Harrier teams have been out recce'ing the 103 mile long Cotswold Way, ready for the relay race on Saturday June 29th, and others are getting ready for other Fell races at the Beacon Batch race (to the top of the Mendips) and the Charmouth Challenge.

The Cotswold Way Relay race will see Harrier teams lining up for the 19th time in the 20 year history (one year was cancelled due to foot and mouth). The Harriers have a men's team and a women's team, and members have been heading up to recce their legs over the past weekend with more due to go this coming weekend. Join one of the recce groups if you can. The race starts at Chipping Camden at 7.00am on Sat June 29th and then makes its way with mass starts for each leg (about 60 teams in all) to finish with leg 10 runners racing down to the Bath Abbey at about 6pm that evening.We have some team members running for the first time (welcome) and others going on their 16th outing.

On the Tuesday before the Cotswold Way, on June 25th is the great little 5 mile race with 1000 foot of climb to the top of the Mendips - Beacon Batch. If you've never done a Fell Race before then this one will give you a very good idea of what it entails. Registration is in the Langford Arms at Lower Langford no later than 7.15pm before a 10 minute jog to the start line and then a lung-bursting uphill stretch up a rocky track before various undulations through the heather and tussocks to the Trig point at 1066ft before retracing your steps.Minimum age 16. Prizes and drinks in the pub afterwards.

http://www.westonac.co.uk/beaconbatch/e

For those who by this stage have got the bug for tough races in great locations there is also the forthcoming Charmouth Challenge Race to the highest point on the South Coast - Golden Cap (191m high). the race takes place on Saturday July 7th. Be prepared for a really great hill for the first mile and a half of the 8 mile race. The main event is open to those aged 18 and over but there is a tough 3 mile mini-challenge for those aged 12 and over, and even a Fun for all over 1.8 miles. the event is tied in with the local School Fete. Charmouth is also great for camping so you could make a weekend of it and follow the race with a dip in the sea.      http://www.charmouthchallenge.co.uk/default.html

& finally.....another date for the Diary is the South of England Fell Running Championships held on the Isel of Wight over the weekend of Sept 14th & 15th. This consists of three races in two days - all do'able- and a good social weekend, with discounted ferry tickets for entrants. We have many a Southern Fell Champion in the Club and some that have contested here regularly over the past decade. Ask Paul for more info or go to http://www.rydeharriers.co.uk/races.htm