Category Archives: News

HORSHAM JOGGERS NEWS – 25th Feb

Committee activity

Your committee met on Wednesday 21st Feb with a couple more new guests and discussed the usual club finances, membership and forthcoming events as well as club kit, membership renewal, data protection, JOY/VOY/NOY voting procedures, Horsham 10k and Gunpowder Trot organisers. More on some of this later. We agreed to meet again on 4th April

The results round up

So what have you all been up to? We’ve compiled this item from press reports by Iain over the last six weeks. Just CLICK HERE for the latest race result roundup.

Get voting!

Firstly an apology! After promising not to bombard you with emails if you subscribe to news updates, it seems that our mailshot server didn’t get the memo and sent multiple messages recently with the same content! Hopefully you saw the funny side and didn’t just click “unsubscribe” in disgust? Anyway, we had a lot more nominations as a result of the “rigorous” mailshot. Now that we have the short list, we have opened the window for current members to vote for your favourite via the MemberZone Survey Monkey links. Simply log-in, click on the “Award Nominations” category and follow the links to the 3 awards. The deadline for votes is 31st March so that the awards can be presented as usual at the AGM in April.

Brighton Marathon place

Due to illness or injury, we now have one club place available for this race. If you want to represent your club in this great event on 15th April, just CONTACT US

Brighton Marathon bus driver

We are lucky enough to have the use of the Springboard minibus for both Brighton and London marathons again this year. London is covered but we need a willing driver for the Brighton bus who must have category D1 on their driving licence. You will be required to pick up passengers at BBHLC, drive to B’Ton, drop off, park up, spectate(?) and then pick up and drive back after all returnees have finished. Just CONTACT US if you are interested in giving a bit back.

Sussex Road Relays

Entries are now open (via Opentrack) for the Sussex Road Relays at Christ’s Hospital on Saturday, April 7, 2018. Please ask Pete O’Connell about being part of a team. Entries close Sunday 25th March. Further info HERE

South Downs Way RelayArguably the best ‘running’ day out of the year! We are looking for members to take part in this “invitation only” event of about 50 teams. Horsham Joggers have been invited once again to enter two teams (of six). This is a relay race over the 97 miles of the South Downs Way, starting at Beachy Head and finishing at Winchester. The teams consist of six runners who each run three non-consecutive legs of the relay. The distance of each leg is somewhere between 4 and 8 miles and you’ll have a good break between each of your 3 runs. Each runner will run somewhere between 15 – 18 miles over the course of the day, almost entirely off road. The team travel between the start/finish points of each leg by minibus and you will have a driver and navigator looking after you. There is a time limit to complete the event, meaning that an average pace per mile of just over 8.5 minutes is required (over the whole distance). In the past we have had teams consisting of a good mix of different paced runners, with some running faster and some slower than the 8.5 m/m average required. Although a fairly tough (it’s hilly!) and long day, it is a truly great event with a lot of team spirit and camaraderie.  Having done it twice I, and I’m sure everyone else who has ever taken part, will confirm that the sense of achievement and fun had is immeasurable. Entry cost is subsidised by the club, the cost per runner is £25.00 to cover minibus and fuel costs. In addition to 12 runners there are vacancies for a minibus driver and a navigator for each team.  At this stage if you would like to take part (or even if you only think you might be interested in taking part) or want to know more please CONTACT US. Full details of the event can be found on the organiser’s website: http://www.southdownsrelay.co.uk/ Get in touch and get your name on the list, you won’t regret it!

WSFRL fixtures

These are now up on their website (http://westsussexfunrunleague.org.uk/) and you can enter individual or multiple races for the year via the MemberZone. Please remember that if you are paying for more than just yourself, you need to include additional runner’s details in the “order notes” field within the checkout page otherwise we won’t know who is entering!

2018 Challenge Trophy races

Race 1 took place on 4th Feb at the Chi 10k (see results round up) and we now look forward to race 2 at Hastings half on the 18th of next month. The 10mile challenge will remain at Haywards Heath in May and the final race will be the Fittleworth 5 in September.

Membership renewals

Just a quick reminder that your membership expires on 31st March each year. If you joined the club on or after 1st Jan 18, you have paid up until 31st Mar 19. You can now renew online via the MemberZone and your existing PayPal account. No paperwork, no paper money, no hassle! Also a reminder that UKA have increased affiliation to £15 for 2018/19. Happy days!

Data protection

At Horsham Joggers we pride ourselves on the way we store your data and make sure your personal details are safe. However, the law is changing in May to include greater scope and tougher punishments for those who fail to comply. As a result, England Athletics are asking us to put extra measures in place to make sure you agree with the way that we store and share your data. You will notice changes to our membership forms on the website and the MemberZone renewal procedure. If you have any questions, please CONTACT US

Horsham 10k update

Entry is now open and we also have volunteers for these new roles:-

  • Field set up team leader
  • Course and field break down team leader
  • Volunteer coordinator

Now that we have a full rota of team leaders for the day, we will soon be asking for individual volunteers to join these teams. Please remember that we are hosting our home event for others to participate in and this relies on many volunteers to make it happen. If you are an hj member, we expect you to consider volunteering before applying to enter the race!

Gunpowder Trot organiser

Yes, it may be over eight months away but we will need a new organiser for this race to continue the great work by Victoria. Procedures are in place to repeat the event this year so we need a self motivated, organised individual to fulfil these tasks:

  • Liaison with venue, land owners, local authority, local residents and medical providers.
  • Organising a small team of leaders to deliver the various part of the race.
  • Recruiting/coordinating volunteers with each sub-team leader.
  • Monitoring entries and submitting to the league.
  • Checking/purchasing the inventory for the race.
  • Supervising the set up and delivery on the day.
  • Keeping accurate accounts for submission to the treasurer.

Not an exhaustive list but if you think you have what it takes please CONTACT US

Dates for your diary

25th Feb – Brighton Half

4th March – Steyning Stinger Half or Marathon

4th March – Eastbourne Half

18th March – Hastings Half – SGP (hj Challenge Trophy event)

25th March – Mel’s Milers 10k

2nd April – Lewes Easter Monday Races – WSFRL

 

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

 

HORSHAM JOGGERS NEWS – 14th January

Committee activity

Your committee met on Wednesday 10th Jan with a few more new guests and discussed the usual club finances, membership and calendar as well as marathon places, data protection, club kit, award nominations and Challenge Trophy races. More on some of this later. We agreed to meet again on 21st February.

The result round up

It’s been a quiet few weeks over the festive period but we’ve compiled this item from press reports by Phil over the last six weeks. Just CLICK HERE for the latest race result roundup.

Andy Spriggs

As many of you will have seen within our special tribute, Andy’s funeral will take place at Worthing Crematorium on Wednesday 17th January 2018 at 11am with Sandra requesting no flowers, just donations direct to The MND Association or at the service or via the undertaker, Freeman Bros – Horsham, if you would like to.

JOY, NOY and VOY nominations

We’ve had a few nominations but it’s disappointing to think that this isn’t being well supported by our (over!) 500 members. There is still time to look back over the past year and think about who are your Jogger, Newcomer and Volunteer of the year. JOY can be for any reason which makes a current member stand out in your eyes. Newcomers will be those who have joined since 1st Jan 2017. Vollies might be those who aren’t necessarily the best runners (if they run at all?) but are always there supporting and getting involved with the club. So email info@hj and give your nominees with a brief reason why you think they should be considered. We will close nominations on 20th Feb.

2018 Challenge Trophy races

Each year the committee select 4 races for the club Challenge Trophies and for 2018 we have decided to mix it up a bit! (CLICK HERE FOR DETAILS) The half marathon challenge race will change from Barn Green to Hastings and the WSFRL race will change from the Steepdown Challenge to the Fittleworth 5. The 10k and 10mile challenge races will remain the same with Chichester and Haywards Heath respectively.

Sussex AA – 20 mile road race

Ed – We’ve had this request from Tom at Sussex AA……….

Sussex AA have accepted an invitation to field teams in the Essex 20 mile road race over an undulating 3 lap course around quiet country lanes of north east Essex, starting and finishing at Langham Village Hall, Langham,  at 10:00am on Sunday 4th March 2018. The counties taking part are Essex, Kent, Hertfordshire, Cambridge, Suffolk, Bedfordshire, Norfolk and Sussex.  Teams are 4 to run with 3 to score for both men and women and team scores are based on the cumulative time for the first 3 runners over the line.  Standards are understandably quite high but a strong Sussex team would be in the mix for medals. As a guide we are initially looking for interest from Sussex qualified men who have run close to or quicker than one or more of the following in the previous 12 months………….

1 hour 56 mins for 20 miles, 2 hours 38 mins for the marathon or 1 hour 16 mins for the half marathon.

Similarly we are looking at times in the last 12 months quicker than or close to the following from Sussex qualified ladies wishing to be considered………….

2 hour 19 mins for 20 miles. 3 hours 07 mins for the marathon or 1 hour 29 mins for the half marathon.

