Category Archives: Newsletter

HJ NEWS – 24th OCTOBER 2021

Get yer kit ON

The Hell’s Angels, the Bloods and Crips, the Yakuza. All well-known community organizations whose members make themselves easy to identify thanks to a particular dress code. And why should the Horsham Joggers be any different? We, too, should wear our badge with pride as we go about our gang club activities. Not leather jerkins and long beards, though. Not bandanas and checked shirts. And not forced amputation of little fingers (although the reduced weight could help you get that PB!). Instead why not get yourself over here and avail yourself of the new Horsham Joggers training kit. 

Long and short sleeve Ts in club – what is it, maroon? Burgundy? Merlot? – or some nice white shorts, waterproofs, the lot. You can get your initials on them for a small additional fee, too! What’s more, you can get your initials on them for FREE if your initials are HJ. 

Then everyone in town will be aware of your allegiance when you’re training and not just when you’re racing. And if you spot anyone around Horsham in CRC gear you can bust a cap on their ass give them a wave in acknowledgement of our friendly local rivalry. 

Suffer the little children

The Committee has decided after giving it much thought that the club will not at this time establish a juniors section for kids under the age of 18. Instead the club will look to link up with the Blue Star Harriers who have a great set-up for kids over the age of 10. However, members who would like to bring their kids along to runs or training sessions are welcome to do so (if indeed there are people who enjoy running to an unbroken looping soundtrack of “can we go HOME now?” – or maybe that’s just mine…).

Please just remember that children must be accompanied by (and are the responsibility of) a parent or guardian.

Track – just turn up!

No more booking needed. ‘Nuff said!

Your club needs YOU!

Ok, we need some of you wonderful people to put your names forward to help manage some club activities. We need volunteers to lead head torch trail runs (requirements: own torch, own head), marathon training runs in 2022 and, more immediately, to help with the HJ Winter Handicap on Tuesday November 9th. We need 12 volunteers for this last one, including 10 marshalls. 

We are also on the hunt for a new Club Treasurer, to help look after all our treasure*, as Ian Campell is standing down in April next year. Big thanks to Ian for all the hard work. 

Ian also deserves additional thanks for his organization of this year’s marathon training. Thanks, too, to our coaching trio of Lawrence Roy, Fiona Clifton, and our new run leader Jane Footer!

*The Committee regret that the club is unable to accept applications for the post of treasurer from anyone with a recent conviction for embezzlement. So much red tape. 

Tony Talk

It’s like a TED Talk but with Tony Schofield, from Hands On Sports Therapy. It’s happening on October 27th, it’s focused on preventing, managing, and treating common running injuries, there are just a few spaces left, and you can snap them up here.

Large Clock for Hire

Did you know that Horsham Joggers look after and manage the Sussex Athletics race clock? Well, now you do! It’s free of charge for official HJ events and can be hired out for any other external events throughout the region. Affiliated clubs within the network even get a reduced hire charge! For full details, please take a look at the website: https://www.sussexathletics.net/take-part/road-running-information/race-clock-hire/ 

Any old shoes?

If anyone has any old running shoes that are still in reasonable condition, TV’s Simon Perkins is still collecting for the Gatwick Refugee Detention Centre. They are desperate for more and are hugely grateful for the donations we’ve made so far. DM SP on FB if you have any sitting around that look too good to throw away! Loads more detail on the charity here: http://www.gdwg.org.uk/ Thanks!!

Fundraising Score!

Word from the Riverside Walk Committee: We are pleased to announce that following last month’s Annual Riverside Walk, donations by walkers and supporters to Parkinson’s UK Horsham branch amounted to £2,860.37. Members of the Horsham branch of P UK have asked us to thank all who contributed.

Honourable Mentions

What a lot of running you’ve all been doing! Here are some shout-outs for some wonderful achievements from the HJ Fam.

  • Some class Dad and Daughter action from Lee and Izzi Jestico at the Goodwood 5k. Young Izzi  was 1st junior, 6th female and 20th overall coming in at 25:02, while her Dad took second place with a sub-17!
  • Barnaby Smith has had a great few weeks, running his first two 10k races at Worthing and Littlehampton!
  • In September Pete O`Connell, Steve Wigmore, Dean Angell & Bryan Camfield won GOLD in the Sussex M50`s at the Goodwood relays. We salute you!
  • Joggers in this year’s delayed London Marathon achieved the following race times Natalie Charman 04:52:48, Karen England 05:13:31, TV’s Simon Perkins 03:04:08, Crispin Scott 03:36:56, Gary ‘Big Slice’ Tomlinson 02:50:04 & Jaqueline Williamson 05:08:10
  • On Sunday 10th October 34 Horsham Joggers competed in the Worthing 10k which is one of the largest mass participation running events in the South, welcoming runners of all abilities to a flat coastal route. Race times Lee Jestico (third place!) 00:34:55, Hadley O`Dwyer 00:38:03, Pete O`Connell 00:38:39, Andrew Puttick 00:39:05, Luke Minogue 00:39:28, Finlay Burchett, 00:39:37, Nick Street 00:40:52, Matt Cooper 00:42:58, Malcolm Footer 00:43:09, John Crayford 00:44:45, Steve Tucker 00:45:01, Mark Hawthorne 00:45:48, Miranda Huisman 00:45:54, Ian Bradbury 00:45:49, Gary Tomlinson 00:49:43, Daniel Price 00:49:36, Jo Tomlinson 00:49:43, Penny Barron 00:49:58, Richard Barron 00:53:18, Frankie Bailey 00:55:55, Emma Hodges 00:57:05, Geoff Fisher 00:57:59, Sharon Burchett 00:57:55, Gary Burchett 00:57:55, Ian Bunch 00:58:33, Sue Zanin 00:58:27, Chris Garner 01:00:00, Claire Butler 01:01:08, Natalie Reynolds 01:03:49, Jane Footer 01:04:39, James Munden 01:06:23, Ian Hines 01:12:20, Mick Duplock 01:18:23 & Crispin Scott 01:18:24
  • The Downslink Ultra on the 10th October was a 38 mile Ultra point to point race from St Martha’s Hill, Surrey to Shoreham- by-Sea, West Sussex using the Downslink footpath and bridleway. Nine Horsham Joggers completed: Charlie Carter 06:01:31, Dominic Wakefield 06:09:41, Russell Kemp 06:14:57, Chris Yeomans 06:26:30, Nick Broom 06:28:13. Tim Hampson, 07:31:43, Mark Gibson 07:33:14, Ian Moore 07:34:44 & Paul Chantler 07:45:22
  • Bacchus Half is an undulating (with one significant hill) and multi-terrain with a bias towards road. Half of the course is inside the beautiful Denbies Wine Estate, the other half passes through National Trust countryside and woodland  along the Pilgrims Way and North Downs Way. It is a demanding route but also a beautiful one offering breath-taking views over the Mole Valley, Ranmore Common and the North Downs. Linzi Williams 04:15:46, Helen Morgan 04:15:45 & Jo Bull 04:15:45
  • Caroline Bransden was representing for HJ at the Oxford Half this month with a time of 02:21:07.
  • We had a good crowd at the Great South Run,a flat 10-miler with over 16,000 runners in Portsmouth on Sunday 17th October. Raff Vitale 01:07:59, Michael Snook 01:10:56, Ben Casey 01:15:24, Mike Hibberd 01:15:24, Russ Kemp, 01:15:24, Guy Gilder 01:25:43, Nigel Blackbee 01:29:00, Vicky Holliday 01:29:16, Martyn Newton 01:29:18, Martin Allen 01:30:00, Matthew Horne, 01:33:04, Lee McGeean 01:35:14, Amanda Sullivan 01:39:57, Mark Wilmot 01:40:54,Natalie Charman 01:42:57, Sue Newman 01:43:12, John Berry 01:44:37, Natalie Buckman 01:53:47, Pat Radley 01:56:02, Tracey Martin 01:56:42, Ian dickson 01:58:02, Alison Boulton 02:05:30, Edna Clark 02:07:33, jane adams 02:07:37,

Claire Tilson 02:12:21, Michelle Worsey 02:12:21, Susie Milbank 02:13:27

  • Some great results from Brighton Half: Paul Davis 01:23:59, Rebecca Gattinesi 01:54:00, Richard Shergold 01:57:30, Andy Jefford, 02:25:01

Upcoming Events

And there’s more…

27 OCT 19:00 – 20:00

Hands On Sports Therapy – Tony Schofield talk – HJ event

3 NOV 19:00 – 21:00

HJ Committee Meeting

6 NOV

Maverick Frontier South Downs

7 NOV

Beckley 10K

9 NOV

HJ Winter Handicap

18:30 – 20:00

Horsham Sports Club

19 NOV

19:00 – 21:30

HJ Quiz Night

Horsham Sports Club


Huge thanks, as always, to Mike Hibberd for another entertaining news round-up!

HJ NEWS – 27TH SEPTEMBER 2021

Run and Talk – or Just Talk

I don’t know about you but, if I’m injured and out of action, I find it quite difficult to look at Strava, or the HJ Facebook page. The frustration at being unable to run is heightened by the sight of all those miles being logged by my fellow runners. This came up in discussion on Sunday just past when the HJ mental health champions met at Horsham Park as part of the ongoing effort to showcase the club as a welcome environment for everyone, regardless of ability. 

It’s fair to say that this hour-long experience forced us to confront any tendency to self-consciousness. When you’re doing drills that make you look like socially distanced morris dancers, and members of the public (and indeed members of Horsham Joggers) are pointing and staring at you in open puzzlement, you can’t let it bother you. 

Only one person who wasn’t already a member turned up, which was fewer than was hoped for but possibly more than expected. All power to the young lady, who joined in with a smile, and expressed genuine gratitude at the end of the session. Not long arrived in Horsham from Brazil she was looking for a way to meet people and get back into exercise. It was worth everyone being there to be able to extend a welcome. 

