Posts from — November 2019

Results of the Fraternity and Sorority Cup race are now on Power of 10. Well done to the 4 Ladies and 7 Men of HAC who competed.

https://www.thepowerof10.info/results/results.aspx?meetingid=313443&pagenum=1

HAC will have 2 club places on offer to club members for the London Marathon on the 26th April 2020.

If you are a fully paid up club member and have been for at least 1 year, have a VLM rejection slip/email for next year’s race, not previously won a club place in the last 3 years and want to do the marathon please email me, Martin Bateman at mbateman@hillingdonac.co.uk by the end of Saturday 21st December 2019. Members without a VLM rejection slip/emails can request to be put in the draw but will only be included if they reached the “seeded” requirement which is explained below.

• 6pm, Saturday 14th December at Ruislip Lido
• Number collection from the Bury Street clubhouse between 5.00 and 5.45
• Entry fee of £5 for adults, £2 under 16s. All proceeds to be donated to charity
• As the majority of the course is unlit all runners will need head torches/hand torches and bright/reflective clothing
• Under 16s to be accompanied by an adult during the run
• Fish and chips afterwards in the clubhouse (and of course drinks at the bar)- food orders to be placed by 3pm on the 13th
• All offers of help gratefully received. We need 3 marshals and a first aider to keep the council happy

Please support your club events. 

Last weekend was the second Met League fixture of the season at Welwyn Garden City and a big thank you to the 33 men who once again found themselves racing in the rain (this seems to be a reoccuring theme this winter).

Abdishakur Abdulle was first scorer for the club in fifth place, Aramias Zeration had another strong run in 29th place, Rob Thompson marked his competitive return in 36th, Stephen Woodford finished 71st in his Met League debut with Liam Holbrook just behind in 73rd.

After Liam, Will Fielding made his competitive debut for the club in 191st place, Charlie Edwards and Simon Connell marked their season’s debuts by scoring for the A team and Stephen Jeffery made his club debut in 460th place.

The A team finished eighth on the day in Division One and now sit in eighth place overall in Division One after two fixtures while the B and C teams finished sixth and 13th in Division Three and now sit in 5th and 13th place overall in Division Three.

Full results may be found here: https://www.metleague.run/results/

Dash 4 Fitness are offering 3 free places to HAC full members for their next Masterclass. Each place is worth £60. This is a great way of improving your times from 5km upwards. The next Masterclass will take place under the floodlights at Uxbridge track on the 9th, 23rd and 30th Jan, 13th and 27th Feb and 12th March. (NB you will have to pay your own entry fee for the track). If you wish to know more contact Gary Taylor at dashforfitness@btinternet.com

There’s lots coming up at the clubhouse over the next few months. Dates for your diary here:

Saturday 7th December (after the Met League at Uxbridge) – Chilli and Pub Games 

Saturday 14th December 6pm – Dark Run followed by Fish and Chips

Thursday 19th December 6.30pm onwards – Bring and Share Buffet

Tuesday 31st December – New Years Eve Party

Saturday 11th January (after the Met League) – Chinese New Year Celebration and Quiz

Saturday 8th February (after the Met League) – Curry and Karaoke

On the first Saturday of the October half term, 15 young Hillingdon athletes alongside 3 coaches crowded Luton Airport, eager to embark on what would become an amazing holiday experience. With a first-time flyer and a few nervous to be on a plane, the flight was an interesting one, though the excitement of everyone when we arrived in Faro, Portugal soon diminished any anxieties, reports Courtney Clarke.

The hotel beat any of our expectations as soon as we walked in, the main reception was elegant and rooms came equipped with anything we might have needed, as well as being extremely cosy. After dropping our bags, some much bigger than others, we raced to take in the scenery, and were shocked. The hotel was metres away from the beach, just a sandy boardwalk separating the swimming pool and the waves, and the track was just a bike’s ride away.

After a night of well-deserved sleep and a delicious breakfast, we hired bikes to take us to the holiday’s first track session. We ended up at the stadium and partook in a session which definitely challenged us, the heat was blazing and tans were caught whilst we sprinted around a track just for Hillingdon.

After this, we took advantage of the hotel’s extremely cold pool and rested our muscles, before dining as a group for the first night.

The second day saw us train on the beach, which worked the athletes very hard. It seemed training on sand proved substantially more difficult than on a track, and everyone enjoyed going in the sea to cool their muscles. In the evening, the group ventured into the fairly quiet portugese town, buying delicious ice creams and taking in what our surroundings had to offer. The next few days were similar, and despite legs sore from extensive training, the holiday we all anticipated for months was everything we could’ve hoped for.

On Wednesday, after a day of core work, relays and revision, everyone visited a beautiful nearby town, full of shops and photo opportunities. The next day was one we had all been excited for, the water park. It was the chance to rest we all needed, and scorching temperatures made the day even more enjoyable.

Friday night was an opportunity to sit together and reflect on the week and everyone was disappointed to be going home so soon. Friendships had been made or grown stronger, skin bronzed, muscles worked and phones full of photos of the gorgeous sunset each night had to offer. The flight back home the next day was one we were all hesitant to get on since our week away had been so amazing, and the dark clouds England offered us when we returned made us envy the perfect weather back in Faro.

Overall, our holiday in Portugal was most definitely a memorable one and all the athletes are extremely thankful to those who made it possible, we already want to book a return flight just to experience the amazing week again.