HEREFORD COURIERS RUNNING CLUB

Make your new year’s resolution to join the original Hereford Running Club, with over 250 members why not join one of the counties largest growing clubs.

With our annual membership being just £20 for the year, running is one of the cheapest ways of keeping fit.

Our membership includes:

 Full club membership until April 2024.
 Full England Athletics affiliation.
 Various training options from our weekly club runs to structured endurance sessions.
 FREE entry to Winter & Summer cross-country leagues.
 A great social scene with events being held through the year.

To join just visit www.entrycentral.com/Couriers2023 or for more information please head to our website www.herefordcouriers.com/membership.

Ben Jones, of Cambridge & Coleridge and Courier Addy Carter showed they were top of the Christmas tree by clinching victories in the 10-kilometre Christmas race, hosted by Hereford Couriers.

The race, in its 4th year saw 300 runners take part in the event around the rolling country lanes of Breinton on Wednesday 28th December.

Jones had an impressive run leading from start to finish crossed the line to set a winning time of 32 minutes and 47 seconds, ahead of Eric Apperley of Croft Ambrey, who finished in a time of 34 mins and 25 with Dan Geisler close behind to finish in 3rd place crossing the line in 34 minutes and 36 seconds. 

In the female race the ever improving-Courier Carter won in a fantastic time of 40 minutes and 20 seconds, ahead of Black Pear Joggers runner Megan Judge who finished strong for second in a time of 40 minutes and 49 seconds ahead of Builth & District Runner Sophie Cook who finished in 41 minutes and 39.

The Couriers took the female team prize after a great set of performances by Carter, Joanna Eddy, Jess Sulivan and Laura Hands who took a clear victory in the female team competition, with the impressive Croft Ambrey men’s team of Apperley, Gareth Leek, Mark Lamonby & Sam Juson help the team in blue clinch the men’s team award.

There was also a host of category prizes for the veteran and junior sections, these can be found here: Christmas 10k Categories

The Club would like to say a big thank you to our race sponsors, the DM Lab and our race partners Ready Set Go Timing, Point to Point Services & Hereford Rugby Football Club along with our fantastic volunteers for all of your support in delivering another festively fun race. 

The full results for the race can be found at:

Christmas 10k race 2022 results / https://www.readysetgotiming.co.uk/2022results

For race photo’s please head over to our facebook page, thank you to Chris Smart, Nick Lattey and Kelly Bowen for taking photo’s of the event https://www.facebook.com/HerefordCouriersRunningClub

We look forward to seeing everyone next year as we return for our 5th race, entries are now open at  https://www.entrycentral.com/Christmas10k2023

The Club are pleased to announce that this year the following Couriers have been selected to represent the Club at the London Marathon in April 2023.

In keeping with the club rules the club committee have decided that the first club place is to be awarded to Clare Mallender due to her commitment to the club over the years, not just on the road and trails where Clare is always so willing to turn out and support the team, but the way Clare has made the newly created Club Membership Secretary role her own, Clare has the ongoing task of keeping up with registering over 200 club members annually along with advising on all matters in relation to membership including club transfers and for this reason we are so pleased to award this place to Clare.

The 2nd club place had so many people deserving of the place and for this reason and in line with our club rules we decided that it was only fair to draw this one by ballot, we are pleased to share that Kate Morris was drawn out the hat and will represent the reds in London, Kate who has been a member since 2019 is a great asset to the club, always on hand to support with races and is a regular ‘scanner’ at parkrun and if you didn’t know Kate’s Dad Brian was also a founding member of the Couriers back in 1981.

New for this year we are pleased to share that the club have funded a 3^rd London Marathon place, going forward this place will be known as the ‘Jon Ward Marathon Place’ in memory of former Courier Jon who was part of the 100 marathon club, this is a new place on offer to a club member who has gone above and beyond for the club and for that reason we would like to recognise Graeme Walker for this place, Graeme does so much for our club, whether it be keeping the club finances in check, organising our weekly endurance session or planning weekends away in the Brecon Beacons for the team, his work doesn’t go unnoticed, Graeme also had the heartbreak of just being 6 seconds outside the good for age qualifying time for London, and for these reasons we are pleased to award another well-deserved place .

Club Chairman Jon Edwards said ‘It’s fantastic to award these places to Clare, Kate and Graeme, they all thoroughly deserve their places on the London Marathon start-line in April. We are also pleased that we’ve been able to create a 3rd place in the UK’s most iconic Marathon for our members in memory of Jon, showing our ongoing Couriers commitment of rewarding our members. On behalf of the club, I wish all 3 of them the best of luck with their training as they build up to the big day’.

Hereford Couriers Dawn til Dusk Run

In support of Hereford’s Athletics Track
A community running event for anyone who can run 400 meters or 40 miles.

Monday 2nd January 2023
Sunrise 8:19 am – Sunset 4:10 pm
Daylength 7 hours 50 minutes and 11 seconds

As the sun rises over Hereford on 2nd January 2023, a team of Couriers (and friends) will begin an ultra-new year challenge to raise awareness of the campaign to refurbish Hereford’s Athletics Track.

Starting at Halo Leisure Centre, their new year’s resolution will be to run as far as possible before leading a mass community run around Herefords’ athletics track at sunset.

The eight-mile course designed for the challenge follows footpaths and quiet roads around Hereford, with shops and even a few pubs en route.

With a social and steady 10-minute mile pace and time for tea and snack breaks, each loop will take roughly 1 hour 30 mins to complete. After each lap, Halo Leisure Centre will treat the ultra runners to free hot drinks and use of facilities.

Run it all, run one or two loops at the beginning, middle or end, or join us for the mass ‘Don’t Let the Sun Go Down Lap’ on Hereford’s much-loved track.

Approximate start times of each loop.

Loop 1 – 8.19 am
Loop 2 – 9:50 am
Loop 3 – 11:20 am
Lunch 1 pm (ish)
Loop 4 – 1.20 pm
Loop 5 – 2:50 pm
Community don’t let the sun go down lap 4:08 pm

If you would like to get involved, please leave a message below.

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

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.

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

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

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

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 Go, Hereford Racecourse, Point To Point Services, Advanced 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!