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2010 Harrier Notices & Breaking News

Last updated: Wednesday, 8 December, 2010

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

top <Horspath Stadium – Combined County Cross Country Championships & Mail Cross Country League Notice ~ Wednesday, 8 December 2010

The third Oxford Mail Cross Country League fixture of the 2010/11 season will take place at Horspath, Oxford on Sunday, 2 January 2011 and will for the first time also incorporate the Oxfordshire County Cross Country Championships. Please could any members planning to attend this fixture let either Angela Briscoe (01235 769214) or Dene Stringfellow (01235 868111) know so they can get an idea of the numbers planning to attend the fixture.

Links are provided here to maps giving overall directions to the Horspath, Oxford and a local street map of the area. According to the RAC Route Planner the journey to the Horspath Stadium, Oxford should take just over half an hour covering a distance of some 20 miles.

Please Note:

Venue: The Horspath Stadium is situated on Oxford Road off the Oxford Eastern Bypass (A4142) just past the BMW plant in Cowley where the Mini is manufactured. See the links to the maps above.

Timetable: The full programme of race start times is scheduled to be as follows (TBC):

Race Numbers: Competitors may compete in either or both races if eligible. Those competing in either the County Championship or both races will be issued with separate, distinctive race numbers, which they should collect on the day. If competing in the Oxford Mail League only, wear the normal race number.

Club Vests: The question ‘which vest should I wear’ has arisen for runners who are first claim outside the county. So long as a runner has not competed in another County Championship event or represented another County since 1 October 2010, he/she may compete in the Championships, if entitled to, presumably through residence. In this case the second claim local club vest may be worn. If this is not clear, or you have other queries please contact Noel Blatchford (Ms) .

Dene Stringfellow

top <Stowe, near Buckingham – Chiltern Cross Country League Notice ~ Thursday, 2 December 2010

The third Chiltern Cross Country League fixture of the 2010/11 season will be held at Stowe, near Buckingham on Saturday, 3 December. Please could any members planning to attend this fixture let either Gareth Smith (01235 767538) or Dene Stringfellow (01235 868111) know so they can get an idea of the numbers planning to attend the fixture.

Links are provided here to maps giving overall directions to Stowe, near Buckingham and a local street map of the area. According to the RAC Route Planner the journey to Stowe, near Buckingham should take just undeer an hour covering a distance of some 46 miles.

Timetable: As in the first fixture of the 2010/11 season the race start times for the Senior Ladies and Under 17 Men are reversed otherwise the start times remain as before. Please note also that the start of the under 17 men’s race may be delayed by 5 to 10 minutes if there is a long tail back in the ladies race. The full programme of race start times is as follows:

Special Note: The Under 15 Girls race distance is 3.2km.

Car Parking: Visitors for the Chiltern League match must use the car parking area which has been allocated for our use. Please drive as far as you can along the Roman Road, Marshals will be on hand to assist with parking arrangements. Please note that the only exit route is back along the Roman Road. If any clubs anticipate arriving in coaches or minibuses please could they contact Tony McDaid in advance. Please ensure that all spectators and runners follow the designated pedestrian route to the Queens Temple.

The Venue: Directions to the Stowe venue for this Chiltern League fixture are available here along with a site map indicating the parking and facilities.

The Courses: These are run across park land in the Hawkwell Field, which is grazed by sheep. They tend to leave their droppings as they wish so we recommend that your Tetanus jabs are up to date. Athletes should also be aware that Stowe is home to a large mole population which can leave their mark on the routes used. At present conditions are good, the courses are all well suited for off road shoes and runners should judge conditions on the day. All runners are advised to bring their own water or drinks with them in case of warm weather.

Safety & First Aid: The course has been checked by the organisers and a risk assessment conducted. Any competitor who has concerns about a safety aspect of the course should bring it to the attention of the referee. If the issue cannot be resolved satisfactorily the competitor will be advised not to participate. There will be two first aid posts one at the Queens Temple, the other at the Gothic Temple.

Toilets: Facilities are limited but there are changing rooms and toilets on the sports field close to the Car Park.

Officials & Marshals: Buckingham & Stowe RC are very grateful to Bucks AA, Vale of Aylesbury, Silson Joggers and friends of these organisations who have helped us to staff the event.

Club Tents & Marquees: There will be a section inside the course, close to the Start / Finish area allocated for clubs to put up tents and marquees. This would involve carrying the relevant articles some distance from the car park so we have provided a pass for each club. This will allow the vehicle carrying your tent to drop it off before the races start and collect it after the Senior Men’s race. However no vehicles should park in this area as this is the Emergency Access Route, they must go to the car park allocated after dropping off. (Please contact Tony McDaid if you have any enquiries.)

Disabled Access: Each club has been sent a Disabled Visitors pass, which shows access routes and parking spots. Please contact Tony McDaid if you require any more.

Dene Stringfellow

top <Culham Park – Oxford Mail Cross Country League Notice ~ Wednesday, 1 December 2010

The second Oxford Mail Cross Country League fixture of the 2010/11 season will take place at Culham Park this coming Sunday, 5 December. Please could any members planning to attend this fixture let either Angela Briscoe (01235 769214) or Dene Stringfellow (01235 868111) know.

The race start times are as follows:

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.

Parking: The cost for car parking at this event will be £3.00. So please consider lift sharing to help reduce the cost.

