Club & Team Event News

Last updated: Wednesday, 6 May 2008 On the track

In the past the White Horse Harriers have competed in a number of team–orientated events. More recently those events have included the Ridgeway Relay (hosted by Marlborough Running Club), the Teddy Hall Relays (hosted by Oxford University Athletic Club) and the Highworth Team Half Marathon (hosted by Highworth Running Club). To learn more about these events and the dates they next scheduled to be held click on the links below.

If there any other club or team events you would like to see included in this section just drop me an email and I will add to this page.

Past results can be viewed by going to the Results Archive, where the past results are stored by month and year.

top < Highworth Team Half Marathon ~ January

This event is by invitation only, organised and hosted by Highworth Running Club with the race HQ in Silver Threads Hall opposite the Recreation Centre in Highworth. The race starts (usually 11:00am) and finishes in the playing fields behind the Recreation Centre and covers a hilly and sometimes exposed though interesting course.

A simple points system of your finishing position number is used to calculate the overall team result. With a maximum of 12 runners per team (including at least one lady runner) the overall team scores are calculated as the sum of the five best placed finishers but to include at least one lady. So if the team does not have a female runner among the first five of its finishers the result of the team’s fifth male is dropped in favour of their first lady finisher.

A map of last year’s route is available to view here. There are no entry fees. Full changing/showering facilities are provided. Drinks are provided at half–way. The course is described as well–signed and well–marshalled, undulating but not over hilly! Refreshments are available in the heated hall after the race.

The date of the next scheduled Highworth Team Half Marathon is Sunday, 20 January 2008.

top < The Terminator – Big Team Challenge ~ February

This event is not strictly a team event although there is a team prize of £400 for the first 8 club or team members. This event is organised and hosted by Pewsey Vale Running Club with the race HQ at Pewsey School in Pewsey. The race starts (usually 10:30am) at the front of the school and finishes in the playing fields behind the school

The course is described as mostly off–road following footpaths, lanes and bridleways. After leaving Pewsey, the route hits the tranquil towpaths of the Kennet & Avon Canal followed by a gentle skip across wet farm land where you will reach a sign which will indicate that your warmup is over! The course is now ready to test you. Awaiting you are: The Gully, The Coomb, The Dodge Sh***y, Terminator Hill, The Sting in the Tail and The Shoe Wash!

Some may tell you course is 10 miles in length – they’re country miles at best as it’s nearer 11! Excellent changing/showering facilities are provided. Free parking is available. Hot and cold refreshments are available in the school after the race.

The date of the next scheduled Terminator is Sunday, 20 February 2008. You can find out more about this event by going to the The Terminator webpage ».

top < Teddy Hall Relays ~ March

The Teddy Hall Relays » is an event hosted by Oxford University Athletic Club and is held at the Iffley Road Athletics Track of Roger Bannister and the 4–minute mile fame. This is a great event in which our teams have experienced some success in recent years and is an opportunity to experience the cameraderie and banter that goes towards building a healthy team spirit!

Teams of 4 (Mens & Mixed) and 3 (Ladies) compete over a course about 3 km in length that sweeps out of the stadium and along the road in towards Oxford city centre, through the Botanic Gardens past Christ Church over Folly Bridge along the towpath beside the Thames/Isis before crossing another bridge and returning to the stadium along the back lanes.

The next installment of the Teddy Hall Relays is scheduled to take place on Wednesday, 5 March 2008 at the Iffley Road stadium. You can find out more about this event by going to the Teddy Hall Relays webpage ».

top < Clanfield Relays ~ March

The Clanfield Off-Road Relays » is an event hosted by Woodstock Harriers Athletic Club and is held at Friar's Court, Clanfield. This is a great event in which our teams have experienced some success in recent years and is an opportunity to experience the cameraderie and banter that goes towards building a healthy team spirit!

Mens & Mixed teams of 4 and Ladies teams of 3 compete over an off-road course of about 5 km in length. There is an impressive prize fund and good facilities.

