Hope everyone had a great night for our Christmas bash. The first order of business was of course the annual Ladies versus V50+ men challenge. Victory went again went to the ladies, and by a comfortable margin. Here are the full results.
News
2019 Club Road Championships
The awards for 2018 were made only last night but the 2019 season is already underway. More than 70 HPRC members completed the Turkey Trot last Sunday to get the new season off to a flying start. It already looks like many of the age groups will be just as competitive as last year. Don’t forget that if you want your result to count from any certified distance road race (5M, 10km, 10M, HM or M) then it must be in Running Free. Use the button at the bottom of this page to enter it.
Club Champs close soon
John Oldfield writes – The Club Championships close on Sunday week, December 2nd. Any certified races up to and including that date are counted. Age groups this year are SW, SM, then 35, 45, 55, 65, 75. To be included, your result must be in Running Free (via the Google sheet). I’ll take results from the sheet up to close of play on the 5th.
Hill Sessions are Back
Pete Savage writes…
The annual winter treat of running up and down Selby Rd counting lampposts will return on Thursday 25th October.
This year to ensure HP Reception doesn’t look like an off-putting ghost town we’ve adjusted the times a little. We will be leaving reception at 7pm for a gentle warm up jog to Selby Rd. This should allow more members time to join in the jog as well as giving anyone new on a Thursday a better idea of the usual turnout. This means that anyone who must go straight to Selby Rd should aim to be there for 7.25pm.
As the winter goes on I’ll keep my eye on the number of reps we’re doing so that we don’t finish too late. If you are new to the club these sessions are structured so all abilities can take part so don’t worry about being too slow and it’s impossible for you to be too fast. Running short reps at speed, or interval training, particularly uphill has been proven to have positive benefits for your speed when racing etc. There’s no need to come every week but the more often you come the greater improvement you should see.
The mechanics of how the sessions work are explained at the start of each one so you can join in any week but essentially if you can run at all and count to 6 you’ve all the skills required. If you don’t want to join in with us there will always be “normal” group runs leaving HP at 7pm.
North Mids at Kettering 10th November
The next North Mids cross country race is at Wicksteed Park, Kettering. It’s on Barton Road and the post code is NN15 6NJ. We had a fine turnout for the first race and are currently sitting second in the womens vets and fifth in the mens vets. It’s the furthest race on the calendar, but let’s keep our great start to the season going. This race is free to members and we encourage runners of all abilities to take part.
Cross Country Season Starts 13th October
The cross country season is almost upon us, with the first race of the North Midlands league at Markeaton Park on Saturday 13th October. This race is free for members and everyone is invited to race. The women race over 6K at 1.50 and the men over 10K at 2.20. The East Mids is likely to start in December this year, we’ll post the dates as soon as we have them.
You can find out more on the Cross Country page.
Bramley Apple Challenge 13th September
The annual Bramley Apple Challenge against our friends at NOTFAST, Newark Striders and Southwell is scheduled to take place at 6pm on Thursday 13th September at Caythorpe Cricket Club. The early start is to ensure that runners are finishing in good light.
HPRC are the current holders of the Bramley Apple Challenge trophy so we’d like as many members as possible to join us and held us retain it!
Lake Handicap
Congratulations to Joon Ho, winner of this year’s Lake Handicap series.
On an unusually still night, Victoria Thurlby made up just one place to stay in second and Clare Ablethorpe moved up to third. Suze Moore was first across the line and Oliver Matharu set the night’s fastest time with an excellent 15:40.
Club Championships Update
The club championships are now two-thirds of the way through, with some brilliant performances added since the April update, particularly in the half marathon, 10km and 10 miles competitions. Remember that the championships year closes on December 2nd, so Turkey Trot successes will go into the 2019 championships. You can view the latest positions, with all qualifying results up to the end of August, here:
Tony Barry
We’re very sad to hear of the death of Tony Barry. Tony’s funeral will be taking place at 12:40pm on Friday 17th August at Wilford Hill Crematorium.
His friend William Scott has written this obituary which is published in this month’s Running Free.
Tony Barry 1942-2018
Although of Irish ancestry, Tony was a Nottingham lad through and through and a regular attendee at Notts County matches. Tony started running in his late 30s and over the years ran over 100 full marathons. He was one of the early members of Holme Pierrepont Running Club, joining in the 1980s, and is possibly best remembered amongst older members for the Bruges trips he organised.
In more recent years, he took to long distance running, completing, amongst other things: John O’Groats to Lands End; Wainwright’s Coast to Coast; The Lyke Wake Walk; the British 3 Peaks and the Yorkshire 3 Peaks.
Tony was a man of huge generosity. If anyone needed help, he was always there. Many of us will be forever grateful for the help he has given us.
Two years ago, he was diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease, which brought an end to his running, but he loved to keep contact with the running club, attending the annual dinner and the Christmas Squares night. Many members will have seen him at the late entries desk at the Grand Prix and handing out numbers at the Lake Handicap. He was thrilled to be able to join the Club photo just two weeks ago.
He was my best friend and will be missed by many, including the HPRC “Old Codgers” lunch group.
Tony was devoted to his family and our sympathies and condolences go out to them, especially his widow Mary.
William Scott
As a post script to William’s obituary, Tony also ran the Pennine Way solo in 2002 to celebrate his sixtieth birthday. This is the Running Free article he wrote about it.
