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2026/27 Cross Country Opening Fixtures Report

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Reading Roadrunners kicked off the 2026/27 Cross Country (XC) season with a double header weekend. First up was a trip to the coast for the opening Hampshire League fixture hosted by Bournemouth AC on the Saturday.  Then it was off to Hillingdon on Sunday, for Metros Running Club’s Thames Valley fixture. Roadrunners Chair Tony Page reports on the action at Bournemouth, with new Ladies’ Captain Anna Balogh sharing an account of events at Hillingdon.

Hampshire League Fixture Report — Kings Park, Bournemouth, Saturday 10th October

Report by: Tony Page

Reading Roadrunners took on clubs from across Hampshire and the surrounding counties at Saturday’s Hampshire League fixture at Kings Park, Bournemouth.

The women raced approximately 6.5 km and the men 8 km, rather than the expected 10 km. Full results are available at HCCL 2026/27 – Bournemouth – Saturday 10th October | Hampshire Athletics

Women’s team

Helen Pool, Alissa Thiel and Sam Whalley secured 16th place for the women’s team against runners from 30 other clubs. Helen finished 43rd overall, 14th veteran and third in her age category. Alissa placed 91st in her first cross-country race for Reading Roadrunners, while Sam finished 104th overall and 56th veteran despite the lingering effects of a bad cold.

 

 

Men’s team

With only Tony Page and Pete Jewell competing, Reading Roadrunners could not field a scoring senior or veterans’ team. Tony finished 134th overall, 46th veteran and 19th in his age category. Pete withdrew because of sickness and did not finish but thankfully it soon passed before the car journey back to Reading.

Next fixture

Next up is our local Hampshire League fixture at Dinton Pastures on Saturday 15th November. Let’s fill the start line with green vests.

Thames Valley Cross Country League Fixture Report – Hillingdon House Farm Fields, Hillingdon, Sunday 11th October

Report by: Anna Balogh

The first event of the Thames Valley Cross Country League (TVXC) took place in Hillingdon on Sunday the 11th October. This event is organised by Metros and it’s at 4pm. A slightly unusual time for a race, it puts runners’ lunch strategy to the test. What was also unusual is the lovely weather – real summer vibes with balmy temperatures and bright late afternoon sunshine. Not a speck of mud anywhere to be seen. Will the stream even be there?

The infamous stream that this run crossed twice was, on occasion, up to waist level in previous years, providing considerable challenge to even seasoned cross country runners. This time, to the disappointment of many, and to the relief of others, it was barely ankle deep with a bit of a “sludgy” part as reported by some of our runners.

26 green vests smashed through the start line and one of them, Chris Lucas finished first after completing the course that’s just under 6 miles – well done on your great achievement, Chris! Our runners had many reasons to be proud of themselves: Liz Johnson completed her first XC race in 5 years – welcome back! A few club members tried XC for the very first time – Alice Baderin, Alex Ballinger, Matt Clover-McCann, Lauren Shaw, Zac Laschok and Fiona Paterson – the latter 2 having only been a club member for a matter of weeks, that’s dedication! Hope you all had a brilliant time and will be back at other XC races. Another notable first was Angela Burley doing this particular race for the first time ever – nobody is quite sure about how she managed to get away with it until it. Last but not least, celebrations were due for Sally Caldwell to get through the race injury- and pain-free — long may that continue.

Both our men’s and women’s teams came in third place in terms of scores – excellent work from everyone!

Scoring Reading Roadrunners women were Chloe Lloyd (77th overall); Pip White (82nd); Holly Curtayne (101st) and Liz Johnson (103rd).

From the men’s team Chris Lucas (1st overall); Alex Ballinger (20th); Fergal Donnelly (32nd); Chris Moseley (34th), Phil Hine (43rd) and Rees Cooper (49th) achieved scores. Congratulations on the excellent running from all.

