January 2025
Howdy Ranelights.
Apparently January, the first month of the Julian and Gregorian calendars, was named after Janus, the Roman god of all beginnings. Somewhat aptly then, we’re in a new month of a new year, ready to herald a new chapter, with a new focus, and new opportunities and consequently new results.
Unless you’re living your life in the cross country season, in which case there’s only a few more weeks to go. At this point, it’s worth mentioning that January replaced March as the first month of the Roman year circa 153 BCE. So in a parallel time-warp-dimension-thingy, there could be much wisdom in fully aligning oneself with the XC season.
Whatever you choose to do, read on to catch up on all the latest XC news below, courtesy some entertaining race reports from the men & women’s teams; plus other club related notices.
Let’s see what 2025 has to offer so far, shall we?
1. UPDATE: Club Membership Survey
More than 120 members responded to the recent survey; a huge thank you to everyone who took the time to do so. And to the members who helped facilitate this. The team are analysing the results in detail, with a committee meeting at the end of January to discuss the findings; to realise a priority action plan that will be shared with everyone.
Please read Club President Maia Rushby’s message in full @ https://ranelagh-harriers.co.uk/survey-update/ ⬅️
2. FIXTURES
You can find the full list of our 2024/2025 fixtures @ https://ranelagh-harriers.co.uk/fixtures-2024-2025/ ⬅️
🦌 Mob Match vs South London Harriers | Saturday 18 Jan @ 2pm | Richmond Park: Our turn to host the mighty SLH on home ground; in what will be the 103rd running of this fabulous event between our two clubs. Don’t miss out on the chance to participate in this traditional fixture dating back to 1909 & a chance to support our club. Details, timings & course @ https://ranelagh-harriers.co.uk/slhmob-2025/ ⬅️
PS: We would greatly appreciate volunteers to help with a variety of duties. Please email coordinator@ranelagh-harriers.co.uk ASAP if you can spare the time.
🏔️ SEAA XC Champs | Saturday 25 Jan @ 12pm | Beckenham Place Park: Entries closed really early for this one but supporters are greatly appreciated if you’d like to cheer our teams on.
🏆 Page Cup Handicap | Saturday 1 Feb @ 2pm | Richmond Park: Long anticipated but it’s finally here; our traditional 2nd fixture – albeit slightly delayed due to a very busy fixture calendar – the Page Cup handicap, a 5 mile (8 km) cross-country event open to all club members. The cup itself, one of our oldest, was donated to the club in 1883 by W.C. Page Esq, and there are also medals for the first 3 finishers, the 3 fastest men and the 3 fastest women. Further details on timings etc to follow very soon.
🏔️ Surrey XC League #4 | Saturday 8 Feb @ 12pm | Women @ Epsom Downs | Men @ Lloyd Park: And just like that, it’s the final match of this season’s Surrey League, 8km for both men and women at two separate venues. If you haven’t had the chance yet, don’t delay – sign up on Teamer for guaranteed mud, cakes & camaraderie. If you’re planning to run, please do consider supporting our teams at either venue. It is, as always, greatly appreciated.
3: RACE REPORTs
🏃♀️➡️🏔️ Surrey XC Champs | 4 Jan @ Lloyd Park | Report by Dave Lawley, Men’s Vice Captain:
In the recent Ranelagh membership survey, we were asked, “Why do we run?” Well, who actually has the answer to this existential conundrum?
Inspiration certainly isn’t found in Croydon, especially not in Lloyd Park on a frosty January morning. Seconds before the whistle (or rather, the horn that failed miserably) blew for the 12km (3 laps) Surrey XC Champs, I turned to my fellow teammates and asked, “Where else would you rather be?” The resounding answer, “Anywhere but here”.
Motivation was as scarce as a sunny day in January, but there we were – eight of us, questioning our life choices – getting it done. In hindsight, we rather enjoyed it. The frost mostly defrosted, unlike the earlier races, leaving us with the usual Lloyd Park sludge and greasy conditions.
Hadi, still on his quest for the holy grail of XC spikes, was in turmoil at the start, debating both his footwear choices and whether to even start. To his eternal credit, he did start and, more impressively, finished.
