President’s Note - 18.5.2023
This week’s run is Stockdale Rd 5k. Park and run from the clubrooms.
*Remember; soup dinner after the run.
Duty: Nick Hodson & Kylee Earl. Course Markers: Marika Reilly, Susan Poole, Desley Tullock.
*Next week’s run is St Paul’s 6k.
Duty: David Hood & Andrew Broburg. Course Marker: Giuseppe Marino.
Thanks to Molly Irvine who has taken the job of “chalk distributor” for the winter run season. If you’re a course marker, make sure you get chalk off Molly the week before your marking duty at the latest.
Numbers of runners for Thursday runs have been incredible, especially for winter, and the number of newbies each week is a great indicator of how the club is going. It’ll be interesting to see how we go with attendance as we get deeper into the cold winter nights.
For those who are fastidious about course distances, make sure you check the plotarote on FB or Insta each week. It’s interesting how different runners get varying distances on different devices. Different watches, phones etc. can have quite a differential in distances, sometimes a couple of hundred metres. But the distance on plotaroute is is quite accurate. The maps on the site are updated and information corrected every 3-4 days.
“Our route planner measures in 2D, so won’t take account of changes in elevation when measuring distance, however the effect of hills on distance is actually negligible and well within the accuracy thresholds for online map measurement tools. For a 24 mile route at a typical gradient of 12 metres per mile, the difference between the 2D distance measurement and the 3D distance measurement is only about 100cm”.
So if you’re concerned about the distance of a Thursday run, you can be pretty sure the plotaroute map is as close to correct as you’re going to get. Some runners are fastidious about times and distances, which is perfectly fine. The bottom line is, we all run the same course each week, and unless you’re severely cutting corners or going a long way around, your Garmin, Strava or whatever, should come close to the distance listed on the plotaroute. The main reasons there are differences are apparently software, satellites or different applications using varied rounding.
With the influx of new members, and for the safety of everyone, we’ve instigated 5 starting groups for Thursday runs. This saves congestion on footpaths at the start, and a mass of runners on roads in town. Club Handicapper Andrew Legge has grouped members into fair handicaps based on times (check the table in this newsletter or on FB). If you feel you need to be rehandicapped please have a chat to him. Handicaps are about members running in a group that is commensurate with the individual member’s time, so we all run in a group with similar times and ability. Handicaps are not a penalty. It spreads runners out at the start, so is safer, and means that members all finish around the same time. Handicaps are fluid and adjusted.
Make sure you get your name checked off the list BEFORE starting, making note of your group.
Group 1 (Walkers/Slower Runners) - Start Upon Arrival
Group 2- Start 5:50
Group 3- Start 6
Group 4- Start 6:05
Group 5- Start 6:10
Winter Season Rules
-Self Timing (please give time to duty member after you’ve finished the course).
-New Runners Always Welcome (2 free runs before membership).
-ALL RUNNERS MUST WEAR THE CLUB-APPROVED REFLECTIVE VEST. Guests and forgetful members will be issued a loaner to be returned. All new financial members receive a vest as part of their membership (over $55 value). ALL MEMBERS MUST WEAR A CLUB APPROVED REFLECTIVE VEST AT EVERY WINTER RUN. This is part of an agreement made with Latrobe City and Vic Pol.
-PLEASE check in with duty members and get your name marked off the list BEFORE you take to the course (Very important for safety so we know who is on course). Walkers still start upon arrival for winter season.
-Look after junior runners and newbies. Be careful on the road, at road crossings. Give way to traffic.
-Please run on the right hand side so you can see traffic, or preferably, on the footpath. Watch for obstacles. Safety is the priority over times!
*Membership is now overdue for renewal. Thanks toeveryone who has signed up already. Membership is approaching our record from last year which is fantastic for the club, and a testimony to you, the members, for making it such a welcoming and positive environment. If you haven’t yet renewed or signed up if you’re a newbie to the club, please do so. It makes managing the club, duty allocation, AV organisation and insurances more smooth to administer.
Obviously we grow right throughout the year, with many newbies joining in summer. Being a member means you’re a part of this fantastic club, and gives you Thursday runs, discounted entry (Marathon & CFR) or free entry to most club events, a club reflective vest worth over $55 to help keep you safe, social functions, discounts on club merchandise and many new firends! (Hopefully you’re convinced)!
