NELSON HARRIERS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXII, 13 April 1939, Page 3

NELSON HARRIERS

SEASON OPENS NEXT SATURDAY PROGRAMME OF CLUB AXi) I\ I’ER-C LU B EVENTS ANNUAL MEETING AND ELECTION OF OFFICERS Ai t.'ie recent annual general meet- ! lng of the Nelson Lanier Club the j following officers. were elected for the j coming 1931 ) cross-country running j season:—Pan on, Me T. B. Carpenter:! president. Mr J. W. Russell: vice-pre-sidents, Messrs C. B. Harman, K.. M. j Black, K. G. Lucas. S. McArthur (.senior), C. W. Rosa ana A. L. Tressidcr; club captain, Mr D. A. McMoi- < jr.); genera! committee. Messrs Mjunior general committee, Messrs M. McGlashen (chairman), J. M. Black, R. A. Kenning; him. secretary, Mr D. C. Holyoakc; hon. treasurer. Mr R. A. Kenning; handicapper. Mr J. Walker; timekeeper. Mr N. Kerr: delegate v.o Wellington Centre (N.Z.A.A.A.), Mr D. C. Pederson; delegate to Wellington Harrier sub-committee. Mr D. C. PeclThc annual report and balance sheet were adopted as presented. Among other matters which came up j for discussion it was decided to hole! j the opening day on Saturday, 15th j April, the first run to be held on this, day from the Presbyterian Sunday | Schol Hall. Nile street, the second; run from the Railway Social Hall. St. Vincent Street, and the third from Tahunanui. all runs to commence at 2.30 p.m. each Saturday. During the ensuing season trophies will, in addition to those for first and second places, be allotted to the runner securing fastest time in each club race and to the first Nelson runner to finish in all inter-club events. ; A trophy is also to be allotted to the most improved runner, during the j season Advice has been received that the ; annual inter-club event. Marlborough- i Nelson-Brooklyn (Wellington) will, in j all probability, be held at Blenheim on , Saturday, 6th May. This is much ear- j lier than in previous years and all j members who plan to make the trip to 1 Blenheim will be well advised to com- j mence training immediately. The race ; is usually run over a distance of an\ - thing up to seven miles, and demands a considerable amount of stamina, which is only acquired by plenty of hard training. The Nelson runners have won this event in each of the past two years and are at present holder,of the Brooklyn Shield. The Wellington Provincial Cross-country Championship of six and a quarter miles is another race which is scheduled much earlier- in the season that hitherto, being contested this year at the end of July, not August as was. the case last year. The dates for the dubs own races, namely the Novice Handicap (two miles), the Three Miles Handicap and the Five Mile Championship, have not yet been fixed, but it is unilkely that the first race (the Novice Handicap) will be held before the beginning June. HARRIER ACTIVITIES—V9T RACING

The foregoing notes are not intended to give the impression that crosscountry running is confined solely to racing- It is- a fact that the greater part of a Harrier Club’s activities consists of easy, pleasurable runs across country each Saturday afternoon, the primary object of the sport being the acquisition of physical fitness. Any harrier club has a few races in its syllabus but it is not obligatory to; enter i*n these runs, which aie in- j eluded mainly to add competitive zest to the season’s programme. For those runners who have an inclination to- j wards the racing side of the sport a | period of hard training is, of course, j very necessary. The first tew runs of the harrier season are short and slow (not much more than a fast walk) but as the season progresses the pace becomes faster and the distance longer to match the increasing fitness of the runners. This gradual increase of pace and distance emphasises the need for early enrolment as a harrier, for a member joining late in the season usually finds the pace harder to maintain. However, the weekly harrier runs are not long strenuous races. The graduation of the club into packs of varying calibre disposes of the risk of strain, because those members who are fit for hard going run in the “fast” pack, while the others who prefer the more leisurely pace run in the “slow" and “intermediate” packs. It is the duty of the club captain or deputy captain in charge of each pack to regulate the pace of hs pack to that of its slowest member. Hence no young fellow need let the fear of overstrain prevent him joining up with the Harrier Club. New members are always welcome and any desiring to enrol with the Nelson Harrier Club should attend the run on Saturday. 15th April, from the Prebsyterian Sunday School Hall. Nile street, at 2.30 p.m. The only equipment necessary is a pair of canvas shoes, suitable shorts and a singlet or jersey.