AMAZING FEET CLUB NEWS

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY 2008

Fri Oct 31st	QUIZ & CURRY NIGHT - see below
Thurs Nov 27th	ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING - see below
Sat Dec 13th	CHRISTMAS DINNER & DANCE - see below
January 16th 2009	PRESENTATION EVENING - details tbc
February 15th 2009	WYRE FOREST 8 - club promotion

LATEST CLUB NEWS UPDATES : 14.10.08 - Committee details updated, and connected items changed :: 26.09.08 - Quiz & Curry night details added below :: 22.09.08 - Club News page updated

AMAZING FEET RC is affiliated to UK Athletics and Midland Counties AA for both Road Running and Cross Country, and we are also affiliated to the Worcestershire County AA, saving members £2 on every race they take part in during the year.

AMAZING FEET holds it's Annual General Meeting once a year in November, where the new committee is elected, Treasurer's and Secretary's reports received, and any other important business can be discussed by the membership.

The 2008 AGM will be held on THURSDAY NOVEMBER 27th 9PLEASE NOTE CHANGE OF DATE) in the AGGBOROUGH SUITE at KIDDERMINSTER HARRIERS FC. Tea/coffee and biscuits will be available from 7.30 pm, with the AGM set to start promptly at 8.00 pm. The bar downstairs will be open should you require something a little stronger.

AMAZING FEET hold an annual barbecue on a summer Saturday evening, which is usually followed by a rounders match between the assembled multitudes. The 2005 and 2006 barbecue was held at a new venue - the Chain-wire Club off the Stourport Road - which gave us access to indoor loos and a bar. Sadly, in 2007 the event was cancelled due to the venue being flooded, and in 2008 we were unable to agree a suitable date with the Chain-wire Club due to their wedding reception bookings. If we are able to find a suitable location next year (2009) the annual barbecue will return - if any members have any ideas please let the committee know as soon as possible.

One of the most popular events in the club's social calendar, the annual Beer & Skittles evening returns this year after an absence of a couple of years. The event was held on FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 16th at Kingsford Caravan Park. It was generally agreed that the food was not up to the usual standards at this venue this year, so this event is under review for 2006. It has been decided not to proceed with this event in 2006. This social event has not been held since 2005, and judging by the lack of calls for it's return, is unlikely to return.

Our club Chairman is JOHN AMOS, a runner who joined the club in May 1999 and immediately came away on our then annual Bank Holiday weekend to Yorkshire where he ran his first competitive race. John is a keen cricketer in the summer months, but continues to excel at our sport where he has collected a great number of category prizes over the last few years. John recently completed his 25oth competitive race for the club at the Shuttle 10km in September 2008.

The 2008 Christmas Dinner is will be held on SATURDAY DECEMBER 13th at the Brasserie in Kidderminster. Cost will be £19.95 per head and we have booked a maximum of 40 places. Names to JANE PYE please as soon as possible ~ places will be allocated on a first come, first served basis. Details of menu to follow.

The club runs it's own Inter-Club Race League each year, consisting of 16 races spread evenly through the twelve months. The first AMAZING FEET runner home scores 30 points, second 29, third 28 etc. 10 bonus points can be earned if and when you finish your tenth league race of the year. There is also a separate ladies league, where the first female AMAZING FEET runner home scores 10 points, second 9, third 8 etc. A major trophy for both the Race League Champion and the Ladies Race League Champion is awarded at the Presentation Evening each year, and there are also individual trophies handed out to the first three in both the Race League and the Ladies Race League, as well as to each ever-present runner through the year. For more information on the League and latest statistics, visit the Inter-Club Race League page from our homepage.

The AMAZING FEET committee currently consists of six members, which will stand for re-election at the AGM. Current committee members are as follows:-

Chairman ~ John Amos; Secretary ~ Richard Baker; Social Secretary/Treasurer ~ Jane Pye; Craig Lewis; Shaw Pye; Simon Gregg.

There is room (and a need for) further committee members, as the club committee traditionally consisted of seven members. If any current club member would like to join the committee - the basic requirement is to attend one meeting per month at the Land Oak - please contact Richard Baker for details.

