Sunday 24th September
Westbury Harriers – Weekly News
Editors Piece
A very busy weekend for the club as yesterday we had two relays taking place! The first was represented by Team WHO (Westbury Harrier Optimists) running an off-road relay from Uphill to Wells. On the same day we also had the Midland Road Relay Championships at Sutton Park (full race report to follow) but I can report that the Senior Men’s A team have qualified for the English National Finals.
Today is was a club championship race with a hard-core group heading over to the Forest of Dean for a trail half marathon on some very challenging hills.
Tuesday Running Session at Yate Track and Thursday Intervals
Tuesday session at Yate Track will be published on facebook.
On Thursday we are on the grass for : 5mins (2min recovery) 5 x 90secs (1min recovery) 5mins (2min recovery) 5x 45secs (45secs recovery) *option drop 5 mins down to 4mins and/or complete 4 x 90secs and 1min. (5mins 10k pace 90 & 45 quicker than 5k)
Volunteer Takeover at Blaise Caste Parkrun – Saturday 7th October
Westbury Harriers are doing a Volunteer Takeover at Blaise Castle Parkrun on Saturday 7th October! We will need ~25 wonderful volunteers from within our ranks! If you can volunteer, please let Alastair or myself know, or respond to the facebook posting dated 11th September.
Weymouth 70.3 Ironman
Here’s a few pics of Josh and Rosie from last weekend’s Ironman 70.3 in Weymouth.
It was a wet and wild day with the swim being cancelled, but they both had a great time.
Next Club Championship Event: Black More (Portishead) 10K- Sunday 8th October – FULLY BOOKED
Portishead’s Running Clubs own coastal path race is pack and it’s also a club championship event. A mixed terrain 10k run within the Portishead lake grounds. Race starts at 10am. It’s now all booked up, but there is a waiting list.
Club Birthday’s
Not one, but two club birthday’s to celebrate this week. Tim Carr had plenty to commemorate with his 300th parkrun yesterday running Severn Bridge and today he combined his birthday with a Forest of Dean Half Marathon.
The unstoppable Sandra Sforza also had a very busy birthday weekend when making up the team in the Uphill to Wells relay.
Uphills to Wells Relay by Harro Veldman
Today an inaugural team of Westbury Harriers trail lovers ran the Uphill to Wells relay. WHO are we? Harro, Eithne, Sandra, Anneke and Maggie, the Westbury Harriers Optimists.
A lovely 5 leg route along the West Mendip Way from the beach at Uphill to the Cathedral in Wells. This race is a true relay where the runners carry a little baton to hand over to the next runner.
The legs are a manageable 10k, so perfect even for those that find the Cotswold Way legs a bit long. But the race is still challenging, route finding is more difficult and the route packs some good elevation gain in some of the legs.
You need to work as a team, driving up to the next stop whilst the runner runs their leg. At the end everybody meets in Wells at the Cathedral for tea and cake. It was a beautiful day with lovely views across the Mendips.
Thanks Maggie for organising and Eithne, Sandra and Anneke for some great running. If anybody is interested in joining next year, let us know!
Forest of Dean Autumn Trail Half Marathon by Emma-Jane Orchard
Blue skies, and the sun peaking through, its a perfect day for….oops, that was yesterday. Start again. It was a humid, drizzly day with the remnants of Hurricane Nigel whipping up a storm.
A group of Westbury Harriers headed to the Forest of Dean to participate in the Autumn half made up of Ian Gawinowski, Alastair Blackwood, Phil Brooks (5th in age group (AG)), Helen Sawyer (4th in AG), Kate Hoffen (5th in AG), Debbie Hunt (pictured), Emma-Jane Orchard and Tim Carr.
Everyone did really well. We all finished and the boys even managed to bag an award (1st placed men’s team)!
The general consensus was that the course was quite tough. Significantly more up hill than down! However the setting was beautiful, running on traffic free (always a bonus) forest paths in amongst the trees was amazing as long as you took the opportunity to look. Oh yes, I’d better mention there was lots of mud!!
Club Supper – Thursday 2nd November at 8:15
Next club supper will be Thursday 2 November at 8:15pm at the Black Swan. £9.50 per person. Please confirm using facebook post dated 18th Sept and pay to secure your place.
Oldbury 10 Miler by Fliss Russell
Too many Westbury Harriers to herd into a group photo, but a marshal did managed to shout out to me what a good attendance the club had put up. (It was mile 9), I didn’t reply!
Maggie (centre of picture) won the FV60 category – well done Mags! But also the race is the Avon 10-mile Champ race and Judy Knights (pictured left) , Maggie and myself (pictured on the right) managed the first place FV55, 60 and 65 respectively. I’m pretty sure there were some other Westbury Harriers in the wins too but I’m sorry to say I’m not sure who – if this is you please let the weekly news editor know!
Strava Segment of the Week
Well done to Alex Hamblin on his second fastest 10k at today’s Vitality London 10,000 with sub 34 minute race. He also took the 2nd place Strava cup on segment 10,000-5km in 2:36.
Diary Dates
Friday 29th September – Sunday 1st October. Trail running weekend, Peak District.
Saturday 30 September – Sunday 1st October World Athletics Road Running Champs Riga 1 mile, 5km and half marathon
Sunday 1st October Cardiff Half Marathon (part of the Super Half Series)
Sunday 8th October ‘Black Nore’ 10k Portishead and club championship
Saturday 14th October Pembrey Park Gwent Gwent League Cross Country
Saturday 28th October Master Cross Country Relay– Long Eaton.
Sunday 29th October Nightingale Nightmare and Club Championship
Thursday 2nd November Severn Bridge Night Race (Fabian4 website)
Saturday 4th November Sugar Loaf Winter Fell Race (Fabian4 website)
Thursday 9th November Weston Prom and Club Championship.
Saturday 11th November Cardiff Cross and Gwent League Cross Country
Sunday 12th November MoRun 10k at Ashton Court.
Thursday 16th November Severn Bridge Night Race (Fabian4 website)
Sunday 19th November British Masters Road Relays, Mallory Park, Kirby
Sunday 26th November The AVR Wiltshire Half Marathon (Road) on Race Nation
Saturday 2nd December Blaise Castle Gwent League Cross Country.
Saturday 9th December Tri Counties Cross Country Championships. Further info TBC
Sunday 10th December Christmas Cracker and Club Championship
Saturday 6th January 2024 South West Cross Country Championships – Yeovil
Sunday 4th February The Doynton Hard Half Marathon, trail race.
Saturday 10th February 2024 Gwent Cross Country League Margam Country Park
Saturday 2nd or 3rd March 2024 – 5th Gwent League date and venue not finalised (possibly Saturday at Pontypool again).
Saturday 16th March 2024 – Masters Open Cross Country Championships. Corwen, Wales. (Men/Women masters V35, V45, V55, V65 plus)
Editor this Week
Ian Gawinowski is Westbury Harriers Communications Officer and can be contacted via communication@westburyharriers.co.uk