It prompted a chat about the social lifeline that running with a club can provide – and the fact that this lifeline is required even (and possibly especially) when people are injured and unable to participate. So it’s important to flag that the first Tuesday of every month, which is designated for a Run and Talk get-together at The Bridge leisure centre, is open to all members even if you’re sidelined for a while. 

Come down and have a warm drink anyway and chat to your fellow Joggers. Everyone knows what it’s like to be out of action. You can explain and complain, they can offer tea and sympathy.

We can call it a ‘Whingery Clinic’

Talk, Talk – Life’s What You Make It

We have two slightly more structured talking events coming up, while we’re about it.

On 27th October, and related to what we’ve just been discussing, Tony Schofield of Hands On Sports Therapy will be giving a talk on common running injuries, looking at both prevention and treatment. Look out for the details coming soon (and check out his article below…). 

The second talk might be subtitled ‘Butter Wouldn’t Melt’. Endurance athlete Nick Butter, who has become the first person to run a marathon in every country in the world – and there are 196 of them! – will be giving an exclusive talk to HJ members on Thursday October 7th. Nick is in the midst of his ‘Inspire Tour’ and can also share stories of another recent feat – completing 200 marathons in 128 days running round the coast of Britain.

To reserve your free place, use the booking link below.

Time: 18:15 for 18:30 start

Venue: Horsham Sports Club, Cricket Field Rd, Horsham RH12 1TE

https://bookings.horshamjoggers.co.uk/n10047e4a14c03725f715448930c8d94a7d66f6128b5169d9abc573694b9e6c4a70aa?fbclid=IwAR3Yl_ta1ALG1t2ujPimqV-S8Z4H9qFdj9UaVIY4Uzg9_hQ9leIW-I-yKXQ

First come first served and numbers will be limited.

Join The Guides

Now, here’s a worthwhile opportunity. England Athletics are delivering a number of Sight Loss Awareness and Guide Running workshops across the country over the next three months, designed to enable people to support visually impaired (VI) runners by acting as a guide runner and promoting VI-friendly athletics and running opportunities. There is a cost associated, but it could be borne by the club if any members are interested. While there are currently no courses scheduled locally the club may also consider paying travel and accommodation costs, depending on demand. 

A Bridge Too Far

It has been noted that some members would like to see a little more variety in terms of club run starting times and locations. So on the third Tuesday of every month the Run Leaders are going to post their planned sessions to the Facebook group and on other social sites. Session details will include pace, start-time, and meeting point. It is possible that mixing things up in this way will reveal where all the Run Leaders live. 

Well I’ll be dog gone

We have had some enquiries recently about bringing dogs and buggies (presumably containing children, but possibly also containing dogs) along to organized HJ events. Sadly we are not able to accommodate this, unless specifically stated (for example, if an event were designated ‘canine cross’). 

This is partly due to insurance reasons and partly to do with the fact that we are trying to mitigate against some frustrating Google search confusion with Horsham Doggers – an unrelated organization but one which, somewhat unhelpfully, is also understood to convene occasionally at The Bridge car park. 

It’s time for Swiss (Ball) Tony!

Thanks once again to Tony at Hands on Sports Therapy (based at The Bridge) for supplying another excellent piece on running health!

Hi everyone, in my first post last time around I briefly spoke about how we can pick up niggles and injuries and the relationship between `Load` and `Capacity`. One of the ways to help reduce this was to go through some simple strengthening exercises.

Strengthening is such an important part in anyone’s training, it has the potential

to reduce your injury risk by correcting muscle imbalances and improving muscle

activation, as well as increasing the efficiency of your running biomechanics which

results in improved running performance.

Now, quite often when I advise someone to go through some strengthening they

immediately think they’re going to have to join a gym or go out and buy some

special equipment. But this simply isn’t the case, you just need a bit of guidance.

So how often should we be doing something? I would say if you can manage to

find 30 minutes 2-3 times a week it’s a great starting point and you will see some

positive benefits. For those runners out there that run 5-6 times a week I often get

asked how can they fit these extra sessions in? Even if you can find time for one

session each week it’s better than not doing anything at all. Now, this may be

controversial for some but if you are still struggling to fit a strength session in, then

in my opinion, you will get more benefit from dropping a run to put that strength

session in!

Here are my best exercises for runners.

1. Calf Raise

You can progress this by completing single leg rather than both at the same time. You can also do this with a slight bend to the knee to engage your Soleus muscle.If you wanted to add some further load then hold onto something or put a rucksack on with a few heavy books in, anything really to make yourself heavier! calf-raises-1.jpg

2. Single Leg Bridge

Ensure you squeeze your buttocks throughout the movement and push through your heel to lift up. If this is a struggle then complete initially on both feet and work up to a single leg movement. To get your Core muscles working try folding your arms across your chest rather than on the floor as shown in the picture.skimble-workout-trainer-exercise-one-leg-floor-bridge-bent-2_iphone.jpg

3. Bird Dog

Tighten up your abdominals for this one and try to keep the body as still as you can not allowing the balance to sway left and right. If you master this then try to make small circles with yourBird-Dog_Exercise.jpg

hands and feet while in the outstretched position.

4. Crab Walk

Sit yourself down into a ¼ squat position but don’t let the knees come forwards, instead stick your bum back. While maintaining this position step as wide as you can to one side. Make sure you don’t scuff or slide your feet when steeping and try to maintain that squat position. You’ll definitely feel it in the glutes!Blog_Resistance_Bands_Walk.jpg

5. Resisted Hip Extension
Butt-Standing-Hip-Extension-with-Short-Resistance-Band.jpg

Bend the knee on the standing leg a little more than is shown on the picture. The moving leg

should be extended backwards but also out to the side, at a 45 degree angle.

6. Goblet Squat

Keep your weight to your mid foot or heel rather than on the ball of your foot. Try to sit down onto an imaginary chair without allowing your knees to come too far forward and maintaining an upright body position. You don’t need a dumbbell/kettlebell, you can use a bag of spuds or similar!goblet-squat.jpg

7. Single Leg Squat with Isometric Hip Abduction

Ready to work hard on this one?! With the ball placed in position gently apply pressure with your bent leg into the ball, this creates an isometric contraction and you should feel it in the outer Glute. Once you feel this sit down on the standing leg maintaining weight through the heel not allowing your knee to travel too far forward. Also make sure your standing leg doesn’t drop inwards. Single+leg+ball+squats+.jpeg

The above exercises are my personal favourites that I give out as rehab to help runners strengthen. They’re not a one size fits all so if you give these a try and – if you feel any issues – then stop and get in touch. If you’re struggling with pain or injury prior to doing any of these then please don’t attempt these in the hope it will make you better, get things looked at properly by a professional. I would always recommend starting the exercises with 6 repetitions over 2 sets and gradually build up to a maximum of 10-12 reps x 3 sets.

Give them a go and let me know what you think.

Thanks for reading,

Tony

Hands On Sports Therapy

Results!

Thanks as always to Chris for compiling the results. Please note it was not possible to sort the Brighton Half and Marathon results according to club so we could not be sure to identify everyone. So congratulations to everyone who took part in Brighton – particularly in the longer race which, technically, surely qualified as an Ultra Marathon this year. Let’s hope they have enough money in the pot for a new trundle wheel. 

  • 14 Horsham Joggers attended the Littlehampton 10k in early September. Starting along the promenade the run takes in central Littlehampton and residential Rustington before a stunning seafront finish near the iconic East Beach Cafe. Chip Times: Stephen Entecott 00:52:33, Barnaby Smith 01:29:41, Jane Footer 01:07:36, Warren Marks 00:50:03, Kath Barnes 01:03:52, Penny Sanders , Lee Jestico 00:36: 05, Lisa Jestico 00:57:29, Debby Scull 01:22:48, Ian Hines 01:27:22, Andrew Puttick 00:39:53, Michelle Hepple-Haines 00:50:05 , Emma Chapman 00:58:46 & Tracey Jones 01:08:48
  •  12 Horsham Joggers attended the Arundel 10k run. Starting in Arundel Park, the route enters the grounds of Arundel Castle via the St Marys Gate and then exits over the drawbridge into the park for the finish and combines a mixture of tarmac and grass track. Runners chip times David Jones 00:42:39, Louise Johnson 01:00:47, Lorraine Hunter 01:04:27, Chris Wigby 00:44:11, Alan Pettitt 00:48:53, Sue Hensman 01:09:48, Andy Jefford 01:01:58, Christine Velarde 01:10:58, Claire Tilson 01:12:49, Karl Anderson 01:03:26, Linda Morris 01:44:44 & Jane Adams 01:16:31
  • James Tombs and Chris Yeomans attended Marks 200th Marathon on the Highdown hill by Sussex Trail events to complete 10 loops with over 3000 ft of elevation. Watch times: James Tombs 04:09:34 & Chris Yeomans 04:31:37.
  • The Rye Ancient Trails race took place on Sunday, September 12th 2021. This scenic and challenging 30km multi-terrain race starts and finishes in the medieval town of Rye, East Sussex. The single-lap route winds its way through ancient woodland, orchards and farmland on trails, footpaths and quiet country lanes, linking the Norman churches of Rye, Iden, Beckley, Northiam and Peasmarsh – a true steeplechase! 30k: Ian Wilcox 03:47:57 & Rob Jochimsen 03:55:57. 15:k Julie Jochimsen 01:50:13

ED Whilst we try to include as many of you as possible in the results round-up, we will not always capture everyone. If you would like a mention, or know someone who should be recognised for their running achievements, please do let us know!

Also, huge thanks to Roger Johnson for organising a fantastic Horsham Round on August Bank Holiday Monday, and well done to everyone who ran or supported. It was great to see so many HJers together in one place again! We hope you enjoyed the day, and the fantastic food afterwards.


