Moving on to this weekend, it was the weekend to be in Brighton! Hywel Thomas, Paul McCarthy and Archie Bellamy took on the mighty South Downs Way 50 (mile) from Centurion Running yesterday. The event begins in Worthing and finishes in lovely Eastbourne. Fellow Committee members Hywel and Paul came home in a very impressive 9.37.31 and 9.37.33, respectively, joined by Archie in 11.22.21.
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Today was Brighton Marathon day. Excitingly, there was also a trail edition. Jenny Bizley was 8th woman (out of nearly 400!) in a time of 3.59.18, joined swiftly by Cath Holloway in 4.22.21. Brilliant work, ladies. Meanwhile in the road marathon, Susan Scollan led the Club home in a time of 3.32.34. Following her were Ian Lawson (3.54.34) and Thomas Pinkham (3.59.45). Well done!

And finally, Louise Whyte was in action amongst the high rises and history of the London Landmarks Half Marathon. She finished the event in 2.13.10.

DON’T FORGET to book your tickets for the Club’s social on 9 May. More details and booking here.
COMING UP LOCALLY: Chiltern Ridge Ultra, Dunstable Road Runners 5 mile race, Manchester Marathon, YDL Upper & Lower Age Groups, Last Friday of the Month 5k, Nettlebed Stinger, the London Marathon and the Pednor 5. Check out the Club Calendar for details of these events and more.

REMEMBER to email ellie.bates@chilternharriers.com with any race results and photos for inclusion in Race Report! 

Carys Evans was the only Harrier in action at the Reading Half on 22 March, clocking a very respectable 1.35.04. 

Moving on to the 16 miles of glorious, undulating Chiltern countryside that is the Ashridge Boundary Run on 28 March: Jenny Bizley led the Club home in 2.33.48. She was joined swiftly by Bex Nkoane in 2.35.14, and Doug Smith in 3.31.18. RR Correspondent Jenny Bizley reports that this it is the most gorgeous route and we need to get a proper gang together for 2027. The gauntlet is down, team….
 
The next day was the Oakley 20 – one of the traditional prep races for the Spring Marathons (but why, oh why, would anyone put themselves through a 20-mile road race?!) Ben Hannen came home in 2.43.11, joined by Chris Pitkin (3.06.40). (OK, apparently you get a hoodie, so that’s quite good.)

And last, but by no means least, is today’s Beaconsfield 5. Chiltern Harriers were well represented. Ben Hannen led the team home (again) in 35.00. He was joined by: Andy Hickman (36.01); Tim Margetts (37.29); Tony Dawson (41.17); Stephen Sprod (44.36); Harriet Lemon (47.20); Helen Hinde; Caroline Stephens (representing Burnham Joggers - 48.13); (49.23) and Philip Lewis (1.06.05). 
 
A few things you need to get organised with in early May:

1. The Pednor 5 on Bank Holiday Monday, 4 May. If you’re not running, then can you help?! Register here or email paul.mccarthy@chilternharriers.com if you can help out
2. The first of two free events for the CHAC community on Wednesday, 6 May – this one focussed on young women and sport. Look out for another one to come, which will address the needs of older, female athletes. Register here
3. The return of the Harriers Social & Awards Evening on Saturday, 9 May. Come along for BBQ, kids’ races and fun. Book your tickets and find out more here

 
COMING UP LOCALLY: Brighton Marathon, Flitwick 10k, Dartmoor Marathon, Second Sunday 5, Chiltern Ridge Ultra, Dunstable Road Runners 5 Mile Race, Manchester Marathon, YDL Upper Age Group, Last Friday of the Month 5k, London Marathon and the Nettlebed Stinger. Check out these events and more on the Club Calendar.

There were some good performances and several personal bests at the first Watford Open of the season at Woodside Stadium last Wednesday.
 
The conditions were good, a dry, still evening, but temperatures dropped for the 3000m races later in the evening.
 
