With the SEAA Road Relays at Crystal Palace cancelled at the last minute, SOAR and a handful of Milton Keynes and AFD club people hastily arranged a replacement event based at Stantonbury Stadium, Milton Keynes on Sunday.
 
The sun shone and a good turnout of Chiltern athletes performed well on a 2.6k or 5.0k route around the footpaths near the stadium. There was a win for the U15 boys and plenty of good efforts elsewhere.
 
U13s
The U13 boys started at 11.00am followed by the U13 girls at 11.02am. There was one Chiltern team each in this age group. The boys were led off by James Holdsworth who ran well for 10.02 on the 2.6k circuit, coming home in ninth place. Felix Danielli ran 10.28 on leg 2 to move the team up to sixth and Charlie Quantrill continued the good work to run 10.12, moving the team up to fifth. Eighteen teams faced the starter.
The U13 girls also did well with Marlie Nkoane having a great leg 1 to run 10.41, bringing the team home in fifth. Issy Robinson ran 11.28  and Lydia Cross 12.15 to have the team finish in tenth. There were nineteen teams on the start line.
 
U15s
The Chiltern U15 boys are a formidable squad and the A team took a comfortable win with the B team third. Isaac Jessop-Tranter led off for the A team and came in third with 9.07. Archie Pinder ran 9.07 to put the team in the lead and Alden Collier completed the win with 9.05. For the Bs Alex Hughes ran 9.27 on leg 1 to put them in fifth and Max Baxter maintained that spot on leg 2 after a 9.48 lap. Euan Pinder powered round in 9.06 to put the team third. In an incomplete C team newcomer Hari Mistry ran 10.36 and Rowan Gawne 10.00. Eighteen teams toed the line.
There were three complete U15 girls teams. The A team did very well led off by Lesedi Nkoane with an impressive 10.05 to be fourth. Lily Jessop-Tranter ran 11.28 and Frankie Baxter 10.20 to secure a finish spot of seventh. The B team of Olivia Clarke (10.53), Lucy Wilkinson (11.59) and Izzy Martin (10.56) was 12th and the C team of Marea Logan (11.43), Rebecca Lawson (12.11) and Savarnah Pandya (11.57) was 16th. There were 26 teams on the start line.
 
U17s
It was great to have two full U17 women’s teams on show. The A team of Holly Henderson (10.20), Charlotte Docwra (10.46) and Abbie Henderson (11.04) were seventh and the B team of Alice Brown (11.01), Ellie Shield (11.09) and Olivia Edwards (11.27) were 13th. Nineteen teams started.
The U17 men took on the longer 5k circuit and the Chiltern A team started well courtesy of Thomas Askey. However after 800m Thomas pulled a pectoral muscle but bravely continued in pain to complete his lap in 18.01. Laurie Gawne made up four places with a solid 17.36 and Oakley Denson made up two more but was disappointed with his lap of 18.15. The team were 12th from 25th starters. Matthew Evans gained good experience running 19.59 in an incomplete B team.
 
Senior Men
Chiltern had a Senior men’s team out for the first time in a while. Up against some top-drawer clubs, the six-man team battled hard and finished in a creditable 26th place from 48 teams facing the starter. This was enough to be invited to the National Road Relays in Sutton Coldfield in two weeks time. Harry Cox led off on the gently undulating route and came home in 27th in a brisk 16.08. Richard Slade (15.53) made up several places and Will Perkin (15.49) made up one more to have the team in 18th. Tom Dixon (17.56), Finn O’Brien (17.18) and Luke Martin (17.48) all ran well but losing a couple of places each. The team were well ahead of local rivals Milton Keynes and Wycombe Phoenix.
 
 

The long-awaited Harriers Social took place last night and it was great to see over 100 of you there - out of running kit for a change!

A huge thanks must be given to Ellie Bates and her team of organisers for putting on another great event.

The social also gave us the opportunity to celebrate the club's unsung heroes - those that have gone above and beyond to support the club and its members during the past 18 months. 

You can see the winners below and can also see a list of all the winners, complete with the reasons they were nominated.

Congratulations to all the winners!

Important message to all those attending our training sessions and those looking to do races again shortly. 

We know some of you have still not renewed your membership for the current year. It is important for you and important for the club as the Insurance cover for incidents that occur in training with the club only applies to fully paid up club members. If you are not sure if you have paid, you can check with Tamsin Finch whose details are on the membership application forms.
Please note we are only offering one group session on a Tuesday evening until further notice, but there will be something for those who want to test their speed as well as something for those concentrating on endurance.
There is just one remaining Thursday night Track session and with the light fading fast, we need you to arrive as soon as you can after 6.45pm. The cost per athlete has gone up to £3 per athlete per session.
Tuesday 28 September - Session 1
Lowndes Park, Chesham with Trevor Brawn and Mike Shrive for a split location Speed Endurance session, ready to warm up at 7.00pm, meeting by the top access gate from Park Road/Chartridge Lane. The session will conclude in the Town Centre once the light goes. 
Parking in the Town Centre car parks. 
Limited to 44 people. You must use the booking system and comply with the Covid Risk Assessment.
Thursday 30 Sept - Session 2
Merchant Taylors School, Moor Park for the last Thursday night Track Training session this summer with Mike Shrive. The session needs to start by 7pm so please get there by 6.45pm if possible.
The athletes will naturally split into small even pace groups to make it a safe and effective session.
Due to increased fees imposed by MT School, the cost is now £3 per session for each athlete.   
Limited to 26 athletes. You must use the booking system and comply with the Covid Risk Assessment.

