Time Trials - taking it to the next level
Training together makes us stronger!
Time Trials (TT) is the anchor event of the club. It’s here where we meet on a regular basis, where we get to know each other and where we assess our progress towards the achievement of personal goals. At Irene Athletics Club, your motivation and goals are important. Whether it be to become stronger and fitter or just to enjoy the social aspect of running together, we cater for you.
Time Trials (TT) is the anchor event of the club. It’s here where we meet on a regular basis, where we get to know each other and where we assess our progress towards the achievement of personal goals. At Irene Athletics Club, your motivation and goals are important. Whether it be to become stronger and fitter or just to enjoy the social aspect of running together, we cater for you.
The club invites you to officially participate in our weekly Time Trials
For new members and even some of our existing members, joining Time Trials can be quite intimidating. At Irene, the good news is that there are runners and groups of runners at every level waiting for you to join them. You can choose your distance and link up with those running at your pace, or you can run on your own. No matter what your goals may be, Irene Time Trials has a place for you.
Scheduled every Tuesday evening, except for the last two weeks in December and first week in January, our Time Trials start strictly on time. We combine this with a 10 minute information session in front of the club house, prior to the start. To qualify for official Time Trial participation, members have to start at these times:
Scheduled every Tuesday evening, except for the last two weeks in December and first week in January, our Time Trials start strictly on time. We combine this with a 10 minute information session in front of the club house, prior to the start. To qualify for official Time Trial participation, members have to start at these times:
SEASONAL STARTING TIMES
SEASON |
INFORMATION SESSION |
TIME TRIAL |
SUMMER |
17:20 |
17:30 |
WINTER |
17:05 |
17:15 |
What is great about running at Irene?
You get to run on a farm, in a safe, relaxed and peaceful environment. The route is diverse with flat sections, slight climbs and downhills. It is tarred and distances are marked. Traffic is limited and you have no need of reflective vests. However, if you are concerned about being visible, you are welcome to wear reflective running gear.
Irene Time Trial Perspective |
Our Time Trials in itself is not a race. The goal is to assess yourself and measure your progress towards your race goals. You get the opportunity to improve your performance based on relative comfort over a fixed distance. Once you run comfortably over a chosen distance, the next step is to up your pace and run at that pace until the same level of comfort is achieved. Doing same distance Time Trials you also get to measure consistency over time. Running Time Trials at different distances helps you to further assess your strength and endurance, guiding your running strategy.
You should not be concerned where you finish relative to other runners. In fact each runner is focused on his/her own times and how they compare to the previous week. Runners also come in at different times for different distances, leaving little room for comparison.
What it all means is that in the process of training, focusing on improved pace and stronger running, weekly Time Trials are critical to your performance improvement. It’s proven that participation in Time Trials enhances overall running satisfaction. Running with a significant group of runners on a regular basis is also highly motivational.
You should not be concerned where you finish relative to other runners. In fact each runner is focused on his/her own times and how they compare to the previous week. Runners also come in at different times for different distances, leaving little room for comparison.
What it all means is that in the process of training, focusing on improved pace and stronger running, weekly Time Trials are critical to your performance improvement. It’s proven that participation in Time Trials enhances overall running satisfaction. Running with a significant group of runners on a regular basis is also highly motivational.
If you want to become stronger, or achieve a specific time, Irene Time Trials are not to be missed.
It is here where you maintain or adapt your training strategy.
It is here where you maintain or adapt your training strategy.
Award and Motivate
The club wants to help motivate you to participate in this weekly event. In addition to the yearly Time Trialist award, we also award our official Time Trial runners on a monthly basis during the social, starting from January.
Awards are based on a point system that includes:
With this award system, any official Time Trial runner stands a chance to win, not only once a year, but every month. We have a floating trophy and a prize to be won. And we will make sure that the monthly prizes are worth your effort. The yearly reward is a R500 prize.
Awards are based on a point system that includes:
- Time trial attendance during the month, and
- Marked improvement on average time over fixed distances, no matter the distance
- Running a PB during that month
With this award system, any official Time Trial runner stands a chance to win, not only once a year, but every month. We have a floating trophy and a prize to be won. And we will make sure that the monthly prizes are worth your effort. The yearly reward is a R500 prize.
Capturing Time Trial Data
Ensuring that your running data are captured effectively, Irene makes use of an electronic timing device that is positioned at the start/finish, facing the finish line, so you have a clear view of the time at the finish.
Next to the timing device is a table with Irene Time Trials book and pen. Each runner is responsible for the capture of his own running data that include his/her name and surname, distance and time. Each runner writes his own data in the book.
Next to the timing device is a table with Irene Time Trials book and pen. Each runner is responsible for the capture of his own running data that include his/her name and surname, distance and time. Each runner writes his own data in the book.
Make sure you join us Tuesday evenings at Irene,
and let your time trials take you to the next level.
and let your time trials take you to the next level.
Part of run is having fun
Irene Time Trials is also about togetherness. After running, the club house is open and you can relax with others.
Every first Tuesday evening of the month, we have our monthly social and we invite you and your family to join us. Together we enjoy a meal (partly subsidised by the club) and socialise while the children play and entertain themselves in the garden. In this relaxed atmosphere we make new friends, find training partners and catch up with race buddies, or you get the opportunity to make that “connection” you might be looking for, whether it be for running advice or just to share running strategies. From time to time, we have a speaker sharing interesting and important information about relevant topics.
Every first Tuesday evening of the month, we have our monthly social and we invite you and your family to join us. Together we enjoy a meal (partly subsidised by the club) and socialise while the children play and entertain themselves in the garden. In this relaxed atmosphere we make new friends, find training partners and catch up with race buddies, or you get the opportunity to make that “connection” you might be looking for, whether it be for running advice or just to share running strategies. From time to time, we have a speaker sharing interesting and important information about relevant topics.
AND don’t forget the lucky draws!
In addition to our Time Trial trophy and prize, official Time Trial runners stand the chance to win a voucher for running shoes each month. There are also other prizes up for grabs and available for all club members, friends and family attending the social event.