Calendar

29 SEPT, WED

HJ Committee Meeting

3 OCT, SUN

Chichester Half Marathon

Heron Way 10k

London Marathon

South of England Athletic Association AGM (papers available, contact club)

6 OCT, WEDS

1800 – 1900 

England Athletics pre-AGM Board webinar

Details here

10 OCT, SUN

Brighton Half Marathon

Guildford 10k

Downslink Ultra

17 OCT, SUN

Great South Run

23 OCT, SAT

England Athletics AGM


ED: in the last newsletter you would have hopefully read about our inaugural Tony Johnson Award, which was presented to Steve Wright after his efforts for Team HJ during the South Downs Way Relay back in July.

Steve was honoured to receive the award and to keep Tony’s memory alive at an event that he loved.

Steve is pictured below with team captain Paul Davis.

Big thanks also to Paul Aylett for his superb craftsmanship in making the fantastic trophy.


Thank you as always to Mike Hibberd for another great news round-up!

If there is anything you would like featured in the next newsletter, or a special mention for someone, please drop us a line!

HJ NEWS – 9TH AUGUST 2021

Uh-oh… It’s Friday the 13th!!

Clandestine meetings. Arcane rituals. The blooding of tender new recruits. All on the most cursed of nights. That’s right, it’s the Horsham Joggers Annual General Meeting! New disciples Julie Jochimsen and Lee Jestico, plus incoming Overlord Paul Morley, will enjoy their initiation ceremonies. Meanwhile Stephen Entecott and Margaret Wadman will be released from their bonds with thanks for all their hard work and bid never to speak of the macabre events to which they have borne witness.  

Afterwards there will be a human sacrifice social event at Horsham Cricket Club, which starts at 8pm. You don’t have to go to the AGM to attend the social, and capacity is limited to 100 people. You’re encouraged to bring a plus one if you’d like and it’s a great chance to meet the new chairman and get him to buy you a drink! Please let us know if you would like to attend!

We Shall Endure

There is more than a hint of masochism to running as an activity of leisure. For some reason we enjoy making ourselves wince and suffer. There are times when it seems we measure our pleasure in units of pain. And times, too, when the enjoyment exists almost entirely in the experience of having finished. Wasn’t that just the most fun, we tell ourselves as we pay the physio or hobble up a flight of stairs. 

There must have been some deep digging by the HJ representatives taking part in the rescheduled Endure 24 event in July. Two teams of six competed in the event which requires participants to take turns to run a five mile loop constantly for 24 hours. 

The ‘Run Now, Beers Later’ team, featuring Hadley O’Dwyer, Luke Minogue, Harry Wilcox, Trevor Barret, Simon Mills, and Tom Rob logged a whopping 185 miles, bagging fourth place overall in the process. Meanwhile the ‘Not Enough E’s’ team (naming explanation required…) of Philip Liberman, Claire Miller, Thomas Jack Ikin, Ryan Moorey, Richard Speller, and Michael Saunders covered a highly impressive 140 miles. 

In a similar vein we had a team at the South Downs Way Relay, the 100 mile race where teams of six run three legs apiece across the somewhat undulating footpath. On that one I can speak from experience. It’s brutal. Dom Wakefield, Paul Davis, Russ Kemp, Derry Jarvis, Andrew Wright, and Steve Wright completed the course in 13 hours and two seconds, which is great running. 

Congratulations to all of you. 

And the winner is…

And on the subject of those who shall endure, the SDW Relay was chosen by the club as the focus of the inaugural Tony Johnson memorial award. The award, hand crafted by our own Paul Aylett in Tony’s memory, is to be presented to the team member who demonstrates standout performance, determination, and perseverance – all attributes that Tony possessed in spades and demonstrated countless times on the Downs. 

In an event that requires these characteristics from all participants it will always be a tough call. This year the award went to Steve Wright, who put in some fantastic times. Congratulations, Steve, on being the first recipient of this special award.

In the heat of the night

Staying with the South Downs, Chris Yeomans and Alan Pettitt went out under the stars in the Midnight Marathon. The race starts at Queen Elizabeth Country Park and wends its way across the Downs with a full moon and clear night affording beautiful views of the surrounding villages and a stream of twinkling head torches. Chris finished in 04:48:41 and Alan in 05:31:12. Well done chaps.

Additionally, Alan completed the Serpent Trail 100k in 14:16:32, taking first place in his age group. Good man. 

And there’s more

On 10th July Victoria Saunders completed the Race to the Stones 50K, her first 50k and thoroughly enjoyed the experience and the fantastic scenery on the Berkshire/Oxfordshire Ridgeway trail. Race time 07:49:49.

On the same day six Horsham Joggers competed in the Humanity Direct Chiltern Challenge, a 50km looped route covering some of the best of the Chilterns countryside. Race times Matt Whyman 05:51:16, Alan Pettitt 05:51:17, Brian Frost 06:03:30, Helen Woods 06:43:54, Emma Whyman 07:48:20 & Ethel Whyman 07:48:23.

Twenty Horsham Joggers competed in the Run Wisborough 10k & 5k event at Wisborough Green. For the 5K we had Dean Angell 00:19:04 4th place, Jo Tomlinson 00:26:34, Andy Jefford 00:30:20, Ian Bunch 00:31:22, Jane Footer 00:32:08, Lorraine Hunter 00:32:29, Diane Berry 00:32:29, Libby Allen 00:33:32, Coral Kennedy 00:35:43 & Margaret Wadman 00:36:31

For the 10k we had Gary Tomlinson 00:36:57 4th place, Andrew Puttick 00:41:53, David Malins 00:43:20, Gareth Sear 00:43:55, Michael Catlow, 00:44:06, Harry Wilcox 00:44:17, Andi Marfleet 00:44:59, Simon Holmes 00:47:24, Bharat Pancal 00:47:46 & Rachel Hamson 00:47:51.

Summer Handicap

Well done to the 60 HJers who took and big thanks to Phil and his helpers for organising a great evening. It was fantastic to have so many members back together again after so long.

It was really close near the end as the stagger unwound, with Anita Mazlo crossing the line to become our new champ followed by Jo Tomlinson and Rob Shapland. Well done to all who participated, helped or watched.

Healing Hands

Now, remember those people we have to go and see when we’ve been enjoying ourselves too much? Here’s the first of a new regular item from one of them. Over to you, Tony:

Hello everyone! For those fortunate enough to not have needed to come and see

me, my name is Tony. I own and operate Hands On Sports Therapy & Injury Clinic

based out of The Bridge Leisure Centre in Broadbridge Heath. 

For a long time now we have had a link with Horsham Joggers offering a discount on our services and support to the club whenever required. I have recently been asked by your

committee to contribute a regular slot in your newsletter with a view to give some helpful advice and tips on all things injury related. If there were any particular subject areas you would like me to address or if you have any burning questions that I can answer then please drop me an email, tony@handsonsportstherapy.org.

So, I thought for my first entry I would address one of the main reasons why you

pick up all those little annoying niggles. If not dealt with they can then develop into injuries that potentially could stop you from your normal exercise regime. Now, unless you have tripped, slipped or done something else to yourself, one of the main reasons for picking up a niggle is the good old `too much, too soon` scenario. 

We’ve all been there! This seems particularly relevant as COVID restrictions are easing and you are allowed to get back to some of your normal activities so you;ve got a little bit carried away! It would LoadVsCapacity.jpgalso be very relevant to all of those who have been working from since early 2020, as it’s not just about doing too much but also not doing enough! 

I like to describe this to my patients in a simple bar chart. On one side we have the amount of work you are asking your body to perform (eg running frequency, distance, gym sessions etc) and on the other how much your body can cope with. To keep it simple, let’s call this Load Vs Capacity. We ideally

want these two bars to be relatively close together.

When you increase your training volume, let’s say you’re training for a big race, you want to increase the load gradually so it gives your body time to adapt and then increase your capacity.

I’m sure you have all heard about the 10% rule when increasing distance? If you increase LoadVsCapacity1.jpgyour load quite dramatically without giving your body a chance to adapt, for example if you suddenly increase your running distance from 10 miles to 20 miles, then you can create an increased risk of over loading your soft tissues (muscles, tendons etc) and picking up any niggles or injury.

LoadVsCapacity2.jpgHowever, the same is also true if you are not as active as you have been in the past then your capacity can go down. As mentioned before this would be particularly relevant for those working from home and finding they are being a lot more sedentary than when they travelled into the office. This can also be the case if you are recovering from another injury or a period of being unwell, your capacity will drop creating a larger distance on the Load Vs Capacity and increasing your risk or picking something up.

So, what can you do to maintain this similar Load Vs Capacity?

  • Ensure that any increase to your training volume is gradual so you give your

body a chance to adapt and tolerate the increased load.

  • Be mindful that when coming back from a period of being unwell or if you

have taken a break that you can’t go back to where you left things

previously.

  • Start to go through some simple strength based exercises as this will help

to increase the body’s capacity to tolerate load changes.

  • Make sure you’re allowing time to recover following intense training.

If you have any specific questions or thoughts on this then just get in touch.

Thanks for reading,

Tony, Hands On Sports Therapy.

Horsham Round & Social

Another HJ classic is slated for the August bank holiday weekend. So if you want to get a team together, or even run it on your own, then please let Roger Johnson know at rc.johnson@btinternet.com

Pacers needed for Barns Green

The search is still on for pacers at the Barns Green Half and 10k. For the 10k pacers are needed for 45 mins, 50 mins, 55 mins and 60 mins. For the half, 1:30 and 1:35. If you’re interested, get in touch with Jason Walker at jason.walker1@hotmail.com 

Upcoming Events

13 AUG, FRI

19:00 – 20:00

HJ AGM

21 AUG, SAT

David Lloyd Ultra & Relay

25 AUG, WED

19:00 – 21:00

HJ Committee Meeting

30 AUG, MON

Horsham Round

1 SEPT, WED

Sussex Affiliation Due

5 SEPT, SUN

Littlehampton 10k

11 SEPT, SAT

Horsham Riverside Walk

12 SEPT, SUN

Brighton Marathon

Huge thanks to Mike Hibberd for another great round-up. Remember, if there’s anything you would like us to feature in HJ News, please drop us a line!