Committee meetings are held monthly, usually on Mondays, currently at the Land Oak. The next committee meeting will be on Monday December 15th. If there is anything you want brought up, please let one of the committee members know in advance of the meeting.

AMAZING FEET participates in both men's and ladies Cross Country leagues during the winter months. The men take part in the Birmingham & District Invitation League, currently in Division 3, while our ladies take part in the Midland Women's Cross Country League. Our new men's captain for 2008/9 is IAN HALL, who has generously offered to take over from Shaw Pye who has had to stand down after three successful seasons due to work commitments. Our ladies captain is SARAH LEWIS. For full information on Cross Country including fixtures, results and statistics, visit the Cross Country Leagues pages from our homepage.

AMAZING FEET has it's own club magazine titled FEET FIRST, containing features, reports and vital information on races, cross country, race leagues and social events. Contributions are welcome from all members which should be sent to magazine editor Richard Baker. Publication is approximately every two months. FEET FIRST No. 70 should be out towards the end of September 2008.

A new award, which started in January 2005. This will be decided by committee, but all members of AFRC can nominate anyone for this award. This can be for athletic achievements, helping out the club in any way, personally achieving something or any other reason. Let a member of the committee have your nomination, and these will be discussed and a winner chosen at the next committee meeting - the winner to hold the Foot Of The Month trophy for the following month, before passing it on to the next winner. The first winner of this award was ROGER CANAVAN who journeyed from Worcester to Walsall with a change at Birmingham, then walked from Walsall to Aldridge to take part in the Cross Country League. A list of winners and current nominations can be found by clicking on the turtle here.

AMAZING FEET holds an annual club handicap event, held over a 5.2 kms course around the red route in the Wyre Forest. The 2005 Handicap was held on Sunday November 6th, taking a different format to the last couple of years. Participants had to estimate their finishing time in advance, and started in accordance with these times. Not allowed to wear watches, the main winners were those who finished closest to their predicted times. Sadly, due to other commitments, the Club handicap was not held in 2007. For results and more information, visit the Club Handicap Race page from our homepage.

In the past, AMAZING FEET has regularly entered a team in this fantastic social running event, held along the High Peak Trail in Derbyshire. The total distance is 35 miles, split into 10 legs, with each leg starting as a new race once the winner of the previous leg crosses the line. Due to a lack of interest, we haven't participated in this event now for a number of years - if the membership is keen to return, please let Richard Baker know. For more information on the race, visit the website at www.runningwithdavid.com

The AMAZING FEET running club was originally formed back in 1982 by a group of local Kidderminster runners, when one of our founder members ran in the London Marathon. LINDSAY PULLEY, who remains a member of the club to this day (he is currently on the committee and is our men's Cross Country Captain), ran the second London event with an American runner from the AMAZING FEET running club in the U.S.A. Permission was received from them to form a club in Kidderminster with the same name, and in those early days the club house was somebody's garage. In the late 80's, AMAZING FEET was offered the use of facilities at Kidderminster Harriers FC at Aggborough - then a Vauxhall Conference side but since promoted to the Football League. The club readily accepted this offer, and were based at the football club until 1996.

By 1994, AMAZING FEET had grown to about 85 members, but as often happens, the size of the club began to create different demands and rifts, and in the same year an EGM agreed to change the name of the club to Kidderminster Running Club. Many of the faster runners wanted a "more sensible" club name when they received their prizes at races, and after an acrimonious AGM, the name change was eventually approved. However, a handful of 'Feet' (as we are affectionately known) enjoyed being a part of AMAZING FEET and wanted to stay that way, and on May 12th 1994, the beloved club was reformed with just seven members. We kept our club colours and our turtle logo as we affiliated to the athletics authorities, who strangely regarded us as the 'new' club in Kidderminster despite our history, but we didn't really care. AMAZING FEET was to live on.