Dene Stringfellow

top <Hudson’s Field, Salisbury – Wessex Cross Country League Notice ~ Friday, 26 November 2010

The second Wessex Cross Country League fixture of the 2010/11 season is scheduled to be held at Hudson’s Field, Salisbury this Sunday.

Here are the links to maps providing overall directions to Hudson’s Field, Salisbury as well as the local street map of the area. According to the TomTom Route Planner the journey to Hudson’s Field, Salisbury should take approximately 1 hour and 20 minutes covering a distance of some 47 miles following the A338, A303 and A345.

The start times and distances of the races are normally as follows but may vary so make sure you arrive early:

Please do not hesitate to contact me (01235 868111) if you have any questions or need to arrange a lift.

Dene Stringfellow

top <BB&O Championships Success for Young Harrier ~ Friday, 26 November 2010

The standout performance for the Harriers on Saturday at the BB&O Cross Country Championships held at South Park, Headington, Oxford was the bronze medal for Sophie Lloyd in the Under 15 Girls category. In a hard fought battle to the finish line after the final long climb up the hill Sophie outsprinted her rival from Reading AC to claim third place.

Sophie was ably backed up by Josie Harrison and Katy Ward who finished in 11th and 22nd places respectively with the team finishing in 4th place overall. This was Katy’s first outing for the Harriers and the experience will stand her in good stead for the future. Congratulations go to Sophie and the rest of the Harriers on their performances.

The full results of the BB&O Cross Counntry Championships will be available here shortly.

Dene Stringfellow

top <BB&0 Cross Country Championships Course Update ~ Wednesday, 17 November 2010

Please note that the information originally posted on the length of the course for the Senior and Veteran Men’s race was incorrect. The corrected information is provided below:

Timetable: The full programme of race start times is as follows:

Apologies for the confusion and thanks to Graham Wiggins for picking up the error.

Dene Stringfellow

top <South Park, Oxford – BB&0 Cross Country Championships Notice ~ Monday, 15 November 2010

The 2010 Berks., Bucks. & Oxon Cross Country Championships will be held at South Park, Oxford on Saturday, 20 November. Please could any team members requiring transport to South Park, Oxford contact Angela Briscoe (01235 769214), Gareth Smith (01235 767538) or Dene Stringfellow (01235 868111) so lifts can be arranged.

Links are provided here to maps giving overall directions to the designated car parking at Davenport House, Headington, Oxford and a local street map of the area. According to the RAC Route Planner the journey to Davenport House, Headington, Oxford should take approximately 38 minutes covering a distance of some 17 miles.

An alternative .pdf (Adobe Reader) map providing directions is also available to download here.

Timetable: The full programme of race start times is as follows:

The Courses: These are over common park land. Care should be taken of tree roots and rutted paths. Detailed maps of the course laps and the start/finish area are available below:

Toilets & Changing: Facilities will be available at the Helena Kennedy Sports Centre.

Refreshments: Hot and cold food and drinks will be available in the cafß also situated in the Helena Kennedy Sports Centre.

The Venue: South Park is reached on foot from the designated parking areas via a footbridge over the Headington Road. Follow the footpath straight ahead until the junction with Cheney Road is reached. Turn left and follow the road until the entrance to South Park is reached on the right–hand side of the road after approximately 200 metres. Allow 10–15 minutes to reach the start/finish area in South Park.

Parking: The designated parking areas are situated on the north side of the Headington Road close to Davenport House and can be viewed here.

Dene Stringfellow

top <Casiobury Park, Watford – Chiltern Cross Country League Notice ~ Friday, 12 November 2010

The second Chiltern Cross Country League fixture of the 2010/11 season will be held at Cassiobury Park near the centre of Watford on Saturday, 13 November. Please could any members planning to attend this fixture let either Gareth Smith (01235 767538) or Dene Stringfellow (01235 868111) know so they can get an idea of the numbers planning to attend the fixture.

Links are provided here to maps giving overall directions to Casiobury Park, Watford and a local street map of the area. According to the RAC Route Planner the journey to Casiobury Park, Watford should take an hour and 22 minutes covering a distance of some 68 miles.

Timetable: As in the first fixture of the 2010/11 season the race start times for the Senior Ladies and Under 17 Men are reversed otherwise the start times remain as before. Please note also that the start of the under 17 men’s race may be delayed by 5 to 10 minutes if there is a long tail back in the ladies race. The full programme of race start times is as follows:

Special Notes: There are no home football or rugby matches this year but there may still be difficulty parking in the town, please allow extra time to travel to the venue and try and arrive early. The meeting does not have exclusive use of the area for the race and consideration should be taken of other users of the park.

The Courses: These are over common park land, woodland and tracks. In the woods care should be taken of tree roots and rutted paths. At present conditions are fairly good. Please note that the courses for under 15 boys, under 17 men and seniors may be best suited for off road shoes and runners should judge conditions on the day. All runners are advised to bring their own water or drinks with them in case of warm weather.

Toilets: Facilities are limited to a few near the start/finish and about 800m down the park. Additional facilities exist in the underpass by the Town Hall approx 900m away.

Refreshments: Hot and cold food and drinks will be available in the cafß situated close to the start and finish area.

The Venue: Casiobury Park, which is situated by the Town Hall, is easily approached from both the M1 and M25. From the M25 exit at junction 20 and then follow the A411, the Hempstead Road into Watford. From the M1 it is best to turn on to the M25 towards Heathrow then exit junction 20 as above. The nearest postcode is WD18 7LD.

