2008 Harrier Notices & Breaking News

Last updated: Sunday, 28 December, 2008
Frances Briscoe on her way through the 'shoewash' at the 2008 Ascott-Under-Wychwood round of the Oxford Mail Cross Country League.

Below are important notices about up–and–coming club events, requests for team members and other general information.

top <Wing – Chiltern Cross Country League Notice ~ Sunday, 28 December 2008

The fourth Chiltern Cross Country League fixture of the 2008/9 season will be held at the Cottesloe School, Wing on Saturday, 3 January. Please could any members planning to attend this fixture let either Frank Briscoe (01235 769214) or Dene Stringfellow know so they can get an idea of numbers planning to go.

Links to are provided here to maps giving overall directions to the Cottesloe School, Wing and a local street map of the area. According to the RAC Route Planner the journey to the Cottesloe School, Wing should take approximately one and a half hours covering a distance of some 49 miles.

Regarding this fixture please note the following:

Venue: The Cottesloe School is situated on the western edge of Wing, near Leighton Buzzard on Church Street. See the links to the maps above.

Timetable: The race start times are as per the normal programme as follows:

  • 12:30pmUnder 11 Girls
  • 12:45pmUnder 11 Boys
  • 01:00pmUnder 13 Girls
  • 01:15pmUnder 13 Boys
  • 01:30pmUnder 15 Girls
  • 01:45pmUnder 15 Boys
  • 02:00pmUnder 20/Under 17 Ladies
  • 02:15pmUnder 17 Men
  • 02:30pmSenior/Masters Ladies
  • 03:00pmSenior/Junior/Masters Men

Parking: At the school. If approaching from Aylesbury on A418 use the entrance off the first island. If approaching from Leighton Buzzard on A418 use the main entrance in Church Street.
Please park with consideration for other athletes and village residents.

Public Transport: Buses run from Aylesbury, Milton Keynes and Leighton Buzzard, see Arriva website for times.

Facilities: Showers and changing for male and female.

Refreshments: Hot and cold food and drinks available – please support.

The Course: This is a grassland course with several hills. Spikes will be an advantage. The course is currently in reasonable condition but it is likely to be muddy in gateways as usual! However, the course has been modified to reduce the number of times through the difficult mud as much as possible, with the younger age groups in mind. Please respect the farmer’s land and fences, etc. This is a valued cross country course which we would like to use again!

50th Season Special Match: All finishers will receive a commemorative medal.

Presentations: As this match is a special one to celebrate our 50th season, there are prizes donated by Apex Sports which will be presented after the senior men’s race has finished.
There will be prizes for the individual winners of all ten races plus the first M40 M50 M60 F35 F45 F55 plus a few spot prizes.

Dene Stringfellow

top <2008 Xmas Caption Competition Result ~ Sunday, 28 December 2008

Thank you to everyone who entered our Xmas Caption Competition. The result of the Xmas Caption Competition is announced on the Competition webpage as well as providing a full list of all the entries.

Dene Stringfellow

top <2008 Xmas Caption Competition ~ Thursday, 18 December 2008

Don’t forget to enter the Xmas 2008 Caption Competition for £50 worth of prizes. The closing date for entries is Tuesday, 23 December. For the full competition details go to the Competition link in the navigation panel to the left. Have fun and let’s see what you can come up with!

Dene Stringfellow

top <New Year’s Day Club Winter Handicap Update ~ Friday, 12 December 2008

Please remember that the Winter Handicap event takes place on New Year’s Day starting at 11:15am from The Nelson pub in Wantage (– not at 11:00am as originally advertised in the September issue of the BiteSized Harrier). The start has been put back 15 minutes so that the scheduled finish of the race coincides with the opening of the pub. Common sense, really!

The route is about 4 miles long through Lockinge and Ardington and is mainly on road. This is a very informal event – just turn up, make some outlandish claims to try and justify a good handicap, and join in. Everyone is welcome to stay for a drink afterwards. The newly instigated Winter Handicap Trophy will be awarded to the winner. Any attempt to bribe the Handicapper can – and often does – earn the derision of the Race Supervisor as well as fellow competitors!

Just bear in mind by doing this event that by lunchtime on the 1st January you will already have achieved a 100% record for training every day in 2009.

