Sunday 12th November
Westbury Harriers – Weekly News
Editors Piece
Please note this date for your diaries. On Thursday 7th December we have a Special General Meeting straight after training between 8-10pm. It will be in the upstairs bar of the cricket club pavilion and I hope to see you there. Further details will be provided nearer the time.
Tuesday Running Session at Yate Track and Thursday Intervals
Tuesday session at Yate Track will be advertised on facebook nearer the time.
For Thursday we’re back on the Coombe Dingle field (weather dependent) for 3 sets of 4 x 90 seconds (45 seconds recovery between intervals, 90 seconds between sets).
Option to complete 4 sets, if recovering form injury, have a race coming up like the masters road relays or just needing a bit more recovery).
British and Irish Masters International Cross Country.
Congratulations to Oli Beale who was competing in the International XC championships in Glasgow on Saturday. Oli and the team all worked hard to come away with a team gold medal, with Oli saying, ‘one of my best races, enjoyed every moment of it and was the second counter for England’.
Oli Beale pictured above, number 4546.
Gwent League Cross Country – Saturday 11th November
The Gwent League was in Cardiff and the event was combined with the British Cross Challenge and World Athletics Cross Country Tour so there were some very serious elite athletes competing.
I’ll put full race reports in the newsletter next week once they’ve all come in.
In the meantime I can announce the winner of the Log Leaper Challenge. It’s not normally that difficult to judge because each year Sandra wins with her natural ability to leap higher and faster than everyone else. This year though Sandra had some tough competition from Kate and I can’t separate the two, so they are both joint winners. Well done!
Gwent League – Saturday 2nd December
Alastair still needs plenty of volunteers for our own Gwent at Blaise on Saturday 2nd December. People are needed (and they can be friends and family) to assist with marshalling, car parking, setting up and talking down the course. Please message Alastair via his facebook posting today if you can help.
There’s also nothing to stop you running and helping as Alastair will arrange rota’s so you don’t miss your race.
If you would like to race and your a senior woman or senior man please book using Runtogether. https://groups.runtogether.co.uk/WestburyHarriersRunningClub/Runs
Member of the Month Winners
Louise Pretty is our winner this month. She has been leading group 6 on her own for over a year as Sandra BG had been out injured and there was no other leaders. She really has been fantastic and provided plenty of motivation to her group.
Lou pictured below with her son at the Bristol Half/10K.
Freya Smith for a brave performance at the first Gwent League race at Pembrey, leading from the front right from the start to come in 1st place. Freya has been training consistently well over the summer months and her hard work is starting to pay off.
Up and Running vouchers will be on the way to you both.
Club Championship Race – Weston Prom
The Weston Prom series is a 5-mile race series taking place along the Weston-super-Mare prom each month from October to May, with 9 races in total. The event last Thursday was a club championship event and as the weather was horrendous I was secretly hoping no other Westbury runners would turn up. I could then walk around the course and still claim maximum club championship points.
Perhaps everyone had the same idea because considering the atrocious weather conditions I was surprised to see a good gathering of club members on the start line.
It was a three lap circuit last week because of an event on the sea front, which I consider a lot tougher because of the additional turns. The weather was also very challenging as from nowhere the wind and rain would come tunnelling down the sea from like a mini hurricane.
Well done to both Alec and Sophie who each claim maximum club championship points.
- 14th Alec Sampson 29:11
- 28th Ian Gawinowski 31:25
- 50th Sophie Voller 33:26
- 92nd Hannah Batchelor 36:55
- 100th Lorna Miller 37:38
- 101th Richard Hughes 37:40
- 104th Maggie Slater 37:51 (2nd place age category)
- 114th Kate Hoffen 38:47
- 116th Heidi Andrews 38:57
- 160th Heather Griffin 44:34
- 166th Carol Fee 46:10
The next Weston prom (race No. 4) is on 21st December which also coincides with our Christmas meal being organised by Sandra. Just a message from Sandra to say don’t kill yourself on the run to get back for the meal. Just aim to head to the pub as soon as you’ve finished and had the opportunity to change. To book up your race use the link below. Sandra will take payment for the meal at training on a Monday evening. https://race-nation.co.uk/register/weston-ac/the-weston-prom-run-december-2023
Strava Segment of the Week
Well done to Hannah Large competing in the Compass Sport Cup, an orienteering event in the Forest of Dean. Well racing Hannah also bagged a second place cup on Strava segment Small Speech House climb.
Diary Date
Thursday 16th November Severn Bridge Night Race (Fabian4 website)
Sunday 19th November British Masters Road Relays, Mallory Park, Kirby
Saturday 25th November Blorenge Fell Race Fabian4
Sunday 26th November The AVR Wiltshire Half Marathon (Road) on Race Nation
Sunday 26th November Chepstow 365 10k via letsdothis
Saturday 2nd December Blaise Castle Gwent League Cross Country.
Sunday 3rd December Shire Santa Dash, family friendly 5km event via Entry Central
Thursday 7th December Special General Meeting. Coombe Dingle Bar 8pm
Friday 8th December Mallards Park Night Race, Fabian4 for details
Saturday 9th December Tri Counties Cross Country Championships. Further info TBC
Sunday 10th December Christmas Cracker and Club Championship
Saturday 16th December Skirrid Hill Race Fabian4
Tuesday 26th December Boxing Day Race 4 miler, Clevedon AC
Sunday 7th January 2024 South West Cross Country Championships -at RNAS Merryfield, near Taunton,
Friday 11th January Wye Valley and Piercefield Park Night Race, Fabian 4
Sunday 14th January Riverbank Rollick Trail, Thornbury AC. https://tinyurl.com/48ksbcan
Sunday 28th January Speedway 10k Near Chepstow, via Fabian4
Sunday 4th February The Doynton Hard Half Marathon, trail race.
Saturday 10th February 2024 Gwent Cross Country League Margam Park
Sunday 25th February 2024 Bath Two Tunnels Railway Race
Saturday 2nd or 3rd March 2024 – 5th Gwent League date and venue not finalised (possibly Saturday at Pontypool again).
Sunday 3rd March Newport Half Marathon fullonsport
Saturday 16th March 2024 – Masters Open Cross Country Championships. Corwen, Wales. (Men/Women masters V35, V45, V55, V65 plus)
Club Centenary Events
Thursday 8th February 2024 club supper -White Lion in Westbury-on-Trym
Saturday 23rd March 2024 Awards evening, venue TBC
Thursday 25th April 2024, AGM after training at Coombe Dingle
Saturday 18th May 2024, formal centenary celebration, venue TBC
Saturday 22nd June 2024, all club event. Activities for juniors and seniors followed by a BBQ/Hog Roast/some sort of food. Likely to be at Blaise Castle.
Editor this Week
Ian Gawinowski is Westbury Harriers Communications Officer and can be contacted via communication@westburyharriers.co.uk