Jon Smith led the team home, typically negative splitting and overtaking a festively-rested yours truly on the final lap, with Herbie in third. The team finished 13th out of 16 (690 points: 61, 71, 97, 130, 149, 182), with Olaf, James Ritchie, and the ever-present Neil Rae also scoring.
A big thank you to Andy B, Gordon W, and Narissa for marshalling on such a bitterly cold day. If you ever want to dig deep and question your sanity, enter the Surrey XC Champs in early January.
Plus a short addendum from Suzy Whatmough, Women’s Captain:
Ranelagh women had a team of four at the Surrey Champs, which was 8km around Lloyd Park. We finished 9th out of 16 teams, with Suzy Whatmough finishing in 21st place, followed by Natalie Haarer (34th), Clare Fowler (65th), and Maia Rushby (91st).
On the same day, but a different venue, Edel McKeever, Clare Day, Sally Bamford and Louise Beal represented our club at the Herts & Middlesex XC championships in Trent Park. By all accounts another tough, muddy course, but great running from all, with Edel finishing 24th, Clare 55th, Sally 61st and Louise 64th. Well done everyone.
🏃♀️➡️🏔️ Surrey League #3 | 11 Jan @ West Horsley Place | Report by Cecily Day, Women’s Vice Captain:
Saturday saw the 3rd Surrey League fixture, and the first of the slightly longer courses that we see after Christmas. The ladies race took place in West Horsley Place, which some of us had visited for a very muddy final fixture last season.
The temperature was low, which led to much debate about the best shoe choice for the mixture of frozen, slightly thawed and slushy mud. After shoe choices had been made, 14 of us took to the start line for the two lap course.
Cordy Parker led the A team to 9th place by coming in 24th, folllowed closely by Sarah Palmer in 33rd, Cecily Day (53rd), Agnes Nagy (91st) and Edel McKeever (92nd). Clare Fowler, Rebecca Bissell, Claire Warner, Clare Day and Carol Aikin made up the B team (must be a first for 60% of a team to have the same name!). Maia Rushby, Solene Pezot (debut Surrey League), Sally Bamford and Colette Doran also had great runs over the challenging course.
The highlight for many followed after the race, where copious amounts of home-baked goods appeared to accompany the post race endorphins and layering back up. As always it was a great day out and we look forward to the final fixture on the 8th Feb at Epsom Downs – everyone’s welcome!
🏃🏼♂️🏔️ Surrey League #3 | 11 Jan @ Oxshott | Report by James Riley, Men’s Captain:
Ah, Oxshott Woods—a glorious venue on any day, but on a crisp, cold winter day, it felt like nature was giving us a big, muddy hug. Even better, the revised course had done away with the bottleneck at the start and kindly spared us an extra ascent of the dreaded ‘big’ hill.
Pre-race, the big debates swirled: spikes or trail shoes? Base layer under the vest—tactical genius or cardinal sin? If Race 2’s results had made promotion look like an uphill battle, Race 3’s combination of injuries, absences, and lingering Christmas lurgy turned it into a full-blown mountain to climb. Success on the day would be another third place finish. The Captain’s predictions, always a delicate mix of optimism and wild guesswork, were now essentially a spin of the roulette wheel.
From my vantage point in the middle of the pack, 3rd place looked shaky. But as the dust (and what little mud there was) settled, our trusty A-team came through, securing another well-earned 🥉 behind Holland Sports (propelled by the unstoppable Jack Kavanagh) and Clapham Chasers.
Leading the charge, Joe Killip stormed to a brilliant 7th place, with Peter Robins hot on his heels in 11th. VC Jonathan Smith mounted his usual surge to 30th, followed by Ross MacDonald (31st), Dave Lawley (33rd, 4th V40), and Marc Leyshon (38th, 7th V40). James Whistler (40th), Joel Pierson-Hagger (51st), James Riley (55th), and Chris Davidson (60th) rounded out the scorers, proving once again that when the chips are down, the Ranelites show up.
Not to be outdone, the B-team rolled through like a majestic blue tide. Led by Graham Brook and Graham Weller (2nd V50), the team included Matt Hirschler, Mark Herbert, Michael Morris (3rd V50), Gareth Williams, David Ready, Peter Haarer (4th V50), Jonathan Moore (5th V50), and Sam Roberts, all of whom smashed their way to the top of the B-team standings.
