Hello and welcome to a slightly delayed summer holiday edition of the Westbury harriers newsletter. Hope everyone with school age kids is surviving the holidays!
I’ve just returned from a week in Majorca where I had to run at 7am to be remotely cool and it was still 27 degrees! Do they say that heat training is the poor mans altitude training?! Lets hope so!
Any way on with the mid week news 🙂
RACE REPORTS
Some more news from Cornwall- Jonathan Riley and Alex Smith both had a great run in The Rat Plague event- 100km along the coastal path from Porthpean to St Anthony’s head and back again. They started at 00:05 this morning. No results yet but both were finished by 2:15pm this afternoon. Many congratulations!
BMAF Masters Championships
by Anne Dockery
I went to Derby last weekend for the BMAF Masters Championships. On Saturday Morning I had a great race in the 1500. One of those rare occasions when everything seemed to work! Grabbed the Gold in a PB(!!!!!) of 6:34.10. Absolutely thrilled.
Being the only 75+ in the 400 I managed another Gold (1:31.85 ) .
My 800 on Sunday was at 3pm and it was a tough race as I knew it would be . I was pipped at the post by fellow Yate athlete, Caroline Lavis . Her time 3:19.48 My time 3:19.70. I rarely have a race to the line so it was a treat to finish the weekend with this effort. Exhilarating .
Many thanks to Pat Gallagher for her helpful tips and the cheering!
Perhaps next year we will have a few more Westbury Harriers there. Results not on Po10 yet but when they are you can check out the times in your age group. Worth a look!
Westonbirt House Summer 10k
Club Championship #10
Well done to all who ran. There were some fantastic category results for Westbury Harriers.
Many congratulations to
Judy Knights 1st FV60 48:59
Jack Derrick 2nd Male and 1st Senior 38:41
https://dbmaxresults.co.uk/results.aspx?CId=16421…
Club Championship
Here are the Club Championship results after the previous 10 races.
The 12th Club Championship event will be the Forest of Dean Autumn Half Marathon:
https://www.forestofdean-halfmarathon.co.uk/autumn/index.php
Club Admin
English National Cross Country Champs
In February we were all lined up to take our biggest team for many years to the English National Cross Country Champs – only for it to be cancelled at late notice.
We now have a second chance – entries are now open for the re-arranged English National Cross Country to be held at Weston Park, Telford on Saturday 14th September,
We would really like you in the Westbury Harriers team so please say Yes and let Mike (men) or Tamsin (women) know if you can make it.
Dear men,
Westbury Harriers will be entering teams in the Under 17 (under 17 on 31st August 2023), Junior Men (Under 20 on 31st Aug 23) and Senior Men (over 20 on 1st September 23) categories *** in the English National Cross Country.
*** Note : these are ages as of last cross country season – when the original event was cancelled due to flooding.
As well as individual and age group performances we are targeting the Aggregate (Persil) Trophy for the English National Cross Country Championships.
This is for combined scores of U17, Under 20 and Senior Men’s teams.
It may be tough to win it but we could get a top 10 result – and that’s like being Premier League !
Travel is being arranged and we plan to offer transport from Bristol and Yate.
Exact travel arrangements will follow but the aim is to go up early to enjoy the whole day of racing.
We plan to stop off at motorway services for a meal on way back.
If you’re coming from somewhere other than Yate or Bristol we can help with your travel costs.
You can do your own entry (see SportSoft (race results) link below) and the club will reimburse you.
https://www.race-results.co.uk/results/2024/natxc24e.php
If you do this please let me know you’ve entered by email – include your name and tel no.
Alternately, just email or text me with your name and contact tel no and I can do the entry for you.
We will also be entering the Under 17 and Senior Men’s categories at the Midland 6 Stage Relay on the following Saturday 21st September.
We aim to have three Senior Men’s teams in the Midland 6 Stage Road Relays at Sutton Park on Saturday 21st September and will be aiming for a top 20 place.
Look on Run Together – Westbury Harriers Midland Road Relays (or Midlands AA website) for further information.
I’m happy to do the entries for both events but please check that you are available before committing.
Mike Mewse
Dear Ladies,
In February we were all set to take a team to the English National Cross Country Champs – only for it to be cancelled at late notice due to flooding. We now have a second chance – entries are now open for the re-arranged English National Cross Country to be held at Weston Park, Telford on Saturday 14th September.
If you would like to race please enter yourself details below. Please note I assume the 2025 event will go ahead as usual which would be the last Saturday in February. I have heard it is Parliament Hill in London. Contribution to travel costs are available through our expenses policies.
You can do your own entry (see SportSoft (race results) link below) and the club will reimburse you.
https://www.race-results.co.uk/results/2024/natxc24e.php
If you do this please let me know you’ve entered by email.
Anyone can enter the National – it is like a Gwent league on a grand scale, all ages all abilities. You get to run against some of the top names in what is always a well organised an exciting day. It is like a big festival or running.