Anyone who wishes to be considered please let Tom Ulliott know (email details available) by Sunday 21st January, providing information to support your application.  An initial short-list of 6 for each race (ladies and men) will be drawn up from which the final 4 PLUS a non-travelling reserve for each race will be announced by 12th Feb. PLEASE NOTE – this race is just 6 days before the national inter counties cross country at Loughborough so be sure you have fully considered this if you wish to be selected for both events.

Club marathon places

Congratulations to our three members who gained a place in the London Marathon via the recent club ballots. We still have 2 places for the Brighton Marathon available if anyone wants them? Just email info@hj to save a place. For those lucky enough to have a club place, please remember to wear your official club race vest or t-shirt when representing your club. These are available to buy via the MemberZone.

Spring Marathon Training

This continues at 9am every Sunday and our friends at BBHLC have requested that we don’t enter the building or gather in the reception area before the 9am start. Please gather outside by the round bench, listen to the 9am briefing and then use the loos if required before leaving for the run. James still requires volunteers to organise the route and refreshments on 18th and 25th Feb and again on 15th April. Email info@hj if you can help.

West Sussex Fun Run League round up

Horsham Joggers Seniors finished 9th in the league in 2017 out of a total participation of 17 teams. The Juniors finished 6th out of 13 clubs; this was a fantastic result for them as they usually have only 3 members taking part. The final race of the year was the Hangover 5 with 25 very eager joggers who enjoyed running through endless mud with very slippery conditions; the atmosphere and language was electric. Two joggers completed all 17 races. David Dawson and Jenny Boyd will receive completers T-shirts. The 2018 calendar will be released in the next few days. A new race is being introduced to add to the variety. The first race of the season will be Lewes – 5 miles on Easter Monday, 2nd April. If you haven’t taken part in any of these many varied races, why not come along. You will be made very welcome with tea and cakes, fish & chips, and beer and barbecues to help you recover when finished!

Group leaders required

As well as more usual Tuesday group leaders, we are specifically looking for a half marathon training leader to run in parallel with the current Spring marathon training programme. A schedule, maps and advice are all available for an organiser to take this on. Please apply to info@hj for more info.

Keep on Running!

With the many local initiatives (including Parkrun) allowing people to “Get Running!” up to 5k, we want to change our focus towards keeping running by offering a 5k to 10k improvers programme. We are looking for a keen and motivated leader in running fitness (LIRF) to take this on. If you don’t have a LIRF qualification, the club is happy to pay for the training required (subject to course completion and subsequent input to the club) so this is a great opportunity to expand your knowledge base and give something back to the club. Email info@hj for more details.

Charitable donations

Ed – We have received a lovely thank you from Ian at “Out There” West Sussex………

On behalf of everyone at Out There I would like to thank Horsham Joggers for nominating us to receive some of the fundraising money you make throughout the year. It was a nice surprise to see an email saying we had been put forward for the donation and an even bigger surprise when I saw the amount. The money will help us with the activities we run and go towards buying new equipment and developing links with the local community. Thank you to all the runners and helpers and Horsham Joggers for all their efforts in raising the money for not just ourselves but also the other organisations you support.

Horsham 10k organisers needed

We welcome Lin Whiting and Geoff Parker as our new Race Director tag team but the following key organising roles will still need to be filled in order to deliver this year’s race which is due to take place on Sunday 20th May:-

  • Course and field set up team leader
  • Course and field break down team leader

The basics are already in place, we just need motivated, organised and committed individuals to bring their skills to the table. You’ll be guided and encouraged all the way and you can make a huge difference!

Discounted Running Mags!

Ed – hj member, Martyn has a nice deal for you………….

Thanks to work (I manage and look after all the systems, software, websites and processes for my company I work for, including the subscription bureau) I’ve managed to get discounted offers to both Men’s Running and Women’s Running magazines:

https://mags.imbmsubscriptions.com/wrunclub/

https://mags.imbmsubscriptions.com/mrunclub/

Feel free to use this and advertise the offer to fellow members as you see fit. I don’t get any commission for this so it’s simply a benefit I’ve managed to source.

Dates for your diary

4th Feb – Chichester 10k (hj Challenge Trophy event)

11th Feb – Worthing Half

25th Feb – Brighton Half

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

 

ANDREW SPRIGGS – 29.11.48 to 28.12.17

A bright light was extinguished from the Horsham Joggers family over Christmas. This is our tribute to a great man.

Born in 1948 in North London, distance running wasn’t Andy’s first passion; he became a black belt in judo at university and then went on to become a coach in the sport. He moved around with work from Leicestershire, Hampshire, Oxfordshire, Wiltshire and eventually to Horsham in 1988 to work as a retail pricing analyst with ExxonMobil at their Leatherhead office, from where he later took early retirement.

Already in his forties, he joined Horsham Joggers in 1996 and became a regular and committed member, often helping newcomers, leading groups, participating in races and eventually taking over the organisation of a flagging Horsham 10k race in 2005, as well as standing on the committee for 4 years. His contribution to the 10k was pivotal when he combined his other passion for fundraising and he joined forces with the Horsham Lions Club to deliver an improved race from a brand new venue. With his enthusiasm for Horsham Joggers and the Horsham Lions Club, he almost single-handedly drove the event forward for eight years to its current status as a regular feature on the annual race calendar. Andy stood down as Race Director in 2012 but continued to be on hand for the new administration in the following years.

When diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease (MND) in 2011, the 46 times half marathon and 39 times marathon man’s ability slowed but he still continued walking with the pub run group and kept beavering away fundraising with the Horsham Lions and MND Association. With his mobility becoming less easy, Andy found new ways to stay mobile and set his sights on raising funds for the West Sussex branch of the MND Association by teaming up with nephew, Chris to complete more marathons while being pushed in a rickety NHS wheelchair! His exploits were even put into print in Chris’s 2015 book, “The Reason I Run”.

Andy leaves his wife of 44 years Sandra. Daughter, Sarah. Son, Paul and daughter, Joanna as well as six grandchildren and a wider group of family and friends. Andy’s funeral will take place at Worthing Crematorium on Wednesday 17th January 2018 at 11am with Sandra requesting no flowers, just donations direct to The MND Association or at the service or via the funeral director, Freeman Bros – Horsham, if you would like to.

He will be missed enormously by all those who knew him but will definitely be enjoying his “last lap” up there!

………………………………………………………………………………

Some hj members have provided us with their personal thoughts and tributes below:

Alan SmithI was saddened to hear that Andy had passed away. I have been a friend of his for a good number of years, having trained with and run against him in numerous events. There was already a friendly competitiveness between us with honours even I think. Andy never complained of his condition to me. He was one of those genuine people, no side to him and never a bad word to say. He was brave courageous and most of all a very nice bloke. I will miss him.

Mike De FrateschiAndy was truly inspirational. As one of a kind he was totally selfless giving much to others whilst asking for nothing in return. He dealt with his cruel illness with great dignity and courage. We shall miss him. RIP Andy.

Sue SimmonsAndy gave so much to the club, both on the committee and running every week and his bravery in managing his MND meant conversations with him were always enjoyable. He excelled at being a marathon runner but always had time to run with club runners and encourage anyone new to running. He pioneered the Horsham 10k from being a small local race to one of the main SGP races. He will be sadly missed but remembered as an inspiration to everyone at the club.

Edward SmithI was saddened to hear the sad news of Andy’s passing. We were in the same running group and I will always remember him as a true gentleman who kept the rest of us focused on the training (usually hard training if Andy set the pace!) in hand when we were worried more about which pub serves the best pint. In recent years when I bumped into him he would always remember my name and he definitely showed true grit with the situation he found himself in. He will be truly missed.

Alan PettittAndy was a truly remarkable person who I have been most privileged to run with since I started running with the club. He has been an inspiration to me both in my running and in life. I was in awe since the time he came flying past me half way round the Brighton half. How could that old fella run faster than me? He introduced me to pub runs and the joy of running across muddy fields. He ran dozens of marathons when I thought that one was an achievement. He never complained, just got on with things, right up to his last days, always helping others. He did so much for the club and its members, we can forever be grateful and I will miss him dearly.

Peter DudmanAndy had always been a great participant and supporter of the Pub Runs and the Winter Sunday Runs for many years. Not only running when he was able, but planning and organising routes. He continued his support, when eventually confined to a chair. Whilst Sandra did the walks he would attend to be sure that the pubs and beer came up to our standards . Andy will be missed by us all . 

Olive HobbsIt`s difficult to pen adequate words and I sure that there will be a vein running through thoughts and comments that will honour dear Andy. I mainly think of all the energy he (and Sandra) gave to raising awareness of MND,fund raising with street collections, quiz nights and so forth. Also being very warm and genuine human being.

Pete O’ConnellVery sad. Andy was a massive help to Val when she started training with the club. I have film of Andy outsprinting Alan Smith in our golden mile which I happily copied for them causing much friendly banter! Rock on, RIP my man .

Ben AgerosRest in peace Andy. Good memories of our London Marathon training for CHASE back in 2006

Mariann BourneVery sad news. Ours deepest and most heartfelt condolences to Sandra and family. We have many fond memories of Andy helping and encouraging us on our long Sunday runs and the cold evenings on the track doing yassos. Be at peace Andy.

