Welcome to a (slightly) restructured Newsletter.
Obviously our 40th Anniversary year was always likely to be a busy one, and as a club we have achieved so much. Individually too, there have been some standout performances. It doesn’t matter what pace you run or the position you come, it’s the personal achievement which is important.
As mentioned in the last newsletter, this edition sees the introduction of a “Five Minutes With…” section, where one of our fellow club members tells us a little bit more about themselves. We’re such a big club now with so many members (665 at last count!) we don’t want to lose that identity and so I think it’s nice to learn a little bit more about our individual members at the club, and what inspires them to run.
Additionally, in the Newsletter there’s a little less specific focus on races completed and more on the events we do as a club. Every day, runners seem to complete a race here or there (or everywhere in some instances!) so it’s not really feasible to report so much individually now.
A Merry Christmas to you all, and I do hope 2025 is prosperous for all and your personal goals – whatever they may be – are reached. See you in the New Year.
Unsung Hero – Claire Butler and Karen England
This edition’s unsung hero is actually two members of the club who give up a lot of time to help others achieve their goals.
Claire Butler and Karen England take Thursday night sessions as an alternative to track. From tricky Lemmington Loops, Games in the Park, Fartlek Fun, even Oregon circuits (!) they have an array of drills to keep us runners up to speed.
On top of this, both also take out Tuesday night running groups and have been a part of the club for many years. Their efforts are very much appreciated.
Thank you both!
West Sussex Fun Run League
All the races in the WSFRL for 2024 have now been run.
After a steady start we managed to propel ourselves up the table and ended the league in an extremely respectable 3rd place overall. Given we were the defending champions but had encountered a few race clashes over the year, this is a very impressive end position.
Our home race the Gunpowder Trot was yet another roaring success. So many hj’ers put themselves forward to marshal, assist and generally give support to the other WSFRL clubs who turn up, often in tricky race conditions and on a difficult course, runners going through mud, water and awkward trail routes. An awful lot of planning and hard work took place late in the day, including a minor route change which ensured the race went ahead.
Well done to everyone who took part this year!
Entries are now open in Memberzone for the first race of 2025 – the blistering Hangover 5 on New Year’s Day, which is likely to be a test of those with the sorest of heads. Let’s sign up and get ourselves off to a great start!
Sussex Grand Prix
Not to be confused with Motor Racing (although this has been a pretty ‘Goodyear’), it has been terrific to see renewed interest in these events in 2024.
Over the year, four hj’ers completed at least six of the Grand Prix races, namely Mal Thornton, Melissa Galea, Brian Frost and Phyl Weston.
On the overall rankings, on the male side Brian came a commendable 44th overall, with Mal showing a glancing return to form again with 50th position.
On the female side, Melissa came a remarkable 2nd lady overall, with Phyl a superb 15th.
It’s a huge well done to anyone who took part in the races this year – hopefully the momentum continues next year too. The provisional dates for the twelve 2025 races are in (a couple may be subject to change), but the first three are the Hastings Half on 23rd March, then the Haywards Heath 10 miler on 4th May and our very own Horsham 10k the week after.
Awards Evening, Winter Handicap and London Marathon ballot – 26th November 2024
A successful evening at the Horsham Sports and Social club was held at the end of November for a trio of events.
The Winter Handicap (won by Nicola Barnes) was followed by the Awards Evening. Of note, Mick Duplock shared a ‘Friendship award’ with a number of hj’ers who assist Mick during his runs and races. Mick gave a lovely speech and noted that since he lost his sight in 2000 he has been overwhelmed by the support our fellow runners give to him. He also gave an interesting demonstration into how a walking cane was used during his runs in the pandemic when the ‘6 foot’ rule applied.
Rob Jochimsen closed the Awards part of the evening by receiving a very well deserved ‘Teamwork, Leadership and Unity award’ – a thank you to Rob for the extraordinary efforts he has made this year (and other years) to assist the club across a variety of events, including the Alf Shrubb 10k this year.
Finally, the London Marathon ballot took place. With one LM Volunteering place and only one Club Marathon place up for grabs the draw was nervously anticipated and it was Paul Arnold who was drawn to receive the LM Volunteering place. However, Paul declined his place and so this was re-drawn at the Christmas party with Caroline Bransden subsequently pulled out of the hat.
The Club Marathon place went to Matthew Horne, which feels particularly deserving given the efforts he has made over the past year, leading groups on a Tuesday, organising various away days and events for the club. There’s a video circulating of Matthew when it was announced – to see how happy he was to be drawn from the ballot was heartwarming particularly as he had to pull out of the Brighton Marathon this year due to an illness on the morning of that run.
Lee Walker narrowly missed out on a potential 2nd Club Marathon place. The number of places we get is dependent on the cut-off date England Athletics (EA) give us for the numbers needed by the club to successfully obtain a 2nd place. The criteria states there need to be 190 EA affiliated members as at late July – and unfortunately we crossed that boundary later in the summer. Please see more about EA affiliation under the Membership Numbers section below.
