Grand Prix 2026 - 2027 is Go!

This Saturday's West District XC Relay at Kilmarnock is the first race of the new season Grand Prix. For those new to the Harriers, the Grand Prix is a series of 16 races which the senior Harriers use to contest two competitions in parallel, the Calderglen Grand Prix and the Calderglen Club Championships. The difference between the two competitions is that the GP uses a system of "jokers" to even out the scoring such that theoretically, everyone has a chance of winning if they do enough of the races (best 11 of the 16 to count) whereas the Club Championship is a scratch championship with no jokers to boost the scores such that the fastest runners should win if they do enough of the races! It looks like a good turn out of seniors and juniors for the first race of this season.

The Grand Prix rules remain unchanged again this year and are summarised in this post from a few years ago: https://calderglen.blogspot.com/2023/10/grand-prix-rules-2023-2024.html. The important point to note is that the number of jokers you are assigned at the start of the season is based on the training pack that you are currently assigned to; those in packs 1 to 7 get 1 joker whereas those in packs 8 to 10 get 2 jokers. Jokers must be declared to Russell or his nominated representative (well) before each race starts.

The first batch of races in this year's Grand Prix are provisionally as listed here. The list is also available in the menu on the left of the blog.

Alan

Club Training Monday 5th October - Brancumhall

Monday's session at Brancumhall is a bit of a recovery session for those who were racing so well at the GSR and for those who were not racing, it is a light threshold session. The threshold session is 8 x 2 minutes with a 40 second jog recovery. This should feel like an easy run with slight accelerations for 2 minutes and then easing back slightly to easy for 40 seconds.

For those who were racing, do the same circuit but without the increase to threshold, so just easy laps. The soft ground should be easy on the legs.

Alan

Club Training Thursday 1st October

Thursday's session is a pre-race run for those that are racing at the weekend. For those runners, there is a cut-off on the route. For those not racing, don't take the cut-off and continue on the longer run as our Brampton preparation continues.

The route is down the Queensway to McDonalds. Those who are racing at the weekend, turn onto West Mains Rd and return to the club via the railway station, Lidl and Churchill Avenue. Fit in 6 x 10 seconds approx strides out to race pace (depending on which race you are doing). For those not racing, continue on down the Queensway to the Holiday Inn, turn right and follow the by-pass to Morrisons and then Stewartfield Way and the lane parallel to Stewartfield Rd down to West Mains Rd. Then back to the club via the railway station, Lidl and Churchill Avenue.

This should be an easy paced run.

Alan

Club Training Monday 28th September

Monday's session is another basic speed endurance session at Langlands Place. It is 8 x 400m at 5k pace with a 1 minute jog around/stand recovery. These sessions at Landlands Place with variations and progressions will feature regularly through the winter months. As always, aim for consistent times. Try to stay within about 1 second difference in time for each rep. A reminder of 5k pace over 400m:

For this session, aim for your recent (within the past couple of months) 5k pace. It should feel quite easy, particularly for those racing this coming weekend where the objective is to get the legs spinning without introducing fatigue.

Alan

NATIONAL XC RELAYS

 This years National XC relays will be held in Cumbernauld as per previous years on 24th Oct

The junior races will be a mix of u/14, u/16, u/18 in that order although they can step up one age group

U/20, seniors and masters will run together in the same teams

Young females @ noon (3 x 2.5k legs), Young males @ 12.40pm  (3 x 2.5k legs)

Ladies @ 13.10 (4 x 4k  legs)(3 x 4k for W40 + W50) and Men @ 14.40 (4 x 4k  legs)

Cost is £24 for a junior team and £9.00 for u/20, senior and masters per head. 

Payment should be made at the same time as adding your name.

If you want to race i need names by Tuesday 6th Oct

Please make sure your SA number is valid on the 6th Oct and race day 24th Oct. The system does not allow entry if not.

Please register your name HERE.  Those registered are listed HERE.

Club Training Thursday 24th September

Continuing with the theme of consolidating endurance by maintaining mileage during the club sessions, tonight's session is a longish steady run but without so many hills as last week. The route is Down the Kingsway to Kingsgate. Along the Stewartfield by-pass as far as the roundabout at the loch. Turn left and climb through Stewartfield. Continue to the mini roundabout at Stewartfield Rd, turn left and follow the pedestrian lane parallel to Stewartfield Rd down to West Mains Rd. Back to the club via Lidl, Avondale and the NEL roundabout.

Take it very easy as far as the Whirlies. Be very careful crossing the road at the Whirlies and the next roundabout. Pick up the pace to steady once you are through that second roundabout (B&Q) and keep it steady (approaching half marathon effort) until the top of Avondale.

Note that the training registration form registers names for the next session from 9pm on the preceding club training night. i.e. Registration for Thursday's session automatically opens at 9pm on Monday and registration for Monday's session opens at 9pm on Thursday. So you don't have to wait until I post this to decide if you are coming to training.................. If I am held up working late, I may not have time to post the session until the morning of the training but the form is still open.

Alan

BRAMPTON TO CARLISLE 10 MILE ROAD RACE

The Harriers have gone to this event annually since 1986 and some have been to almost every event. We have booked a bus so for those that are new to the club. The bus will leave the Sports club at 7am on Sunday 15th Nov and travel to Brampton. This will get us there in plenty time for warm ups, team photo etc before the race starts at 10.00am. At the finish depending how long we take to run we will have a few hours in Carlisle and time to have a refreshment or two and a good chat about how our runs went. We will then leave for Moffat for a meal and the presentations of our Brampton trophies to our first Lady and Gent and the all important reveal of the sweep winner (please bring £1 cash for the sweep). Back on the bus and back in East Kilbride for about 7pm. Note the earlier times from previous years as the race starts at 10am now.

£20 will secure your place on the bus and should be paid asap. If you opt to pay this direct to the club bank acc then drop Russell a message to say its done and your place is then secure. At this point i dont know what the meal cost will be but probably about £20 and this will be collected on the day. If your coming on the bus please leave your name HERE. If youve added your name it will appear HERE.

Guests can come on the bus too so if you know anyone that wants to run then let them know the details.

As this is a long day you probably should bring something to eat on the bus for before the run and after to see you through to our dinner in Moffat

Entries are now only an online option so everyone will have to take care of their own entry. Details are on the sportsoft website and you will have to sign in for a login with sport soft and this link should take you to it Sportsoft Online Entries