HPH Chair’s Update and Harrier of the Month for June

This month we have relays, races and new committee members to celebrate. Read on for more…

With a faint sniff of normality upon us in June, we thought it was time to get back to our monthly cadence of Harrier of the Month. In my first blog since the AGM and Awards Do, a lot has changed and we’ve got back to racing. It’s great to see groups out regularly on a Tuesday and it’s also awesome to start to meet some of the new faces that have joined us over the past 18 months at races and events. 

Firstly I wanted to use this first blog of the new club year (following the AGM in May) to introduce you to the new Hyde Park Harriers committee and extend my thanks to those the left us in 2021: Richard Edwards, Rebecca Gray and Phil Hammond – thank you to you all for your dedication, support and contributions to the club over the years. Our 2021/2022 committee is below:

  • Katherine Kirkham joins us as treasurer
  • Lorraine Beavis takes another term as Club Secretary
  • Clare Evans take another term as Membership Secretary
  • Curtis Ledger joins us as Ordinary Committee member
  • Danni Bryant joins us as Ordinary Committee member
  • Naomi Adkins remains as an Ordinary Committee member
  • Robyn Johnson remains as an Ordinary Committee member
  • Xeni Perry takes another term as an Ordinary Committee member
  • Jonathan Spain remains as an Ordinary Committee member

You can see the entire committee and further details here.

It also prides me so much to say that Hyde Park Harriers now have 222 members – a number that’s higher than the last couple of years. Welcome to all our members to the friendliest club in Leeds!

The final key highlight from the AGM and Awards Do this year was the announcement that Ralph Kidner was the lucky winner of the HPH Virgin Money London Marathon place for october 2021. Ralph has said he will be ‘joggling’ the London Marathon this year, so watch out for him with his balls on his training runs in Headingley (oh, err, missus!).

Highlights for June have included a number races: The Bradford Millennium Way Relay, Leeds 5km, York 5km, Eccup Ten, the Otley 10, Kettlewell Fell Race; our very own HPH Woodhouse Moor trial parkrun; a fantastic Summer Mile organised by our amazing HPH Summer Mile team and a veritable army of volunteers and not to mention week upon week of sessions for our members on a Tuesday and Thursday night. I hope you’ll agree it’s been a great month for running and you’ll join me in looking forward to the summer of similar events.

Without further ado, here are your winners of HOTM for June: the HPH Summer Mile team and the Bradford Millennium Way organisers!!!

HPH Teams out at Bradford Millennium way Relay

Sarah Underwood, Cara Sass and Danni Bryant won this month for their fantastic orgnaisation and support at the Bradford Millennium Way. For the first time since 2012, HPH put out not one but two teams at this fantastic event hosted by Saltaire Striders. From putting the team list together to organising which cars and people had to be in what place at what time, nothing was too much trouble for these Harriers. They organised us fantastically, and with so much ease. Shout out to Maddie who organised the post-relay social too, thanks to you all for all your hard work.

Happy HPH Volunteer Crew at the Summer Mile

Hyde Park Harriers Summer Mile event couldn’t go ahead without a small but perfectly formed group of dedicated volunteers, lead by Sam Dooley. This year’s team were Julie Robsonm, Debbie Brown and Jonathan Spain. The team have been working together for over a year to put this event together and have faced many challenges this year that we haven’t seen in previous years. I could do on forever about how awesome the Summer Mile is, but to find out for yourself make sure you sign up for next years event on the 29th June. Thanks to everyone for a fantastic event.

This month, in a reflection of the increase in activity with races coming back and sessions in abundance for our members, there were loads of nominations. Well done to everyone nominated, you’re listed below.

  • Emily Tasker, for consistently, enthusiastically and inclusively volunteering to lead both 6 and 7pm sessions each week; filling gaps, supporting the club and runners. A great example of a HPH.
  • Steve Rhodes. for his Ramsay Round attempt in Scotland – 50 miles and 24 hours including starting with an ascent of Ben Nevis!
  • Rafet Ongun for his amazing performances at WTS Leeds and at the Summer Mile.
  • Naomi Kellett for all her hard work and dedication to her intervals training wrestling in an awesome 5km time at York.
  • Honor Baldry for all her hard work and dedication to her intervals training wrestling in an awesome 5km time at York.
  • Mike Vargas for his dedication to his comeback to running after a number of months off due to injury.
  • Toby Adkins for running under 60 minutes for 10 miles at the Eccup 10.
  • George Riley for his phenomenal effort at the Summer Mile running under 5 minutes and being the male half of the HPH team 2nd place.

Finally, and as always, keep an eye out on the weekly bulletin emails and in the Facebook group for more information about races, sessions and club activity. If you have any ideas for sessions, any feedback or want to organise a social or event, please get in touch with the committee by emailing hello@hydeparkharriers.co.uk or messaging one of us directly on facebook. You know who we are. But if you don’t, you can find out here. Our next meeting is the 18th July at 6pm. – make sure you get in touch with any agenda points before then.
Don’t forget you can submit any future HPH of the Month nominations at this link.