March 11 2026
Promoting Athletics in Orkney
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| Sunnybank Half Marathon | August 16, 2026 | READ MORE |
| Rousay Lap Half Marathon | August 22, 2026 | READ MORE |
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February 18 2026
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This email was sent to all track and field members, reposting it here in case anyone's spam folder swallowed it. Please let us know if you didn't get it!
The new school year approaches quickly and with it, a lot of new members as well as a lot of former primary members moving up into secondary training. This is a quick overview email of some of the key dates coming up over the next month or so for your diaries.
Primary Training
Primary training starts again on Tuesday 18th August (next Tuesday) between 5:30 - 6:30 PM. We have a huge new intake with about half the group being new starters, so please bear with us while we get into the flow of things! Training will be on the track if the weather is good, and inside in the hall if it isn't.
Please make sure your term fees are paid before the start of term: you should have received a payment request via Coacha.
Secondary Training
Secondary training for continuing athletes has continued through the summer and is on next week (Tuesday 18th), returning to the 6:30 - 7:30 slot on Tuesday rather than the earlier times we've been training at through the summer. Wednesday and Thursday training is 6-7pm with the exception of Thursday 27th when it will be at the earlier time of 4:30 - 6:00pm due to a football booking in the evening.
New secondary members, both S1s and older will start the following week from Tuesday 25th August. Rotas for members rotating between groups will be provided by email and will also be posted on the notice board in the crush area between the S&C gym and the track entrance.
New members, please make sure your payment subscriptions are set up before the start of term: you should have received a payment request via Coacha. If you can choose a start date for the direct debit payment, please make it early September.
Competition
In order to help those aiming for next year's Island Games in the Faroes achieve standards, we have put on a small competition on Sunday 6th September. Track events are open to anyone for this event (1500m and below) but there is only one group for each field event with a maximum of eight spots, with priority going to IG athletes and the remaining spots being first come first served: once events sell out, there will not be further places. Entries are open now via data.opentrack.run/en-gb/x/2026/GBR/oarcsept26/ Entries close on the 30th.
New Athlete Advice
Our club handbook www.orkneyarc.org.uk/athlete-parent-handbook/ should answer most questions, but please get in touch if you have any questions that aren't covered here. General training advice stands: Bring a bottle of water and layers to training. Stay warm during warm ups etc and then take jackets, hoodies off for session (if warm enough to do so). The weather has to be very bad for sprints and middle distance not to train on the track, although field groups will move inside if space is available.
Who to speak to
Your key points of contact are:
Rob Dinsey - Chair, point of contact for administrative questions - chair@orkneyarc.org.uk
Chris Webb - Welfare Officer, for any concerns - welfare@orkneyarc.org.uk or via www.orkneyarc.org.uk/safeguarding-welfare-hub/
John Cairns - Club Development Officer, point of contact for training and competition related questions or general athletics advice cdo@orkneyarc.org.uk
Your Lead Coaches - Lyle for Primary, Mags and Nigel for Track, Fraser for High Jump, Lyle for Long Jump and John for Throws - will also be happy to answer questions.
I hope everyone has a fantastic term: it's always a busy time of year with lots of people in new groups or starting for the first time, so please help each other and your coaches out by knowing what training group you're in, being on time and bringing everything you need.
Athlete & Parent Handbook | Orkney Athletic and Running Club
www.orkneyarc.org.uk
Last updated 01 Jan 2026 The following is emailed to all new members, but is reproduced here for reference. If any part of it appears to be out of date, ple ...We have made some offers to athletes on our SECONDARY waiting list: if you or your child is on the list, please check your emails and spam folders for an email from Mairi
Elder extends his best to claim national Masters gold
Following on from his debut discus performance yesterday, Calum Elder was back in a more familiar throwing circle today with the Scottish Athletics Masters Shot Put Championships. With a personal best (and Orkney record) of 14m exactly set at last year's International Island Games, he was firm favourite in this field and he delivered in some style.
Calum opened with a 13.56m throw and then with his second improved on his best with 14.23 - a new PB, Orkney record and three and a half metres clear of his nearest rival on the day. His fourth throw of 14.07m would also have beaten his previous best. Calum takes away a gold medal and is in red hot from ahead of his next outing on the international stage - at the World Masters Athletics Championships in Daegu, South Korea at the end of the month. He'll travel out as the Scottish Champion and ranked third in the UK at V40 level.