Full results are available here: https://tvxc.org.uk/league-results

While the buffet food may have run out before we all managed to get some, the smiles didn’t disappear from our participating members’ faces. Thank you all for joining in the fun, and don’t forget to sign up to the remaining seven TVXC races on My Clubhouse. The next fixture is at Datchet Dashers’ fixture at The Brocas, Eton on Sunday 8th November. Hope to see you there.

AGM – 2025

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Notice of the 2026 Annual General Meeting

Notice is hereby given of the Club’s 2026 Annual General Meeting
VENUE: Sutton Bowls Club, Chalfont Way, Lower Earley, RG6 5HQ
DATE: Tuesday 10th March 2026 commencing at 19:00

Event: Reading Roadrunners AGM

AGM Pack 

 

* Updates will be issued up until or on the 5th March deadline.

 

 

–Old-2023-Get Into Running

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Get Into Running

Want to start running from scratch?
We are starting a 6 week course aimed at complete novices run by qualified Leaders in Running Fitness.
The fun and inclusive course is designed for people who want to start running but they feel a running club is a stretch too far or too daunting.

To sign up email us here getintorunning@readingroadrunners.org

Farnborough, Bramley, Wokingham and Goring… Katherine won the lot

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Roadrunners men’s captain TONY PAGE reports from the Goring 10k, the second club championship race of the year…

There was more success for the green vests at Goring, with trophies for Katherine Streams — the first lady — and the men’s and mixed team trophies.

This week I exchanged my running vest for a camera to watch the closing stages positioning myself at the top of the big hill and when I saw the leader in a green vest, I hoped for the best. Alas, it was a Harwell runner.

I needn’t have worried about the women’s race; our own Katherine Streams (right) took the first lady’s winner’s shield, in a time of 40.06, bettering her SuperVet (F50) course record and completing a clean sweep of wins in all the events she has contested this year.

Nikki Gray (40.42, left) was the second lady home and won the trophy for firstt senior woman with Florence Ledger (42.31, right), fresh from a PB at the Wokingham half, in fifth place. We would also have won the women’s team prize but missed out only because on-the-day entries were not counted.

Our top three men picked up a mixed team prize, with Dan Moore (35.51), in fourth place, Chris Lucas, (36.16) in sixth Callum Evans (37.24, in eighth) taking the trophy together with Katherine, Nikki and Flo.

We also took the men’s team prize with Chris Ryder (15th), Terry Dowling (16th) and Chris Webber (17th) all in under 40 minutes. 

Dave Parton, pictured with Chris Webber (below) collecting the team prize, finished 11th and was first SuperVet with a time of 38.15. But Dave was disappointed not to break the SuperVet course record set by our men’s captain last year.

There were a number of other PB’s on the day, including Sarah Richmond-Devoy (59.03), who didn’t get the hump when passed by the camel and said that she only kept going up the hill so as not to miss a photo-opportunity at the top.

* The inter-counties cross-country championship was held at Loughborough on Saturday, giving an opportunity for those who qualified through the Berkshire XC back in December to run for Berkshire.

Well done to Jacob Atwal who was Roadrunners’ sole representative, placed 46th and part of the team winning a silver medal in the Under 20s. It was a shame none of our senior men could attend this year.

* The next big event is Reading Half Marathon on April 2nd  and we can also look forward to seeing lots of green vests in round three of the club championship, the Maidenhead Easter 10 on Good Friday, April 7th.

* Goring results can be found at https://chiptiming.co.uk/events/goring-10k-2023/

Katherine the Great sets new age group course record at Bramley

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Club chair SAM WHALLEY has once again been busy on her keyboard and has filed this report on a special day for Reading Roadrunners…

What a great weekend of running it has been! After three years of cancellations, due to flooding, coronavirus and storm damage, it was a relief and a joy to see the club’s flagship event, the Bramley 20/10 road race, finally take place.