Sue BinksRest in peace Andy, always a sweet and generous man.

Michael SaundersA truely sad day for all who knew him. Always a gentleman, never an unkind word for anyone and always ready to help and give his time not only to help new members of the HJ’s family but to the club also.

Raff VitaleSad day for HJ!! Was always so encouraging and full of life, supporting all runners whatever their ability. Andy will always be remembered. Condolences go out to all the family.

Jason WalkerBless you Andy it was a pleasure to have known you. Andy helped me enter my first ever race as a Horsham Jogger all those years ago as I didn’t have a clue how to do it as daft as it sounds. He was a very generous man and always went out of his way to help you. He will be sadly missed by all! Xx

Paul OakleyAndy was one of the first club members I chatted to when I was thinking of joining the club over 10 years ago. His friendly manner was a great encouragement. Condolences to the family.

Phil LibermanRIP Andy and my condolences to the Spriggs family. It was always great to see you at the pub runs, a lovely guy, thank you for everything you did for HJ.

Dan HolderRIP Andy. Xx

Mikey O’GradyThis is truly sad news. Great bloke. Sympathy to the family.

Paul AylettI first met Andy in 2001 when I joined Horsham Joggers and turned up on a Tuesday evening to find everyone leaving without me (as it used to be!). Andy stopped and turned to me and said “Come on, you look like you’re faster than us old blokes!). I ran with him and “Big Andy” (Malpress). Over the coming weeks and months he kind of took me under his wing and built me up towards time trialing and then the Barns Green half before encouraging me to do my one and only marathon in London. Later he encouraged me to help with the Horsham 10k and in 2012 when he stood down, I took over and tried to fill those extremely big shoes of his. The race was already a success under his leadership and he was still on hand to help us take it to the next level. When confined to a wheelchair, Andy came to the track one Thursday evening and I had the pleasure of pushing him for a lap or two. It was hard enough on the flat so I have no idea how he and Chris managed marathons with it! As has already been said, Andy was a truly genuine, kind and generous man whose focus is legendary. A life cut short by a vicious disease which has no cure! RIP Andy.

Neil and Val McLachlanAndy was such a lovely man. He was so kind and generous, always thinking of others even when he himself had the most cruel disease to contend with. It was a privilege to have him as a friend. I will always remember the run six of us had on the High Weald Way over five days. We bonded together and had such a good time. When Andy could no longer run eight of us would get together over a meal and always had so many laughs. We are pleased you are no longer suffering Andy. Rest in peace.

Emma Walters – I didn’t know Andy but when I first started running and on my 3rd parkrun in October 2015 I remember seeing a man being pushed around in his wheelchair at great speed and I thought that was amazing. I went into work and told many of my patients how parkrun really was accessible for all and it has encouraged those with complex disabilities to take part in parkrun. I later found out that it was Andy Spriggs. If only he knew how that event that day has inspired so many. 

Pete NoadI have so many memories of Andy that it is difficult to pick out one in particular. As someone once said”, I am sending you a long letter because I didn’t have time to write a short one”. When moving I draw up a list of things would like from a new house and area; south facing garden, good size garage, quiet neighbourhood etc. On my list, near the top, was “join a running club” It was the best thing I did, yet if it wasn’t for Andy I might never have joined Horsham Joggers. Andy & I joined the Joggers on the same day in August 1996. In those days we in met in Horsham Park. When we arrived there was no one there, only Andy and I. We introduced ourselves and decided to run up to Broadbridge Heath. We found that everyone had run to the Itchingfield time trial. We both looked at each other, I was all for going home, on the basis that this was a serious running club. Andy however just said, let’s do it. As with with MND, Andy never complained “just got on with it” So off we went, ran the time trial and joined the Joggers, the rest is history….thanks Andy. He contributed so much to the club, even when suffering from MND, never once complained “just got on with it.”

Ray AgerosRest in peace my friend, I’ll continue to remember  our many years that we have been in Joggers, & now that I’m an all year walker I’ll remember you every time I put my winter gloves on, thanks for leaving them to me .

David SandhamI was sad to hear the news about Andy Spriggs , he was one of the key people who welcomed me into Horsham Joggers in 2004. He organized a multi day running trip along the Offa’s Dyke path the following year, with other stalwarts Alan Smith, Andy Malpress, Pete Noad and Iain Campbell, which was instrumental in convincing me that I could run a marathon – I shall be forever grateful for that. A truly inspirational man.

 

 

 

HORSHAM JOGGERS NEWS – 3RD DECEMBER

Ed – It’s nearly Christmas and we are sure you’ve all been nice so perhaps a little bit of naughtiness during the festive season won’t hurt will it? Go on, you’ve earned it!

Committee activity

Your committee met on Wednesday 29th Nov with a few guests, and discussed the usual club finances, membership and calendar as well as the forthcoming winter handicap and awards night, website orders/voting updates, charitable donations and proposed SGP changes. More on some of this later. We agreed to meet again on 10th January.

The result round up

Another busy few weeks for team hj so we’ve compiled this item from press reports by Phil over the last six weeks. Just CLICK HERE for the latest race result roundup. Big thanks go to Iain Campbell for offering to step in and share this role with Phil in the New Year

hj handicap race and awards night

On Tuesday 12th December, instead of the usual group runs we will be holding our annual winter handicap race and awards evening at the new location of Horsham Cricket Club, Cricketfield Road and you are ALL invited. Please arrive from 6.45pm to give your average 5 or 10k time to coach Fiona and she will allocate you a group to run with over the 4.5mile course with staggered starts from 7.15pm. If the maths work out then you should all finish together at the same time!

Following the handicap race, at 8.30pm we will be awarding trophies for all those who have represented the club within the Challenge Trophy, Time Trials, Sussex Grand Prix and West Sussex Fun Run League races for 2017. Look out for an email to your inbox if you’ve won an award! And if you haven’t, please come along and applaud those who have. There will be complimentary sandwiches and the bar will be open if you want to buy a drink. Limited parking is available at the Cricket Club.

Ho-Ho run 19th Dec

Just your average Tuesday night run with the added pleasure of visiting the “Ho-Ho” houses of Horsham, de-decked with their vast array of fairy lights. Group leaders will chose their route to take in the sights and sounds while Santa’s little helper Sue will provide Santa hats for those who want to borrow one. Bring some small change for the various charity collection boxes along the way.

Gunpowder Trot review

Sunday 5th November saw the club hold its annual WSFRL race, hosted at the Horsham Cricket Club grounds. The event was a great success with lots of very positive feedback from runners and volunteers. Our Race Director Victoria was told that our race has the best course in the league because it “has a bit of everything”. Also our cakes and hospitality were enjoyed by all. The success of the event relied on the goodwill of Friends Of Chesworth farm, the local landowner, the Cricket Club and all our many volunteers. Next years event is already in the calendar so keep the date free – your club needs your support to make these events happen!

Charitable donations

As well as the usual Springboard minibus donation we are splitting the profits of the Gunpowder Trot with St Catherines Hospice and this year the committee have also selected two new charities from those suggested by members. “Out There West Sussex” is a community based Sports and Leisure project for adults with learning disabilities or autism aged 16+ across West Sussex and “The Butterfly Project” is a Horsham based centre providing individuals with excellent training, activities and sessions to ensure they can develop work and life skills. We hope that both will come along to the awards evening to collect their donations.

 JOY, NOY and VOY nominations

Yes, as the year draws to a close, it’s time to look back over the past 12 months and think about who are your Jogger, Newcomer and Volunteer of the year. JOY can be for any reason which makes a current member stand out in your eyes. Newcomers will be those who have joined since 1st Jan 2017. Vollies might be those who aren’t necessarily regular runners (if they run at all?) but are always there supporting and getting involved with the club. So email info@hj and give your nominations with a brief reason why you think they should be considered. Once we have the short list, we have made it even easier for you to vote for your favourite by including a voting link to Survey Monkey within the Memberzone. Simply login, click on “Award Nominations” category and follow the links to the 3 awards via Survey Monkey. The awards will be presented at next year’s AGM.

 SGP rule changes

Ed – With the aim of reinvigorating the grand prix series for 2018, the organisers have made some changes and as a result, the hj committee will be reviewing the number of races required to qualify for an award at our next meeting in January. The good news is that the Horsham 10k remains an SGP race for 2018!

– Race calendar to be changed from the current 17 races to 10. Races in each calendar year to be picked from a pool of races. The priority for putting this together was that races organised by SGP clubs were initially selected and this accounted for 9 out of the 10 races. As the majority of the races organised by SGP clubs are 10K it was agreed that the additional race should be a half marathon and for 2018 the Hastings half has been chosen.

– Team scoring to be changed and will no longer be based on the best 10 scoring men and women. Full details for team scoring are to be finalised and will be made available before the end of the year. An interim post will be published to explain the rationale for the change. In summary it was felt by the AGM that interest in the SGP has dropped across all clubs and it needs a revamp to reignite interest. In particular the team element will be more inclusive for all runners representing their clubs. The intention is to review if the changes that have been made have had the desired effect of re-invigorating interest in the SGP. This will be done in July 2018 to allow for any adjustments to be made in preparation of 2019.

