Hambleton Athletics & Running Club

Hambleton Athletics and Running Club Awards Presentation Evening 2022

17th September 202214th June 2023 By Sara SherwoodNo Comments

Friday 9th September saw the very first Presentation Evening for HARC members, this year held at Tom & Nellie’s in Bedale. Gemma Wardle, the Club’s Chair, began the evening with a moving, heart-felt welcome speech. Much laughter and camaraderie followed, as between courses members of the Awards Sub-committee took the opportunity to introduce the awards that would be available for presentation at the end of the forthcoming season, which runs annually from the beginning of September. Members are to be recognised for their achievements based on the club’s founding principles which set out the values and ethos of their members: Caring & Supporting; Coaching-Led; For Everyone; and Enjoying Our Sport. Full details of the criteria used to determine each award can be found on HARC’s website. In future, awards will be presented for the following: ‘Volunteer of the Year’; ‘Mighty Oak’ (for improvement); ‘Greatest of the Year’ (performance awards); ‘The Sinton-Hewitt Trophy’ (based on participation at Parkrun); ‘The Captain Cook Cup’ for...

Latest C25K Success

2nd August 20222nd August 2022 By Sara SherwoodNo Comments

Hambleton Athletics and Running Club’s most recent Couch to 5K programme finished with a superb graduation run set in the stunning grounds of Fountains Abbey on 23 July, at the weekly Parkrun held there. The culmination of the ten week programme offered the newly-fledged runners the chance to run a continuous 5K with the support and encouragement of a number of club members, alongside coaches Alice Inglis and Gemma Wardle - all under the watchful eye of Head Coach, Chris Lees. It was certainly a beautiful morning for it and emotion ran high as a dozen graduates crossed the finishing line, especially so for those who were first-time runners. Chris Williams explained that HARC’s programme had not only turned a complete non-runner into a runner, but also into a person “that actually enjoys it now!” High praise indeed. Chris went on to say “If you are toying with the idea of starting or restarting running for fitness and fun, do it with HARC. You...

Dragon Boat Racing

19th June 202219th June 2022 By Sara SherwoodNo Comments

Team HARC has been out fundraising again. Not running this time – but Dragon Boat Racing! Paddlers headed over to North Yorkshire Water Park last weekend to pit themselves against 24 other teams in an exciting challenge orgainsed by the Rotary Club of Scarborough Cavaliers. Ditching the usual HARC blue running kit for the green and gold of Dementia Forward, the intrepid dragon boaters have managed to raise a fantastic £1,148 so far. Chair Gemma Wardle congratulated everyone involved saying “HARC members, friends of the club, and Dementia Forward volunteers worked so well together to support a great cause. We had a brilliant day of paddling and laughter.” Winning the first heat, Boat 23 continued to better their times across the challenge – no doubt buoyed by the theme tune of Hawaii Five-O - but unfortunately just missed out on a place in the grand finale. Losing didn’t matter, though, at such a friendly, well-organised and safe event, and it is testament...

Congratulations Head Coach

16th June 202215th September 2023 By Sara Sherwood1 Comment

Hearty congratulations to Chris Lees who has now received the final jigsaw piece in a much longer than expected journey to his Athletics Coach license (the 'small' matter of a global pandemic may have delayed things for a time). Still specialist in Endurance, Chris has added Athletics Coach/Throws to his coaching qualifications. Chris says "Massive thanks to Glen Hilton for his support and help throughout, and to the athletes at Hambleton Athletics & Running Club and Allerton Junior Athletics Club without whose help I literally couldn’t have done this."...

Congratulations Craig Keedy!

7th June 20227th June 2022 By Sara SherwoodNo Comments

Sunday 29th May saw the long-awaited return of the Northallerton 10K – a mainly uphill, local race that was well-supported by HARC members with plenty of PBs and personal goals being met. Special mention must go to Craig Keedy, who secured first place for his age category in a time of 37:56. It would seem he’s making a bit of a habit of this now, with it following his 1st in age category at Wakefield 10K on 20th March – another ‘undulating’ course, and again in Bridlington at the 5 Mile Dash in April. Congratulations Craig! Very well deserved recognition for your commitment and resilience in training...