HJ NEWS – 2ND JULY 2021

Codes of Conduct

As “breaking social distancing guidelines” looks set to replace “Netflix and chill” in the Officially Ordered Euphemism Rankings (“oo-er” for short) it seems an opportune moment to turn to matters of public conduct. 

Not for Horsham Joggers the murk and sleaze of Whitehall. Not for us the chumocracy, entitlement, and favours of our Old Etonian masters. We strive for better. (Although a 50% discount at Wakefield’s the Jewellers wouldn’t go amiss. Just sayin’.) 

Anyway, as we look to uphold the highest standards of behaviour, we are in need of someone to oversee our activities. The club needs a Welfare Officer, who would be responsible for ensuring that Horsham Joggers is operating within the England Athletics Safeguarding Code of Conduct. It’s an important role and, if you want to know what the Code looks like, you can read about it here.  

Training and support will be provided to whoever fills the role and you should get in touch at info@horshamjoggers.co.uk if you would like to put yourself forward. 

Delay of the Land

Now it wouldn’t be a Horsham Joggers newsletter these days without news of another delay to resumption of full activities. Following the latest guidance we are now looking at bringing the Tuesday night club runs back into service on July 20th. This is a provisional date, of course, and is dependent on further updates from Sajid Javid, who has timed his arrival at DHSC to absolute perfection to become the person who gets to lift the restrictions. No doubt he is busy putting Post-It notes over all the cameras in his office right now. 

A Star is Born

Now, while some people get unwittingly caught on camera, some people were just plain born to it. Our own Mark Aylmore was recently on Horsham TV (yes! It’s a thing) talking about the work of the HJ Mental Health Champions and the #RunAndTalk initiative. At the end of May we spent a Saturday morning in the park to promote the initiative, and it was great to see so many HJs stopping by to lend their support. Meanwhile, Mark took to the airwaves to explain it all to a wider audience. You can watch it here.

Please don’t be put off by the description of the show as: “It’s all about jogging, talking, drinking and getting naked this week on Horsham.TV”. That is absolutely not what happens during Mark’s interview. But don’t let that stop you watching it. 

Summer Handicap

A provisional date of July 27th has been set for the Summer Handicap. Phil Liberman has stepped up to organise the event and he’ll get by with a little help from his friends. So if you’re interested in lending a hand to make this great event happen, drop us a line. 

Horsham Round & Social

Another HJ classic is slated for the August bank holiday weekend. So if you want to get a team together, or even run it on your own, then please let Roger Johnson know at rc.johnson@btinternet.com

Pacers needed for Barns Green

If you’re interested, get in touch at info@horshamjoggers.co.uk 

It all works out in the long run

There’s been a lot of crazy distance running since last we published, so here’s a bit of a round up:

Three Horsham Joggers competed in the Sussex Trail Events Marathon Madness it’s an opportunity to run 5 in 5 or 3 in 3 marathons in the evening with a Half Marathon option, 3 footpath and 2 trail

Chris Yeomans competed in the 5 in 5 marathons starting on Monday 21st and ending on Friday 25th with Matt Whyman and Emma Walters in the 3 in 3 Half Marathons.

Day One:  Worthing Promenade Marathon starting at Splash point and running the Worthing parkrun route, r3.28 miles west along the promenade and back 8 times.

Chris Yeomans 04:11:05

Day Two: Goring Marathon starting at Sea Lane café, Marine Crescent, runners will head east towards Worthing and return 10 times

Chris Yeomans 04:24:51

Day Three: Highdown Hill Trail Marathon starting from the Highdown Hill car park and use a circular route around the hill 10 times

Chris Yeomans 05:03:18, Half Marathon Matt Whyman 02:03:33, Emma Walters 02:06:24

Day Four: The River Arun Marathon starting from the Shoreham toll bridge up the river and back down the downslink.

Chris Yeomans 04:29:15, Half Marathon Matt Whyman 01:54:56, Emma Walters 01:54:55

Day Five Widewater Marathon starting at the car park the runners will head towards the Lancing Green beach and then return 8 times.

Chris Yeomans 04:12:03, Half Marathon Matt Whyman 01:50:19 Emma Walters 01:51:01

On Saturday 29th May 10 Horsham Joggers competed in the Devils Lite – a “there and back” ultra-marathon starting and finishing at Steyning Grammar School. The route heads east through the stunning South Downs National Park to Clayton Village Hall and then turns back west.

James Tombs 05:40:15, Chris Yeomans 05:57:38, Emma Waters 06:03:47, Ian Moore 3rd in best of age 06:18:28, Philip Liberman 06:41:17, Andy Robins 07:28:34, Victoria Robins 07:28:37, Paul Burgess 07:58:39, Theresa Adams 09:20:09 & Jacqui Williamson 09:20:11

Michael Saunders competed in the London to Brighton 100km challenge which started at the Old deer park in Richmond-Upon-Thames, then headed over the North Downs with wonderful Surrey & Sussex countryside to half way at Turners Hill. The route heads over the South Downs before the welcome sight of the Brighton coastline comes into view. Michael’s race time was 21:40:17

On the 22nd May James Tombs competed in the North Downs Way. The race begins in Farnham at the western end of the North Downs, travelling past Puttenham and Guildford following the North Downs Way National Trail. The course then continues on to Ranmore Common before the steepest climb of the race up to the top of Box Hill. Then trail then drops down the other side and back up to Reigate Hill, on through Merstham to Oxted and a further 8 miles to Knockholt Pound and the 50 mile finish. James came in at 08:45:01.

On the 23rd May four Horsham Joggers competed in The Three Forts Challenge, known as “The Tough One”. The Three Forts Marathon (approximately 27.2 miles) includes a total of c. 3450 ft of climb with stiles and rough tracks underfoot. The route runs northwards from Hill Barn to Cissbury Ring, then eastwards towards Coombs then to Botolphs and the River Adur crossing. The route then goes to Devil’s Dyke and back to the River Adur. It continues on the South Downs Way to Chanctonbury Ring, where it swings south-west to Findon Park Farm. It stays on public bridleways to Cissbury Ring and back to Hill Barn. Marathon Finish times Chris Yeomans 05:01:17 & Rob Jochimsen 05:40:22, Half Marathon Finish Times Euan Ramage 01:58:10 & Elisabeth Scott 02:14:47

(ED: Anyone else starting to think that Chris Yeomans needs his own newsletter?!)

Race to the King is an award winning historical trail which starts from Goodwood racecourse then winds along the spectacular South Downs Way, ending on the steps of Winchester Cathedral, one of the most historical significant buildings in Britain and the claimed burial ground of twelve English Kings. A number of Horsham Joggers competed in the non-stop event, covering a distance of 53.6 miles: Dom Wakefield 09:43:21, Paul Davis 10:11:13, Geri Smith 11:27:02, Ethel Whyman 13:04:30 & Robert Swan 16:55:04. And we had three in the Sunday event, a distance of 30.2 miles: Simon Rhodes 06:29:20, Andy Robins 06:29:22 & Victoria Robins.

Well done to all of you crazy people!!

Upcoming Events

If you would like to participate in either the Brighton Marathon or the 10k as a Horsham Jogger, please email SokWahLee@btinternet.com the following asap:

  • Firstname and surname
  • the distance that you would like to run (marathon or 10k) and 
  • your email address (if different to the one you are using)

Please note that if we have more interests than the 10 club places available for each of the events, then the committee will prioritize those who have volunteered in the past and a ballot will be drawn from the remaining applicants for the unallocated places. 

If you are successful in obtaining a club place, you must enter as a Horsham Jogger, and wear an HJ vest / t-shirt as you will be representing the club.  You will be sent a link by the event organiser to register and pay directly to them.  The price is £75 for the marathon and £35 for the 10k.

To be eligible for the ballot mentioned above, for either of the events on 12 September, you must meet the following criteria: 

  • You are a first claim member – that means that HJ is the only (or the first) club you registered with
  • You have been a continuous paid-up member of HJ for at least a year at the time of the 

4 JUL

Focus 10k at Borde Hill

Wisborough Green 10k and 5k

10 JUL

Maverick East Sussex Races 2021

18 JUL

Caterham Rotary Half Marathon & 10k

21 JUL 19:00 – 21:00

HJ Committee Meeting

24 JUL

South Downs Way 100 Relay

Horsham parkrun restarts (hopefully)

27 JUL, TUE Evening

HJ Summer Handicap

Our thanks, as always, to Mike Hibberd for another fantastic news round-up!

HJ News – 19th MAY 2021

Round, Round, Get Around

Nothing says Bank Holiday weekend like the Horsham Round (apart, perhaps, from pouring rain). The Round is back again in 2021, and we are targeting BH Monday – August 30th. To keep things manageable this year we are going to limit entries to HJ members, and we hope to be able to open it up to other clubs again in 2022. 

It’s a great team event (you’ll need to appoint a captain to liaise with the organisation team) and, of course you can do it solo if you fancy. 

As we’ve done in previous years (and restrictions permitting) we’d like to have an informal social in the park afterwards, so plan to stick around and perhaps bring some refreshments. 

There may be a shout going out for volunteers to recce the legs ahead of the event, just to make sure that our course instructions are up to date. Keep your eyes peeled if you’re interested!

As noted, you can’t do the Round if you’re not an HJ member. There are apparently 123 of you who have not yet renewed your membership. Please be aware that, from June 1st, renewal will once again incur an additional joining fee. 

Also planned for some time in July or August – date to be decided – is the annual Summer Handicap. More to follow…

Walk the walk

Back for 2021 as well is the annual Riverside Walk, planned for September 11th. It’s a 13-mile route, there’s no charge, it’s just for fun, and it’s open to walkers and runners of all ages.