100m
Race 1
Elly Konkader    U14                      15.45                   PB
 
1500m Section 1 (4.38 - 5.30)
Race 2
Thomas Cooper U14                    5.31.60               SB
 
Race 3
Jack Dixon U14                              5.27.89               SB
 
Race 4
Hector Gamblen U16                  5.02.10               PB
 
Race 6
Barnaby Williams U14                 4.59.50               PB
 
Race 7
Isaac McCall U16                          4.40.33               PB
Jacob McCall    U16                      4.48.76               PB
 
Race 8
Isaac Taylor U18                            4.47.80               SB
 
1500m Section 2 (Sub 4.38)
 
Race 1
James Malin U18                           4.26.79               PB
Harrison Lawrence U16              4.26.98               PB
James Henderson U18                4.37.04               SB
 
Race 2
Eddie O’Brien U18                        4.26.31               PB
Ben Reeder U18                            4.31.04               PB
 
Race 4
Charlie Quantrill U18                   4.12.31               PB
 
3000m
Race 2
Callum Powell U20                       9.10.53               PB
Jack Turner U20                             9.35.80               PB
 
Race 3
Alex Aldred SM                               8.33.14               PB

Intermediate Girls
The first race on the programme saw the Intermediate Girls tackle a 3.8k route round the gently undulating park, which was mostly in good shape, except for some challenging sticky mud sections. Maya Davis had a good run to round off her season, finishing fourth Bucks Schools scorer in 99th place. Megan Lockwood was sixth Bucks scorer in 255th. For Herts Schools Alex Whitfield was third scorer in 105th place. The Bucks Schools team was 14th, Herts Schools 18th.
 
Junior Boys
Harrison Lawrence was part of a very successful Bucks team that combined its six scorers to finish an excellent third. On a fairly short 3.2k course, Harris was fourth scorer in 67th and the Bucks team also featured the individual winner in Luis Da Silva and sixth placed Luca Dolan. They will run for England at the SIAB International in Bangor, north Wales next Saturday.
 
Junior Girls
There were three Chiltern girls scoring in the Bucks Schools Junior Girls team that ran the same route as the Junior Boys – second scorer Nell Frost in 62nd, third scorer Juliette MacDougall 67th and sixth scorer Aura Lue Fong 247th.
 
Intermediate Boys
The best individual Chiltern performance of the day came from Tom Ford, who ran with great calm and purpose on the Inter Boys 5k circuit to win the silver medal and book his place running for England Schools at Bangor. It will be Tom’s second vest having run for the country two years ago. Tom’s Herts Schools team was sixth.
 
Senior Girls
On a 4.4k route, Alice Peckham, fifth scorer in 133rd, and Lucinda McRonald, sixth scorer in 169th, were part of the Bucks Schools team that were 19th. Emily Ford had a good run to be third Herts scorer in 101st.
 
Senior Boys
Four Chiltern senior boys ran on a fast but taxing 6.3k course - Edward Johnson had a good run to be first Bucks Schools scorer in 50th, Alex Hughes was second scorer in 102nd, Callum Powell was fifth scorer in 172nd, and Jack Turner was 289th.

Meanwhile today at the MK Festival of Running Stuart Henderson earned himself a PB in the half marathon event – 1.45.08. Ed Wright braved the 20 miler, clocking a time of 2.39.06. Somewhat further afield in Bath, Jess Orr also earned a half marathon PB, with a time of 1.35.52. She joined Katie Repper, who finished in an electrifying 1.23.27.

AN OPPORTUNITY to support your local community: our local community radio station – Chiltern Voice – have reached out to CHAC asking whether any of our runners might be willing to raise sponsorship for the station as part of Spring marathon efforts. (They’ll provide a natty t-shirt / vest.) if you’re interested, contact paul.simmonds@chilternvoice.fm .
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COMING UP LOCALLY: English Schools’ Cross Country, the next Gade Valley Harriers marathon training run (17 and 20 miles), Hardwick X-Stream, Hillingdon 20, Last Friday of the Month, Ashridge Boundary Run, Bracknell Open, Oakley 20 and the White Horse Half Marathon. Check out the Club Calendar for details of these events and more.