Since that time, numbers have risen steadily, and the club has a good mixture of both older runners and youngsters who all run together on training nights and enjoy each other's company socially. In 1997, AMAZING FEET moved to a new base at King Charles Leisure Centre in Kidderminster, where the club stayed until March 2000. Unfortunately, the local Council decided to close the sports centre, forcing us to look around for yet another new venue. One of our members was the manager at the Glades Leisure Centre in the heart of Kidderminster at that time, and he offered us the opportunity to run from there. On March 7th 2001, the club moved to the Glades, and now meets there every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. By the end of August 2006, our numbers had risen to a staggering 89, with more attracted at regular intervals by the friendly atmosphere of the club, and the lack of any pressure put onto the members. Many of the club do turn out at local and national races, though this is by no means compulsory.

New members are always welcome - if you require any more information on AMAZING FEET RUNNING CLUB, please e-mail Club Secretary RICHARD BAKER on richardabaker@btinternet.com for further details. See you soon ?

Sadly, we are not set up as a club to enable youngsters to run with us, and we have no coaching facilities as such. However, children of club members can now join AMAZING FEET and be part of our club, but they remain at all times the responsibility of their parents. Membership is free and they can enter fun runs etc as AMAZING FEET members. See a committee member for more information.

The clubs' official colours are royal blue, yellow and white. The club vest is royal blue, with yellow and white bands across the chest, the club's turtle logo in yellow on the front, and the clubs' initials on the back. Shorts should be royal blue. Kit is available from Shaw Pye at our purchase prices.

AMAZING FEET receives two places in the London Marathon each year, and these are allocated through a ballot which is open to club members who have applied for a place and been rejected. There are a series of other conditions which are included in your new membership pack, or can be obtained from a committee member.

Membership currently stands at a very reasonable £15 per annum, payable at the AGM.

The club's Membership Secretary is SARAH LEWIS. SARAH is the club's ladies Cross Country Captain and is also one of our fell running members. Contact Sarah if you have any membership queries, or if you want to join AMAZING FEET RC.

AMAZING FEET holds a Presentation Evening each year in January, where our Race League, Handicap and Runner of the Year trophies are handed out. Cross Country medals and County Championship medals are also presented. Some consider this the most important event in the club's calendar, where food and entertainment are also on offer. The 2008 event will be held on Friday January 16th 2009 in the AGGBOROUGH SUITE at KIDDERMINSTER HARRIERS FC. Full details of entertainment, menu and cost will follow.

AMAZING FEET hold an annual quiz night, which is a mixture of fun and serious head scratching !

The 2008 Quiz will be held at the AGGBOROUGH SUITE at KIDDERMINSTER HARRIERS FC on FRIDAY OCTOBER 31st (please note change of date) at 7.30 pm. The usual hot supper will be available consisting of curry, chilli, chips, rice and a vegetarian option. The event will again be subsidised by the club, with members paying just £5 towards the £7.50 per head cost of the room and food. Non-member guests are welcome as always at a cost of £7.50, with under sixteens paying £5. TEAMS OF FOUR please wherever possible.

The 2007 Quiz and Curry Night was held at the AGGBOROUGH SUITE on FRIDAY OCTOBER 26th and was a great success once again. RICHARD & LINDA BAKER organised the quiz side of things once again, and at the half-way stage everyone enjoyed another excellent hot supper, consisting of a choice of chicken curry, chilli con carne or curried vegetables with chips or rice (or a selection of everything). Many returned for second helpings, and as usual, there was loads of food left after everyone had eaten their fill. Nine teams contested the quiz, which consisted of 10 rounds of 16 questions per round. In 2007, the subject matter of the rounds was as follows : 1. NUMBERS. 2. MUSIC. 3. BEER OR CHEESE ? 4. TV COPS. 5. 2007. 6. PICTURE ROUND. 7. MOTORWAYS. 8. ARE YOU LOCAL 2 ? 9. SPORT. 10. BACK TO SCHOOL. Final positions of the nine teams was as follows : 1. THE SWEDE HEADS (CRAIG & SARAH LEWIS, DAVID PYE) 110 POINTS. 2. THE TEAM WITH NO NAME (TONY & TRACEY SNOW, MARK BAILEY & guests) 100. 3. EVESHAM EGG HEADS (CRAIG BONE, PETE TROW, ROB MIDDLETON & guests) 99. 4=. BACK FOR FIRST (SIMON GREGG, SHAW PYE, MARTIN PROUDLER, COLIN LUCAS) 98. 4=. THE STAFF (GEORGE STERRY was working behind the bar, so the staff took part too) 98. 6. CLAVICLE CALAMITIES (RACHEL WARD, LOUISE MASSEY, ROBERT KILGOUR & guest) 95. 7. DUM FOOTERS (JOHN AMOS, GERRY SANDERS & guest) 93. 8. LOUIS ANGELS (All-guest team) 84. 9. BRINGING UP THE REAR (JULIE & KEVIN DRAPER and JEAN MAFFEI) 79. The winning team received four bottles of wine, the runners-up received four boxes of chocolates and the third placed team received large slabs of Dairy Milk. The losing team received their four wooden spoons with great dignity.

