Presentation night 2023/24

BRC 2023/24 Presentation

Firstly there was a recap of 2023/24 season highlights which included;
•Borders League treble 🏆🏆🏆
•Multiple BL top 3 placings 🥇🥈🥉
•A top 10 overall BL placing
•Multiple XC top 3 placings 🥇🥈🥉
•Brilliant Welsh Castles Relay weekend inc. 3 yellow jerseys 🥇💛🥇💛🥇💛
•The return of our C25k; a fantastic first group, many of whom remain with the club
•increase in membership back over 100+; pre covid levels
•Numerous North Wales rep vests
•Numerous Welsh and English master vests
•improvements in visibility and recognition in local media and social media
•More involvement from members, all playing a part in creating a club to be proud of

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Before we got into the awards the Chair presented the committee with a small thank you for their continued efforts over the season.

Claire Campbell also got a second call up for a specific thank you for organising the presentation evening, as all as Septembers celebration night, the Xmas night and other social events.

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The awards section started with our first ever Life Members.

This was something the committee were keen to introduce to the club to honour and recognise members for exceptional service, longevity, commitment to our club. The first class of inductees were the following five members;

•Rob Mackey
10+ years as chair / committee (and that might even be longer….) for many of our members he would have been the only chairman of the club they’ve known prior to his decision to step down February 2023. He’s given unbelievable service to our club, and the wider running community (especially parkrun and Borders League) and is always willing to help in any way possible. Since stepping down as chairman, he’s continued to be involved with the club and along with Nicole, is a strong part of why our c25k is such a success 

•Les Coathup
The lead coach of the club, and has been for many moons. An ever present for decades now and still going strong. He’s at club training on Tuesday Thursday and Saturdays, every week without fail, completing pre session checks, talking with members and offering help and support from his vast knowledge and experience. Seems to know everything about everyone’s running, he is still an active runner himself, competing in leagues and races. Know a fair bit about running, does Les

•Sue Ridings
Mrs money, Sue has been a member since 2009 and our club finance secretary for as long as anyone can remember. A role that might go under the radar for every day members, but is vastly important to the running (pun intended) of the club. Personally she’s been a great help to me since becoming chairman, and is an integral part of our working committee. 

•Jack Thomas
According to power of 10, Jack joined in 2004 as a v60. This isn’t quite correct, PO10 only started in 2004 and Jack was around before the internet. Some 20 years later, and now a v80, Jack can still be found at races and XC proudly wearing his blue vest and being a great ambassador for our club values. Apparently he’s a decent artist too; well worth checking out his stuff!

We finished the BRC 2024 life member class with a GOAT….
•John Morris
The legendary Clwydian fell runner. As with Jack and Les, his PO10 says 2004, but John has been a Buckley runner that long he likely still has a Buckley vest from the maroon and silver kit days! Simon wrote a piece on John, for his 80th birthday last year, highlighting the fantastic being that is John. It’s well worth a read, if you’ve not done so yet. To still be active and sound what he does in his 80’s, not including his vast achievements from the decades gone by, is inspiring beyond words. A true inspiration, an impressive runner but more importantly, a gent and wonderful person.

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Next was a break from listening to Charles, as Simon and Eric presented individual medal’s for our XC and BL runners, respectively.

Members who ran at least 3 of the 4 NW XC league fixtures were awarded a memento from the club. 9 members in total met this criteria, with 7 presented on the night.

Members who ran at least 5 of the 6 BL fixtures were award a momento from the club. 21 members in total met this criteria, with 14 presented on the night.

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Next up was Dave to present the Club Championship.

The top 3 men were;
🥇 Dave White 🥈 Jez Brown 🥉 Chris Cally
The top 3 ladies were;
🥇 Tracy Rogers 🥈 Jane Doughton 🥉 Sian Meirion

This is the last version of the Club Champs in this format, with this season seeing a change to scoring and race selections. The biggest change being the introduction of the Age Adjusted CC to go alongside the “open” CC.

Oh, and it was officially announced that the from this season (2024/25) the club champs will have a new name.

“The Les Coathup Club Championship”

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Next up was a new award.
“The Robert Mackey Award”
This will be presented annually by the chairman and they will have sole discretion on how / who is the winner. The criteria is open to their own justification on who they believe is most deserving for that season.