Congratulations to Calum, who has now added 125cm to the Orkney record since he first set it at 12.98m last year!
All the best at Korea 🥇
Superb effort Calum Elder totally smashing it!!!.Best of luck in the worlds.
Absolutely fabulous, flying the Orkney/Scotland flag high, well done Calum 😃👏👏👏🥇
Bravo, Calum!👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
Congratulations Calum. Amazing!! 🤩
Fantastic going beuy 💪🏻 🔥
Wow, congratulations!! 💪
Superb throwing Calum, super proud of you. Xxxx
Great achievements Calum!
Lovely to see you again, Calum, and great throwing! (Although I don't think R4 would actually have beaten your previous best.) From a ringside seat, I rate that excellent shot PB as your third best effort of the weekend, behind an even better second warm-up throw and (I will die on this hill!) a great debut in the discus. 👏👏👏
Amazing congratulations Calum! 💪⭐️
Fantastic, well done Calum! Great prep for the Worlds 💪🏻💪🏻xx
That’s brilliant, Calum. Well done and good luck in Daegu
Well done Calum & good luck in your next comp
🔥💪🌎, keep it up, very exciting 👏🏼
Well done!!
Wow! Well done and good luck in the worlds comp
💪🎉💥 Brilliant Calum! Good job 👍
Good job
Congratulations
Absolutely fantastic Calum! Huge well done and looking forward to hearing results from the Masters.
Fantastic results Calum! All that hard work is paying off 💪
Well done , Orkney at its best again .
Immense! Well done Calum ❤️
Nice one Calum. Lovely meeting you and the chat over the weekend. And of course the pleasure of giving you your medals 😝
www.entrycentral.com/Sunnybank Entry for the Sunnybank Half and Relay Half closes at midnight tonight. Entries a little thin on the ground at the moment so would be lovely to see that change. If you want to run the relay but don't have a team, please post in the comments and we'll do some match making!
If you don't want to run, Carrie Gunn is also a little short of marshals - drop her a message please if you can help out
www.entrycentral.com
OARC Sunnybank Half Sunday 16th August 2026. Race starts 10am Registration in the crush area at Picky Centre from 9:00am - 9:45am Single entry or relay team entries below Relay teams of 2 - 4 people L...Shawn Tait, I sent you a message but not sure if you’ve seen it. Robert Dinsey can join your team.
As ever, County Show day delivers a strong showing for Orcadian beef: and by total coincidence, Calum Elder has been throwing things a long way again, this time at the 4J Scottish Athletics Masters Championships in Grangemouth. Ahead of his focus event the Shot Put tomorrow, Calum had a dabble with the discus today, an event that we can't train in at home but that both Calum and William MacDonald have now had a go at this year.
Throwing the discus for the first time in competition (having in his own words "practiced a bit for the first time yesterday"), Calum threw out to 33.83m with his second attempt, and whilst four attempts out of six being fouls suggests there's room for improvement technically, that's a really solid effort and the third longest attempt across all age groups as well as enough for a gold medal in the M40 category - and an inaugural M40 Orkney record to boot!
Sadly it was a medal, rather than a giant rosette that was awarded to Calum this time out - I think we'd have all liked to see him crowned best in show, but perhaps that will come tomorrow with a shot in hand? Good luck Calum!
Go for it Calum,best of luck 🤞
Fantastic, and best of luck. Xxxxxx
Good luck Cal!! 🍀🫶🏼 x
That’s a great result! Good luck today xx
All the best big man Calum
Good luck Calum!
Well done! 👏
Well done Calum!! Good luck the morn 💪🏼
Well done Calum 👏
Cracking job big fella! Roast it the morn min 💪🏻 🔥
Entries for next Sunday's Sunnybank Half Marathon & Relay Half Marathon close this Sunday night. Entry via
www.entrycentral.com
OARC Sunnybank Half Sunday 16th August 2026. Race starts 10am Registration in the crush area at Picky Centre from 9:00am - 9:45am Single entry or relay team entries below Relay teams of 2 - 4 people L...Andrew Aislabie one for you
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As well as providing regular athletic instruction and training sessions, one of the key aims of OARC is to promote pathways to performance and as part of this, the Club organises and participates in a range of home and away competitions throughout the year.