Ben's New Challenge
Athletics Weekly|March 23,2017

High jumper ben challenger has assembled a dream team of ex-athletes to help turn a berkshire all girls school into a force to be reckoned with.

Ben Coldwell
Ben's New Challenge

HIDDEN AWAY in a leafy, affluent suburb of South Ascot, Berkshire, is St Mary’s School, a Roman Catholic boarding school for girls with around 390 high achieving pupils and one of the least likely destinations you’d expect to see a semi-elite athletics centre.

Athletics at St Mary’s has benefitted over the past four years from the expertise of its esteemed head of athletics, British Olympic high jumper and two-time Commonwealth Games medallist Ben Challenger.

Overseeing a state-of-the-art athletics complex, complete with a six-lane allweather track – eight on the home straight – and fully equipped technical event facilities has been the retired high jumper’s passionate commitment since joining the PE staff in 2013.

Challenger says: “They had no facilities here. It was a typical grass track like you have at most schools. The school here wanted to build a track and some good facilities and they wanted an athlete to front it.

“My timing was really right then. I came in after I retired in 2012. In 2013 it was complete and they wanted someone to be the head of athletics at the school and I took that on.”

Having top-class facilities is one thing, but having the manpower and expertise to make the most of them is a different story altogether. So what did Challenger do? He consulted the “little black book”, called up a few old friends and, slowly but surely, has formed a coaching hub of British internationals.

“Over the past three or four years I started getting in what I call our ‘dream team’,” says Challenger. “We’ve got Mark Wiseman who does our throws. He’s done a lot of the masters and won medals doing that. We have Ian and Hayley Tullett, Marlon Devonish and myself.

هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة March 23,2017 من Athletics Weekly.

ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.

هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة March 23,2017 من Athletics Weekly.

ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.

المزيد من القصص من ATHLETICS WEEKLY مشاهدة الكل
Carbon Footprint
Athletics Weekly

Carbon Footprint

You'd have had to have been running on a different planet to miss all the recent debate about carbon-plated shoes. The talk of bans and performance enhancement has been so widespread that even non-runners are asking their running friends about the potentially magical footwear.

time-read
2 mins  |
March 26, 2020
Athletics Weekly

Trail time

WHEN looking for a trail or off-road running shoe, it’s often all about the grip. However, given that no two paths are the same, careful consideration is required. What’s the terrain like where you’ll wear the shoes the most? If you’ll be negotiating soft, wet and muddy conditions then look for deeper lugs. For tackling gravel tracks and forest trails then more evenly spaced lugs will work better. When it comes to cushioning, consider how hard the ground will be; if it’s soft then you’ll be fine in low-profile shoes, but on those firmer tracks reasonable cushioning will be called for.

time-read
4 mins  |
March 26, 2020
Stay neutral
Athletics Weekly

Stay neutral

EVOLVING every year, if not month, neutral cushioned shoes are seeing developments in cushioning materials and dynamics at a pace which is nothing short of astonishing. The latest models feature new polymers in the midsoles to give them a cushioned feel while at the same time keeping their weight to a minimum. Give them a spin and choose the most comfortable for mile after mile of shock absorbing running.

time-read
5 mins  |
March 26, 2020
Support network
Athletics Weekly

Support network

WHEN it comes to ‘over-pronation’, a common question is ‘how much is over?’. With no hard and fast rules, it’s best to choose a shoe that instinctively feels right. Gait analysis can often assist in helping you make this choice and your specialist running store is always a good place to start if in doubt. To help you make that choice, here’s a selection of some of the best ‘support’ shoes around.

time-read
4 mins  |
March 26, 2020
Need for speed
Athletics Weekly

Need for speed

THE racing shoe segment of the market is becoming somewhat split. This is partially due to the rise of carbon-plated footwear but also the fact that many shoes are becoming much lighter. Here we take a look at some of the leading contenders to toe the line in.

time-read
2 mins  |
March 26, 2020
Athletics Weekly

Gadget show

WITH technological products to enhance every area of life, running is now no different. From headphones to treadmills, the devices to aid performance and recovery are endless. Here we take a look at some of the latest gadgets and gizmos to enhance your training.

time-read
6 mins  |
March 26, 2020
What's in a shoe?
Athletics Weekly

What's in a shoe?

We bust some of the jargon around footwear

time-read
1 min  |
March 26, 2020
How To Prime Your Immunity
Athletics Weekly

How To Prime Your Immunity

Taking steps to shore your body’s defences has never been more important. Here’s how to do it, says Peta Bee

time-read
6 mins  |
March 26, 2020
English Schools Survival At Stake
Athletics Weekly

English Schools Survival At Stake

Covid-19 could lead to ESAA losing thousands this summer

time-read
2 mins  |
March 19, 2020
Covid-19: Athletics Events Are Wiped Out
Athletics Weekly

Covid-19: Athletics Events Are Wiped Out

Unprecedented calendar changes due to Covid-19

time-read
3 mins  |
March 19, 2020