Westbury Harriers Weekly News
Hi everyone,
It was a busy weekend with various events taking place. A few runners set impressive PB’s at the Manchester Half and Oxford Half. We also had our first Gwent Cross Country League fixture at Margam Park, with approx 80+ athletes representing the club. A fantastic turnout and well done to everyone who took part. We look forward to seeing you at the next fixture, which is Cardiff on Saturday 8th November.
Two additional Club Championship races have been added to the calendar, Bath Skyline 10km and 12k’s of Xmas. Details below, along with reminders of other future races coming up.
In this week’s newsletter:
1. Club notices
2. Training this week
3. Race reports / results
4. Upcoming races
1. CLUB NOTICES
Expenses
You can find our club expenses form here. A reminder that all claims should be submitted within 1 month of the expense being incurred, and for any claims made in December these should be submitted by 22nd December to enable year end accounts to be prepared. Please make our club treasurers role easier by keeping to this. Thanks.
Reminder for those who come to Yate Track Tuesday.
All participants should continue to book onto the session on RunTogether App. This will now show with no payment. We ask you to still sign up on RunTogether so we know who is attending, can manage numbers and have easy access to emergency contact details.
In addition you can join Yate & District AC as a Westbury Associate Member. It’s FREE!
To do this log on to: https://yateac.co.uk/yate-and-district-athletic-club-homepage/
Select COME AND JOIN US.
Then click on big orange Join Us/Renew button and enter personal details. Join as Westbury Harrier Associate member.
NEXT GWENT LEAGUE RACE – Saturday, November 8th 2025 Cardiff in conjunction with Cross Challenge
Keep signing up on RunTogether for the Gwent League. Anyone who is available please come and take part. Everybody counts and we need big numbers. Team managers will help coordinate lift shares. List of race dates below.
Masters XC relays
An email has gone out to all Masters runners about the XC on Sat 25th Oct. Please do get in touch or talk to team mates to get a team together. It’s a great day out and the club pays the entry.
REMINDER: Junior Training Subs
As the new term starts, there remain a number of athletes whose training subs for this term remain outstanding. Every junior member has been sent an email requesting payment. Subs are payable via the online store (https://membermojo.co.uk/westburyharriers/store). You should select Autumn Term 1 2025/26 Junior member training fees. The subs remain £20 for the whole term, and covers all sessions (Mondays/Thursdays) at Coombe Dingle. Yate track sessions are payable separately as this is a fee charged by Yate and District AC. We will be monitoring attendance and confirming that subs have been paid. Thanks everyone!
Second hand vests needed (on behalf of Catherine Treble)
We have almost 20 Academy members signed up for the first Gwent which is fantastic but very few have their own vests and the club stash is a little low at the moment. Please get in touch if you can help and have spares club vests (preferably smaller sizes) – either here, one of the Academy volunteers, team managers or via Facebook, thank you!
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TRAINING THIS WEEK
MONDAY – Tempo Session:
Group runs from Coombe Dingle sports complex at 6.30pm. These are perfect sessions for a Tempo pace run. Equally there are plenty of groups available if you want a recovery or social run. Book via RunTogether.
TUESDAY – Track Session:
Track session at Yate 7pm – Seniors book on via RunTogether App.
WEDNESDAY – Hill Session:
Adults, all abilities. Meet every Wednesday at 12pm, corner of Saville Road by the Downs. Sign up on RunTogether App.
THURSDAY – Interval Session:
Coombe Dingle Sports Complex, on grass at 7pm.
5min (90secs recovery) – 4mins (1min recovery) – 3mins (1min recovery) – 3mins (1min recovery) – 4mins (1min recovery) – 5mins
Option to drop the 5mins to 4mins and 4mins to 3mins.
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RACE REPORTS
Rosie Hamilton-James – Congratulations on her scorching run at the Manchester Half Marathon on Sunday 12th October, setting a new PB (by 1 min 30) of 1hr13 in a very classy field. This follows the Knutsford 10k only 2 weeks ago where Rosie finished in 1st place in a time of 34.37 (yet another PB). Excited to see how the winter season unfolds, keep up the good work (By Jayne Pemble)
Reiko Lukes had a cracking race at the Oxford Half on Saturday 11th October, with a speedy time of 1.40.43 and a PB. Congratulations.
Gwent League Juniors
by Jason Michael
We had 41 junior girls racing on Saturday, from U11s through to J20s running as Seniors.
The highest number of girls we have ever taken to a Gwent League fixture, which is fantastic, so a big thanks to all the parents for getting involved.
Our girls did amazing, and have put the teams in a strong position to be in the mix, for the rest of the season.
U11s 3rd
U13s 9th
U15s 2nd
U17s 4th
U15 Elizabeth won her race, making it her 11th league victory.
U11 Sophie finished 3rd
U17 Lilia 4th
U20 Elen 2nd
U20 Freya was 2nd in Seniors and 1st U23
It was a great effort from the girls. A BIG thanks to everyone involved in the junior girls/academy. Roll on Cardiff!
Gwent League XC Margam – Senior Men
by Geraint Torrington
“Remember the most important thing about XC guys, is to get as much mud on you as possible and run hard as you can until the end!!!!!!” – those are the inspirational words of injured men’s club captain George Griffiths that I delivered before the race and what an effect those words had on the team!
