I’m attempting to run 2026 miles in 2026. I’ve never managed to run the year in miles before. The closest I’ve come was in 2022, when I ran just over 1,800 miles — that also happened to be the year I ran my sub-3 marathon at Boston. That was a good year, but I’ve never actually broken 2,000 miles across a calendar year and would like to make a serious attempt in 2026.
Author Archives: Ian Martin
News, Training
Fun Athletics Classes for Kids (4-7) in Sherburn and South Milford. Book Your Child’s Spot Now!
16
Oct
Oct
At Vale of York Athletic Community, we believe in nurturing a love for movement at an early age. That’s why we are excited to announce the expansion of our funetics programme – specially designed for children aged 4 to 7 years old!
From November 2025, we are launching three new kids athletics sessions in Sherburn in Elmet and South Milford. If you are looking for a supportive and fun way to get your child active, build their confidence, and teach them the essential run, jump and throw skills of athletics, then funetics is the way to get started.
08
Oct
Oct
Here at Vale of York Athletic Community, our mission is clear. We exist to “provide facilities for athletic activity in a friendly, safe environment for the benefit of children and adults in the Vale of York”.
We’re proud to be a local charity dedicated to improving the physical and mental health of our community through athletics, running and fitness. We believe that everyone should have the opportunity to participate, regardless of their background or ability.
We often get asked about membership. As a sports club with charitable status, our guiding principle is to “encourage broad community participation in healthy sport and recreation”. This means that, in general, we aim to be as open and inclusive as possible.
03
Sep
Sep
We are pleased to announce the launch of our new coaching manifesto, a document that formalises the values and philosophy at the heart of the Vale of York Athletic community. Agreed at our coaches’ meeting on 3 July 2025, with 18 of our coaches and leaders present, this manifesto is more than just a statement of intent—it’s our commitment to our athletes.
19
Jul
Jul
The Diamond League is a series of elite athletics meetings held in cities across the globe. It an annual opportunity for the world’s greatest athletes, from powerhouse sprinters to record-breaking throwers and jumpers, to compete against the very best in their sport. For fans and aspiring athletes, it’s a chance to experience top-class athletics first hand.
On 19 July 2025 London hosted the latest instalment of the competition to a sell-out crowd. Amongst the 60,000 spectators at the London Stadium were families from Vale of York Athletic Community who had made the journey to see track and field superstars in action.
15
Jul
Jul
Our recent volunteering efforts manning the water station at the York and District Road Race League event on July 8th at Wistow has received praise from Ellie, the new Sustainability Manager at England Athletics.
Ellie was particularly impressed with the thoughtful and careful planning that went into making our water stations as sustainable as possible. From researching environmentally friendly materials to finding effective ways to reduce waste, our efforts haven’t go unnoticed.
31
May
May
Mark your calendars! Selby Fun Day is just around the corner, promising an afternoon of athletic excitement for the whole family. We’re thrilled to invite you to join us on Sunday, June 22nd, from 12 PM to 3 PM, at the astroturf facilities of Selby Leisure Centre.
This year, we are once again focusing on getting kids aged 5-15 active and excited about athletics. Imagine your children running, jumping, sprinting, throwing, and even hurdling their way through a series of fun and challenging activities designed to test their skills and boost their confidence. It’s not just about winning; it’s about participation, pushing personal limits, and discovering the variety of athletics.
25
May
May
This bank holiday weekend, I packed my Alphaflys and headed north to the Edinburgh Marathon with one goal: securing a Good For Age (GFA) qualifying time for the 2026 London Marathon.
As a 58-year-old runner, I needed a sub-3:12 finish to stand any chance of a London slot—though aiming for sub 3:10 felt safer given the potential for a tightening of the cutoff times.
This is the story of my pursuit of a London Marathon GFA at Edinburgh Marathon 2025.
14
May
May
We’ve got some exciting news to share that will directly benefit the young aspiring athletes of Selby. We are thrilled to announce that we’ve received a generous grant cheque from Selby Town Council to support our upcoming activities right here in Selby.
This money will go directly towards providing athletics activities for local children at Selby Fun Day on Sunday, June 22nd, 2025.
04
May
May
Challenging? Absolutely! Worth it? You bet! We recently experienced this firsthand, and a huge thank you goes out to Holmfirth Harriers for once again hosting such a well-organised event.
What truly made the day special? The incredible buzz of the race itself, the superb social gathering afterwards, and of course, keeping the YVAA prize-giving tradition alive. It was fantastic to see every single Vale of York member who ran today come home with a prize! Talk about a great start to the Grand Prix series.