Find out more about it here: https://www.horsham.community/2021-annual-riverside-walk/

But we can’t have it all

While the Round looks to be going ahead, we’re sad to say that we will be unable to stage the Horsham 10k this year. A big disappointment but let’s look forward to bringing it back with a bang in 2022 (provisional date is 22nd May 2022).

Tuesdays and Thursdays

It’s great to see so many of you getting back into our Tuesday evening runs, and we’re loving all the pictures you’re posting to the forum. While group leaders have the option now to increase their group size to a maximum of 12 joggers if they feel comfortable doing so, we must continue using the booking system until at least June 21st, when hopefully restrictions will be lifted as planned and we can get back to normal the following day. A lot of hard work continues in the background to enable this system to work as well as it does, so thanks to all involved. 

The Thursday Track and HIIT sessions have been a great success since returning and we’re delighted to see people trying it out for the first time. It really is for everyone. Thanks to Lawrence Roy who has kindly been offering his services to run a coaching session at the track, alongside the regular club session. We are working hard to cover all bases and ensure there is something for everyone. The committee are also looking to add to the leaders and coaches among our membership.

RunAndTalk – Mark’s going on the TV!

We will be introducing monthly RunAndTalk Tuesday groups shortly, with the option for a chat and a tea or coffee afterwards for anyone who is interested. This is not only for members, so if you know anyone who might like to try it, please mention it to them.

The HJ Mental Health Champions will be holding a small event in the park to promote RunAndTalk on May 29th (from 10am). We have no idea what to expect! In addition, Mark Aylmore is being interviewed for Horsham TV to talk about the initiative. He’s busted out the Just For Men!

Friends with Benefits

No – not like that! We’re talking about all the friendly benefits you get from being a Horsham Jogger. There’s a section on the website now which details them, including a discount with Hands On Sports Therapy at The Bridge in BBH. 

What have you all been up to?

You’ve been out racing, that’s what! 

On Sunday 9th May 26 Horsham Joggers competed in the Jigsaw Run 10k, a fantastic opportunity to run along the main runway, perimeter road and track at Dunsfold Park near Cranleigh in Surrey home of Top Gear. Results as follows: 

Gary Tomlinson 00:35:23, Matt Mason 00:39:08, Trevor Barrett 00:40:01, Hadley O’Dwyer 00:40:55, Luke Minogue 00:41:12, Stuart Adesilu 00:41:21, Simon Perkins 00:41:49, Andrew Puttick 00:41:55. Michael Snook 00:42:39, Tom Robertson 00:42:45, Lea Quentin 00:42:46, Ian Dickinson 00:44:45, Jonathon Fengaras 00:46:54, Miranda Huisman 00:47:00, Baz Panchal 00:47:42, Stephen Tucker 00:48:17, Mark Hawthorne 00:49:02, Matthew Senior 00:50:27, Christopher Lee 00:50:51, Tony Hogben 00:51:03, James Hawthorne 00:55:01, Neil Clarke 00:55:02, Wendy Mason 00:56:19, Margreet Potter 00:59:19, Clare Gray 01:06:05 & Jane Footer 01:10:06

Preferring a slightly longer distance, Matt Whyman completed the Thames Way 100 Centurion this month, and he had this to say about it:

“Typically, the dry weather that marked much of spring broke on the morning of the 2021 Thames Path 100. This is a one hundred mile ultramarathon along the winding riverbank from London to Oxford. I crossed the starting mat in the pouring rain at 8.00am, trying not to think of the enormity of the undertaking ahead. With a 28hr time limit, and steep cut offs at each checkpoint, I joined 250 fellow runners on a unique journey through town and country with the waterway as a constant companion. 

“Endurance runs are always an adventure. Running through day and night, in the company of fellow competitors who become friends and even brothers in arms, it’s both a mental and physical challenge. There are high points and deep lows, but just a question of listening to your body, reminding yourself you’ve done all the preparation and then placing process over outcome every step of the way. 

“Ultras seem like a solitary sport but it isn’t possible without a support team. My wife and daughter worked tirelessly, moving from one crew point to the next to make sure I was fuelled and hydrated. At 75 miles, around 2am, HJ’s Emma Walters took up pacing duties. I didn’t think I was capable of a sub-24hr finish, which is the benchmark in 100 mile ultras, but she pushed me through those final hours to make it over the line in time. There, I was presented with the coveted buckle by another HJer, Steve Rooke, who was volunteering to earn his place for next year’s race. Run strong, Steve! It’s an unforgettable experience.”

Anyone else feel like a lie down after reading that?

Meanwhile, Claire Miller and Philip Liberman competed in the Brutal 5k on Saturday 15th May. The start and finish are on a slope in front of Holywell House, a beautiful setting in the Meon Valley, but it soon takes a turn for the worse. There’s mud, there’s waist-deep wading through water, there’s short, sharp hills, but they nailed it! Claire Miller 46:10 & Philip Liberman 46:08 (whatever happened to “after you, darling”?!).

Chris Yeomans combined long distances with short spaces, by competing in the Eastbourne Trackstar Marathon on Saturday 15th May, a challenging but fun (says Chris!) marathon on a standard 400m athletics track. That’s 105.5 laps – and if you lose count you have to start again!* Despite a first half marked by torrential rain and a second half battling a horrific head wind, Chris breezed in sub-four at 03:59:27.

Great work, everyone, and keep your chat and tales of track and trails coming in. 

*(not true)

Stay Safe

Now, do you run with a phone in case of emergency? Do you have ICE contacts loaded? It’s a good idea, especially if you’re heading out on the trails or the lanes. And if you don’t fancy that there are some other options you might want to consider like road tags which you can attach to your watch. A few ideas include the Sidekick ID For Fitbit + Garmin, ICE ID MyID Sleeve & IcetagsLUX ID Tag for Sport Watch.

Upcoming Events

23 MAY, SUN

Three Forts Marathon

29 MAY, SAT

HJ RunAndTalk in the Park

Devils Lite Ultra – Free Event – Steyning

5 JUN, SAT

Horsham – Brighton Run To The Sea Ultra

16 JUN, WEDS

HJ Committee Meeting

20 JUN, SUN

Madehurst South Downs 5k and 10k

27 JUN, SUN

Brighton Half Marathon

North Downs Half Marathon & 10K – Denbies

3 JUL, SAT

South Downs Way 100 Relay

4 JUL, SUN

Focus 10k at Borde Hill

Wisborough Green 10k and 5k

Note – the Brighton events are now closed to general entries.  However, there is still an opportunity for you to enter as part of the club entry. If you would like to participate in either the Brighton Marathon or the 10k as a Horsham Jogger, please email SokWahLee@btinternet.com the following before June 30th:

  • Firstname and surname
  • the distance that you would like to run (marathon or 10k) and 
  • your email address (if different to the one you are using)

Please note that if we have more interests than the 10 club places available for each of the events, then the committee will prioritize those who have volunteered in the past and a ballot will be drawn from the remaining applicants for the unallocated places. 

If you are successful in obtaining a club place, you must enter as a Horsham Jogger, and wear an HJ vest / t-shirt as you will be representing the club.  You will be sent a link by the event organiser to register and pay directly to them.  The price is £75 for the marathon and £35 for the 10k.

To be eligible for the ballot mentioned above, for either of the events on 12 September, you must meet the following criteria: 

  • You are a first claim member – that means that HJ is the only (or the first) club you registered with
  • You have been a continuous paid-up member of HJ for at least a year at the time of the application

And finally

A word from Emma Page of East Grinstead Runners, who are holding their popular annual River Relay event on Sunday, 5th September.

It’s a baton relay race run over five stages totalling 26 miles from Boveney to Kingston-upon-Thames, with all of the surplus funds received returned as payments to charities selected by the winning teams.

We will be in touch over the summer with more details and entry forms – but in the meantime please do save the date if you would be interested in entering a team or two or five!

The HJ Committee will next be meeting on Wednesday 16th June. If you have and questions or anything you would like us to discuss, please let us know.

Our thanks to Mike Hibberd for another great news round-up!

HJ NEWS – 21ST APRIL 2021

Cheap AND Cheerful

Question: What costs 2.74 pence and is really good for you? 

Answer: A day’s membership to your friendly neighbourhood Horsham Joggers. 

That’s value, right? Being part of the HJ community costs just £10 annually as prices have been frozen once more in light of all the restrictions. And it’s only £20 for a family membership! Renewals were due on April 1st this year and we do have a few stragglers off the back of the main pack who we don’t want recording a DNF (Did Not Finance). 

So, to avoid a serious roughing-up at the hands of the club treasurer, just go to the website, log in, choose ‘subscriptions’ from the Member Zone drop down menu and fork it over. 

Bosh. Simple as that. 

Changing Track

Now, before your correspondent joined Horsham Joggers, his favourite track involving a Nigel was this absolute banger from XTC. But in time it came to be supplanted by the Thursday evening track sessions at BBH. The warm up laps. The dynamic stretches. The sense of anticipation as the paper goes on the post. Will it be 6 X 800m or 8 x 600m? Or what about 20 x 200m sprints (tough, tough, tough)? Or the Pyramids (weirdly, my favourite)? 

While track has recently returned to the calendar, it has done so without the presence of Coach Nigel who is stepping down from the coaching duties he has been fulfilling since 2009. So a big shout out to Nigel for all the help he has given to people over the years. It has no doubt been an introduction to the club for many people. 

In the near term, track sessions will be self-coached. New coaches and perhaps a few tweaks will appear in time. One thing it is important that everyone understands is that track sessions are by no means the exclusive preserve of super fast runners. Everyone should feel encouraged to give it a go. While numbers remain controlled, capacity is being increased. So spread the word!

Which brings us to…

The rules as we emerge from lockdown are changing, but not quickly. For the foreseeable future we must continue with the booking system for Tuesday and Thursday nights to ensure we are operating in a ‘covid-safe’ environment, although this is is continually under review. In the meantime the Committee would like to thank all the run leaders who are stepping forward to take Tuesday groups, and all the people working extremely hard in the background to make any kind of activity possible.

