Welcome to the first newsletter of this calendar year!

Actually, we’re a quarter of the way into 2025 already and with the volume of hj’ers taking part in a number of various events there is no surprise that time is starting to motor past us similar to a Gary Tomlinson kick finish at parkrun, or perhaps more apt a Malcolm Footer Half Marathon PB at the racing home of Goodwood (well done on that one, Malcolm!!).

I’ve recently managed to successfully start wearing contact lenses.  I say successfully, there are times when it takes me more than one attempt. In fact, on occasion you could probably watch Titanic, The Godfather (all 3 parts), and the Jaws series (including the rubbish sequels) and I’d still be in the bathroom fighting to put them in my eyes. But it’s worth it.

I’m now loving the fact I can run without my glasses steaming up. Being able to see what is in front of me as I run is a positive (unsurprisingly), especially as I’ve started attempting taking part in so-called ‘trail runs’ lately, previously an area of running I had no intention of ever being a part of. I’m enjoying running with a bit more freedom.

The only minor downside is I now can’t see items close up to me. So, for example, when I try and read a message on my phone (like ‘race cancelled, go home’) I’ll still be blissfully turning up at the event fancying my chances against the three or so other competitors who have also turned up (all of whom are no doubt experimenting with contact lenses too). 

This also gives me a chance to throw in some jokes about this (the cornea the better, though don’t forget I am also a pupil in this area, eye-ronically).

Anyway, moving on swiftly and before I lose ‘contact’ with reality, looking at the calendar, there’s some fabulous events coming up this year which no doubt our intrepid hj’ers will enter in abundance. Let’s see what’s been happening and what is coming up! 

Unsung Hero  –  Lawrence Roy

Lawrence has been a key coach at HJ for a number of years now. 

His support, encouragement and general know-how has inspired countless hj’ers to improved running achievements for a very long time. His Thursday track sessions are always well-received. If anyone reading this newsletter has not tried one of Lawrence’s sessions I whole-heartedly recommend you do. 

Thank you, Lawrence.  

Jogger of the Year (JOY) and Volunteer of the Year (VOY)

Voting has now closed for the Jogger of the Year and Volunteer of the Year awards. 

The winners of these prestigious awards will be announced at the AGM on Friday, 11^th April at the Horsham Sports Club (Cricket Field Road), along with a number of other awards together with the usual AGM agenda. This event starts at 7pm!

West Sussex Fun Run League

Unfortunately, the opening run from the WSFRL was cancelled due the appalling weather conditions experienced on New Year’s Day. The Hangover 5 has now been re-scheduled to take place on Monday, 5^thMay.

The ‘Run Your Heart Out’ event at Tilgate did take place on 16^th February, with a huge contingent of hj’ers (64 of us!) turning up to record lots of fantastic points for the club. And at Fittleworth on 23^rd March we came third, enough to keep us in the overall top spot. After the opening race we have stormed into the lead so let’s see if we can keep it going. The next race is Lewes on 21^st April (Easter Monday). Sign up in Memberzone.

I really think we can bring home top position again in 2025, regaining our trophy from the glory year of 2023! 

Sussex Grand Prix 

The Sussex Grand Prix race series was due to get underway on 23^rd March at Hastings.

As you are probably aware this Half Marathon race was cancelled after explosive chemicals were found at a property on part of the route. 

Obviously this was a serious issue, but has made the SGP a little harder to orchestrate as the re-arranged date for this race is now 5^th October … the same day as the SGP Downland race at Lewes!

However, the next SGP race is the Haywards Heath 10 mile on 4^th May.

Those with eagle eyes (or those who just looked at the calendar) will note you could run the SGP at Haywards Heath on 4^th May, then the rescheduled Hangover 5 the following day, and if you really wanted to, on 3^rd May at the start of the weekend you could also enter the East Grinstead 10 miler which is a HJ Challenge Trophy race! 

Please keep your eyes peeled on the HJ calendar for any changes/upcoming events.

Quiz Night

Florian organised the annual hj quiz night which was held at the Holbrook club in early January.

Something in the region of 120 members turned up in their teams to take part.

Congratulations goes to Andrew Wright’s team ‘Cirque de More Sore Legs’ for scoring the highest number of points across the night, just ahead of SaggyDas.  Flying out of the blocks like Ben Johnson on anabolic steroids in 1988, Andrew’s team were high scorers in each round of the quiz and took the winning prize of some delicious biscuits.

The usual annual commiserations went to Tess Adams and her team, who came joint last. On for a hat-trick of bottom places (2023 and 2024 were already in the bag), at the halfway stage Tess’s team were actually doing very well, sitting near the top of the points table at that stage. However, the usual lack of concentration, disinterest, visits to the bar and a seemingly deliberate attempt to not bother too much with the second half of the quiz meant her team came home joint last (which you could argue is an improvement of sorts). Disappointingly, Tess gave the black brush prize to the fellow ‘bottom-placers’ leaving her team with a selection of chupa chup lollies instead.

