The Paddock Wood AC Newsletter September 2011 The Stopwatch Times For copy e-mail [email protected] Please put Stop Watch Times in the Subject Box Deadline for the Next Edition is the last Friday of the Month www.paddockwoodac.co.uk CHAIRMAN’S CORNER I learned that the only way you are going to get anywhere in life is to work hard at it. Whether you're a musician, a writer, an athlete or a businessman, there is no getting around it. If you do, you'll win--if you don't, you won't. Bruce Jenner (Gold Medal winner in the 1976 Olympic Decathlon in Montreal) Hello again, I do hope you’ve all had a great summer. We are probably now entering the best period of Athletics in the history of the UK as it’s now less than 12 months to the 2012 London Olympics and the temperature is rising. We have some inspirational GB athletes in world class form such as Mo Farah and Jessica Ennis – which hopefully will be rewarded in the shorter term with a few medals in the forthcoming World Athletics Championships in Daegu, South Korea. Hopefully with all the buzz and excitement being generated over the next 12 months you will be motivated to train harder and perform to your best in all of your events. Don’t forget that the important thing is not to win, but to take part. We have plenty of events coming up in the future with the final Track & Field meetings, plenty on the Roads and over the Country, plus lots to look forward to Indoors (athletics and Sportshall). So get your training sorted out and sign up or a few events. The fixture lists are available at the end of this publication and online via www.paddockwoodac.co.uk Paddock Wood AC Annual General Meeting – 4 th July 2011 Thank you to everyone who attended the PWAC AGM on 4th July. We provided an update on the previous 12 months which included PWAC obtaining charity status plus a look forward to the next 12 months. P addock Wood AC 25 th Anniversary Celebrations – Saturday 9 th July The PWAC 25th Anniversary Party on Saturday 9th July at The MAC in K College in Tonbridge was a great success. It was marvellous to see so many people enjoying themselves. I would like to thank everyone who helped to make it happen, it is difficult to single people out but I would like to make a special mention to Tony Batchelder, Richard & Jeanette Elliott, Pete & Fiona Buckingham and Deborah Cartwright. 2011 Paddock Wood Carnival – Saturday 9 th July Thanks to everyone who donated prizes for our Tombola stall at the town carnival on 9th July and to those who came along and supported us on the day. We were very lucky with the weather, as we had sold out and packed up by the time the heavens opened up. We raised £133 from the event which as usual will be put towards our Track Appeal fund. 2011 Paddock Wood Aviva Startrack 1 st – 5 th August PWAC held another successful Startrack event for youngsters at Mascalls School during the week 1st – 5th August and many thanks to Mick & Janet Duffin plus their band of helpers for their continued dedication in organising this special event. The Paddock Wood event has been going now for 20 years and it is the longest running continuous scheme in the UK and this year 145 youngsters attended. PAGE 1 The Paddock Wood AC Newsletter September 2011 25 th Round Norfolk Relay 17 th & 18 th September Thank you to James Ridger for once again organising the PWAC team for this excellent event and good luck to the PWAC team of runners and supporters who will be competing over the 197 miles from Kings Lynn around the boundary of Norfolk and back to Kings Lynn over 22 hours (or so) during Saturday and Sunday 17th / 18th September. As it is the Silver Anniversary of the event the organisers have invited the legendary Marathon runner Ron Hill to present the prizes. PWAC Pre Christmas Gathering and Presentation Evening – Friday 18 th November Please make a note of this date in your diaries, a private function room (the garden room) has been provisionally booked for Friday 18th November at the Hadlow Manor Hotel, further details and tickets are available from Richard & Jeanette Elliott. See Flyer at the back of this edition. UKA Membership Numbers Your UKA Membership number should be quoted when entering races, you will find it on your PWAC membership card. If you can’t find your number please contact Penny Roberts our Membership Secretary. PWAC Website Please keep accessing www.paddockwoodac.co.uk it’s full of useful information and please keep sending in any articles, photos, results, ramblings, etc. or comments on improvements to me either at [email protected] or [email protected]. If you have any problems accessing the PWAC Members Only Pages or have forgotten the password then please e:mail [email protected] with details of the problem and we will try to sort it out for you. Finally I spotted this poem by Dee Groberg the other day, I found it very inspirational, take a few minutes to read and digest it, I’m sure you’ll find it worthwhile. The Race – Life’s Greatest Lesson "QUIT! GIVE UP! YOU'RE BEATEN!" They shout and plead, There's just too much against you now, this time you can't succeed. And as I start to hang my head in front of failure's face, My downward fall is broken by the memory of a race. And hope refills my weakened will as I recall that scene. For just the thought of that short race rejuvenates my being. A children's race, young boys, young men; now I remember well. Excitement, sure, but also fear; it wasn't hard to tell. They all lined up so full of hope. Each thought to win that race. Or tie for first, or if not that, at least take second place. And fathers watched from off the side, each cheering for his son. And each boy hoped to show his dad that he would be the one. The whistle blew and off they went, young hearts and hopes of fire. To win, to be the hero there, was each young boy's desire. And one boy in particular, his dad was in the crowd, Was running near the lead and thought, "My dad will be so proud." But as he speeded down the field across a shallow dip, The little boy who thought to win, lost his step and slipped. Trying hard to catch himself, his hands flew out to brace, And mid the laughter of the crowd, he fell flat on his face. So down he fell and with him hope. He couldn't win it now. Embarrassed, sad, he only wished to disappear somehow. But as he fell, his dad stood up and showed his anxious face, PAGE 2 The Paddock Wood AC Newsletter September 2011 Which to the boy so clearly said, "Get up and win that race!" He quickly rose, no damage done - behind a bit, that's all, And ran with all his mind and might to make up for his fall. So anxious to restore himself to catch up and to win, His mind went faster than his legs. He slipped and fell again. He wished that he had quite before with only one disgrace. I'm hopeless as a runner now, I shouldn't try to race. But, in the laughing crowd he searched and found his father's face That steady look that said again, "Get up and win the race." So, he jumped up to try again. Ten yards behind the last. If I'm to gain those yards, he thought, I've got to run real fast. Exceeding everything he had, he regained eight or ten, But trying so hard to catch the lead, he slipped and fell again. Defeat! He lay there silently, a tear dropped from his eye. There's no sense running anymore - three strikes and I'm out - why try? The will to rise had disappeared, all hope had flew away. So far behind, so error prone, closer all the way. I've lost, so what's the use, he thought, I'll live with my disgrace. But then he thought about his dad, who soon he'd have to face. "Get up," an echo sounded low. "Get up and take your place. You were not meant for failure here, get up and win the race." With borrowed will, "Get up," it said, "You haven't lost at all, For winning is not more than this, to rise each time you fall." So up he rose to win once more. And with a new commit, He resolved that win or lose, at least he wouldn't quit. So far behind the others now, the most he'd ever been. Still he gave it all he had and ran as though to win. Three times he'd fallen stumbling, three times he'd rose again. Too far behind to hope to win, he still ran to the end. They cheered the winning runner as he crossed first place. Head high and proud and happy; no falling, no disgrace. But when the fallen youngster crossed the line, last place, The crowd gave him the greater cheer for finishing the race. And even though he came in last, with head bowed low, unproud; You would have thought he'd won the race, to listen to the crowd.