England Athletics is delighted to announce the launch of a new endurance publication targeted at teachers, coaches and leaders working with our youngest athletes and aimed at getting more youngsters involved in, and stimulated by, distance running.

England Athletics are pleased to announce our latest promotional leaflet relating to our core youth development resources that are aimed at introducing athletic skills, short form competition and awards to ultimately recognise improvement in performance at “induction” level.

Recognising that PE teachers and the teaching profession in general are the front line of athletics coaching and to many children will be the only contact that they have with the sport, the Leicestershire Vision 2020 McCain Athletics Network recently set up an after school seminar for teachers.

England Athletics would encourage athletes looking to gain selection in an U18 championship in 2011 - such as the World Youth or European Youth Olympic Festival teams - to enter.

The 2011 age group Championships will hope to lead to successful individual performances at the Commonwealth Youth Games as we recognise their importance in the development of our senior international athletes.

The Aviva English Schools Cross Country Championships once again provided a great afternoon of racing.

Congratulations to our new under 17 and under 15 Combined Events champions who competed last weekend at the Age Group champs in Sheffield.

One of the season’s most important events for England’s up and coming young athletes took place this weekend in Birmingham’s National Indoor Arena, with plenty of young rising stars keen to state their ambitions for the outdoor season ahead.

London’s young distance runners enjoyed perfect conditions in the Virgin Money Giving Mini Marathon held over the final three miles of the London marathon course. Whilst the main marathon race was starting in Greenwich there were some excellent races and the youngsters, each representing one of the 33 London boroughs.

Athletes from the Playground to Podium programme enjoyed their first taste of road racing at the Virgin Money Giving Mini London Wheelchair race on Sunday, with barely months of training behind them and using borrowed chairs.

The same prestigious arena, the same great atmosphere, the same competitive spirit and friendly rivalry.  In fact, the only real difference between the AAA Tom Pink Relays and Field Events Challenge and the recent Aviva Grand Prix at the NIA in Birmingham was the age of the competitors!

Quadkids the short from athletics format endorsed by England Athletics is preparing for a dynamic pre Olympic year. On the back of dramatic childhood participation increases, QuadKids has three new objectives in 2011 that are all based on partnership excellence.

The University of Nottingham has announced its 2012 Sports Scholarships for exceptionally talented athletes who may be competing at the London Olympic Games or who have the potential to compete at the 2016 Olympics.