Booking onto sessions:
1. Athletes must go to this link and check that there are places available at their preferred session(s) - check the number, NOT the percentage of people opted to attend. If you are the first person you will not see any responses.
2. Athletes will then need to go to this link to then register their intention and ensure that they have read the COVID19 Risk Assessment. ​
PLEASE NOTE: the COVID-19 Risk Assessment has been amended for current guidance and change in location so you must have another look at it. ​

​Sept 9th
There was a small meeting at Harrow on Thursday 9th with some good runs over 1500m.
 
Kara Gorman            U11    5.29.09         PB
James Holdsworth   U13    5.18.15
Lily Jessop-Tranter   U15    5.14.00
Emily Ford                 U15    5.22.16
Hari Mistry                U15    5.23.91         PB
Ethan McCall            U15    4.40.78         PB
Max Baxter               U15    4.41.07         PB
Alex Hughes             U15    4.43.80         PB
 
Sept 14th
The final action of the Hertfordshire County Championships took place at St Albans on this Tuesday evening with 1500m races. Archie and Euan Pinder took a 1-2 in the U15 race with times of 4.28.6 and 4.31.2 respectively. The field of 17 was the largest of the night.
 
Sep 16th
A final Harrow Open saw a PB in 800m for U15 Rebecca Lawson - 2.50.23. U15s Lily Jessop-Tranter and Olivia Clarke ran 2.34.27 and 2.34.65 respectively, and in the final race of the evening U17 Oakley Denson won in 1.59.57 with U15 Isaac Jessop-Tranter third in 2.02.32.

It was one of my favourite days of the year today - Shardeloes Day! And it was a great turnout by Chiltern Harriers, both within the ranks of runners and volunteers. A huge thanks is due to Race Director Matt Robins for putting on yet another great event and the huge army of helpers that made Chiltern’s first event since before the pandemic a real success. ​

Important message to all those attending our Training Sessions and those looking to do races again shortly
We know some of you have still not renewed your membership for the current year. It is important for you and important for the club as the insurance cover for incidents that occur in training with the club only applies to fully paid up club members. If you are not sure if you have paid, you can check with Tamsin Finch whose details are on the membership application forms.
Please note: We are only offering one group session on a Tuesday evening until further notice, but there will be something for those who want to test their speed as well as something for those concentrating on endurance
 All athletes must wear hi viz coverings from now for all sessions that end with running on the roads 

Mike has secured an extension for the whole of September for the remaining Thursday night track sessions, however they will need to start at 7pm at the latest in order to reach a safe conclusion in the light, and with a new booking system introduced by MT School, the cost per athlete will go up for each of these sessions to £3 per athlete per session (still exception value for such a superb facility)
This coming week's offering is as follows: 

Tuesday 21 September: Session 1: 
A split location Speed Endurance session at Botley Road Playing Fields, Chesham initially, ready to start the session at 7.00pm, but then finishing on the adjacent roads around Codmore Crescent after the light goes, with Craig Fulham & Mike Shrive.
​Parking at Codmore Crescent off The Braid, Chesham then walking through the alley to the Playing Fields.  
Limited to 36 people. You must use the booking system and comply with the Covid Risk Assessment.
 
Thursday 23 Sept - Session 2 -
Merchant Taylors School, Moor Park. Track Training with Mike Shrive *ready for warm up at 6.55*.
The athletes will naturally split into small even pace groups to make it a safe and effective session.
Due to increased fees imposed by MT School, the cost has to rise to £3 per session for each athlete.   
Limited to 24 athletes. You must use the booking system and comply with the Covid Risk Assessment.

Booking onto sessions:
1. Athletes must go to this link and check that there are places available at their preferred session(s) - check the number, NOT the percentage of people opted to attend. If you are the first person you will not see any responses.
2. Athletes will then need to go to this link to then register their intention and ensure that they have read the COVID19 Risk Assessment. ​
PLEASE NOTE: the COVID-19 Risk Assessment has been amended for current guidance and change in location so you must have another look at it. ​

 The hard work of this training block is coming to an end for many as marathon season arrived with a bang this weekend.
But first, let’s start with a parkrun round up.
Rebecca Nkoane was 1st woman at Black Park in a time of 18.55. At Cassiobury Park, Kate Loach was 3rd woman in 22.06.
At Telford, Zoe Gilbody was 1st woman in a blistering 17.39. Kody Gilbody ran a PB to finish in 19.03.
Meanwhile at Rickmansworth, there were lifetime PBs for Grant Whitaker (19.37) and Steve Mayes (21.10).

Onto the marathon madness…
Brighton Marathon was the first marathon up this Autumn.
Jennifer Webb ran a huge PB, finishing in 4.10.10. Richard Hollister also ran, finishing in 5.19.44. Well done to both!

Up north, a couple of Harriers took on the Great North Run.
Simon Conway finished in 1.41.37. While Dave Bellamy ran for Teenage Cancer Trust and finished in a time of 1.51.00.
​
Some Harriers aren’t content with tackling just one sport. Craig Fulham is one of those. He came a very impressive third in the Eton Dorney Sprint Triathlon.

Events coming up...

Shardeloes 10k
Taking place on the 19th September, you don't want to miss it. Enter here
If you don't fancy running, Trevor Davies is still looking for marshals and a 'sweep' runner. Contact Trevor at [email protected] if you can help.
Harriers Social
24th September. Some are calling it the night of the year, others the night of the decade. Certainly not one to miss. Find out more and book your tickets here.
London Marathon
Contact Steve Field - [email protected] - to book your place on the Harriers London marathon coach!