This year it was the turn of the Northern Cross-Country Association to host the National Club Championships and Sedgefield Harriers organised a great event. The course was undulating, surprisingly firm underfoot, and very spectator friendly.
Three Chiltern Harriers Senior Men competed in the Championships. The 12k race was very fast paced from the start, with the first kilometre taking only 2:44 and the race continued in that vein for the remaining 11km. Three men, including Richard Slade, had broken away from the field by the end of the first lap. The fierce pace set by Hugo Milner resulted in Richard being dropped on the 2nd lap of three and he eventually finished 3rd, the second consecutive year he has finished on the podium.
Simon Bossi, running in his first English National Championships, ran very well to finish 61st.and said he’d enjoyed his first visit to the North.  Jonny Slade was the 3rd Chiltern competitor, and ran hard to finish 531st, importantly ahead of his training partner!
There were 1046 finishers.
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There were some really impressive times at today’s Cambridge Half Marathon – a popular event for Harriers. Daire Stack led the pack home in a rapid 1.14.47. He was joined swiftly by Ed Wright (1.34.35); Matt Lawrence (1.42.41); Christine Taylor (1.44.48); Glen Martin (1.46.59); Matt Channer (1.55.32); Harriet Lemon (1.58.18); Miriam Kempson (1.51.28); and Tamsin Finch (2.11.35).

DON’T FORGET: tomorrow evening is the AGM at the White Hill Centre, 7.30pm. Join us to hear about the Club’s successes of the last year, plans for the future and to wish Trevor Davies a (partial) farewell as he steps down as Chair of the Club. You can find the agenda for the meeting here. 

COMING UP LOCALLY: English Schools’ Cross Country, the next Gade Valley Harriers marathon training run (17 and 20 miles), Hardwick X-Stream, Hillingdon 20, Last Friday of the Month, Ashridge Boundary Run, Bracknell Open, Oakley 20 and the White Horse Half Marathon. Check out the Club Calendar for details of these events and more.

SAVE THE DATE: for the CHAC Social & Awards Evening on 9 May. Tickets go on sale in a couple of weeks so watch this space...

AND FINALLY: Don’t forget that Race Report is powered by you. If you’ve done an event, or know anyone else who has, ping the results and any photos to ellie.bates@chilternharriers.com . Please do send any local events that should be in the Club Calendar to the same address. 

 Meanwhile, in today’s Brighton Half Marathon the Club were represented by Daniel Logue and Patrick Barrett. Daniel came home in 1.41.17, and Patrick in 1.56.01.
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However, much of today’s Harriers action was at the Berko Half and 5-mile Fun Run (I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, 5 miles is not ‘fun’… especially not on those hills!) Organised by the local Rotary Club, albeit with the support of an event management company, race organisers reported that this year’s event will raise £30,000 for local charities. 

In the Half Marathon I came home in 1.34.25, joined most rapidly by: Ali Young (1.35.23); Mairead O’Rourke (1.35.34); Richard Moss (1.35.49); Jenny Bizley (1.38.25 - huge PB!); Grant Whitaker (1.42.14); Sylvia Moss (1.44.38); Lauren Mayot (1.44.57 - PB!); Allan Cairns (1.46.52); Frank Gaymond (1.46.49); Kevin Franklin (1.51.07); Chris Pitkin (1.55.16); Nick Talbot (2.00.40); and Rik Edwards (2.06.12). Also Trevor Brawn is a ninja and popped up all over the place along the course. (How does he do that?!)

In the 5-mile event the Fords kept it in the family. Tom and Emily were first male (and overall) and first female, respectively, in times of 25.48 and 31.18.  Joining them from Chiltern Harriers AC were: Jon Taylor (34.22); Carys Evans (36.28); Heidi Folkard (39.43 - a PB - woop woop!); Phoebe Gorman (47.31); Mel Folkard (48.53); and Steve Field (54.49).

Finally, a shout-out to our friends from Welcome to Running. They had a great turnout in the 5-mile event: Isabelle Hatfield, Emer O’Kelly, Mike Ward, Judi Saunders, Douglas King, Olivia King, Julia Cannon, Sarah Reddyhoff, Kasia Fejcher-akhtar, Charlotte Craven and Karen Craven.

COMING UP LOCALLY: Humanity Direct Amersham Ultra, Inter-Counties Cross Country, Goring 10k, English Schools’ Cross Country, the next Gade Valley Harriers marathon training run (17 and 20 miles), Hardwick X-Stream and the Hillingdon 20. Check out the Club Calendar for details of these events and more.

DON’T FORGET the Club’s AGM on 9 March.
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AND FINALLY: Race Report runs off of your stories. I look up results of events in the Calendar, but everything else comes from you  If you have done an event, or know someone else who has, ping me the results and any photos at ellie.bates@chilternharriers.com