Parking: The best places for parking are the car park in Cassiobury Park or the streets on the Hempstead Road side of the park.

Public Transport: The venue is only a couple of minutes’ walk from Watford Metropolitan Line station. It is about 20/25 minutes walk from Watford Junction station.

Dene Stringfellow

top <Ascott–under–Wychwood – Oxford Mail Cross Country League Notice ~ Wednesday, 3 November 2010

The first Oxford Mail Cross Country League meeting of the 2010–2011 season will take place at Ascott–under–Wychwood on Sunday, 7 November 2010. Full details, including a map of how to get there, can be found on the league website.

The race start times are as normal as follows:

The race venue is located at grid reference SP304169 near Priest Grove, off the B4437. A link to the location map is provided here. According to the TomTom Route Planner the journey to Ascott–under–Wychwood should take just around 45 minutes covering a distance of just over 24 miles.

Please do not forget to arrive in plenty of time for your event as you will need to collect your race number beforehand. Look out for the White Horse Harriers flag.

We also encourage you to car share where practical as the car parking at the event is £3.00 per car.

Dene Stringfellow

top <December Club Cross Country Time Trial Update ~ Friday, 29 October 2010

Please note that the December Club Cross Country Time Trial will take place on Saturday, 11 December and not on Sunday, 12 December as originally published. The Cross Country page has been updated accordingly.

Notice of the time and venue will be given nearer the date.

Dene Stringfellow

top <Club AGM Reminder ~ Tuesday, 12 October 2010

We like to remind everybody that the 2010 White Horse Harriers AC Annual General Meeting (AGM) will take place this Friday, 15th October, at 7:30pm in Old Mill Hall Grove. You should have received a formal notification of this meeting.

Please come along and support the committee. It is an opportunity for you to help shape the future of the club as well as air any views you may have about the running of White Horse Harriers. Refreshments will be provided.

The paperwork relating to the AGM can all be found on the club website under the Admin section.

Dene Stringfellow

top <Club Road Race Championships Update ~ Saturday, 9 October 2010

The Club Road Race Championship standings have now been updated. They can be viewed here. Please do not hesitate to email Dene Stringfellow if there any errors or anything has been overlooked.

Apologies for the delay in getting this sorted out to all concerned.

Dene Stringfellow

top <Club Road Race Championships Update – Hanney 5 ~ Friday, 1 October 2010

This is just a quick reminder that the final event ’ with the exception of any outstanding marathon commitments anyone may have(!) – of this year’s Club Road Race Championships, is scheduled to take place on Sunday, 10 October. This is a traditionally well–supported event for the White Horse Harriers and we hope to see our Harriers turning out in force.

Please also note that the postal entry closing date is Wednesday, 6 October so it is still possible to get yourself pre–entered. The entry form can be downloaded directly here. Otherwise it will be possible to enter on the day as usual.

As usual, those that are interested can meet up for a post race drink and unwind at The Black Horse pub in East Hanney, a short walk – less than 5 minutes from the race headquarters at the village hall.

We look forward to seeing everyone there on that Sunday.

Dene Stringfellow

top <Horspath Stadium – Chiltern Cross Country League Notice ~ Friday, 1 October 2010

The first Cross Country League fixture of the 2010/11 season will be held at the Horspath Stadium, Oxford on Saturday, 9 October. Please could any members planning to attend this fixture let either Gareth Smith (01235 767538) or Dene Stringfellow (01235 868111) know so they can get an idea of the numbers planning to attend the fixture.

Links are provided here to maps giving overall directions to the Horspath, Oxford and a local street map of the area. According to the RAC Route Planner the journey to the Horspath Stadium, Oxford should take just over half an hour covering a distance of some 20 miles.

Regarding this fixture please note the following:

Venue: The Horspath Stadium is situated on Oxford Road off the Oxford Eastern Bypass (A4142) just past the BMW plant in Cowley where the Mini is manufactured. See the links to the maps above.

Timetable: The 2010/11 race start times for the Senior Ladies and Under 17 Men are reversed otherwise the start times remain as before. The full programme of race start times is as follows:

Parking: Due to the high cost of using this venue including hiring the pitches so that we have exclusive use of the site, we will be charging £1.00 for parking. If it is very wet the Horspath Trading Estate will have to be used. Do not park in Horspath Road – we have been informed by Oxford City Council and Thames Valley Police that they won’t allow events to be staged at this venue if cars are parked on Horspath Road.

Please Note: We did have some incidents of abuse towards car park officials over the £1.00 parking fee. Note that it was an AGM decision to impose this on venues which were expensive and if you have an issue with it, your club representative should bring this up at the AGM. We took the decision to charge at some matches rather than increase affiliation fees which have already risen quite steeply due to costs. However, the AGM could take the decision to fund all matches via affiliation fees. So it is not the car park stewards’ fault.

Public Transport: The Stagecoach bus number 10 goes nearest to the venue. It runs every 12 minutes from Oxford Town Centre. Get off at the stop in Horspath Road where the bus does a U turn just to the west of the Ring Road. For full details and schedules please see the Stagecoach Oxford website.

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

The Course: This is a parkland course incorporating hill climbs, that many of you will already be familiar with if you competed in the Oxfordshire Cross Country Championships held there earlier this year. You can download the course maps here – please note the file is 0.7Mb in size. Spikes will be an advantage. Please respect the other users of the park. This is a valued cross country course which we would like to use again!