This was our best start to the Gwent League for many years with the first team lying 6th in Division 1 with only 60 points separating us from first place. As Gwent League Team Manager I judged my race to perfection making sure all five of the first team lapped me before starting my race properly on the final lap.
First past me was the marauding Greg Hayward (7th), followed by the power of Josh Morland (27th), the poise of Piers De Voil (35th), the relentlessness of Paul Gardiner (39th) and the effortless Tom Reed (51st) – what a way to start the season!
The strength of our first team meant that regular A team scorer Iain Large Large (77th ,30th master 35) led our B team home followed by debutant Olly Sheppard (100th), Jack Derrick (108th), Ben Wood (196th) and Alastair Blackwood (198th). The team are 7th in the B division.
Our C team was headed by Chris Treble (234th), Paul Stuart (285th , 17th master 55), Ian Ruck (317th), Ewan Kilgour (339th) and Paul Turner (419th).
We didn’t quite have a complete D team but it was great to see the smiling Nigel Muntz (423rd) being so positive about his race at the end, followed by myself in 431st, Ian Derrick (441st) and Phil Hayward (467th) bringing the club home cheered on by son Greg.
It was fantastic to see so many out representing the club. The more men we get to run, the more overall points are available so each runner contributes to our overall position.
A big thank you to Catherine Treble who sorted the men’s numbers and wrote names on them all. I’d finished my Gwent League duties, watched my daughter in the U15s race grabbed the envelope and a pen when Catherine said she’d done it – what a star!
The next fixture is in Cardiff on Saturday, November 8th where we’ll be running alongside some of the best XC runners in the country as it’s part of the Cross Challenge.
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UPCOMING RACES / CLUB CHAMPS
A reminder that we have an events calendar on our website where you can keep track of dates for training, events and races.
https://westburyharriers.co.uk/events/events-calendar/
And club champ races here;
Club Championship – Westbury Harriers
REMINDER OF GWENT LEAGUE DATES
This is our main cross-country team event. Suitable for all club members, all ages, all abilities. We have people running from groups 2-6 regularly. We do well as we turn out on mass. Everyone scores for the team, individually and for their age group. We want FULL teams in each age group. Cost is £5 + admin fee per race, payable via RunTogether. If you think running around a field in a slightly soggy part of Wales is not fun, think again! It is fabulous fun! Running can be quite an individual sport, but this is really where it comes together as a team and a club with a great atmosphere. The first event usually eases us in gently as the weather is usually kind. Do come and give a Gwent League a go, whether you can do one race in the season, or all five, whatever your contribution it really does help.
Gwent League dates 2025/2026 season
Saturday, November 8th 2025 Cardiff in conjunction with Cross Challenge
Saturday, December 6th 2025 Blaise Castle
Saturday, February 7th 2026 Chepstow Race Course
Saturday, February 28th 2026 Parc Bryn Bach
Avon Cross Country Championships
Sunday 14th December 2025 Bath University
Held in conjunction with the Gloucestershire Cross Country league fixture. Suitable for all. Has age category prizes.
South West Cross Country Championships
Date not yet available – usually first weekend in January (2026)
More suitable for those who run in groups 1-3.
English National Cross Country Championships
Saturday 21st February 206 – East Park, Sedgefield, County Durham.
Suitable for all ages and abilities. It is a mass celebration of running – fantastic fun and always a true cross-country course (slightly challenging but totally doable!) The Club has in previous years organised coach transport for runners taking part but the distances involved means coach travel on the day is not a realistic option this time. This remains a prestigious National event and whilst recognising that the length of the journey and the lack of an organised travel option will put off some runners, we still hope that some of you will take part. The club will contribute towards the travel expenses of runners in accordance with our Expenses policy as set out on the Website.
Midland 6/12 stage Spring Road relays
March 2026 date not yet available
Saturday 25th October 2025 – British Master Cross Country Relays
2026 British Masters Road Relay championships – date not yet confirmed
Other local races;
Sunday 26th October – Mendip Muddle (Club Champs Race) Mendip Muddle – Weston Athletic Club
Thursday 6th November: Severn Bridge 5mile Night Race, RogueRuns – https://sites.google.com/site/roguerunsevents/home/our-events/sb-night-runs
Sunday 16th November: Bath Skyline 10km at 11am (Club Champs Race) – https://www.relishrunningraces.com/bath-skyline-10km.php
Saturday 29th November: Machen 21km & 42km trail races, Ridge Runners – https://www.ridgerunners.co.uk/machen-races
Saturday 6th December: Limitless Trails, Secret Santa Series – https://www.limitlesstrails.co.uk/secret-santa-12k-half
Saturday 13th December: The 12k’s of Xmas at 9:30am (Club Champs Race) – https://www.gertlushevents.co.uk/12ks-of-christmas
Sunday 14th December: Weston AC Christmas Cracker – https://westonac.co.uk/races-2/christmas-cracker/
If there are any races or interesting events that you think should be added, please email: communication@westburyharriers.co.uk
Editor: Yvette Casallas
