So much to tell you about, we can hardly contain ourselves! Let’s get started………………
SUMMER PUB RUNS – 21st APRIL
These will be starting on Thursday 21st April when the run will be from The Lintot in Southwater starting at 7.00pm (see list below). For newcomers these runs are based on pubs in the Sussex area and are cross country routes that bring you back to the pub. There are routes set up for runners and walkers and they usually last about an hour. Runs are typically 6 to 7 miles long and walks around 3 to 4 miles. Attached is a list of the summer runs and if you need any further information contact Peter Dudman 01403 252319.
VLM MINIBUS – 24th APRIL
If you expressed an interest in joining the club transport to VLM then you should now have an email from organiser, Paul Aylett. The bus is now full but we are making a reserve list should anyone drop out at the last minute. Just email info@horshamjoggers to be added to the list.
HORSHAM JOGGERS AGM – 26th APRIL at 8.30 pm
This year we have booked the Broadbridge Heath Café to hold the AGM. The Bar will be open and Phil will be giving a presentation of the club’s successes and events over the last year. Included will be the announcement of Jogger of the Year and Newcomer of the Year (the Serena Clements award). Please come along and enjoy the all new format for this traditional hj event!
RUSPER MAY DAY 4M – 7th MAY
This great local race is always popular with hj’s and this year the organisers are appealing for help and volunteer marshals etc. Please email info@hj if you can help and we’ll put you in touch with the right people.
ITCHINGFIELD TIME TRIALS – 10th May at 7:30pm
John Dykes has once again kindly agreed to organise this series of time trials and they are open to all abilities. You can jog from BBHLC to the old primary school at Itchingfield, take a number and pace yourself against a 5k, two lap, hilly course finishing back at the start then jog back as a warm down. Ideally you will look to improve your time over the 4 trials, with your best 3 times counting towards your overall improvement. The most improved runners will win a fabulous award at the end of the season. Future trial dates are 14th June at 7:30pm, 12th July at 7:30pm and 6th Sept at 7:00pm
POST MARATHON PASTA PARTY
Is now full! Sorry if you missed the boat but maybe you can join in next year?
HORSHAM 10K – 15th MAY at 11:00am
May is (unbelievably!) just around the corner and we are building up steam for probably the best 10k race in Horsham on that day! We rely on volunteers to make our home race a success, so if you are a volunteer veteran or a newbie who wants to get involved for the first time, why not email info@horshamjoggers and offer your support. Watch this space or Facebook and Twitter for more details! After the race everyone is welcome to come along to enjoy a picnic at the rugby ground – bring your own food and drink and mix with all the race goers celebrating their success. BBHLC UPDATE In March, Mr Chowen took time out from his busy schedule and wrote to us to give the following update on the BBHLC affair:
We have just appointed the design team for the new Broadbridge Heath Leisure Centre and it’s our ambition that the new centre purpose built to meet future needs, designed with all the new twenty first century facilities will not only match current usage but far exceed them.
The old centre much loved by some is very space hungry with many awkward nooks and crannies. While the new centre should be very efficient and more economical. We have agreed to retain the running track but will be look for a new site with ancillary facilities. The new centre will incorporate most of the usage of the current Tube but more effectively, however there will be a loss of the very specialist usage including indoor high jumping. The cost of retaining was felt not a good use of precious resources but this is always open to interpretation. In the end we felt that supporting sport at a participation and foundation level rather than high performance, while always supportive, needs regional and national support/money which during four years of discussion has not been forthcoming.
However we are keeping an open mind during design to further support athletics as much as possible. Finally we are working very closely with all the clubs and users in this process. Thanks for your interest.
Kind regards, Jonathan Chowen.
If you’d like to let Mr Chowen know how you feel about it, why not email him direct at: Jonathan.Chowen@horsham.gov.uk
DATES FOR YOUR DIARY
SGP & WSFRL RACES IN MAY
SGP – Sunday 1st May 10:30 – Haywards Heath 10m, Victoria Park, RH16 4LU (Part of the mid-Sussex marathon weekend)
WSFRL – Sunday 8th May, 11:00 – Hedgehoppers 5m, Portslade Community College Sports Centre, Chalky Road, BN41 2WS
SGP – Sunday 8th May, 10:30 – Hastings Runners 5m, Town Hall, Hastings
SGP – Sunday 15th May, 11:00 – hj10k! Horsham Rugby Club, RH12 5BL
WSFRL – Wednesday 18th May, 19:30 – Trundle Hill 10k, Lavant Village Hall, Pook Lane, East Lavant PO18 0AH
SGP – Sunday 29th May, 10:00 – Rye 10m, Main street, Peasmarsh, TN31 6YD
(Fantastic value! all WSFRL races cost £3 in advance, or £5 on the day to HJ members.)
‘RUN AWAY’ WEEKEND – NEW FOREST, 9th & 10th JULY
The weekend of 9th/10th July sees our first ‘Run Away Weekend’, in the New Forest with the Brockenhurst parkrun on the Saturday morning and the New Forest 10 (miles) the following morning. Entries for the New Forest 10 are now open: http://www.nf10.co.uk/ . Advance entry costs £13 for EA affiliated runners (no entry on the day). There are a range of junior fun runs too. There is plenty of accommodation around the New Forest area from Premier Inn (Lymington Hordle – 19 mins drive from Brockenhurst) and Travelodge (Stoney Cross Lyndhurst – 16 mins drive) to more traditional B&B, guest houses and self-catering.
Some members will staying at Long Meadow Campsite right next door to the race HQ: http://www.longmeadowcaravans.co.uk/ , New Park Farm, Brockenhurst, SO42 7QH Tel: 01590 622489. For any further information or to let us know if you intend going please email info@horshamjoggers.co.uk
EQUINOX 24: Belvoir Castle, Leicestershire, 17&18 September
Last year, Horsham Joggers had a relay team and one solo runner at this 24 hour event. A few Joggers have already entered the 2016 event, and it would be great to see more of us attending this event, where clubs from all over the country take part. The Equinox24 is a 24 hour mixed terrain race around a 10k loop in the spectacular grounds of Belvoir Castle. The event is open to all abilities: whether entering to run solo or in a team of 2-8. Last year saw teams of walkers as well as runners, and the whole spectrum from people who had just started running to those at the top of amateur ultra competition. You set the pace yourself, doing as much or as little as you want. There is free camping from Friday for competitors and spectators, and there was an incredibly supportive and friendly, festival-like atmosphere last year. More information is available from http://www.equinox24.co.uk/equinox24/ or speak to Committee members Victoria Saunders or Jenny Boyd.
OUR NEW “GUNPOWDER TROT” – SUNDAY 6th NOVEMBER
Members will recall that the Committee has been looking for an alternative venue/ course for the Club’s Valentine’s Run, our West Sussex Fun Run League event. Runner numbers for this event mean that we have now outgrown the old HQ in Southwater, and the course has been posing increased safety risks due to both pressure of numbers, and increased traffic on the on-road sections. We are pleased to confirm that we will be running an alternative event, the Gunpowder Trot, on Sunday 6th November. This will see us reverting to the Chesworth Farm/ Denne Hill area, where the club used to stage cross-country events in the past. More details will follow in future newsletters, but we would be grateful if members could save this date, as we will need lots of volunteers to host a great race.
WHY THE DEVIL?
Ever wondered why we use a devil logo on club merchandise? Have a look here: https://horshamjoggers.co.uk/category/about-us/history/ to get the complete low down!
That’s it for now so Run like the Devil!