Dene Stringfellow

top <Club AGM Notice Update ~ Sunday, 26 September 2010

The cover letter and notice for the Club AGM scheduled for Friday, 15 October, at 7:30pm in the Old Mill Hall, Grove are available for download in the Admin section of the News section of the club website under the Notices heading. These documents can be accessed directly by clicking here.

Dene Stringfellow

top <Club Autumn Social & Trophy Presentations ~ Friday, 20 August 2010

This is a notice of the forthcoming White Horse Harriers annual Autumn Social. This will be held on Friday, 12th November from 7:30pm. The venue is the Comrades Club in Manor Road, Wantage. This is located on the left immediately before Wantage Park as you drive away from the town on the A338 Hungerford Road. There is parking at the venue. During the evening we will present the club’s athletics and road running trophies.

The social is not a formal event, it is a chance for a drink and a chat. There is no charge for the evening, although we ask you to bring some food to share. We don’t specify what everyone brings, but rely on ‘pot luck’ for a good variety. This has always worked well. Drinks will be available from the Comrades Club bar which is reasonably priced. Donations of any prizes for the raffle would be welcome. We hope to see many of you there.

If you want any more details or have any remaining questions please do not hesitate to contact Gareth Smith either by telephone on 01235 767538 or by email if you have any questions or need any further information.

Dene Stringfellow

top <Club AGM Notice ~ Friday, 20 August 2010

We like to notify all members that the White Horse Harriers AC Annual General Meeting will take place on Friday, 15 October, at 7:30pm in the Old Mill Hall, Grove. All club members will receive a formal notification of this meeting.

As usual, Gareth Smith, our chairman, will preside over the evenings proceedings along with the rest of the team of committee members. Please come along and support the committee. It is an opportunity for you to help shape the future of the club as well as voice any issues or concerns.

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. Refreshments will be provided.

Dene Stringfellow

top <September Time Trial Notice ~ Friday, 20 August 2010

Please note that the first club Time Trial of the 2010/1 season is now scheduled to take place on the evening of Thursday, 9 September at the King Alfred’s Centre Site playing fields (where we train in the field adjacent to Wantage Football Club). The Time Trial will take the place of the usual Thursday evening training session.

All members (including sprinters) are expected to participate particularly if they have not been able to make any of the club cross country fixtures so far this season.

Please remember family and friends who are not members are welcome to participate (please ensure any Under 8s are happy running the distance). Any children currently on the waiting list are also welcome to participate so if they are your friends please let them know.

The events will start from 6:30pm onwards. Any changes to timings, if required, will be notified here. We would also welcome any assistance from parents or other club members to help to setup and marshall the evening's events from 18:15pm.

We look forward to seeing you all there.

Dene Stringfellow

top <Thursday Evening Training Notice – Venue Switch ~ Wednesday, 18 July 2010

Thursday evening training sessions will move from King Alfred’s West Site to Centre Site, Wantage Leisure Centre on Thursday, 2nd September.

Please Note: As we do not make use of the Leisure Centre facilities themselves we have been asked not to park in the Leisure Centre car park. Furthermore, if it is practical to drop off and pick up elsewhere please try and do so. (The Civic Centre car park is free after 6:30pm). Likewise, we have been asked not to allow our young athletes unsupervised inside the Leisure Centre and to not block the entrance.

This winter we will not be able to provide a training session at 4:00pm on Thursdays for the Under 11 age group as was done last year. Furthermore, due to the insufficient coaches, we are only able to provide training sessions for those Under 11s who are in Year 6 and participate competitively for White Horse Harriers. This will be at 7:00pm on Thursday evenings along with the training session for older athletes. Of course, there is no restriction on any Under 11s taking part in the competitions.

Gareth Smith

top <Oxfordshire Young Athletes League Update – Venue Switch ~ Wednesday, 19 May 2010

The venues for the next two Oxfordshire Young Athletes League matches have been swapped. The round 2 fixture scheduled for this coming Sunday (23rd May) will now take place at Drayton School, Banbury, instead of at Tilsley Park as originally advertised. The final match will correspondingly take place at Tilsley Park, Abingdon on Sunday, 27th June.

Please make sure this information is passed on to all our young athletes and parents.

Dene Stringfellow

top <Club Barbecue & Presentation Evening ~ Thursday, 13 May 2010

Date & Time: Friday, 4th June 2010 at 7:30pm
Venue: The Court Hill Centre

The club barbecue and presentation of the trophies for the Winter Cross–Country season will take place at The Court Hill Centre by the Ridgeway above Wantage on Friday 4th June, starting at 7:30pm.

During the evening we will present both the trophies and participants’ medals from last winter’s cross–country season. There will be a ‘bring and share’ barbecue. Please bring along something to barbecue and other food. There is plenty of space nearby for youngsters. Should the weather be inclement we have booked the Beechwood Room indoors as well.

Please make a note of the date in your diaries and we look forward to seeing you there on the evening. Details of the venue can be found here and directions can also be viewed using this link.

Do not hesitate to contact Gareth Smith either by telephone on 01235 767538 or by email if you have any questions or need any further information.

Dene Stringfellow

top <Summer Cross Country Handicap ~ Friday, 7 May 2010

Date & Time: Thursday, 20th May 2010 at 7:00pm
Venue: Sparsholt Firs

This year’s Cross Country Handicap will take place on Thursday, 20th May at the usual venue by Sparsholt Firs. The traditional undulating course is approximately 5.5 miles in length. 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.