Wishing you all a very festive Xmas and a happy New Year.

Dene Stringfellow

top <Harriers’ Oxfordshire Grand Prix Series Success ~ Monday, 8 December 2008

It was a pleasant and welcome surprise to learn at the Oxfordshire AA AGM held at Exeter Hall, Kidlington last Friday evening that the White Horse Harriers Men’s Team had won the Best Small Team prize in the Oxfordshire Road Race Grand Prix Series this year. This success is a reward for the consistent performances of the men throughout the road race season.

The trophy was presented to Dene Stringfellow by Will Atkinson (Oxon AA Road Race Secretary) and Graham Pickup (Officials Secretary – Endurance/Road Race) at the Oxford Mail Cross Country League fixture held at Culham on Sunday.

Congratulations go to all our men who contributed to this well–earned and deserved success.

Dene Stringfellow

top <Culham Park – Oxford Mail Cross Country League Notice ~ Tuesday, 2 December 2008

The second Oxford Mail Cross Country League fixture of the season hosted by Headington Road Runners will take place at Culham Park on Sunday, 7 December. Please could any members planning to attend this fixture let either Frank Briscoe (01235 769214) or Dene Stringfellow (01235 868111) know.

The race start times are as follows:

  • 10:00amUnder 11 Girls Fun Run
  • 10:10amUnder 11 Boys Fun Run
  • 10:15amUnder 13 Girls
  • 10:30amUnder 13 Boys
  • 10:45amUnder 15 and Under 17 Girls
  • 11:00amUnder 15 and Under 17 Boys
  • 11:20amWomen
  • 11:50amMen

The race venue is located at grid reference SU523966, with the entrance to the race is at grid reference SP526953, off the A415. A link to location maps is provided here. The journey to Culham Park should only take approximately 20-30 minutes at most from Wantage.

Please Note: There are no changing or toilet facilities at the course.

Dene Stringfellow

top <Upton Court Park, Slough – Chiltern Cross Country League Notice ~ Wednesday, 26 November 2008

The third Chiltern Cross Country League fixture of the 2008/9 season will be held at Upton Court Park, Slough on Saturday, 6 December. Please could any members planning to attend this fixture let either Frank Briscoe (01235 769214) or Dene Stringfellow (01235 868111) know so they can get an idea of numbers planning to go.

Links to location details are provided here as well as maps providing overall directions to Upton Court Park, Slough and a local street map of the area. According to the RAC Route Planner the journey to Upton Court Park, Slough should take approximately one and a half hours covering a distance of some 87 miles.

Regarding the fixture please note the following:

The race start times are as per the normal programme as follows:

  • 12:30pmUnder 11 Girls
  • 12:45pmUnder 11 Boys
  • 01:00pmUnder 13 Girls
  • 01:15pmUnder 13 Boys
  • 01:30pmUnder 15 Girls
  • 01:45pmUnder 15 Boys
  • 02:00pmUnder 20/Under 17 Ladies
  • 02:15pmUnder 17 Men
  • 02:30pmSenior Ladies
  • 02:45pmSenior Men

Owing to some difficulty in getting the Local Authority to accept this match due to the number of football matches using the venue athletes are requested not to use the Car Park at the venue but to use the Overflow Car Park at the Thames Valley Athletics Centre in Pococks Lane, Eton and walk across the footbridge over the M4 Motorway to the course. The route will be signposted. Allow 15 minutes for the walk to the course.

Please respect this request or we may be refused future use of the venue.

There are no changing facilities at the course. You will however be able to change/shower at the Thames Valley Athletics Centre although there will be a nominal entry charge.

Toilet facilities for male athletes will be in the Footballers Changing Rooms at the course and for female athletes in the Scout Hall at the far end of the Car Park. Refreshments hopefully will also be on sale throughout the day in the Scout Hall.

Please accept WSEH’s apologies over the restrictions imposed by the Local Authority, as these are beyond the control of the club.

Dene Stringfellow

top <King’s Park, Bournemouth – Wessex Cross Country League Notice ~ Wednesday, 26 November 2008

The first Wessex Cross Country League fixture of the 2008/9 season is scheduled to be held at King’ Park, Bournemouth this coming Sunday.

