Brownlee Coaches acknowledged in UK Coach Awards

[Lard]

Congratulations to ex-orienteer Jack Maitland - member of Airienteers back in the day.

"Jack Maitland started working with the brothers ten years ago. Along with Simon Ward, Jack set up the World Class Talent ID and Development programme for the North of England in 2001. The successful programme included regular training camps attended by Alistair and Jonathan. He then went on to establish the High Performance Centre at Leeds Met Carnegie. The brothers have remained with Jack ever since. "

[EddieH]

Jack invented the now defunct terrain race on the 6-day rest day. There was no navigation, just follow the tapes - but it went through the worst grot he could find.

I believe he was also invloved with the beer race where you had to down a pint at every control.

With his inimitable running style he was always recognisable from afar in a hill race, then triathlon took over and clearly effectively.

[EddieH]

Another story I remember about Jack was at the Pendle Fell race, on this year a championship race so the runners all packed in at about 1 a second. Jack and the still occasional orienteer Malcolm Patterson turned up as orienteers unknown in the fell running world. They were 1st and 2nd (don't remember which) but with a massive lead (about a minute and then 30 seconds ahead of the pack).

That day did orienteering a power of good as fell runners realised that the top guys really are very fit.

[Ali Wood]

Another figure in the Brownlee story needs to be mentioned - Martyn Speight, physio at Guiseley in Yorkshire - as far as I know he looks after the Brownlee lads' sports injuries etc. now, but is not actually a coach. He was never an orienteer, but was a pretty good fell runner himself, winning several races in his younger days. He is a remarkably knowledgeable sports medic and has saved me wasting money on lesser physiotherapists.

[Big Jon]

Congratulations to ex-orienteer Jack Maitland - member of Airienteers back in the day.

And a member of Aberdeen University, Gramp, Aboyne Academy and (maybe) Maroc in even more distant times.

[Lard]

Can you send him up here Ali - we have a plethora of very average physios up here!

[Ali Wood]

I like that... - 'a plethora of physios'