October Notices

News

8 Oct

Howdy Ranelights.

If you thought September was busy…

… October has plenty in store, with many opportunities to race, volunteer and spend time together.

ALERT: This month’s notices are a longer read, but there’s lots to share, dates to save and things we’d hate you to miss. Consider this our friendly defence against “nobody told me”!

Our women’s and men’s teams begin their Surrey XC League campaigns in Division 1 at Wimbledon Common on 10 October. Entries have closed, but with 3 more matches ahead, why not come along to support our clubmates and get a taste of it?

Later in the month, there’s the Surrey Masters at Nonsuch Park on 24 October, followed by the Page Cup Handicap on 31 October. This year’s Page has a Halloween twist if you fancy dressing up, with Ranelagh medals presented for the three best costumes as well.

You’ll find all these events and more on MyRanelagh, so do sign up if you haven’t already.

Beyond racing, you can volunteer at the Cabbage Patch water station on 18 October to earn a MyRanelagh volunteer credit while cheering on your clubmates. Plus don’t forget to make the Ranelagh Coffee Club on 25 October part of your Sunday long run and pop in for a catch-up.

Whether you’re running, lending a hand or coming along for the company, we’d love to see you.

PRIORItY dates

FIXTURES

▪️Sat 10 Oct: Surrey XC League Div 1 Match 1. From 12:15pm @ Wimbledon Common. Supporters very welcome.

▪️Sat 24 Oct: Surrey XC Masters. Nonsuch Park. Enter by 17 Oct via MyRanelagh. Women | Men

▪️Sat 31 Oct: Page Cup Handicap (Halloween edition). Richmond Park. Enter by 28 Oct via MyRanelagh >

SOCIALS

▪️Sun 25 Oct: Ranelagh Sunday Coffee Club: 8 to 11am. End - or start - your long runs with free coffee, warm croissants & great company. All welcome.

▪️Tues 10 Nov: Bonfire Biryani Night Social. Clubhouse @ 8.15pm. Details & order form @ https://forms.gle/9DbDgCZxh1TWc3EA8

▪️Tues 15 Dec: Christmas Cracker Relay Social @ TBC (Richmond). Save the date! Further details coming soon.

Volunteer

▪️Sat 18 Oct: Volunteer for the Cabbage Patch water station @ River Lane. Please email coordinator@ranelagh-harriers.co.uk >

▪️Sat 31 Oct: Volunteers needed for the Page Cup Handicap. Sign up via MyRanelagh or please email coordinator@ranelagh-harriers.co.uk >

MyRanelagh

Your club, on your phone. Sign up now.

MyRanelagh is for everyone in the club, whether you race, volunteer, enjoy the socials or simply want to stay connected. See what’s coming up, find out who’s taking part and keep track of your training, racing and volunteering milestones.

It’s designed to be simple and intuitive, with no technical know-how required. Although we call it a “web app”, it’s a website that you can save to your phone’s home screen and open like an app. There’s nothing to download from an app store, and it isn’t another social media platform to keep up with.

Built by a Ranelagh member, there’s plenty to explore, including historical results, club trophies and past winners, with more being added. Future club fixtures are moving onto MyRanelagh, and sign-ups for social events are being planned too.

More than 180 members, aged 14 to 79, have already joined. It’s included in your membership and helps you stay part of Ranelagh, whether or not you come to training. We’d love you to join in, have a look around and discover what’s there for you.

Find out more and follow our step-by-step guide to get started >

CIO Update

1️⃣ The Executive Committee has approved engaging Muckle LLP to support the CIO team with our application to the Charity Commission. Muckle is England Athletics’ sole legal provider and advises affiliated clubs on matters including legal structures and property, bringing relevant expertise to support our transition.

2️⃣ Also at the CIO team’s request, the committee has approved seeking advice and guidance from the firm that established the club’s land trust in 2012. Deborah will liaise with them about the trust arrangements as we prepare for the next stage.

2026/2027 FIXTURES

The following fixtures are confirmed.

▪️Surrey XC League #1 Saturday 10 October @ Wimbledon Common
▪️Surrey Masters XC Champs Saturday 24 October | Nonsuch Park
▪️Page Cup Handicap Saturday 31 October @ 2.30pm | Richmond Park
▪️SEAA London XC Champs Saturday 7 November @ Parliament HIll
▪️Surrey XC League #2 Saturday 14 November @ Morden Park
▪️SEAA XC Masters Championships Saturday 28 November @ Lloyd Park
▪️Mob Match vs South London Harriers Saturday 5 December @ Richmond Park

▪️You can sign up for all the above at MyRanelagh >
▪️For the current* list of fixtures, please go to www.ranelagh-harriers.co.uk/fixtures >

* Some licences are still pending so dates may change at short notice.