Horsham 10k organisers needed

The following key organising roles will need to be filled in order to deliver next year’s race which is due to take place on Sunday 20th May:-

The basics are already in place, we just need motivated, organised and committed individuals to bring their skills to the table. You’ll be guided and encouraged all the way and you can make a huge difference!

The Thank You’s

Gunpowder Trot A huge thank you to all those who gave their time to make this event happen, particularly to Victoria and her core team who were there before and long after the runners came and went. This was Victoria’s fourth year in the role and we thank her for her huge contribution to redesigning and reinvigorating this annual event which has taken over from the Valentines Run. Annual hj quiz night More thanks, this time to Gemma and John Berrill who put on a fabulous quiz with some really challenging questions! They’ve set the bar high for any volunteers to put this event on again next year and we wish them all the luck in the world with their new beginnings in Milton Keynes. You will both be missed! Social Curry Night Finally to James Munden for organising a very well attended curry night at Darchini.

And Finally – Team OG’s Ireland adventure

Ed – Powered by the black stuff, team “Old Gits” went on tour! Words by Finbarr……………..

Sunday 29th Oct 2017: Dublin – Running in the steps of ” Molly Malone” on  bright and surprisingly sunny Dublin, 9 Horsham Joggers set off from Merrion Square along the beautiful Georgian Streets to run the Dublin Marathon. The course ran an anticlockwise and beautiful route crossing over the Liffey and through Phoenix Park and eventually crossing back over the river to pass through the full length of South Dublin with views to the Wicklow hills and the sea eventually coming back into Merrion Square to the finish. However, the real delight was the crowd. The repartee as expected was brilliant and we were treated to exceptional hospitality and encouragement. Responding to the support Mikey O’Grady led the way home in a crowd pleasing 3:42:51, Holly Wanless was not far behind in just over 4 hrs (4:01:42) and led her sister Alice to a superb first marathon in 4:05:25. Then the Old Git brigade, some burying the ghosts of Brighton Marathon (appropriately on Halloween night), came in with Richard (no gels) Cherriman on an excellent PB of 4:15:09 followed by Chris Yeomans (4:22:43) and Rob (don’t Ninja me) Jochimsen beating the cramps and finishing in 4:34:51. Cruising close behind and having a good social the dynamic duo Finbarr Cotter and Ian Wilcox flew past the finish in 4:40:47 and continued all the way to the bar (Temple Bar). James Munden still on the road to recovery after his superb charity raising efforts a few weeks previously still manage a great sub 5 marathon (4:52:44). Following on from a fantastic marathon (my favourite out of 4 this year) we celebrated with the Irish black recovery drinks with the cream top. A great show from Horsham Joggers and definitely a must for next year. Beautifully organised, great route and the best crowd and hospitality.

Dates for your diary

3rd Dec – Crowborough 10k (SGP)

10th Dec – Mince Pie 10 **RACE FULL**

12th Dec – Handicap race and Awards Night

19th Dec – “Ho-Ho” run

31st Dec – Spring marathon training starts – 10 miles (look out for the full schedule on the website and Facebook)

1st Jan – Hangover 5 (WSFRL)

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

 

HORSHAM JOGGERS NEWS – 22nd OCT

Committee activity

A very small committee met on Wednesday and discussed the usual club finances and membership as well as the forthcoming Gun Powder Trot (WSRFL), quiz night, winter handicap/awards night, website updates and orders, coaching and volunteering. More on some of this later. We agreed to meet again on 29th November.

Open letter from the chairman

THE CLUB IS DOING GREAT!

It’s true! Membership is at an all time high, our events are successful, we have a great new website and our runners are fab! But that is only half the story……

As we continue to grow so does the support structure required to underpin it and the fact is, we cannot continue in the current vain. There are 2 questions I would like you all to ask;

  • What has your club done for you this year?
  • What have you done for the club this year?

It would be good to think that the two are balanced. The club is not sustainable with just a few people doing all the work. I appreciate we all have busy lives but we need more helpers, more ideas, more enthusiasm!

Paul Aylett said earlier this year this would be his last year of being Race Director for the clubs 10K, this position is still vacant and the race is 7 months away. Also Victoria Saunders has indicated that this year will be her last year of organizing the club WSFRL fixture; The Gunpowder Trot. These are both important roles in the running of the club and they have to be filled for these events to take place. Also we are short of the 11 committee members we should have and out of 500+ members that is not good enough.

We need committed people to step up and assist the club as it moves forward. Lots of assistance and support will be given in the two race roles as both Paul and Victoria have assembled great teams of people around them. If you are interested in joining the committee why not come along to a meeting and see what it’s like? You don’t have to commit straight away!

Thank you for taking the time to read this. I hope those of you who can, will step forward.

Phil.

The result round up

Another busy few weeks for team hj so we’ve compiled this from press reports by Phil and Paul Oakley over the last five weeks. Just CLICK HERE for the latest race result roundup.

hj Challenge Trophy races

With 3 out of the 4 races completed, we are all looking forward to the final race this season which is the WSFRL Steepdown Challenge on 29th October. Awards are presented for overall male and female winners as well as 5 year age categories (from senior to V70) at our “lavish” awards evening on 12th December at Horsham Cricket Club.

Gunpowder Trot – 5th November

It’s almost time for our 4.5 mile cross-country course on the Denne Park and Chesworth Farm estates. New for 2017; we will be holding a 1 mile junior race this year too. Also new for 2017; we will be using Horsham Cricket Club as our Race HQ. We now have enough volunteers to supervise and marshal the runners and (if you haven’t already had them?) instructions will be issued volunteers in the next few days. This is our home fun run and we need to welcome our guests and show them some proper hj hospitality so please support this event.

Congratulations!

To Hannah and Jamie Carter who tied the knot on 16th September, James Munden who raised a fantastic £2700 for Chestnut Tree House by recently running a 24 hour Parkrun, John Wilcox who has completed 4 huge challenges in his 50th year and raised an incredible £5450 for Prostate Cancer UK and Emma Walters who recently completed her first ultra marathon (having never run more than a half marathon before!) and raised £2330 for CLIC Sargent. Congratulations to you all!

Annual hj quiz night – 17th November at 7pm

Question: What’s an awesome way to spend an evening? Answer: The Horsham Joggers quiz night at Horsham Cricket Club with quizzie rascal Jon Berrill! £18 per team payable on the night, maximum of six people per team (that’s just £3 per person!). Please send team entries to info@hj to reserve your place.

Social Curry Night

Our social butterfly, James Munden, has kindly agreed to organise an all you can eat curry night on 26th November at Darchini, London Road at 7pm. Please contact James directly via the Facebook event or email info@hj to reserve your place.

Winter handicap and Awards evening

This will be held on 12th December at the new home of Horsham Cricket Club and we need about 6 marshals to volunteer to help PLEEEEEASE! Runners should arrive at 6.45pm and give your average 5 or 10k time to us. We will put you in groups and if we’ve got our sums right, you will all finish together. The course will be similar to last time but will now start at the Blackbridge Lane/Worthing Road junction before taking you on two laps of Blackbridge Lane, Guildford Road and Hills Farm Lane then finishing back at the start point. Afterwards there will be sandwiches provided at the Cricket Club during the Annual Awards Presentation at 8.30pm. The bar will also be open so bring your pocket money! Parking is limited so please car share or park in other local roads then jog in as a warm up.

Gemma’s Downs Link adventure (in her own words)

2nd October was the Downslink Ultra.. 38 miles from Guildford to Shoreham. We believe it was the largest amount of Horsham Joggers entry this year with 8 entrants, Jason walker, Alan Pettitt, Matt Whyman, Emma Walters, Garry Dale, Chris Yeomans, Paul Burgess and Gemma Berrill. With the course record holder coming in 20 minutes behind his record time it shows just how tough it was on the day. With constant drizzle and tough head wind it made it a challenging race. Unfortunately Paul Burgess had to drop out, not wanting to risk injury with Amsterdam marathon just 2 weeks later (which he completed and enjoyed!). I nearly dropped out at mile 27 as the grim sweeper was in sight, but with my running buddy there to give me a hug and tell me to shift my butt I was on my way. Massive well done to first male hj home, Jason walker in 06:05:35 and to Emma Walters for completing her first ultra and first hj lady home in 7:04:55. The best thing about the event has to be the infamous homemade chilli (veggie option was available!) and well run organisation.

Dates for your diary

28th Oct – Beachy Head Marathon & 10k

29th Oct – Steepdown Challenge (WSFRL and hj challenge trophy)

29th Oct – Hove Prom 10k (SGP)

29th Oct – Crawley 10k

5th Nov – Gunpowder Trot (WSFRL)

11th Nov – Poppy Half Marathon, Bexhill

17th Nov – hj quiz night

18th Nov – Box Hill Tough 10

19th Nov – Brighton 10k

19th Nov – 10k for Kent/Surrey/Sussex Air Ambulance

26th Nov – Jigsaw Run 10k, Dunsfold

26th Nov – Greensand Way 15, Shalford

26th Nov – Curry night at Darchini

Don’t forget; if you’ve got something worthy of the newsletter please let us know! Email: info@hj

HORSHAM JOGGERS NEWS – 17th Sept

Committee activity

At our recent meeting we discussed the usual club finances and membership etc as well as the forthcoming SGM to allow incorporation as a Community Amateur Sports Club (CASC), the forthcoming Gun Powder Trot (WSRFL), the recent Horsham Round and summer BBQ in Horsham Park, BG half marathon training, website updates and orders, coaching, volunteering and Twittens!. More on some of this later. We agreed to meet again on 18th October.