Once again our athletes will be competing for the “Pieces Trophy” which will be awarded to the first to finish. As usual the 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! We look forward to seeing you there.

Dene Stringfellow

top <Club Road Race Championships Update – Shirburn Hill 10k Places Running Out ~ Saturday, 24 April 2010

This is just a quick reminder that the organisers of the Shirburn Hill 10k, which is one of the events that make up this year's Club Road Race Championships, have reported that places are filling up fast. There is an entry limit of 150 places, so get your entry in quickly to avoid being disappointed.

Please also note that the date of the race has been changed from Saturday, 3 July, as originally advertised, to Sunday 4 July.

A link to the entry form on the Runners World website is provided here for your convenience. Also the Entry Form for this year’s event is available to download in .pdf (Adobe Reader document) format can be downloaded directly from our website here.

Dene Stringfellow

top <Club Road Race Championships Update – Motavation Series Reminder ~ Saturday, 24 April 2010

This is just a quick reminder that the closing date is fast approaching (Tuesday, 27 April) for entries for Round 1 of the Mota–vation series scheduled to take place at Charlton–on–Otmoor on Thursday, 6 May. Don’t be late getting your entry in!

A link to the entry form on the Kidlington Running Club’s website is provided here for your convenience.

Dene Stringfellow

top <Club Road Race Championships Update – Hornton Classic 6 Entry Form ~ Saturday, 24 April 2010

A link to the entry form for the Hornton Classic 6 which is scheduled to take place on Saturday, 17 July and is one of the events in our Club Road Race Championship calendar this season is now available to download from the Cherwell Runners & Joggers’ website here.

Dene Stringfellow

top <Oxfordshire County Road Relays Update ~ Thursday, 15 April 2010

The 2010 Oxfordshire County Road Relays take place at Hook Norton this Sunday. For anyone planning to run on Sunday (– or spectate) the intention will be to meet up at Wantage Leisure Centre for 8:00am (8:15am latest!) this on Sunday morning with the view to arranging lift sharing to get up to Hook Norton in time for the start of the first race.

It is important to arrive at Hook Norton sufficiently early to submit the teams to the organisers and post any late team changes!

For those people not planning to meet at the Leisure Centre below are the StreetMap links to the Hook Norton race venue:
Hook Norton Village Overview
Hook Norton Street View – the race venue is in the sports field – the first turning on the left hand side of The Bourne coming from the Clay Bank direction. By the time you get to The Bourne directions to the race venue should be clearly marked.

The race start times are as follows:

The Under 15 Boys/Girls race takes place over an approximately one kilometre road loop along the high street and around the village of Hook Norton starting and finishing at the Hooky Sports and Social Club. The course for the Men and Women is a loop of approximately seven kilometres which also passes along the village high street and takes the athletes out along the roads north of the village before returning to the start/finish area. The course is generally relatively flat albeit undulating in places.

The team selections will be sent out by email on Friday, 16 April.

The WeatherNews 7–day forecast for Hook Norton:
The next few days will be mainly dry with some sunny spells although it will be cloudier on Sunday with patchy light rain later in the day. Winds will be mostly light, but some fresher ones are likely along English Channel. Daytime temperatures will be around or slightly below average. Turning chilly by night with a touch of frost.

Dene Stringfellow

top <Fernandez & Craft Victorious In White Horse Half Marathon ~ Monday, 12 April 2010

Paul Fernandez (Abingdon Amblers AC) had to fight to the finish in a tight contest with Stephen Male (Oxford City AC) to claim the overall victory in yesterday’s 28th White Horse Half Marathon. Jude Craft (Headington Road Runners) meanwhile set a new course record for the L35 class in taking the the ladies’ overall and L35 category titles. Despite the poor weather over recent months the organisers and athletes were grateful for near ideal race conditions.

In terms of the home club athletes John Peake lead the way home with an impressive new personal best of 1:20:26 to finish in 17th position overall and win the Kit Trophy for the first male White Horse Harrier finisher. Lucia Singer retained the Coachman Memorial Trophy for the first female Harrier finisher recording a time of 1:37:44 to finish in 129th place overall. Lucia has held the trophy since her first success in 2006.

One of the highlights of the race for the spectators yesterday was the sight of Paul Jégou (White Horse Harriers AC) dressed in full Danger Mouse costume completing the course to finish in 30th place overall much to the delight crowd at the finish.

The orgainsers would like to thank all the sponsors, officials, recorders, St. John Ambulance, and all of the marshals and helpers wthout whom this race could not take place and who helped to make sure that the event was another great success this year.

For the full race report and links to the provisional race results click here.

Dene Stringfellow

top <More Success For Jégou At Compton ~ Tuesday, 6 April 2010

Paul Jégou continued his winning ways on Saturday with a victory in the Compton 20 Downland Challenge held at Downs School, Compton near Newbury. This follows hot on the heels of his success in the Wessex Cross Country League the previous weekend.

A complete roundup of the weekend’s Compton 20 & 40 Downland Challenge results can be viewed in the Results section.

Congratulations to Paul on another impressive victory.

Dene Stringfellow

top <Summer Thursday Evening Training Venue Move ~ Saturday, 3 April 2010

The White Horse Harriers Thursday training session will move to King Alfred’s School West Site from Thursday, 8th April. The training session will start at 7:00pm.

