Race walking
Abingdon Athletics Club has a lively race walking section, with a group of members who train twice a week.
There is a fee for using the track at Tilsley Park. A track pass is the most economical way to pay for regular users.
When and where
The group meets on Mondays and Wednesdays at 6.45 pm (normally in the area outside the front of the building) at Tilsley Park, Abingdon.
Coaching
We have a qualified coach, Graham Chapman, who takes us through different sessions with individual and group coaching. You can learn more about Graham’s coaching on his blog, Oxfordshire Racewalking. In addition to information on the coached sessions for the forthcoming week, his blog includes a wealth of information about race walking and links to other race walking sites.
The sessions are varied – occasionally, we do track sessions where we practise our technique through drills, exercises and short speed sessions. Other sessions involve a circuit quite close to Tilsley Park. Longer routes can extend to 10km and beyond (Graham encourages longer distances only when the walker is ready for them).
The walking group includes both Abingdon members and a few from other clubs.
The Race Walking Association website has plenty of information for beginners and seasoned race walkers.
How to join
Contact Graham via Oxfordshire Racewalking, or speak to Noel Blatchford, AAC member and active racewalker.
You can do as much or as little as you like, and you will soon learn – it is not difficult. We all walk before we run, and the technique for racewalking is no more than an exaggerated extension of what we all do naturally.
Competing
Even for a novice, there are chances to compete reasonably soon into your training. There are two standards of racing
B-races
A-races
B-races are the lower, less strict standard. B-races can be attempted by most. For example, in B-races, you will not be penalised for bending your knees but must still have contact with the ground. They are an excellent introduction to walk races.
A-races are the standard for championship, inter-counties, national and international races. For example, in an A-race, you will be penalised for bending your knee or having both feet off the ground simultaneously.
