2022 Club Championship and “Get Me Started course”
Club Championship
Thirty four Farnham Runners members took on the challenge of the traditional hilly, partly off road, club championship 10km race.
Members have competed with each other over this course since 1992 and today there are 10 trophies and shields to be won, including two for the overall men’s and ladies’ winners. Founder and current member John de Moraes paid a surprise visit and chairman Nicola O’Connor invited him to present some of the Awards.
This year the championship was able to be held again at its usual summer date and conditions were good for running, not too warm and with little wind. The event was all expertly organised by race director Craig Tate-Grimes and numerous marshals and helpers generously gave up their time so it could take place.
A beaming James Clarke chalked up a fifth victory in a very good time of 37:45 to take the senior men’s shield and overall men’s trophy, while new member Emma Patton was the delighted female winner.
Wheelchair athlete Rachel Morris propelled herself round the course unaided, even up the steep hill in the woods to finish in under an hour.
Neil Ambrose retained his M40 crown in 41:04, while Colin Addison won the M50s for the third year, not far back in 41:17, afterwards pointing out that he only had one year left in this age group! Fourth over the line was Chris Raby who was delighted to clock a new M60 record by 45 seconds, 41:55.
Terry Steadman won the M70 shield for the fourth time in 1:00:18.
The men who took part but didn’t win this time were: Ivan Chunnett 42:51 (2nd M40), Charles Ashby 43:58 (2nd M50), Keith Marshall 44:15 (2nd M60), Richard Strode 44:42 (3rd M50), Matthew Wernham 44:59 (3rd M60), Richard Denby 47:00 (4th M50), James Goodwin 47:33 (5th M50), Chris Cramp 47:38 (6th M50), Peter Callow 48:48 (4th M60), Bjorn Steinberg 50:09 (4th M40), Tony Hollands 51:52 (5th M60), Mike Pink 51:57 (5th M40), Howard Inns 1:04:39 (6th M60), Robert Drummond 1:05:42 (2nd M70).
The ladies overall winner and F35 champion, new member Emma Patton clocked 45:31. Miriam Foster was 2nd F35 in 46:19, with 3rd F35 Catherine Timson just one minute back in 47:16.
First F55, Linda Tyler was next in 47:57, followed by first F45 Sue Taylor, recovering from injury in 48:36. Marissa Luttrell finished 2nd F45 in 53:24, followed by F65 Jane Georghiou in 53:59, 2nd F55, Kay Copeland in 54:59 and first senior lady, Laura Quin in 55:39.
Other ladies who took on the challenging course were Lina Haines 57:18 (4th F35), Tori Shaw 57:26 (3rd F45), Rachel Morris 59:36 (5th F35) Clair Bailey and Kate Townsend volunteered to be the tail runners in 1:05:47.
Seven of the 2022 “Get Me Started” group completed a 5km route (see below).
Craig Tate-Grimes thanked all those who had helped in setting the course, marshalling and timekeeping and to Carolyn Wickham who took the photos. A special thanks went to Craig for all his hard work in organising the whole event.
View more photos on the 2022 photo gallery page
Beginners blossom on “Get Me Started course”
The 2022 Farnham Runners “Get Me Started” course for beginners was another great success. Five members of the original thirteen were able to attend the last session and all were able to run for at least 30 minutes without stopping.
The following week, seven members of the group completed a 5K course set up for them at the Club Championships: Candy Waller (27:27), Natalie Hoare (27:27), Amy Sorrell (28:34), Hannah Green (28:45), Eleanor Thomas (29:33), Clair Arnott (29:45) and Lauren Birch (31:14).
Bjorn Sternberg started the beginner’s course but soon joined the regular club members for their Wednesday night runs and he completed the 10K course in 50:09.
Some of the comments from members of the group – many of whom are joining in with club runs on Wednesday evenings to support each other as they progress – include:
“Thank you for all the support and lovely to have been in a group and run with others…this is my new venture to get super fit and have fun”
“Thanks everyone, it’s been a great few weeks and really hope to keep going”
“Thanks for taking such good care of us!”
Thank you to everyone involved in making this course a success, especially coaches Craig Tate-Grimes and Julia Tagg and run leaders Lindsay Bamford and Jacquie Browne.
The next course will begin in the spring 2023.