Westbury Harriers Weekly News
Hello,
I hope everyone is enjoying the sunshine. If you somehow havn’t heard….. this week is going to be HOT. So please be careful running, keep on top of your hydration, and get a hat on your head! If you are a regular of the wednesday hill session, please wait until Tuesday before booking. If the weather is looking dangerously hot the session could be cancelled. Well done to everyone who ran the Thornbury 10k on Thursday, some great results to share from that, and movement in the club champs table.
In this week’s newsletter:
1. Club notices
2. Training this week
3. Race reports / results
4. Upcoming races
1. Club Notices
YATE AC – TRACK RACING
As a Westbury Harrier member you can join our sister club Yate AC for free. As Westbury is registered for road and cross country disciplines only, for track we compete for Yate AC who are only registered for the track discipline. We have lots of members signing up for Masters event on Sunday 28th June at Yate. Enter here (have confirmed you can wear your Westbury for this one if you don’t have or don’t want to purchase a Yate one). Also some open events at SGS WISE (seniors, juniors and quadkids) 30th June – Avon AA Open Meeting https://www.entrycentral.com/festival/3657 and 1st September https://www.entrycentral.com/festival/3466
To do this join Yate as Westbury associate member.
Complete the other discipline form. This needs to be signed by a WH committee member/team manager and then sent to both Westbury and Yate membership secretaires (membership@westburyharriers.co.uk and yatemembership@outlook.com). You only need to complete this form once.
You will then receive email communications about the athletic leagues Yate participate in – YDL, UDL, Avon T&F, Midland League and National Athletic League.
Once registered you may want to check your power of 10 profile updates to show Westbury and Yate so your results show. Any issues email power of 10
AVON ROAD RELAYS. SUNDAY 30TH AUGUST – Avon 5km Road Relays Championships 2026
10am start (Please note new start time of 10am and it is Bank Holiday Sunday)
Location: Cleeve, Bristol BS49 4PP
3 person teams: U20 men/women (must be 16 or over), senior women, V35/V45/V55/V65/V75 women, V50/V60/V70 men
4 person teams: senior men & V40 men
Cost: Free. This is a championship event so no charge, club pays the entry.
Teams: People will try to be accommodated into their age appropriate team but with relays we may need to move people about to ensure we have complete teams. Please sign up on RunTogether as early as possible so we know who we have as organising relay teams is always interesting (a slight headache!)
Suitable for: Everyone (16 years and over)
Team Managers for this event Women: Tamsin Men: Mike Mewse
This is an Avon championship road relay. Each person in a team runs a 5km circular route on local country lanes and paths. Westbury always have loads of teams at this event, so do come along and get involved it is always a fun and social morning. It is a great event local event, enjoyable and suitable for everyone. Held at the cricket club, where there is small children’s playground and plenty of space if you are bringing the family. We look to ensure everyone is included. From putting out competitive teams, welcoming new club members into a relay event and a great starting point for those who may not have run in a relay before. Don’t worry if you will have just come off holiday or won’t have done much running over the summer, it will be the same for everyone. It is good season starter. The organiser has put a team limit this year of 70 teams in total as the event is getting so popular, so early sign up again would be appreciated.
Reserve Runners: Always needed and welcomed, let the team manager know.
How to get involved: Sign up on RunTogether
Any questions talk to a team manager at training or drop them a message.
Kind Regards
Tamsin Chick & Mike Mewse
Westbury Harriers Team Managers
2. TRAINING THIS WEEK
MONDAY – Tempo Session:
Group runs from Blaise Castle Pavilion 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 at Yate
WEDNESDAY – Hill Session: CANCELLED
THURSDAY – Interval Session: CANCELLED
3. RACE RESULTS/REPORTS
Thornbury 10km
by Paul Stuart
A high turnout of 17 runners from Westbury Harriers for the latest event in the Club Championship. We were directed to a field car park at the Oldbury Sailing Club, sun was out, and it had a bit of a festival feel. It was a 5 minute walk to the starting line and then we were off. A fairly flat first 5 km followed by a couple of hills which combined with the heat made the last few km pretty tough (for me anyway!) Good running all round. Josh McAuley (10th) top male from Westbury,
Rachel Liston (46th) top female. Top 3 age positions for Jonathan Riley (3rd), Paul Stuart (1st), Richard Goodley (3rd), Judy Knights (1st) and Sandra Williams (2nd).
We couldn’t find everyone for the team photo but here are a few of us. I must enter the Oldbury 10m now to complete the unique collectable medal series!
Cheddar Gorge Half marathon
by Ben Wood
I was planning a long run in Wales last Sunday with Yvette Casallas. I’m not sure how, but Saturday night I ended up booking us both on the Cheddar Gorge half marathon instead. We both rushed around getting our kit ready before bed. So you could say the build up to this race wasn’t ideal.
We drove to the Mendips at a respectable time, we were in the second wave at 10.40am. The Cheddar half is part of the Cheddar challenge weekend of races organised by relish running. I have to say the organisation was supberb considering how many races they were putting on, 6km, 10km, half and marathon (plus more).
After the usual bib collection we warmed up and formed up in wave 2 of the half. The route started with a downhill section through fields. My game plan went out the window and I sped off on my own, enjoying the free speed of downhill running. Soon we had caught up with the 10km race and as we ran up the aptly named ‘steps of death’
As you would expect in the Mendips the course was hilly, but runable. There was a lot of running on grass which I found sapped the legs, after the climb to Beacon batch I was in second place (in my wave). The weather was warm, and I was starting to feel it. A runner then past me shunting me to third. I manged to then crawl back to second after a strong decent off the hill.
Coming to the finsh line I was dismayed to see it finished on a cheeky climb! Then third place came past me again, I was by this point just concentrating on finishing rather than racing and I followed him home. I had to wait for the results of the speedier wave 1 to be compiled with wave 2, but I later that night I found I had come 9th overall out of 300 odd (happy with that).
Yvette had a good race as well, she came 8th female and 5th in her category. Exactly the same as me (8th male, 5th cat). I’m not sure who hated that last hill more but seeing Yvettes face as she ran in, my moneys on her.
Great race, hot and sweaty, good organisation and great facilities, beautiful scenery.
4. 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
Other local races:
Friday 26th June: Beer and Banger 10k – https://www.stuweb.co.uk/race/3yS
Wednesday 8th July: Brean Banger – Club Champs Brean Banger | Burnham on Sea Harriers
Thursday 16th July: Purdown Pursuit (TACH) – Club Champs https://www.sientries.co.uk/event.php?event_id=17733
Sunday 27th September: Black Nore 10k https://www.fullonsport.com/event/black-nore-10km-2026/profile
15% discount for Westbury Harriers at the Gravel & Grit Backyard Ultra May 1st 2027
https://www.gravelandgritevents.com/
Please send anything you might want to see in the newsletter to: communication@westburyharriers.co.uk
WESTBURY HARRIERS FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/groups/westburyharriers/
WESTBURY HARRIERS INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/westbury_harriers/
If anyone is on Instagram, we would love for you to tag us, so we can share your posts/stories taking part in club events or other races!
Editor: Ben Wood
