Whether at small local open meetings or big scale events such as the London Marathon or the World Championships, there are unsung heroes and volunteers working behind the scenes to ensure that races and championships run smoothy and the participants have the best possible experience. We recently caught up with officiating stalwart Bob Brimage from the Wirral who has been an official in the sport for over forty years. Not only that, but Bob was also a runner himself and more recently the Chair of Wallasey AC.

September saw the opening of the brand-new athletics facility in Scarborough. The residents of this Yorkshire coastal town were previously needing to travel over one hour to the closest tracks in Middlesbrough or York, making this development crucial to the local community. Supported by Scarborough College and Broadband Properties, the Bramcote Athletics Track was officially opened by none other than athletics legend, Steve Cram.

As we complete our first round of officiating service milestone awards, we spoke to Tim Williams who has been a field official for 10 years and is now a Level 4. It’s quite a family affair with everyone involved with Thanet AC and his two daughters holding officiating qualifications, one already on the National List.

Strong running and good depth took England to the bronze medal at the Trofeo Opitergium for the combined team competition in a highly competitive event in Oderzo, Italy. Both races were run in sweltering 27 degree sunshine. The athletes demonstrated great professionalism to cope well with the temperature and maximised use of ice packs and shade to keep themselves cool prior to the start. 

The Scottish Borders’  town of Peebles and the Cademuir Hill provided the wonderful backdrop to this year’s Junior Home International on 10 September, which also incorporated the British and Irish Mountain Running Championships.   

September is a fantastic month for a new start as summer still lingers and the darker nights haven’t yet taken over. For many students across the country, September will also mark their return to school or taking that next step whether it is to work, college or university. We caught up with University of Oxford students and committee members of Oxford University Athletics Club (OUAC), Catherine and Ella. The pair explained about their journeys into the sport, the transition into sport at university and also balancing studies with athletics.

As is often the case, it was Sir Mo Farah who made all the headlines at yesterday’s AJ Bell Great North Run although this time it was for a different reason. After an incredible career, Farah called time on life as a professional athlete, choosing the Great North Run to be his final competitive race.  After the event, we spoke to him to get his thoughts on the last race of his career.

The Manchester Regional Arena was the backdrop for an enthralling weekend of track and field featuring some of the country’s younger club athletes. And it was Blackheath who retained their titles in both the upper and lower age-group competitions with a points score of 819 and 662, respectively.