Ryan O’Brien was first RR home in the 10 miles, fifth overall, with a PB of 56.03, with Dimi Gospodinov making his debut in 1.01.45, albeit hampered by a stitch late on in the race. Terry Dowling was third V50, in a PB of 1.03.59. In his last race in a green vest, Brian Kirsopp took first V60, with 1.05.41.

Katherine Streams (left) was first female RR to finish, also fifth overall, with a PB of 1.04.42, smashing the V50 course record set by Lesley Whiley in 2012. Nikki Gray was sixth, in 1.04.50, with Sarah McDade seventh, in 1.05.34.

There wasn’t much between the first RRs in the 20 miles either, with debuts for Callum Evans in 2.15.05, Matt Davies just behind in 2.15.09, and Chris Webber with a PB in 2.19.39.

Flo Ledger was first female RR, in a debut of 2.27.52, with Jane Davies first V60, in 2.37.54, and Mary Janssen in 2.45.21.

The 20 winner, Ronnie Richmond from Bideford (right), took a massive eight minutes off the course record for V40s.

Well done to everyone who ran, and a huge thank-you to the race committee and volunteers who made the event happen.

Some of our members had got their race fix on Saturday in the penultimate event of the Hampshire League, at Popham Airfield, where conditions were dry and rather mild, a huge improvement on last year’s wind and rain.

With one race to go, it was imperative that the men had a good turn-out to lift themselves out of the relegation zone. 

The scoring team of Mark Worringham (38th, fifth vet, left), Chris Burt (42nd), Lance Nortcliff (46th, 10th vet, 1st V50), Pete Jewell (93rd, 38th vet, third V60) and Tony Page (98th, 42nd vet, 10th V50) was seventh, moving up to eighth on aggregate, with the vets team (Mark, Lance and Pete) in 4th. Jamie Smith, Mike Worsfold and Gary Clarke also ran, with Gary making his debut in this league.

Scoring for the women’s team were Helen Pool (33rd, 7th vet), Sam Whalley (82nd, 35th vet, 11th V50), and Katie Rennie (86th), placing 13th. Claire Seymour (101st, 50th vet) completed the vets team, which was sixth. Kerri French also ran for the women, improving on her debut performance at Prospect Park last month.

Photos are here: https://hammy8241.smugmug.com/2023-Events/Hants-Cross-county-League-seniors-Popham

With the final fixture of the season on March 4th in Bournemouth, and the last chance for some XC for most of us, it would be great to finish on a high. Details here: https://www.hampshireathletics.org.uk/events/hxcl_bournemouth.html and on our Facebook event page.

RR Hoodies 2022

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New Bespoke Club Hoodies Available to Pre-order

Quick drying, moisture wicking fabric made by Scimitar.

For full description visit

https://www.scimitarsports.com/product/custom-sublimated-hoodies/

Size Guide

https://www.scimitarsports.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Scimitar_Size_Guide_2021.pdf

Please select your size on Webcollect

Depending on the number of pre-orders this is the pricing below:

10-25 fully sublimated hoodies @ £52 plus VAT
26-35 fully sublimated hoodies @ £50 plus VAT
36-50 fully sublimated hoodies @ £46 plus VAT
51-99 fully sublimated hoodies @ £38 plus VAT
100-199 fully sublimated hoodies @ £36 plus VAT

The more people that place an order the cheaper it will be for everyone.

Please note hoodies will be ordered annually so this is your only chance to get one this year. The next order won’t be placed until Sept 2023.

Pre-orders will be taken from Monday 24th – 31st October.

The order will be placed with Scimitar on Tuesday 1st November – Hoodies will be made and distributed approx 4 – 6 weeks later.

The hoodies can be collected from Dean Allaway at a Weds Track sessions Palmer Park once they arrive, or you can arrange to collect them from him at home.

Payment on delivery either by cash or card once we know how much they will be.