The inaugural winner was Elliot Cox. It’s no hyperbole to say that on 10 June 2023 he saved a man’s life. During his Welsh Castles Relay leg 3 race, Elliot had caused our team some concerns when he wasn’t at the finish line by the time his pick up team were there. Expected to have covered the c.12 mile course comfortably by that time, due to the record heat being experienced that weekend some worry crept in for his welfare. However it turned out he had actually stopped to assist a fellow runner who had collapsed on the side of the road. The actions he took that morning, whilst waiting for ambulance and paramedics, saved that man’s life. He did what we’d all hope we would do in such a situation, but to actually have the presence of mind, knowledge, courage and calmness to do so in such unfortunate and potentially scary moments, is something else. Thankfully the story had a happy ending, with the runners family and club keeping us updated over the remainder of the weekend.

He didn’t do it for awards or recognition, but I couldn’t think of anyone more deserving to be the first recipient of “The Robert Mackey Award” 🫡

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Next up was another new award.
Performance of the year.

Notable mentions went to Tim Joy (Snowdonia marathon 2023 – unbelievable effort), Jack Bromley (London marathon 2023 – setting the club record 2h22’24”), Pete Grey (North Wales XC Oswestry – turning out last minute to ensure we had a full team and had a great race all things considered); Tracy Rogers (London Marathon 2023 – 3rd lady for Wales in open race); Gwen Henstock (running at XC on 25 November despite her Hamster dying half way through the race…..RIP HAMSTER HENSTOCK)

But the winner was Chris Cally for his 1h 11’ 19” at Village Bakery Half Marathon (Feb)

At the time of the sub committee making their decisions, this run had Cally 6th for UK V45 in 2024. It produces an age adjusted score of 91.54%. It’s quite possibly the best individual run any Buckley runner has ever produced.
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Next up was the male and female most improved.

Male – Gerard Coleman
Gerard has improved greatly, not just the last 12 months but over the past two years. He’s now a representative runner for North Wales, places well at XC and has started to break into the top 50 at BL. He set a 5k pb of 17’53” at Mid Cheshire (Aug 23) and HM of 83’35” at Lake Vymwy (Sept 23).

Female – Tracy Rogers
Tracy continues to improve. She’s represented North Wales, prior to moving over the border, and has gone one better since that move, with her earning England Master vests. The first time we’ve ever had one of our members representing England; it’s potentially the single greatest individual achievement a Buckley Runner has ever had. She’s followed the unwritten rule of our club being the best club for an “old runner”, having moved up to V35 category she’s now one of the best V35 in the country/UK.

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The penultimate awards were for our male and female member of the year.

Male – Eric Campbell
He does a great deal of work that is unseen for the club, being a committe member, a club coach, the BL representative, helping and supporting our members with their running; all on top of still performing to a very high level himself. He’s also joined the Les Coathup Club Champs team with Dave, and will be maintaining the AG section of the award. Not to mention Welsh Castles Relay. He’s also picked up Welsh master vests and won numerous awards in his category across the season, including but not limited to; a very convincing 1st place in V60 for borders league and 2nd place in the V60 for NW XC league.

Female- Sian Meirion
From a social fun runner to an important cog in the club. It’s been lovely seeing the improvement, both as a runner and a club mate, Sian has had this past year. Starting off as a Welsh Castles Relay hero, providing vital help and support all weekend as Cally’s co-pilot and chief route leading and runner picker upper, she’s gone on to get more and more involved, ultimately leading to her taking over the vacant ladies captain role at the AGM in February. Sian has a wonderful personality, is able to communicate with all levels of runners and has improved her own running too. Setting HM pb of 1h58’29” at Village Bakery (Feb) and 10k of 51’04” at Twin Piers (Jan). An ever present at XC and BL last season she brings nothing but a beautiful infectious energy to the club.

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The last award of the night was the club members award.

Voting is open to all first claim members, with members voting for their top 3 and a weight points system (1st=5 pts, 2=3 pts, 3=1 pt). 23 members received at least one vote in someone’s top 3, showing we have a lot of members doing things that are being appreciated by others and are worthy of recognition.

Not announced last night, but rounding out the top 3 overall were;
3rd place = Eddie Davies (25 points)
2nd place = Chris Cally (56 points)

And the winner, presented to him by Eric Campbell, was our chairman Charles Barton (63 points).