The result round up

We have now put together a separate document, compiled from race reports by Phil and Paul Oakley over the last six weeks, so you won’t miss a thing! Just CLICK HERE for the latest race result roundup.

Gunpowder Trot – 5th Nov

It’s that time of year where we ask our members to volunteer to help at the Gunpowder Trot on Sunday 5 November from 9.30am to 1pm. Last year, a massive 72 of you were involved in organising the event on the day, and we’ll need those numbers again this year, for our 4.5 mile cross-country course on the Denne Park and Chesworth Farm estates. New for 2017, we will be holding a 1 mile junior race this year too. Also new for 2017, we will be using Horsham Cricket Club as our Race HQ. We need volunteers to bake cakes as well as to help run the event on the day. We have a range of roles, including marshalling the course, stewarding around race HQ, manning the registration desk, and helping out with refreshments.  If you are able to volunteer either as a baker, or to undertake a role on the day, please fill in our Gunpowder Trot Form

Barn Green Half and 10k – 24th September

It’s just one week until BG half and 10k and team hj is again fielding a huge squad for both events as well as a few pacers too! We want to take a full team photo on the green at 9.30am sharp so please arrive in good time, don’t go to the toilet queue or run off around the field on your warm up! Just meet at the hj gazebo on the green and look out for the hj flags! After the races, we intend to stay behind for a BYO picnic (weather permitting) so why not join us and bring some post race rehydration too! 

24 hour Parkrun

hj committee member, James Munden, will be running a 24 hour Parkrun starting on Friday 29th September, finishing on Saturday 30th with (guess what!) a Parkrun! He aims to run at least 5km every hour and will have volunteer supporters running in shifts with him throughout the whole 24 hour period. A total distance of at least 120km! He will be fundraising for Chestnut Tree House (the Sussex Police charity for 2017) by selling cakes and collecting donations. To support his efforts, please come along to walk, jog, eat cake and cheers him on or visit: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/24hour-horsham

Volunteer Opportunity: Horsham Cricket Club Fireworks event, Saturday 28th October

Horsham Cricket Club have kindly allowed us to use their club house as our Race HQ for the Gunpowder Trot this year, at a very favourable rate. In return, they have asked if we could provide some stewards for their well-known Fireworks event on the evening of Saturday 28 October.  As well as a spectacular fireworks display, there will be a live music, plus fairground entertainment and a variety of food outlets.  Volunteers from Horsham Joggers will be required to undertake basic stewarding duties in the car park and around the venue.  In return, volunteers will receive a free entry ticket for one guest, plus a food/drink voucher.  This is a great opportunity to attend this local popular event free of charge! E-mail info@hj if you are interested in volunteering for this event.

North Downs Way 100

Continuing the theme of nutty challenges, Graham Clarke recently completed the North Downs Way 100. A 100 mile trail event from Farnham to Ashford which he completed in 27 hours and 34 minutes. When asked about it he said; Only about 10 miles were really hard. I don’t know why but I enjoyed the rest. There’s a stretch that goes through Ranscombe farm and then out and along the massive motorway bridge. I was fine in Ranscombe farm, but my feet couldn’t handle the tarmac driveway coming out, then the bridge with countless Samaritans signs is a horrible place to be even when you’ve not done 70 miles! I got cold and sleepy, my feet hurt a lot and I was losing interest in moving; I just wanted a lie down. I stopped and sat on the floor to let my feet recover three or four times then popped some painkillers. The hill to the next aid station is constantly up for at least three miles. I had a rest and a bite to eat and the painkillers started to work then ran out of there and enjoyed the rest.

Boston Links

Keeping our links across the pond alive, Lawrence Roy recently visited The Boston Weekly Run Club to say hello in his “singlet”! If you are planning a trip to Boston on “vacation” or running the popular marathon, why not pop in and wish them all a very nice day!

Joggers for Grenfell

On 30th July, 14 hj members ran 24 minutes for Grenfell at Horsham Parkrun. A “virtual event” which allows individuals to enrol and run in their own time to raise funds for the Grenfell Tower disaster appeal. All finished and submitted their time in return for a beautiful medal. Congratulations team!

Sussex Cross Country Relays

GOODWOOD – 30th Sept. Pete O’Connell is once again looking to enter teams for this superb event which this year takes place the week after the BG1/2M. Details are listed HERE and if you are interested, contact Pete direct or email info@hj and we will put you in touch with Pete.

One-on-one assessment

Horsham Joggers can now offer one-to-one running assessment and provide coaching tips specific to your individual needs.  If you have any desire to improve your fitness, speed, gait or general ability, please email info@hj and Coach Claire will be in touch to discuss your needs and to book a session.

Group Leader Guides

Don’t forget, if you’ve ever fancied taking a group on a Tuesday evening but don’t know your way around, you can take a paper copy of any map with you from the file behind reception in BBHLC. There are also hundreds of routes available FREE to all current members online! Just email info@hj and we can send you the club login details for the Good Run Guide.

Twittens!

Yes, we had to Google it as well! These small footpaths, passageways and unidentified rights of way are known as Twittens and there are over 40 within Horsham which could be threatened with closure under the Deregulation act. The Horsham Society is fighting to keep these open but need evidence from those who have used them in the past 20 years. It’s a bit of a long winded affair but details can be found HERE or contact The Horsham Society if you want to get involved.

Dates for your diary

17th Sept – Tilgate Forest 5 (WSFRL)

24th Sept – Barns Green Half Marathon (SGP) **hj Challenge Trophy event**

24th Sept – Barns Green 10k

30th Sept – Sussex Cross Country Relays, Goodwood

1st Oct – Lewes Downland 10miles (SGP)

8th Oct – Hickstead Gallop (WSFRL)

8th Oct – Heron Way 10k

15th Oct – Bright 10 (Sussex Road Race Challenge)

**SAVE THE DATE** 5th Nov – Gunpowder Trot (WSFRL)

 

 

 

 

 

 

HORSHAM JOGGERS NEWS – 30th JULY

**Stop press!** Hold the front page! Just when we thought it was safe to publish the newsletter, earlier today our esteemed chairman only goes and completes a 100km walk from QE Country Park to Brighton race course on his 50th birthday! Accompanied by team mates Claire, Homer and Catherine, team “life begins at 50” completed the walk in a touch over 25 and a half hours. What a fantastic achievement Phil! Congratulations team!Committee activity

At our recent meeting we discussed the usual club finances and membership etc as well as changes to club rules to allow incorporation as a Community Amateur Sports Club (CASC), The forthcoming Horsham Round and Gun Powder Trot organisation, the recent summer handicap in Horsham Park, half marathon training, website updates, volunteering etc. More on some of this later. We agreed to meet again on 13th September

The result round up

The feature is proving so popular and at this time of year, with so many races taking place, we have put together a separate document so you won’t miss a thing! Just CLICK HERE for the latest race result roundup.

The Horsham Round

Registration is now open for the annual Horsham Round and again we are pleased to invite other selected local clubs to enter a few teams. Full details are on this website under the “Events” tab so please register your team as soon as possible via the info@hj address. Subject to the good weather, we will also be holding our annual BYO summer BBQ/picnic from 2pm in the park by the conservatory cafe. We’ll supply the coals if you bring your own bangers! This is open to all members, family and friends, not just those taking part in The Round.

Get Running Graduation

Congratulations to our latest recruits who graduated to their first 5k run at Horsham Parkrun on 17th June. Leaders Kirsty and Saul were on hand to see them round with James giving encouragement on the sidelines. Well done everyone and we hope we can look forward to seeing you continue to prepare for your first 10k in a few months time?

MemberZone feedback

It’s been there for a few months now. Have you used it? Do you like it? Has it made things easier for you? Is there more that we need to do to make it better? We’d like to know what you think. Any feedback (good or bad) would be appreciated. Just email info@hj.

Good Run Guide

Did you know that hj have hundreds of local running routes, races routes, Horsham round legs etc saved on the Good Run Guide? Claire Burrows and Paul Oakley have kindly gone through them and collated them into “Road” and “Off Road” categories, listed them in order of miles or km’s and printed some into a file kept at BBHLC reception. So if you’ve ever fancied taking a group on a Tuesday evening but don’t know your way around, you can take a paper copy of any map with you from the file. They are also available FREE to all current members online! Just email info@hj and we can send you the club login details for the Good Run Guide.

Membership subscriptions

If you haven’t paid, your annual hj membership will expire tomorrow! Any members who have allowed their membership to elapse will need to reapply to join the club and pay a new member’s joining fee (£5) as well as the annual membership fee. Rights to the MemberZone will also be withdrawn for elapsed members.

