Hatch Warren Runners

We need to (run and) talk about…mental health

The 10^th October was a special club run. A huge number of us paired-up with a fellow member we didn’t know so well to run, talk and listen on World Mental Health Day.

Running can genuinely change peoples’ lives; exercise is widely considered a potent underutilised antidepressant…and it’s free! HWR is not simply about the physical benefits of running. The club has the potential to provide genuine support networks and it can, and does, provide a lifeline to people in times of crisis; people undergoing life changing events; who are new to Basingstoke; who may have long-term or new feelings of social isolation, or who have enduring feelings of trauma or mental health conditions. Every day people are fighting their own internal struggles; the physical act of running helps, but being part of a running community that listens and cares about YOU can save lives #mentalhealthawareness

Whatever your motivation, join us for a club taster run on a Monday or Wednesday evening. For more details, please visit www.hwrunners.co.uk, our Facebook page or email us on enquiries@hwrunners.co.uk.

Committee changes

This month, the club said farewell to committee members Sharon and Nik Bryan, Lisa Dunkerley and Jay Smith. We cannot thank them enough for their efforts in shaping HWR over the last few years. New committee members have joined and will feature soon.

Keeping it local

October saw several ‘super Sunday’ race days. Fifty club members ran Basingstoke Half Marathon; many others cheered from the side-lines and we made the front page of The Gazette! Congratulations to Rhianna Stanley, Ruth Hayward and Iona Strachan for winning the female team award.

Friends of Old Basing (F.O.O.Bs) hosted their first trail races in support of fundraising for local schools. Despite the heavy rain and a fantastically water-logged course we remembered skin is waterproof and ran with smiles on our faces.

Cross-Country racing season begins! Our very own Rory Horseman is co-organising the Southern Cross Country League which comprises six different races. The first was at Pamber Forest and Rebecca Vincent was 2^nd female finisher.

Triumphs further afield (and actually in fields!)

Fifty Hatchies descended on Portsmouth for 10 miles at The Great South Run. A special mention here to our superhero Jo Mills who ran, actually wearing a cape, to raise funds for Motor Neurone Disease Association. To quote Jo herself, she may have been the last Hatchie home, but it’s all about your own challenge.

There were some fantastic 5k/10k race outcomes: Personal Bests (PBs) for Holly Lock and Victoria Williams at Fleet; first 10k race for Karen Patterson at Camberley; Supersonic 10k PBs for Pete Styles and Andrew Coomber in Bournemouth and plenty of us representing at Wimbledon, Rushmoor/Wellesley and Plymouth. Richard Sennett was our Good Samaritan at Goodwood; he stopped and supported an injured runner and then, he and his wife Rachel, went on to get 10k PBs!

Thruxton ‘Back to the 80s’ 10k resulted in trophies for speed and style. Winners were: Craig Broadbent (Best fancy dress); Rob Hamlin (Fastest male in 80s dress); Rebecca Vincent (1^st lady); Thea Hamlin (1^st lady in age group); Colin Thatcher (1^st male in age group) and fastest male team! Debra Chufungleung, Vicky Hallett, Donna Muller and Emma Sylvester-Bradley completed their 10k ‘graduation’ having previously completed our ‘Couch to 5k’.

Meanwhile others tackled the Tadley ten miler and half marathons were popular at Salisbury, Oxford, Royal Parks, Birmingham, River Thames and Maverick Oxfordshire.

Marathons run and marathons entered…

Whether it was “You’re in!” or “Commiserations” magazines dropping through Hatchie letter boxes regarding the outcome of London Marathon ballot entries, there will be at least 15 members running London 2019. Several will be for charity; the fundraising begins!

Proving that other marathons ARE available were Adam McCartney at the Eden Project; Graham Collins at Yorkshire; Simon Brown, Tom Hartgill, Danielle and Mark Butler at Frankfurt, Kev Biles in Snowdonia and Paul Fielding at Abingdon. Mark Brady ran his first ultra-marathon at Rickmansworth, Paul Forder ran 38 miles at Jedburgh Running Festival and Alison Hessom completed 75 miles at Autumn 100.