Further back, Ranelagh was out in force. Rick Jenner, Olaf Wasternack, Shaun Griffith, Ed Forbes, Mike Thomas, Alex Ring, James Ritchie, Hadi Khatamizadeh, and Neil Rae kept the blue flag flying high. Special thanks to Gordon Whitson for the vocal support – nothing like a well-timed cheer to ease the pain (a little).
A huge shoutout to Joe Killip and Peter Robins, who now sit 2nd and 4th overall across all three races—absolute legends! And let’s not forget Graham Weller, currently 3rd in the V45 rankings and proving that age is just a number when you’re smashing cross country 👏🏻
Next up: Lloyd Park. Another classic cross-country venue and another opportunity for us to embrace the mud, the miles, and the eternal question, “Why do we do this to ourselves?” Bring it on.
4. TRAINING
Welcome back everyone!
Training has resumed again; Tuesdays at the clubhouse and Thursdays at Osterley track. Please always remember to stay safe & visible, ideally with lights or a head torch and reflective/hi-vis clothing. For Tuesday’s session, please meet at our clubhouse for approx. 7pm; and for track, please meet at Osterley Park track for 7.30pm.
Our marathon-focused sessions on Tuesday, alongside our usual Tuesday group training offering, has also started. A reminder that this is free for all members, all you need to do is join the group suitable to your pace & experience:
• Advanced 1 & 2: Led by Simon Martin
• Intermediate 1 & 2: Led by Maia Rushby
• Intermediate 3: Led by Deborah Blakemore
• Inters training programme (Jan 2025) > ⬅️
• PDF: Spring Marathon Training Programme ⬅️
5. HOLD MY SHIRT
Update from the Kit Committee
We have placed the initial order for kit which contains everyone’s orders for free kit or subsidised elite vests. We’ve also ordered a selection of stock in various size sizes of the other pieces of kit, so you can try them on and buy them at or shortly after the kit launch date, which is likely to be around the end of February now.
If you ordered a subsidised elite vest we will be in touch shortly to take payment. We hope to take delivery in 4-6 weeks, so watch this space for more news. Thanks for your patience!
6. Savings
Don’t miss out on early bird pricing for the 2025 Ranelagh Half @ https://bit.ly/ranelaghhalf ⬅️
Just under 3 weeks before early bird pricing ENDS for the Ranelagh Half on Sunday 11 May. Don’t miss out on your chance to save on your entry fee.
7. earworm
Try out Episode 3 of Season 4 of our favourite podcast, RunAlive.
Be inspired by James Thie, coach, lecturer and Masters record holder, who states, ‘Running is an individual sport, but it’s the people you meet, the community you share it with, and those lifelong friendships that make the journey truly special‘.
🎙️ https://www.runalive.co.uk/episodes/jamesthie ⬅️
Hear hear! Join host Ed Perry as James T reflects on the importance of perseverance, belief, and community, emphasising that the greatest victories often come from personal growth rather than race results; in this lifelong journey that is running.
1️⃣ Details @ www.runalive.co.uk ⬅️
2️⃣ Subscribe @ https://open.spotify.com/show/2sVes1jFMwSvFe8SfI5Sj0 ⬅️ or wherever you get your podcasts from.
3️⃣ Join @ https://strava.app.link/ocOMIV5y5Fb ⬅️
8. NOTICES:
💛 London Mountain Film Festival
Our lovely Women’s Captain, Suzy Whatmough is hosting an evening of outdoor and adventure related short films, hand picked from the London Mountain Film Festival 2025 programme night at the Cabbage Patch on 5th March. Suzy invites, ‘Come and watch inspiring short films with me! Tickets are £7; available @ https://buytickets.at/suzy/1520830 ⬅️ There are only 6 places left, so don’t delay. Friends and family welcome!’
💙 Run Unbound CoachinG
Founded by our Men’s Captain James Riley, if you’re looking for support to achieve your running dreams, he’d love to help. Ranelagh members enjoy a 15% discount on all coaching plans. Find out more @ www.rununbound.com 👈
💛 SHARE
We’d really like to share & highlight your running celebrations & achievements in our ‘General Club Chat’ group. Please join via WhatsApp Community or this link: https://chat.whatsapp.com/Jyn19UwOCk7BoVRBqBPnW6 ⬅️ We can’t wait to see what you get up to!