All age groups will meet at King Alfred’s School West Site at 7:00pm from this date. This includes the Under 11 age group who have been meeting at 4:00pm in Wantage Park through the winter.

Please Note: It is possible that toilet facilities will not be available at King Alfred’s School West Site during the first couple of training sessions in the school Easter holidays.

Gareth Smith

top <British Indoor Track & Field Championships Success For Jégou ~ Saturday, 3 April 2010

Richard Jégou, despite being disappointed with his overall performances, managed to win bronze medals in each of the M65 category events in which he competed last weekend. Richard’s bronze medal winning events were the discus, the hammer, the weight and the shot putt.

A complete roundup of the last weekend’s British Indoor Track & Field Championships results can be viewed in the Results section.

Congratulations to Richard on an impressive medal haul.

Dene Stringfellow

top <Wessex Cross Country League Successes ~ Saturday, 3 April 2010

The final fixture of the 2009/10 Wessex Cross Country League season took place at Avon Heath Country Park, Ringwood last Sunday. It was also the final event of our 2009/10 Club Cross Country Championships.

Paul Jégou and John Peake reaped their rewards for determination and consistent performances to be crowned Senior Men’s and V40-44 Men’s Champion respectively. Paul retained the title he first won last season. In addition, both athletes retained their respective club championship titles as a result.

A full rundown of the last weekend’s results can be viewed in the Results section and a full report containing the latest standings in the Club Cross Country Championships will also be available here shortly.

Congratulations to both Paul and John on their successful Wessex Cross Country League campaigns.

Dene Stringfellow

top <Track & Field Fixtures Update ~ Friday, 26 March 2010

The Track & Field fixtures for 2010 our now available in our Track & Field section. Please do not hesitate to contact either Angela Briscoe or Tom King if you have any queries.

Dene Stringfellow

top <Avon Heath Country Park, Ringwood – Wessex Cross Country League Timings Update ~ Friday, 26 March 2010

The race times given previously for the final Wessex Cross Country League fixture of the 2009/10 season have been revised.

The actual start times will be as follows:

The award presentations will take place after completion of the final event of the day at around 3:00pm.

A detailed map of the courses along with the location of the parking is available to download here.

Dene Stringfellow

top <Avon Heath Country Park, Ringwood – Wessex Cross Country League Notice ~ Wednesday, 24 March 2010

The final Wessex Cross Country League fixture of the 2009/10 season is scheduled to be held at Avon Heath Country Park, Ringwood near Poole in Dorset this coming Sunday.

Here are the links to maps providing overall directions to Avon Heath Country Park, Ringwood as well as the local street map of the area. According to the RAC Route Planner the journey to Avon Heath Country Park, Ringwood should take approximately 1 hour and 46 minutes covering a distance of some 79.5 miles following the A338, M4, A34, M3, M27 and A31.

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

Please do not hesitate to contact Dene Stringfellow (01235 868111) if you have any questions or need to arrange a lift.

Dene Stringfellow

top <Hooky 6 – Club Road Race Championship Event Date Change ~ Monday, 22 March 2010

The date of the Hooky 6 which constitutes part of our Club Road Race Championships this year has changed. The date of the race is now Sunday, 8 August instead of a week earlier as originally scheduled.

Please Note: The Oxfordshire Road Race Diary, Road Race and Club Road Race Championship standings pages have all been updated accordingly.

Dene Stringfellow

top <Banbury 15 – Club Road Race Championship Event Notice ~ Friday, 12 March 2010

The first of the 2010 Club Road Race Championship events takes place this Sunday – the Banbury 15. The course is described as providing challenging climbs in a rural setting with beautiful views over the surrounding Cotswold countryside.

The race starts at 10:30am from Spiceball Park, Spiceball Park Road, Banbury. For more information see the road running webpage on the Banbury Harriers’ website. The entry form is available here.

Dene Stringfellow

top <Club London Marathon Rules ~ Friday, 12 March 2010

To avoid any issues or confusion in how the club places are awarded in future the rules dictating how club London Marathon places are awarded have been laid out in the Road Race section for all our members’ reference.

Dene Stringfellow

top <Oxford Mail Cross Country League Campaign A Success ~ Tuesday, 9 March 2010

White Horse Harrier Sheila Bailey ran well in the final round of this winter’s Oxford Mail Cross Country league to secure top spot in the V55 women’s category. Despite winning, she has vowed that this will be her last cross country season so she won’t be back to defend the title next year.

Elsewhere the club had team success with the U15/U17 girls taking a very good second place. The girls have worked together well all season, giving each other lots of encouragement. Special thanks go to Ellie Dykes who increased her training so that the team could be sure of holding on to the second place.

Football commitments and injury reduced the number of U13 runners, however Ben Claridge and Mungo Graham both gave the team 100% to secure 5th place overall. The U15/U17 boys, who were hit by illness and injury earlier in the season, still managed a creditable 4th team out of 13 in the league.

For the men, Paul Jégou had another good run, finishing 14th, to take tenth spot overall. Despite the efforts of all the male runners the men’s team finished bottom of Division 1 and will be relegated to division 2 next year.

A full roundup of the last weekend’s results can be viewed in the Results section and a full report containing the latest standings in the Club Cross Country Championships is also available here.

