CHRISTMAS SUPPORT FOR LITTLE PRINCESS TRUST

We are pleased to announce that we have teamed up with The Little Princess Trust to offer 10 FREE fundraising places for our Hereford Couriers Christmas 10k 2022

If you would like to support this great cause helping them raise some funds by running in the Christmas 10k, all you need to do is to contact Linda at The Little Princess Trust registering your interest and we will liaise with Linda to allocate places for the race on the 28th December 2022.

The Little Princess Trust provide real hair wigs, free of charge, to children and young people who have lost their own hair through cancer treatment and other conditions.

You can contact Linda by emailing: linda@littleprincesses.org.uk

To find out more about the charity & to donate to them please visit https://www.justgiving.com/littleprincesstrusthttps://www.littleprincesses.org.uk/

#thelittleprincesstrust#Christmas10k

JON’S HALF YEARLY REPORT

CLUB UPDATE | We continue to make great progress as a club, at the half way point in our membership year our club Chairman, Jon Edwards gives us an update through his half yearly report.

Here are a few highlights:

  • Club Membership up 11% year on year.
  • The club have been instrumental on brining Junior Parkrun to Hereford.
  • We’ve invested further into our Run Leader and Coaching progammes.
  • £1,500 was donated to mind from the Jon Ward 5k & Relays.

We’ve had so much fun together, subsiding trips to the Brecon Beacons, canoeing down the Wye, track sessions, the beer mile and many other projects, whilst continuing to invest in new kit, props, displays and races. 

In a period when events are being cancelled, the Couriers remain financially strong and our events continue to be successful. 

I’d like to thank the team, our dedicated committee and all of our Run Leaders for your hard work and commitment. You are Hereford Couriers. 

There is so much to look forward to: next month will see the introduction of our new club standards platform, the Winter XC is back, our next race at Hope Valley, the Christmas 10k on 28th Dec and of course I can’t wait to celebrate once again with you at our showpiece AGM (end of year party) in March.

£1,500 raised in memory of Jon

The Couriers are proud to announce that this year’s Jon Ward 5k, which included relay races for the first time, has raised £1,500 in memory of former Courier and decorated runner Jon Ward which will be donated to the charity MIND.

The race, in its 3rd year, has now raised over £7,500 for charity, through entries to the races along with people taking part in the events by racing virtually across the UK.

A big thank you to the race sponsors Profile & Turquoise Cleaning Company and race partners Ready Set Go & Point To Point Services both donated their services for the event.

Chairman Jon Edwards said “Runners at this year’s event certainly embraced Jon’s spirit; battling against the odds as it was an extremely hot day and embracing new challenges, with many competing in the relays for the first time. Thank you to each and every one of them that took part”

Additional donations can still be made here: www.justgiving.com/fundraising/jonward5kandrelays22

OWEN & COOPER STORM TO JON WARD VICTORIES.

Congratulations to everyone who look part in the Jon Ward 5k & Relays this weekend.

The race in it’s 3rd year is held in memory of ex-Hereford Courier Jon Ward who sadly passed away in June 2020.

Jon was a decorated runner, competing across every distance from 5k to Ultra Running. He was a proud member of the 100 Marathon Club and many locally knew him well, Jon was a Courier from 2010 – 2017.

The race winner was Dan Owen of Western Tempo Running Club in a time of 15:31, the first female was Lauren Cooper of Parc Bryn Bach Running Club in 17:04 🏆

Malachi Cashmore was close behind for 2nd Male with 2nd female going to Donna Morris of Builth & District Running Club🥈

Emma Powell of Western Tempo & Eric Apperley Croft Ambrey Running Club finished third female & male 🥉

In the relays, it’s was a great win for the Couriers men

team with the young Cheltenham & County Harriers ladies finishing first female team & ‘The Tradies’ from South Wales picking up the mixed team award 🙌

All the results can be found here: https://www.readysetgotiming.co.uk/2022results

A big thankyou to all the helpers and marshalls for supporting the race. 👏

We would like to say thanks to our race sponsors Profile & Turquoise Cleaning Company along with our race partners Ready Set Go, Point To Point Services & Hereford

Racecourse for all of your support of todays event 👍

All proceeds from this race go to the Charity Mind, if you would like to donate in memory ofJon please visit:

www.justgiving.com/fundraising/jonward5kandrelays22

NEXT UP: JON WARD 5K & RELAYS

Enjoy our 5k series? how about giving one lap a blast instead of 2?

Why not pick 2 of your team mates and create a relay team for the Jon Ward Relays – a new event for 2022 as part of the Jon Ward 5k race day!

The relays – Each leg will be one lap of the course (2.5k each runner) relays are in teams of 3 with splits for each leg! Teams can be all male, all female or mixed with a team prize for each of these categories!