Parkrun Away Days
The parkrun away days continue to be extremely popular, with recent parkruns at both Cranleigh and Littlehampton. Check out the HJ calendar and dates at the bottom of the Newsletter for the upcoming Parkrun away days.
Christmas Party – 6th December 2024
The Christmas Party was held on Friday, 6th December at Brookfield Barn.
Another successful party night was had, which started with some wonderful singing from our very own Beth Stapleton during the welcome drinks.
The food was extremely tasty, and a random mix of songs on the dance floor included the unusual one-off appearance of “I never dance” Gary Tomlinson, who moments after declaring this point was seemingly roped into taking part in a stirring rendition of the Macarena.
High-Vis – REMINDER
Please remember to wear high-vis and/or a running torch when out on your morning/evening runs. We had a narrow miss during the Winter Handicap. Remember, your own safety is paramount and more important than clocking a good time!
Marathon Training
The Marathon training is due to start at the beginning of 2025. For those who are unsure about it, this is not designed exclusively for those taking part in a Marathon in 2025 (though a lot of Marathon runners will participate) but rather Sunday morning runs across a variety of routes which increase in mileage as they progress through January, February and March. There are usually water stations at one or two places (though depends on the distance/route).
Keep your eyes peeled for more information in the next couple of weeks!
Hot Pod Yoga Session
A free ‘taster’ yoga session is taking place on Sunday 12th January 2025 at 12.30pm in town at Hotpod Yoga. If you want to take part please email Sok Wah for a place (limited numbers available).
Quiz Night
A quiz night is to take place at the Holbrook Club on Friday, 10th January 2025. Tickets are now available on Memberzone (only £3.50 per person) so get your teams ready.
Last year my team finished last, so there is absolutely nothing to worry about. Worst case scenario you end up with another item for your kitchen which might actually be quite handy (or so I told myself) – certainly a ‘whisk’ worth taking!
Five minutes with … Emma Walters
- How long have you been a runner and what made you start?
I used to run at school but got back into it when my youngest son was 1 (to get fit again and have some me-time). I started going to parkrun then joined HJ a few weeks later. - Why do you run?
To clear my head, spend time with my friends and as a role model for my boys. - How long have you been at Horsham Joggers?
Since 2015 - Biggest running achievement so far?
My first marathon – the Downslink Ultra - What are you future running goals and ambitions?
A coastal marathon in February, a 50km trail race in March and being a support runner for the London Marathon in April. Then back to some shorter runs, a spot of parkrun tourism and discovering some new trails. - What’s the best thing about Horsham Joggers?
The people, the inclusivity and Thursday night track! - Specialist subject on Mastermind?
The musculoskeletal system of the human body. - Tell us something we don’t know about you?
I used to be a street dancer.
Other News
Committee place available from April 2025
After some consideration and due to varying time constraints, I’ll be standing down from my place on the Committee as of April 2025. However, this gives someone else a chance to put their name forward. It’s a very rewarding role as you are giving your time to help the club continue to grow and progress.
I know we have a vocal bunch out there so, if you think you would enjoy the challenge please put your name forward! If interested, you can come along to one of our informal Committee meetings to see what is discussed.
If permissible, despite leaving the Committee I am still aiming to continue with the Newsletter, so you’ll have to put up with my occasionally poor choice of jokes for a while longer.
Horsham 10k
Tickets for the Horsham 10k are now on sale. Please note that as an hj member you will be asked to Volunteer (to ensure those roles are filled) before purchasing a 10k race ticket. However there is nothing to stop you buying one for your loved ones – potentially a perfect Xmas present for another medal hunting member of your family!
Note: the request for volunteers for the Horsham 10k is sent out towards the end of March.
Membership Numbers
There are currently 665 members of our ever-growing club, of which approximately 196 are EA affiliated.
If anyone ever wants to know more about EA affiliation then please feel free to ask any of the Committee, or your fellow hj’ers ‘in the know’, for an explanation into how this works and whether joining EA is suitable for you.
Social Events
Please check out the HJ calendar and the ‘dates for your diary’ below for more social events (and runs) coming up!
Dates for your Diary
- 1st January – WSFRL – Worthing Gazelles ‘Hangover 5’
- 10th January – Quiz Night (Holbrook club)
- 11th January – Parkrun Away Day (Lewes)
- 12th January – HotPod Yoga
- 19th January – BrighTEN 10k / 10 miler
- 2nd February – Bedgebury Forest 10 mile / 5 mile
- 9th February – Farnborough Half and 10k
- 16th February – WSFRL – Run Your Heart Out
- 22nd February – Parkrun Away Day (location TBC)
I hope everyone has a lovely Christmas and see you in 2025!
Be lucky.
Simon Holmes