Gunpowder Trot

Our very own WSFRL race, the Gunpowder Trot is coming up on 5th November and we still need to fill some key roles as part of the organising group:

  • Chief Steward
  • Start/Finish Supervisor
  • Junior race director
  • Supplies coordinator

Further roles such as marshalling will be advertised closer to the date. Please keep the date free as we need your support and it takes over 70 people to make this great event happen. Speak to a committee member or email info@hj to get involved.

UKA license numbers (message from Sussex Athletics secretary)

We have had many messages this year from athletes who do not know their England Athletics license number. Please could you forward this link to your mailing list or include it on your website so that they know how to find the information?

https://myathletics.englandathletics.org/licencecheck/

Highway Code Rules

Safety is our primary concern when organising club runs but there is always an element of common sense required when running on open roads. If you want to refresh your memory on the highway code rules for running on the road just CLICK HERE

Dates for your diary

2nd Aug – Highdown Hike (WSFRL)

13th Aug – Henfield Half Marathon

20th Aug – Hove Hornets Stinger (WSFRL)

27th Aug – Will Page 10k (SGP)

27th Aug – Arundel Castle 10k

28th Aug – Annual hj Horsham Round and Summer BBQ

3rd Sept – Fittleworth 5 (WSFRL)

10th Sept – Hellingly 10k (SGP)

10th Sept – Eridge Park 10k trail challenge

17th Sept – Tilgate Forest 5 (WSFRL)

AND FINALLY!

Newsletter content

Ok, so sometimes we struggle to fill this page with “proper news”. If there is anything that you feel the membership needs to know; stories, features, articles, promotions – just let us know. The newsletter is published every six weeks, usually after the committee meet to discuss the content.

 

 

 

 

HORSHAM JOGGERS NEWS – 18th June

Ed – We’ve got so much to tell you so let’s get on with it eh!

Committee activity

At our recent meeting we discussed new members, club kit, community amateur sports club status, future events, Get Running graduation, volunteering, 10k round up and charity nominations. More on some of this later. We agreed to meet again on 26th July.

The Result Round Up

During the first bank holiday weekend we had an amazing turn out at the mid Sussex Weekend Marathon (too many to list here) with some members competing in all three events over three days to claim an incredible 4 piece medal! 10 miles on Saturday at East Grinstead, then 10 miles on Sunday (SGP and hj Challenge Trophy race) at Haywards Heath and finally a 10k at Burgess Hill. Horsham Joggers men’s team was the overall winner for the weekend races; team of David Jones, Duncan Meades and Matthew Mason. Also a special mention to young Alexa Wedesch Yokom, took part in all three Junior races over the marathon weekend. The 10 mile Challenge Trophy got the Lee-Wright treatment as Rich took the mens award (1.04.05) and wife Jess for the ladies (1.16.31). From the sublime to the ridiculous! Starting with the ridiculous! Early May also saw Horsham Joggers Ultra man Graham Clarke take on the challenge of the 3 forts marathon, a 30 mile very hilly race taking in Cissbury and Chanctonbury rings and Devil’s Dyke finishing in an excellent 4.48.05. Joggers were also travelling to far flung places as Finbarr Cotter competed in the Prague marathon (5.12) and Caroline Bransden and Viv Underhill in the Salzburg half marathon (2.13.59 & 2.14.54 respectively). 10 Joggers also competed at the West Sussex Fun Run league in the Hedgehoppers 5 at Portslade. In the SGP Shelly Garratt (38.41) Natasha Heasman (44.53) and Claire Burrows (51.09) took on the Hastings 5 mile road race. Then it was our day……Horsham 10K! The race was fully booked to the race limit of 500 and on a very hot day 439 runners completed the 2 lap course. Huge thanks go to Race Director Paul Aylett, Race Secretary Claire Miller and Paul’s super team of helpers for making it such a great day! Horsham Joggers came first in both team events thanks to Richard Lee Wright, Simon Perkins, Rob Simmons, Jessica Lee Wright, Emma Walters and Miranda Huisman. Following that Paul Yokom (1.25.33), Mick Duplock and Mike Saunders (1.52.29) went to the Rye 10 and a huge contingent of 42 contributed to a 300+ field at the second running of the Run Wisborough Green 10k with Paul Oakley storming home 3rd in 37.29. On the 2nd bank holiday weekend the scenic Sussex Weald and London 10K races took place with some fantastic results. Then 12 intrepid joggers took on the South Downs Way 100mile Relay on 3rd June under the superb organisation of John Wilcox (complete with clipboard!). Vets team of captain Fiona Clifton, Geoff Pepper, Alan MacLachlan, Crispin Scott, Alan Pettitt and  Brian Frost completed it in 14hrs and 14 mins while ladies team of captain Emma Comber, Jo Terry, Kate Short, Becky Rankin, Beck Elder and Shelly Garratt came in with 14hrs and 23mins on the clock. Congratulations to anyone who ran and represented the club during May and early June.

Summer Handicap 20th June

This coming week sees the new look summer handicap, on Tuesday 20th June, you can either assemble by the pond in Horsham park or jog down from BBHLC for 6.45pm. We will group you all in a similar way to the winter handicap based on your 5k time and then from 7.15 let off the groups to run the Horsham parkrun course, first over the line wins and will receive a trophy at awards night! If it’s a nice evening we can stay down for either a picnic or BBQ, hope to see lots of you there to support this new event! Free parking is available at Horsham Hospital after 6pm or within some local roads.

Runaway weekend

A group of runners are going to Brokenhurst to take part in the New Forest 10miler on Sunday 9th July (http://www.nf10.co.uk/) and the entry closes on 30th June with no entry on the day. Entry is £15 with a UKA number. Why not make a weekend of it with a nearby Parkrun on the Saturday as well!

Barns Green Half Marathon Training

Our favourite local half marathon will take place on Sunday 24 September this year. As usual, we’ll be providing a structured training plan to help you prepare for the race. This year it’s a 13-week programme, with the first Tuesday session on 27th June and the first Sunday run on 2nd July. Click this link for details: Barns Green training Summer 2017

The plan is suitable for runners of all speeds and levels of experience who are already confident over 10k or more. So if you haven’t quite got up to 10k yet, please use the next couple of weeks to add that extra mile or so to your training distance. If you don’t feel confident over this sort of distance yet, you can still join the fun; come and have a word with Coach Fiona before the end of June to discuss an appropriate variations to the plan.

WSFRL Arunners Beach Run – Carb loading!

For those signed up to this race on 12th July, we will be taking orders for a fish and chip supper afterwards along the harbour wall. Just speak to Diane Berry who has kindly offered to take orders and coordinate with the chip shop before and after the race. Orders must be in before the end of Sunday 9th July with money payable on the day. If you can’t hook up with Diane then just email info@hj and we’ll put you in touch.

Ride London Cycle Event

Phil Liberman is looking for Volunteers to help at this year’s Ride London event on Sunday 30th July. You will be based at the Hub at Leatherhead from about 8-3.30pm. We will be helping give put drinks and food to the competitors and it is a really fun and buzzing day! T shirts, caps and merchandise will be provided and lunch is laid on too, plus it earns money for the club! If you are interested email info@hj.

Get Running For 2017 Graduation

Congratulations to our latest recruits who graduated to their first 5k run yesterday at Horsham Parkrun! Leaders Kirsty and Saul were on hand to see them round with James giving encouragement on the side lines. Well done everyone and maybe we can look forward to seeing you prepare for your first 10k in a few months time?

Horsham 10k thanks

Once again the Horsham 10k proved its popularity with a full entry, fabulous feedback on social media and the newspapers and even sunshine! We send our sincere thanks to all the volunteers who came out to help especially the small organising committee charged with delivering a safe, fun and competitive day for all our guests. The provisional date for next year’s race is 20th May so if you think you have something to offer, why not put yourself forward as the new race director!

OFFERS OFFERS OFFERS!

Everyone loves an offer and we don’t just have one but two for you all! Our friends at Hands On Sport Therapies at BBHLC are offering 5 half price massages to the first 5 people who put a 5* review either on Google or Facebook (if you have had a treatment from them)! Also; Alan Law from Alan Law Physiotherapy is coming to BBHLC on the 18th July from 8-9pm after our session to offer a free injury drop in clinic! So if you have any niggles or anything more serious or just want some good old fashioned self preservation advice, please come along! Both companies offer us a 10% on services and are local and Alan is giving his time free of charge for this clinic so please come along and support.

Membership subscriptions

If you haven’t already paid them, your annual hj subs are now well overdue and your membership will expire on 31st July. At just £10 for an individual and £20 for a family (2 adults and multiple U16’s living at the same address) it’s an absolute bargain! You are now able to pay these via the new MemberZone on the website. Just follow the link sent to all current members by email and login to enjoy our webshop. If you can’t login, please let us know via info@hj.

Not getting a link this newsletter by email?

You’ve paid your membership, we’ve enrolled you into the MemberZone but you didn’t get a link to our newsletter updates? There’s just one more thing you need to do; Go back to the home page, scroll to the bottom, enter your name and email address and click SUBSCRIBE and we promise not to overwhelm you with junk. Job done!

