MMAC Relays & AGM

MMAC Relays, 15th April 2012

Please go to our dedicated page giving all the details of our annual relays including the entry form. The following link will take you directly there http://tinyurl.com/7w4r5f2 

The centre is offering our members a carvery lunch but these will have to be ordered at the time of entering the race.

Prices are £6.50 for adults and £3.50 for children.

The lunches are served up to 3.00 pm

For details of the AGM, go to the “AGM 2012” page or click http://tinyurl.com/7cw2zgb

The Colin Simpson Memorial Handicap

After having to call off our annual handicap on the 5^th February due to bad weather it has been decided to hold it on the 1^st April 2012, once again within the Centurion Grand Prix Series by kind permission of Centurion RC. The handicap will be renamed “The Colin Simpson Memorial Handicap” in honour of our late Treasurer, Colin Simpson, whose 83^rd birthday would have been on the 2^nd April.

All the original entries and entry fees will stand but if anyone who wants to enter can now do so on a new entry form Colin Simpson Memorial Handicap 2012      the closing date is strictly the 22^nd March 2012.

The handicap is open to Midland Masters AC member only and the entry fee is £6.00

Any member who has entered the Grand Prix event or series pays only £1.00 BUT will still need to fill out the handicap form. Let us get a good entry for this re-scheduled event.

Midland Masters AC 40th Aniversary

Celebration of the Club’s 40^th Anniversary

We are still planning to organise an event in the autumn to celebrate the 40^th anniversary of the Club’s formation in October 1972.  The invitation in the September Newsletter to put forward ideas yielded only one response, but we are pressing on!

The online poll on our website was rather more encouraging.  33% of votes said, “Yes I would attend” and only 16% said “No I wouldn’t”.  51% said “Maybe, depending on the type of event and possible cost”.  However, only 37 votes were cast, which is under 5% of our total of over 800 members, so we’ll need stronger evidence of interest before we commit to significant expenditure.

There is still time to let us have your ideas or requests.  Contact Adrian Lloyd (at acrlloyd@solcl.net or 24 The Crescent, Hampton-in-Arden, Solihull, B92 0BP) or any Club officer.

Thank you,

Adrian Lloyd

MMAC 5 Mile Handicap

IMPORTANT NEWS

The Centurion GP Race scheduled for 11.00am this morning (05/02/2012) has had to be called off owing to the weather conditions, therefore the Midland Masters Handicap is also OFF.

Although the course was laid out and was ready to go, the school caretaker couldn’t open the facilities because of health & safety issues with access to the site. Owing to fixture congestion and other commitments, this handicap will not take place this year.

All Midland Masters AC entry fees have not been cashed therefore members have not been charged.

Tom Morris 0900 hrs 05/02/2012

Related articles

• MMAC Annual 5 Mile Handicap (midlandmasters.com)

MMAC Annual 5 Mile Handicap

MMAC Annual 5 Mile Handicap. Too late now to enter our handicap 5 miler taking place this coming Sunday at Kingshurst, Birmingham within the Centurion Grand Prix Series. We have received 22 men’s entries and 7 women’s entries. A little disappointing when you work out what percentage this is of the total membership. However, we are all going to have fun, don’t forget the thermals!!

“Old Guard” Meeting Cancelled

The “Old Guard” Meeting previously advertised as the 25th March has now been definitely CANCELLED. Kidderminster & Stourport AC are organising a Spring Warm Up Meeting on the 15th April and I understand will be adding some masters events. Details can be obtained from chantelle_reah@btinternet.com

I should point out that this date clashes with the Midland Masters AC Annual General Meeting and Annual Relays/Walks which I encourage everyone to attend. 

MMAC XC Championships 2012

A very successful event took place on Sunday, 22nd January at Droitwich. Full results (version 2) are now available at http://wp.me/PDLtv-CR

Len Cullen RIP

Len Cullen 1938 – 2011

It was with great shock that I learnt of the death of a fellow Birchfield Harrier, Len Cullen, aged 73 years on Wednesday, 11^th January. He had undergone a successful heart valve replacement/repair the week before and was recovering extremely well and was due out of hospital. However, he suffered a blood clot which caused a fatal heart attack.

Len joined Birchfield in the 50’s and as a ‘jobbing’ athlete travelled the country entering handicap events and road races and always donned the ‘stag’ vest. Len encouraged me to run in my very first 10 mile road race, the Stevenage 10, hiring a car and taking us down to win the ‘pots’. In fact I ran my first 10 miles round the parks in Perry Barr with Len. He also encouraged the youngsters to train correctly and helped set up the running ‘schools’ a forerunner of coaching groups. He was a social animal, immersing himself into the social life of the Club and organising many a social gathering and when the Club moved into the new Alexander Stadium he instigated a deal with Ansells setting up the well-used Bar. He could always be seen in Sutton Park supporting the ‘stags’ vigorously in their efforts. Latterly he qualified as a sports therapist treating many an athlete for their injuries.

I shall always remember Len with affection.

Our condolences go to his wife, Elaine and the family.

The funeral will take place on the 27th January 2012 at Lodge Hill Crematorium, Weoley Park Road, Birmingham B29 5AA at 12 noon.

Donations to the MS Society.

Tom Morris

Indoor Training

Members may be interested in the chance to train on the indoor track at the NIA, Birmingham at certain times during February. You should visit http://tinyurl.com/7edswxq for all the details which can be accessed by clicking “read more”.

Related articles

• Farah to race in Birmingham (independent.co.uk)
• Mo Farah seeks Olympic-standard test at Birmingham Aviva Grand Prix (guardian.co.uk)
• Powell to race in Birmingham Indoors in February (seattletimes.nwsource.com)

parkruns

The latest results for our 1st Claim Members who participate in the weekly parkruns can be seen by clicking on the “parkrun” tab.

I get informed whenever a parkrunner registered as MMAC takes part and I copy these onto our dedicated “parkrun” page. So check on it regularly. Other members who registered for parkrun under their UKA Club unfortunately won’t appear.

Related articles

• Another Parkrun PB (afterthomas.wordpress.com)
• 5k Runs & Races For Kids: 8, 9 10 year olds too young? Parkrun running (the5krunner.com)