Irvine Athletic Club |
Formed 1972 |
Mike Flinn’s Ramblings |
02/01/07 |
Arran Runners New Year Handicap |
On Tuesday 2 Jan 07 six of Irvine's Top Athletes boarded the 0945 ferry for Brodick to partake in the Arran Runners New Year Multi Terrain Handicap, or in its abbreviated form the ARNYMTH. The first thing of note was the devastation the New Year Storms had caused to a number of motors left in the Car Park at Ardrossan; Mr Churchill's nodding dog could well be a busy beast over the next few days. |
10/12/06 |
Victory at Sea(side) |
In my last ramble I promised to regale readers with tales of daring do in the form of my one and only ever Race Victory. I did once win the Jim White Handicap, had a couple of top three places in the Irvine AC Christmas Handicap and as a result of generous handicapping, led the Arran Runners New Years Mixed Terrain Handicap Race, only for Brian Robertson to storm by me near the end. |
29/10/06 |
" There’s some Athletes on the Pitch" or "Snatching Defeat from the Jaws of Victory" |
If you are like me, then running is just a consuming/addictive pastime that is good for you mentally and physically, with a bit of banter thrown in to spice things up. Phrases like " race leader", " victory" or even " well up/well placed" do not tend to feature in our lexicons. Just occasionally these rules get thrown out of the window. One such occasion was last week at the Ayrshire Relays at the Beach Park , when by some misfortune for my fellow Team Mates, I happened to feature in a four man Team that had a couple of runners way above my class. This situation was further compounded by them running the first and second legs, so when it came to the handover I was in a position well up the field. This situation changed in a matter of seconds, having left a fairly crowded "pen" following the handover, containing some good athletes, I was passed by I reckon at least 8 runners before I had gone about 200 yards and from thereon it was downhill all the way. Despite having a good lead on the C Team ,Mr Jim Sneddon, to whom I suggested it was very unsporting of, passed me with about 1/2 mile to go and proceeded to disappear into the distance. Still I can say that I am a better man for such an experience |
08/10/06 |
Readers Question ? |
Dear Mike, |
01/10/06 |
Bungs |
Following the Panorama expose of alleged bungs in the world of football down south, I have been asked if I myself have been involved in such an activity, especially as Mr Sam Allardyce against whom these allegations are made, was a former manager of my very own Team, Blackpool FC with whom I have close affiliations. Indeed questions have been asked by unidentified sources about the legitimacy of a spot prize I won recently; the depths which these unnamed sources will stoop. The nature of the bung, was a suggestion that in conjunction with unnamed officials, I had conspired that in return for a spot prize of Quality Street, I would skim a number of sweeties, in the forms of the Big Purple ones and Coffee Creams and furtively return these to the unnamed official, thereby effecting the bung.I can categorically deny that such events never took place and I am currently in dialogue with my brief; any case would indeed be difficult to pursue as all of the alleged evidence has been consumed. |
12/09/06 |
‘Omage to a ‘ero |
As I stepped onto the Track for the Marymass Mile the other Tuesday, I did so hoping to emulate one of my sporting heroes. I was born a bit too late for the stars of the fifties, such as Derek Ibbotson and Gordon Pirie and too soon for the likes of Cram, Coe and Ovett; thus we are looking at the early to mid 60s and the names that remind me of that era include David Bedford, Bruce Tulloch , who if I remember ran bare footed and Ron Hill , from Bolton , reasonably close to where I was brought up. My own hero has a close affinity with the last named, being a similar tough 'ard Northerner, who came from Greystone , which conjures up pictures of industrial squalor and deprivation. And where precisely is that I hear you ask ? Well, it is the same league as Barnstoneworth, another place you would have difficulty finding on an atlas, as both are fictional locations and thus my own hero was none other than that star of the Rover and Victor Comics in the 50s and 60s, the " Tough of the Track" , the one and only Alf Tupper, one of , if not in my humble opinion, Britain's finest ever Athlete. |
20/08/06 |
Topical Training Tip |
Following my recent success in the Dundonald 10.5K , gaining a well deserved Spot Prize, I thought it would be worthwhile sharing yet another Topical Training Tip , or as we aficionados call it, a "3 T". |