AMAZING FEET promotes two races each year, both of which are regarded as the best organised events in Worcestershire. Both races are held in the Wyre Forest, entirely off-road. These are the only occasions when members are EXPECTED to help out in order to maintain the position of these races in the calendar. The two events have their own separate pages, which you can visit from our homepage.

AMAZING FEET members regularly take part in the Race The Train weekend events in Tywyn on the Welsh coast. This years races take place on Saturday August 19th and include a 14.2 mile race, a 10km event, and other fun runs. The club usually camps on an excellent site close to the famous Tal-y-Llyn railway and the start of the race, arriving on Friday afternoon and staying over until Sunday or Monday.

Each year, AMAZING FEET members vote for their Runner of the Year, Most Improved Runner of the Year and Best Newcomer. A new award was introduced in 2005 with the Club Person of the Year also being voted for. Winners receive their trophies at the club's big Presentation Evening in January. Voting forms are distributed with the club magazine FEET FIRST in October. Previous winners of the four awards can be seen by clicking on the turtle here.

Club Secretary is RICHARD BAKER, who has been a member of AMAZING FEET since 1989, despite living 25 miles away in Birmingham. RICHARD has now taken part in over 1000 races, and at 54 years of age now hopes to reach 1500 before retiring.

JANE PYE has undertaken this most important role in AMAZING FEET for the last two years since she also joined the committee. Jane has been one of the busier members of the club for some time now, and is also now looking after the Treasurer's position.

AMAZING FEET has taken part in this excellent race series in the heart of the Derbyshire Peak District on several occasions over the May Bank Holiday weekend, though Richard Baker was the only participant in 2008. In previous years, the club has taken in the 4-race Tour of Derwent Valley series and a stay at historic Ilam Hall youth hostel. For more information on the races (see table below) visit www.runningwithdavid.com and follow the links to races in Derbyshire. All the races are hilly, and everyone who completes the 4-race series gets a tee shirt.

RACES
1	Friday May 22nd 2009	8.00 pm	4.2M road race	The Bridge Inn, Duffield
2	Saturday May 23rd	3.00 pm	4.2M road & trail	The Square, Wirksworth
3	Sunday May 24th	10.00 am	5M road race	Social Club, Milford
4	Monday May 25th	10.00 am	4M road race	Village Hall, Rowsley

AMAZING FEET RC meets on Mondays and Wednesdays at the Glades Leisure Complex in the centre of Kidderminster. We meet at 7.00 and usually start running at 7.15. Where we run and for how long generally depends on who turns up. Most times everybody runs together, though on occasions when a few want to go for a longer run, we split into two groups. As a general rule, new runners are more than welcome to join us as long as they can comfortably run 3 miles. Nobody ever runs alone on training nights. Reflective bibs or sashes must be worn on winter nights after dark. Excellent bibs including the club's name and turtle logo are now available from SHAW PYE at cost price of just £6.50. In the winter we stick to the well-lit pavements, but have a number of different routes. In the summer, training runs are invariably off-road, either through the woods, across the meadows, or along the canals. Friday night summer training runs are held from the Wyre Forest, Shrawley or Kinver.

The club's Treasurer is JANE PYE - for more information, see notes on the Social Secretary above.