British league results

How is it confusing ? The athletes listed are invited. If anybody who isnt on the list wants to run then there are guideline times to gain entry.

Given the amount of posts on here about who should and who shouldnt be allowed to run I would have expected slightly more intelligent comment on the entry procedure.

"I would have expected slightly more intelligent comment"

- you not be from these here parts boy ?

Looks like there were some good individual performances in the distance events at the BAL Premiership (what was wrong with calling it Division 1? We aren't footballers who need egos massaging!). The depth in some of the events was poor (esp the Chase) but that's not all that suprising with the clash with BUSA and it being the first match.

As Andy says, the fixture list needs rationalising to avoid clashes. Also, a lot of the fixtures appear to have lost relevance recently - what's the point of the area champs, for example? Is there still an inter-area match held after the area champs (there was in 1999)?

Results for the BAL can usually be found here on the Monday after the match.

The area champs are to decide who the champion of each area is. Maybe not that important from a distance runners perspective but for a lot of athletes who do other stuff its one of the main events of the year. I think the northerns generally seems to have a pretty decent level of competition across the board and is definitely worth doing although we all know that the overall standard is probably equivalent to a strong county championship from 30 years ago...

There is an inter area match - details on the northern selection policy on the noeaa website. Its not normally very good - it seems a lot either don't value a representative vest any more or its one ficture too many. A shame I think but it reflects the way that people (myself included) would rather run a fast time than win something these days.

I think there are some over-officious people out there who are precious about entries to their races.

But sometimes athletes have the wrong idea of how some of these events work - there are guys who want the right people there. Done the qualifying time? You can definitely run. Not done it? Give us a call and you may still get a run.

Some of the overly-precious types sometimes put people off picking up the phone. I've done it for a few races on the off chance and been surprised at the response.

Had a typical one last year: A guy refused to enter me for a race. He was responsible for entering runners in this area but said I wasn't fast enough. Mentioned it in passing to Alan Storey who told me to ring the organiser - he put me straight in and thought I was stupid for asking about entry fees. Best moment was when another bloke asked me if I was doing the race and I said yes. The guy who'd not put me in was in ear-shot, leapt in and said I wasn't, as I was too slow, hadn't done a qualifying time etc. I politely said I'd got an entry accepted. But he kept saying I couldn't have got in like that and so couldn't really have an entry as I wasn't good enough. Thanks for that.

Does each area champion get entry into the national champs? That would seem to be one way to boost the relevance of the area champs.

As you can tell, I haven't done an area champs for a while. Not sure which one I'd do either - born in the North, live in the Midlands (technically) and compete for a Southern club. So I guess Midlands or North, but then the NOEAA complain if you're not an NOEAA member...

Don't think NoEAAA exist anymore now were past the first of April, but correct me if I'mr emembering things wrong?

Rockliffe wrote:

Don't think NoEAAA exist anymore now were past the first of April, but correct me if I'mr emembering things wrong?

See, I spend 5 months out of the sport and completely lose track of it all!

I do hope the administration changes help build the sport back up in populatity and performances though.

think they've done a bit better this year getting the invitee list out early, and inviting a lot of people as we know that maybe only 50% will actually do the 10k champs. Not sure how many were invited last year but there were only 6 or 7 British finishers which was poor. Thinking there will be at least half a dozen sub 29:00 this year

finally saw these

MEN

Glen Comish - Sale Harriers

Simon Deakin - Leeds City

Jason Ward - Altrincham and District AC

Josh Lilly (U23) - Severn AC (to compete in the open race as a development opportunity)

WOMEN

Mara Yamuchi - Harrow AC

Liz Yelling - Bedford and County AC

Sophie Morris - Windsor Slough Eton and Hounslow AC

Susie Bush - Aldershot Farnham and District AC (to compete in the open race as a development opportunity)

I think there might be 2 or 3 sub 29.00, people massively underestimate how tough that is, especially in a race which is blown apart early on, which will happen if there are several groups looking for different targets.

From that list I would say there are 2 or 3 witha chance of runnng sub 29.00

Just a few views on the inter-area match as I went last year as my training partner had qualified and I fancied an open 3000 in my first few weeks back from injury.

Went and the SoE only had one 800m runner there, my training partner, who had finished 2nd in the SoE champs (Area Championships are definitely still very relevant and a high standard), despite the fact we had (and told SoE) a 1:56 800m runner with us they decided to instead have just the single runner (my training partner won convincingly). My other training partner instead guested in the 1500 where he was less than 4 seconds behind Thewlis and in contact till last 300m, he probably wasn't quite the standard but he was pretty damn close. There are masses of runners out there who would jump at a SoE vest so the question has to be asked why did a body representing over a third of Englad decide it couldn't have a second runner? I mean it's understandable at a club meet, even perhaps at a county meet but the inter area match?!?!

In the 3000m I guested (as combined MCAA 3k champs and I was hoping I was in better condition post injury than I thought I was- I had run a 9:14 3k (6 secs off PB) at start of summer whilst limping with injury which by this point was finally going and guess I hoped still had that residual fitness even months without training later) and ran a truly crap race, but despite this I still almost got the second NoE runner, how hard is it for the NoE to find a senior 3k runner faster than 9:2x?

Now onto the AAAs...my training partner by this point had finished second at SEAA, won the inter-area match and was destroying the competition at every club match he ran in. He wasn't invited to compete at the AAAs...now that surely has to be wrong?

The invite list was roughly the same last year, and the entry procedure was the same. Only difference is the list is published now, which shouldnt actually make much difference to the number of runners.

Pacemaking is set to help the fastest Brits, whatever they want on the night. If that is around 28.30/45 then it might help a few.

Be interesting to see which women run, but they dont get much of a mention on a board inhabited mainly by men.

NoEAA championship is still going. Just like the AAA's

ewenm wrote:

Does each area champion get entry into the national champs? That would seem to be one way to boost the relevance of the area champs.

I think that would be a grat idea!

they should.......of course for the 10k that would not be ideal 2 weeks out from the AAA 10k

should be quite a few around 29:20-29:50 range as that is where the bulk of the field will be, will be a case of these runners knowing their capabilities and not taking off too quickly at the start

Just to point out that i didnt run the 1500m, it was Andy Toward they got the names messed up on the start lists. But i did run the 1/2 marathon.

nice run scott- whats next?

cheers james

www.jamesthie.com

cheers Thie,

Next race is a 5k in a couple of weeks.