April 2025
By: Mark Watts
Welcome to April’s edition of the GWR monthly newsletter!
This is the place where you can hear all about the latest club information including races, save-the-dates, ADMF good-news stories, kit updates, and more… all in one place! This is a great way to keep you all updated on the exciting goings-on of the club, and to celebrate all we have accomplished.
This month we are filled with 10k, half marathon and 20 mile success as the marathon season is all but upon us. Club attendees were showered with gifts and Mark, Gary, Elena and Ian promoted the club at the Bristol running show once more. The ADMF grant window closed so we expect to have some more news on that in next month’s edition. Also, we have the latest updates as regards to the Cotswold way relay and GWR are bringing back a new 2025 club championship!
So sit down with a hot chocolate and take this club news in for 10 minutes of your life.
Dates for the diary and Events:
April 2025
- Wednesday 2th April: Club run at 19:00 (4, 6, 8 and 10 mile groups)
- Wednesday 9th April: Club run at 19:00 (4, 6, 8 and 10 mile groups)
- Sunday 13th April: Frenchay 10k
- Wednesday 16th April: Club run at 19:00 (4, 6, 8 and 10 mile groups)
- Thursday 17th April: Weston Prom 5 mile race (Race 8)
- Wednesday 23rd April: Club run at 19:00 (4, 6, 8 and 10 mile groups)
- Sunday 27th April: London Marathon
- Wednesday 30th April: Club run at 19:00 (4, 6, 8 and 10 mile groups)
May 2025
- Tuesday 6th May: Sri Chimnoy 2 mile @Eastville Park
- Wednesday 7th May: Club run at 19:00 (4, 6, 8 and 10 mile groups)
- Wednesday 14th May: Club run at 19:00 (4, 6, 8 and 10 mile groups)
- Sunday 13th April: Frenchay 10k
- Wednesday 21st May: Club run at 19:00 (4, 6, 8 and 10 mile groups)
- Thursday 22nd May: Weston Prom 5 mile race (Race 9)
- Friday 23rd May: GWR TOWPATH RACE 1 OF 4
- Wednesday 28th May: Club run at 19:00 (4, 6, 8 and 10 mile groups)
March Race and Achievements Report
Done something you are proud of? Then please share it all! Look out for the monthly calling post on facebook and give us all the news, and pictures!
Better late than never we received news of Marcus Kropacsy breaking into the sub 80 category for the half marathon, running 79:53 at Farnborough half back in February. As Marcus added on Facebook this has been a war of attrition and has taken him 8 years to accomplish, having run 81:XX or 80:XX no less than 4 times. This is testament to the consistency and discipline Marcus has had over those years so a belated congrats to Marcus!
Rosie, remember her? The one that used to compile the newsletter and did a far better job than I am currently doing. Well, it turns out amongst her travels she has been doing a bit of running as well and completed Nantwich 10k. I’m not sure if this was a PB however she says that it was almost the perfect progression run (the best way to run) minus one mile. If you want to catch up on her latest ongoings you can catch her on her blog. https://thehammockdiaries.substack.com
The Italian Stallions Mark Watts and Mic Chimenti popped over to Milan and then on to Maranello for the Enzo Ferrari Half marathon. It was a jam packed weekend, seeing the San Siro football stadium, eating some pasta the correct way, some very small coffees and learning Mic isn’t a very good coordinator on Google maps. Run wise, Mic ran a strava PB as maybe he ran too far and Mark ran his longest run since the New York Marathon 2023.
GWR ladies picked up the Ladies team prize at the Fission half marathon. The team consisting of: Alice Doggrell, Rhian Bethell and Clare Meraz beat all comers to take home the prize. Excellent work Ladies! There were also many entries into the 20 miler as well as marathon season is nearly upon us!
Bath half was a popular event in March, with no less than 13 runners taking part. They obviously weren’t put off by the last kilometre which even winner Jake Smith had to mention about its tenacity. There’s nothing on Stoke Hill!
Misc. Updates
Membership Renewals
The time is now! Martin has now sent out this year’s renewal email so you can get yourself a whole year running with GWR for less than £1 per week. Also, if your life circumstances have changed and you wish not to renew, please contact Martin so he can cross you off the list.
Feeling flush? This is also a great time to donate to ADMF (our club charity). Just add the amount to your membership amount and that will go to the athletes of the future!
Oltra Recovery!
After spending a bit of time at the National Running show, I managed to bag some samples of Oltra recovery massage balm for us to use at the club. I hope everyone enjoyed the free sample. If you did, maybe if you can tag them on social media maybe that would be great. Also, if you want some more you can buy it using the code GWR20 and that will get you 20% off.