Discover the West Sussex Fun Run League

Are you still missing out on a great experience?  Our participation is way below other clubs so why not see the fabulous West Sussex countryside, and enjoy the companionship of your fellow joggers. Come and join us at West Sussex Fun Run League races. You will be able to add it to your list of achievements. Entry fee £3.00 in advance via the MemberZone, or see Jenny Boyd with cash. £5.00 to enter on the day (subject to availability). For forthcoming races see the dates for your diary section below.

Nominated Charities

Every year hj are privileged enough to tot up the proceeds from various events and try to give something back to local charities and good causes. This year we want to ask you for your nominations. So if you feel that there is another club or good cause which would benefit from a bit of financial help, why not tell us by emailing details to info@hj and the committee will discuss this when we meet in July.

Dates for your diary

20th June – hj summer handicap & BBQ, Horsham Park

24th June – Downland Dash (WSFRL)

25th June – Heathfield 10k (SGP)

2nd July – Bewl 15m (SGP)

5th July – Roundhill Romp (WSFRL)

11th July – Beat the Tide 10k **EVENT NOW FULL**

12th July – Phoenix 10k (SGP)

12th July – Arunners Beech Run (WSFRL)

19th July – Wakehurst Willow 8k **EVENT NOW FULL**

26th July – Bexhill 5k (SGP)

30th July – Seven Stiles (WSFRL)

***Save the date ***

28th Aug – Annual hj Horsham Round and Summer BBQ

AND FINALLY!

We’re always looking for help with keeping the club on track (no pun intended!) so if you have time and skills to volunteer, please contact us at info@hj. Go on, we’re certain that you’ll love giving something back to the club once you dip your toes in the water. Our very own Gunpowder Trot is coming up on 5th November and we need to fill some key roles as part of the organising group:

  • Race Secretary
  • Chief Steward
  • Start/Finish Supervisor
  • Junior race director
  • Supplies coordinator

Further roles such as marshalling will be advertised closer to the date. Please keep the date free as we need your support and it takes over 70 people to make this great event happen. Speak to a committee member or email info@hj to get involved.

Bye for now 😉

 

HORSHAM JOGGERS NEWS – 6th May

Committee activity

At our recent meeting we welcomed two new members in Sharon Gibson and Gemma Berrill and discussed new joiners, club funds, club kit distribution, member zone orders, forthcoming events, BM/LM marathon – minibuses/pasta party/ballot rules, AGM matters, volunteering and the hj challenge trophy. We agreed to meet again on 14th June. More on some of this later.

The Chairman’s results round up

Saturday 1st April saw 5 teams take part in the Sussex road relays at Christ’s Hospital School, our senior men’s team (Richard Lee Wright, Matthew Anstee Brown, Harry Wilcox, Mal Thornton, Raff Vitale and Matt Mason) finished 16th with the Veterans team (Simon Perkins, Neil Boniface, Steve Wigmore and Pete O’Connell) getting a bronze medal! The Men’s 60’s (Keith Valentine, Steve Wilson and John Dykes) came 7th and the ladies V40’s (Janine Littler, Ali Gormley and Val Purnell) finished 12th with the V50’s (Miranda Huisman, Diane Ferguson and Lorraine Treadwell) a great 5th. On the same day Neil Boniface finished 2nd in the Paddock Wood Half Marathon in 1.08.48 with Finbarr Cotter and Andy Jefford finishing in 2.04.00 and 2.16.17 respectively.

Marathons then took precedence with over 50 HJ’s finishing in the Brighton marathon in very hot conditions and 16 completing the London 2 weeks later. Some great PB’s, first time marathons and new members all acquitted themselves admirably and a special mention to Matt Anstee Brown and Shelly Garratt who achieved “good for age” times for next year!

Parkrun produced 2 notable performances too with Neil running the fastest ever parkrun for a V40 (15.21) and Matt Mason first finishing in the Milan parkrun.

Val Purnell put in a tremendous performance at the British Masters 10K Championship at Gravesend Cyclopark. She finished an amazing 2nd overall and first in the Southern Veterans category taking a silver and gold medal respectively in a time of 48.55. That’s all folks!

Membership subscriptions

Don’t forget that, if you haven’t already paid them, your annual hj subs are now overdue! At just £10 for an individual and £20 for a family (2 adults and multiple U16’s living at the same address) it’s an absolute bargain! You are now able to pay these via the new MemberZone on the website. Just follow the link sent to all current members by email and login to enjoy our webshop. If you can’t login, please let us know via info@hj.

Horsham 10k update

We have a full adult entry for our home race on 21st May and more volunteers than you can shake a stick at! Thanks to everyone who has offered to help organise, marshal, meet and greet or bake! You really are what makes this club tick and what makes us Horsham’s friendly running club! Instructions will be sent out on Monday 15th giving details or your role, who to report to and at what time. U16 Junior entries are still available at £4 per runner.

Kit distribution

The new MemberZone is proving to be a phenomenal success with over 200 orders being processed since its launch! However, please remember that all orders are manually processed and the kit distributed by hand, by volunteers mainly on Tuesday club nights or at Parkrun. Please make yourself available to collect your order in person to save us time and you money!

Itchingfield Time Trials

The Itchingfield Time Trial takes place on the 2nd Tuesday in May, June, July and 1st Tuesday in September. The first three start at 7.30pm and the last one at 7pm. If you haven’t tried it before, please jog to the old Itchingfield Primary School as parking is limited, collect a number and pace yourself against an “undulating” 5k road route. Your aim is to improve your time over the 4 time trials with your best 3 times counting towards your total improvement. So if you miss one trial, all is not lost! It’s a great club event, whatever your ability. Prizes are awarded to the top lady and gent who improve their times at the “lavish” HJ awards night later in the year.

Discover the West Sussex Fun Run League

Are you missing out on a great experience?  See our fabulous West Sussex countryside, and enjoy the companionship of your fellow runners. Why not come and join us at West Sussex Fun Run League races. You will be able to add it to your list of achievements. Entry fee £3.00 in advance via the MemberZone, or see Jenny Boyd with cash. £5.00 to enter on the day. For forthcoming races see the dates for your diary section below.

 Marathon Entry by club Ballot

Following the recent spring marathons we added a couple of rules regarding places issued to members via the club ballot. These take effect immediately so if you are planning to enter the ballot in December, make sure you will qualify by doing your volunteering stint beforehand. LM and BM rules 2017 v2

 

Ed – We’ve received the following message from Korina……

The Art of Running

The Physio Therapy Centre, Haywards Heath June 4th 2017 1.30-5pm

This course is an opportunity to learn how to improve your running technique with internationally acclaimed Level 4 running coach Malcolm Balk

In 1991 he brought running and the Alexander Technique together when he developed the Art of Running workshops which have been enjoyed by runners all over the world. The workshops teach better use and awareness of the body and mind which leads to less injury and a more enjoyable and successful running experience. He is the author of two books: Master the Art of Running   https://www.amazon.ca/Master-Art-Running-Performance-Alexander/dp/1843405431/

and Master the Art of Working Out   https://www.amazon.ca/Master-Art-Working-Out-Performance/dp/1843403501. For details visit – www.theartofrunning.com

 

Ed – David has contacted us with the following messages……………

Fancy an outdoor gym in Horsham Park?

Horsham District Council has received a grant for the installation of outdoor gym equipment in Horsham Park. The equipment is intended for use by adults of all abilities and fitness levels. We would like to ensure that the equipment purchased is equipment the community will use and its design and location reflects the community’s opinion as far as possible. We would like as many people as possible to complete the survey so we can consider the answers and suggestions during our planning process. Here is the link to the survey about installing outdoor gym equipment in Horsham park. Please feel free to pass it on for others to complete. https://www.snapsurveys.com/wh/s.asp?k=148361688687

Riverside Walk 2017

You are invited to join Horsham’s 4th Annual Riverside Walk on Saturday 15th July 2017 starting at 10.00 am from the Rugby Club, Hammerpond Road. The complete route is 13 miles but for walkers/joggers with less time or energy, a free, pick-up minibus will be at various locations to take them back to the start. We are walking the route in a clockwise direction. Cold drinks: Chesworth Farm – from 10.40 to 11.15 am. Lunch: Warnham NR – from 12.00 to 2.00 pm. New House Farm café – from 14.15 to 15.30 pm. This year we are asking walkers to consider obtaining sponsorship in aid of Action Medical Research but this is not obligatory and you may like to raise funds in the same way but for another charity. More information on our website www.horsham.community

R.S.V.P. horshamriversidewalk@gmail.com or 07780 701184. Contact Action Medical Research for a Sponsorship Pack (or donate on the day). kking@action.org.uk or call 07821 117881

Dates for your diary

7th May – Portslade Hedgehoppers 5 (WSFRL) ***EVENT FULL***

7th May – Hastings Runners 5 mile (SGP)

7th May – Run Wisborough 5 & 10k

9th May – 1st Itchingfield time trial

17th May – Trundle Hill Run (WSRFL)

21st May – HORSHAM 10K (SGP) ***10K FULL – Junior places available***

24th May – Highdown Hike 3.5miles (WSFRL)

28th May – Rye 10miles (SGP)

4th June – Worthing 10k (SGP)

11th June – Hove Park 5k (WSFRL)

13th June – 2nd Itchingfield time trial

***Save the date ***

28th Aug – Annual hj Horsham Round and Summer BBQ

Well that’s it for now. Enjoy the late spring warmth and sunshine 😉

HORSHAM JOGGERS NEWS – 2nd April 2017

Spring is finally here and we can start to look forward to running in some warmth and sunshine; bring it on! In this issue we have news on the new hj website, the latest race results and achievements as well as events and activities to get you going into the great outdoors.