Most will be Recreational Members, and there is also a Junior Rec Member option this year. Life Members also have a new category. The club tries to keep its portion of the fees low. It is noted that AV membership is quite expensive for those doing AV level participation, however it’s much cheaper than football/netball club membership or the cost of membership at most city clubs. Also, we’re the only affiliated club that subsidises our AV runners to support them participating at that level.
*Marathon entry is open and we’ve had a huge number of entries in the last week. Remember that numbers in each event are capped so we encourage members to sign up early. Use the entry code HARRIERS to get your discount. Sunday June 4th is the date, and entries close Wednesday 31st May, or when events sell out. The 56thrunning of the event will be a fantastic day as always, so enter the full, ½ or 10k asap to avoid missing out. The first 50 entrants in each event will receive a special commemorative t-shirt.
Go to the taralgonharriers.org.au and check the links for both Membership and Mara entry.
*All members please check the updated Winter Duty Roster and make note of your rostered date. If you can’t do your allocated duty, it’s up to you to swap with someone or get a fill-in. If you’re not on the roster it’s because you’re a course marker, you don’t run Thursdays (only do AV),you’re a junior member, late-in-the-season-joining new member, or you got lucky. That’s the benefit of having good membership numbers; you get to run more and only have to do one duty in a season. The idea is to make duty fun, it’s not a chore. It’s a great way to get to know other members and put names to faces. (NB: If you’re on duty, you can run early, do the course and put in your time).
*UPDATED Duty Roster Winter 2023
REMEMBER: If you can’t fulfil your allocated duty, the onus is on you to swap with someone.
6 April Geoff Francis & Lee Francis
13 April Karen Graham & Catherine Leonard
20 April Michelle Colwell & Kathy Quinn
27 April Darrell Cross & *Michael Walker
4 May Krissi Crieghton & Luke Witham
11 May Errol Poole & Angelo Gaudiano
18 May Nick Hodson & Kylee Earl
25 May David Hood & Andrew Broburg
1 June Claire McCumber & Emma Marino
8 June Ron Verschuur & Collette Hoffman
15 June Mark Fairbairn & Ian Cornthwaite
22 June Paul Rollandin & Nicholas Talerico
29 June Stephen Renehan & Andrew Panayiotou
6 July Kate Cumming & Clinton Jolly
13 July Glenn Graham & Kathleen Kent
20 July Trent Kooyman & Owen Notting
27 July Jason Odlum & David Wirken
3 Aug Kylie Murray & Rose Croft
10 Aug Michelle Sawyer & Maree Graham
17 Aug Katelyn Rowe & Felicity Beasley
24 Aug Bjorn Luxmann & Paul Smith
31 Aug Tania Whitehead & Denise Twite
7 Sept David Barr & Josh Dalton
14 Sep Anthony Magaldi & Andrew Greenhill
21 Sep Gary Fox & Shane Gavin
28 Sept Liz Kenney & Matilda Lappin
5 Oct Newborough Track Duty TBC
12 Oct Samantha McGown & John Richards
*IMPORTANT Harriers Dates
18 May, Soup Night at the Club / Marathon Organisation Meeting
4 June, 56th Traralgon Marathon & Running Festival - 4 weeks
29 June, AGM
29 July, Mid-year Presentations, Traralgon Bowls Club
The Marathon date rapidly approaches and we need many hands to ensure the day runs smoothly. If you have some time to help, please come and see me.
In particular, we need teams to help with:
-Spot prizes WE NEED SOMEONE TO COORDINATE THIS ASAP
-Water stations / runner’s aid station delivery (See Pete Sanders)
-Bib distribution (See Tania Whitehead or Danelle Wright)
-Course marking / sign placements (See Clinton Jolly)
-Community & sponsor liaison / Presentations (See PM)
-Start/finish hub (See Andrew Legge)
*Many hands make light work, so please jump in to help!
It’s a big event, and with the RD stepping down only a couple of months out from the event, the onus has fallen on members and the committee to ensure the day is a success.