Bristol Running Show
23rd March saw the 4th version of the Bristol running show. The show is slowly growing year on year and the speakers are getting better and it’s definitely worth a couple of hours of your time next year when it happens to attend, especially as the event is free.
Thank you to Gary Hunt, Elena Holmes and Ian Haynes for popping along and manning the stand for a bit so I could go and liaise with other Bristol clubs and companies. The fruits of that labour you may see at a later point in the year.
Towpath Open
The biggest and best version of the Towpath is now open for entries so please share as far and wide as you can. It’s one of the main ways the club generates money and means we can keep the membership low and discount the summer and Christmas events. There is a facebook event group and people can sign up via the club website. £25 for four chip timed races is stonking value. Volunteers, hold your horses, we will be needing your names in the next month or so your time will come.
https://race-nation.co.uk/register/great-western-runners-2/towpath-series-2025
Can people please like and share the Facebook towpath page. It costs nothing and really helps us get the name out there.
GWR Club Championship
Do not adjust your screen! The GWR club championship is back! This year will be a bit trial and error im sure but we hope it will keep you engaged all summer!
The championship will run for 6 races throughout the summer at local events. You must complete 4 of the events to qualify as a finisher of the championship. By running an event you are automatically entered into the championship. You must be a paid up member of the club to be eligible. Points are scored against your GWR finish place for that event (1st = 1 point, 2nd = 2 points and so on..). The person with the lowest average score that has completed 4 races will be the winner. There will be Male/Female prizes on offer.
The six races in question are
- May – Sri Chinmoy – 2 miler
- June – Blaise Blazer – 4 miler
- Date TBC – Nailsea Beer and Banger – 10k
- August – Chepstow – 10k (You can use GWR runthrough discount on this one)
- Sept – Wotton – 10k
- Oct – Southville organised race/parkrun TBC
If anyone has any questions then follow the usual channels.
Display Boards
This month we moved the old display cabinet into 2025 and placed all of the information onto the TV in the meeting room. I hope this will be looked at somewhat more than the old display. We’ve added all the regular things plus QR codes so it can take you straight to the thing you require. We can vary what we put on there so if you have any ideas then please let the committee know.
ADMF
The ADMF grant window has now closed for 2025. If you have any questions then please see one of the below people at the club on a Wednesday.
- Kelly Dicks
- John Cox
- Sam Mumford
- Katy Sutcliffle
- Christopher Taylor
For any other queries, please email admf@greatwesternrunners.org.uk. Soon to be announced will be another fundraising event after recent successes of the Bingo night and potentially a night where we put our wits against a fellow run club.
Club Quiz Night
The Redland green club is now hosting a monthly Sunday quiz night. The first one has just passed with it being on the 6th of April but they are looking to make this a regular event. The quiz is free to enter, teams of 4-6 people and the winners get a trophy that needs to be returned by the next month and a free round at the bar. Aim to arrive at 7pm for kick off shortly after.
Cotswold Relay
The club once again entered two teams in the cotswold relay (mixed teams). They have been accepted and Ian Haynes/Victoria Davies will now coordinate teams. Be advised the same rules will apply as last year that we will require £5 to run a leg. No payment, no leg. We have to keep it fair. Only members who have an active paid up membership will be accepted to take part. There is a facebook post which is now live to request a leg. If you do not have access to facebook then either contact Ian/Vic by other means or email the committee and your request will be forwarded.
Great Run, or Great Support?
Are you not running Bristol Half marathon or Bristol 10k but are free on that day? Im looking for 6 people to help marshal at the great run event to help Great run put on the event and promote our club. If anyone is interested then please click the link below!
https://greatrun.rosterfy.uk/invite/GreatWesternRunners
Sportsshoes Code
We have an exciting new discount to offer members of England Athletics affiliated clubs!
You can now link your England Athletics membership with your (free) SportsShoes ULTRA account to receive a discount automatically at checkout. This prevents the need to enter a code at checkout, making receiving a discount from us a lot quicker and easier. You can find out more here.
The discount on offer has been increased to 15% off in season products. Some exclusions apply to this promotion, including Coros, Garmin, Shokz, Maurten products and a few shoes.
Please note the old system of sportsshoes supplying a code for discount will cease in the coming months in exchange for the new one.
Kit
For club race kit and leisurewear (including club-branded running gear), please see the website here to pay and then collect your item (s) from the club on Wednesdays. For training and/or leisurewear please see the Macron Store here.
Welfare
Need some support, a neutral second opinion? Please reach out to our welfare team David Honeywill and Karen Wills via email welfare@greatwesternrunners.org.uk
Everyone should feel safe and supported at the club.
Contact
If you would like to contact the committee about any club run business, suggestions, questions or otherwise, please do get in touch on committee@greatwesternrunners.org.uk
We’d love to hear from you!
