Meet your Team Anstey Committee

Meet the Team Anstey Committee

Club Captain/Coach:
Frankie Sutherington

Role:

As Captain, Frankie will be providing guidance and motivation on training events, ensuring that all new and existing members are well informed with regards to training on the night and future activities. Also, as our Coach Frankie will arrange training events and the routes that runners will take on training nights. She will ensure routes are varied in terms of how challenging they are, and will be there to provide motivation and guidance along the way, as well as warm-up and cool down exercises.

Club Vice Captain:
Andy Cooper

Role:

Andy will work alongside Frankie with regards to ensuring that as a club we are supporting, inspiring and motivating members on training events. Andy will act as a leader for the club in the absence of Frankie at league races or other events.

About Me:

Hi. As your Vice captain I am here to help you gain as much fun and participation in running for Team Anstey. I so much enjoy running with you all at the training nights and races. Can't wait for 2018 and Team Anstey to hit the road.

Committee Chairperson:
Ayshea King

Role:

Ayshea will chair all Committee meetings for the club, as well as raise the agenda and set the dates for each meeting. As Chair, Ayshea will make sure that the Committee follows through on all our actions and ensure we maintain focus on the priorities decided at committee meetings.

Club Social Secretary:
Heather Vaughan

Role:

As a club, we want to ensure that it’s not all work and no play and that members get to know each other well and become a team who will go on to support each other in whatever direction your running takes you. For that reason, we will arrange social events throughout the year – Club presentation nights, AGMs, Christmas parties etc. Heather will ensure arrangements are sorted for any social events, and that all members are aware of dates/times and costs.

Female Welfare Officer:
Victoria Vernon

Role:

We are keen to ensure our club offers support and guidance to all of our members. Members can raise any issues they might be facing with our welfare officers, who will be providing crucial support to suit the needs of our members.

About Me:

I guess my story starts in 2011. I was diagnosed with a heart problem and rushed through for a lengthy operation to help relieve the symptoms. The recovery process came with a lot of warnings and precautions which left me afraid to try new things and very cautious of activity where I could feel my heart beat rising. So, I guess in the words of John Bingham, “The miracle isn’t that I finished, the miracle is that I had the courage to start.” In October 2013, my Nana suddenly fell ill and was taken into hospital. In early November, she was diagnosed with cancer and passed away on the 27th December. So, when January came and one of my friends suggested that we train together for the Race for Life on the 27th July 2014 I agreed as it would be my opportunity to give something back.
With keeping a close eye on my heart and also suffering from asthma running has never been easy and if you had asked me back then if I would ever run a marathon. I think I would have laughed and responded with something like “I can’t even run 26meters let alone 26miles!” But I got the dreaded “bug” and when offered a place for the London marathon in 2016 I grabbed it with both hands, I still can’t believe the response I got from my Team Anstey family. There was no “you know this is going to be tough” speech. Just absolute support with added we’ve got this and straight away people signed up to help me with my training. I can truly say it was one of the most physically and mentally challenging events of my life. At times, running has been great and other times it’s been a huge challenge, but the team have been truly incredible, whether it be cheering me on as I run past, supporting and helping me as I try new things, offering help and advice, running with me or giving me a big hug they have been there to support me every step of the way and really kept me going. Unfortunately, a month after the marathon I had to have spinal surgery which put me out for quite a few of the races, I was feeling low with no goal. So, when I got offered a place in December 2016 to run the London Marathon again in 2017 my mouth said yes before I even had time to think about it. Following the marathon, I was also encouraged to join a team of mainly Team Anstey members to take part in equinox 24. All I can say is it was amazing and following all the love and support I can’t wait to do it again!

It always gives me so much encouragement that the whole team is at the end of every race until the last person finishes so even on the days when I feel terrible and need to adopt Dean Karnazes philosophy of “Run when you can, walk if you have to, crawl if you must just never give up.” I know that when I need inspiration to keep me going all I have to do is think of that sea of green waiting and cheering me on and I never have any doubts that I can and will do this and if I ever do I will always remember the words spoken to me by our amazing Chair after she and others from the team waited for nearly an hour for me to finish what had been a very emotional Beacon hill ½ marathon in 2015. They were “we are Team Anstey, we all start together and we all finish together”. They are words that have not only stuck with me on every run but been enforced at the finish line of every race when you are faced with a sea of green at every finish line.
Team Anstey has seen me through so much, and now I feel it is my time to offer the same support and encouragement to others. Drawing on my past experiences, tests and trials to help my running family through the good times and the bad.

Male Welfare Officer:
Jonathan Sanders

Role:

We are keen to ensure our club offers support and guidance to all of our members. Members can raise any issues they might be facing with our welfare officers, who will be providing crucial support to suit the needs of our members.

