BRAT AGM 4th October 2020
Now that club activities have resumed in a number of areas, we will hold the BRAT 2020 AGM on 4th October 2020 at 18:00. This meeting will be held ONLINE!!! To receive an invite, please email secretary@bratclub.co.uk and Mike Purnell will add you to the AGM invite list. Importatly, you need to be a current BRAT member to vote in the AGM. If you are unsure of your membership status, please contact BRAT chairman, Chris Davy directly or email our club secretary, Mike Purnell using the address above.
Meet the Triathlete – Annie Byrne
When it comes to running and swimming fast, there aren’t many who can catch Annie Byrne! She’s quick on a bike too… read all about how she goes about her training in this edition of ‘Meet the Triathlete’
Carney’s Training Blog
Why is it that when you start a race at too fast a pace, you end up dying and inevitably fade and slow down. The note below (hopefully) explains what is going on and why this happens. Lactate Response Curve
Nigel’s Friday Challenge (10)
We have reached the big 10 and the Friday challenge steps up – well actually it runs up this week The Friday hill challenge Something a little different this Friday – you’re going outside either on the pavement or a grassy area. Find an area which has an incline. I’ll leave it up to you how steep an incline but obviously the steeper the harder! You need approximately 40/50 metres – make sure you’ve warmed up and stretched before you start. Run as fast as you can up your hill, walk back down for recovery. Repeat ten times. If you want to make it harder, when you get to the top do ten full star jumps (see Alexander’s video to see how he jumps with both arms and legs out wide). Please keep up the other exercises/challenges on a regular basis as we will be back training one day soon!…
Nigel’s Friday Challenge (9)
More form Nigel in the series of Friday Challenges. What would we do without them ! The Big One! Remind yourself of the video of Alexander’s routine – this week you need to do ALL 10 of his exercises.https://bratclub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/alex_clegg_core_ex_1.mp4 Here’s the routine: 1) Sit ups – 20 to do (you can just do the straight version, as opposed to twisting from side to side)2) Stand squats – 20 to do (you can hold a small weight if you’ve got one)3) Alternate squats – 20 on each leg4) Flutter kicks – 50 to do in total5) Press ups – 20 to do (not on your knees!)6) Full Star jumps – 10 to do7) Lower back raises – 10 to do8) Burpees – 10 to do9) Calf raises – 30 to do10) Side raises – hold position for 30 seconds on each side As you are all getting so fit by now…
Coach Carney’s Training Blog
In a strange year where it looks likely that there will be limited, if any, competition, what better time to engage with wisdom of our coaches? Here is a very interesting short blog from Coach Carney – well worth a read!
AGM postponement
Dear BRATS, Due to the covid-19 pandemic, the BRAT Club is in a period of forced suspension. The executive committee and all BRAT coaches and session leaders are committed to relaunching training sessions as soon as government advice makes it permissible to do so, and as soon as facilities/arrangements can be secured. At this time, the executive committee feel it would not be able to hold an effective AGM and so propose a postponement until such time as we can safely schedule a meeting. Members of the current executive committee will therefore stay on in post until the postponed AGM, the date of which will be confirmed as soon as possible. We have provided an end of year financial statement for 2019-2020, which can be found here: If you have any objections to this proposal, please email Secretary@bratclub.co.uk by 8th June 2020 and a member of the committee will respond…
Meet the Triathlete – Rosie Davies
May brings another opportunity to meet one of the BRAT Club’s triathletes. This month it’s ‘remote BRAT’ Rosie Davies. She may no longer be based in Birmingham but Rosie trains and races proudly in her BRAT kit all through the year.
Nigel’s Friday Challenge (8)
So another week flies by and it’s time for another Friday workout Stand to Attention FridayThis Friday you are required to stand to attention – perfectly upright, shoulders back, head up…Bend your knees and lower yourself to the floor using your hands to ‘walk’ across the floor until you reach a press up position – do one press up.Walk your hands back and start to stand straight again, standing to attention when you get to the top. Repeat nine more times (10 walk press ups in total). There’s more: Next, lie face down on the ground. Place your finger tips to your eyebrows and slowly raise the top half of your body several inches off the ground so you can feel the stretch in your lower back – DO NOT let your hips, legs or toes leave the ground, they must remain in contact with the floor at all times.Stay…
Nigel’s Friday Challenge (7)
It may be a Bank Holiday but that’s not reason enough to stop….So here’s the Bumper Bank Holiday edition from Nigel. Bank Holiday Friday Challenge In keeping with the military theme let’s do some Sergeant Jumps this Friday. Stand sideways on to a wall.Bend at the knees using your arm/hand nearest the wall to reach down to the lower part of your shin/top of the ankle. Do NOT allow your back to bow, keep it straight and keep your head looking forward, not down! Tap the shin/ankle then jump up from the squat position you find yourself in and try to reach as high up the wall as you can. Keep that up/down motion going – down to the shin/ankle, spring upwards and touch the wall. Do 10 on one side, turn and do 10 on the other. Rest 30 seconds then do 15 one side, 15 the other. Finally,…
Nigel’s Friday Challenge (6)
Alternate Squat Thrusts. Have a look at the video of Alexander doing alternate squats – the third exercise in the sequence.https://bratclub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/alex_clegg_core_ex_1.mp4 Three options this week; Option 1 – the easy option.Do 100, non-stop, squats. Stop, rest for one minute then do another 100 squats. Option 2 – the hard optionYou need to have a wooden floor in order to do this. Using two small towels, place your feet on the towels, then try doing the 100 squats. The towels will move smoothly across the wooden floor and will make it harder because it really is a non-stop motion. Option 3 – the really hard option.Do the same as option 2 with your feet on the towels but you only do 10 squats at a time. In between each set of ten you have to do 5 press ups!In total you have to do 50 squats and 25 press ups. If…
BRAT Summerfield Smash 5k 2020 (POSTPONED until TBC)
A fast race for those that care about their time (no matter what that time may be). A simple event with minimal fuss. No t-shirts, medals, goody bags, etc. Just run hard, get a PB, go home proud and repeatedly refresh Pof10 until time appears. Facebook event – click here Latest Updates 20/07/2020 POSTPONED UNTIL THE SITUATION CHANGES With one month to go it seems unlikely that the situation will change to allow us to run this event the way we want to, therefore, we’ve decided to postpone. It’s disappointing, but the Smash will be back at some point so stay fit and race ready! 27/04/2020 SAVE THE DATE – the BRAT Summerfield Smash 5k is scheduled for Wednesday 26th August 2020! ENTRIES NOT CURRENTLY BEING TAKEN – It’s possible/likely that this event may not be able to go ahead owing to restictions related to Covid 19. We’ve optimistically started…