We hope you all enjoyed the Christmas relays last night and are looking forward to the club’s Christmas party this weekend. We wanted to let you know about the organised club sessions taking place over the festive period and when and where these will take place. The county XC champs are on January 3rd with the closing date soon (19th) for entries. With this in mind Saturday Badger Farm reps and hill sessions will be available for all who are XC focused as usual.
Tuesday sessions will revert to one road session available for everybody (junior & senior) at South Winchester Park and Ride. As Christmas Day and New Year’s Day fall on a Thursday we have gone soft and assume you will do your own Xmas day 10 miler, a park run or just feel guilty after too much lunch. The same for New Year’s Day although those racing the County XC will need to keep whatever you do easy.
Please also note the Harestock Handicap won’t be on the 1st Thursday of the month as its New Year’s Day and will move back a week to the 8th to allow more of you to attend.
There will also be the lovely additions of the 12 hills of Christmas on Thursday 18th and the traditional Cheriton Chunder run on Monday 29th for adventurous or thirsty seniors……
We are currently top of our divisions in the Hampshire XC League and Hampshire Road Race League across all age groups and many of you also have big personal goals for the rest of the winter and spring. It’s all super exciting, so please do have lots of fun over the festive period but keep training hard ready for a busy January.
A huge well done to you all from the coaching team and let’s make 2026 even more successful as our wonderful club continues to grow.
Nick, Andy and Colin
Festive Training Schedule and Venues
Tuesday 16th
- 5:45 pm – XC Reps – Gater Field or St Catherine’s Hill/Viaduct if too wet
- 7:00 pm – Road Reps – South Park and Ride
Thursday 18th
- 5:45 pm – Threshold reps (juniors) – Gater Field or St Catherine’s Hill/Viaduct if too wet
- 7:00 pm – 12 hills of Christmas with Steve Oliver (seniors only) – starting at The Queen public house
Friday 19th
- Deadline for County Cross Country Championship entries
Saturday 20th
- 9:30 am – XC reps and hills – Badger Farm
Tuesday 23rd
- 7:00 pm – Road reps for all (Junior & Senior) – South Park and Ride
Saturday 27th
- 9:30 am – XC reps and hills – Badger Farm
Monday 29th
- 10:00 am – Cheriton Chunder with Simon Gillett (seniors only) – start at Cart and Horses, Kings Worthy. Details to follow on WhatsApp.
Tuesday 30th
- 7:00 pm – Road reps for all (junior & senior) – South Park and Ride.
Thursday 1st Jan 2026
- No Harestock Handicap… this moves to next week. Happy new year to you all!
Saturday 3rd
- County XC champs – Botley
Tuesday 6th
- All training returns to normal times and venues