Here are the links to maps providing overall directions to King’s Park, Bournemouth as well as the local street map of the area. According to the RAC Route Planner the journey to King’s Park, Bournemouth should take approximately 2 hours covering a distance of some 86 miles straight down the A338.

The start times and distances of the races are as follows:

  • TimeEventDistance
  • 12:45pmNovices1.5-2.0km
  • 01:00pmUnder 13 Girls2.5-3.0km
  • 01:10pmUnder 13 Boys2.5-3.0km
  • 01:20pmUnder 15 Girls3.0-3.5km
  • 01:30pmUnder 15 Boys3.0-3.5km
  • 01:40pmUnder 17 Women4.0-5.0km
  • 01:50pmUnder 17 Men4.0-5.0km
  • 02:00pmWomen (including U20W, W40, W45, W50)5.0-7.0km
  • 02:15pmMen (including U20M, M40, M45, M50, M60)8.0-10.0km

Please do not hesitate to contact either Frank Briscoe (01235 769214) or myself (01235 868111) if you have any questions.

Dene Stringfellow

top <RAF Halton – Chiltern Cross Country League Notice ~ Friay, 07 November 2008

Owing to the security restrictions in place at RAF Halton for the second round of the Chiltern Cross Country League drivers will be required to print out, complete and display a Car Park Pass on the dashboard of their vehicle if using the parking facilities right by the course. Please refer to the Chiltern Cross Country League’s website for details and any last minute notices.

Dene Stringfellow

top <Cross Country Championships Fixture Update ~ Tuesday, 28 October 2008

Due to changes to the Wessex Cross Country League fixture schedule the counting fixture in the 2008/9 club cross championships will now be the fixture scheduled to take place at Kings Park, Bournemouth on Sunday, 30 November and not the Salisbury fixture as originally planned. Please refer to the Cross Country section for the latest update.

Dene Stringfellow

Sheila Bailey enjoying more success out on the road.top <Bailey Takes County Marathon Title ~ Friday, 24 October 2008

Under virtually ideal running conditions Sheila Bailey put in a gritty and deteremined performance to take the Oxfordshire county marathon title for the FV55 category in the Abingdon Marathon on Sunday. To put Sheila’s performance in perspective she beat her nearest category rival by almost 34 minutes. See the Results section for a full roundup of the Abingdon Marathon race results.

Dene Stringfellow

top <British Record For Jégou ~ Saturday, 27 September 2008

Richard Jégou at the 2007 Midland Masters Weight Pentathlon ChampionshipsRichard Jégou, who was competing at the annual Midland Masters Throws Fest held at the Northwood Stadium in Stoke on Saturday, launched the 28lb Shot Putt to a new British record distance of 6.87 metres in his category. In this discipline Richard outperformed all the other competitors in the equivalent categories.

Richard also managed to achieve a Midland Masters record in the Greek Discus throwing to a distance of 20.51 metres. Again he outthrew all the other competitors in the equivalent categories in this discipline.

In addition to these record–breaking throws Richard went on to produce solid performances in four further disciplines; namely the One–Handed Hammer (20.61 metres), Heavy Weight Tri–athlon (41.66 metres), Kugel–Schocken (17.57 metres) and Hammer (29.98 metres).

Our congratulations go to Richard on his outstanding British record performance.

Dene Stringfellow

top <2008 Woodstock 12 Cancelled ~ Monday, 15 September 2008

Due to waterlogged car parks and access routes, Blenheim Palace Estate have cancelled this year’s Woodstock 12 race. This follows the cancellation of last weekend’s Blenheim Palace International Horse Trial Championship round and potentially the cancellation of all races this September and October (which would include the Cancer Research 10k and Rotary 10k).

Over the next week all those who have pre–entered will be contacted and all entry fees will be refunded. Apologies for the late notice, but please could you spread the word to all those who have entered or were hoping to enter on the day.

Dene Stringfellow

top <Chiltern League – Watford Fixture Update ~ Sunday, 14 September 2008

The first Chiltern Cross Country League fixture of the 2008/9 season will be held at Cassiobury Park near the centre of Watford. There is no home football or rugby match but there still may be difficulty in parking in the town. The park, which is situated by the Town Hall, is easily approached from both the M1 and M25. For those travelling east on the M25 exit junction 19, for those travelling west exit junction 20 then down the A411, the Hempstead Road into Watford. For those travelling either up or down the M1 it is best to exit junction 5 and take the ring road into Watford. The best places for parking are the car park in Cassiobury Park or the streets on the Hempstead Road side of the park. The nearest postcode is WD18 7LD.

