Everyone is welcome. Age is no barrier. Participants range from young children to people in their fifties or sixties. Bring the family. See if Dad, or Mum, can still beat the kids. Or encourage a friend or two to come with you.
It is best to get there by 5.15pm, in time to sign up and warm up. Gather by the clubhouse on Kirkwood St. There are three events each week: a sprint, a field event and a middle distance event. You can enter just one, or two, or all three.
In Week 1, the first event is a 200m sprint. Usain Bolt can do it in less than 20 seconds. If you can do it in less than 30 seconds, you are probably a pretty good runner. And if it takes you longer than that, never mind, just enjoy the exercise.
The second race, the 1000m, is a special opportunity for all those casual joggers and longer-distance runners who have never tried track before.
Check how quickly you can do two and a half laps of an athletics track. The Silver Medal challenge is to beat four minutes. That’s the pace required for a 20-minute 5km. The Gold Medal challenge is to beat three minutes. Three minutes per kilometre is the pace required to win a major marathon these days.
If you don’t think you are up to those sorts of standards, don’t worry, you certainly won’t be alone. Just jog around at your own pace.
Remember, a once-weekly bout of faster running will be good for your longer distance performance. If, like many people, you tend to train at much the same pace week after week, year after year, the body adapts to that. But if you can move out of that comfort zone with some regular speedwork, you will eventually notice the benefits.
In between the two running events will be the shot put. If you have never tried this before, why not give it a go? Especially if you are built more for that sort of event than for running. There will be people there who can advise you on technique.
A second field event may be conducted at 6.30pm, if eight or more people sign up for it. On October 12 this will be the Triple Jump.
You can try out for two weeks without charge. For more information, check the club website at www.armidale athletics.org.au. Or join the club’s Facebook group. Or phone Martin Auster on 6772 1041.