The next installment of the Clanfield Off-Road Relays is scheduled to take place on Sunday, 16 March 2008 at Friar's Court, Clanfield. You can find out more about this event by going to the Clanfield Off-Road Relays webpage ».

top < White Horse Half Marathon ~ April

This, our very own half marathon (Oxfordshire’s only half marathon event) which attracts a loyal following and is widely perceived to be a friendly and well-organised event with the course being ideally suited to fast times. This race also doubles as the Oxfordshire County Half Marathon Championships.

The course is described as running “through the attractive country villages of the Vale of the White Horse”, although if you read some of the remarks on the Runner’s World talking about the hills you would think they were discussing a different race. Apart from the “speed bump” back over the bridge into Grove at the end of the race it is a very flat course!

The next White Horse Half Marathon is scheduled to take place on Sunday, 6 April 2008. If you would like to find out more about the White Horse Half Marathon by going to our website ».

top < Oxfordshire County Road Relays ~ April

The Oxfordshire County Road Relays provide another opportunity for the White Horse Harriers to get together and enjoy a morning revelling in the competition and cheering on our fellow Harriers. This event has been hosted by Hook Norton Harreirs over the past few years in an idyllic setting and is very popular with the runners.

Each member of the teams of 6 (men) and 3 (ladies and juniors) run one lap of the fairly demanding 3–mile course over the quiet country roads and lanes in and around the village of Hook Norton. I can recommend a pint of Hook Norton real ale to round off the morning's exertions — it makes the trip all the more worth while!

The next Oxfordshire County Road Relays is scheduled to take place on Sunday, 20 April 2008.

top < Club Cross Country Handicap ~ May

This event is for White Horse Harrier members only taking place at the usual venue of Sparsholt Firs normally at around 7:00pm. The undulating course between five and six miles long traverses the tracks and lanes along and around the Ridgeway. This can be a particularly demanding course if you manage to lose your way, as has happened on at least one occasion in the past!

The handicap nature of the event allows all members to participate, and bribery of the handicapper has been known to be encouraged! This usually takes place on a Thursday evening in place of the normal club training evening and is a fun event much enjoyed by those who take part.

The next Club Cross Country Handicap is due to be held on the evening of Thursday, 17 May 2007 at 7:00pm at the usual venue of Sparsholt Firs. More information about this club event can be found on our website ».

top < Ridgeway Relay ~ June

This is a fantastic event. Hats off to Marlborough Running Club » for organising such a brilliant event. This is an event you have to experience at least once in your lifetime, although many of us keep on coming back for more — just can’t get enough of it!

The Ridgeway Relay is a team relay event covering the length of the Ridgeway long distance foot path from Ivinhoe Beacon near Tring to the leisure centre in Marlborough — all 86.5 miles of it! Thankfully, the route is run in stages, not individually, although there have been some who have indeed completed the feat! The route is broken down into 10 leg varying in length from 5.3 miles to 11.6 miles.

The next Ridgeway Relay is scheduled to take place on Sunday, 15 June 2008. If you are interested in finding out more about the terrain covered and the different stages click here ».

top < Round Norfolk Relay ~ September

This relay looks to be a tremendous event and it would be great to get a team together to take part. You can find out a great deal more about the Round Norfolk Relay by following this link to the event’s website ». This event would provide a great opportunity for team bonding and building team spirit!

The Round Norfolk Relay course is described as following the county boundary over a distance of 193 miles, divided into 17 unequal stages. Norfolk’s enormous skies, vast sandy beaches, open spaces and picturesque towns and villages, with their attractive cottages and medieval churches, all contribute to making the race a unique running experience.

The next Round Norfolk Relay is scheduled to take place over the weekend of 20–21 September 2008. If you are interested in finding out more about the terrain covered and the different stages click here » and A map of the course is available here.

So, if there are any of you Harriers out there who would be willing to be part of the White Horse Harriers team send an email to Dene Stringfellow to let him know you are interested.