Please note the following:

The course is over common park land, woodland and tracks. In the woods care should be taken of tree roots and rutted paths. The meeting does not have exclusive use of the area for the race and consideration should be taken of other users.

At present the conditions are muddy due to the recent rain. Please note the courses for U15 Boys, U17s and Seniors may be best suited for off–road shoes and runners should judge the conditions on the day.

There are limited toilet facilities near the start/finish and about 800 metres down the park. All runners are advised to bring their own water or drinks with them.

The times of the races are as follows:

  • 12:30pmUnder 11 Girls
  • 12:45pmUnder 11 Boys
  • 01:00pmUnder 13 Girls
  • 01:15pmUnder 13 Boys
  • 01:30pmUnder 15 Girls
  • 01:45pmUnder 15 Boys
  • 02:00pmUnder 17 Ladies
  • 02:15pmUnder 17 Men
  • 02:30pmSenior Ladies
  • 03:00pmSenior Men

The start and finish shall be near the tennis court 300 metres down from the Rickmansworth Road.

Please contact Dene Stringfellow, Angela Briscoe or Gareth Smith if you are interested in running in this cross country fixture as we will be organising lift sharing to and from the event.

Dene Stringfellow

top <Helen and Douglas House Donation ~ Saturday, 16 August 2008

Presentation to Helen and Douglas House Organisers of the White Horse Half Marathon presented a cheque to Helen and Douglas House at their shop in Wantage on Saturday 16th August.

The total amount donated by White Horse Harriers following the race held last April was just over £1000. A further £850 was raised by sponsorship of individual runners at the event. The organisers are now looking forward to the 2009 race, to be held on 5th April, which will again support Helen and Douglas House. The picture shows Lin Westwood of Helen and Douglas House receiving the cheque from Dene Stringfellow, Gareth Smith and Bob Harrison of White Horse Harriers.

Gareth Smith

top <Free Athletics Magazine ~ Wednesday, 16 July 2008

The IAAF and UK Athletics have launched a new athletics magazine called Spikes as part of a new drive to promote athletics globally. It is going to be published three times a year and is free. To see what the magazine is about visit the Spikes website, or to register for your free copy go direct to the registration page.

Simon Atkin

top <Annual General Meeting ~ Tuesday, 15 July 2008

Date & Time: Friday, 10th October 2008 at 7:30pm
Venue: Dixon Suite, Old Mill Hall

Advance warning that this year’s AGM will take on 10th October. Gareth Smith, our chairman, will, as usual preside over the evening along with the rest of the team of committee members.

Come along to hear reports of what the Club has been up to over the past 12 months, and what is coming up in the future. There will also be an opportunity to browse through the Club’s library - you never know, you might come across something really helpful. The members of the committee look forward to meeting you on the evening.

Simon Atkin

top <Young Harriers Set Records ~ Sunday, 6 July 2008

Date: Sunday, 29th June 2008
Venue: Tilsley Park, Abingdon

In round 2 of the Oxford Junior Track and Field League held at Tilsley Park on Sunday, 29th June, members of White Horse Harriers A.C. set no less than 12 club records.

Charlie Harrison (U9 boys) took two records, throwing the cricket ball 27.0m and finishing third in the 150m in 25.0 secs. For the U11 boys Chris Druce ran 80m in 12.0 secs to finish second in his race. Both Chris Druce and Nick Batten won their U11 long jump categories, with Chris taking the club record of 3.80m.

Tom Froud ran the U13 boys 1200m in 4:40.0, while James Ritter jumped a height of 1.60m to finish joint second in the U15 high jump.

Meanwhile, the girls were setting records too. Debutant Jessica Quirk set an U9 record by throwing the cricket ball 14.98m to finish second, while in the U13 1200m, Sophie Lloyd finished third in 4:32.8.

All four 4x100m relay teams set club records. Under 11 boys ran 67.0 secs, while the U13 and U15 boys managed 61.6 and 56.0 secs respectively. The U13 girls finished with 63.1 secs.