Membership subscriptions

Don’t forget that your annual hj subs are now due to bring them in line with the UKA affiliation subs. At just £10 for an individual and £20 for a family (2 adults and multiple U16’s living at the same address) it’s an absolute bargain! You are now able to pay these via the new Member Zone on the website. Just follow the link sent to all current members by email and login to enjoy our web shop. If you can’t login, please let us know via info@hj and we’ll sort it out.

Marathon Minibuses

We’ve had a few members interested the Brighton and London marathon minibuses (9th and 23rd April respectively) and one kind volunteer to drive the bus to Brighton and back so we now just need a driver for London! You must have category D1 on your licence and will then be insured to drive. We aim to take the stress out of getting runners there and back for a small donation of about £8. Please email info@hj to express an interest. Buses take 13 passengers and we still need 4 more passengers for Brighton and 6 more for London to fill them both up and make this worthwhile. If you’ve asked for a place on the Brighton bus, details will be emailed to you this week regarding timings.

New Learn to Run course

The next course starts 11th April. Please let your friends know who want to run and follow this link for details. https://www.horshamjoggers.co.uk/learn-to-run/

Website? What website?

After an “interesting” conversation during a group run recently, it seems that some members still don’t know that the hj website is here to provide information, links, documents and payment facilities for all club matters. The chat then moved on to committee matters and it appears that not all members know who is on the committee to represent you! Well, while you are reading this, why not also look up the committee profiles? Just hover over “About Us”, click -> “hj committee” and find out who to speak to get your views across.

Latest Race Results and Achievements

A race round up of some of the highlights from the month of March……

On the 6th Kirsty Anstee Brown ran the Cambridge half marathon smashing her personal best to set a mark of 1.50.30 with husband Matty finishing in 1.18.27.

On the 13th at the local Surrey half marathon just turned 50 birthday boy Mikey O’Grady stormed to an impressive finish in 1.34.09 with a large contingent of Joggers also completing the hilly course. On the track Pete O’Connell took a very fine 4th place in the British Indoor Masters 3K at the famous Lee Valley Stadium in 10.50.

The following weekend half marathons were still taking centre stage as Horsham Joggers continued their marathon build up to Brighton and London in April. At Reading Rob Simmons finished in 1.25.42 followed by Stuart Carruthers 1.41.37 Paul Arnold 2.14.10 Lou Johnson 2.05.43 Sally Arnold 2.28.47 Sue Hensman 2.28.54 Ashley Wilkinson 2.35.41 & Deb Weller 2.36.13. At Hastings in very windy conditions it was Stuart Adesilu beating the elements in 1.34.21 Rob Crocker 1.37.25 Raff Vitale 1.38.28 Paul Aylett 1.40.47 Alan Pettitt 1.44.07 Paul Yokom 1.47.28 Janine Littler 1.50.11 Jane Addams 2.53.40 Victoria Saunders 2.57.26 Jenny Boyd 2.58.56. Smaller contingents visited the Hampton Court, Fleet and Badger half marathons, Neil Clarke 2.01.15 Kevin Elvidge 2.28.00 Phyl Weston 1.48.18 Heidi Chaney 2.41.55 Mal Thornton 1.34.54 Mark Gibson 1.40.28 and Beck Elder 1.55.58 all putting in fine performances.

On the same day Neil Boniface continued his superb start to life in the V40 category with a 1st place finish and 6th overall at the hotly contested Eastleigh 10K in 31.36!

Finally, last weekend at the local Mel’s Milers 10K at Christ Hospital school Simon Perkins stormed home 4th out of a field of 348 in 37.31 with Pete O’Connell 38.19 Lucinda Potten 42.50 Johanna Terry 44.18 Laurence Carpenter 44.24 Phil Liberman 45.04 Guy Gilder 46.15 Paul Windust 46.53 Miranda Huisman 47.39 Tom Gaule 48.29 Jim Hawthorne 49.03 Clive Walker 49.06 Simon Holmes 49.10 Geoff Fisher 49.39 Rebecca Ramsey 49.50 Matt Senior 50.42 Kevin Croker 51.13 Ian Nicholson 53.14 Aaron Baker 53.55 Jo Hopkins 53.56 Fiona Dalrymple-Hay 54.29 Paul Arnold 57.29 Richard Barron 58.01 Danielle Moore 58.08 Steph Charman 62.47 Richard Mullans 67.15 Carol Brown 68.03 Edna Clark 68.14 and Susie Millbank 71.13.

Congratulations also goes to Jane Addams, Victoria Saunders and Jenny Boyd have completed Brighton, Bath and Hastings half-marathons over 3 weeks.

Well done to everyone who raced in March, more next month.

 

Horsham 10k volunteers

We are fast approaching that time when we need your help to deliver our home race on 21st May. It takes over 80 people to set up, bake cakes, marshal, hand out medals and even take chips off the runners shoes! If you can help in anyway, please email info@hj and we’ll be in touch. If you are considering running our 10k, please, please, please make sure that you offer your help before entering.

Also, we are still after a drone to provide some aerial footage of our race. If you have one or you know someone who does, we’d love to hear from you so that we can discuss filming and/or photos on the day of the race. Obviously the operator will need all the relevant permissions etc and most importantly, insurance to fly it above the runners on the rugby fields. Just email info@hj with your details.

Motor Neurone Disease Association and Horsham Junior Parkrun say “Thank you”

We have had a big thank you from Motor Neurone Disease Association and the Horsham Junior Parkrun for our donation to them from the money we raised at the Horsham 10k and Gunpowder Trot in 2016. Well done all who helped make the events a great success!

Dates for your diary

Horsham Joggers Annual General Meeting 25th April 2017 at 8.30pm in the BBHLC bar.

WSFRL races coming up:

Lewes 10k @ 11:15am Easter Monday 17/04/17

Portslade Hedgehoppers 5 mile @ 11:00am Sunday 07/05/17

Trundle Hill Chichester 10K @ 19:30pm Wednesday 17/05/17

Highdown Hike 3.5miles @ 19:30pm Wednesday 24/05/17

Race Fees: Adult £3.00, Junior £1.00 in advance. Payment can be made through the Member Zone on the HJ website or cash direct to Jenny Boyd WSFRL Rep. Entries must be received 5 days before the race day.

Sussex Grand Prix dates coming up:

Haywards Heath 10m – Sunday 30th April

Hastings 5 Mile – Sunday 7th May

Horsham 10k – Sunday 21st May

Rye 10m – Sunday 28th May

Summer Pub runs

Summer’s here and the summer pub runs kick off on the 27th April. Go along and join in, you really don’t know what you’re missing, trail running at its very best. Click HERE for the 2017 summer pub run schedule. The runs and walks follow footpaths, bridleways, byways and permissive paths through our wonderful countryside, through woods, across fields, over hills and beside rivers and canals. The runs are usually between 6 and 7 miles. We hope to have two groups one faster than the other; both groups follow a pre-marked route on maps provided by the route organiser, we have not lost anybody yet!

Itchingfield Time Trials

John Dykes has kindly agreed to put these on again this year. The time trials are a fun club event for all club members over the summer period. They take place on the second Tuesday in the month (except Sept) on club night and start from BBH leisure centre with a warm up jog to the old Itchingfield Primary School. The ITT offer you the chance to see how your performance improves (or not) over the summer and the most improved man and woman will win an award!Dates are below:

9th May 7.30pm

13th June 7.30pm

11th July 7.30pm

5th Sept 7.00pm (Note earlier start time due to less daylight hours)

Please see the new website for further details

Vitality London 10k places with Action Medical Research

The date for the Vitality 10K has been set for 29th May 2017 and members, you can get a discounted place with Action Medical Research

For only a £25 registration fee and with no fundraising commitment, Action Medical Research ask you to raise what you can to support their charity. They will even throw in a free running vest for each runner to write their own messages on. (The standard entry fee is £30, or £28 for club members.)

And the great news is that you can still register your club name and appear on the results for the club. So it’s win – win!

Club members can register for their £25 place using this link:

https://www.action.org.uk/vitality-london-10000

New Trail Running Club in Chichester

A new trail running club in Chichester will be organising regular monthly trail runs and welcome runners of all abilities to join them. It’s free and their runs are delivered by Salomon trained instructors. With runs organised right across West Sussex Karibu hope you might like to run with them as an alternative run to shake up your training and meet new local runners.

To get on their mailing list visit their website (www.karibu.club), hit the Join Us button, select the appropriate fitness level and they will email runs suitable. They also have a Facebook page for updates.

That’s it for now folks! Keep on jogging.