Along with this we will be running the usual Jon Ward 5k race with all profits from both races going to Mind in memory of Jon. 

📅 Sun 14th August

🏃🏼‍♀️ 🏃🏼‍♂️ Relays 09:00am

🏃🏼‍♂️ 🏃 5k 10:00am

There are limited places for the relays, the Team Captains will need to sign up early to avoid disappointment.

Sign up here: https://www.entrycentral.com/JonWard2022

SUPERB RUNNING AS THE 5K SERIES DRAWS TO A CLOSE

Congratulations to all of our winners of the Couriers 5k Series 2022!

The men’s race series was won by Western Tempo Running Club runner Charlie Jones with Alastair Cambell of Stroud & District Athletic Club in 2nd & Western Tempo’s Eliot Taylor finishing in 3rd.

In the female’s race it was Forest of Dean Athletic Club runner Samantha Harris who took overall series first place followed by Western Tempo’s Rachel Underhill & a 3rd place finish for Croft Ambrey Running Club runner Charlotte Broadhurst.

The team awards were picked up by the Hereford Couriers Men & the Croft Ambrey Ladies 

Well done to all the category winners some fantastic running across the series by you all.

Juniors
U13 F – Olivia Hayman Shrewsbury Athletic Club
U15 F – Isobel Watt Cheltenham & County Harriers
U20 F – Charlotte Broadhurst Croft Ambrey Running Club
U13 M – Fred Tyler Hereford & County Athletics Club
U15 M – Henry White Halo Sport Foundation
U20 M – Louie Lambeth Wolverhampton & Bilston Athletics Club

Females
SF – Rachel Underhill Western Tempo Running Club
V35 F – Sarah Morris Black Pear Joggers
V40 F – Samantha Harris Forest of Dean Athletic Club
V45 F – Joanna Eddy Hereford Couriers Running Club
V50 F – Cherry Fowler Chepstow Harriers Information
V55 F – Niki Morgan Chepstow Harriers
V60 F – Lorna Shaw Wye Valley Runners
V70 F – Carole Clarke Worcester Athletics Club
V75 F – Margaret Crosswell Worcester Athletics Club

Male
SM – Charlie Jones Western Tempo
V40 M – Kristan McKenna
V45 M – Sean Taylor Torfaen Runners
V50 M – Huw Evans Parc Bryn Bach Running Club
V55 M – Richie Richards Hereford Couriers
V60 M – Paul Dodd Chepstow Harriers
V65 M – Stephen Owen Chepstow Harriers
V70 M – Steve Herington Hereford Couriers
V80 M – Bryan Markham Croft Ambrey.

The full results can be found here: https://www.readysetgotiming.co.uk/2022results

A big thank you to everyone who helped make this year’s series another huge success.A special mention to all the volunteers for giving up the time to marshall through the series – you are amazing!

These races take an awful amount of time to organise from initial plans, through to entries, licences & then on the night coordination for each of the 3 races, a huge thank you to Jon & Ben for all of your time and efforts.

Thanks to our race partners Ready Set GoHereford RacecoursePoint To Point ServicesAdvanced Laser Works along with this year’s race sponsors HR Smith Group of companies www.hr-smith.com & AMP Driver Training.

See you all soon!

IT’S TIME TO BECOME A COURIER!

There is no better time to join the Couriers and if you are a new member we are offering all new members a free club vest or t-shirt.

£2️⃣0️⃣Annual Membership!
🆓️ FREE Club Vest or TShirt for all new members! 🎽

It’s time to join England Athletics West Midlands Club of the Year Runners up 2021!

With your membership you will get;

🏃‍♀️Full Club Membership.
🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿England Athletics Affiliation, discount on races you sign up for 😎
⛰️Free entry to Winter & Summer Off-Road Leagues.
🏃‍♂️Various Training options for all abilities usually offering 4 groups options each session!
🎉A great club social scene, events outside running is really important to us! it’s not all about the running!
🏅And far more……

Sign up now by visiting: https://www.entrycentral.com/CouriersMembership2022
See the full benefits of being a member: https://herefordcouriers.com/membership-form/

COURIERS 5K SERIES RACE INFORMATION

HEREFORD COURIERS 5K SERIES 2021

IMPORTANT RACE DAY INFORMATION. 

Runners, 

Please read the below race information for the first of our 5k series that kicks off this coming Wednesday (6th April). 

** If you have any symptoms of Covid-19 do not attend! **

On the night we will have 2 start times as this will help us with social distancing & race numbers, the same as last year the first wave will be for any runners who will finish in sub 20 minutes and will start at 18:45, once this race has been completed, we will then start the 2nd wave which will be for all the remaining competitors which will start at 19:15.

The race is chip timed so the results will be created for both waves combined. 

Please only take part in the first wave if you are going to complete the course in under 20 minutes as this will delay the start of the 2nd wave. 