Others making their club debut at an athletics meeting were: Isaac Allen (U9), Sam Mitchell (U11 & second fastest 150m on the U11 club all time list), Lewis Jackson (U11), Dom Thackray (U13), Holly Jackson and Jessica Quirk (both U9), Ellie Quirk (U11, only 0.1 sec slower than the club 150m record), Ellie Turner, Chloe Craze and Fiona Linnard (all U13).

White Horse Harriers Results: Girls: U9 4th 23 points, U11 8th 5 points, U13 5th 63 points, U15 8th 21 points, Overall 8th 112 points. Boys: U9 5th 27 points, U11 4th 50 points, U13 7th 58 points,U15 6th 73 points, U17 6th 31 points, Overall 6th 239 points.

Simon Atkin

top <Club Athletics Championship Update ~ Friday, 4 July 2008

Date & Time: Thursday, 17th July 2008 at 6:15pm
Venue: King Alfred’s Field (usual Thursday training venue)

This year the club championships evening will be held on the grass track behind Wantage Leisure Centre on Thursday, 17th July with registration opening at 6:15pm ahead of the scheduled start of the field events at 6:40pm and the track events at 7:00pm.

The events planned for the evening are as follows: Over 11’s – 100m, 800m and Shot Putt; Under 11’s – 80m, 600m and Cricket Ball. Younger brothers and sisters who are under 8 are welcome to participate as long as they are happy doing so. The event schedule will be arranged nearer the time and will be posted in the Notices section of the News area of the club website.

The main emphasis on the evening is having fun and everyone is expected to have a go at all the events. Club champions are determined by performance in all 3 events. The Family Competition is scored from the combined total of 3 family members from at least 2 generations (if more than 3 family members compete the top 3 family member scores will be used).

If you are unable to participate but would like to help us in any way on the evening please could you let Angela Briscoe know on 01235 769214 or by email ( email » ). Afterwards the adults are invited to join us for a social drink at the Royal Oak pub which is close by.

We look forward to seeing you all on the evening.

Dene Stringfellow

top <Summer Barbecue Update ~ Friday, 4 July 2008

Date & Time: Saturday, 19th July 2008 at 6:30pm
Venue: The Kerswell’s, Rowstock

Once again the White Horse Harriers are invited to a barbecue hosted by Elaine and Mike Kerswell in the garden of their house at Rowstock (The Timbers, Rowstock Corner). The barbecue is to be held on Saturday, 19th July from 6:00pm onwards. There is a charge of £5.00 for adults or £2.50 for Under 18’s for the barbecue which goes towards covering the expenses of holding the event.

All our members are welcome to come along and enjoy a relaxed evening in very attractive surroundings. Unlike some of our other events we don’t ask for you to bring any drinks or food to this event – all is provided for in the cost. In order for us to be able to give Mike a good idea of numbers, please can you let us know by Sunday, 13th July if you are coming.

Please inform Dave Martin on 01235 766200 if you would like to attend. Cheques can be sent to him at 9, Hardwell Close, Grove OX12 0BN and made payable to White Horse Harriers AC.

Dene Stringfellow

top <Olympic Selection For Club Member ~ Tuesday, 1 July 2008

Congratulations to Jessica Harrison, a member of White Horse Harriers AC, who has secured a place at the Beijing Olympic Games in August. Jess competes in the triathlon, and was 19th at last month’s world championships in Vancouver and ninth at the European championships in Lisbon in May. These finishes were enough to ensure her selection to the French Triathlon Team.

Jess, 30, was born in Sheffield, and has been a member of White Horse Harriers for several years. She moved to France a couple of years ago where she now competes. We wish her well in the Games, and will follow her event with interest.

For more information you can read a profile of Jess, or check out her web site for the latest info.

Simon Atkin

top <Summer Barbecue ~ Saturday, 18 June 2008

Date & Time: Saturday, 19th July 2008
Venue: The Kerswell’s, Rowstock

We have again been invited to a barbecue at the home of Elaine & Mike Kerswell in Rowstock on Saturday 19th July 2008. Out thanks again to them for agreeing to host this.

More details to follow.

