A Charity Event in the Memory of Ron Helmn and in the Aid of Blackpool Food Bank

Event Information

Entry Form

This event consists of a  One Mile timed run around the track at Stanley Park Arena, Blackpool.  

Competitors will be pooled in groups of similar abilities based on estimated completion times.

This meeting is held in the memory of Ron Helmn

This is an Open Meeting.  Entry is open to anyone able to complete a mile in under 15 minutes

The event starts from 5:30 starting with a Multi Disability 100m run and a 100m wheelchair race.

A series of mile races for all abilities follows with the slower runner’s start times first.

Times will be called out.

Entry Fee: Participants are asked to bring a food donation that will be passed on to the  Blackpool Food Bank.

Meeting queries: email   amanda@creative-nutrition.com

Approximate Timetable

5.00pm – The Charlotte Foster Special Multi Disability 100 metres. Charlotte, at the time of writing has reached 3 Special Olympics World Games Final in Berlin – Representing Team GB . Charlotte can probably swim faster than she walks and the 100 metres is simply an inclusive 100 metres walk with a carer if necessary collecting food and hopefully integrating and making aware of all the great walk that happens in the town via Multi-Disability Sports.

5.15pm – The Shelly Woods and Caroline Wareing wheelchair 100 meters – again an opportunity for collection of food and wheel chair users. A lane each, with pusher if required.

The Active Blackpool Community Mile

5.30pm 12-15 minute jog/walkers – this would suit you if you are able to jog/walk a mile, around a 36 minute+ Park Runner, we say 15 minutes max due really to the time constraints on events to follow so brisk walkers to joggers really – recreational runners who have experience, feel confident they can continually exercise for 15 minutes. 30 entrants max. Timing will be rolling so take your Strava or listen out very carefully for your time.

5.50pm. 8–12-minute jog/runners – this is perhaps suitable for Park Runners of 24-36 minutes ability; you have been exercising and can continuously jog a mile. Timing will be rolling so take your Strava or listen out very carefully for your time. 30 entrants Max.

6.10pm. Sub 8-minute runners. You’re involved in sport, you’re confident you can run a mile – probably Sub 24-minute Park Runners. Timing will be rolling so take your Strava or listen out very carefully for your time. 30 Entrants Max.

All the above 3 events are aimed at the community, with especially a lot of Run Britain Groups in mind, none competitve but go for it if you like.

6.30pm The Paul Muller Masters Mile – Paul is a local Running legend, International masters Runner, missed about 1 Days running in probably 50 years – run literally thousands of races but not one named after him. it’s 30 entries Max so probably only enter this 1, if you are a Master (35+) and 2) You know and want to support Paul, he’ll no doubt invite people and could cover 3000, never mind 30 – but we are where we are. Timing will be rolling so take your Strava or listen out very carefully for your time.

6.45pm The Time trial begin, although this first run is intended for club members and their families who may well not be endurance runners or Endurance runners wanting to take it easy due to races at the weekend. Youngsters, please run with an adult.

7.00pm Onwards – Graded Time trials, these are intended for people who really want a good old crack at a mile – so probably pre-dominantly Club runners, active sports people, David Woods Inter Club runners, Run Britain Runners for example. On the entry form there is an estimated time bracket, the runs will be graded with the slower runners first maybe 10-minute milers and become progressively quicker down to hopefully some 5-minute milers at the sharp end. Timing will be rolling so take your Strava or listen out very carefully for your time.

Paying Sport Froward

Who is Ron? Ron was a former Blackpool Athletics club and Blackpool Council Athletics coach, who passed away in 1999. In his early years he went away to World war 2, aged 15. Latterly, despite having cancer for the last ten years of his life he coached literally thousands of people (predominantly Children) athletics. Instigating the onset of the club catering for under 10’s, initiating along with Stan Taylor the Blackpool Council Star-Track Junior Athletics Scheme ; often catering for around 250 athletes a week via his club and council commitments – children even pushing him around the track in his wheelchair for their warm up – just a genuinely inspirational man who acted more than he spoke.

After his passing on 29^th November 1999, at his behest and with the permission of John Blackledge at the council. His ashes were laid to rest by his son (watched by his wife) all over the first two lanes of the track. Unbeknown to many, but the track and all that goes on there is a living memorial really.

RON’S RUN – Upon the onset of the new track, his family wrote to thank John Blackledge,  also requesting a bench to remember all past coaches. the council, via the club accepted the request – BUT wanted to know how to fund it. It was there that the suggestion of Ron’s Run was born. The idea to engage a Community Inclusive Mile Run on the new track – which he would have loved. Both the council and the club being absolutely fantastic and supportive of the idea with a basic framework being initiated as we waited for the new track to be built.

It is at this conjuncture that the magic of the athletics community started to happen.

Amanda (Fuller) said she liked the Recycled plastic benches by local firm Glasdon. A few emails later between Ron’s son and another former athletics club member Jono Prowse and Glasdon – via their Donald J Sidebottom Charitable Trust the top of the range recycled plastic bench was donated. This will be placed on the grass perimeter of the track overlooking from the outside with a stantion designed by Jono – with a poem to enjoy watch the Athletics there – HUGE THANK YOU TO JONO, GLASDON AND THE TRUST FOR THIS AMAZING DONATION – along with Amanda and her builder for the logistics and ground works.

With the bench now being donated and little funds to raise, given Ron went to War in 1943 and 80 years later people in his home town are still hungry. It was decided to do as he would – take action and it was decided to “PAY SPORT FORWARD” ie. being grateful for our new track by supporting others.

Ron’s Nephew, via his company Stone Mullion Refurbishment has made a generous donation to the club to cover running costs alongside Leigh-Anne and Aidan Sloggett of AS Plumbing and Heating Design who have also assisted.

This NOW means that the only entry fee is FOOD donation for Blackpool Food Bank – of which we intend to create a food mountain to support local families throughout the summer holidays especially.

Jenny Clark, sports massage is generously donating a voucher for the person donating the most food – and may well also be giving short massages on the evening.

All participant are set to receive a Gratitude Card to Thank You all for Paying Sport Forwards and the time table has been set to involve as much as the Community as we can – Special Needs Multi-Disability, Wheelchair, Recreational runners, Cardiac Rahab, None endurance Athletes, Endurance Athletes, Run Britain Groups and Athletics Clubs.

Please enter via the link and please pay your sport forward

Many Thanks to a Multitude of Council, Club, builders, Paul, Leigh Anne, Aidan, Derek, Dave, Hannah, Dave, Nick, Georgina, Sandra, Amanda, Norry, blackpool Food Bank, Jono, Glasdon, The Donald J Sidebottam Charitable trust, Stone Mullion refurbishment, As Plumbing and heating Design, Jenny, Jenny Clark Sports massage. – so many people – You know who you are, for all the support. Hopefully we can all have a really enjoyable event collecting a lot of food for the Food Bank.