#RunAndTalk

We all hear often about the link between running (and exercise in general) and improved and maintained mental health so we’re pleased to announce that the first Tuesday of every month will feature dedicated Run and Talk groups. These are for anyone to join who fancies a bit of a chat or some friendly support for whatever reason. Paces can be varied to accommodate all comers and there’s the opportunity to have a warm drink and a continued conversation. As always, everyone is welcome. 

Meanwhile the HJ Run and Talk team is planning an event in Horsham Park on May 29th. Keep an eye out for more details nearer the time. 

Back in the race!

Races are back on and the Joggers are right in the mix. On April 5th, six members of Horsham Joggers took part in the PB5K, which is part of the Super-Fast winter race series at Ardingly Showground. There were 5 x 5k races setting of in waves a few seconds apart.

Honorable mentions to: Pete O’Connell 00:18:36 (1st M60), Stuart Adesilu 00:18:48, Steve Wright 00:18:50, Matt Cooper 00:19:04, Andrew Puttick 00:19:14, and Miranda Huisman 00:22:07

Five days later, five intrepid Joggers took part in the UK Sporting Events New Forest races. They were all held in a Covid secure environment and were well organised as they wound through the trails of the New Forest near Christchurch. 

In the half marathon event Philip Liberman was first Jogger home in 1.48.10, followed by Rob Jochimsen 1.58.12, Richard Cherriman 2.01.57, and Derek Buckman 2.02.01. In the 14K event Julie Jochimsen ran strongly to finish in 1.29.24.

On April 11th Chris Yeomans & Paul Burgess competed in The Kent Spring Marathon, a two lap marathon on an undulating course of quiet, wide lanes outside Ashford in Kent – plus a short section on the Pilgrims Way. Chris crossed the line at 03:53:47, while Paul clocked 04:56:25.

This weekend just past we had three HJers in the South Downs Way 50-mile race.  SDW50 starts in Worthing and finishes in Eastbourne. Runners start by negotiating six miles of chalk footpaths and bridleways, climbing up to join the south downs way at Chanctonbury ring. The remainder of the course is identical to the final 44 miles of the SDW100 and remains on the SDW until the final turn off – bringing runners out to the finish with a lap of the track at Eastbourne. Congratulations to James Tombs (08:46:25), Ian Moore (10:09:42), and Emma Whyman (12:09:41).

On the same day Geri Smith and Phyl Weston competed in the Hurtwood 50k, which starts in Dorking and follows the Greensand Way into the Surrey Hills. This is essentially an out and back, with a loop of the Greensand Way before starting the return journey. The undulating course takes you up and over Leith Hill, Holmbury Hill, and Pitch Hill on a well-marked, easy to follow trail through the woodlands, ridgeways and valleys of this area that is collectively known (perhaps appropriately) as The Hurtwood. Congratulations to Geri (06:37:41) & Phyl (07:06:36)

Great work everyone!

If you’d like a mention, please remember to send in any race photos or reports to info@horshamjoggers.co.uk

And there’s more to come…

If you want to get back in the race, then why not check out one of these:

25 APR, SUN

Running GP at Goodwood 5k, 10k, HM, 20 miles, Full Marathon races

1 MAY, SAT

Mid-Sussex Virtual Half Marathon Wkd

2 MAY, SUN

Mid-Sussex Virtual Half Marathon Wkd

3 MAY, MON

Mid-Sussex Virtual Half Marathon Wkd

9 MAY, SUN

Dunsfold Jigsaw Run 10k

15 MAY, SAT

Eastbourne Trackstar Marathon and Half

23 MAY, SUN

Three Forts Marathon

Something important to (SDW100) relay…  

South Downs Way Relay Saturday 3rd July 2021

With less than three months to go until the running of this great event we are still looking for two or three more members for our Vets squad.  If you like the sound of a superb day out, running three legs of the South Downs Way as part of a relay team, and getting chauffeured between stops in the team bus with all the fun and camaraderie that goes with it, please drop me a line at johnw@ohob.co.uk. You won’t regret it.  You will need to be confident of running at or under an 8:30 per mile pace over hilly terrain and a total of 15 to 18 miles over the whole day.  Don’t let those numbers put you off it really is the best running event of the year. We could also do with a driver so if any former participants familiar with the fun would like to step forward you will be welcomed.

And Finally…

The AGM this year is booked for August 13th. More information is coming down the road. 

Stay safe, keep logging those miles, and enjoy your running, everyone!

The HJ Committee will next be meeting on Wednesday 12th May, if you have any questions, or anything you would like us to discuss, please let us know.

Our thanks to Mike Hibberd for another great news round-up!

HJ NEWS! – 13TH MARCH 2021

The Finish Line’s In Sight

As we all know, there’s nothing quite like that feeling you get when the finish line comes into view. From an ultramarathon (presumably!) all the way down to a Parkrun when a PB’s in the offing, the sight of the finish unlocks that last little reserve of endurance and energy which you trade for the imminent reward of completion.

And so it is with Lockdown. 

At last week’s HJ committee meeting the return to HJ activities was top of the list for discussion. Government guidelines allow for groups of six people to gather outside from March 29 which, so the HJ Tuesday runs will resume the very next day. They’ll be limited to six people (one leader and five in the pack) and there will be an online booking system in place. More details to come on the booking protocols, and booking will open on Sunday March 28th. Expect it to be like trying to get tickets for Glastonbury. 100 open browser tabs at the ready! 

No word on track sessions or long Sunday runs just yet but expect an update in the coming weeks.  

Say what, now?

Here’s some information on the AGM which will be enjoyed by any fans of Joseph Heller’s ‘Catch 22’. 

Rule 10 of the HJ Club provides that the Annual General Meeting (AGM) “shall be held during the month of April”.  During unprecedented times, the AGM in 2020 was held virtually on 30 September.  Rather than hold a virtual meeting next month, as per Rule 10, the Committee decided at their last meeting to postpone the 2021 AGM to later this year, when we are likely to be able to meet up and socialise together.  Depending on the availability of the Horsham Sports & Cricket Club, the plan is to hold the 2021 AGM in August.  You will, of course, be given 21 days’ notice of the meeting date once confirmed, pursuant to the rules!

Breaking our own Rule 10 for two consecutive years strongly suggests the need to make this rule more flexible.  Rule 13 provides that “no alteration or addition may be made to the Rules except by an Annual General Meeting or a Special General Meeting called for the purpose.”  The Committee propose to amend Rule 10, for voting at the next AGM, such that it provides some flexibility, to deal with unforeseen circumstances. 

“An AGM shall be held during the month of April every year…”

will be amended to

“An AGM shall be held every year, in April unless the Committee decide to postpone for good reason(s) to a later month…”  

Pay up – or else…

It’s that time again, peeps. HJ Membership renewal for 2021/2022 is due on April 1st. As we have frozen membership fees this year at £10.00 / individual, and £20 / family, your HJ membership fees remain the best value spend you can possibly make. 

England Athletics have also frozen their membership for 2021/2022 at £15.00.

The easiest way to renew your membership is via the memberzone which can be found on the HJ website.

Quizzy Rascals, Quiz Team Aguilera, Let’s Get Quizzical, etc…

The HJ Quiz is one of the highlights of the Horsham social calendar and, while we cannot yet convene in person, we do have a Zoom-based pub quiz planned for all the family on Thursday 25th March at 7:00pm (until 8:15pm). Organiser Roger offers the tempting information that there will be prizes, although really it’s all about the glory. There will be 5 rounds, including Geography, Music and Film, with a running theme woven throughout. The Zoom details are below (and will be posted again a few days before), so make a note in your diaries! 

Meeting ID: 886 0986 3901

Passcode: 858619

South Downs Way Relay – Update

This just in from John Wilcox:

Organizers have decided to move the Douth Downs Way  Relay from Saturday June 5th to Saturday July 3rd to increase the chances of the event going ahead. A full refund will be given to any teams already entered who find they cannot participate on this date.

The deadline for entries is still Thursday 1st April. All other information and requirements on the invitation remain the same.

Horsham 10k – Update

Hopefully the weekend after the SDWR will see our very own club race go ahead on Sunday July 11th. The HJ Committee will be monitoring further announcements from the government and will make a final decision regarding the race after our April meeting, and not later than May 1st.

Club Marathon Places

The club are still awaiting a decision from the organisers of both the London and Brighton Marathons as to whether we will be allocated any club places, and how many might be made available. Once we have an update we will make an announcement to clarify the criteria for entering the ballot for these places.

Community Spirit

We’re always on the lookout for ways in which the club could make contributions to the local community. The HJ Run & Talk team are hoping to get some activities underway as lockdown recedes and the club is open to suggestions from everyone. If you have an idea, please share with us!

On my honour!

On that note, we are pleased to announce that we have two members who this year qualify for honorary membership (being over 65 and having been a paying member for a minimum of the previous ten years). 

There are apparently three existing HJHMs who have not yet confirmed their agreement for HJ to retain their personal details for a further four years. If they wish to remain members, they are asked to consent to their data being held. Hopefully you all know who you are!

Save money!

March 2021 https://www.sportsshoes.com/ club discount code is: HVSAJ8 With this running club promotion code, you enjoy 10% off and FREE standard delivery on all orders over £30, expires 02-04-21

If you encounter issues with this discount code please contact sportsshoes customer service dept on: 01274 530 530 Mon-Fri 8am-4pm

Also a reminder that HJ members qualify for a 10% discount at Up & Running, on presentation of their membership.

Subscribe to Emails

If you want to get updates by e-mail – don’t forget to re-subscribe via the website!

Events Calendar:

March 25th HJ Pub Quiz

March 30th Tuesday runs restart!