Simon Atkin

top <Club Athletics Championship ~ Friday, 13 June 2008

Date & Time: Thursday, 17th July 2008 at 6:30pm
Venue: King Alfred’s Field (usual Thursday training venue)

Following the success of last year’s Club Athtletics championship, we will be holding the event again this year. The venue will be as last year, at King Alfred’s Centre Site athletics field, where the usual Thursday night training takes place. Note the earlier start time this year, which should help the evening run more smoothly.

The format will be similar to last year, with events for under 11s, and separate races for over 11s, seniors and vets. For U11 there will be an 80m, 600m and throwing the cricket ball; for everyone else the events are 100m, 800m and shot.

Members are encouraged to bring along their families to participate as well, siblings and parents are welcome. There is a family competition for the best combined results, so all family members are welcome!

We hope to see lots of you there.

Simon Atkin

top <2008 Ridgeway Relay Team Update ~ Wednesday, 21 May 2008

Below is the 2008 team for the White Horse Harriers’ assault on this year’s Ridgeway Relay:

  • Leg 01 – Mark Trott
  • Leg 02 – Frances Briscoe
  • Leg 03 – Roger Turnbull
  • Leg 04 – Nick Portsmouth
  • Leg 05 – Terry Coakley
  • Leg 06 – Nick Ponting
  • Leg 07 – Michele Jackson
  • Leg 08 – Ros Knopp
  • Leg 09 – Matthew Hart
  • Leg 10 – Neil Chapman
  •  
  • 1st Reserve Lady – Helen Brackenbury
  • 1st Reserve Man – Chris Powell
  • 2nd Reserve Man – Dene Stringfellow

If you have any queries regarding this selection in terms of race leg order or are no longer able to take part please contact Dene Stringfellow either by telephone on 01235 868111 or by email » and let him know as soon as possible.

If anyone is interested in doing some route reconnaissance prior to the event please contact Dene Stringfellow. Legs 1 (in particular) and 2 have been known to cause problems in the past. An abbreviated document covering the relay route is available for download here » for your reference. If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact Dene.

An email will be sent to all team members providing a link to this information.

Dene Stringfellow

top <Summer Cross Country Handicap ~ Saturday, 3 May 2008

Date & Time: Thursday, 22nd May 2008 at 7:00pm
Venue: Sparsholt Firs

This year’s Cross Country Handicap will take place on Thursday 22nd May at the usual venue by Sparsholt Firs. The undulating course is between five and six miles long. The start, and meeting point, is just where a minor road leaves the main B4001 (road to Lambourn) at an angle some 500 yards to the south of Sparsholt Firs (map reference: 341845). Some details of this event can be found on our web site.

We will again be competing for the “Pieces Trophy” which will be awarded to the first to finish. The usual rules about bribing the handicapper and lying through your teeth about being unfit and/or having some unspecified injury apply...

For more details please contact Gareth Smith (01235 767538 or by email).

For those that are interested, I’ve included links to a .jpg image of the overall route and also a Google Earth link file (for those that have Google Earth) so you can follow the route in more detail as well as play the tour from the program’s Tools Menu.

So, no excuses for getting lost this year then!

Dene Stringfellow

top <Oxfordshire Athletics Champs – Request for Help ~ Friday, 2 May 2008

White Horse Harriers have been asked to provide assistance with the Shot Putt at the County Athletics Championships at Horspath Stadium, Oxford on Saturday, 10th May. We should provide at least two people for this. No experience is necessary as there should be another qualified official present.

If you are able to help out with this please could you let me know by email?

The County Athletics Championships takes place on both Saturday and Sunday 10/11 May. However, the Shot Putt is only on the Saturday. There are a number of competitions for the various age groups in both the morning and the afternoon. However, I do not yet have a full timetable. This should be posted on the Oxfordshire AA website from Monday, 5th May.

Having done this myself in past years I can say that helping with the Shot Putt is quite a pleasant task. In previous years a small lunch (sandwich etc.) has been provided for helpers.

Many thanks

Gareth Smith

top <Vets’s Track & Field League ~ Tuesday, 29 April 2008

Following conversations with some of the “older” members in WHH and with the Secretary of the local Southern Counties Vets League, White Horse Harrier members have been granted the opportunity of attending, as guests, the four league meetings that are held over the summer.

