishathletics.org.nz cross country scene. Read on and find what it takes for Alasdair Saunders to angrily throw away perfectly good running gloves. Contributors: Michael Wray, Roger Robinson, Peter Maunder, Rohan Biggs, Glen Wallis, Jonathon Harper, The telegram from the Queen may have been lost in the royal post, Harry Burnard, Nick Whalley, Glen Hughes, Stephen but we are now 100 years old. To celebrate, we crown our latest life Day, Karen Rigby. John Leonard, Lyn Clark, Karl member and take a quick look at a selection of current holders you can Woodhead, Amanda Broughton, David Lonsdale. still see around the club. Photography: Sharon Wray, Jo Murray, Mark Happy hundredth everybody! Handley. Athletics & Cycling Masterton, Grace Sim Michael The Ed. On the Run Cover photo: The 100m Track Challenge at Scottish 3 Night of Miles, by Jo Murray feedback to me at: [email protected] From the President Glen Wallis A warm welcome to all new It is a timely reminder that we are all caretakers of and returning members to their legacy, as well as being responsible for creating Scottish’s Centenary season. one of our own for future members to reflect on On the 10th of March the club and enjoy. I certainly hope that in 2115 WSAC is held its 2015 Annual General celebrating its Bi-Centennial as a strong and vibrant Meeting, exactly one hundred club. years ago to the day, and at 2015 promises to be a great season, I am sure we will the same location that our all enjoying celebrating our history, our victories and founding fathers met to form the great camaraderie that Scottish is renowned for. the Scottish Harriers Club A big thank you to all those who have volunteered (125 Cuba Street). to take on one of the many roles, or duties that I am not sure at this time whether these first need to be performed to ensure that the club runs members would have envisioned what Scottish smoothly. We do still need a few more people to might look like in 2015. But I am confident that they come forward, so if can you can help please out in would be proud of the history that the club has anyway please talk to myself or our Volunteers Co- created over the past 100 years, and of our standing Coordinator, Don Stevens. as one of the leading athletic clubs in New Zealand. Glen Wallis take the scenic route from 'a' to 'b' If you want to get from A to B, and you want to go via Q, X and Z, the consultants at The Terrace Travel are your airfare experts. We are specialists in long-haul international travel, and skilled in the tricky multi-stop itineraries. With over 70 years experience among our senior staff, The Terrace Travel has the expertise to get you where you want to go, while making the most of your travel budget. So for first-class service, whatever class you’re travelling, contact: Paul Brydges The Terrace Travel Limited Tel : 04 4998125 Ground Floor, 88 The Terrace, Wellington Email : [email protected] 4 Obituary: Bruce Jenkins 31 May 1926 - 21 February 2015 A Scottish member for 73 years. David Lonsdale Bruce was one of those people who, just by being equivalent of himself, made those around him feel good. That what we now might sound strange to those who never met him call the General but Bruce was positive about things and life in Manager. The general. He was outgoing without being in your face 1970s were a period of and supportive of others but without running their massive growth for athletics with lives for them. the start of fun runs attracting thousands He joined Scottish Harriers, as it was then known in of joggers, and track athletics benefiting from 1942, while still at Wellington College. He was only all-weather tracks. In his two years in the position allowed to avoid playing rugby once he became Scottish grew quickly and along with the large short-sighted and only then so long as he did some Squash club in our new clubhouse, we were other sport; Scottish was his choice. In those days certainly a big operation. the club and the sport was small. Obviously rugby He was made a Life was king but it was during the Second World War Member in 1980 for and many men were overseas in the armed forces. his great contribution At a combined run with the now defunct Methodist to running the club for Harriers in 1942 there were only 11 runners in total. almost 40 years. In 1982 But there were a lot of small harrier clubs in those he was presented with days and when Scottish won the Shaw Baton relay a silver tray to recognise for the first time in 1944 Bruce was part of the team. his 40 years of service Bruce always had a scientific bent and wanted to (not just membership!). attend university but family pressures meant he took He was elected to be an electrical apprenticeship instead and that was President from 1982 his career and business for the rest of his working to 84 and he was still life. Scottish benefited from his knowledge and skills running at this time. on many occasions in both our original and present When invited to take on clubhouse. the highest club role of Patron he insisted that it be a joint appointment with Elisabeth and Bruce married, having four boys John, Elisabeth and they filled the roles for seven years Alan, Graham and David.