April 1st Membership renewals due

April 25th Goodwood 5, 10k, HM, 20, Full M

May 1st – 3rd Mid-Sussex Virtual Half Marathon Wkd

May 2nd Three Forts Marathon

May 9th Dunsfold Jigsaw Run 10k

May 15th Eastbourne Trackstar Marathon and Half

HJ NEWS! – 12th January 2020

Ed – Happy New Year! We hope you had a wonderful festive season and have set some new running goals for 2020? We have some exciting news to bring you so lets get cracking…………………….

Committee activity

We met again on Wednesday 8th January with two guest members and discussed the usual club finances, kit, new members, forthcoming event etc as well as the member survey, challenge trophy series, committee vacancies, twinning and injury clinics! More on some of this later. We agreed to meet again on 26th February 2020 and you are welcome to join us by arrangement.

 The Results Round-up

A shorter round-up this time, what with the run up to Christmas festivities. This is compiled mainly from the race reports by Chris Yeomans, your regular results fix of who has been doing what is HERE!

Committee vacancies

At the next AGM, we already know that four of your committee members will stand down after many years of service to the club. Chairman Phil, Secretary Sue and committee members Fiona and Paul are all vacating their seats. So, we have vacancies on the committee and if you want to give back to the club in anyway, please let us know. The club constitution stipulates that we require a Chairperson, Secretary and Treasurer along with up to 8 other members to form a maximum committee of 11. With our new treasurer in place and a new secretary already shadowing Sue on the run up to the AGM, the key role to fill is that of Chairperson. Phil has kindly summarised what this involves HERE! Volunteering provides an opportunity for your voice to be heard and for your ideas and input to influence the direction of the club in the future. Please CONTACT US if you feel you have what it takes or if you want more details.

Member Survey

Barring a few ping backs, all members should now be in receipt of our 2020 member survey, hosted by Survey Monkey. Take a look in your inbox and spam folder and, if you haven’t had it please CONTACT US. Your feed back is important to us and can influence the direction of the club and future initiatives. Please take a few minutes to complete it before the 29th January end date. Just answer the first question and it will take you through to the complete survey.

New WSFRL raceCrawley Run Crew are the latest club to add to the fixtures list this year. The “Run Your Heart Out” 8k is due to be held on 16th Feb and will start and finish at K2, using the paths and trails around Tilgate Forest and Park. Advance club entry is £3 (juniors go for free) and entry on the day is £7 (subject to availability). Take a look HERE for race details and enter in advance via the MemberZone before 29th January cut off!

Club Challenge Trophy races for 2020

The committee has made some changes this year in order to increase member participation and mix up the potential winners a bit. The rules remain the same and more information can be found HERE. But remember; results are taken from your GUN TIME and you MUST be wearing an official club race vest or t-shirt to qualify for an award (both available from the MemberZone)!

WSFRL Challenge – CRC “Run Your Heart Out” 8k – 16th Feb

10 mile Challenge – Haywards Heath 10 – 24th May

Half Marathon Challenge – Henfield Half – 16th Aug

10k Challenge – Littlehampton 10k – 6th Sept

Injury Drop-in ClinicHands On Sports Therapy are based at The Bridge and Tony has kindly offered members a FREE 10-15 minute drop-in session between 5 and 7pm on Tuesday 28th January. If you are upping your training miles in preparation for a marathon or have been ignoring a niggle for a while, why not pop in before your run with the club for some free help and advice. There’s no need to book. Just tell reception staff that you are there to see Hands On and they will allow you through to the 1st floor treatment room. Dependent on numbers, you may need to wait for a bit before seeing Tony. Any subsequent follow-up treatment will also be discounted for club members. https://www.handsonsportstherapy.org/

#RunAndTalk eventsContinuing the theme of our popular post-run event in December, our next RunAndTalk evening will be on 4th February, where we will be recognising Time to Talk Day, and again we invite everyone to join us in the bridge cafe for tea / coffee and a catch-up after the regular Tuesday evening club run. This is an informal event, open to all, so please pop in and say hello!

We are also pleased to welcome Roger Johnson, who has joined our team of Mental Health Champions. Please check out our web page HERE for more information, and keep an eye out for upcoming events.

Marathon Training volunteers

James is doing a fantastic job with organising the volunteers to provide a route and water stops each week, but he needs to fill 4 more slots for the 8am Sunday training plan. If you can volunteer, please take a look at the rota HERE and let James know which date you can cover. munden888@yahoo.co.uk

Twinning UpdateTG Lage, our twinned club in Germany, hosted AdventLauf before Christmas and a few members of Horsham Joggers made the trip to take part. Read all about it HERE

Gunpowder Trot Assistant

We may be 10 months away from the next GT event but run director, Margaret is already looking for a 2nd in command to help her this year. You would be involved in shadowing the event preparations and delivery of another fabulous run in November 2020. If you want to get involved, please CONTACT US.

Brighton Marathon Places

The club still has some places available for the Brighton Marathon on 19th April. If you want to use one, please CONTACT US.

Good news, race stories, new PB’s?

We are still looking for new material for the newsletter or to shout about your achievements in the local press. If you have something to tell us about your weekend running achievements there are numerous options – EMAIL US or MESSAGE US or POST IT TO OUR FACEBOOK PAGE – So, don’t be shy. We all want to share in your success!

Dates for your diary

18th Jan – Sussex Master X-country champs, Lancing

18th Jan – Fitstuff G3 Race 2, Newlands Corner

19th Jan – Winter Tanners 20, Leatherhead

25th Jan – Run through Lee Valley Velopark, QE Park

25th Jan – Maverick Terrex Original 8, 15, 23k, Amberley Museum

28th Jan  – Injury drop in clinic

29th Jan – Member survey end date

1st Feb – Fitstuff G3 Race 3, Newlands Corner

2nd Feb – Chichester 10k

4th Feb – Time to Talk day

9th Feb – Worthing 10k and Half Marathon

16th Feb – Run Your Heart Out 8k (WSFRL & Challenge Trophy race)

23rd Feb – Brighton Half Marathon

 

HJ NEWS! – 24th November 2019

Committee activity

We met again on Wednesday 20th November and discussed the usual club matters as well as #RunAndTalk events, Awards night, Gunpowder Trot review, member survey and woolly hats!  More on some of this later. We agreed to meet again on 8th January 2020 and you are welcome to join us by arrangement.

The Results Round-up

So much to talk about this time! Compiled mainly from the race reports by Chris Yeomans, your regular results fix of who has been doing what is HERE 

Annual winter handicap and awards presentation

To be held at 7pm at Horsham Cricket and Sports Club on Tuesday 3rd December, this event takes over from the usual group running from The Bridge. All are welcome and if you give your average 5 or 10k time to us, we will put you into groups which leave Blackbridge Lane at timed intervals on a 4.5mile route. The idea is that everyone finishes at about the same time with some surprising winners in the past! After this we will return to the warmth of the club house for the annual awards ceremony at 8.30pm. As well as making donations to our nominated charity representatives and the all-important marathon ballot draw, this is your chance to congratulate our Challenge Trophy, WSFRL 10, SGP 6, Time Trial and summer/winter handicap winners. All are welcome and there will be free sandwiches and the bar will be open to buy your own drinks!

Quiz night review 13 teams attended the annual quiz night, under the expert eye of quizmaster Martyn Newton and his assistant Iain Campbell. Held at Horsham Cricket and Sports Club on Friday 25th October, “Cirque du Sore Legs” came first with “Only 60 Days to Christmas” receiving the wooden spoon! It’s always a great night with the biggest fun coming from the “who brought the best snacks” competition!

Gunpowder Trot Review

Team hj’s volunteers turned out in force for our home WSFRL race on 3rd November. A huge thank you to all who helped, but especially to Rob, Derek and Richard who went above and beyond the call of duty by clearing a fallen tree from the course before 7.30am! We really can’t do it without you! All WSFRL clubs participated with the largest team of 59 from Hove Hornets. We had 488 seniors and 30 juniors entered into both races and the tea and cakes helped to raise funds for our nominated charities. Congratulations must go to Margaret and her core team for putting on another great event.

#RunAndTalk eventsWe had a phenomenal response to the free talk buy author and marathon runner Phil Hewitt on Thursday 21st November. Phil talked with passion and emotion about his story and how running helps him to cope with the stress and anxiety which came with it. “Outrunning The Demons” is available in all good book shops (ISBN: 9781472956514).

Our next runandtalk event will be a social on 17th December. Everyone is invited to join us in the bridge cafe after the Christmas lights club run for tea / coffee and a mince pie. This is open to all, so please pop in to warm up and say hello!

Subsidised track use

With your annual subs, the club makes a block booking with The Bridge for you to use the running track between 6.30 and 7.30pm every Thursday. However, this is a subsidised benefit and we do ask members to contribute just £2 to the “honesty pot” left under the benches by our coach(s). In recent months, takings have led us to believe that perhaps not everyone is being 100% honest so please pay what is due.

Club vacancies

As we approach the end of the year, our thoughts turn to 2020 and the next AGM. We already know that there will be vacancies on the committee so if you want to give back to the club in anyway, please let us know. A full list of vacancies will be published in January. One role in particular that we need to fill early in the new year will be a new membership secretary. Sue has completed this for many years alongside her general club secretary role but feels it is now time to step back a bit and let someone else take over. Full training and hand over would be given and you would need a basic knowledge of Excel, email, online banking etc. Time commitment can vary with renewal time at the end of March requiring maybe daily input to avoid it mounting up. Please CONTACT US for more details.

Marathon training organiser

As well as the above, we need someone to step up and arrange the Spring Marathon Training programme starting on Sunday 29th December. It’s not as onerous as it sounds because we have a well trodden plan (pardon the pun!) but it would suit itself to someone planning to take part in the actual training programme and involves being there on 29th Dec and making a list of those prepared to organise a weekly route with light refreshments half way (or more) and to ensure everyone makes if back safely. As the overall organiser you would prepare and circulate the rota and ensure that routes/refreshments are shared with the next person on the list. Please  CONTACT US to find out more.