It will be interesting in September, as will be very different with potentially good solid ground. The National is usually a slog! I am really sorry I will not be able to attend myself as my husband is away that weekend. But do speak to me if you are thinking of going as can let you know who else is interested.
Avon Road Relays – Sunday 26th August at Cleeve cricket Club (5km each leg)
Please also remember we are putting teams together for this event – please sign up sooner rather than later. All age groups teams, all abilities. A great fun, local event. No cost, club pays the entry fee.
https://groups.runtogether.co.uk/WestburyHarriersRunningClub/Runs/Summary/4cf13315-d971-493d-aa14-d6c59f13c553
And the Midland Road Relays – 4 stage – Saturday 21st September 2024 Sutton Park
https://groups.runtogether.co.uk/WestburyHarriersRunningClub/Runs/Summary/7671e95e-e66a-4884-8317-64b34e64b121
Any questions please get in touch.
Kind Regards
Tamsin
THIS WEEK’S TRAINING
Just in time for Thursday training –
Thursday Intervals
Juniors 6pm, Adults 7pm at Coombe Dingle
Senior session this week –
5 – 1 min rec-40 secs – 80 secs rec
4 – 1 min rec – 40 secs – 80 secs rec
3 – 1 min rec – 40 secs – 80 secs rec
2 – 1 min rec – 40 secs – 80 secs rec
1 – 1 min rec – 40 secs
*option to drop 5 mins to 4 mins and 4 mins to 3 mins
**Options are suitable for those coming back from injury/time out, but remember as well it would be more beneficial to sometimes take the reduced option and run quicker, than to complete the full session and run at the same speed as previous training blocks.
CHARITY OF THE YEAR
On Monday 19th August we have our annual charity event and cake sale. This year’s run will be a hash again. Starting at 7pm open to all seniors and juniors. (Run is on RunTogether)
But we need to chose a charity to support. A poll is on Facebook soon but here are the choices and some information about them.
Ambition Lawrence Weston – https://www.ambitionlw.org
Ambition Lawrence Weston exists as a resident-driven organisation striving to make Lawrence Weston an even better place to live and work.
Access Sport – https://www.accesssport.org.uk/
Access Sport (Bristol) believe that no one should be excluded from the transformational benefits of community sport. The benefits we focus on are:
- Physical and mental health and well-being
- Personal development (including life skills/ prospects)
- Sense of belonging
- Community engagement.
Penny Brohn UK – https://pennybrohn.org.uk/
Penny Brohn UK is the cancer health and wellbeing charity. We help people feel better in mind, body and spirit by offering everybody with cancer a choice of personalised cancer care. All free, safe and backed by research. Based in Pill.
The Ripple Effect – https://rippleeffect.org/
Working alongside farming families in East Africa so they can grow a brighter future, fighting hunger and the climate crisis. Our African team provide practical farming and other trainings to families living in rural areas to help them make the most of their land, and as they grow more, they improve nutrition, earn income, transform their lives, and pass this knowledge on (hence the ripple effect!)
EVENTS CALENDER / UPCOMING RACES
A reminder that we have an events calendar on our website where you can keep track of dates for training, events and races. (Thanks, Vicky, for keeping this updated). https://westburyharriers.co.uk/events/events-calendar/
Club Championship info and rules on this link: https://westburyharriers.co.uk/events/club-championship/
Wednesday 14th August – Crook Peak Fell Race, Club Championship #11
Monday 19th August – Annual charity hash run and cake sale @Blaise Castle
Sunday 25th August – Avon 5km Road Relay Championships: Cleeve Cricket Club
Saturday 14th September – The rearranged English National Cross Country Championships. Weston Park, Staffordshire.
Team managers will send out details in due course. Club pays entry fee. Target team race. ADD THE DATE IN YOUR DIARY.
Saturday 21st September – Midland 6/4 stage Road Relays – Sutton Park. Target team race.
Sunday 29th September – Forest of Dean Autumn Half Marathon, Club Championship #12
Track fixtures
Here are the current Track fixtures for August;
August 3rd – National Athletics League – Bedford Yate National League Facebook page & Natonal League website
August 11th Avon track and field League – Yate – Avon Track & Field League website
August 17th – Midland Athletics League – Rugby – Yate Midland League Facebook page & Midland League website
August 27th – Avon AA Open Meeting – Filton – Avon AA Open Meetings
Midland League at Yate – endurance runners needed.
Check out Yate Midland League FB group https://www.facebook.com/groups/735921887780553
A great website for races within an hour of Bristol is https://www.runfinder.co.uk/find-your-next-run
As a Westbury member you get free membership to Yate AC – so join up to find out what goes on https://yateac.co.uk/yate-district-ac-membership/
If we have missed any race events that you think should be listed or would like to send a race update that you participated in, please contact – communication@westburyharriers.co.uk
This week’s editor: Sophie Voller
