UK Area and National Relays and no comments yet?

Mike Down commentating at the BMC GP in 2002 (I think, may have been 01).

"and Ricky Soos goes into the final 200m with a big lead. Has he gone off too hard, will he blow up and be caught?"

Just the sort of thing a young runner giving it everything wants to hear over the tannoy as he pushes for the line.

The Bristol ac ladies team should, on paper, kick ass..however whether they've all stayed injury free is another matter. Mike Down has recruited runners but has lost some too. I haven't seen the ugly vests yet....

Most the above women still represent the club and will be in teams at this years Area and National Championships. Bristol women have won medals at nearly every club championship in the past few years and granted the standard has been slightly on the low side on a few occasions, at the end of the day they can only race who turns up.

To say that Bristols more successful athletes have achieved what they have outside the club set-up seems a little unfair. I can recall having the privilege of watching Mike Down coach Jo Pavey and also her husband Gavin, no doubt helping to lay the foundations of Jo's international career and also in the last few years watching young Kate Reed come through the ranks. Think it's safe to say he contributed enormously to both these womens careers.

in reply to Not Bristolian and Ukresident- how can you knock mike down's effort- there are very few people that have given up so much of there time to help others in the sport. The good female athletes that may have come and gone - but most have a national team medal or more, if they were part of a smaller club they may have been lost sooner? as for mike not helping the BMC thats crazy- he has put on more races than almost anyone- my younger development from schools/club level to senior is alot down to experience gained in mikes races! it makes me laugh and cry how someone can slag one of the good guys off! as for the new club, it will only help the area and hopefully keep up and coming atheles- if this team was around two years ago would ben noad be running for highgate? also my sitaution may have been different back in the day.

All i can say if you ever do as much positive stuff for the sport as Mike has done- i would hate to think someone would have crappy things to say about you!

rave on avon

james thie

You have a strange definition of the word coach. The only people I would say Mike has coached are Rob Whalley and Ian Gillespie.

Bristol Stalwart wrote:

I can recall having the privilege of watching Mike Down coach Jo Pavey and also her husband Gavin, no doubt helping to lay the foundations of Jo's international career

When did Jo's international career take off? When she went travelling for six months and started doing her own thing. This isn't about individuals though. This is about thinking that all you have to do is sign up enough athletes and you have a succesful club.

And James, your correct in that Mike puts a lot of effort in. I know him personally and he got me into senior athletics. I think the Millfield Junior BMC Classic is one of the best meetings in the country, of any kind, and Mike deserves a ton of credit for that. That excepted, I do believe that he does more harm than good for athlete and club development - he rubs too many people up the wrong way for starters.

Are Cardiff going to be a force at the National 6 Stage? Perhaps you should consider rejoining your old club and helping Bristol stay a two club city ;-).

So back to the relays.................

I understand what you are saying about the good bits of Mike and I agree with you. We do need more people who are prepared to put in time in the sport. However Mike spoils that by putting Bristol club before the athletes. Our sport is only structured through clubs because it works, admininistrationaly, better that way. Which club wins what doesnt really matter as it does in a team sport.

If he did have anything to do with Kate Reed in her younger days then he should be shot. The training regime that she undertook before she left home, went to Birmingham and then St Marys, was almost criminal. All of her recent injuries are a hangover from her days in Bristol, and it is quite possible that she may never achieve her true potential because of those stupid programmes. Kate also has some other issues, which is why Alan Storey wont coach her any more, but that is a different matter.

So, what is the Bristol team for the Midlands ?

Its sad but this is the way the sport is going, if I look at the North East scene now compared with when I ran as a kid its unrecognisable, Morpeth have hoovered up all of the talent, to the point of probably being able to filed 3 x 6 stage teams which would beat the next challenger, Sunderland looked like getting a good young team together 2/3 years ago but its seems to have stood still. Anybody who is any good seems to gravitate to Morpeth, I don't think its a case of poaching its just that if you want to win medals, which of course people do thats the only option in the area to compete on a national level, maybe the same is true of Bristol.

The really sad thing is that its the smaller clubs who suffer I can remember running for Chester le Street 5/6 years ago and potentially the team of Openshaw, Bell, Scaife, Morris, Myself and one other was well capable of picking up regional medals, sadly only Stewy still runs for Chester... there are many reasons for this but I think the main one is that Chester were not so bothered about the big events, the athleets had more ambition tahn the club and it wasn't a priority, the ones that really count, 6 stage, 12 stage, national, xc relays etc... if you are any good you want to be involved in those events and you want to be in a team where the people are equally commited to those events. Unfortunately there are not the numbers to have alot of strong clubs in any one region anymore.