Simon Atkin

top <Horspath – Oxford Mail Cross Country League Notice ~ Monday, 1 March 2010

The final Oxford Mail Cross Country League fixture of this season hosted by Oxford City AC will take place at Horspath Stadium, Oxford on Sunday, 7 March. 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 will be as normal for the final event of the series, with the start times of the men’s and women’s races switched round, as follows:

The Horspath Stadium race venue is situated on Oxford Road off the Oxford Eastern Bypass (A4142) just past the BMW plant in Cowley where the Mini is manufactured. See the links to the maps above.

Directions: Links are provided here to maps giving overall directions to the Horspath, Oxford and a local street map of the area. According to the TomTom Route Planner the journey to the Horspath Stadium, Oxford should take just over half an hour covering a distance of some 20 miles.

Car Parking: Please note that the fee for car parking will be £2.00 to cover the costs of hiring the park and providing the facilities including medical cover. Due to flooding the area is limited to the available hardstanding so please do share transport if you don’t already.

Restriction on MP3 Players: Please also note the restriction on the use of MP3 players introduced at the Banbury race will now hold for all future races until further notice.

Facilities: There will be toilet facilities and refreshments available in the pavilion.

Presentations: The U11 prizegiving will be as soon as possible after the completion of both races, on the terrace of the pavilion (or inside if it’s wet). This includes the presentation of medals to all children who have completed 4 of the 5 races this year. All names will be reannounced at the senior prizegiving, which will take place as soon as possible after the end of the women’s race.

Registrations & Results: As you can appreciate, the calculation of results is a complex operation, so please allow the process to continue uninterrupted as far as you can. This will be in the small room under the pavilion terrace, and team sheets will also be due here.

Apologies: Owing to the inability to find a willing contributor for goodie–bags this year, so there will be none. Hopefully this doesn’t dash anyone’s hopes too much.

Dene Stringfellow

top <Wing – Chiltern Cross Country League Notice ~ Tuesday, 9 February 2010

The final Chiltern Cross Country League fixture of the 2009/10 season will be held at the Cottesloe School, Wing on Saturday, 13 February. 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 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 except for the final three races which start at different times as follows:

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 – share a car if possible.

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.

Declaration Forms: Please hand in as soon as possible to assist results production.

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!

Presentations: The presentations for the season will take place soon after the conclusion of the final race. Please make sure your club is represented.

Dene Stringfellow

top <Cirencester – Oxford Mail Cross Country League Notice ~ Tuesday, 2 February 2010

The fourth and penultimate Oxford Mail Cross Country League fixture of the season hosted by Cirencester AC will take place at Cirencester Park, Cirencester on Sunday, 7 February. 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 will, as normal, be as follows:

The race venue is located at grid reference SO996020, off the A419 with the entrance to the estate located at grid reference SO988017, off the A419. A link to the location map is provided here. According to the RAC Route Planner the journey to Cirencester Park should take just over an hour covering a distance of approximately 37 miles.

Car Parking: Please note that the fee for car parking will be £3.00 to cover the costs of hiring the park and providing the facilities including medical cover.

Restriction on MP3 Players: Please also note the restriction on the use of MP3 players introduced at the Banbury race will now hold for all future races until further notice.

Facilities: There will be toilet facilities and a refreshment van selling burgers, tea, coffee etc.

Dene Stringfellow

top <Parliament Hill – Southern Cross Country Championships Notice ~ Wednesday, 27 January 2010

The 2010 Southern Cross Country Championships will be held at Parliament Hill on Saturday, 30 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 and any travelling arrangements can be organised.

Links to maps are provided here giving overall directions to Parliament Hill and a local street map of the area. According to the RAC Route Planner the journey to Parliament Hill should take approximately one hour and 45 minutes covering a distance of some 73.51 miles.

Regarding this fixture please note the following:

Venue: Parliament Hill is situated below Hampstead Heath just north of central London. See the links to the maps above.

Timetable: The race start times and approximate distances are as as follows:

Chip Timing: Chip Timing will be used. Failure to return your chip will be subject to a £7.00 penalty charge per chip.

Presentations: SEAA medals will be awarded to the first three placed competitors and the scoring team members of the first three placed teams in each group.

Dene Stringfellow

top <Shuttleworth Park – Chiltern Cross Country League – ON ~ Friday, 15 January 2010

The fourth round of the Chiltern Cross Country League at Shuttleworth Park will go ahead tomorrow as scheduled following a course inspection and assessment earlier today.

Report from the Course:
The race is definitely on. With the thaw there is a lot of water around but the course is perfectly runable and hopefully will not cut. There was today only one 20 metre part of the short course that had any snow. We expect this to go overnight, as it is flat in the area and not icy we do not regard it as a hazard. This is a spike/stud course. It will be dangerous to use flats as it is hilly and wet.

Forecast from BBC for Bedford:
9:00am heavy rain 3°C, 12 noon to 3:00pm light rain 4°C.

Dene Stringfellow

top <Highworth Team Half Marathon – ON ~ Friday, 15 January 2010

The Highworth Team Half Marathon will go ahead this Sunday as scheduled following a course inspection and assessment earlier today.

All Harrier team members and reserves should meet in Silver Threads Hall opposite The Recreation Centre in The Elms, Highworth prior to the start which will take place promptly in the field behind the Recreation Centre at 11:00am as usual.