Scarborough Dragon Boat challenge

6th June 202215th September 2023 By Sara SherwoodNo Comments

HARC are very proud to be raising money for Dementia Forward at this year's Scarborough Dragon Boat Challenge on Sunday 12th June. It I’m sure many of us have been affected by dementia - it is a very challenging set of diseases (including Alzheimer’s) that can be distressing for the person with dementia and those family and friends around them - caring for and supporting them. Dementia Forward is the only charity commissioned to support people affected by dementia in North Yorkshire. It relies on donations for half of its resources to provide amazing and innovative support, including pioneering work to support those affected by young onset dementia. We would like to say a big thank you to River Mountain Experience and the brilliant David Adams for the training he gave some of our team, as well as the Rotary Club of Scarborough Cavaliers for the generosity and organization of the event. Please help us raise as much as possible for this great cause...

NYSD Cross Country – Relays in South Park Darlington

7th April 20227th April 2022 By Sara SherwoodNo Comments

Last Sunday saw the grand finale of the North Yorkshire and South Durham Cross Country League, and HARC fielded both a men’s and women’s team for the Road Race Relays. Following the Parkrun route at Darlington’s South Park, each runner completed 2 laps in a team of 3 and 4 respectively. On a baking hot day – for March – there were no complaints about the mud, rain, hail or snow this time! But running in unseasonal heat did present its own challenges and what would cross country be if there wasn’t the weather to moan about…Thankfully, all those who ran were able to smash their own personal goals for the race and some achieved PB or season best times to boot. Team Manager Chris Lees was delighted with everyone’s efforts, commenting how proud he was and that he couldn’t wait for next season. “It was also brilliant to have so much support from HARC too,” he added. From a...

Askquith Trophy

5th April 20225th April 2022 By Sara SherwoodNo Comments

It will come as no surprise to our members that our illustrious Head Coach, Chris Lees, has been honoured for his volunteering again! In addition to the Queen’s Award for Volunteering Service awarded to Dementia Forward, and England Athletics’ recognition for Innovation in Athletics and Running At Home, Chris has now picked up the Askquith Trophy at Bedale Sports and Community Club where he is a trustee. This is presented for greatest service to the club and was in recognition for his help and guidance during the pandemic. Congratulations Chris! We’re delighted for you and so pleased you are ‘one of our own’...

Lakeland Trails Helvellyn and Ullswater 10k Races

18th November 202115th September 2023 By Sara SherwoodNo Comments

Three Hambleton Athletics and Running Club members travelled to the beautiful Lake District last weekend to take part in races organised by Lakeland Trails. Chris Lees and Gemma Wardle tackled the Helvellyn 10k route which, as you’d expect, included a partial (but very steep!) ascent of Helvellyn and a tricky downhill return to Glenridding village. Despite the very wet and windy weather, and a slide on her bottom down a muddy hillside, Gemma completed the course in 1:21:18, closely followed across the finish by Chris in 1:21:20. Gemma said, “Really pleased that I completed the course to receive my event t-shirt which turned out to be HARC blue! It was a very tough course, the first half being uphill all the way with some really steep sections, but it was worth it for the chance to enjoy the lovely paths across the hillside and back down into Glenridding. Obviously, the best bit was the sliding on my bottom – mud maketh the trail run!” Chris went back for more on Sunday to complete what is known as the ‘Dirty...

HARC Takeover at Northallerton Parkrun

17th November 202117th November 2021 By Sara SherwoodNo Comments

Members of Hambleton Athletics and Running Club (HARC) led a volunteers’ takeover of Northallerton Parkrun on Saturday 23rd October, with all involved refusing to be put off by the cold and dull weather. Scores of runners turned out for the free 5km event held every week at the Hambleton Leisure Centre in Northallerton and impressed the 15-strong HARC team of volunteers who covered all the roles from marshals to race director, and barcode scanners to tail walkers too. It was great fun supporting all the runners taking on the three laps around the playing fields and paths behind the leisure centre.Volunteering gave the HARC team the opportunity to enjoy being outside, make new friends, have fun, learn new skills and be a valuable part of the local community. It also gaveclub members a chance to see what goes on ‘behind the scenes’ at a Parkrun event. There were also benefits for the runners with a club takeover– a whole running club can bring quite a collective cheer to a Saturday morning. And since there is nothing HARC members love better than supporting fellow runners, their cheers brought a lot of positive vibes. HARC members had a wonderful morning volunteering and can’t wait to do it again soon. If you are...