Race numbers: Numbers are to be collected on the evening of the first race, these MUST be kept for all 3 races – If you are unable to make race 1 don’t worry, we will be having number collections for race 2 & 3 on those evenings too. Please arrive in plenty of time to collect your bibs. 

Venue: The venue for the race is Hereford Racecourse, Roman Road, Hereford. HR4 9QU

Facilities: No facilities for changing are available, Toilets are supplied by the Racecourse & we are asking that runners are mindful of runners using these at any one time. 

Parking: Parking will be available at the racecourse, there is plenty of parking but please car share if possible. 

Face Masks: Face masks are optional, please respect those who are wearing a face mask, hand sanitisers will be on offer too so please use these as you please. 

Bag Drop: There will not be a bag drop at this event, the parking is all based around the start and finish area so you will be able to leave your valuables in your cars. 

Marshalls & First Aid: The race will have plenty of Marshalls out on the course along with yellow directional arrows. Please listen to Marshall’s instructions as they are out on the course for your safety. We have a professional local company Point to Point Services who will be supplying first-aiders who will be at the start/ finish area along with a rapid response car out on the course. 

Start Time: Wave 1: 6:45pm (Sub 20 runners), Wave 2: 7:15pm (20mins +)

Course: The route is a 2-loop course on open roads around a housing estate, you will see that we have made a slight change to the start and finish points, this is due to us being able to give you a halfway split. please be mindful of other participants and members of the public, please keep to your left at all times, if you need to overtake, please give space and do so on the right. We will hold the traffic for the start of the race but on the 2nd loop please be careful when you go onto the main road as the turn is tight, we will cone this area but please stick to the left. 

Warm Up/ Warm Down Area: You can use all of the grass area for warming up,  Please do not warm up/ down on the course whilst the other races are happening, it can get very congested in and around the roads leading back into the racecourse. If you need to warm up on the road, we suggest going up Roman Road (right of the gate entrance) 

Race start: Due to the high volumes of entries we are advising runners to line up in an estimated finish time order. 

Race Finish: The race finishes in the same area as the start, please be mindful of other finishers. 

Water Station: We will have one water station at the finish, this will just be a bottle collection table, to keep participants moving. Please discard all empty bottles in the bins provided. 

Medals: Each runner will receive a finishers medal; these medals can be picked up on race 3 in June. 

Spectators: Spectators are welcome, if you happen to take any photo’s / videos don’t forget share them on social media with the hashtag #Couriers5kseries 

Results: Results will be available to view post-race, they will also be displayed on https://www.readysetgotiming.co.uk/2021results-1  & the club website www.herefordcouriers.com

Future races of the series: The other 2 races of the series will be on Wednesday 4th May & Wednesday 8th June in the same format as above.  

Extra information & updates: for any last-minute updates please check out Facebook page www.facebook.com/HerefordCouriersRaces 

Please make yourself with the following guidelines from England Athletics/ UK Athletics:

https://www.englandathletics.org/athletics-and-running/news/guidance-update-2021/

If you have any questions about the above, please do not hesitate to drop us an email at

herefordcouriersrunningclub@hotmail.com

See you on Wednesday. 

Hereford Couriers RC. 

AN EVENING OF CELEBRATION FOR THE COURIERS

The Couriers hosted their Annual General Meeting & Awards Ceremony on Saturday 12th March 2022 at the Left Bank, Hereford.
The club turned 40 last year during lockdown so celebrations were put on hold till now. This event was a first for the club in its 40-year history and the perfect way to thank its growing membership, currently making it the largest running club in Hereford for their dedication and continued support.
As part of the celebrations the club hosted its annual awards, voted by its members before dinner and dancing commenced.


Luke Rudd was awarded Best Newcomer, the club Volunteer of the Year was Hollie Francis, Performance of the Year was picked up by John Jaspers for a remarkable run in the Beacons Way Ultra 100 miles. Ben Skinner was awarded Club Member of the Year; Matt James was the top Male runner with Ellie Smithers picking up best Female. The Most Improved Runner was awarded to Rob Connell & the Hall of Fame winner & becoming the clubs latest life member was awarded to long serving Courier Matt James.

Club Chairman, Jon Edwards recognised the club’s run leaders and committee members for all of their efforts over the last 12 months.


In the Couriers Winter Cross Country Cups, Ellie Smithers picked up the John Norton Trophy with Matt James winning the Woodford Green Cup.


Chairman Jonathan Edwards said “We dare to dream big, the pinnacle of our 40th anniversary year, celebrating our successes with our members. What a fabulous occasion it was, this club has set the bar for others to follow. There has been no better time to become a member of the Couriers.”


Next up for the Couriers is it’s popular spring 3-race series which starts in April, the club is expecting a sell-out & entries are going quick, you can sign up by visiting https://herefordcouriers.com/club-races/5kseries2022/