Christmas Socials

We’ve had a few questions from members regarding a Christmas get together and, with our main annual social event now being the Horsham Round in August, we are more than happy for individuals to arrange their own smaller Christmas get togethers at venues of their choice. Opening up a social event to over 550 members at this time of the year comes with its own challenges and we feel that smaller, self-funded groups making their own arrangements to fit their budget is the best way to go forward.

Club kit

With Christmas just around the corner, you may want to buy a new hoodie, cap, number clips or race top (or at least drop a hint to your friends and family!). Kit manager, Steve is waiting for your orders via the MemberZone and still has 1x medium, 1x large commemorative T-shirts from this year’s Horsham Round. £10 – cash only.

Good news, race stories, new PB’s?

We are always looking for new material for the newsletter or to shout about your achievements in the local press. If you have something to tell us about your weekend running achievements there are numerous options – EMAIL US or MESSAGE US or POST IT TO OUR FACEBOOK PAGE – So, don’t be shy. We all want to share in your success!

And finally……………….Woolly Hats! Martine has the following message for you…………

This image shows hand-knitted Horsham Joggers hats. So far, we have sold several to those members who have asked for them and have placed an order. They cost £7.50*, are knitted by HJ member Karen Wigmore with the proceeds going to Sussex Air Ambulance. They are one size and are all made to order. It would be great to get a few orders in the run up to Christmas and it’s a great cause too for hj members to support! I look forward to hearing from you, Martine (martine.burke@gmail.com)

*NOTE: these are only available by contacting Martine and aren’t on the MemberZone

Dates for your diary

24th Nov – Crowborough 10k (SGP)

24th Nov – Jigsaw 10k, Dunsfold

30th Nov – Sussex X-country league, Stanmer Park

1st Dec – Downland Devil 9m, Lancing

3rd Dec – Annual winter handicap and Awards night

7th Dec – Worthing Christmas Cracker 5 and 10k (women only)

8th Dec – Mouth to Mouth marathon, Shoreham

8th Dec – Mince pie 10m Peacehaven

8th Dec – Hogs Back Road Race, Loseley Estate

8th Dec – Shere Trail Run

17th Dec – hj Xmas lights run with #RunAndTalk social after

21st Dec – Christmas pudding dash, Pett nr Hastings

25th Dec – Christmas Day (just in case you forget!)

26th Dec – Turners Hill Boxing Day run

1st Jan – Hangover 5 (WSFRL)

4th Jan – Sussex AA X-country champs, Bexhill

hj NEWS – 6th October 2019

Committee activity

We met again on Wednesday 2nd October and discussed the usual club matters as well as Quiz night, Gun Powder Trot prep, #RunAndTalk events, website updates and a member survey.  More on some of this later. We agreed to meet again on 20th November and you are welcome to join us by arrangement.

The Results Round-up

Some incredible achievements to read about. Compiled mainly from the race reports by Chris Yeomans, your regular results fix of who has been doing what, where, when and why is HERE!

35th Anniversary celebrations

Over 150 people attended the anniversary celebrations in the park after the annual Horsham Round on bank holiday Monday 26th August. We had free fish & chips, commemorative t-shirts and a special cake! Phil said a few words and we thanked the teams from guest clubs for attending. The weather was a bit warm and so we lazed around under the trees behind Horsham Bowl and some even drank beer! A fab day was had by all!

Quiz night – 25th OctoberSlightly earlier than usual due to venue availability so you best start brushing up on your knowledge of all things film, history, sports, music and more as it’s nearly time for the annual Horsham Joggers quiz again! Under the expert eye of quizmaster, Martyn Newton, it will take place at Horsham Cricket and Sports Club on Friday 25th October. Please arrive at 7pm for a 7.30pm start. Maximum 13 teams are required and entry costs £18. There will be a maximum of six players with at least two hj members in each team. You can now register and pay for your team via the MemberZone. There will be 9 rounds in total with a break halfway through. The bar will be open all night for you to buy drinks but feel free to bring your own nibbles to eat at your table. Good luck!

Gunpowder TrotPlans are now in the final stages, and we are fast approaching our own WSFRL fixture on Sunday 3rd November 2019. Margaret now has enough volunteers and job allocations will be sent out over the next few weeks to those who completed the Survey Monkey link. If you’ve offered to volunteer, PLEASE save the date and try not to make any changes before the event as it takes countless hours to pull this all together. Entry is open via the MemberZone for those not wanting to volunteer.

Charity Donations

In addition to funding the recent celebrations, we are delighted to be able to give two charitable donations of £600 each this year to the West Sussex North Branch of MDNA (Motor Neurone Disease Association) and The Hope Charity. MND is a cause close to hj’s heart having lost two bright lights recently to this awful disease and The Hope Charity is a local organisation run by people who are personally touched by a young person struggling with their emotional well-being. They provide a much-needed resource for children aged 10-18 and their families, who are experiencing the trauma of mental health issues in our society today. We hope to welcome charity representatives to our annual awards ceremony in December in order to present the donations.

http://www.mndwestsussexnorth.com/

https://www.hopecharityproject.org/

#RunAndTalk events

 As mentioned in previous newsletters, we will be starting to incorporate RunAndTalk events within our Tuesday evening programme (initially once a month) – details of these will be posted on our usual social media platforms.

As an introduction to this, your Mental Health Champions, Mark and Geri, will be available for an informal chat at The Bridge Café on Tuesday 8th October following the regular club run. Please pop in if you’d like to find out more, share ideas, or just to say hello!

Don’t forget we’ve added some additional pages to our website with lots of useful information. Do have a look and let us know what you think – we’d also love to hear from anyone who is interested in getting involved.

Guest Speaker – An Evening with Phil Hewitt.

In tandem with RunAndTalk, we are excited to be joined by Sussex Newspapers Group Arts Editor and marathon runner Phil Hewitt to talk about his new book, Outrunning The Demons (Bloomsbury, 2019), which celebrates the massive mental health benefits of running. Phil will be speaking at The Bridge Leisure Centre, Broadbridge Heath, on Thursday 21st November (8pm).
As Phil says: “Running can take us to fantastic places. Just as importantly, it can also bring us back from terrible ones. For people in times of crisis, trauma and physical or mental illness – when normality collapses – running can put things back together again”.

Phil will talk of his own experience, after being mugged – stabbed, punched, kicked and effectively left for dead in Cape Town 3 years ago, and how he put himself back together again by getting back to his first love, running….

The book also includes interviews with 34 people from around the world who, as he says, have been to hell and discovered that the surest, safest, quickest way back was to run. He interviewed people caught up in 9/11 and the Boston Marathon bombing; people who have lost loved ones to murder and natural causes; people who have suffered addiction, alcoholism, anxiety, depression, violent and sexual assault; and sheer bad luck.

The result is a remarkable collection of stories about hope and survival – a genuinely uplifting celebration of the strength of the human spirit and all the good that is unleashed simply through running.

This will be a free event for members, but due to limited spaces you will need to book your place by contacting Mark Aylmore at HJRunAndTalk@gmail.com

Race reports

Chris Yeomans is still kindly producing the weekly report for the local press but ideally, we’d like this to be a shared role with another willing volunteer. It involves scanning the race calendar, results pages, social media etc on a Sunday or Monday and sending a brief summary (with a photo or two) to the local newspapers. If you can help, please CONTACT US

Challenge Trophy Results

All four CT races have now been run and Steve Wilson is pulling together the results ready for the awards presentation. Having done this for a few years, Steve will be taking a break next year and handing the reins over the Miranda Huisman. We thanks Steve for his help and diligence in completing this tricky role.

Possible Twinning Trip

We are looking to organise a trip to our twinned club in Germany next year! Our links with TG Lage have been in place for many years and it would be nice to go to visit one of their biggest events of the year after they visited us during Barns Green last year. The Hörster Waldlauf takes place on Saturday May 9th next year and is a festival of running comprising of a Half Marathon, 10 and 5K as well as child’s races over 1.2 and 400m all taking part in the beautiful Teutoburger Forest. We are checking for interest initially so here is the proposed itinerary:

  • We would organise transport on the Friday to the airport (probably Heathrow, Stanstead or Luton), participants would need to book their own flights and hopefully we can match it up so we can either be on the same flight or within a short space of each other.
  • We would then organise transport at the other end to Lage (approx 90 minutes).
  • TG Lage have a large sports complex with facilities, but the sleeping arrangements would probably be a dormitory style. They would also be happy to give us a B&B arrangement.
  • We would then return by the same arrangements on the Sunday.

There is a possibility that some of us could be put up by TG Lage families if anyone was interested. It would be an adventure and we are sure a great event! We are going to gauge any interest and then maybe organise a meeting to discuss it further, so if it sounds like your thing please CONTACT US

Membership survey

Our membership currently stands at 560 and so it’s becoming more and more difficult to ask each member for their views on the club and what they want to get from it. So we are putting together our very first membership survey which will go out in the New Year and we need some help. If you have market research type skills and would like to help put this together, please CONTACT US

Dates for your diary

6th Oct – Lewes Downland 10 (SGP)

6th Oct – Heron Way 10k

6th Oct – Bournemouth Half and Marathon

13th Oct – Great Walstead 5 (WSRFL)

19th Oct – SEAA x-country relays

20th Oct – Hove Prom 10k (SGP)

20th Oct – Worthing Seafront 10k

20th Oct – Great South Run 10m

20th Oct – Great Bottom 5, Arundel

25th Oct – hj quiz night

26th Oct – Beachy Head Marathon/10k

27th Oct – Crawley 10k

27th Oct – Steepdown Challenge (WSFRL)

3rd Nov – hj Gunpowder Trot (WSFRL)

9th Nov – Sussex x-country league, Lancing

10th Nov – Rewell Wood 5, Arundel

17th Nov – Brighton 10k

24th Nov – Crowborough 10k (SGP)

24th Nov – Jigsaw 10k, Dunsfold 

Don’t forget; if you’ve got something worthy of the newsletter then please let us know!