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Training at Crook AC

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Juniors, Seniors and Veterans all have a place at our training sessions at our athletics centre at Peases West. Our main Senior and Veterans session is on a Tuesday night from 6pm and Junior night is a Thursday from 6pm.

Beginners welcome, come down and we'll get you started.

Our training nights (All year around)
Every Tuesday 6pm-8pm Seniors and Veterans track sessions
Every Thursday 6pm-7pm Juniors Sesssions (Track priority)
Every Thursday 6pm-7pm Seniors and Veterans mixed sessions (Track/ hills/ Road)

Juniors
Fun is the name of the game for our Juniors with age ranges from 5 to 16 years. Activities and Junior relays keep the young athletes involved from the moment they arrive.

Regular events for Juniors are held throughout the North East where they can represent Crook AC in track, field and cross country.

Seniors & Veterans
With over 100 active members you can be sure to meet some likeminded individuals. Whether you are in it for the fun, fitness or to improve your personal bests our sessions are sure to bring you on.

Team Spirit
Regular meets at local events with great comeraderie and team spirit are commonplace at our club, we believe we have the perfect mix of fun, competitive and social ingredients to make a brilliant club atmosphere.

We have a thriving Facebook community where athletes can exchange experiences and training tips. We also have a regular weekly newsletter 'Crook-Ed' which is emailed to our members.

Please CONTACT us for more information!

Crook Athletic Club Track Etiquette

The following is a guide to behaviour on the track and should be adhered to (for your own safety and the safety of others) on club nights (Tuesday 1800-1930 and Thursday 1800-1900).

Rules and Guidance

• Warm up/cool down normally clockwise direction
• Main session/intervals anti-clockwise direction
• Fastest lane on the left/most inner lane
• Lanes 1 and 2 for those runners doing a session
• Please take your recovery on your right side of the track – Lane 4 and 5
• When running an interval and approaching members on recovery, shout “TRACK!”, and the members will move out of the way, to the right. Always give plenty of warning time.
• During your recovery, if you hear “TRACK!” from behind, please move out of the way to the right.
• Do not undertake runners or those in recovery onto the grass – this may cause collision and injury!
• Never stand in lanes 1 and 2, and always look left and right before crossing the track.
• When you finish an interval, look over your shoulder and move to your right as you stop. Do not move left as another runner might be behind you.
• If you do wish to use headphones (this is not recommended), please be aware of other runners and look over your shoulder before moving lanes or stopping.
• Please no pets on the track.
• If children are on the track, please ensure they are aware of other runners, and supervise any young children.
• If a faster athlete is passing a slower one, no athlete has precedence, the faster will pass the slower one, just like in a race.
• If you wish to use your mobile on the track, please keep away from the lanes, especially lanes 1 and 2.
• Use litter bins provided and leave our track in a tidy condition.
• Look after your belongings.

 

Noakes' Laws - some common sense advice

There is lots of advice available for runners - some of them conflicting and often confusing. Professor Tim Noakes, a well-respected sports scientist from South Africa, has provided the following guidelines, compiled from a number of sources:

• During any one year, train for 10 months and take a holiday from running for two.
• Don't be ashamed to walk during any training run. Maximum benefit on any run is achieved by training at between 60 and 90 percent of your MHR (Maximum Heart Rate).
• The important element of training is the amount of time you spend running each week, not the speed at which you run or the distance you cover.
• All training schedules should be treated as guidelines, not concrete regulations. Learn to listen to your body so you can judge your own most effective schedule.
• Always allow time for a hard run's micro-damage to your body to repair and for your energy stocks to replenish.
• Find your happy training medium between the two adages 'No pain, no gain' and 'Train without strain'.
• Don't race during training runs. Run races of over 10 miles only infrequently.
• Running trains only the legs, not the upper body. Adding an activity such as swimming to your running programme is a good idea.
• Never over train. Watch out for sluggishness and lethargy, loss of appetite and increased infection susceptibility.
• Where possible work with a coach for encouragement and support.
• Success in running involves training the mind as much or more than the body.
• Rest before racing.
• Keep a training logbook. It will allow you to check exactly what training you did before your best race results.
• Everything you do, all day and every day, affects your running ability - nutrition, stress and sleep as well as exercise.

Professor Noakes, your training club, friends or family are not responsible for your training - advice is often given freely. It's up to you how you use it.