Elise Thorner, far right, one of the Harrier's Honorary Members, posing with her winning University team mates at the Regional XC Championships in the USA - next stop the National Championships...
Following the UK Government’s announcement on the easing of Covid-19 lockdown rules we will again be able to organise our Harrier group training sessions from the end of March. This will see our coached sessions starting on Monday 29th March for juniors (age8-14) and for older juniors (14+) and seniors on Thursday 1st April. Our Wednesday social group runs will also start that week, on 31st March, and the social groups will keep to the ‘Rule of 6’ format in order to comply with the rules. Informal Sunday runs etc will no doubt be arranged between members.
The new Membership year starts 1st April and so renewals and new joiners will be requested to pay in early April. Meanwhile Elise Thorner & Jon James have been in competitive action this past week or two and we carry a report on their achievements. Read on for all details.
HARRIER GROUP TRAINING RETURNS AT THE END OF MARCH 2021
The Monday & Thursday (not Tuesday) coached sessions will take place at the ‘covid-secure’ venue of Strode College, Street, as usual using the field behind the Sports Centre. Registration to attend these sessions is required before the day. Contact Secretary Paul for the Monday session and Chairman Graham for the Thursday session. Sessions open to Harrier members.
Monday Juniors age 8-14 start 6pm at Strode field & finish 7pm. Cost £2 per session to be paid monthly. Book 24 hrs ahead by contacting Paul
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Wednesday Social Run for adults in groups of 6 from Wells Rugby Club. Meet socially distanced outside Wells Rugby Clubhouse at 6.40pm for a 45-60 minute run in groups of 6. Contact Andy Piper for details or for you to advise him that you are intending to join in.
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Thursday older juniors age 14 upwards and seniors, arrive 6.05pm at Strode field for group warm up 6.15pm. Finish by 7.30pm. Cost £2 per session to be paid monthly. Book 24hrs ahead by contacting Graham
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Check out the England Athletics website for the very latest guidance on the return to training and competition.
Please continue to follow Covid-19 guidance on staying safe.
MEMBERSHIP FEES
The Harrier committee met recently by Zoom and agreed to set the Club Membership Fees for 2021/22 starting 1st April at £20 for seniors; and £10 for juniors/students/
pensioners/unwaged. In addition, members are encouraged to pay for their England Athletics Registration for the year at the same time - £15 – in order to enable them to compete in League, Championship, and local multi-terrain/road racing events without having to pay a surcharge.
An email will be sent requesting payment soon after 1st April. Please advise the Club Secretary by 31st March 2021 if you definitely don’t want the EA registration for the year, otherwise you will be asked to pay accordingly:
Seniors £35 (inc EA)
Juniors/unwaged £25 (inc EA)
Under age 10 £10 (no EA)
Please read the detail about Membership on the Joining tab to remind yourself of the conditions of membership. Any queries about membership to Paul.
HARRIERS IN ACTION
Stateside
Al Thorner reports on the Cross Country action in the United States involving his daughter:
“Really delighted to report that Elise Thorner should (subject to final team selection) be making her way to Oklahoma on Monday (15th March) as a part of a 7 strong New Mexico University team for the NCAA National Cross Country Championships after finishing 13th out of 81 in the Mountain West regional finals in Las Vegas on 5th March.
She needed to finish in the first 7 of a high-quality New Mexico squad and did the job by coming home sixth in the victorious team which successfully defended their title for the 13th season in a row. This was the second time that Elise had run on this 6k course in two weeks and improved her time by recording 20 mins 39 seconds setting a personal best for 5k (17 mins 14 seconds) along the way.”
Good luck to Elise from the Harriers
British Masters Athletic Federation - National 1 mile Champion Jon James
Meanwhile, Harrier Senior Coach Jon James has finished top in the V55+ age group 1-mile races organised by the British Masters Club. With competitors across the UK running the distance solo using their own accurately measured course, Jon ran a very nippy 4.46 for the mile. He finished 13 seconds ahead of his nearest rival, Guy Woods of SW Veterans and 3rd place runner Stephen Watmough of Warrington AC who ran 5.05. Jon will soon be puttingus through our paces when he oversees our Thursday night training sessions from 1st April.
COMPETITION OPPORTUNITIES COMING UP?
The Track & Field season will hopefully be able to start soon. Our partner Club Yeovil Olympiads are working towards hosting a low key Spring Open and subject to confirmation from Governing bodies and the required licences/permits the South-west and National T&F Leagues will commence soon afterwards, perhaps by June or July. To ensure you keep abreast of dates of fixtures please ensure you check the YOAC website on a regular basis and make yourself known to our/their team managers for League fixtures.
Road and multi-terrain races will soon be able to be organised subject to the granting of appropriate licences and insurances. This will come too late for the Wells Fun Run this year but no doubt the organisers will look to be back in 2022. The Harrier committee envisage that the Street Race Series will be the first set of races that it formally organises in2021, and Lynne Elstob has again volunteered to be the Race Director. Harriers will be asked to volunteer to help at this Series by marshalling or helping out before or after a race. For details check the Street 5k web tab for any updates.
Parkruns, which are useful as time trials, are due to start nationally on 5th June for the 5k distance and earlier for the junior 2k distance where these are organised.
The Somerset Race Series is on pause until it is clear whether there are many races being organised in 2021. Perhaps a slimmed down version over the 2nd half of the year might be possible?
LONDON MARATHON - 3rd October 2021
Did you apply in the main ballot and get rejected? Were you a paid up member of the Harriers? We expect to hear in the next few weeks that we will have 1, possibly 2, guaranteed places for the real road marathon (not the virtual edition). This will be allocated in the usual way by a ballot of all Club members that are eligible. Please check back here for details of how to be in the ballot when we are certain if we have 1, or 2, places.
Meanwhile there are a number of charities out there who will have a place either in the actual race in London or in the virtual race taking place the same day on a course you devise. No doubt there are already Harriers who have taken up the challenge of raising funds alongside their training. Mind in Somerset have a number of places available for the virtual edition and are asking runners to raise £200 for a guaranteed place. They can be contacted at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
40th Anniversary
We will be celebrating our 40th year as a Club this coming year 2021/22 and this week's photo (above) is from exactly 10 years ago. Taken on the 15th March 2011 at the Tuesday track session where the group posed with the Gwent Cross Country League plate awarded the previous weekend to mark the fact that we were Division One Champions! Well done team! Later this year we hope we might be able to have a social event or two to mark our 40 years, but in the meantime you can always remind yourselves of our history by checking out the 'potted version here'.
In Case You Missed it:
One Year ago – Race The Night: Matt & Gill crowned King & Queen of the Street 5k Series 2019/20
Ten Years ago – Kieran & Annabelle crowned after the 2010/11 Street Series
Start line March 2020 Street 5k (photo by Paul) & Presentations after the race (photo by Graham): Put the date in your diary for 2021 October13th Street 5k will be back (fingers crossed!)
