Hello from your New Chair, and Harrier of the Month for May

May was the start of the new year with our 2020/2021 Committee. After a busy month of AGM prep, our virtual Awards Do, and more quizzes than you can shake a stick at, it’s great to sit back and reflect on the 12 weeks which have passed since we all ran together. Your nominations for HOTM are always a great way of reviewing the month past, and I’m pleased they’re still coming in thick and fast, despite the ability to achieve PBs in races.

Without further ado, it gives me great pleasure to announce that the winners of the Hyde Park Harrier of the month for May are Steve Rhodes and Debbie Brown. Despite another month of lockdown, Harriers have been busy taking part in loads of socially distanced races and relays, and some have even been learning new skills from their homes which will help them find their way around the hills once they’re back out and about (if they can remember where the front door is by then!). 

Steve was nominated by a number of you for a series of engaging and informative navigation lessons, getting over his fear of technology by demonstrating all the different elements of orienteering compass-using and map-reading over the wonderful technology of zoom. Well done Steve, and very well deserved!

Debbie, as I’m sure most of you know, has done an amazing job of coordinating several teams in the Yorkshire Inter-club COVID-19 relay, and then a VE Day version of the same. She seamlessly organised the teams and coordinated the results whilst running legs herself, too. I don’t know about you, but I’m not ready to run for 19 minutes again for quite some time. Thank you Debbie, what a great job getting the HPH name and our eclectic baton choices out there in our droves.

In the men’s space, Toby Adkins was the recipient of yet another vote for his incredible Thursday riddles and quizzes, for which he won the HOTM award in April. Sorry Toby, you’re not having it again this month!

Also nominated in May for women’s Harrier of the Month were the awesome Sue Lumby for getting so involved in lots of HPH activities online. Many of us know Sue through WHM parkrun. She’s not even a Hyde Park Harrier, so it’s great to see that our ‘members and friends’ Facebook page is true to it’s name and that we are being inclusive in line with our ethos. Sara Scholes was also nominated, for a fantastic Sunday quiz including a round which made us all hungry for chocolate bars! Sara has also recently rejoined HPH after a stint at a much less friendly club – welcome back to Hyde Park Harriers, Sara. Finally, in the women’s runnings (or not runnings) was our very own and very amazing Membership Secretary, Clare Evans. She was nominated for the awesome job she does registering our new members with England Athletics, and for so eloquently explaining a little £1 overcharge to a few members at the AGM.

Finally, we are meeting as a new committee for the first time on the 14^th June. Don’t forget to get in touch ahead of this date if you have anything for discussion.