Performance

▪️Latest roundup of the Women’s achievements @ The Blue Wave >
▪️Latest roundup of the Men’s achievements @ The Blue & Amber >

Sunday 6 Sept | River Relays

Four teams, twenty runners and a baton to keep moving

Billed as a fun race, the River Relay clearly left a little room for Ranelagh’s competitive instincts. Twenty runners formed four teams for the journey from Boveney Church in Windsor to Bushy Park Sports Centre, with all four finishing inside the top 30 and our leading team taking an excellent seventh place.

Organised by the Stragglers, the event followed five stages along the river. Each team had five runners and a baton to carry from start to finish. Whatever happened along the way, that small but essential piece of equipment needed to reach the next pair of hands.

Maria Jovani, Rebecca Bissell, Ruth Gledhill and Ray Betts got our teams underway from Boveney Church, running the opening stage to Ham Lane in Old Windsor. Waiting there were Tristan Thornhill, Edel McKeever, Peter Howgego and Claire Warner, ready to take over for the stretch to Staines Bridge.

The longest stage followed: approximately 6.5 miles from Staines Bridge to Manor Park in Shepperton. James Stockes, Aurélie Zahm, Paul Scullion and Robyn Smith took on that responsibility, covering the biggest individual share of the route before handing over to Matt Hirschler, Clare Fowler, Will Cavendish and Sachin Nighut for the fourth stage to Hurst Park.

That left Sam Davies, Carol Aikin, Vaughan Ramsay and Aoife Kilpatrick to bring their teams home to Bushy Park Sports Centre. Four final efforts, four batons safely delivered and a very pleasing set of results.

All four teams finished comfortably in the top half of the field:

▪️Team 1: 7th – Maria, Tristan, James, Matt and Sam.
▪️Team 3: 21st – Ruth, Peter, Paul, Will and Vaughan.
▪️Team 4: 27th – Ray, Claire, Robyn, Sachin and Aoife.
▪️Team 2: 28th – Rebecca, Edel, Aurélie, Clare and Carol.

A special mention goes to Team 2, our all-women’s team, who kept battling throughout to secure their excellent 28th place. There was plenty to celebrate across all four teams, with every stage contributing to the final result.

Of course, a relay like this involves considerably more than running. While one teammate was out on the course, another needed to be ready at the next handover, with runners and kit moving between several locations. Our warmest thanks go to Ruth Gledhill, Rebecca, Edel, Claire Warner, Clare Fowler and Jonny Smith for their transport help. Getting everyone where they needed to be was an achievement in itself.

Four teams, five stages and a day of shared effort along the river. The results were a bonus, though seventh place was a rather good one. Thank you to all twenty runners for representing Ranelagh, to the club for sponsoring our participation, and to the Stragglers for organising such an enjoyable event.

Results (PDF) >

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Saturday 28 Sept | Thomas Cup

Sunshine, friendly rivalry and a little deer diplomacy marked the opening fixture of our 2026/2027 season, continuing 146 years of Ranelagh history.

Of the 52 runners taking on the Thomas Cup, Colette Doran claimed victory ahead of Geoff Jones and Thomas Lane. Emily Fenwick and Marc Leyshon recorded the fastest women’s and men’s times, while Chris Owens became the first winner of the Ricketts Rose Bowl for the leading V70 finisher.

The opening social brought Ranelagh together across the generations, with younger and older members, newcomers and longstanding friends sharing a BBQ, a catch-up and the annual club photo. Huge thanks to all our race volunteers and catering team for a wonderful start to a new season.

Race report & results >

Volunteer

URGENT: We need volunteers for the Cabbage Patch water station (Sunday 18 Oct) and for the Page Cup Handicap (Saturday 31 Oct). If you can help, please email coordinator@ranelagh-harriers.co.uk

Please also save the following dates in your diary.

Could you help get Ranelagh running together on Sundays?

Our monthly coffee runs have shown how much members enjoy a run and a catch-up. We’d love to bring more of that vibe to every Sunday, and we’re looking for a Sunday long run coordinator to help.

You’d ask members to open up their planned runs to others, gather the distance, pace and starting point, then share the options in a poll. These would be informal social runs, with around 30 minutes of coordination each week and room to make the role your own.

If you’re sociable and organised, this could be a lovely way to get involved, especially if you haven’t volunteered before.

Interested? Please contact James Riley via WhatsApp Community to find out more.

Social

The evenings may be drawing in, but there’s plenty to brighten the weeks ahead at Ranelagh. Our socials are a chance to share food, coffee and good company beyond the finish line. Whether you’re a longstanding member or have only just joined, we’d love to see you there.