Dean can also be contacted on : clubkit@readingroadrunners.org

For Pete’s sake! Roadrunners vets so close to relay glory at Aldershot

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After some interesting internal politics involving the South of England AA and their member clubs, Reading Roadrunners found themselves contesting a new-look road relays event on Saturday. Men’s captain TONY PAGE reports…

This year’s men’s six-stage, women’s four-stage and vets’ road relays were all run over a 6k course at the Rushmoor Arena, Aldershot… and, wow, what a great venue!

Roadrunners had a super turn-out, with eight teams competing. And we had some great results, with top-three finishes for the men’s vet 55 team (right) and women’s vets team.

As a southern qualifier for the men’s national road relays, the day’s racing attracted 80 men’s teams and 25 vets as well as 55 ladies squads and 14 vets. Throw in all the junior events at under 13, under 15 and under 17 levels and that made it a total of over 450 teams representing more than 1700 runners.

There were some very high-qualify fields, including the Diamond League runner Jack Rowe (who ran the fastest leg of 17:30) and Ellis Cross — renowned for beating Mo Farah over 10K — running for Aldershot Farnham & District. Not surprisingly, the home team won, ahead of Tonbridge and Cambridge & Coleridge. 

The women’s race was also won by AFD, with Bracknell AC in second. The fastest women were Amelia Quirk (Bracknell), Steph Twell (AFD) and Jess Gibbon (Reading AC), all with times under 20 minutes. 

There was an amazing third place for our women’s vets team (left) of Katherine Streams (22:49) , Helen Pool (25:18) and Sarah Dooley (24:43). Katherine put us in third place after an excellent first leg — fourth fastest in the vets race — and that was held by Helen and Sarah, who brought the team home in 1:12.50.  

Our second vet ladies team of Wendy Davies (33:36), Toni McQueen (33:54) and Sam Whalley (29:33) finished in eighth place.

Our senior ladies team of Hannah Green (24:32), Ann Rostern (26:20), Liz Johnson (27:56) and Pip White (25.29) came home in 35th place.

The closest finish of the day was in the men’s vet 55 race, where our team were just pipped for the victory. The team of Gavin Rennie (23:51), Pete Jewell (23:21) and Chris Webber (23:36) — all from the winning team at Ridgeway Relay this summer — were joined by Terry Dowling (23:39). 

Pete took us in to the lead with the fastest second leg, gaining three places after Gavin was fourth fastest on the very competitive first leg.  Chris was second fastest on his leg, before handing over to Terry, who was passed in the final 100 metres by Brighton Phoenix, whose final runner ran an amazing 22.03.  This was a great achievement for us… well done team!

Our senior men’s team finished in 2:08.59 for 51st place.  We welcomed back Ryan O’Brien (right), who recently re-joined RR and whose time of 20:37 was 37th fastest on the fifth leg, gaining 12 places. The other members of the team were Matthew Sarjent (21:26), Ollie Watts, (22:25), Jacob Atwal (21:25), Matthew Davies (22:00), and Mark Worringham (21:03).

Our second fastest runner on the day was Brendan Morris, with a time of 20.41, gaining ten places for our B team, who finished 59th. Other members of the team were Sean Hancox (23:00), Chris Burt (22:23), Jamie Smith (23:36), Dimi Gospodinov (22:36) and Chris Moseley (22:04).

We also entered two teams in the men’s 40s category. The first team of Fergal Donnelly (22:17 for 12th place), Tony Page (23:08) and Lance Nortcliff (23:06, gaining two places) was brought home by Dave Parton (21:50), the sixth fastest on leg four. That gave us a creditable tenth-place finish. 

Our second vets 40 team of Tony Streams (26:49), Paul Bandy (27:24), Colin Cottell (26:28) and Jon Kew (24:20) finished in 17th. 

Thanks to everyone who took part and stayed to the end to support all our runners and see the presentation ceremony for our men’s V55 team.

Here’s your link to the results on an Excel spreadsheet…. https://www.afd.org.uk/aldershot-road-relays/