HRRL Ryde 10, new club records, Farnham Sports Awards and Get Me Started course announced

HRRL Ryde 10

Farnham Runners group pose in front of a palm tree before the 2025 HRRL Ryde 10

Sixteen Farnham Runners enjoyed an annual “overseas” trip to the Isle of Wight this year to take part in the undulating Ryde 10 mile, the 7th event in the Hampshire Road Race League, organised by Ryde Harriers. Conditions were pleasant for running with brilliant sunshine, though it was cool. After an early start to cross the Solent they had only a short walk to Ryde Castle, now the venue of the race HQ.

Tony Jones, 2nd M60, was the first to cross the line for the Farnham club in 1:07:39 and he was delighted with a personal best time and a new M60 club record for the distance.

Ivan Chunnett in 1:10:08 and Nick Grist in 1:10:12 were next, with Charles Ashby as final team scorer in 1:14:26. This team came 5th in the top A division.
Not far back was Chris Raby in1:14:50 and Chris Gill recorded1:32:29.

The ladies A team came 7th/10 in the A1 table (and lie 5th after 7 events) and the B team came 3rd/10 (and lie 6th). They collected an impressive set of age group positions and prizes: 1st, 2nd and 3rd F55 (Candy Waller, Bridget Naylor and Lindsay Bamford) 1st F60 (Linda Tyler) and 1st F65 (Penny Schnabel).

For the A team were Linda Tyler (1:15:25, a PB by 1 minute) Candy Waller 1:19:48, Bridget Naylor 1:23:40 and Gemma Whitehouse 1:26:15, a PB by almost 2 minutes. The B team consisted of Lindsay Bamford 1:26:20, Kate Townsend 1:27:46, Colette Grist 1:32:29 and Kelly Lincoln 1:40:29, followed by Penny Schnabel in 1:41:24, and Julia Tagg in 1:42:23.

Some new club records

As well as Tony’s new M60 10 mile club record, some other Farnham Runners club records have been broken recently.

  • Lizzie May took 2 minutes from the senior ladies half marathon record set by Fiona Long over 28 years ago in 1996. Lizzie ran the Farnborough Half marathon in 1:25:26.
  • Chris Raby clocked a new M65 five mile club record in the recent Victory 5 with a gun time of 34:09 and a chip time of 33:49.
  • Mike Walberton has equalled this with a recorded a gun time of 33:59 at the Exeter Riverside race but no chip time is available.
  • Mike has also set a new M6510k record of 41:33, (41:20 chip time) in the fast Chichester 10k.

Farnham Sports Council Annual Awards

Chairman Nicola O'Connor with her Farnham Sports Council award presented at the 2025 Farnham Sports Award

At the Farnham Sports Council Annual Awards for 2024 Farnham Runners member Leza Milligan was the winner of the Contribution to Sport category for setting up and leading the Optimise Foundation charity to encourage girls and women of all ages to take part in Sport.

Nicola O’Connor was a highly commended Volunteer of the Year for her sterling work as Farnham Runners chairman.

The Little Dream Team 1, a ladies’ team who won their category at Endure 24, was a highly commended Team of the Year.

“Smug Club”, a group of Farnham Runners who run a 4 mile loop incredibly early every Friday morning, was a highly commended Club of the Year.

2025 Get Me Started Course announced

Farnham Runners announce the 2025 Get Me Started Course starting on Wednesday 16th April.

Created by England Athletics, the 10-week course is designed for complete beginners or anyone coming back from a break from running after injury or illness etc. It will gradually introduce you to running so that by the end of the course, you should be able to run for 30 minutes without stopping, preparing you well for your first 5K.

The course is led by England Athletics qualified Coaches in Running Fitness and Leaders in Running Fitness. There are weekly sessions on a Wednesday evenings from our club house on Bourne Green and Saturday mornings at the Alice Holt parkrun.

See the Photo Gallery 2025 for further photos from above events.