If you think about it we can sit and pick out 3/4 teams in each area and those teams don't really change from year to year.

v good point Waz. There is also the fact that less poeple generally are competing (in the sense of trianing hard and aiming for big events as opposed to just running). So combined with people moving to the larger teams that has a big effect. I can remember a very competitive NYSD league 10-12 yrs back - wtih strong Mandale, M&C, Richmond, Darlington, Hartlepool teams - sadly the results I've seen for the past few yrs show how really downhill its gone (in terms of depth). Again it flows through from the younger age groups - there were 4 Male u17 finishers in 1 race last yr!

who is Scaife running for now then?

However I think our team at Bedford shows that over time you can bring a club through - admittedly we have been fortunate to 'benefit' from Vauxhall folding which has given us 4 or 5 good guys. A lot depends on the team spirit and the coaches / managers at the club - this obviously doesn't happen as much at where guys run for a club based miles away. Theres only 1 (that I can think of) of our senior mens team who doesnt either in live in the Bedford / Luton area or was born there.

According to Bristol Evening Post The Mens Bristol Team looks pretty strong, Will consist of 6 of the following:-

Rob Whalley,

Kevin Heywood,

John Ward,

Royston Green,

Nigel Leighton,

Martin Hula

Duncan McCerracher.

Womens team also in with a shout:-

Kate Reed

Amy Stiles

Lucy Hasell

Annabel Granger

Whatever the result it will be a good practice run-out for the National Relays.

Martin Scaife has joined Morpeth from Chester, I can understand it, he must be 31/32 now, he's a good runner and he's not really had a chance of picking up any medals. I think he could runa good marathon in the next couple of years, maybe a 2.14 or so, he is advised by Ian Bloomfiled a guy who really knows hsi stuff, 2.17 as a vet!!!!

As for declining standards, teh North East is unreal, I finished 42nd in the North Easterna bout 7 years ago and I was in aout 31.40 shape, and about 2 years after that i was ina bout 30.30 shape and finished 18th... not like now, taht being said we still ahve arguably teh strongest area when everybody is fit...

Morpeth team for Saturday is:

Nick McCormick, Mark Hudspith, Neil Wilkinson, Terry Wall, John Mooney and Dan Samuels

not bad but I don't think its a winning team.

Jon Orange Peel wrote:

Richmond and Zetland, easily. Me on the final leg beating Cullen's course record by 20sec wearing Addidas Roms with perfect pose technique, donning a t-shirt stating "determination, belief, commitment - not talent. Just do it!"

LOL

....Morpeth team for Saturday is:

Nick McCormick, Mark Hudspith, Neil Wilkinson, Terry Wall, John Mooney and Dan Samuels

not bad but I don't think its a winning team....

That lot won't be far away. Mooney is running well but I've never heard of Samuels. We know all about the rest

You missed out the charisma

Unfortunately I do think that could be the winning team Morpeth have. Mooney is running well. Has been in Germany for the last couple of years and this is his last race before going back. Thats 4 very strong runners they have.

Our team is strong but the same as last year. My ankle healed quickly. Once the swelling went down there were no torn ligaments and despite it being week I can run on roads without any problem.

Our team is: Andy Norman, Dave Norman, Matt Barnes, Nick Leigh, Paul Smith, Bill Crowther. Only 1 dropout through injury (Ian Fisher) and we should have him and Jason Ward for the National.

Salford's team is very beatable. Andi Jones, Nick Jones, Chris Winward, Duncan Mason, James Kovacs, Ken Chapman.

Not sure about Leeds, Trafford and Sale but we think we can go better than our bronze last year.

on his day 'mooners' is awesome, as I'm sure he'd admit on other days he can struggle but top lad and ace trombone player!

Are you talking about me matt boy? The reason I joined bedford was for the same reason that Waz said everyone joined morpeth in the north east. I wanted to run for a club that was going to make the national 6 and 12stage etc. Not gaining promotion in the southern mens league div 5 and having a team full of vets in the six stage. I ain t proud of leaving but wanted to be competitive.

You going tomorrow matt? I've just got back from n wales, outdoor ed trip!!

yes mate, although dont knacker my argument! but really you are the exception that proves the point with us.

not off tomorrow, got to get the miles in here on the comeback trail...

you doing the Chiltern in 2 weeks? B'day bash at mine after - get involved!

good luck tomorrow - go bedford!!

Two words of warning - Leighton Buzzard. You have been warned...