Dene Stringfellow

top <Oxfordshire Cross Country Championships – RESCHEDULED ~ Wednesday, 13 January 2010

The rescheduled date for the Oxfordshire County Cross Country Championships is Sunday, 24 January 2010 at the same venue as originally planned. For further details and directions please refer to the original notice.

All members will also be notified by email of the rescheduled date for the Oxfordshire Cross Country Championships.

Dene Stringfellow

top <Oxfordshire Cross Country Championships – POSTPONED ~ Friday, 8 January 2010

Owing to the adverse weather conditions, and no change forecast for the immediate future, it has been decided to postpone the Oxfordshire Cross Country Championships until later in the month. The decision for this postponement ah been taken on the basis of Health and Safety on the roads as well as running. The organising Committee felt that this was the only sensible way forward.

The intention is for the Championships to be rescheduled for a date later in the month. We will notify our members both here and by email as soon as confirmation has been received of the new proposed date for the Championships.

Dene Stringfellow

top <Shuttleworth Park – Chiltern Cross Country League Notice ~ Sunday, 3 January

The fourth Chiltern Cross Country League fixture of the 2009/10 season will be held at the Shuttleworth Park, Biggleswade on Saturday, 16 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 are provided here to maps giving overall directions to Shuttleworth Park, Biggleswade and a local street map of the area. According to the RAC Route Planner the journey to the Shuttleworth Park should take approximately two and a quarter hours covering a distance of some 107 miles.

Regarding this fixture please note the following:

Venue: The match is being organised on behalf of the league by Bedford & County AC and takes place at Shuttleworth Park near Biggleswade, Bedfordshire. The estate is privately owned and we have access only on the match day. We are using the college and not the site of the Shuttleworth Collection, there is no access from there.

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

Directions: The entrance to the Park is approximately 2 miles from the A1 at Biggleswade. We recommend and ask that all competitors and spectators approach via the A1.
Leave the A1 at the northern Biggleswade junction (B658/A6001). Take the B658 (Hill Lane) and follow it for just over a mile to the first roundabout (nr Upper Caldecote) turn left. After a few hundred yards turn right along the estate road (just beyond Kingshill Cottages). Follow the road for approximately 1 mile. The postcode for Cottages near the entrance is SG18 9DT – this should find the access road on Google Maps or Multimap.
An alternative route is to follow the B658 from the A600 at Shefford (follow signposts for Biggleswade) and turn right just before the roundabout at Upper Caldecote. The A600 can be found taking the A507 from the M1 or A6.
DO NOT approach the park from Old Warden village. This route will not be signposted as the roads are narrow and the other access route to the park crosses the cross country course. Cars will be stopped while races are in progress and your arrival may be substantially delayed.

Car Parking: There is ample car parking on site but there are a number of areas for parking. Please follow car park marshals’ instructions.

Tents: Due to underground cabling etc. tents etc can only be erected in the designated area near the start/finish area.

Facilities: There are changing rooms & toilets and the Russell Hall and foyer where there are additional toilets. The facilities will be sign posted.

Refreshments: The college will open its café/bar for the sale of drinks, beverages and snacks (– we are not permitted to make separate arrangements).

The Course: The course runs around the perimeter of the parkland and will be suitable for spikes. Two laps will be used – 2km and 3km. Both laps are on grass and are likely to provide a good racing surface. The parkland is undulating with one common hill on both laps and a second hill on the longer lap. A map of the course is available here.

Dene Stringfellow

top <Oxfordshire County Cross Country Championships – Middleton Cheney ~ Sunday, 3 January 2010

The Oxfordshire County Cross Country Championships take place at Upton Lodge, Middleton Cheney, near Banbury on Sunday, 10 January. The first race is scheduled to start at 10:00am – see the race times below. An email has been sent to all members detailing the athletes that have been entered to represent the club in this event.

The race start times will be as follows:

The race venue at Upton Lodge, Middleton Cheney, near Banbury of the A422. A link to the location map is provided here. According to the RAC Route Planner the journey to Upton Lodge, Middleton Cheney should take about an hour covering a distance of approximately 41.6 miles.

Car Parking: Please also note that the fee for car parking will be £2.00 to cover the costs of first aid and portaloo hire.

Facilities: Unfortunately there will be no shower or changing facilities at this venue.

Dene Stringfellow

top <2010 Club Road Race Championships Update ~ Friday, 1 January 2010

The events comprising the club’s 2010 road race championships are now confirmed. For full details go to the Road Race link in the navigation panel to the left. Please remember to read all the details as the format has been changed slightly for this year’s competition. Additionally the details of the full Oxfordshire Road Race Diary are also available here.

Dene Stringfellow

top <Banbury – Oxford Mail Cross Country League Notice ~ Friday, 1 January 2010

The third Oxford Mail Cross Country League fixture of the season hosted by Banbury Harriers AC will take place at Drayton School, Banbury on Sunday, 3 January. Please could any members planning to attend this fixture let either Frank Briscoe (01235 769214) know.

The race start times are the same as for the last round held at Culham Park as follows:

The race venue is located at grid reference SP436416, off the A422. A link to the location map is provided here. According to the RAC Route Planner the journey to Drayton School, Banbury should take just over an hour covering a distance of approximately 42 miles.

Car Parking: Please also note that the fee for car parking will be £2.00.

Facilities & Refreshments: Refreshments, changing and toilets will be available in the pavilion by the track. Club tents may be put up in the field near the start/finish area.

Dene Stringfellow

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