Diary dates:

1️⃣ Tues 10 Nov: Bonfire Biryani Night @ 8.15pm
Something warming for a November evening! Join us at the clubhouse for biryani, good company and a chance to linger over a meal together. Book now @ https://forms.gle/9DbDgCZxh1TWc3EA8

2️⃣ Thursday Track Curry Night: 8.30pm, 2nd Thursday of every month.
All welcome to the Indian Gymkhana Club for a curry and a catch-up with clubmates. All welcome, whether you’re training or simply coming for the food and company. Next date 15 October.

3️⃣ Sunday Coffee Club: 8:00 - 11:00am, last Sunday of every month.
Make a stop at the clubhouse part of your Sunday run, or simply pop in for coffee and a chat. You don’t need to have clocked up any miles to come along. Next date 25 October

4️⃣ Tues 15 December: Christmas Cracker Relay drinks
Save the date for festive drinks & fun after the Christmas Cracker Relay. Whether you’ve been racing around or cheering from the sidelines, come and share a little Christmas joy. Venue & details TBC.

5️⃣ Sat 17 April: 2027 Baker Supper Awards
Save the date for a special evening celebrating our trophy winners, our club’s history and the people who make Ranelagh what it is. With our spectacular collection of silverware taking centre stage, it’s a celebration for the whole club. More details to follow.

Training

With cooler weather and darker evenings here, a reminder to please wear reflective kit, bring a charged headtorch or running light during all sessions, and have an extra layer for before and after training.

Please also stay alert to traffic, take care at crossings and never assume that drivers have seen you.

It’s also the beginning of the deer rutting season in Richmond and Bushy Parks. Do keep at least 50 metres away and change your route if needed. Please read the Royal Parks’ deer safety advice here >

From 1 November for up to 6 weeks, the deer cull will take place in Richmond Park during which time the pedestrian gates will be locked from 8:00 PM until 7:30 AM (except on Friday and Saturday nights). Training schedules will be adjusted to reflect this.

▪️For Tuesdays’ sessions, please meet at our clubhouse for 7pm. Find the latest training schedules here >
▪️For Thursdays’ sessions, please meet at Osterley track for 7.30pm. Find the latest training schedules here >

club Subs are due

Please renew your membership subs for 2026/2027

If you’d like to race for Ranelagh, including in the Surrey League, please make sure you’ve paid your membership subs so we can renew your England Athletics registration.

Where applicable, this registration is included in your subs and allows you to represent the club in official races. It also gives you a £2 discount on most other race entries, alongside other England Athletics benefits and discounts.

By paying your subs, you agree to accept and abide by the relevant England Athletics codes of conduct for your role(s) within the club. Please visit their website to read these.

Kindly make your payments as soon as possible using the account details below:

Beneficiary Bank: HSBC
Sort code: 40-23-29
Account Number: 81109847
Account Name: Ranelagh Harriers

For any other methods of payment, please go to www.ranelagh-harriers.co.uk/join-info

For all membership queries, please email the Membership Secretary >

Notices

Club

1️⃣ KIT: Order your Ranelagh kit by 9pm on Friday 16 October! Stock up on hoodies, quarter-zips, shorts and race kit while the order window is open for the best prices. Find out more now >

2️⃣ KUDOS: To Rebecca Bissell, who tackled a UTMB 50K in Levens, near Nice, with a whopping 1,584m of climbing, all in the dark!

3️⃣ SHOUT OUT: To James Ritchie, who ran, yomped, chomped and hiked his way through the 300km Tor des Géants in 130 hours! Read James’s adventure in his own words here (Strava) >

4️⃣ SHARE: Your running related celebrations & achievements in our ‘General Club Chat’ group - so we can shout you out!

Community

1️⃣ RACE: Selection is open to U12, U14, U16 and U18 athletes, with the 12 fastest in each category chosen Richmond at the London Youth Games Cross-Country. To be considered, register your interest, provide your parkrun number and record a time between 3 September and 21 October 2026: junior parkrun (2km) for U12/U14, or parkrun (5km) for U16/U18. Register your interest here >

2️⃣ WIN: A place in the 2027 London Marathon while supporting Brain Tumour Support. Entry costs £10, or from £4 per entry when buying multiples; the winner’s place carries a £500 fundraising target. Draw closes at 1pm on Monday 12 October, with proceeds helping people and families affected by a brain tumour diagnosis. Find out more and enter here >

3️⃣ RACE: Home of England Rugby 5k. Stadium charity run 7 Jan 2026. Details @ https://allianzstadiumtwickenham.com/hospitality/home-of-england-rugby/5k/information ⬅️