Curry Night 

A lovely evening was had at the hj Curry night out on 12^th February at Chak De India in Horsham town centre. This was a very social night and helped some of us Joggers get over the Christmas blues. There were certainly plenty of Pad Thai-Dings of comfort and joy had on this evening to lift our spirits in the winter gloom.

Box Hill Social

In mid-March Florian was busy again arranging a scenic social walk up Box Hill. Please keep your eyes peeled on the HJ calendar and HJ Runs group on Facebook for future socials. 

Parkrun Away Days

The historic ‘Bushy Park’ parkrun was attended by a splattering of hj’ers on 22^nd February in amongst a large field of well over 1,000 parkrunners.

Mole Valley is the next Away Day on 5^th April so let’s get lots of Joggers along to that one to hopefully mole-tiply the numbers at that event too.

Charity Funds

We’re a great club but also one which is non-profit. Over the past year we used surplus funds brought in by various events to raise £3,800 which we have split equally across two charities this year (namely St Catherine’s Hospice and Olive Tree – both hugely deserving causes). Such funds are testament to every one of us at the club for being a part of this.

Tuesday night groups of 12 (max)

After discussion with the Tuesday night group runners and after some feedback, it was deemed that a number of the groups were too large to safely run together, some groups at times in excess of 20 runners. 

In the interest of both individual safety but also, importantly, taking into account how a member of the public might feel with such a large volume of runners coming towards them, it was agreed that the maximum number in any one group would be 12.

Thank you to everyone for stepping up to take a split-group at very short notice and indeed for our members to be accommodating and agreeing to this.

Marathon training

The Marathon training sessions have been extremely successful so far. Taking place on Sunday mornings (meet 7.45, set off at 8am) these have been very well received.

Remember, you don’t HAVE to be entered into a Marathon to take part in these, but you do need to be able to run the distance set that week! 

We are now entering Marathon season with Brighton on 6^th April and London on 27^th April so good luck to anyone who is running those!

Five minutes with … Steve Wilson           

1. How long have you been a runner and what made you start?
   Started at school following my older brother who ran 400m for Great Britain (unfortunately, I was 5 seconds slower than him!) but I still loved the sport
2. Why do you run?
   After 15 years of rugby in my 20s and early 30s I needed something less painful so returned to running!
3. How long have you been at Horsham Joggers?
   38 years
4. Biggest running achievement so far?
   In my early 40s I ran a 2h 58m Marathon, won the Sussex County 400m V40 Gold, and ran a 34.43 10k all within 12 months
5. What are you future running goals and ambitions?
   I just want to keep going as long as I still enjoy it
6. What’s the best thing about hj?
   HJ has been a big part of my life. I’ve been a Committee member, newsletter writer and my late wife Karen was also very involved and helped organise many things like the Joggers water stop at Barns Green and position recording at races, and helping me with club cross country entries and the old club golden mile. We also looked after the club kit for a few years. Our 2 children joined in the fun runs and my daughter Roz went on to run a 3 hr 19 marathon. I think the club has evolved brilliantly through the many changes over the years thanks to our great succession of Committees. It is great that the club has such a large membership, although I do rather miss the old days when I knew who everybody else was!!
7. Specialist subject on Mastermind?
   Beatles song lyrics (but don’t ask me to sing them!)
8. Tell us something we don’t know about you?
   I was in Marylebone Station with a school group to catch a train in the sixties, when a screaming crowd of hundreds of young people came racing madly through the station. Evidently, it was the filming of the opening sequence of the Beatles’ first film ‘A Hard Day’s Night’. Unfortunately we were not nominated for an Oscar!

Other News

Horsham 10k

Tickets for the Horsham 10k are now on sale. Please note as an hj member you are usually 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 present for another medal hunting member of your family!

Note the request for volunteers for the Horsham 10k has now been sent out – see the link in the weekly email which was sent round on 26^th March for details of how to sign up.

Membership Numbers

There are currently 700 members of our ever-growing club, of which approximately 222 are EA affiliated (as at mid-March). 

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.

Membership is now due (probably overdue by the time you read this) so please renew via Memberzone!

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

• 1^st April – Membership Renewals
• 5^TH April – Parkrun away day (Mole Valley)
• 6^th April – Brighton Marathon
• 21^st April – WSFRL (Lewes)
• 27^th April – Angmering Bluebell Run
• 27^th April – London Marathon
• 3^rd May – East Grinstead 10 mile (HJ Challenge Trophy)
• 4^th May – SGP Haywards Heath 10 mile
• 4^th May – Three Forts Marathon/HM/5 mile
• 4^th May – Worthing Run Fest, HM and 10k
• 5^th May – WSFRL Hangover 5
• 11^th May – Horsham 10k
• 11^th May – Seaford 10k
• 11^th May – WSFRL Hedgehoppers 5
• 17^th May – Parkrun away day (Preston Park, Brighton)
• 18^th May – Bognor Regis Prom 10k
• 18^th May – Reigate Priory Park 10k
• 18^th May – SGP Rye 10 mile
• 21^st May – WSFRL Trundle View
• 28^th May – WSFRL Arunners Beach Run

Wishing everyone success in whatever running they may do over the coming couple of months.

Be lucky.

Simon Holmes