The Vets league is a very friendly, relaxed league that competes in track and field events. Points are awarded to clubs based on individuals performance and at the end of the season the winning club represents the area at another meeting. As guests WHH competitors will not be scoring points this year.

Both Women’s and Men’s league meetings take place at the same place and time. The meetings are on Monday evenings with two being held at Tilsley Park (May 5th and June 16th), one at Horspath (May 19th) and one at Bracknell (July 14th).

To be eligible to participate you will have to be a member of WHH and also be 35 years old or more. The age categories are 35+, 50+ and 60+.

The idea for attending as guests this year is for us to gauge properly the level of interest within the club for this competition with a view to possibly entering a team in 2009. This also a good way of you trying it out without making a hard commitment to the club.

For those that are interested, you will need to arrive early at the events and find Barrie Strange, who runs this competition, to register and obtain a number. If you are thinking of competing it would be helpful if you could send me details of which events you would like to do so that I can keep a record and help gauge the level of interest. Even if you can not make the first meeting, but are interested please feel free to let me know. My e-mail address is neil@druceaccountants.co.uk.

A copy of the timetable for all four meetings of this year’s competition is available. For more information please contact me, or Dick Jégou who already competes in the Vets League so has much more hands-on experience.

Neil Druce

top <Mota–vation race at Charlton–on–Otmoor – Transport ~ Monday, 28 April 2008

The first race in the Mota-vation Series (the second race in this year’s club road race championships) is scheduled to take place this Thursday at Charlton–on–Otmoor with the race starting at 7:30pm.

For your information I have provided a link to the page on Kidlington Running & Athletic Club’s website showing the details of the 4 mile 168 yards course. Also I have provided links to maps providing overall directions to Charlton-on-Otmoor as well as the village street map.

Registration will open from around 6:00pm – 6:15pm. If you have already paid for your race entry you need to allow time to go to the “prepaid desk” on the evening of the race to collect your race number. Also, please note, you should not use the same number from a previous race as fresh numbers are issued on the day of the event for each race in the series.

I suggest that anyone interested in going to this event meets at Wantage Leisure Centre for 6:00pm to arrange for lift sharing to the race. It should hopefully take about half an hour or so to get to Charlton–on–Otmoor which should allow plenty of time to collect race numbers and warm up.

Dene Stringfellow

top <Hornton Classic – Change of Date ~ Friday, 25 April 2008

Here is an important note for anyone intending to enter the Hornton Classic 6 mile race (race 6 in the Club Road Race Championship). The date has now changed to Saturday 26th July.

Also be aware that there is an entry limit of 200 competitors for this event, so get your entry in early to avoid disappointment. Entry forms are available online at Cherwell Running Club website.

Simon Atkin

top <Cholsey Chase Cancelled (24 April 2008)

The Cholsey Chase, which was due to be part of the Club Road Race Championship, has been cancelled. The race has, therefore, been dropped from the Championship. The Championship will now consist of 11 races, with a competitor’s best 8 scores to count. The next race is the the first of the Mota–Vation series at Charlton–on–Otmoor on 1st May 2008.

Simon Atkin

top <New Club Kit Prices

There are new prices and kit items available. See the Club Kit » section for full details.

Frances Briscoe

top <Request For Volunteers

This is just a quick request to all our members that volunteers are required to help officiate at the Young Athletes League fixtures ».

If you are available and are willing to help could you please contact Angela or Frances Briscoe either by telephone on 01235 769214 or by email » . We will be very grateful for any help you may be able to offer.

Frances Briscoe

top <Wantage Park Training – Wednesdays

The first in a new series of circuit training sessions took place last Wednesday night. It was circuit training with a difference – instead of being in a sweaty gym it happened in Wantage Park.

The organiser plans to run it over the summer and to cater for the needs of all the different sportspeople who turn up – amongst other things he will be incorporating Fartlek for the runners. You can work to whatever level you want, but if you are willing to be pushed then it is a good hard workout. I attended last night and strongly recommend it!

The sessions take place from 7:00pm until 8:00pm on Wendesday evenings. The cost per session is £5.00. The name of the person running the sessions is Gerry and he is contactable on 07979 637029.

Helen Brackenbury