About Me:

After being a keen lone runner for many years, I joined the club in January 2017 and have never looked back! I love the training nights and really enjoyed my first season running for the club, especially the League races. I have met some great new friends through the club and the camaraderie among the members is inspiring. This year I will be focusing on training for my first marathon in April. I will be running in London for the amazing charity LOROS and will be trying to raise as much money as possible for this fantastic cause!

PR & Media Officer:
Dani Wright

Role:

It’s great to see how members are encouraging, supporting and inspiring other members through our Facebook page and other Social media. With this in mind, Dani will monitor this to ensure all content within the page is appropriate and of benefit to its members in relation to running/fitness and club activities/values. She will also seek to promote the club and membership to ensure that the club continues to grow.

Kit Manager:
Elizabeth Smeeth

Role:

As our Kit Manager, Liz will be the person to speak to with regards to purchasing the Team Anstey vests required to compete in League Races, as well as all the rest of our Team Anstey kit. She will liaise with suppliers and ensure all purchases are ordered and delivered.

About Me:

I always enjoyed running when I was at junior school but didn’t continue with it whilst at secondary school, and this was something I always regretted. When driving through Anstey one night I saw a group of runners with their Team Anstey tops on and decided to google the group, and that was where my journey started. I joined Team Anstey in October 2015 when I enrolled in the Beginners Group and haven’t looked back, apart from when I am running across the road and need to check for cars. I love being part of the Team, and the friendships that I have made are second to none.

Membership Secretary:
Becky Jehu

Role:

Becky will be taking in the membership forms our new members fill out, and ensuring that their payment is received by the club. She will also be actively promoting club membership, and reminding existing members about renewal dates.

About Me:

I joined Team Anstey just over 2 years ago after completing the C 2 5K alone and I was struggling to run over 3 miles. It was the best thing I ever did. Within months of joining I booked my first half marathon and haven’t stopped since. I’ve just started training for my first marathon.....Who am I and where has the old Becky gone???!!! I’m now a run leader for the team and love to give back the support I received when I joined!! It’s a fantastic feeling seeing everyone improve and excel at every challenge they take on.

Running for me started as a way to lose weight for my wedding but has become a way of life. I love the challenges it brings, the confidence it gives me and how it helps me deal with the stresses of every day life. The biggest thing for me is the friends I have made since joining the team and what we have all achieved through supporting each other. I couldn’t imagine running not being a huge part of my life. If in doubt... just run!!!

Treasurer:
Rachael Plimmer Harrison

Role:

As Club Treasurer, Rachael will ensure that the club finances are all in order, and that we remain a financially viable club.

Webmaster:
Will Butler

Role:

Will is working on our website and Social Media pages - looking after them to ensure everything is working smoothly. He'll also be making sure that up-to-date content is posted to keep new and existing members posted on club activity and information.

About Me:

I started running relatively recently - joining the club just over a year ago - but in that time I've made tonnes of great friends and I've had an absolute blast.

I was never into exercise in my high school days and shied away from PE, so it took a big leap for me to decide enough was enough - no more sitting around, it was time to get out there. What started out as a simple solo workout to try and exercise my unhealthy body soon became a total addiction - I began running for more than just fitness; I wanted to keep improving to become the best I can be, and with the team supporting me I've never looked back. Bring on the next season!

Junior Coach:
Kimberley Angell

Role:

Kim's role is to plan training schemes for the junior members of the team that will be of benefit to them and to support and encourage them in their personal development.

Cross Country Captain:
Andy Peel

Cross Country Captain:
Neil Gillet

Role:

The role of the Cross Country Captain is to promote club activities related to cross country running and events, as well as to act as a leader at XC races by submitting team lists and collecting payments for XC races.

About Me:

I was very happy to become co-captain of the TAAR Cross Country team this year. Since my first XC race in 2016 I've loved these races. Not too serious, but great fun. I've been running since 2014 and it's become a big part of my life. I used to run a lot way back in the early 80s, completed a couple of marathons, then decided I needed to resume 30 years later! Helped in so many ways and better late than never.

Club Secretary:
Lynn Randall

Role:

The role involves Lynn being the clubs contact to English Athletics in regards to ensuring that guidance and protocols are followed. She is responsible to for taking the minutes at our committee meetings, handling any inquiries, and with the membership secretary support arranges the London Marathon Ballot. She attends the LRRL committee meetings feeding back any changes the their rules and regulations to the team.

About Me:

I work part-time in the NHS in the position of Clinical Governance looking at quality and safety. having retired 6 years ago. I needed to look at what I would do in my third age to increase my longevity, as a committed member of Team Anstey decided to dedicate some of my time to the team. In my thirties I ran for about 18 months which enjoyed and at a faster pace, but work, life and family got in the way. In 2015 I decided I would like to return to running. I tried other running clubs but it was when I discovered the newly formed Team Anstey I got the running bug again.

Since joining Team Anstey I have completed 10 half marathons, numerous 10k races (my favourite distance), a number of the league races and over 50 parkruns. I joined the committee because I wanted to give something back to the team which has helped me to achieve my goals in this my third age.