We all know, a healthy club requires new energy, new ideas and a little helping of selflessness to keep it going. If you haven’t yet, it’s time to think about taking on an important club role, such as becoming a Race Director or joining the committee. The AGM will be after the Marathon in June.
QUICK NOTES:
It is fantastic to see membership so strong, with our number approaching the 150 mark.
A special congratulations and well done to Jason Odlum for his recent triathalon effort. A mammoth undertaking. Well done Jason.
The Half Marathon is almost sold out. And the 10k isn’t far behind.
Another Thursday winter record broken - 80 runners, then last week, 87 - It won’t be long until we have 100 at a Thursday!
Its a question I’ve asked and had conversations with executive, comittee and members - How big do we want the club to be? How many members can we manage before it becomes unmanageable? Its a good problem to have, as opposed to not having enough members and struggling, but we do need to plan for the growth.
Acknowledgement and thanks to our hard-working and dedicated media team for all their efforts in promoting the club and reporting on club events and news. Led by Corny and Barry Higgins, with Molly Irvine, Gary Fox and young gun Miles Verschuur, the media team makes sure reports are submitted to the LV Express and get into the weekly newsletter. We have many members who use their time and skills to beneifit the club, making it better for everyone.
The Mother’s Day Classic on Sunday was another wonderful event, not about times, but about memories and raising important funds for breast cancer. I saw many Harriers and members of the community out on the Gippsland Plains Rail Trail. This event is important to me, and represents an opportunity to remember my own mum, and run with friends who have similar situations. I miss running with Kaye Arrowsmith because we have a special connection around the event and the charity, but this year was joined for the first time since mum’s passing by my brother and daughter. I hope everyone spent time with their mum and had some wonderful, memorable moments.
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GENERAL CLUB NOTES:
*For those doing Thursday duty, please arrive by 5:40 at the start of the course. The list will be there provided by Handicapper Andrew Legge. You need to check-in all attending members (by highlighting their names) before they set off on course, and write in their times at the end. One person should be responsible for the list, the other should be on the clock and announcing start times for the groups (use your phone). Give each group a two minute, one minute and 10 second warning, and then a clear vocal start.
*Course markers should inform of any aspects on the course for safety, and you should be familiar with the course if there is a plotaroute (many summer trails don’t have them) so you can give directions especially to new runners (who you should make feel welcome and inform me of their attendance to give a shout out at the end). Plotaroutes are posted on the club’s FB page and Insta. The course marker should make note of any obstructions or obstacles and point them out at the start of the run and inform those on duty. Winter in town runs must be marked with white chalk with large arrows.
*Traralgon Harriers Merchandise – Remember we’ve got club socks, caps, visors and beanies; socks come in women’s and men’s and are $15 for members ($20 for non-members), caps are one-size fit $20 ($25 non), and beanies are $20 for members ($25 for non). We also have running singlets at a cost of $30 for members. All merchandise is at a subsidised cost to members; we’re not trying to make money off these items, just provide another way for members to unify, identify and fly the club flag.
*Lucky Member Prize Draw after each Thursday run - All financial members are on the list. Remember you must be there to collect your prize otherwise it is re-drawn (This happens a fair bit, so don’t miss out - Don’t be a winner who leaves and therefore loses). The value of the prizes has gone up so it’s even more worth your while sticking around. Remember, the draw happens after the last runner is through and all times have been recorded. Thanks to Kaye Livingstone for organising the weekly prizes.
At the end of each Thursday run we also welcome and acknowledge any new runners who have joined us for the first time. If you see a new face, say hi, chat to them and make sure they stick around and feel welcomed. We seem to have new runners every week and a lot are actually joining after their 2 free runs.
*T-Squad Weekend Sessions; usually Saturday mornings, various locations with Greg Semmler. Join the FB Group “T Squad” for more details.
*Tuesday Group Sessions; at the Little Aths Track, Davidson Street Traralgon from 6pm with me and a great team. Join the FB Group “Traralgon Tuesday Running Group” for more details.
Remember to shoot your run reports and fitness adventures to Twitey to be included in the newsletter. Other members enjoy reading about your adventures, so don’t be shy to share. ([email protected]).
Thought for the week: Take time to reflect on the past, make plans for the future, but make sure you’re enjoying and appreciating the now.
Phill Mayer – President
